Embracing the Holy Spirit: Peace, Purpose, and Grace

Today, we sought to approach the Holy Spirit with humility, setting aside our opinions and asking God to teach us afresh about His Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not just an aspect or attribute of God, but a person—fully God, along with the Father and the Son. The Spirit’s role is to make God real and near to us, closing the gap between heaven and our everyday lives. We explored John 20:19-23, not as a rigid formula, but as a description of what it looks like when the Holy Spirit moves among us.

First, the Spirit brings peace in the midst of fear. The disciples, locked away in fear after Jesus’ crucifixion, encountered the risen Christ who entered their locked room and spoke peace over them. This peace is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of Jesus Himself, made real by the Spirit. No locked door—physical, emotional, or spiritual—can keep Him out. I shared my own experience of facing cancer, feeling isolated and afraid, yet discovering the Spirit’s peace that surpasses understanding.

Second, the Spirit doesn’t just comfort us—He commissions us. Jesus told the disciples, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” The Spirit empowers us to live on mission, not just to maintain religious routines. We are saved to be sent, to serve, and to bring the kingdom of God into the world. But we are never sent alone; the Spirit goes with us, filling us and enabling us to walk in our calling.

Third, the Spirit is received by surrender, not striving. Jesus breathed on the disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” Just as breath is a gift, so is the Spirit. We don’t earn or manufacture His presence; we simply open ourselves, breathe out our own ambitions and fears, and breathe in the life of God. The Spirit is not a tool, but the very presence of God within us.

Fourth, the Spirit moves us to extend grace to a hurting world. Jesus entrusted His followers with the ministry of reconciliation, to proclaim forgiveness and healing in His name. The greatest miracle is not physical healing, but the transformation that comes when someone receives the gospel and is reconciled to God. We are called not just to receive grace, but to become agents of grace, sharing the hope and healing we have found.

Let us continually open our hearts to the Spirit, asking Him to fill us, send us, and use us to bring peace, purpose, and reconciliation to those around us.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Peace in the Midst of Fear: True peace is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of Jesus made real by the Holy Spirit. Even when we lock ourselves away in fear—emotionally, mentally, or spiritually—Jesus enters those places and speaks peace over us. No barrier can keep Him out, and His peace is available even in our darkest moments. [07:41]
• 2. Commissioned, Not Just Comforted: The Spirit’s work is not limited to calming our fears; He also sends us out with purpose. We are not called to a passive faith, but to active participation in God’s mission. The Spirit empowers ordinary people to do extraordinary things, and we are never sent alone—He goes with us, equipping us for every step. [14:46]
• 3. Receiving by Surrender, Not Striving: The Holy Spirit is received as a gift, not as a reward for spiritual effort. Just as we breathe without striving, we are invited to surrender our own agendas and receive the Spirit’s life. The question is not how much of the Spirit we have, but how much of us the Spirit has—are we open, surrendered, and willing to be filled daily? [20:15]
• 4. Extending Grace to a Broken World: The Spirit moves us beyond ourselves, calling us to be agents of reconciliation in a world fractured by sin. We are entrusted with the message of forgiveness and hope, not to keep it to ourselves, but to share it freely. Holding back the grace we’ve received is a profound loss for those around us; we are called to be conduits of God’s healing and love. [27:46]
• 5. The Spirit’s Quiet, Transforming Work: While God can work in dramatic ways, the Spirit often moves quietly, transforming lives and communities from the inside out. The beauty of the church is found not in flashy displays, but in the steady, faithful presence of the Spirit among us. As we yield to Him, we become a living testimony to God’s reality and love in the world. [35:30]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [01:10] - Setting Aside Opinions: Seeking God’s Truth
• [02:45] - The Personhood of the Holy Spirit
• [04:30] - Understanding the Trinity: Three in One
• [05:46] - The Disciples’ Fear and Locked Doors
• [07:41] - Jesus Brings Peace in the Midst of Fear
• [11:01] - Personal Story: Finding Peace in Crisis
• [14:46] - Commissioned: Sent by Jesus
• [16:32] - The Spirit Empowers Our Calling
• [18:05] - Jesus Breathes the Spirit: Creation and New Life
• [20:15] - Receiving the Spirit by Surrender
• [22:03] - You Don’t Have to Hustle to Be Holy
• [23:18] - Extending Grace to a Hurting World
• [27:46] - The Ministry of Reconciliation
• [31:50] - Living as One Who Is Sent
• [34:08] - Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit
• [35:30] - The Spirit’s Quiet Work and Our Response

Bible Reading

John 20:19-23 (ESV) — 19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

Observation Questions

1. In John 20:19, what was the emotional state of the disciples, and what physical action had they taken because of it?
2. What did Jesus do and say when He appeared to the disciples in the locked room?
3. According to verse 22, what did Jesus do to the disciples, and what did He tell them to receive?
4. What mission or responsibility did Jesus give to the disciples after speaking peace over them?

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think Jesus chose to appear to the disciples when they were locked away in fear, rather than when they were out in public? What does this say about how the Holy Spirit meets us?
2. The sermon says, “Peace is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of Jesus.” How does the Holy Spirit make this peace real in our lives, even when circumstances don’t change?
3. Jesus breathed on the disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” What does it mean to receive the Spirit by surrender rather than striving? How is this different from trying to earn God’s presence?
4. The passage talks about being sent as Jesus was sent. What does it look like for ordinary people to live as those who are “sent” by God?

Application Questions

1. The disciples locked themselves away out of fear, but Jesus entered anyway. Are there “locked rooms” in your life—places of fear, shame, or pain—where you need to invite Jesus and the Spirit’s peace? What would it look like to let Him in?
2. The pastor shared about facing cancer and experiencing the Spirit’s peace in a place of isolation. Can you recall a time when you felt alone or afraid, but sensed God’s peace? If not, is there a situation now where you need to ask for that peace?
3. Jesus doesn’t just comfort us—He sends us. Where in your life do you sense God calling you to step out and serve or share His love? Is there a specific person, place, or situation that comes to mind?
4. The sermon says we receive the Spirit by surrender, not by striving. Are there ambitions, fears, or habits you need to “breathe out” so you can “breathe in” more of God’s Spirit? What would surrender look like for you this week?
5. The Spirit moves us to extend grace and forgiveness. Is there someone in your life who needs to experience the forgiveness or hope you’ve received? What’s one step you could take to share God’s grace with them?
6. The greatest miracle is a changed life. Have you shared your story of how Jesus has changed you with anyone recently? If not, what’s holding you back?
7. The Spirit often works quietly, not just in dramatic ways. Where have you seen the “quiet work” of the Spirit in your life or in our church? How can you become more aware of and responsive to His gentle leading?