Message: "Who is the Holy Spirit" by Joel King

Aug 26, 2018

Devotional

Day 1: The Third Day Visit

Jesus delayed three days before going to Lazarus. His disciples feared returning to Judea, whispering, “If we go back, we’ll die.” Thomas rallied them: “Let us go and die with Him.” They’d seen Jesus heal the sick and calm storms—yet death still felt final. When they arrived, Lazarus had been dead four days. Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” The man walked from the tomb, grave clothes clinging to his resurrected skin. The disciples’ fear melted into awe. [06:26]

Jesus used death to showcase life. He let Lazarus die so His friends would witness irreversible hope. The disciples learned that following Jesus meant trusting beyond visible outcomes. Their loyalty was rewarded with a miracle that redefined possibility.

You face situations that seem beyond repair—broken relationships, stagnant dreams, silent prayers. Jesus waits not to punish you, but to reveal His power in your dead places. What tomb have you sealed with resignation?

“Then Jesus said to them plainly, ‘Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.’”
(John 11:14–15, ESV)

Prayer: Ask Jesus to show you one “dead” area He wants to resurrect this week.

Challenge: Text one person today: “I’m praying for you. How can I support you this week?”

Day 2: The Roof-Dropped Friend

Crowds pressed so thick around Jesus that four men tore through a roof to lower their paralyzed friend. Dust rained down as tiles clattered. Jesus saw their faith and said, “Your sins are forgiven.” Religious leaders bristled, but Jesus healed the man’s legs to prove His authority. The man walked home, carrying the mat he’d been trapped on for years. [36:54]

Jesus prioritized spiritual freedom over physical relief. The friends’ drastic action revealed their belief that Jesus was worth the risk. The miracle wasn’t just for the paralyzed man—it challenged everyone watching to dismantle barriers to Christ.

What roofs do you need to tear open? What routines, pride, or logistics keep you from bringing others—or yourself—to Jesus’ feet? When did you last take a tangible risk to encounter Him?

“And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay.”
(Mark 2:4, ESV)

Prayer: Confess one obstacle you’ve tolerated in accessing Jesus’ presence.

Challenge: Write down one “roof” (habit, relationship, fear) to dismantle this month. Share it with a friend by Friday.

Day 3: The Unforced Yes

Thomas usually gets remembered for doubting, but he first declared, “Let us go die with Him.” He followed Jesus into hostile territory, trusting death with Christ was better than life without Him. Later, Thomas touched Jesus’ scars and cried, “My Lord and my God!” His loyalty wasn’t perfect—but it was brave. [06:26]

Jesus honors imperfect devotion. Thomas’ journey from courage to doubt to worship mirrors our own. Jesus didn’t scold his questions but invited him to verify truth. Faith grows when we move toward Christ despite confusion.

Where are you obeying before fully understanding? What step can you take today to lean into Jesus’ call, even if outcomes feel uncertain?

“Thomas answered him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’”
(John 14:5, ESV)

Prayer: Thank Jesus for His patience with your doubts. Ask for courage to act before clarity.

Challenge: Say “yes” to one unresolved prompting from God before sunset.

Day 4: The Locked-Room Breath

After the resurrection, Jesus appeared to disciples huddled behind locked doors. He showed them His scars, ate broiled fish, and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” Their fear turned to joy as He breathed on them. This was no ghost—He had flesh and appetite. Yet He promised a greater presence: the Spirit who’d dwell within them. [38:43]

Jesus’ physical resurrection confirmed eternal life, but His departure made room for the Spirit’s indwelling. The disciples traded intermittent access to Jesus’ body for constant communion with His Spirit. Fear couldn’t lock out God anymore.

What doors have you closed to keep danger—or God—out? How might the Spirit be inviting you to breathe freely behind those barricades?

“And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’”
(John 20:22, ESV)

Prayer: Ask the Spirit to fill one room (literal or emotional) you’ve kept locked.

Challenge: Unlock a literal door (closet, journal, phone) today as a prayer of surrender.

Day 5: The Unseen Wind

Jesus told Nicodemus, “The wind blows where it wishes. You hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes.” He compared the Spirit to this untamable force—invisible, essential, life-giving. Nicodemus, a rule-keeping teacher, struggled to grasp rebirth by something he couldn’t control. [19:13]

The Spirit defies human systems. He revives dry bones, convicts stubborn hearts, and intercedes when words fail. Our task isn’t to direct Him but to discern His movement. Like wind, He reshapes landscapes without permission.

Where are you straining to box the Spirit’s work? What might happen if you stopped measuring His activity by visible results?

“The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
(John 3:8, ESV)

Prayer: Confess one area where you’ve demanded the Spirit conform to your expectations.

Challenge: Spend 10 minutes outside today noticing the wind. Let each breeze prompt prayer for the Spirit’s movement.

Sermon Summary

We begin with a memory of heartache to open a pathway into the disciples experience. We picture young devotion broken by distance and loss so we can feel what the disciples felt when Jesus warned he would leave. We trace how the disciples followed a radical call to repentance, watched Jesus teach with shocking moral demands wrapped in unexpected mercy, and witnessed authority over sickness, nature, and death. We watch their hope rise when Lazarus returns to life and the crowds hail Jesus as the anointed one, and we watch that same hope twist into confusion and grief as the Passover draws near and Jesus speaks of departure.

We hear Jesus tell the inner circle that his leaving serves a purpose. We learn that the promised Counselor will come only if Jesus goes, and that this Counselor, the Holy Spirit, acts as God. We gather scriptural reasons for this claim. We note that Old Testament words and actions attributed to God appear in the New Testament under the Spirit’s activity. We mark the Spirit with divine attributes of eternality, omnipresence, and omniscience, and we note divine works such as creation involvement, regeneration, and power over life and death. We observe the Spirit named alongside Father and Son in baptismal and benediction formulas, which implies equality in the life of God.

We wrestle with the mystery of one God in three persons and accept that human categories come up short. We use dimension imagery to hold the tension that God remains one while existing as Father, Son, and Spirit. We recognize the shift from God with us to God in us. We recall the tabernacle and temple as former meeting places and see that the Spirit makes believers the ongoing dwelling place of God. We practice the conviction that the Spirit’s indwelling changes access and power so that intimacy with God becomes immediate and habitual, not limited to a moment or a room.

We commit to moving beyond theory into experience. We aim to know the Spirit not only by doctrine but by palpable presence, by the Spirit’s sealing, filling, gifting, and guiding. We seek the Spirit’s fingerprints in prayer, worship, and daily living so that the departure of Jesus proves good for our life and mission.

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:22] - A heartbroken memory
[01:33] - Long distance loss and grief
[03:21] - Disciples respond to Jesus
[04:21] - Teaching with grace and power
[05:54] - Lazarus raised and reaction
[08:38] - Passover tension and sorrow
[09:04] - It is for your good
[12:06] - The Holy Spirit is God
[17:39] - Divine attributes and works
[38:43] - God indwells believers
[40:57] - Invitation to experience the Spirit

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
John 16:7 (ESV)
"Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you."

Acts 5:3-4 (ESV)
"But Peter said, 'Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.'"

1 Corinthians 6:19 (ESV)
"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own."

Observation Questions

In John 16:7, what reason does Jesus give for His departure, and what does He promise will happen as a result?
How does Peter’s rebuke of Ananias in Acts 5:3-4 demonstrate the Holy Spirit’s divine nature?
What shift does 1 Corinthians 6:19 highlight about God’s presence compared to the Old Testament temple system?
How did the disciples initially react to Jesus’ warnings about leaving, and why was this devastating for them? [09:04]

Interpretation Questions

Why might Jesus’ statement “it is to your advantage that I go away” (John 16:7) have been confusing or even offensive to the disciples at the time?
How does the Holy Spirit’s role as a “Helper” differ from the limitations of Jesus’ physical presence with the disciples? [38:09]
What does it mean for the Holy Spirit to possess divine attributes like omnipresence and omniscience, and how does this affect His work in believers’ lives?
How does the Trinity (Father, Son, Spirit) resolve the tension between God’s transcendence (“otherness”) and His nearness to humanity? [32:05]

Application Questions

What practical steps could help you become more aware of the Holy Spirit’s presence in your daily routines (e.g., work, relationships, decisions)? [38:43]
If the Holy Spirit is fully God, how might this truth change the way you pray, worship, or respond to conviction in areas where you’ve compromised?
Describe a situation where you’ve treated the Holy Spirit more like a “force” than a person. How could you grow in relating to Him with reverence and dependence? [12:06]
The sermon mentions believers becoming “God’s dwelling place.” What habits or attitudes might hinder this reality in your life, and what could you do to cultivate openness to His presence?
How would your relationships or priorities shift if you fully embraced the truth that the Spirit’s power in you is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead? [19:13]
When have you struggled to trust God’s purpose in a painful loss or change? How might Jesus’ promise in John 16:7 reframe your perspective on that experience?
What is one area of your life where you need the Holy Spirit’s guidance most urgently right now? How can you actively invite Him into that space this week? [40:57]

Sermon Clips

38s

#GodIsAlwaysAccessible

“No longer do you have to wait for the crowds to disappear. No longer do you have to wait for Peter to stop talking. God is accessible twenty four seven. He resides in us. Now, I understand there's there's much more to the question, who is the Holy Spirit? And in in essence, each of these weeks is gonna kinda add to that. And I also understand, for some of us, especially if you're already a follower of Jesus, you're like, have the Holy Spirit, but something's off because if I have God in me, my life is a little too mundane. Why is that? We're gonna talk about that. We're gonna talk about all that.”

37s

#HolySpiritIsGod

“Now Jesus is either stretching the truth to kinda, you know, lessen the blow, Or this helper, who we find out is the Holy Spirit, is someone that's pretty incredible. And that kinda leads us to what we're gonna look at, really this series, but we're gonna begin to lean into today. Who is this Holy Spirit? He's gotta be something if he's a replacement for Jesus. Now, I'll give you the answer right up front. There's no mystery here. He's God. The Holy Spirit is God.”

35s

#GodAllKnowingCreator

“Can you imagine the one who created the 100% of the brain? The knowledge that he has? Not only all the knowledge that we have now or ever will have, but the knowledge that is untapped, that he already knows because he created it. We are moral. There there there is something in us that that that naturally, to a certain degree, wants to do good. Now, it's corrupted, but we we learn we lean in those ways, but God is morally perfect. There is no there is no shade of selfishness in God. There is none.”

25s

#HolySpiritAllKnowing

“It says in first Corinthians that he is all knowing. That's that fancy word, omniscient, means that he knows everything. There is nothing that he does not know. And again, only God is all knowing. And yet, it says the Holy Spirit has this attribute. Some of the works are attributed to the Holy Spirit. The things that he does are divine works, only things that God does.”

33s

#GardenOfInnocence

“Right? When we when we start, when the whole story starts, it's better it's better than than The Hobbit before the ring showed up. Right? They're in Hobbiton, they're all eating, and then have you ever seen that movie? And a lot of movies start out this, it's just like kind of utopia, and then the bad thing happens. Right? And and in essence, it can be the the utopia is described in Genesis chapter two verse 25 where it says, the man and his wife were both naked and this is the one this is the deal here, not that they were naked, and they felt no shame.”

38s

#GodIsAllPowerful

“You see, God is greater in all ways. Period. God is greater in all ways. Wherever we are, you move up from there when you get to God. So we have a certain amount of power, of ability, but God is all powerful. There is nothing that he cannot do. We have a little bit of knowledge, but we only use 10% of our brain. And anyone who has a lot of education, right, I can tell you this. The more education you have, the more you learn what little we know.”

27s

#SinBroughtSeparation

“And then when when sin happens, right, the bible I don't know if it literally like God's walking in the garden. It could have been. It could have been Christ. I don't know. But it does describe this. God shows up to spend some time with them, and they bolt. For the first time, they bolt. Why? Because they feel shame. They realize they're naked. They realize they messed up, and they hide. And that is what was lost. That is what was lost.”

31s

#RelationalWholenessAndAcceptance

“No. They were without shame. They were they were relationally clean. They felt good about themselves. They forgot felt good about the about the other person. They felt good about God. It was it was all kosher. It was all good. It's a very thing that we all really truly desire in this life. Not just to be in a relationship where someone takes us as we are, but to be in the kind of relationship with with where as we are and as they are, it's completely accepted and appreciated and loved and and there's nothing between you.”

Ask a question about this sermon

Trinity Church of Sunnyvale This sermon · AI assistant

How can the Holy Spirit be recognized as God?

Why is Jesus leaving described as beneficial?

What difference does the Spirit's indwelling make?