Post by Admin on Oct 12, 2017 6:42:49 GMT
We had a few candles on the table tonight, to give a visual representation of tonight’s Image of the Spirit: Fire. We opened with some comments about our good feelings associated with fire – sitting in front of a fireplace, campfires, talking around a fire pit, fires for cooking. Also mentioned was the destructive power of fire, and in fact Lynne shared a story of a house destroyed by a fire originating in a wood stove.
The scripture basis for tonight’s discussion comes from the familiar report of Pentecost. The events occurred in the context of a major Jewish festival called Pentecost, or the Festival of Weeks. It commemorates completion of the wheat harvest, and also is a time for renewing covenants. Although Jerusalem would not have been as overflowing with people for Pentecost as for Passover a few weeks before, there would still be many, many Jewish visitors from other lands in the city for the festival, people who spoke many different languages. The first passage includes the statement that all filled with the Holy Spirit spoke in “other tongues.” In our discussion, we thought that could mean both other languages, so the many visitors could understand, and also in a spiritual language that only the Holy Spirit can interpret for us.
The benefits of fire are significant and straight-forward, and we talked about how the role of the Holy Spirit parallels them. Fire is light; the Holy Spirit shines light so darkness recedes and truth is exposed. The light of the Holy Spirit can also shine through us to enlighten others. Fire is heat; the Holy Spirit comforts and consoles us, like a warm fireplace. It cooks our food, too, or in other words, makes God’s word understandable and digestible. Fire is purifying; the Holy Spirit can distill and burn away habits, reactions, and resentments that are contrary to God’s perfect model, Jesus. To illustrate this last benefit, we each wrote down on a slip of paper something we would like the Holy Spirit to burn out of us, and then we lit the paper on fire (and dropped it into a metal pot).
Each of the Bible discussions in this series wraps up with the words of a hymn. Tonight’s was from “Holy Spirit, Truth Divine,” words by Samuel Longfellow (#470 in the NAC hymnal).
Holy Spirit, truth divine, dawn upon this soul of mine;
Voice of God and inward light, wake my spirit, clear my sight.
Holy Spirit, love divine, glow within this heart of mine.
Kindle every high desire, purify me with your fire.
Holy Spirit, power divine, fill and nerve this will of mine.
Boldly may I always live, bravely serve, and gladly give.
The scripture basis for tonight’s discussion comes from the familiar report of Pentecost. The events occurred in the context of a major Jewish festival called Pentecost, or the Festival of Weeks. It commemorates completion of the wheat harvest, and also is a time for renewing covenants. Although Jerusalem would not have been as overflowing with people for Pentecost as for Passover a few weeks before, there would still be many, many Jewish visitors from other lands in the city for the festival, people who spoke many different languages. The first passage includes the statement that all filled with the Holy Spirit spoke in “other tongues.” In our discussion, we thought that could mean both other languages, so the many visitors could understand, and also in a spiritual language that only the Holy Spirit can interpret for us.
The benefits of fire are significant and straight-forward, and we talked about how the role of the Holy Spirit parallels them. Fire is light; the Holy Spirit shines light so darkness recedes and truth is exposed. The light of the Holy Spirit can also shine through us to enlighten others. Fire is heat; the Holy Spirit comforts and consoles us, like a warm fireplace. It cooks our food, too, or in other words, makes God’s word understandable and digestible. Fire is purifying; the Holy Spirit can distill and burn away habits, reactions, and resentments that are contrary to God’s perfect model, Jesus. To illustrate this last benefit, we each wrote down on a slip of paper something we would like the Holy Spirit to burn out of us, and then we lit the paper on fire (and dropped it into a metal pot).
Each of the Bible discussions in this series wraps up with the words of a hymn. Tonight’s was from “Holy Spirit, Truth Divine,” words by Samuel Longfellow (#470 in the NAC hymnal).
Holy Spirit, truth divine, dawn upon this soul of mine;
Voice of God and inward light, wake my spirit, clear my sight.
Holy Spirit, love divine, glow within this heart of mine.
Kindle every high desire, purify me with your fire.
Holy Spirit, power divine, fill and nerve this will of mine.
Boldly may I always live, bravely serve, and gladly give.