Recalculating! Recalculating! Recalculating!

John 16:12-15

This is Trinity Sunday – the only Sunday in the entire church year when we talk about a doctrine rather than the teachings of Jesus. Understanding how the Trinity can be three entities and still one person is difficult for even the most knowledgeable theologian to explain. The love shared by the three persons of the Holy Trinity demonstrates the love of God in the life of the church and its people. The Father created, the Son redeemed, and the Spirit sanctifies. One God in three persons. We hear a lot about God and certainly the life and teachings of Jesus, so this week I am going to delve into the person of the Holy Spirit. Some people refer to the Holy Spirit as a woman, complementing the eternal nongender God and the man Jesus. After the establishment of the church on Pentecost Sunday, the church’s future lies in the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

It is interesting to note that there are at least 379 references to the Holy Spirit in the Bible, always assuring the disciples – and us – that after Jesus’ death and ascension, the Holy Spirit will forever be there. There are over 983 references to Jesus in the New Testament, so we can see that the Holy Spirit is very significant in the teachings of Jesus.

In today’s scripture, Jesus is with his disciples on the last night before his death. They have had their last meal, Judas has gone to betray Him, and the disciples probably still do not understand what was about to happen. Jesus was comforting the disciples (and us) by explaining that even though He would be leaving them, they would never be alone, and that the Holy Spirit would continue to provide them wise counsel. In earlier scriptures, Jesus had told his disciples that he had taught them everything they needed to know to continue his work.

Yet, now Jesus tells his disciples,

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now” (John 16:12).

After traveling with Him and listening to his teaching, watching his examples, and healing others for almost three years, I would imagine they feel slighted that He thought they couldn’t bear to hear any more. I know I would.

I suspect that most of us would not appreciate a sermon that began like this:

“There are things essential to our faith, but I can’t speak about them because you would not understand. They are far too complicated and way over your head.”

Really?

They would have wanted to know: what are they? Tell us. We want to know. We can take it. We heard about so many things from you. You told us that we are to be merciful, pure in heart, and peacemakers. You explained that we should not worry.

And now, even though Jesus told the disciples they are not ready to hear more, He assures them:

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears, he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. (John 16:13)

Recalculating!

     RECALCULATING!

          RECALCULATING!

The Holy Spirit is like a GPS for our lives as Christians – someone who will guide us and correct us when we go astray. Throughout our lives, the Holy Spirit is ‘recalculating’ to keep us on the right path to the Kingdom of God.

How many times have you felt like you needed guidance but were not getting any answers to your questions or prayers? Most people are familiar with the feeling of wanting something but being unable to reach it. Most people are also acquainted with achieving a goal, taking a job, or entering a relationship only to discover that they have made a terrible mistake. When these things happen, it can be easy to feel angry or think that you should have gotten some sort of warning that this would end badly. You probably did get some warning that you were about to make a terrible mistake. You ignored the whisper in the back of your mind telling you to walk away. You thought you knew better. That little voice may have been the Holy Spirit trying to get your attention. But you ignored it. You expected the Holy Spirit to come to you in a blaze of fire, but sometimes the Holy Spirit uses subtler ways to try and reach you.

As I was preparing for this sermon, I found an article that detailed the five ways the Holy Spirit tries to get your attention. I would like to share it with you.[1]

• DREAMS
  If you are like the vast majority of the human race, you dream every night, but you are rarely lucky enough to remember your dreams in the morning. The few you do remember are preserved primarily as hazy impressions of color, with little or no context, or an echo of a strong emotion not knowing what in the dream made you feel ecstatic, terrified, or angry. Dreams from the Holy Spirit, however, are often different. They are deeply emotional and often involve vivid imagery. You remember them in the morning; they do not fade away at dawn. Instead, they linger in the back of your head for days, weeks, or even months after you initially had the dream. When I struggle with a sermon, I often have ‘dreams’ that give me the right words to say. In fact, at 1 am this morning, I woke up with a ‘recalculating’ from the Holy Spirit urging me to change the direction of this sermon.

Recalculating!

• REPEATED SYMBOLS.
  The human brain loves patterns; our mind is hardwired to find patterns and meaning in everything around us. It might be a sign from the Holy Spirit if you are looking for divine guidance and keep seeing the same numbers, phrases, or animals. This is especially true if the numbers correspond to a Bible verse applicable to your situation or the animal has Christian connotations like a dove.

Recalculating!

• FROM OTHERS
  Sometimes the Holy Spirit uses other people to give its messages. Messages from others could come in a wide variety of ways. They almost always seem eerily accurate to your circumstances. A speaker on television might seem to be talking directly to you about your situation. A friend you have not told about your troubles yet texts you out of the blue to say they are praying for you. An encouraging song comes on the radio exactly when you need it. These deeply improbable coincidences are usually driven by the Holy Spirit, so pay attention to them.

Recalculating!

• GUT FEELINGS
  We have all been told that we need to trust our gut feeling or pay attention to our instincts when trying to make a decision. Everything about a situation — whether it is a new job, a new relationship, or a new apartment — may seem wonderful. Still, a nagging feeling in the back of your head or a knot in your stomach makes you hesitate. Sometimes, the Holy Spirit reaches out to you, warns you away from something, or encourages you along the path God has planned for you.

Recalculating!

• CLOSED DOORS
  Sometimes it seems like every door you try to walk through slams in your face. You apply for a new job only to be turned down after the final interview. You try to deepen your relationship with your significant other, only for them to walk out of your life a few weeks later. You try to start working out again only to trip and break your leg. Your GPS is ‘recalculating.’ When every door closes, it can seem like God has forgotten about you. The opposite, however, is usually true. When the Holy Spirit closes doors it is because those are not the doors you are meant to open. I have found that every time I feel disappointed when something I wanted does not happen, it is because God has a better plan if I will listen to my Holy Spirit.

Recalculating!

The Holy Spirit is always ‘recalculating’ for us, but we might not be listening. If we expect a flashing neon sign, we will not notice the quiet little suggestions left in our path. We will ignore warnings, miss opportunities, and then wonder why we are not receiving guidance.

The Holy Spirit is always with us, but that does us no good if we are unwilling to listen to its voice. The Holy Spirit is our GPS ‘recalculating,’ directing us to the path to the Kingdom of God. All we have to do is listen.

But do we listen to the Holy Spirit, that rather annoying voice that keeps saying ‘recalculating’?

Not always.
 
But other sounds of the Holy Spirit speaking are more pleasant.

What Does the Holy Spirit Sound Like?
The wind rushing through the leaves.
The birds chirping and searching for cover.
The pitter-patter of rain landing on the ground.
The morning darkness giving way to nourishment for the gardens and crops.
The Spirit making its presence known.

What does the Holy Spirit sound like?
Children’s voices waking up with shouts and cheers.
A baby’s soft cries greeting the day.
A toddler yelling, “Mama and daddy!”
Siblings laughing and smiling with one another.
The Spirit making its presence known.

What does the Holy Spirit sound like?
The piping of organ music.
The ringing of bells calling us to worship.
The greeting of friends, “You are welcome here.”
The greeting of the pastor, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the
communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.”
The questions and squirming of children and babies.
The hunger cries and ready-for-a-nap tears of newborns.
The Spirit making its presence known.

What does the Holy Spirit sound like?
The reading of God’s word.
The singing of music.
The offering of prayers.
The sharing of peace. 

The receiving of bread and wine.
The forgiveness of sins.
The blessing of going into the world.
The voices of children in song.
The Holy Spirit is making its presence known.[2]

Listen to your Holy Spirit, your internal GPS ‘recalculating’ us on the right path. It is there.

All we have to do is listen.

Amen.

[1]  Adapted from “Is the Holy Spirit Trying to Reach  You?”BeliefNet, 9 July 2021
[2]  Pastor Kimberly Knowle-Zeller, Cole Camp, MO

Delivered at Saint John’s Episcopal Church, Columbus, OH; 12 June 2022