Pastor John Wright

I'm trying to find the best time to blog the Bible Study. I probably will try to blog the Bible Study the first of the week before the Sunday's readings. Hopefully this will give time to prepare, but keep us together looking at the Scriptures for the upcoming Sunday. We'll continue to experiment.

This Sunday is Pentecost Sunday. The readings, of course, focus on the gift of the Holy Spirit. The church year provides the context for reading these texts in relationship to each other, to the gift given to us by God.

Isaiah 44:1-8 brings attention to the middle of the passage:

For I will pour water on the thirsty land,
and streams on the dry ground;
I will pour my spirit upon your descendants,
and my blessing on your offspring.
They shall spring up like a green tamarisk,
like willows by flowing streams.
This one will say, "I am the LORD's,"
another will be called by the name of Jacob,
yet another will write on the hand, "The LORD's,"
and adopt the name of Israel.

The prophet combines images of "pouring" and "renewal" and "adoption" with the coming gift of the Spirit. It seems, as well, to refer to the promise to Abram in Gen. 12:1-4. The Spirit seems to involve incorporation of individuals in Israel, God's elect.

One interesting little piece about the passage is the social background of the image. The imagery of one who writes "on the hand, 'The Lord's" alludes to the markings of a temple slave, one who was devoted to the care of a temple of a particular God. Thus, the Spirit binds one to God as God's very own possession, one who receives life from the very place of God's revelation on earth.

This then leads well to the 1 Corinthians passage (12:4-13). The focus on the Spirit is unity. The passage climaxes with imagery of water -- drinking. How does the Spirit relate then to the imagery of the body of Christ and the unity of the body? What is the relationship between the gift of the Spirit and the unity of the Body? What is the reason for the gift of the Spirit in the passage? What do you notice about the relationship between the individual's gift of the Spirit and the social reality of those gifts? Is individuality opposed to community, personal gifts from a social witness of a group? How have you experienced this? Can you name it in the life of our congregation?

This then leads to the Gospel reading: John 14:8-17. Follow the imagery of abiding in the passage. In the first part of the passage, who abides in whom? What is the purpose of this participation? What is the function, then, of the works made known by Jesus?

In the last paragraph of the passage, whom abides with whom? Given the imagery from above, what is the role of the Spirit? In the Gospel of John, who is truth? What does this suggest about the works of the believer?

How would the group summarize the gift of the Spirit from these passages? How does Easter lead to Pentecost? What is the relationship between the gift of the Spirit and the life of the congregation?

Have a wonderful week!