This individual study guide draws directly from the sermon “Showcase - 12:30pm Sunday Service | Live from Rossview” so you can keep engaging with the message all week. Read, reflect, and share it with your small group or friends.

In-Depth Bible Study Guide

The Holy Spirit: God Among Us, God Within Us

Primary Texts: John 16:7–11; Acts 2:1–4; Ezekiel 36:26–27; Galatians 5:16–23

1. Introduction & Overview

This sermon opens a series on pneumatology — the theological study of the Holy Spirit — by establishing the most foundational truth: the Holy Spirit is not a force, a feeling, or a theological footnote. He is God. Drawing from Genesis 1, Ezekiel 36, John 14–16, Acts 2, and Galatians 5, the pastor argues that the entire biblical narrative moves toward a stunning climax: the God who hovered over creation now desires to dwell within his people. The sermon traces this trajectory from the Passover to Pentecost, from the burning bush to tongues of fire, and from external law to internal transformation — all culminating in the gift of the Holy Spirit to every believer.

Key Biblical Passages: John 16:7–11; Acts 2:1–4; Ezekiel 36:26–27; Galatians 5:16–23; Genesis 1:1–2, 26; Exodus 19:4–6; Romans 8:16

Study Objectives: By completing this guide, you will be able to articulate a biblically grounded doctrine of the Holy Spirit, understand the Trinitarian framework for Christian life, trace the Old Testament promise of the Spirit through to New Testament fulfillment, and identify what Spirit-empowered discipleship looks like in daily life.

Estimated Study Time: 2.5–3 hours

Why This Matters: The Holy Spirit is arguably the most misunderstood person of the Trinity in contemporary Western Christianity. Serious engagement with pneumatology is not optional for the serious disciple — it is the difference between a Christianity of willpower and a Christianity of divine power.

How This Guide Builds on the Sermon: The pastor surveyed an enormous biblical landscape in a single message. This guide slows down at key exegetical and theological moments, adds scholarly depth, and provides tools for ongoing personal study.

2. Exegetical Analysis

John 16:7–11 — The Promise of the Helper

John 16 belongs to the Farewell Discourse (John 13–17), a literary unit unique to the Fourth Gospel. This extended teaching session occurs in the upper room on the night of Jesus' betrayal and constitutes the longest recorded teaching of Jesus in any Gospel. The genre is farewell discourse, a well-recognized form in both Jewish and Greco-Roman literature (cf. Moses' farewell in Deuteronomy, Jacob's in Genesis 49) in which a departing leader prepares his successors for life after his absence.

Verse 7: Jesus opens with a startling claim: "It is to your advantage (sympherei, "it is profitable/beneficial") that I go away." The disciples would have found this incomprehensible — yet Jesus grounds it in Trinitarian logic. His physical, localized presence limits him to one place at one time. The Spirit's coming, by contrast, is universal and interior. The word "Helper" (Paraklētos, see Word Studies below) is capitalized in most English translations because it functions as a divine title.

Verses 8–11: The Spirit's ministry to the world (not merely believers) is described with the verb elenchō — to convict, expose, or reprove. Three arenas of conviction are listed: sin (specifically unbelief in Christ), righteousness (which Jesus defines as his return to the Father — the vindication of his claims), and judgment (the defeat of "the ruler of this world"). This is prosecutorial language; the Spirit functions as a divine attorney presenting God's case to a resistant world.

Acts 2:1–4 — The Day of Pentecost

Luke's account in Acts is carefully structured as the fulfillment of Joel 2:28–32 (quoted by Peter in Acts 2:17–21) and of Jesus' promise in Acts 1:8. The narrative employs three sensory phenomena: sound (like a rushing wind), sight (tongues of fire), and speech (other languages). Scholars note that Luke uses the word apax (once-for-all) language in his description — the specific phenomena of wind and fire are not repeated in subsequent Spirit-fillings in Acts. What is repeated is the filling itself (Acts 4:31; 9:17; 13:52).

Ezekiel 36:26–27 — The Promise of a New Heart

This oracle belongs to Ezekiel's restoration section (chapters 33–48) and is addressed to Israel in Babylonian exile. The passage employs Hebrew parallelism: new heart / new spirit; heart of stone / heart of flesh. The climax is verse 27: "I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes." The Hebrew ruach (Spirit) here is the same word used in Genesis 1:2. God's solution to human hard-heartedness is not better rules — it is divine indwelling.

Galatians 5:16–23 — The Flesh and the Spirit

Paul's letter to the Galatians addresses a community tempted to supplement grace with law-keeping. Chapter 5 presents a binary: sarx (flesh) versus pneuma (Spirit). The "works of the flesh" are not merely sensual sins but include relational and social sins (factions, envy, strife) — a pointed critique of the Galatian community's divisions. The "fruit of the Spirit" is singular (karpos, not karpoi) — suggesting an integrated, organic whole rather than a checklist.

3. Historical & Cultural Context

The Feast of Pentecost

The sermon makes much of the connection between Passover and Pentecost, and this connection is historically rich. Pentecost (Pentēkostē, "fiftieth") was the Greek name for the Hebrew festival of Shavuot (Weeks), observed fifty days after Passover. It was one of the three great pilgrimage feasts (along with Passover and Tabernacles) when Jewish men were required to appear in Jerusalem (Deuteronomy 16:16). This explains Acts 2's international crowd — devout Jews from across the Diaspora were already gathered in Jerusalem.

By the first century, Shavuot had also become associated with the giving of the Torah at Sinai, though this connection is more prominent in later rabbinic sources (e.g., b. Pesachim 68b). The theological irony Luke may be drawing: where Sinai gave the external law, Pentecost gives the internal Spirit — precisely the contrast Ezekiel and Jeremiah had prophesied (Ezekiel 36:27; Jeremiah 31:33).

The Upper Room and the Disciples' Fear

Acts 1–2 places the disciples in Jerusalem, gathered in an upper room (hyperōon). The same Greek word appears in Acts 9:37 and 20:8 for rooms used for prayer and teaching. Jewish sources suggest upper rooms were often used for private gatherings and prayer. The disciples' hiddenness (John 20:19 says they were behind locked doors "for fear of the Jews") makes the sudden boldness of Pentecost all the more dramatic.

The Burning Bush and Theophany

The pastor draws a compelling parallel between the burning bush of Exodus 3 and the tongues of fire at Pentecost. In ancient Near Eastern thought, fire regularly signified divine presence — the pillar of fire in the wilderness (Exodus 13:21), fire on Sinai (Exodus 19:18), and the fire that consumed Elijah's altar (1 Kings 18:38). The burning bush (seneh) that was not consumed was a theophany — a visible manifestation of God's presence. The fire at Pentecost, resting on individual believers without consuming them, signals that the locus of God's presence has shifted: from mountain, to tabernacle, to temple, to persons.

First-Century Jewish Pneumatology

First-century Jews understood the Spirit of God (ruach ha-kodesh) as active in creation, prophecy, and wisdom, but largely believed the Spirit had been withdrawn after the last of the classical prophets. The rabbis spoke of the bat kol (daughter of a voice) as a lesser substitute for direct prophetic inspiration. Into this context, the outpouring at Pentecost was nothing less than a declaration that the age of the Spirit — the eschatological age — had arrived.

4. Word Studies

"Helper" (Greek, Paraklētos, para-KAY-lay-tos)

Meaning: One called alongside to help; advocate, counselor, comforter
Etymology: From para (alongside) + kaleō (to call). The compound means "one called to stand beside another."
Biblical Usage: The term appears five times in the New Testament, all in Johannine literature: John 14:16, 14:26, 15:26, 16:7, and 1 John 2:1 (where Jesus himself is called our Paraklētos with the Father). The breadth of meaning encompasses legal advocacy, personal comfort, and practical assistance.
Theological Significance: The capitalization in English translations is theologically intentional — this is not a generic helper but a divine title. As Gordon Fee argues in God's Empowering Presence, the Paraklētos sayings in John 14–16 constitute the most developed pneumatology in the Gospels. The Spirit is personal, purposeful, and divine.
Translation Considerations: The KJV renders it "Comforter," the ESV and NIV "Helper," the NRSV "Advocate." Each captures a different facet — none fully exhausts the term.

"Filled" (Greek, plēroō / pimplēmi, plee-ROH-oh / PIM-play-mee)

Meaning: To fill completely, to make full, to bring to completion
Etymology: Plēroō shares a root with plēroma (fullness), a term Paul uses for the fullness of deity dwelling in Christ (Colossians 2:9).
Biblical Usage: Luke uses pimplēmi specifically for Spirit-filling in Acts 2:4, 4:8, 4:31, 9:17, and 13:9. Paul uses plēroō in Ephesians 5:18 ("be filled with the Spirit"). The verb in Ephesians 5:18 is a present passive imperative — a continuous command to be continually filled.
Theological Significance: The grammar of Ephesians 5:18 is crucial: this is not a one-time event but an ongoing posture. As F.F. Bruce notes in his commentary on Ephesians, the present tense indicates repeated, habitual filling — "keep on being filled." This supports the sermon's application that believers should daily invite the Spirit's filling.

"Elohim" (Hebrew, Elohim, el-oh-HEEM)

Meaning: God; the plural of majesty form of El (God)
Etymology: El is the common Semitic word for deity. The -im suffix is a Hebrew masculine plural ending. When used of the God of Israel, it takes singular verbs — a grammatical tension that has fascinated scholars for centuries.
Biblical Usage: Elohim appears over 2,500 times in the Hebrew Bible. Genesis 1:1 uses it with the singular verb bara (created). Genesis 1:26 pairs it with the plural pronouns "us" and "our" — the grammatical tension the sermon highlights.
Theological Significance: While some scholars explain the plural as a "plural of majesty" common in ancient Near Eastern royal language (cf. the Ugaritic texts), Christian theology has historically seen in Elohim a hint of the Trinitarian plurality within divine unity. As Bruce Waltke notes in his Old Testament Theology, the plural pronoun in Genesis 1:26 "at minimum suggests a rich inner life within the Godhead."

"Ruach" (Hebrew, rûaḥ, ROO-akh)

Meaning: Wind, breath, spirit
Etymology: The root conveys the idea of moving air — from the gentle breath of life to the powerful storm wind.
Biblical Usage: Genesis 1:2 ("the Spirit/wind/breath of God hovered over the waters"); Ezekiel 36:27 ("I will put my Spirit within you"); Ezekiel 37:14 (the valley of dry bones — "I will put my Spirit in you and you shall live").
Theological Significance: The semantic range of rûaḥ — breath, wind, spirit — is theologically rich. God breathes life into Adam (nishmat ḥayyim, Genesis 2:7), and the same creative breath is now promised as an indwelling presence. The Spirit who animated creation now animates the new creation in human hearts.

"Fruit" (Greek, karpos, KAR-pos)

Meaning: Fruit, produce, result
Etymology: A standard agricultural term used metaphorically throughout the New Testament for the results or outcomes of a person's life and character.
Biblical Usage: Matthew 7:16–20 (trees known by fruit); John 15:1–8 (abiding in the vine bears fruit); Galatians 5:22–23 (fruit of the Spirit).
Theological Significance: Paul's deliberate use of the singular karpos rather than the plural karpoi is exegetically significant. The nine qualities listed are not separate achievements but a unified organic whole — the natural outgrowth of the Spirit's presence, not the product of human effort. As Richard Longenecker observes in his Galatians commentary (Word Biblical Commentary), the contrast with the "works" (erga) of the flesh is intentional: works are manufactured; fruit is grown.

5. Cross-References & Biblical Theology

The Spirit in Creation and New Creation

Genesis 1:2 — "The Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters."

The same Spirit who brooded over primordial chaos to bring forth ordered creation now brings forth new creation in human hearts. The connection is deliberate in both Ezekiel 36–37 and John 3 (the new birth by water and Spirit).

Ezekiel 37:14 — "I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live."

The valley of dry bones passage is the companion text to Ezekiel 36:27 — both use the same language of Spirit-impartation to produce life where there was death.

The Promise Trajectory

Joel 2:28–29 — "I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and daughters shall prophesy."

Peter explicitly quotes this in Acts 2:17 as the interpretive key to Pentecost. The "all flesh" language marks the democratization of the Spirit — no longer confined to kings, priests, and prophets.

Jeremiah 31:31–34 — "I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts."

Jeremiah's new covenant promise parallels Ezekiel 36 — both anticipate an interior transformation replacing external legal obligation. Hebrews 8–10 identifies Jesus as the mediator of this new covenant.

Jesus and the Spirit

Luke 3:21–22 — The Spirit descends on Jesus at his baptism.

Acts 10:38 (cited in the sermon) explains this directly: "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power." If the incarnate Son of God required the Spirit's anointing for ministry, the implication for believers is unmistakable.

John 7:37–39 — "Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'" John adds: "Now this he said about the Spirit."

Jesus uses the imagery of the water-drawing ceremony at the Feast of Tabernacles to promise the Spirit as an interior wellspring — not an external law but an internal river.

The Spirit in Pauline Theology

Romans 8:9–11 — "You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him."

Paul makes Spirit-indwelling the very definition of Christian belonging. This is the text behind the sermon's point: "You're not even saved without the Holy Spirit."

Romans 8:16 — "The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God."

The Spirit's inner testimony of adoption is the assurance of salvation — not merely cognitive belief but the Spirit's witness to the human spirit.

1 Corinthians 3:16 — "Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?"

Paul's temple language is stunning in its implications. The God who dwelt in the Jerusalem temple now dwells in human persons.

Ephesians 5:18 — "Do not get drunk with wine... but be filled with the Spirit."

The command to "be filled" (present passive imperative) supports the sermon's call to daily invitation and renewal in the Spirit.

6. Interpretive Considerations

The Trinitarian Language of Genesis 1

The sermon's appeal to Elohim and the plural pronouns of Genesis 1:26 as Trinitarian hints is historically common in Christian interpretation but requires nuance. Most Old Testament scholars — including evangelical ones — note that the ancient Israelite author almost certainly did not have a fully developed Trinitarian theology in mind. The "plural of majesty" and "divine council" interpretations are serious alternatives. However, Christian biblical theology reads the canon as a unified whole, and the New Testament's explicit Trinitarian framework provides a legitimate retrospective lens. As Christopher Wright argues in Knowing the Holy Spirit Through the Old Testament, the Spirit's activity in the Old Testament is real and consistent, even if the full Trinitarian articulation awaits New Testament revelation.

The "Initial Evidence" Debate

The sermon touches on speaking in tongues as a Spirit-filling experience. This is one of the most debated questions in pneumatology. Classical Pentecostal theology (Assemblies of God, Church of God) holds that speaking in tongues is the initial physical evidence of Spirit baptism. Charismatic and Third Wave evangelicals often affirm tongues as one sign among many. Reformed and cessationist theologians argue that the sign gifts (tongues, prophecy, healing) were limited to the apostolic age. The sermon occupies a Pentecostal-charismatic position, and the pastor is transparent about his tradition. Serious students should engage with all three positions: Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology (charismatic continuationist), John MacArthur's Strange Fire (cessationist), and Frank Macchia's Baptized in the Spirit (classical Pentecostal).

Spirit Baptism: One Event or Two?

The sermon distinguishes between the Spirit's indwelling at salvation (Romans 8:9) and a subsequent "filling" or "baptism" in the Spirit. This is the classical Pentecostal "subsequence" doctrine. Reformed and most evangelical theologians argue that Spirit baptism (1 Corinthians 12:13) occurs at conversion and is not a second distinct experience. Both positions have serious exegetical arguments. The Acts narrative does seem to show a gap between believing and Spirit-filling in some cases (Acts 8:14–17; 19:1–6), though the Cornelius episode (Acts 10) shows simultaneous conversion and Spirit reception. Fee's God's Empowering Presence offers the most thorough evangelical engagement with this question.

7. Theological Implications

The Personhood of the Holy Spirit

The sermon's insistence that "the Holy Spirit is God" is the necessary starting point for all pneumatology. Against ancient modalism (which saw Father, Son, and Spirit as three modes of one person) and modern functional reductions (treating the Spirit as a force or power), orthodox Christianity affirms the Spirit as a distinct person of the one Godhead. The Spirit has intellect (Romans 8:27), will (1 Corinthians 12:11), emotion (Ephesians 4:30), and performs personal acts: he teaches, convicts, intercedes, and testifies.

The Doctrine of the Trinity

The sermon's use of the "Shield of Trinity" diagram reflects the Athanasian Creed's formulation (c. 5th century): the Father is God, the Son is God, the Spirit is God — yet they are not three Gods but one God. The filioque controversy (whether the Spirit proceeds from the Father alone or from Father and Son) divided Eastern and Western Christianity in 1054 and remains unresolved. For practical discipleship, what matters is that the Spirit's mission is inseparable from the Father's love and the Son's redemption.

The Indwelling as New Temple Theology

Paul's declaration that believers are "God's temple" (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19) represents one of the most radical theological claims in the New Testament. The Jerusalem temple was the singular locus of God's presence on earth. The Spirit's indwelling means every believer is now a portable sanctuary — the presence of God dwelling not in stone but in flesh. This has profound implications for how we treat our bodies, our communities, and our corporate worship.

Transformation, Not Mere Improvement

The sermon's contrast between willpower Christianity and Spirit-empowered Christianity reflects Paul's argument in Romans 7–8. The law could identify sin but could not overcome it. Only the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus sets us free from "the law of sin and death" (Romans 8:2). This is not antinomianism (lawlessness) but a higher righteousness — one that flows from interior transformation rather than exterior compliance.

8. Practical Application

The sermon's pastoral heart is clear: the Holy Spirit is not a theological luxury for charismatics — he is the essential power source for every Christian's daily life. Here is how the scholarship deepens that application:

Daily Invitation: The grammar of Ephesians 5:18 (present passive imperative — "keep on being filled") means Spirit-filling is not a one-time crisis experience but a daily posture. The pastor's practice of daily inviting the Spirit is not merely a personal habit — it is exegetically grounded. Make it a morning practice: "Holy Spirit, I welcome you. Fill me. Lead me. Use me today."

Repentance as Preparation: The sermon's closing prayer rightly begins with confession. The Spirit is holy — his filling presupposes a vessel being cleansed. Psalm 139:23–24 ("Search me, O God") is a Spirit-sensitive prayer that creates receptivity.

Fruit Over Performance: The fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23) is not a spiritual achievement checklist — it is the natural result of abiding in the Spirit. Rather than trying harder to be more patient or loving, the application is to draw closer to the Spirit who produces those qualities organically.

Mission as Overflow: Acts 1:8 connects Spirit-empowerment directly to witness. The pastor's call to live "on mission" with God is not an additional burden — it is the natural overflow of a Spirit-filled life. Consider: where is God already at work around you, and how might the Spirit be inviting you to join him there?

Community as Context: The Spirit was poured out on a community gathered together (Acts 2:1). Spirit-filled living is not a solo project. Small groups, corporate worship, and shared prayer are the environments where the Spirit's gifts and fruit flourish most naturally.

9. Discussion Questions

Observational

In John 16:7–11, Jesus lists three things the Spirit will convict the world of: sin, righteousness, and judgment. What specific content does Jesus give for each of these three areas? How does this go beyond a general sense of moral conviction?
Compare Genesis 1:2 and Acts 2:1–4. What physical elements appear in both passages? What do these shared elements suggest about the relationship between creation and Pentecost?
In Galatians 5:19–23, Paul uses the words "works" for the flesh's output and "fruit" for the Spirit's output. What is the difference between a "work" and a "fruit" in terms of how each is produced?

Interpretive

The sermon argues that it is "to our advantage" that Jesus ascended so the Spirit could come. In what specific ways is the Spirit's universal, interior presence more advantageous for believers than Jesus' localized physical presence would have been? Can you think of any limitations this argument might have?
Ezekiel 36:26–27 promises a "new heart" and a "new spirit" through the indwelling of God's Spirit. How does this Old Testament promise relate to what Jesus calls being "born again" in John 3? What does this connection tell us about the continuity between the Testaments?
The sermon distinguishes between the Spirit "dwelling in" believers (Romans 8:9) and the Spirit "filling" or "baptizing" believers (Acts 2; Ephesians 5:18). What textual evidence supports this distinction? What challenges does this interpretation face?

Theological

The sermon states that "God loves you, Jesus saves you, and the Spirit fills you." While this is a helpful summary, how might it be misunderstood if taken as a strict division of labor within the Trinity? What does the doctrine of perichoresis (the mutual indwelling of the Trinitarian persons) add to our understanding?
If the Holy Spirit is fully God — the same Spirit who "hovered over creation" — what does it mean theologically that this Spirit now dwells inside human beings? What responsibilities and privileges does this imply for how we understand human dignity and the Christian life?

Applicational

The sermon contrasts "discipleship as willpower" with "discipleship as experiencing God's power." Be honest: in which areas of your spiritual life are you most dependent on willpower rather than Spirit-empowerment? What would it look like practically to shift from striving to inviting?
Corrie ten Boom is quoted: "Trying to do the Lord's work in your own strength is the most confusing, exhausting, and tedious of all work." Where have you experienced this exhaustion in your own walk? What did that season reveal about your dependence on the Spirit?
The pastor's three closing prayers — "Holy Spirit, show me / fill me / use me" — are drawn from biblical patterns (Psalm 139, Ephesians 5:18, Acts 1:8). How could you build these three prayers into a daily rhythm? What would change in your life if you prayed them consistently for thirty days?

Investigative

The sermon mentions the connection between Passover (Exodus 12), Pentecost (Acts 2), and the promise of the Spirit (Ezekiel 36; Joel 2). Research the Jewish festival calendar and the rabbinic tradition that connected Shavuot with the giving of Torah at Sinai. How does this background deepen the theological significance of the Spirit being given on the day of Pentecost? What was God communicating by the timing?

10. Recommended Resources

Accessible (For Motivated Lay Readers)

Gordon D. Fee, Paul, the Spirit, and the People of God (Hendrickson, 1996) Fee is one of the foremost New Testament scholars of the 20th century and a committed Pentecostal. This accessible volume distills his massive technical work into readable chapters. Essential starting point for understanding Paul's pneumatology.

Christopher J.H. Wright, Knowing the Holy Spirit Through the Old Testament (IVP, 2006) An accessible survey of the Spirit's activity from Genesis through Malachi. Wright is an Old Testament scholar of the first order who writes for general readers. Directly supports the Old Testament trajectory traced in this sermon.

Francis Chan, Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit (David C. Cook, 2009) A pastoral and accessible challenge to Spirit-neglect in contemporary Christianity. Chan writes from a charismatic-friendly but broadly evangelical perspective. Excellent for personal devotional reading alongside this study.

Intermediate (For Those Comfortable with Theological Terms)

Gordon D. Fee, God's Empowering Presence: The Holy Spirit in the Letters of Paul (Hendrickson, 1994) This is the definitive scholarly treatment of the Spirit in Paul. At nearly 1,000 pages, it is comprehensive but organized so that individual sections can be read independently. Fee's exegesis of Galatians 5 and Ephesians 5 is outstanding.

Craig S. Keener, Gift and Giver: The Holy Spirit for Today (Baker Academic, 2001) Keener is a prolific New Testament scholar who writes from a charismatic continuationist perspective. This volume is more accessible than his technical work and engages the cessationist debate fairly. His IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament is also invaluable for historical context on Acts 2.

Sinclair Ferguson, The Holy Spirit (IVP, 1996) A thorough Reformed treatment of pneumatology. Ferguson writes with clarity and warmth. Valuable for understanding the Spirit's role in sanctification and the Christian life from a non-charismatic perspective. Excellent counterpoint reading alongside Fee.

Advanced (For Seminary-Level Engagement)

Frank D. Macchia, Baptized in the Spirit: A Global Pentecostal Theology (Zondervan, 2006) The most sophisticated theological defense of classical Pentecostal pneumatology available. Macchia engages ecumenical dialogue and systematic theology at a high level. Essential for understanding the "subsequence" and "initial evidence" debates.

Jürgen Moltmann, The Spirit of Life: A Universal Affirmation (Fortress, 1992) Moltmann's pneumatology from a Reformed-ecumenical perspective. Theologically creative and historically informed. Challenges readers to think about the Spirit's work in creation, history, and eschatology. Not for beginners, but rewarding for advanced students.

Walter Brueggemann, Theology of the Old Testament: Testimony, Dispute, Advocacy (Fortress, 1997) For those wanting to understand the Old Testament background of Spirit theology (including ruach and Elohim) in depth. Brueggemann's canonical approach illuminates the trajectory from creation to new creation that the sermon traces.

This study guide is designed to be used over multiple sessions. Consider working through one or two sections per week with a small group, using the Discussion Questions to drive conversation. The goal is not merely to accumulate information about the Holy Spirit, but to cultivate a life increasingly yielded to his presence and power.