Ministry
Health
Sermon Starters
Support and Resources For Pastors and
Christian Ministry Professionals
Thomas F. Fischer, M.Div., M.S.A., Editor
Seventh Sunday
Of Easter
Series C
"Esprit
Gras!"
Acts 16:6-10
Rev. Kelly Bedard, B.A., M.Div.
Note: Granted, Pentecost is Sunday, May 30,
but can't resist the
ready and rife reference(s) to the Holy Spirit in this text.
Too, living close to New Orleans, can't resist the sermon
title:
translation: literally, "Heavy--or glorious, from kabed--Spirit!";
colloquially, "Fat Spirit!" (c;
The following is inspired by and adapted from Glen Thomas.
The Point: the Holy
Spirit guides us individually and corporately in both negative (vv6-7) and
positive (v10) directions
The Problem: we
don't understand/see and/or thwart and hinder God's desire and direction for
us
The Promise: God through
Christ forgives our lack of direction and witness and, through Word &
Sacrament, continues to empower, guide and direct us (John 14:6-7; 16:13-15;
17:17)
Notes:
1. As an introduction, comment on
recent technological advances in providing directions for travel--computer,
mapping programs, GPS, in-car screens with voice prompts, etc. (Glen
Thomas)
2. Speculation surrounds the
precise way in which the Holy Spirit kept Paul from preaching the word in the
province of Asia (v6). Some have speculated that Paul interpreted his
"thorn in the flesh" (2 Cor 12:7) as the Spirit's preventative
measure. Others have speculated concerning visions, prophetic utterances by
others, or a prophetic gift given to Paul. There is no direct answer to the
question of the Spirit's methodology. (Glen Thomas)
3. So here is a vision from God.
Notice that it is not a dream. The difference between a dream and a vision is
that a dream always has us in it--which may make it a nightmare! Psychologists
tell us that dreams always involve ourselves. If you dreamed last night of a
long-eared mule, or a witch on a broomstick, or whatever, that was you. You
were in the center of the dream. But this is a vision; it is subjective. (Ray
Stedman)
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