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January 12, 2020
Ephesians 4:25-5:2
“Do Not Grieve The Holy Spirit”

“New Morning Mercies”
• Many descriptions of the Christian life forget the life of the Spirit

Focus Verse: “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30)


1. The Spirit Is Not An “It”
• The Spirit is not a “force” (Star Wars)
• When we talk about the “Spirit” this morning we are not talking about
i. a vague spirit
ii. generic “spirituality”
iii. the spirit / “geist” of the age


• And as the Bible presents the Spirit to us, the descriptions of the Spirit are descriptions of a person:
i. Jesus: I will send to you another Counselor
ii. Can an impersonal force grieve?

2. Although the Spirit is grieve-able, the Holy Spirit Is Not Weak
• We might expect the writer to write: “And don’t make the Spirit of God angry.’ Rather: “Don’t cause the Spirit of God to grieve / cry”

God Weeps
• Wevread that “Jesus wept” (John 11)
• And we read in the OT that at times God regretted
• Or that God collects our tears in a bottle
• And here we read about the Spirit grieving

But although the Spirit grieves, the Spirit is not weak
• This is also something for us living in this culture because so often tears are connected with weakness:
o “Real men don’t cry”
o “Crying is for sissies”
o “Crying is for the weak”

• The strongest thing in this world / universe is the presence of the love of God in our lives / hearts
• The Spirit grieves out of love for us

3. The Spirit Is Not “Religious"
• We might expect to read that the Spirit is grieved when
o “we don’t pray”
o “we haven’t given our offering”
o “we did not go to church”
o “don’t do our religious duties”
o Etc.

• What are those things that grieve the Spirit of God??

i. Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer,
ii. but must work, doing something useful with their own hands,
iii. that they may have something to share with those in need” (Ephesians 4:28)

Missional Living Video: Thursday evening [January 23, 7pm, in the fireside Room], featuring Pastor Tim Keller and Rachel McLaughlin

i. [Negative] Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths,
ii. [Positive] but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs
iii. [Result] that it may benefit those who listen (Ephesians 4:29)

Grace Restores Nature…

The Marriage Story (film)

“Encouragement Circle”