Christ Lutheran Church
Cleveland, Ohio
June 8, 2025
by: Rev. Dean Kavouras
Pentecost
Your Good Spirit
“Let Your Good Spirit lead me on level ground.” Psalm 143:10
Of the many benefits that God bestows upon us let us consider at the top of the list the gift His Son who redeemed us, and especially on this 50th Day after His Resurrection: the gift of His Holy Spirit who makes us holy, even as His name implies!
The Spirit of Pentecost is the same Spirit the Almighty gave on a limited basis over the centuries to prophets and kings; but that He now without limit “pours out” on His entire church. So that according to the Prophet Joel His entire church will prophecy – even as we are doing at this hour in Divine Liturgy.
The prophet predicts that young men will see visions and old men will dreams. What dreams and visions? The same ones that Prophet himself saw when he looked into the future with eagle eye; and the only thing he could see was Jesus Christ crucified, buried, raised again and seated at the right hand of the Father. Where from His throne in highest heaven He flawlessly directs His church, pruning it and growing it by the Spirit He poured out on Pentecost.
In the Psalm David names Him the “Good” Spirit – which is fitting since the English word God is a contraction of the word Good. So, yes, He is God’s Spirit. Indeed He Himself is God, the Third Person of the Holy Trinity; Who proceeds from the Father and the Son; Who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified by His church. We are that church.
Let us consider the word “proceeds” for a moment. The Holy Spirit was not just near to God the Father or in the same constellation. But by Jesus’ own words we know and believe that He “proceeds from the Father and the Son.” And if we can use a somewhat limping analogy the Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son in a similar way that a child proceeds from its mother. That child didn’t just come from near its mother, but literally proceeds from inside of her – and makes his glorious appearance in the world.
But the analogy limps because the Spirit is not a “child” of God any more than our Lord Jesus Christ is a “child” of God. It is the Christian Faith that both the Son and the Spirit are coeternal with the Father. They have no beginning and they have no end; and both Son and Holy Spirit bear all the attributes of the Father.
Who is this Spirit?
He is, first, the “Lord and Giver of life.”
You recall that the Spirit was as much responsible for the world’s creation as was the Father and the Son. Before His work the earth was “formless and void and darkness covered the face of the deep.” But then the Spirit overshadowed it like a hen hovers over her chicks until they are fully formed; and the planet came alive!
As Lord and Giver of Life the Spirit is also the One who regenerates us. Who resurrects us from the spiritual death and installs true Faith in us. This is what Saint Paul means when he writes, “No man can say the ‘Jesus is Lord’ without the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:3)
Are you a believer in Jesus? Do you stake your present and eternal life on Him? Do you laugh at “the grave that shuts us in” because it “shall prove to be the gate to heaven?” (TLH #409) Do you fear, love and trust in God above all things? Do you live a level life come what may because you know that: “the fears that now annoy, shall be laughter on the morrow?” (TLH #409)
If so … it is God’s Good Spirit whose temple you are, and who dwells within you that is responsible. He who comes to us in baptism and who nourishes us by this Divine Liturgy!
In today’s gospel Jesus calls Him the Paraclete. A word which has at least three delightful meanings.
Paraclete means Advocate. And advocate is one whom you call to your aid when you are in trouble. But this Helper is no mere man, but instead He is God for whom nothing shall be impossible.
Then whatever vexes you – even if it is of your own making – the Paraclete will answer the call and lead you to LEVEL GROUND so that you can rest and breathe easy once again.
This Spirit is also your Comforter in “all trial, fear or need.” (TLH #313) as we sing. When you are disconsolate. When there is no earthly cure for your sorrow. Even then, especially then, He is the One who, “comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” (2 Cor. 1:4)
He is also our Counselor. When we don’t know what to do, what to say, what to think, where to go, or how to find level ground, the Spirit will show you the way. And this blessed miracle happens most often here, in God’s House where by a word, or hymn, or prayer, or aroma the dots connect and the penny drops. And now we are confused no longer.
But there is more!
This same Spirit inspired Scripture so that you know it to be true and reliable in all matters of faith and life. The more you read and study God’s Word the wiser and calmer and stronger you will be because by it, a person communes with very God of very God.
You will also find the hand of God’s Good Spirit at work at the consecration of the elements; whereby our Lord nourishes us with His own radiant Flesh and Blood. A Sacrament that Saint Paul names “the Communion of the Holy Spirit.” In one of the church’s earliest Eucharistic Prefaces he writes:
“May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the Love of God and the and
the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”
(2 Corinthians 13:14)
There is so much more to proclaim about God’s Good Spirit and may our God grant us many more Pentecosts to learn it. But for now let the church say: We worship and glorify You O Holy Spirit of God. Amen!