Preach Magazine Issue 3 - Preaching and the Holy Spirit | Page 23

FEATURE

reliance on inspiration without
prayerful preparation will often
mean that a preacher has nothing
worthwhile to say.
Some preachers always write the
sermon in full, some preach from
notes, some preach without notes.
Others, like me, will vary their
practice over time or in response
to different circumstances. The
Holy Spirit is not limited by the
method of preaching if the sermon
has been properly and prayerfully
prepared. However, the Spirit might
be limited by the refusal of preacher
or congregation to be open to her
presence in worship.
We must preach as those who are
open to the Holy Spirit and we must
be sensitive to the response of the
congregation as the Spirit works
in them. God’s wisdom is revealed
through the Spirit who alone
comprehends the things that are
truly God’s.3
In my experience it is not unusual to
find that a spontaneous remark or
an aside has been deeply significant
for someone. It is as if the Holy
Spirit takes the words which I speak
and weaves them into unexpected
patterns. As words, music, silence
and ambience come together the
results may surprise or disturb and
it is the work of the Spirit to bring
all to fruition for those who are
open to her movement among them.

LWPT8693 Preach Magazine - Issue 3 v3 REPRO.indd 23

THE HOLY SPIRIT AS DIVINE
INTERPRETER HELPS ME TO
RECOGNISE GOD’S GRACIOUS
PRESENCE IN CHRIST,
THROUGH SCRIPTURE,
THROUGH REASON AND
THROUGH EXPERIENCE.

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The Spirit continues to work in
and through us as we go from our
encounter with one another and
with the living Christ. We go to live
as followers of Jesus, empowered
by the Spirit in our everyday lives.
Then, through us others may be
brought closer to the God who is
already closer to them than their
own breath.

AND IS IT REALLY SO?
SENT OUT IN THE SPIRIT
Most acts of worship end with a
blessing and dismissal. We do not
leave the service taking nothing
with us, but as those who have been
together in the presence of God and
have, like the Thessalonians, ‘received
the Word with joy inspired by the
Holy Spirit.’4 We go as those who
have received God’s blessing and we
go to share the joy and the blessing
with others.

Is it really like this for us? Do we
experience the presence of the
Holy Spirit in our worship, in our
preparation for worship and in
our response to it? Do we go out as
those who have been drawn closer
to God to share that with others?
Perhaps it does not always
seem so. But I am convinced that
the possibility is always there,
limited only by our reluctance or
failure to be open to receive all the
Spirit offers.

1. John 12:21 (GNT).
2. John L Bell ‘Come Holy Spirit’ Singing the Faith 374

published on behalf of the Trustees for Methodist
Church Purposes by Hymns Ancient and Modern, 2011.
3. So also no one comprehends what is truly God’s
‘
except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not
the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from
God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed
on us by God. And we speak of these things in words
not taught by human wisdom but taught by the
Spirit, interpreting spiritual things to those who are
spiritual’ (1 Corinthians 2:11b–13, NRSV).
4. 1 Thessalonians 1:6 (NRSV).

Ruth Gee
Ruth Gee is a Methodist presbyter
who has served in two circuits in
West Yorkshire and is currently
Chair of the Darlington District.
She was President of the
Methodist Conference from 2013
to 2014. She formerly taught
religious studies. Ruth is
married to Robert and
has two adult children.

17/04/2015 15:42:56