The Readings remind us
that the first followers of Jesus were taught, led and directed by the Holy
Spirit. Paul goes to Philippi in response to a dream and then is “...carried
away in the Spirit to a mountain top...” (Rev. 21.10) where he sees a vision of
the New Jerusalem coming down to Earth. Many Christians are afraid of the Holy
Spirit because it has led to divisions in the church between those who have and
have not experienced the divine in supernatural form. This fear may appear wise
to some but it is very unwise because this cuts people off from having an
ongoing relationship with Jesus and limits our faith to moral rules and rituals
– like the Pharisees of Jesus time. We must not give in to the ‘avoid religious
conflict at all costs’ mantra of the current generation. We must, as Captain
Kirk world say, “boldly go where no one has gone before” - and ask the Holy
Spirit to teach us all things. This is a clear promise from Jesus. (John 14.26)
1.
The Holy Spirit teaches us truth (go from error into truth in BAS Prayer 3)
Our time is dramatically
different from previous generations because a vague new liberal philosophy has now
replaced the old values of Christendom, and specifically the idea of absolute
truth.
