The Giver of Life

Originally preached on June 1, 2025.

scripture

John 3:1–15

Series

Who Is the Holy Spirit?

summary

John 3:1–15 teaches that the Holy Spirit is the Giver of Life through the necessity of being “born again” and “born from above.” Nicodemus, though religious and knowledgeable, cannot enter God’s kingdom through human effort or status; he needs a new spiritual birth that only the Spirit can produce. Jesus explains that this new life is not something we control or fully understand, but it is as real and transformative as the wind—seen in its effects but not mastered in its mechanics. This rebirth comes from above through faith in Jesus, who makes it possible for the Spirit to give life where there was death and to bring people into God’s kingdom.

The Giver of Life (John 3:1-15)

Aaron Halstead

Living Water

Originally preached on June 8, 2025.

scripture

John 4:7–15

Series

Who Is the Holy Spirit?

summary

Jesus meets the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well and offers her “living water”—a life-giving, never-ending supply that truly satisfies the spiritual thirst nothing else can fill. Unlike the temporary relief of earthly sources, Jesus gives the Holy Spirit to those who believe in him, and that Spirit becomes an inward spring that gushes up to eternal life. This means our deepest longings—intimacy, identity, purpose, and worship—cannot be satisfied by created things without running dry again. Instead, the Spirit invites us to “drink up” by turning from false wells and receiving life in Christ, and to “overflow” in true worship of the Father in spirit and truth.

Living Water (John 4:7-15)

Aaron Halstead

Another Helper

Originally preached on June 15, 2025.

scripture

John 14:15–26

Series

Who Is the Holy Spirit?

summary

Jesus comforts his disciples in John 14 by promising “another Helper”—the Holy Spirit, who is not different from Jesus but just like him in kindness, grace, and patience. He comes to dwell within believers, not as an impersonal force but as a personal presence who helps our weakness, convicts us when we sin, comforts us when we fail, and teaches us to remember and live out the words of Jesus. Obedience, then, is not self-powered striving but a “long obedience in the same direction” enabled by the Spirit who makes Christ present with us. As we learn to know and live with him, we are formed into people who love God and neighbor, experiencing the very life of God in our everyday weakness and growth.

Another Helper (John 14:15-26)

Aaron Halstead

The Spirit of Truth

Originally preached on June 29, 2025.

scripture

John 16:7–15

Series

Who Is the Holy Spirit?

summary

In John 16:7–15, Jesus teaches that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth who continues his work in the world and in the church. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, exposing unbelief and calling people to repentance; he guides believers into all truth by applying and unfolding the teaching of Jesus; and he glorifies Christ by making his person and work known. The Spirit does not compete with Jesus or Scripture but works in harmony with them, forming disciples through conviction, proclamation, and worship so that the truth of Christ shapes both belief and life.

The Spirit of Truth (John 16:7-15)

Aaron Halstead

God Brings Us Together

Originally preached on May 30, 2026.

scripture

2 Corinthians 13:11–14

summary

In this Trinity Sunday sermon, we see how Paul calls a divided church to live in unity because of who God is: the grace of Christ restores us, the love of the Father forms us, and the fellowship of the Spirit binds us together. Therefore, the church is to rejoice, pursue restoration, comfort one another, seek unity, live in peace, and welcome one another as family. The Trinity doesn’t just command unity—it creates it, making the church a people held together by God himself.

God Brings Us Together (2 Corinthians 13:11-14)

Aaron Halstead

The Spirit & the Church

Originally preached May 24, 2026.

scripture

1 Corinthians 12:1–13

series

Summer Sessions

summary

In this Pentecost Sunday message from 1 Corinthians 12:1–13, the church is reminded that the Holy Spirit leads and shapes the people of God by directing them to affirm Christ, serve one another, and live in unity. Paul teaches that spiritual gifts are not about personal status or spectacle, but are gracious empowerments from the Triune God given “for the common good,” so that every believer can participate in the life and ministry of the church. Like a construction site, the Spirit acts like a foreman coordinating diverse people and gifts into one living community, where unity is maintained not through sameness but through shared allegiance to Jesus, sacrificial service, and dependence on the Spirit’s presence and power.

The Spirit & the Church (1 Corinthians 12:1-14)

Aaron Halstead

for reflection:

1. In what ways is the Holy Spirit currently leading you to openly affirm Jesus as Lord in your everyday life, relationships, or decisions?

2. What gifts, abilities, or opportunities for service has God given you, and might you use them more intentionally for the “common good” of the church rather than yourself?

3. The sermon describes the church as a messy but Spirit-led construction site. How can you contribute to the unity of the church even when community feels difficult, imperfect, or frustrating?