The Apostles’ Creed – The Third Article
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
What does this mean?I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith. In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian church He daily and richly forgives all my sins and the sins of all believers. On the Last Day He will raise me and all the dead, and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ.
From Luther’s Small Catechism © 1986 Concordia Publishing House, cph.org
I’ll never forget the day I heard Nadia Bolz-Weber recite this quote on NPR one day in response to a question about ‘how she keeps her faith’. This is how. And these are the words I memorized in 1970 when I was confirmed at Christ Memorial Lutheran Church in Houston Texas. (Pastor Zwerneman).
I am glad to be a Christian. I believe. But, come on, I can’t do anything at all by myself, out of my own ‘gumption’ or whatever. It’s the Holy Spirit who calls, gathers, enlightens and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth.
And, I love Christmas (where we remember and honor the birth of the Son of God as a human, just like us), and Easter (where we commemorate Jesus’ death and resurrection), but the Holy Spirit is in charge of Pentecost, and she really knows how to throw a party! (Yes I think the Spirit is a she – ask me sometime why).
Come to worship Sunday, June 9th, 2019, at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, won’t you? We worship at 9:30am. It’s the part of the Spirit! See you there –
Pastor Patricia