Know: Recognize that the Holy Spirit is powerfully working in this world and in his or her life, even if he or she is not able to fully discern and comprehend His ways.
Feel: Foster daily the feeling of openness to the ministry of the Holy Spirit in his or her life.
Do: Submit to the guidance, conviction, and instruction of the Holy Spirit in his or her daily life.
Learning Outline:
Know: Understanding the Background Role of the Holy Spirit
A Why does Jesus use the symbolism of wind to describe the working of the Holy Spirit in His discussion with Nicodemus?
B How is the working of the Holy Spirit a divine mystery?
Feel: Creation and Redemption
A How do you feel knowing that the same power of the Holy Spirit that brought this world into existence is available to us today to re-create our lives in His image?
Do: Glorifying God
A One of the prime functions of the Holy Spirit is to glorify God. What does it mean to glorify God, and how can we make glorifying God central to our lives?
B How does the background ministry of the Holy Spirit, always “testifying” of Jesus, provide a model of humility for each one of us today?
Summary: When we respond to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and allow Him to take full control of our lives, we will glorify Jesus in all we do and will reveal the fruit of the Spirit in our daily interactions with others.
Learning Cycle
STEP 1—Motivate
Spotlight on Scripture: John 3:3–8
Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: The Holy Spirit’s role throughout the Bible is significant. He is our Teacher, our Guide, and our Instructor. He convicts us of sin and reveals the path of righteousness. He provides us with power to overcome and strength to resist temptation. His role is to exalt Jesus and glorify the Savior and lead us to do the same in our own lives.
Just for Teachers:This week’s lesson especially highlights the ministry of the Holy Spirit in Creation and Redemption. The Holy Spirit participated with the Father and the Son in the beginning at Creation (Gen. 1:2; Ps. 33:4; and Ps. 104:29, 30). The psalmist declares, “You send forth Your Spirit, [and] they are created” (Ps. 104:30, NKJV). The Spirit brings life to all living creatures. The Holy Spirit played a significant role in the Creation of the earth, and He also played a significant role at the cross in the Redemption of all humanity. The Holy Spirit sustained and strengthened Jesus throughout His entire life. He presided at the Savior’s birth, guided Him throughout His ministry, attended to Him at the cross, awaited Him at the Resurrection, and accompanied Him at the Ascension.
Emphasize that without the ministry of the Holy Spirit, we are lifeless, powerless, and spiritually dead. We may have a “form of godliness” (2 Tim. 3:5) but are, in reality, a hollow shell of religiosity. It is the Holy Spirit who breathes the life of God into our souls, testifies of Christ, and exalts Him in our lives.
Opening Discussion: Nicodemus came to Jesus by night. We need not condemn him for coming in the darkness. It is a miracle that he came at all. The fact that he came is an indication of the moving of the Holy Spirit on his heart. If you were Nicodemus and could make one request of Jesus, what would it be? What was Nicodemus really seeking?
Questions for Discussion:
1 .What do you think prompted Nicodemus to come to Jesus?
2. Why do you think that Jesus used the symbolism of wind with Nicodemus?
3. How does the symbolism of wind compare with the “Spirit of God . . . hovering over” or blowing across the waters in Genesis 1:2 (NKJV)?
4. What does wind indicate? Why is it an encouraging symbol for each one of us?
STEP 2—Explore
Just for Teachers: The Holy Spirit first inspired the Bible writers. Today He inspires us as we read their inspired words. The Holy Spirit was present with His mighty power at Creation. Now, through that same power, He works the miracle of re-creation in our lives. The Holy Spirit strengthened Jesus to face the temptations of the devil. Now He strengthens us to face those same temptations. The Holy Spirit encouraged Jesus with the hope of the Resurrection as He faced death, and He encourages us with the hope of the resurrection as we face the end of our lives. The Holy Spirit gives us the assurance that we are children of God and places within our hearts the divine guarantee, or assurance, of eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Bible Commentary
The Fruit of the Spirit (Review Galatians 5:16–24 with the class.)
The verses of Galatians 5:16–24 are some of the most powerful ones in the New Testament. Here the apostle Paul contrasts living in the flesh and walking in the Spirit. The expression “walk in the Spirit” (Gal. 5:16, NKJV) simply means living a life in harmony with spiritual ideals through the power of the Holy Spirit. It means permitting heavenly values to guide your life. It means filling your mind with eternal principles. It involves saturating your thoughts with the life-giving Word. And it includes allowing the principles of Scripture to guide everything you do.
In contrast to life in the Spirit, Paul describes life in the flesh—a life governed by earthly passions, desires, and lusts. A person living in the flesh is one who yields daily to the desires of the natural heart. One whose life is dominated by the works of the flesh—such as lustful thoughts; an angry, bitter spirit; an envious mind-set; or a lack of self-control—lives in his or her own strength rather than in the power of the Spirit. In contrast to those enslaved by the lusts of the flesh, there are those who are surrendered to, and controlled by, the Holy Spirit. Their lives reveal the fruit of the Spirit, such as love, joy, peace, long-suffering, and self-control.
What a contrast! How could two lives be more apparently different? What enables one to walk in the joy of the Spirit, while another succumbs to the lusts of the flesh? Christ’s counsel to Nicodemus reveals the answer: the endowment, or the lack thereof, of the Holy Spirit. The wind, or the breath, of the Holy Spirit is life changing (John 3:3–8). We find throughout the entire Bible powerful indicators of the Holy Spirit’s working. The same Spirit’s power that brought worlds into existence is available to us today. The same Holy Spirit—who breathed life into Ezekiel’s valley of dry bones, causing a mighty army to stand on its feet—is available to us today (Ezekiel 37). The same Spirit who strengthened Jesus during His earthly life is available to us today. It is this Spirit that performs the miracle of divine grace in the hearts of believers so that we become a “new creation” in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17).
Ellen G. White wrote these insightful words to a missionary: “Appreciate the fact that God is our efficiency. We do not remember this, and therefore we lose much in religious experience. We work ourselves in place of being worked by the Holy Spirit’s power.”—Testimonies to Southern Africa, p. 81. Just as Creation did not take place on its own through some process of evolution, re-creation does not take place on its own through some process of human works or activity. It is the working of the Holy Spirit’s power in us that transforms us into the image of Christ.
Discussion Questions
What does it mean to walk in the Spirit? How can each one of us be more sensitive to the working of the Holy Spirit in our own lives? Why is it possible to have blind spots in our characters?
What work might God want to do in our lives that we do not yet recognize?
What other things may others see about us that we do not see? How might the Holy Spirit be using these things to convict us of some blind spot in our own characters?
STEP 3—Apply
Just for Teachers: The Holy Spirit testifies or glorifies Jesus and never seeks glory for Himself. Discuss with your class how this attribute of the Holy Spirit would solve most church conflicts in a very short amount of time.
Thought/Application Questions:
How can we cultivate openness to the Holy Spirit’s working in our own lives?
How can we be more sensitive to the things that the Holy Spirit is attempting to reveal to us?
STEP 4—Create
Just for Teachers: Just as the Holy Spirit filled Jesus’ life with divine power, He longs to fill each of our lives with His power. Without the power of the Spirit, we are doomed to failure in the Christian life. We can no more re-create our hearts than we can create the world. We can no more breathe life into these lifeless souls than Ezekiel could into the valley of dry bones. Just as Mary could not conceive the Christ child unaided by the Spirit, we can not conceive new life in our barren hearts without the Spirit of Christ.
Class/Individual Activities:
Invite your class to spend a few moments reading the list of the works of the flesh and the works of the Spirit in Galatians 5.
2. Encourage class members to examine their hearts in light of these lists, asking the Holy Spirit to empower them with the fruit of the Spirit.
Ask class members to reflect silently upon which character traits they are exhibiting from the list of the works of the flesh. Invite them to pray silently as you end the class, asking for the fruit of the Spirit to replace the works of the flesh in each of their hearts.
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Key Text: John 3:3–8
The Student Will:
Learning Outline:
Summary: When we respond to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and allow Him to take full control of our lives, we will glorify Jesus in all we do and will reveal the fruit of the Spirit in our daily interactions with others.
Learning Cycle
STEP 1—Motivate
Spotlight on Scripture: John 3:3–8
Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: The Holy Spirit’s role throughout the Bible is significant. He is our Teacher, our Guide, and our Instructor. He convicts us of sin and reveals the path of righteousness. He provides us with power to overcome and strength to resist temptation. His role is to exalt Jesus and glorify the Savior and lead us to do the same in our own lives.
Just for Teachers:This week’s lesson especially highlights the ministry of the Holy Spirit in Creation and Redemption. The Holy Spirit participated with the Father and the Son in the beginning at Creation (Gen. 1:2; Ps. 33:4; and Ps. 104:29, 30). The psalmist declares, “You send forth Your Spirit, [and] they are created” (Ps. 104:30, NKJV). The Spirit brings life to all living creatures. The Holy Spirit played a significant role in the Creation of the earth, and He also played a significant role at the cross in the Redemption of all humanity. The Holy Spirit sustained and strengthened Jesus throughout His entire life. He presided at the Savior’s birth, guided Him throughout His ministry, attended to Him at the cross, awaited Him at the Resurrection, and accompanied Him at the Ascension.
Emphasize that without the ministry of the Holy Spirit, we are lifeless, powerless, and spiritually dead. We may have a “form of godliness” (2 Tim. 3:5) but are, in reality, a hollow shell of religiosity. It is the Holy Spirit who breathes the life of God into our souls, testifies of Christ, and exalts Him in our lives.
Opening Discussion: Nicodemus came to Jesus by night. We need not condemn him for coming in the darkness. It is a miracle that he came at all. The fact that he came is an indication of the moving of the Holy Spirit on his heart. If you were Nicodemus and could make one request of Jesus, what would it be? What was Nicodemus really seeking?
Questions for Discussion:
1 .What do you think prompted Nicodemus to come to Jesus? 2. Why do you think that Jesus used the symbolism of wind with Nicodemus? 3. How does the symbolism of wind compare with the “Spirit of God . . . hovering over” or blowing across the waters in Genesis 1:2 (NKJV)? 4. What does wind indicate? Why is it an encouraging symbol for each one of us?
STEP 2—Explore
Just for Teachers: The Holy Spirit first inspired the Bible writers. Today He inspires us as we read their inspired words. The Holy Spirit was present with His mighty power at Creation. Now, through that same power, He works the miracle of re-creation in our lives. The Holy Spirit strengthened Jesus to face the temptations of the devil. Now He strengthens us to face those same temptations. The Holy Spirit encouraged Jesus with the hope of the Resurrection as He faced death, and He encourages us with the hope of the resurrection as we face the end of our lives. The Holy Spirit gives us the assurance that we are children of God and places within our hearts the divine guarantee, or assurance, of eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Bible Commentary
The verses of Galatians 5:16–24 are some of the most powerful ones in the New Testament. Here the apostle Paul contrasts living in the flesh and walking in the Spirit. The expression “walk in the Spirit” (Gal. 5:16, NKJV) simply means living a life in harmony with spiritual ideals through the power of the Holy Spirit. It means permitting heavenly values to guide your life. It means filling your mind with eternal principles. It involves saturating your thoughts with the life-giving Word. And it includes allowing the principles of Scripture to guide everything you do. In contrast to life in the Spirit, Paul describes life in the flesh—a life governed by earthly passions, desires, and lusts. A person living in the flesh is one who yields daily to the desires of the natural heart. One whose life is dominated by the works of the flesh—such as lustful thoughts; an angry, bitter spirit; an envious mind-set; or a lack of self-control—lives in his or her own strength rather than in the power of the Spirit. In contrast to those enslaved by the lusts of the flesh, there are those who are surrendered to, and controlled by, the Holy Spirit. Their lives reveal the fruit of the Spirit, such as love, joy, peace, long-suffering, and self-control.
What a contrast! How could two lives be more apparently different? What enables one to walk in the joy of the Spirit, while another succumbs to the lusts of the flesh? Christ’s counsel to Nicodemus reveals the answer: the endowment, or the lack thereof, of the Holy Spirit. The wind, or the breath, of the Holy Spirit is life changing (John 3:3–8). We find throughout the entire Bible powerful indicators of the Holy Spirit’s working. The same Spirit’s power that brought worlds into existence is available to us today. The same Holy Spirit—who breathed life into Ezekiel’s valley of dry bones, causing a mighty army to stand on its feet—is available to us today (Ezekiel 37). The same Spirit who strengthened Jesus during His earthly life is available to us today. It is this Spirit that performs the miracle of divine grace in the hearts of believers so that we become a “new creation” in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17).
Ellen G. White wrote these insightful words to a missionary: “Appreciate the fact that God is our efficiency. We do not remember this, and therefore we lose much in religious experience. We work ourselves in place of being worked by the Holy Spirit’s power.”—Testimonies to Southern Africa, p. 81. Just as Creation did not take place on its own through some process of evolution, re-creation does not take place on its own through some process of human works or activity. It is the working of the Holy Spirit’s power in us that transforms us into the image of Christ.
Discussion Questions
STEP 3—Apply
Just for Teachers: The Holy Spirit testifies or glorifies Jesus and never seeks glory for Himself. Discuss with your class how this attribute of the Holy Spirit would solve most church conflicts in a very short amount of time.
Thought/Application Questions:
STEP 4—Create
Just for Teachers: Just as the Holy Spirit filled Jesus’ life with divine power, He longs to fill each of our lives with His power. Without the power of the Spirit, we are doomed to failure in the Christian life. We can no more re-create our hearts than we can create the world. We can no more breathe life into these lifeless souls than Ezekiel could into the valley of dry bones. Just as Mary could not conceive the Christ child unaided by the Spirit, we can not conceive new life in our barren hearts without the Spirit of Christ.
Class/Individual Activities: