St. Philip the Apostle Parish: Session 10; The Holy Spirit

In this session and the next, you are going to take a look at the various Gifts that the Spirit gives to us as well as why the Spirit gives them. Once you are finished, please email or drop it off at the Youth Ministry Office. DO NOT GIVE THIS ASSIGNMENT TO YOUR SMALL GROUP LEADER.

The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Blessed Trinity. Read the following Bible verses. Each deals with an ACTION that is carried out by the Holy Spirit. Once you determine the action of the Spirit, write it down next to the verse.

The Holy Spirit is not the same as God the Father or God the Son (Jesus). The Spirit works independently from the Father and the Son. In the Bible verses below, describe how the Spirit's actions differ from the Father's and the Son's actions. Write your answer next to each verse.

Holy Spirit is the translation of an old Hebrew term that means "wind" or "breath of God." In the Scriptures, people experienced the Spirit sometimes as a powerful wind, other times as a gentle breeze or a whisper, and still other times as God breathing life into persons or events. On Pentecost, the Apostles felt the Spirit in a dramatic way, as wind and fire. Often in life, however, the Spirit is revealed in the subtle ways - more in breezes than in the strong winds. The Spirit at work in us may become apparent in a simple, gentle moment, like being affirmed by a friend or being moved to tears of sympathy.

The Holy Spirit is like the air or electricity. You can't see those things but you can feel what they do. The wind is invisible yet you see it bend a tree. Electricity can't be held in your hand but you need electricity to run the computer you used to download this session.

The Holy Spirit is not a one-shot deal that you receive in Baptism and Confirmation but a gift that keeps giving. The Holy Spirit is more than an e-mail message that you can simply read, delete, and dismiss. The Spirit is a living presence in our lives - just like our heartbeadt and pulse - that helps us do whatever we do. The Holy Spirit gives us a boost of creativity or insight or energy or patience or inspiration whenever we need it - whether we know we need it or not.

Part 2: The Spirit at Work
If you ever have any doubts about what the Holy Spirit can do, look at what it did for Jesus' disciples. These guys were not always model followers. They were ordinary people who were filled with the Holy Spirit, just like you. And they never seem to get it.

In fact, they're often clueless. Jesus tells them he'll destroy the Temple and raise it up in three days. He's talking about the resurrection from Good Friday to Easter Sunday and they're trying to figure out how one guy can rip down a huge building and then cement the whole thing back together again in only 72 hours.

When Jesus needs his friends most on Holy Thursday night in the Garden of Gethsemane, they fall asleep. When he's arrested, the disciples run away. Peter turns into a coward and denies that he even knows who Jesus is. And yet the Holy Spirit comes to the rescue.

The disciples are all hiding from the confusion after Jesus' death, resurrection and ascension. Even after Jesus spent the 40 days between his resurrection and ascension to heaven carefully explaining the important stuff to them. They're still scared and can't move. But then their room is filled with the Holy Spirit and tongues of fire rest over each of their heads. They run out of their hiding place and start preaching to the crowd.

Those 10 days between Ascension Thursday and Pentecost Sunday hold a lesson: Sometimes you have to wait for that blast from the Holy Spirit. You might get discouraged or scared while you wait. You may be restless, which usually indicates that you're not satisfied. You're looking for something better. Restless energy can make you a dreamer, then a doer. During your teenage years, there's a lot of dreaming and doing, lots of planning and hoping that your plans come through

There's a saying that goes: "If you want to make God laugh, tell God your plans." Despite your plans and ideas about what you want to do with your life, the Spirit might take you where you least expect to go. Inspiration might come when you're not looking or even when you don't want it!

God's plans for you go way beyond your own. You want one thing but God has something more in mind. The Holy Spirit opens your eyes to this "something more." The Holy Spirit changes you, gives you strength, courage, and faith.

1. What is the first thing you think of when you hear someone talk about the Holy Spirit?

2. A friend asks, "Just who/what is this Holy Spirit, anyway?" How would you answer?

_____ Give you power to live a successful Christian life.

_____ Help you study.

_____ Teach you and help you mature as a Christian.

_____ Give you "spiritual gifts".

_____ Make you better than others.

_____ Convict you of sin.

_____ Live inside you.

_____ Give you peace and comfort.

_____ Help you make the right decisions.

_____ Take away your problems.

_____ Keep bad things from happening to you.

_____ Be your "conscience".

_____ Help you resist temptation.

_____ Give you love for people you don't like.

_____ Give you hope.

_____ Make you feel good inside.

_____ Other: _________________________________________

4. Now choose two from the list above that you marked off. Explain why you believe the Spirit can do something for you in this area:

5. Now choose one of the items you did NOT check off. Below, explain why you feel the Holy Spirit cannot help you in this area.