Whereas the fruit of the Spirit is a collective whole (a kind of all or nothing) the gifts of the Spirit are distributed according to the will and purpose of God. It is most unlikely that anyone will have all the gifts. One of the most important tasks of the church is to discover the gifts that its members possess. No one has all the gifts, and no one is without a gift. Those whom God calls he equips. Spiritual gifts are for spiritual ends. Some are practical, such as hospitality and administration, but these also serve a spiritual purpose.

An apple tree bears much fruit or little fruit, or it bears fruit every few years.  An apple is a type of fruit. The fruit we have in mind today is ‘spiritual fruit’. The allegory of the Vine and the branches comes to mind, where we are the branches, Jesus is the Vine, and the Father is the Vinedresser. As the branches, we chosen to bear fruit typical of the vine into which we are grafted. Jesus said, ‘I am the vine.’ 

Our reflection today is about the Holy Spirit and our witness to Jesus Christ. 
Perhaps the most important of our reflections this week. Though I hope you will join me tomorrow and on Friday, when we will consider the fruit and gifts of the Spirit.
Following the healing of a lame man at the Temple gate called ‘Beautiful’, Peter and John came into direct conflict with the Jewish leaders. The two apostles were put in prison overnight and the next day brought before the Jewish Council and questioned about the message they preached concerning Jesus and the resurrection from the dead.

After his resurrection, at that first meeting in the Upper Room, Jesus breathed on his disciples the Holy Spirit. This was a foretaste of the general outpouring of the Holy Spirit as foretold by the prophet Joel. The disciples had received the Holy Spirit on this occasion as a prelude to the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out on hearers as well as preachers. The Holy Spirit is given to all those who follow Jesus, enabling us to hear God speak, as well as enabling us to speak on his behalf.

Our theme this week is the Holy Spirit. This last weekend we celebrated the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the church. The Holy Spirit was gifted to the church at Pentecost, which occurred 50 days after Easter. The name comes appropriately from the Greek word meaning ‘Fiftieth’.

Pentecost is also one of three Jewish pilgrim festivals, and is also known as the Feast of Weeks, as it occurred seven weeks after the Jewish festival of Passover. 

Ascension 

We have been focusing in on the humanity of Jesus – fully God – but fully human – Jesus the living, breathing God man – showing us what true human life, physically life should be like.

We have thought about Jesus hands – the hands of the Servant King.  Hands that washed feet, hands that touched, healed, welcomed – hands that were nailed to a cross.

Jesus feet – feet that took the Good News into a world, that took him to places of darkness, so he could bring his light – feet that took him to the cross and then were damaged by cruel nails.

Jesus heart – his core, his being – his love and compassion – God so loved the World he sent his Son – his heart pierced and broken on the cross.

Jesus breath – every breath lived to serve his God, all his words breathed out to bring healing and hope, invitation and challenge – his last breath, signalling his work on the cross was accomplished – and then Resurrection – his new body and his breath given to his followers so they could become newly invigorated, receiving the new life of the kingdom, to serve and work with Jesus.

Your Breath

We have been thinking about Jesus as a physical, human being.  One who touched and was touched, who walked and loved, was fully-physically human. How amazing that the fullness of God should be there in a physical form – the Creator, walking, living, touching – breathing amongst his creation.

Our focus today, is the breath of Jesus.  Our song, that we have been using this week says - 

Your breath, giving new life,

Your breath, finished you cry

Your breath, spent on the cross of love

Your Heart

This week, we are focusing on Jesus, the human and physical man, who had within him the very fullness of God.  Monday and Tuesday, we have thought about how he used his hands and feet to serve the Good News, to serve the kingdom.  Lifting up the weak, going into places as a bearer of the amazing Good News.  Jesus had, without doubt, the most beautiful hands and feet of any human – not because of the way they looked, but because of how they served, loved – how Jesus used them in service of the kingdom.

The song we have been using this week moves onto the heart of Jesus - 

Your heart – chasing the lost,

Your heart – bearing the cost,

Your heart – pierced on the cross of love –

Your Feet
This week, we are focusing in on the physical humanness of Jesus – Jesus the walking, talking image of the invisible God. This human who had the very fullness of God in him.  We look at Jesus, and we get our clearest view of God.
Yesterday, we thought about the hands of Jesus, hands that reached out to heal, protect, welcome, love – hands that ultimately were nailed to a cross.  Today, feet!
Feet are among the least glamorous parts of the body I guess! We often think of them as dirty or smelly. Yet Scripture talks about feet being beautiful –
  ‘How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!” Isaiah 52

‘Your Hands’

This week, we want to focus in on the humanity of Jesus.  We will use some words of a song to help us – a song that focuses on Jesus who was fully human, physically engaged with the community he came to live with and serve. 

How amazing that God would come himself, into his world, become one of us.