Holy Spirit Truth Tellers

The Holy Spirit nudges, urges, and calls each of us to be blessings wherever we are and in whatever we do. Each of us is called and sent, rooted, and winged to be truth tellers of the Law and Gospel and agents of our Lord's grace-filled forgiveness and renewal.

We hear anew the great commandment in the Gospel of St. Mark, the 12th chapter, and St. Matthew, the 22nd chapter, when our Lord Jesus is asked, "Which commandment is first of all?" Jesus answered, "The first is, 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is the only Lord, love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and all your strength.' The second is this, 'Love your neighbor as yourself; there is no other commandment greater than these.'"

Many of our hearts throb and faces flush with thanksgiving and joy as we hear, once again, this primary and blessed command. Experience and personal, national and world history, however, gives us a growing sense that this is not possible for humankind to do. And right we are! The sure and faithful purpose of God is that "all things are possible" in and through our living God. He is the "giver of life" -- the Holy Spirit. He calls us, gathers us, enlightens us, and preserves and sanctifies us in his love and grace.

To love with such complete selflessness is within the living drama of the Kingdom of God. We, by God's steadfastness, mercy, and grace have been called into this blessed kingdom and discipled into this kind of love, even though it will not be completed until we see our Master face to face. We are sinners and we confess and repent of our manifold sins, and thanks be to God, there is forgiveness!

In Christ Jesus we have this kind of love for God and for our neighbors -- our brothers and sisters. We are children of God, even though we do not yet love as sons and daughters. We are righteous even though sin attacks us every step of the way. We are victors even though we fail, falter, and flounder. This is the very center of our blessed assurance and salvation by GRACE through FAITH!

It is by the winsome work of the Holy Spirit we become new persons with new beginnings of love, with new wellsprings of hope, fresh and noble stirrings for servanthood, shepherding, and discipling for our Lord God and our brothers and sisters.

We, indeed, are ministers, each one of us, and priests in the priesthood of all believers at our Lord's behest and calling.

In I Peter 2:9-10, we find one of the clear Scriptures concerning our servanthood, ministry and priesthood of all believers: "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, and a people claimed by God for his own, to proclaim the triumphs of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. You are now the people of God, who once were not his people, once outside of his mercy; you have now received his mercy."

How absolutely clear, blessed, and wonderful to hear and be called afresh to be children of God and truth tellers!