Somewhere around the beginning of Lent we read the story of Jesus visit with Nicodemus that ends with great Gospel in a nutshell. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”
There is also a great conversation there about the Holy Spirit and the “wind blowing where it wants to”. Spirit and breath are basically the same word. When Jesus gave up Spirit, He died. Jesus breathed on His disciples and said “receive the Holy Spirit”. The Holy Spirit on Pentecost sounded like a great rushing wind. Luther would talk about the Gospel being like a passing rain shower. It stays in one place for a time and moves along. He believed that the Gospel would disappear because of un-thankfulness. The wind of the Spirit who calls and gathers and enlightens and sanctifies would blow somewhere else.
Here is a song I wrote about that a long time ago.
[cincopa AUGAiaM4CzM6]
