The Sin of Grieving the Holy Spirit

This sermon opens a communion season by examining the sin of grieving the Holy Spirit, emphasizing that true believers are called to self-examination and sincere repentance before partaking in the Lord's Supper. The speaker affirms the full deity and personhood of the Holy Spirit, who indwells believers as a seal of ownership and a source of comfort, salvation, and sanctification. Grieving the Spirit is identified through a lack of daily dependence, persistent disobedience to God's commands, and the quenching of spiritual fervor, which results in the temporary withdrawal of His power and presence as a loving chastisement. The message calls for evangelical repentance, urging believers to seek forgiveness through Christ and to actively please the Spirit by meditating on Jesus and cultivating His fruit. Ultimately, the sermon invites the congregation to make their hearts a welcoming home for the Holy Spirit, leading to deeper union with Christ and the experience of divine love.