led by the SPIRIT

What does it mean to be ‘led by the Spirit?’ 

Led by the Spirit,’ as we heard today in our second reading from Romans.

Let’s take a step back first: what does it mean to be ‘led?’

Dictionary definition: to be led is to be caused to go somewhere, to be taken somewhere, to be directed, set in motion, a ‘route of access to a destination.’ To be brought, to be carried along.

There can be varying degrees of being led as well – there are heaps of different ways to understand leading, leadership, being led. This is a big topic to get into! Today we’ll just start with the question of what it means to be led, following on from our series on being together in community.

What are we doing when we are being led?

We follow, we are following. We follow what we are led by. 

We are set in motion by the things we follow. Brought along, carried along.

So the next question is, what does it mean to follow?

It means to go, to go after, to move or travel behind. Following what we are led by is a logical consequence isn’t it.

So we follow, we are led. But what are we following, what are we led by? 

Paul calls us here to be led by the Spirit, but there are many other things we are led by, we follow. There are many things that are heaps easier to be led by, to follow.

Examples? Paul talks about the flesh, as in being led by, following the flesh. 

Flesh meaning ourselves, our own desires and wants, being focused on ourselves, our sinful nature takes over. We are all easily led by – we are led astray by – our own selfish interests and desires. There is no way around that, we all fall victim to ourselves! 

And there are so many things competing for our attention! We are pulled in so many directions, it’s hard to prioritise what we should be being led by, what we should be following. 

What are some of these things?

Ourselves, what we want and desire for ourselves.  

The needs of others, people close to us, the needs of family and loved ones.

All the noise out there! TV, news, advertising, social media, rumours, gossip

And of course the devil, who lurks in the shadows and tempts us away from the call God has placed on our lives. 

Plenty of different things competing for our attention! 

When you add that all up there’s a fair bit stacked up against us isn’t there. How are we supposed to figure it out, how are we supposed to know how what our priorities are in the midst of all these competing things??

Something that complicates matters is not knowing what we are being led by, not knowing what we are following in the first place. 

How can we get our priorities straight if we don’t know what they are, how can we navigate rumours and gossip if we don’t first recognize, acknowledge what rumours and gossip are, the damage these things can cause us and other people?

We need to equip ourselves for this battle. We need to be prepared. 

We are going nowhere if we just turn up and see what happens. We need to be aware, we need to seek to learn and grow here. All of us, from the youngest to the oldest, from the most experienced and qualified to the least. We all have learning and growing to do – and learning and growing to share with others, helping others to learn and grow as well – it doesn’t stop! And this is a good thing, none of us can ever be so well prepared that we won’t struggle in the face of all these different things to be led by, to follow. 

And before we look at what it means to be equipped for this battle, it’s important to remember that this isn’t just about head knowledge.

It’s good to have head knowledge, as in to know things, to be educated, to know what it says in our bibles – very important  of course – but not the only thing. 

We need heart too. 

If God’s word isn’t working on or hearts, our souls, we are left wide open to the devil’s attacks, all these examples of different things competing for our attention. 

That’s why we pray for God to reach not only our minds but also our hearts, to go right to the core of us. That’s where he has lasting impact, where we can know him deepest.

So to be led by the Spirit… What does that mean, what does that look like?

Let’s have a look through some verses that speak this:

Isaiah 30:21 – ‘Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”’

That little voice! That little voice behind us, that little voice in our heads. But not just any little voice – pay attention to what it says – ‘This is the way, walk in it.’

Being led by the Spirit is to hear that little voice, then test that little voice against what God says in his word – not just take it and run with it but to check it against who God is and what he says. Test it against that sure foundation, that’s a solid way to follow.

Galatians 5:18 – ‘But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.’

Led by the Spirit means no longer under the law, no longer under the law means we are under grace, as it says a bit earlier in Romans. No longer condemned, no longer guilty. God says innocent, free. God changes our status. To be led by the Spirit is to live a new life, a new life freely gifted by God’s grace.

2 Peter 1:21 – ‘For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.’

Peter tells us here how God’s word came about! Not through human will but through being ‘carried along by the Holy Spirit.’

As church we NEED to be ‘carried along,’ we ARE carried along! 

Comforting thought there, we’re not working this out on our own or as we go, we are carried along by the Spirit, called to step out in faith, called to trust in God’s provision and follow where he calls us to go.

John 4:24 – ‘God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.’

This brings it together, a good one for this Trinity Sunday! God is spirit, God is three in one.

And we, his worshippers, those who receive his good gifts in thanks and praise, must worship in two things: Spirit and truth. Being led by the Spirit, which is to be led by God, by God’s word, by God’s truth.

And finally back to verse 6 of chapter 8 of Romans:

Verse 6 – ‘The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.’

‘Minds governed by the Spirit,’ good way to be! If we are governed by life and peace we can serve each other humbly, in love. Pretty good result there.

If we are led by the Spirit, if we are led by life and peace, the results are a network, a community of humble, loving service. That’s what the church should be right! A connected, supportive ‘web of stubbornly loyal relationships’ we’ve had in our minds these past few weeks.

So we need God to be in control of our hearts – not the world, not our own desires, not the pressures of this life we live, obviously not the devil. 

We need our hearts to be renewed, time and time again, by God’s word. By the work of the Holy Spirit. 

By the presence of Jesus in our lives, having a relationship with him.

And to finish today what does following the Spirit lead to?

Being God’s children.

Being heirs, co-heirs with Christ (v17). Which means we share in Christ’s suffering, but also in his glory. 

The suffering of this world – our own selfish interests and desires, all the different things that compete for our attention, all the things that can mess up our priorities, all the temptations that are easy to fall into – reflects the suffering of Jesus as he died for us on the cross. 

These things don’t go away, but in Jesus we know that we are equipped to face them. He doesn’t leave us alone in all the mess and complication of life. 

He has already done the work of saving us and making it possible for us to have new life. 

He has given us the Holy Spirit to guide and lead us. 

He has a place saved for us, alongside him, in his glory when he comes again. 

So as church, as community, as a gathering of people, let’s be people who are led by the Spirit.

Let’s come back to him, return to him. He remains, constantly with us, through whatever comes. 

Let’s seek out what it means to be led by the Spirit, let’s dwell in God’s word, let’s be in community together, helping and encouraging each other.

Let’s call on Jesus’ name. 

Let’s lean on God’s word as our source of strength, of life, of peace and of hope. 

Let’s do that right now as we pray.

Heavenly Father we thank you for the Holy Spirit. Lead us by your Spirit so we can know new life in you, the peace you give and equip us to serve each other humbly in love. Thank you for your amazing grace, your gift that we are called your own children. Help us to live in that gift, and to share that gift with others. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

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