The Holy Spirit: Part 1-The Spirit and the Word

"God wants to give the Holy Spirit through the Word, and without the Word He does not want to do it."    -Martin Luther

     It is quite clear that the Holy Spirit and the Word of God go together.  That is a fact brought out by what the work of the Holy Spirit is--"calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth." When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. [14] He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. [15] All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.  John 16:13-15
     Luther also states that he would not deny that it is possible for the Holy Spirit to work without and apart from the Word, but contends that it has no practical value for us, who are tied to the Word.  So the Holy Spirit, true God, works through the means of grace, namely the Word, because we need that Word to be given faith, and to sustain that faith until Christ comes again. 
     And we do need the Word,  which tells us about God, it tells us of our sin and need for Christ Jesus, and comforts us with the knowledge of what God has done for us (in the way of salvation, forgiveness, and eternal life) in Christ Jesus our Lord.  It is the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, working through this holy Word "that we may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing we may have life in His name."
More on the Holy Spirit throughout the week, as we in the Church make preparations to celebrate Pentecost Sunday.
Thanks for reading, and may God-Father, † Son, and Holy Spirit bless and keep you all!