59. The Holy Spirit - Life Bringer Series

IN GOD'S IMAGE 59 - THE HOLY SPIRIT - LIFE BRINGER

This message is part of a series of 90 sermons based on the title, “In God’s Image – God’s Purpose for humanity.” This series of free sermons or the equivalent free book format is designed to take the reader through an amazing process beginning with God in prehistory and finishing with humanity joining God in eternity as His loving sons and daughters. It is at times, a painful yet fascinating story, not only for humanity, but also for God. As the sermons follow a chronological view of the story of salvation, it is highly recommend they be presented in numerical order rather than jumping to the more “interesting” or “controversial” subjects as the material builds on what is presented earlier. We also recommend reading the introduction prior to using the material. The free book version along with any graphics or figures mentioned in this series can be downloaded at www.ingodsimage.site - Gary Regazzoli

We have been looking at the role of the Holy Spirit as our teacher.

• Today we are going to continue to discuss the role of the Spirit as “teacher” as He instructs us on what it means to become God’s “holy people” as we live a life “according to the Spirit.”

• Last time we looked at the role the Spirit plays in the conversion process based on the account in 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14.

• 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14 He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

• Salvation is made possible through three steps: 1) the sanctifying works of the Spirit; 2) through belief in the truth; and 3) through our gospel.

• We looked at the first two steps of these three steps in reverse order as that is the process the Spirit leads us through.

• Through our gospel.

• Our new life in the Spirit begins with the hearing of the gospel.

• Romans 10:14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?

• So the process began with someone sharing the gospel message with them.

• Belief in the truth.

• This is a believer’s response to hearing the “truth.”

• The Spirit does two things.

• First, it strips away the false image we have of God and reveals Him as the God of love He truly is (John 3:16-17).

• The second thing the Spirit does is it exposes us as the selfish sinful creatures that have rebelled against their Creator and gone off to live a life dictated by the desires of “the flesh.”

• We see this miracle of conviction taking place on the day of Pentecost when Peter stood up and addressed the crowd in Jerusalem.

• Acts 2:37-38 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

• It is at this point we move to the third aspect of the Holy Spirit in the conversion process.

The sanctifying work of the Spirit.

• The crowd at Jerusalem had heard, (1) Peter preach the gospel, (2) the Holy Spirit convicted them and following Peter’s instruction to, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit,” the Holy Spirit took up permanent residence in their lives and began His sanctifying work.

There are two aspects to the sanctifying work of the Spirit

• The first aspect has to do with our calling, that special privilege of being called in this age and being set apart for God’s holy purposes.

• In the same way items in the tabernacle or temple of old were sanctified or set apart for God’s holy purpose, so now as part of the New Covenant, the living stones that will make up this new temple in which God will dwell are set apart for His holy purpose.

• The ceremony of the “laying on of hands” at baptism is to signify this special status of being set apart as one of God’s holy people (Acts 8:14-18).