Intro: Hosea 6.6 gives us a glimpse from the Old Testament into the heart of God and the ministry of the Holy Spirit. God through Hosea says, “For I desire mercy and not sacrifice and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.” This book tells the story of Hosea and Gomer. God tells Hosea to marry a prostitute by the name of Gomer to illustrate Israels unfaithfulness to their covenant or their relationship to God.
In Hosea they were experiencing prosperity and it was leading to empty and religion instead of enthusiastic relationship. They were merely going through the motions and not motivated by their love of God. We know this by what Hosea addressed. They was violent crimes, political revolt, spiritual ingratitude, social injustice, and selfish arrogance. God through Hosea called for knowledge or intimate relationship with himself because relationship with Him did not result in the rebellious lifestyle the Israelites were living.
So even in the Old Testament we see that acknowledgement and relationship to God result in a life that is different from the cultural standards around you. Life at its best will never come from rebellion against God.
The fact that Israel and even us as the church have a tendency to fall into this life of rebellion again and again strengthens our need for the vital ministry of the Holy Spirit in our individual and corporate lives as the church.
I. The vital ministry of the Holy Spirit in salvation (John 16.8-11)
A) He convicts us of Sin
Oswald Chambers: "Conviction of sin is one of the rarest things that ever strikes a man. It is the threshold of an understanding of God. Jesus Christ said that when the Holy Spirit came He would convict of sin, and when the Holy Spirit rouses the conscience and brings him into the presence of God, it is not his relationship with men that bothers him, but his relationship with God."
Conviction of sin is the unbearable burden of all of your sin and filthiness before a holy and righteous God. The word in the Greek carries the idea of exposing your sin. When the Spirit of God brings this type of conviction it reveals your total bankruptcy before God. The burden of that sin can only be overcome by realizing God’s blessing of salvation. The verses tell us that the Holy Spirit will convict the world of sin and righteousness and judgment. When does salvation take place when we stop disagreeing with the truth of our rebellion against God. At this point we no longer have the pride or arrogance to say “I’m good.”
John 6.44 “The Spirit must convict and call us before we can receive God’s gift.”
B) He confers on us the gift of salvation
There is no way to have life at its best with out God giving it to you. The Holy Spirit is spoken of as a gift. He is yours to convict, comfort, help, heal, teach, encourage, discipline, correct, grow, and connect you powerfully to Jesus Christ and the rest of His body.
Acts 2.38 – “the gift of the Holy Spirit”
It is connected with repentance. Repentance means a changing of your mind. In modern terms it calls for a paradigm (standard) shift.
How do we receive this gift of salvation and the Holy Spirit? Repent and believe. Repentance and faith go hand in hand. There cannot be a turning toward God if there is not a turning away from sin.
II. The vital ministry of the Holy Spirit in sanctification
Sanctification literally means separated for God. It can also mean different. When we experience the gift of the Holy Spirit we are set apart or separated from sin, the present world system for God. We become different. In the simplest terms I know it speaks of a growing closeness to God as well as a desire to know more about His character and person. It shows itself in our life by a transformation in the way we think and therefore in the way we act. Remember in Hosea God called Israel to mercy rather than sacrifice. Gracious treatment of the people around them especially the poor, slaves, etc is a much better indicator of a relationship with God than worship attendance.
A) Positional Sanctification
This is a one time event where you begin your trusting relationship with God through Jesus Christ. We often refer to it as getting saved. Ephesians 1.13-14 “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom, also, having believed you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.”
This is not simply mental facts or acknowledgement. It is an abandoned trust that turns your life over to the authority and control of Jesus Christ.
B) Progressive Sanctification
This is a lifetime of turning your life over to God. A lifetime of depending on Him and trusting what God says in His word and through His Spirit is true, good and right. This is a daily dependence on the Holy Spirits power to save you from the control of sin. This is the practical daily interaction with God by way of the Holy Spirit.
—David C. Egner Our daily bread.
A new member often came late to an adult Sunday school class. She was not well-dressed. She seemed tense and unfriendly, and each week she left as soon as the teacher began the closing prayer. It wasn’t long before the teacher began hearing others make judgmental remarks about her.
One Sunday the teacher had someone else close the class in prayer so that he could talk with the newcomer as she walked out. He found out that her physically abusive husband had abandoned her and their two children. He had left an enormous debt and no forwarding address. She was desperate, and she was searching for God.
The teacher began to see her through new eyes, eyes of mercy, and he alerted the class to her plight. Some of them opened their hearts to her in personal and practical ways. In time she began to relax and become friendlier. She soon turned to Jesus, the One she needed most.
Let’s ask God to help us see others as He does. When we look at people through our own eyes, we can be insensitive, prejudiced, and harshly judgmental. We need to ask God for a heart of mercy and compassion--the kind of heart God has for each of us. When we do, we will see people through His eyes of mercy.
How do we know if we are saved and being separated from the ways of the world? What eyes do you look at people through? What eyes do you look at others that belong to this fellowship?
III. The vital ministry of the Holy Spirit in our service
Ephesians 2.10 “For we are His creation—created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them.”
Message translation “He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.”
Ephesians 2.7 “He gave gifts to the people.”
Ephesians 4.11 And He personally gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, 12 for the training of the saints in the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, (W) 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge”
When we talk about gifts there are three types, service, sign, support gifts. The support gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelists, pastor teacher, involve using the word to encourage others to operate in their gifts.
Every person who is a child of God is created in Christ Jesus for good works or for service to King Jesus and to others especially those in the body of the church. It is vital to have the Holy Spirit to do the work that we are all called to do.
In partnership with the support gifts and the gifts the Holy Spirit gives to us we are equipped, enabled and encouraged for service.
Salvation is an act of faith, sanctification is the walk of faith. Service is the work of faith. Salvation is free gift from God that we receive. Sanctification is freedom to live in forgiveness from sin and dependence on God. Service is where we depend on the faithfulness of the Holy Spirit to empower and direct us for service.
1) He reveals our place in the Body of Christ (Eph 4.9-11)
2) He energizes (God breathed) the Word of God to equip us to serve 2 Tim 3.16-17
3) He unites us together to serve. One Lord, One Spirit, One body.
4) He places the love of Christ in our hearts as the conduit of service.
5) He does more than we can imagine when we cooperate with Him (Eph 3.20)
IV. The vital ministry of the Holy Spirit in our accountability
Romans 5.5 “This hope does not disappoint, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” (HCS)
Romans 5.5 “Quite the contrary—we can’t round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!” (Message)
Galatians 6.1-2 “Brothers, if someone is caught in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual should restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so you won’t be tempted also. 2 Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
You who live by the spirit restore someone caught in sin. The Holy Spirit is vital in holding each other accountable.
What is accountability? Is it pointing our finger at each other and saying don’t do that? Is it punishing people for failing to meet your standards?
Biblical accountability is lovingly dealing with disagreements, disputes, destructive attitudes and actions, anything that divides or distracts us from the main thing.
The main thing is to love God and others. Too often we confuse love with permissiveness. It is not love to fail to dissuade another believer from sin any more than it is love to fail to take a drink away from an alcoholic or matches away from a baby. True fellowship out of love for one another demands accountability. God encourages us to be accountable to each other because He knows it strengthens and encourages us. Proverbs 27:17
A) Be Honest: Speak the truth in love.
Ephesians 4.25 ““Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth, each one of you, with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.” We are responsible to one another to tell the truth even when it hurts.
B) Be teachable --James tells us to be quick to listen.
C) Be available
D) Be vulnerable
E) Be concerned with health of individual and unity of the body
(Rewards of Accountability – Deep trust friendship, strengthens body)
Conclusion: The Holy Spirit is vital to anything we do as a believer. Why then do we neglect Him so much on a day to day or moment to moment basis? We have power living within us vital and dynamic power to do God’s will, God’s work, in God’s way.
When we live and serve in the power of the Holy Spirit
We tire but do not burn out because we continue in the endless power of God
We face obstacles but never become discouraged
We are sometimes forced to wait but never manipulate
We feel pressure but do not become desperate
We feel wronged but do not retaliate
