Message Notes: January 31, 2016 A.M.
Series – “Does It Matter What You Believe?”
Luke 1:1 Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, KJV
“About the Spirit”
John 14:15-21
John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. KJV
Introduction: Today I’m preaching the third part of a series that asks the question, “Does it matter what you believe about the Spirit?” There are more opinions about the Holy Spirit than you can shake a stick at!
IN THE CENTER OF CONTROVERSY
In many Christian circles the Holy Spirit is either neglected, forgotten, or misunderstood.
The One given to unite the body of Christ is the center of controversy…
So often Christian work is so rigidly programmed that it seems we need no longer depend on Him--yet Jesus said, "Without Me you can do nothing." ...
The late Dr. A. W. Tozer, author and pastor, said, "If the Holy Spirit was withdrawn from the church today, 95 percent of what we do would go on and no one would know the difference.
If the Holy spirit had been withdrawn from the New Testament church, 95 percent of what they did would stop, and everybody would know the difference."
SOURCE: The Holy Spirit: Missing, Citation: Alan Redpath in "Christian Life" magazine. Christianity Today, Vol. 29, no. 18.
I. The Promise of the Spirit
First, what does the Bible say about the coming of the Holy Spirit? First:
a. His coming is foretold in the Old Testament
Genesis 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
Ezekiel 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
Joel 2:28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: 29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
Zechariah 4:6 Then he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.
b. His coming is fulfilled in the New Testament
Luke 3:22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
Luke 24:49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
Acts 1:4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
II. The Person of the Spirit
What does the Bible say about who the Holy Spirit is?
1.Definition of person: "One who had substance, completeness, selfexistent, individuality and rationality.
2.Five tests to determine a person:
◦SUBSTANCE: being existence reality.
◦COMPLETENESS: that which is part doesn't satisfy the definition (an arm)
◦SELFEXISTENT: continued by ones self, not by another: robot
◦INDIVIDUALITY: not some universal existence.
◦RATIONALITY: excludes the nonintellectual rocks and plants
He is not a power He is a person who has power. He is not a force He is a person who is a force. He is not an influence He is a person of influence.
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit" Mt 28:19
"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all" 2 Cor 13:14
Although the verse gives us no information of 4th century Trinitarian doctrine of "three in one" etc, it most certainly proves the Holy Spirit is a person. To suggest we are to be baptized in the name of (or by the authority of) the Father, the Son and electricity, assaults our common sense. Three persons are clearly implied in this verse. With 2 Cor 13:14, like Mt 28:19, we have a three part combination verse that demands grace, love and fellowship be equally ascribed to three corresponding persons.
a. His equality in the Godhead
A. The Holy Spirit is outright Called God:
1.Acts 5:3-4 "You have lied unto the Holy Spirit ... you have lied to God"
2.Mt 12:28; Lk 11:20 "If I cast out demons by the Spirit of God ... finger of God"
3.2 Cor. 3:17-18 "The Lord is the Spirit"
B. The Holy Spirit shares Qualities that only God possesses:
1.Eternal like the Father: Heb 9:14
2.Omnipresent like the Father: Ps 139:7
3.Omniscient like the Father: 1 Cor 2:10-11
C. The Holy Spirit is divine in power:
1.To create: Ps 104:30 "Thou send forth thy Spirit, they were CREATED."
2.To work miracles: 1 Cor 12:11
3.To inspire prophets: 2 Pe 1:21 "men MOVED by the HOLY SPIRIT spoke from God"
D. The Holy Spirit is divine in character:
1.Heb 9:14 "Who through" the ETERNAL Spirit"
2.Neh 9:20 "Thy GOOD Spirit"
3.He is omnipresent: Ps 139:710 "Where can I flee from thy Spirit"
John 14:16 makes it absolutely clear that the Holy Spirit is an equal participant in the Godhead. He is usually referred to as the “third person” in the Trinity.
John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever;
b. His eternity in the Godhead
III. The Purpose of the Spirit
What are the functions of the Holy Spirit and what does He do and not do?
a. What does the Holy spirit do generally
The goad
John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
b. What does the Holy Spirit do specifically
The guide
John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
GOING NO WHERE FAST
In his book "Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life", the author Charles Swindoll tells a story about the 19th Century agnostic Thomas Huxley (some of you might know that it was Huxley who promoted Darwinism and Humanism in his attacks on Christianity). Huxley was in Dublin and was rushing to catch a train. He climbed aboard one of Dublin’s famous horse drawn taxis and said to the driver -"Hurry, I’m almost late ... drive fast". Off they went at a furious pace and Huxley sat back in his seat and closed his eyes. After a while Huxley opened his eyes and glanced out the window to notice that they were going in the wrong direction. Realizing that he hadn’t told the driver where to take him he called out ‘do you know where you're going?’ The driver replied "No, your honour, but I am driving very fast’.
SOURCE: "Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life" by Charles Swindoll
The girder
He lives in the believer and empowers the life for service and witnessing. 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. When the Holy Spirit came on Pentecost He didn’t come for show but for go!
Conclusion:
A. Summary of what the Holy Spirit is not:
1.The Holy Spirit is not some mystical, indefinite, indefinable, ethereal like substance that enshrouds and permeates the universe like a fog.
2.He is not a mere influence, or a vague, impersonal power released in response to human needs.
3.The personification of God's power or the Bible
B. The Holy Spirit is a loving divine being personally concerned about you!
SLOW AND STEADY
The power of the Holy Spirit is not just for salvation, but transformation, a process that might be slow and gradual. The difference might look like this:
You can take ten gallons of gasoline and release a tremendous amount of power and energy by just dropping a lighted match into it. It makes a dramatic onetime impact. But there is another way to release the energy in that gasoline. Place it in the fuel tank of a new Honda, designed to get 30 miles to the gallon. The high tech engine will use that ten gallons of gasoline to take a person 300 miles or more.
Explosions may be spectacular, but the sustained, controlled burn has staying power. You don’t want to be a flash in the pan, you want to make a difference in this world over time. You want to last for the long haul. You don’t want the Holy Spirit to just save you for heaven, you want Him to use His power to transform your life. You want Him to use you in this world for kingdom purposes.
