So Last week I talked about a verse in proverbs that says that Without Vision or better yet revelation of or from God people cease to exist. We also looked at how the vision or goal of the church whatever it may be should line up with the concept of revealing God to people and we should not only tell folks about God but we should also point them toward a relationship with Christ.
SO, how do we accomplish that as a church? How do we get knowledge of God and the message of Christ from in here to out there? First we need to figure out how to get it in here (hands on chest) in order for us to get it out there. Do you follow me? First we gotta get it right, then when we get it right as an individual, then we can begin to get it right as a church and then we can get it out there. Now do you see what I’m saying? We gotta get it in here (heart) so it flows out in here (in the church) which in turn flows out there. (Outside).
Folks we have got to work on getting the message out, but first we need to get the message ourselves, we spend too much time going through the motions and playin church when we need to be getting serious. So what is the IT I’m talking about? The It that allows us to gain the knowledge and revelation of God is the Holy Spirit, The Helper, and The Comforter!!! Let’s look at our text for today (1st Corinthians 2:11-12 & John 14:16-17)
So in order to gain knowledge of God it stands to reason we need the Spirit of God dwelling in us. Now I want to share a little something with you. Think about this, just because you have been baptized by water does that mean that you have also been baptized with The Holy Spirit? I say yes!!! John the Baptist said this in Matthew 3:11 I baptize you with water for repentance, but after me will come One more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
Acts 2:38 says Repent and be baptized every one of you for the remission of your sins and you might receive the power of the Holy Ghost. Right!!! No, it says Repent and be baptized every one of you for the remission of your sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost!!! Some translations say Holy Spirit for those of ya’ll that might be afraid of Ghost.
So if we all upon our repentance and baptism receive this great gift of the Holy Spirit, that helps us and allows us to gain knowledge of God through His Son Jesus Christ, why aren’t we out spreading the revelation of God to others? Well? You may say preacher I just don’t know what to say, I’m afraid someone may get offended if I witness to them. You don’t think they are going to be offended if your there friend and on Judgement day they hear “Sorry I never knew you, get over there with the goats.” You don’t think they will be offended when they are spending eternity in eternal torment?
Folks we have got to quit playing church and get the Holy Spirit activated in our life. If you’ve been saved you already got it. So what’s wrong why are we living in a spirit of fear acting like we don’t have the power or strength to take on the army of Satan? I think it’s because even though we have received this great gift some of us just aint opened it up. We got it! We have already established that. (Acts 2:38) We just need to open the box and let it out. Now I know some of us are a little scared that we may run the aisle, or kick off our shoes and do a little Holy Ghost dance like those Pentecost folks do. Or land sakes we may even let out an Amen or raise our hands and say GLORY!!! So what if you do, as long as the Spirit is leading you. But most of us probably want do any of that stuff because it’s not our nature, but if it is your nature , hey that’s ok, it might be contagious and set a Holy Ghost fire to blazing right here at this church and we may turn this world upside down.
So what comes when we receive IT? Acts 1: 8 says But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
In first Corinthians 12 we are told what some other gifts of The Spirit are and I am only going to mention 3 today;
1. word of wisdom- the communication of spiritual wisdom
2. word of knowledge – the communication of practical truth
3. prophecy – the ability to proclaim new revelation from God
Now if you have any of these three gifts you certainly need to be using them out there , but if not know that we all receive power which allows us to be a witness for Christ to the ends of the Earth.
So how do we know when we have truly opened that Gift of the Holy Spirit? I think you’ll truly know because an even greater change comes over you. I want to share a story about John Wesley the founder of the Methodist Movement and an experience he had with the Moravians (Germans)
In 1735 John and Charles Wesley were on their way to America as Anglican Missionaries. A group of Moravian immigrants from Germany were also on the ship. A terrible storm developed at sea and they were in danger of being ship-wrecked. The Moravians were in the middle of a worship service and praising God with intensity. Wesley was terrified, he wrote this in his diary; “In the midst of the Psalm wherewith their service began, the sea broke over, split the main-sail in pieces, covered the ship and poured in between the decks, as if the great deep had already swallowed us up. A terrible screaming began among the English. The Germans calmly sung on. I asked one of them afterwards; ‘Were you not afraid?’ He answered, ‘I thank God, no.’ I asked: ‘But were not your women and children afraid?’ He replied mildly: ‘No, our women and children are not afraid to die.’” The storm was boisterous, but the Moravians kept praising God. Finally, the storm subsided.
The Moravians had IT!!!
In 1738, the Wesley’s returned to England and became more acquainted with the Moravian Brethren.
John Wesley wrote this in his diary: “On Wednesday, May 24 in the evening, I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, (A Moravian meeting) where one was reading Luther’s preface to the Epistle to Romans. About a quarter to nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart Strangely Warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and felt an assurance was given me, that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.”
John Wesley opened his gift, and he felt it empty its contents into his heart!!!! And the rest is History.
You see we all have it. It’s given to us at the time of our salvation, we just need to open the box. Once we truly allow the Spirit to work in and through us we can do great things. The Holy Spirit dwelling in here (hand on heart) allows the revelation of God to pour out in here (the church) and flow out there (the world).
But to give it you need to get it.
I want to leave you with a verse I used last week Romans 10:14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?
It’s up to us. Do you get it? Then Go out and Give it!!
