Holy Spirit active in our lives
Acts 2:1-6
Good morning everyone, glad that you have joined us either in service or online.
50 days after Easter, we celebrate Pentecost.
The birth of the church and the birth of Jesus empowering the church to do what it was called to do and evangelize the world around us. It is a call that is for everyone that has accepted Jesus as Lord of their lives. We are not saved by our works but a life that is changed and for Jesus is a life that will be about spreading the Good News of what Jesus has done for us…we call that witnessing.
To most, it is just another day
Turn to Acts 2:1-6- read
There was something different about those people now, the 120 waiting for the Holy Spirit to fall on mankind.
Waiting for the fulfillment of what Jesus said before he left
Illustration-
There is a story about three prospectors who found a rich vein of gold in California during the gold rush days. They realized what a great discovery they had, and decided, we have a really good thing going here as long as no one else finds out about it. They each took a vow of silence to keep it secret. Then they headed for town to file their claim and get the equipment necessary to mine the gold. True to their vows, they didn’t say a word to anybody. They filed their claim, bought the equipment, and headed back to their mine. When they did, a crowd of people followed them.
The reason was because the expression on their faces had given them away. their faces were aglow in anticipation of the wealth that soon would be theirs. People knew that they must have found something very special. So a crowd followed.
Illustration-
A famous speaker was once asked about his most difficult speech. He answered, “Well, it was when I was asked to speak at a national convention of undertakers. My topic was to explain to them how to look sad during a 10,000 funeral. You see, when there is joy inside, it’s awfully hard to keep it from showing on your face.
Pentecost shows us that the early Christians discovered joy unspeakable in the church of the lord Jesus Christ.
Paul writes- “Rejoice in the lord! Rejoice in the lord always, and again I say rejoice.”
Pentecost was a historical event, when the church was born. For a Christian, it should be an everyday victory that is bathed in power from the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of us.
The church may never be the most popular institution in the world. (It should be) because it goes against the popular culture.
God wants his church to stand for truth, and the only way we can do that is to be filled with the unshakable power of the Holy Spirit.
The church was born at Pentecost. For Israel it was a time of celebration, a celebration for the harvest of grain.
For the church, and every spirit filled believer, it is a great harvest of the spirit
Because of Pentecost we have the power to be a witness for Christ
Because of Pentecost we have the ability to be renewed and transformed
We are not a Pentecostal church, but we do identify with Pentecostalism-if by definition you are seeking after the fullness of the spirit just like they did at Pentecost.
I want you to know that every time you talk about the power of the spirit. you scare some people away because they want to do everything on their own, and in their strength and anytime they are not in charge they will not like it.
People are limited on how much we can change of our lives ourselves. Some have done a tremendous job. It is God through the Holy Spirit that makes complete turn around possible in a person’s life.
Illustration-
Roland Stuart was a drunk and alcoholic. He met Jesus, accepted him as his savior, became a Christian, and God healed him of his alcoholism. One day, the idea struck him that if he could just get into major sporting events and put the word of God before the people, it would be seen by hundreds of thousands and maybe even millions of people.
So today, Roland Stuart and his wife Margaret, and a friend named William James, live a very Spartan existence. they drive 55,000 miles a year in an old beat up van, telling their story, and using their money to buy tickets to major sporting events to hang out a sheet saying, “John 3:16"
Don’t you wonder how many tens of thousands have turned to john 3:16 and read that text because of Roland Stuart.
The point is that when we hear the word of God and allow the spirit to work in our lives, we are not limited to what we can do. Our finances and ability are strengthened by what the lord does through us.
I have a two part message this morning: write them down
I (we) need (church, us) the Holy Spirit because we need the power to witness
II. We need (church, us) the Holy Spirit to be transformed to be Christ-like
1 Corinthians 2:4-5-
My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom but on God’s power.
A lot of Christians do not realize the inner power of the Holy Spirit to handle things they think they must handle on their own.
Power to Witness
Acts 1:8-
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.
Jesus says acts 1:4- “Wait for the gift my father has promised”
This message is simple- apart from me you can do nothing-
Apart from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in your life, you will not be able to do all that the lord wants you to be able to do.
2 Timothy 3:5
Paraphrased- in the last days the church will have “a form of godliness”, but will deny the power thereof.
They knew and we should know and understand, that without him in our lives, we will not make much impact on the world around us.
All through scripture, we see when God calls someone to do a job, he will equip them to be able do it.
-He uses our abilities and allows us to go farther than we ever could because of the indwelling power of the spirit in our lives.
Note I said Christians-
The word tells us- unless the spirit draws you, you cannot be saved
The spirit draws us, we respond, but God has much more for us after that!
He desires to fill us- the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, living within us,
Giving us comfort,
Giving us strength,
Giving us the ability to get victory over sin and temptation
Dynamus power- dynamite in English language.
More power than we can comprehend.
Just like the guy with John 3:16 signs, God changes who we were, makes us what he wants us to be, and give us the power of heaven to be able to do it.
John 17:17-
The spirit of truth- “the world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. but you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you
God’s desire is that all be saved, God’s commission after we are saved, to tell others, to be a witness.
The church was birthed in the power of the Holy Spirit
Often Christians neglect their spiritual maintenance and though they are “clothed with power” Luke 24:49, they find themselves out of gas.
The bible says 1 Thess. 5:19- “do not put out the spirit fire”
The people of God that are
walking in the Spirit flowing in his gifts,
cherishing his presence,
stirring up the fire he has placed within us
These people are going to make a difference!
According to a study- 10-20 % of churches are empowering people to be bold for Jesus Christ, the other 80-90 % fall into entertainment to containment.
Just wanting to keep the church doors open.
The transforming power of the Holy Spirit
***Society cannot be transformed until the church is transformed.
Fire is the symbol of transformation, fire changes whatever it touches.
***Before Pentecost- the disciples were scared, they lacked faith, they did not understand all that God was making available to them.
After Pentecost- we see them going out and changing a dying world
The power of the Holy Spirit united them in a purpose and gave them the strength and power to push back the darkness.
It all happened in the pages of Acts in the Bible, and it can happen again if we are willing to pay the cost.
The early church was a dynamic, growing church that turned the world of it’s day upside down.
In spite of oppositions and terrible persecution.
We can do the same!
“So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate with their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the lord added to the church daily those who were being saved’
Things happen when the Spirit of God is allowed in our lives and the life of the church.
Illustration-
The mayor driving threw his small city noticed two workers doing something rather unusual. Along one side of the main Street, one of the men was digging a hole and the other was filling it in.
After watching the men dig several holes in this manner, the mayor, somewhat confused, confronted the two workers and asked for an explanation. “well sir, relied the first man, we work for the city planting trees, and usually there are three of us- one to dig the hole, one to plant the tree, and one to cover it up. The guy who plants the tree called in sick today, but, he proudly announced, we’re here and we ‘re doing our job anyway”
Get the point- we need to stop “doing” Church .
Our relationship should be growing, our walk should not be the same as months ago.
God help us to be just going through the motions.
We want to make a difference in people’s lives and the lord wants our life enriched by his Spirit
There is urgency like never before-
Pentecost is not a denomination! It is an experience every blood bought child of God should receive.
The in filling of the Holy Spirit is a definite and distinct experience.
***a Christian knows if he/she has been filled or not
Jesus commanded his disciples to be “filled with the spirit”
Closing:
Quote: Unknown
The average Christian and the average church are somewhat bogged down between Calvary and Pentecost. They have been to Calvary for pardon, but they have not been to Pentecost for power.
Bethlehem means God with us.
Calvary means God for us.
Pentecost means God in us.
Acts 19:2- “did you receive the holy spirit when you believed” ?
My heart is hungry to receive the power of Pentecost, the spirit of God in fullness of manifestation.
Quote-
The average one of us is so afraid of getting out on the limb we never even bother to climb the tree.
Altar call”
