Why is it that when we read the Bible or even hear a sermon we always try and relate it to someone else?
Someone else has the duty
Someone else has the job
Someone else has the calling
Someone else has the power of God
SURELY IT CAN?T BE ME!
The fact of the matter is in the Bible there are different callings and different jobs for all of us?BUT ALL OF US ARE CALLED?ALL OF US HAVE THE DUTY, ALL OF US HAS BEEN GIVEN THE POWER OF GOD!
BUT YOU KNOW HOW SOMEONE THOUGHT SOMEONE ELSE WAS GOING TO DO IT AND SO DID THAT SOMEONE ELSE WHO DIDN?T DO SO IT DIDN?T GET DONE?
Unfortunately that?s the way it is in the church to many times?
Church leadership people talk about the 20/80 factor
That is that in a church 20% of the people do the work while the 80% watch them do it!
NOW LET ME ASK YOU?YOU THINK AFTER WHAT WE READ THIS MORNING THAT WAS WHAT JESUS HAD IN MIND FOR HIS CHURCH?
I DON?T THINK SO!
You see God has provided for us tools to do the work He?s called us to?He?s given us gifts?Given us a calling?Given us His very power to carry out His work in the world!!!
IN FACT WITH THE TOOLS AND POWER HE HAS GIVEN US THE CHURCH SHOULD HAVE WON THE WORLD BY NOW?BUT WE HAVEN?T BECAUSE MOST OF THE CHURCH HAS DECIDED THAT "IT?S NO MY JOB" TO MANY TIMES
Over the next weeks I hope to unpack the Word of God for you so that we can all begin to understand why it is that God gave us the church and the POWER of the Holy Spirit. How to begin to use what it is that God has given us.
THE CHURCH CAN ONLY BE THE CHURCH WHEN WE ARE ACTING IN FAITH AND IN THE POWER OF GOD?OTHERWISE WE ARE NOTHING MORE THAN A RELIGIOUS CLUB THAT HAS A GATHERING WEEKLY?.THAT?S NOT WHAT GOD HAD IN MIND
You see being a Christian is not a sometimes thing or a weekly thing?it?s a 24/7 proposition
In our two passages today we see two things?
ONE?God demonstrating His promise that he made to us
When Jesus was born?He was born of the Spirit
God was direct cause of Jesus?. Luke 1:30-35 But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.
Now he was the first and only person ever born of God from birth?original sin didn?t corrupt Him?.and sin had no place in His life, Jesus was the first and only person ever to live without the stain of sin on Him
WE ON THE OTHER HAND WERE BORN WITH THE STAIN OF SIN AND DO NOT LIVE SINLESS LIVES
WE NEED A SAVIOR?WE NEED JESUS TO COME AND CLEAN US OF OUR SIN
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
THE SECOND THING IS WE ARE NOW CANDIDATES TO BE FILLED WITH THE POWER OF GOD, BECAUSE OF WHAT JESUS HAS DONE
When he saved us WE become children of God?adopted into God?s family?now we are like Jesus?.forgiven?without sin? we too are ready to receive the power of the Spirit!
God can only fill containers that are clean?that is why He sent Jesus to provide a way for the total forgiveness of sin
No matter what we do we can?t clean ourselves up?BUT GOD CAN THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS!
And when He does?God?s promise is now available to us
Remember what He told the disciples before he was taken up into heaven?
Acts 1:4-5 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
This is the very thing that John Baptist had said Jesus had come do!
Matt. 3:11 "I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
THIS IS THE BAPTISM OF JESUS!
Not with anything on earth?but the very presence of God!
You see Jesus? life, death and resurrection were not just so we can get into heaven?but so we can bring some of heaven to earth?NOW.
This is the divine energy and power of God so that we might can experience the abundant life now! JUST AS JESUS ENJOYED THE FULLNESS AND THE FULL JOY OF GOD, HE MAKES THIS GIFT AVAILABLE TO EACH OF US WHO RECEIVE HIM!
THIS IS GOOD NEWS!!! The very best news we could ever have?.
IT IS NOW THROUGH THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT JESUS? FULLNESS FLOWS TO US AS BELIEVERS AND THEN THROUGH US TO MANIFEST OR DEMONSTRATE JESUS TO THE WORLD!
God knew that we needed this?you can?t bless others with something you don?t have!
You can?t give something to someone that you don?t possess yourself
And not only does He give us His very presence?His power?His strength?His joy?
He now can lead us and use us to the full now?.
He promised he would never leave us or forsake us?He sent His Spirit in fullfillment of that promise?.
As you have heard and will hear?The Holy Spirit is God?s blessing for each and every one of us?.He?s wanting us to receive that power, that strength..so that we might live as He intended from the very beginning?IN THE PRESENCE AND POWER OF GOD!
