Sermon: I believe in the Holy Ghost???? John 14:15-21 May 5, 2001
I. Introduction READ SCRIPTURE
A. Holy Ghost Hop
1. How many of you know how to do the twist, the mash potato, the funky chicken, disco duck - break dance
2. this morning I am going to teach you a new dance, called the Holy Ghost Hop
3. lift your left arm, stretch…bend your knees, give a little hop as you turn around and …
4. what’s the matter, you all are looking at me incredulously like I have lost my mind - like you are about to call of meeting of the Pastor Parish committee as soon as this service is over
B. Same look you get when you just mention the very word Holy Ghost in a conservative, white middle class church
1. people begin to get uptight, worried - they begin to shake
2. I mean I feel like I should give a viewers warning on todays sermon
3. Today’s sermon may not be appropriate for some viewers as it has been known to cause uncontrolled shouting, dancing, and falling out in the aisles Why if you aren’t careful this morning you might end up Pentecostal or worse yet…a real charismatic
4. no we don’t want that Holy Ghost stuff here in our church
5. we don’t believe in that kind of thing - in fact it is amazing how much we in the mainstream churches today deny the existence of the HS
a) a sermon reader’s program sermon central
b) 40,000 vs 100
c) you’d think close to a third since holy spirit third person of the trinity
6. what is it about the Holy Spirit that makes us squirm in our seats
a) do we really believe what we recite every week in the apostle’s creed I believe in the Holy Spirit
b) Do we believe the Holy Spirit is intended for us or is it some optional activity of Pentecost that was given to those other kind of church
(1) Do we believe the HS is the third person of the trinity or some lesser being and one we aren’t too sure we believe in him
(2) one we aren’t to sure we want in our life
(3) one we are afraid of it, afraid that to really believe in would means we would lose control and that something we don’t want to give up
II. Giving of the Holy Spirit
A. Yet the Holy is nothing new and not once to we see it in the Bible as losing control
1. Gen 1:2 Now the earth was formless and empty darkness was over the surface of the deep and the spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
2. Ps 51:11 do not cast me from your presence or take your holy spirit from me.
3. Judges 6:34 Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon and he blew a trumpet summoning the Abiezrites to follow him
4. Micah 3:8 I am filled with power with the spirit of the lord and with justice and might
5. Matt 1:18…his mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph but before they came together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit
6. Luke 3:16 One more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
7. Luke 3:22 [as jesus was baptized] the holy spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove…
8. WHY if the HS is a lesser being, one of unimportance, of optional activity - why is it descending upon Jesus the one upon high, our lord, savior one whom we exalt
9. Over and over again throughout the old and new testament we hear of the message and work of the Holy Spirit
a) and slowly and maybe as we speak this morning, slowly it begins to dawn on us that the Holy Spirit isn’t a part of God - he is God - and if we are going to accept God for who he is than we must also accept, embrace fully the Holy Spirit
B. So if we are to embrace the HS as nothing new, as having been around since the beginning of time what is Jesus wants us to do with it what is it that he is promising us here in John 14
1. jesus has just told the disciples he is leaving them - he spoke of his pending crucifixion
2. disciples are confused, afraid, for three years they had abandoned their life for three years they had given everything to him, believed in him, trusted him, followed….and now he is going to leave them
3. but Jesus promised he won’t leave them alone like orphans
a) I never understood what that meant until Lori
b) in a society where loniless is feared - where we have more gadget and gizmos to keep us in touch with one another - we understand what the disciples were feeling - we understand the fear of being left alone but here
4. Jesus is promising the disciples they were not going alone even if he left NOW they too were going now have a very personal intimate relationship HS with God- a relationship that would be with them always - a relationship with the who
5. was going to take Jesus’ place here on earth
C. VS 16
1. Various translations use different words of the HS here: Advocate, Helper Comforter.
2. the expression “another counselor” means “another counselor of the same kind as the first. This implies that Jesus was the first Counselor and that the Spirit would be the same kind of Counselor.
3. the greek word parkletos denotes a partner or adviser who is always there to give special care, special assistance in times of need.
a) more than a comfort, helper and counseler; the HS is also an advocate and an encourager.
4. When Jesus would no longer be with the disciples physically, when he could physically promise to be with us, he promised the HS would our constant companion to guide, help and empower us for the responsibility and challenges of Christian living..
5. Jesus identified the Counselor as the Spirit of truth because he is the Spirit who reveals the truth about God and how we as Christians should live
6. THE PROBLEM IS WE DON’T KNOW WHAT HE LOOKS LIKE VS 17B
a) know what jesus
b) picture of God
c) but the HS is this unknown quantity
III. Attributes of the Holy Spirit
A. Invisible in this world
1. Unaccepted by this world
2. VERSE 17 C But YOU know, him for he lives with you and will be in you
3. any and all sincere seeker, no matter how sinful or how ignorant who humbly comes to Jesus receives the gift of the spirit, receives the counselor, recieves God
4. in you, with you
B. Jesus, the Holy Spirit
1. one in the same with the father
2. indwells, lives in you! - and you aren’t fall out in the aisle dancing up a storm scream and shouting Hallelujah - you haven’t lost control and done embarrassing things like the Holy Ghost Hop in front of the whole
3. The HS is about loosing Quite the contrary it is that presence of the HS living in us that gives us control
a) control to live life in the Father, to live life in this world
b) as the Father would have us to live
c) it gives us the power to follow his commandments, to face this world not alone and abandoned but one with God - guided by God
d) the same spirit that empowered, guided and walked with Jesus through the Garden of Gethsemane to the Hill called Galgotha
e) the same spirit that raised him from the dead has been given to you
f) Acts 2:33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out [on you] what you now see and hear
IV. And it will that presence that spirit will manifest itself in you as love VERSE 21
A. Loves that obeys God’s commands - plural not singular
1. love that results in obedience not just to the 10 commandments
2. love that seeks to grow to perfection in his all his teaching
3. love that doesn’t stop, that doesn’t squench the working of the spirit but moves us in love
4. l John 3:18 Dear Children….but with actions and in truth
B. Love that understands the Father that gave his only begotten son
C. Love that understand Rom 3:23 there is no difference…
D. Love that reveals in us the spirit of Jesus, the spirit of God
1. in an intimate relationship with us
2. in a constant companion - that is not optional BUT THAT IS REQUIRED!!
3. The great theologian D.L. Moody once said, “You might as well try to hear without ears, or breathe without lungs, as try to live a Christian life without the Spirit of God in your heart
(1) can we honestly say I believe in the HS,
(a) the HS promised by Jesus
(b) the HS given to us that we might live life and live it abundantly Romans 8:6 The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace - does that spirit live in you
V. Closing
A. “Jackie Robinson was the first black to play major league baseball. Breaking baseball’s color barrier, he faced jeering crowds in every stadium. He was hed to a higher standard, critized and scrutinized more than the white players at that time. One day while playin in his home stadium in Brooklyn, he committed an error. The fans began to ridicule him. He stood at second base, humiliated, while the fans jeered. Then, shortstop Pee Wee Reese came over and stood next to him. He put his arm around Jackie Robinson and stood with him facing the crowd. Tobinson was no longer alone in the light adveristy The fans grew quiet. Robinson later said that arm around his shoulder saved his career that gave him the strength to go on.” —Daily Bread
B. The Holy spirit is the arm of God wrapped around our shoulders, around our heart - quieting the fears, doubts and questions in our heart - saving not our careers but our lives.
C. The Holy Spirit is the living presence of God given to us through the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ.
D. The Holy Spirit is the fulfillment of the Lord Supper living in us.
E. This morning we as we come to the table of our Lord Savior may we be open to moving of the Holy Spirit. May we be Ready to really receive the promise and Jesus and give God total, complete control of our lives. AMEN
