Larry Brincefield
larkayb@earthlink.net
Title: What We Believe...About the Holy Spirit
Text: John 16:7-15
Introduction
1. I used to have a favorite blanket...
I don’t mean when I was a young child....
when I was an adult, married with kids...
I had a favorite blanket.
How many of you currently have a favorite blanket?
How many of you have had a favorite blanket in the past?
Some of you may be embarrassed to admit that you have a security blanket
or that you used to have one.
But, there is no reason to be embarrassed.
Did you know that studies have shown that well over half of all children become attached to:
a favorite blanket,
a Teddy bear,
or some other object that helps to comfort them whenever they are afraid, sick, or upset?
Scientific studies have shown that security blankets can give great comfort,
especially at bedtime,
or during sickness
or when a child is separated from his/her parents.
Our daughter Lora was very attached to her security blanket.
It used to be so bad that we had to make sure we had it with us whenever we left the house.
In fact, we still have it...(show blanket)
Ethan wasn’t attached to a blanket...
but he was attached to his sippy cup.
A security blanket is just that...something that makes you feel
secure
comforted
consoled
(idea from www.sermons4kids.com)
2. Did you know there is even an international organization called Project Linus* that is named for a character in the Peanuts comic strip who carries his blanket around with him wherever he goes?
Project Linus makes security blankets for children who are seriously ill and gives them to them absolutely free.
As of January 2002, they had already made and distributed over 400,000 blankets.
If you want to be a blanketeer (what they call the people who make blankets) or for more information, go to: http://www.projectlinus.org/.
3. Jesus understood that we all need help like this at times.
When he was here on earth,
he was a source of help and comfort to those who needed it.
When he was preparing to return to heaven,
he knew that there would be times when his disciples would need help and comfort
and that he would not be there to give it to them.
He told his disciples that he would ask his Father to send them
another comforter
who would stay with them forever.
That is exactly what he did.
He asked the Father,
and he sent us the Holy Spirit.
(copied from www.sermons4kids.com)
Article 3 in our Articles of Faith reads, "We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Triune Godhead, that He is ever present and efficiently active in and with the Church of Christ, convincing the world of sin, regenerating those who repent and believe, sanctifying believers, and guiding into all truth as it is in Jesus."—Nazarene Manual 2001-2005
Read text: John 16:7-15
Body
1. We believe that the Holy Spirit came because Jesus left...and He didn’t want to leave us alone.
Jesus said, "Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you" John 16:7 (NIV)
other versions use other words for "Counselor"
Helper (NASV)
Comforter (KJV)
Friend (TM)
Advocate (NET)
Aren’t you glad that Jesus ...
loved us so much...
and cared about us so much....
that He didn’t want us to be left alone?
2. We believe that the Holy Spirit came to bring conviction for sin.
In John 16:8, Jesus says, "When the Holy Spirit comes, he will convict the world of guilt"
When you do something wrong....
when you commit a sin....
when you do something against God that you KNOW you shouldn’t do...
it makes you feel bad inside.
Some people call this their conscience.
But what that REALLY is,
it is the Holy Spirit
bringing conviction to us when we commit sin.
Of course, that naturally brings up the question..."Does that mean that if something doesn’t bother my conscience, it isn’t wrong"?
No, that isn’t what it means.
You see, if we ignore the Holy Spirit,
He will stop coming around.
1 Thessalonians 5:19 says, "Do not put out the Spirit’s fire"
When the Holy Spirit starts knocking at your hearts door....
perhaps it is during the altar call...
and you know you should go and repent about something...
but you feel embarassed...
or for whatever reason....
you don’t go to the altar.
The next time the Holy Spirit comes and begins to bring conviction to you....
perhaps it becomes easier to say no.
and before very long....
if you keep saying "no" to the Holy Spirit...
you don’t feel anything anymore...
and the reason is because the Holy Spirit has learned that your heart isn’t fertile soil....
it isn’t receptive to His leading and guiding...
so He has gone on to more fertile ground.
In Matthew 12:31-32, Jesus says, "I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come."
Preachers and Evangelists used to preach a lot about the "unpardonable sin".
There is much discussion and disagreement about what it is; and what it isn’t.
I won’t go into all the differing viewpoints here (maybe I’ll preach a sermon on that some day soon)...but let me simply say,
I believe that the constant saying "no" to the Holy Spirit is the "unpardonable sin".
I believe that in some people, they have said NO so long...
that it becomes very unlikely that they will ever get saved.
But there is still hope...
and if you think this describes you,
I will be happy to talk with you about it.
3. We believe the Holy Spirit guides and directs us.
Jesus said, "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth." John 16:13 (NIV)
By contrast, Satan is called the "father of lies"
Jesus said about Satan, "When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." John 8:44 (NIV)
If it weren’t for the Holy Spirit guiding us into all truth...Satan would be having a heyday with us.
Many times, I will pray and ask the Holy Spirit to guide and direct me.
In many of the decisions that we face (especially bigger decisions)...
we, as individuals and
we, as a church
need to seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance.
God has a plan for our lives....
and God has a plan for our church...
but if we just jump in and do whatever WE think is right...we make a mistake.
We need to seek the Holy Spirit;
and allow Him to guide us into all truth.
4. We believe the Holy Spirit Sanctifies Us & empowers us
2 Thessalonians 2:13 says, "But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth." 2 Thess 2:13 (NIV)
Sometimes we even call this "baptism of the Holy Spirit"
In Acts 1:8, Jesus says, "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."
And this power is evident in the lives of the Disciples...
if you look at them prior to the coming of the Holy Spirit...
they were afraid...
hiding...
ineffective...
and pathetic
But then, the Holy Spirit came with power!!
and they became a mighty force in the early church...
thousands were getting saved every day.
5. And with that thought in mind, we believe the Holy Spirit brings revival
When the Holy Spirit comes upon a person, or a group of people in an incredible way....
we call that revival.
That’s what happend on the Day of Pentecost;
when thousands were saved....
the Holy Spirit came in power and brought revival.
There have been other spiritual awakenings throughout history...
times of revival,
where great numbers of people were impacted by the power of the Holy Spirit.
And the only way the Holy Spirit brings revival...
is in response to great, sincere, and humble prayer.
When we begin to hunger for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit...
more than food....
more than watching tv...
more than shopping for new toys....
and we are so consumed with our great need for revival...
that we are willing to pay the price in prayer...
That’s when the Holy Spirit brings revival!!!!
Acts 4:31 says, "After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly"
Conclusion
When Jesus walked this earth...
He was our Teacher...
Our Savior...
and Our Guide...
Jesus left...
but He didn’t leave us lonely.
He left us with His Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit...
is our Counsellor,
our Comforter,
our Convictor,
our Advocate,
our Friend...
our Sanctifier...
our Reviver
He is our Security Blanket.
And He is always there when you need Him.
#297 "Spirit of the Living God"
