Holy Spirit Guided Evangelism Part 3
Review Last Week: Role of the Spirit in Evangelism
1 Corinthians 12:4-11 - Spiritual Gifts
The Holy Spirit has more invested in our ministry, family, and our lives than we do.
Let God go before us. The Holy Spirit takes the initiative in the drama of rescue.
How the spirit worked with Phillip and the Ethiopian Eunuch
Powerful acts by the Spirit to put Paul where he needed to be - second journey. Acts 16:6-10
God uses his Spirit to woo us or court us, much in the same way we wooed and courted our spouses before marriage.
Part 3
1. Christ promised the disciples the Holy Spirit.
Read John 14:15-21
2. Pentecost - The Holy Spirit as Jesus promised:
Read Acts 2:1-4
3. When the Spirit came upon the disciples at Pentecost 4 things happened to them.
A. They were anointed:
1. They became witnesses to Christ and His power and glory.
B. They were inspired:
1. They were not witnesses speaking from or of themselves, but they became channels of a divine revelation from God.
C. They become effective witnesses:
1. They were able to convict the world of sin, and of the righteousness and judgement to come.
D. They became prophetic:
1. They were able to witness of the things to come in the lives of those who would or would not become believers.
The book of Acts are filled with stories of the acts of the Apostles that verify these truths. Whether it’s Peter and John in front of the Sanhedrin, Steven addressing the Sanhedrin, or the healings and other miracles they were able to do.
Read Acts 2:5-12
1. The disciples were able to reach across cultural boundaries to reach people for Christ.
A. They spoke in their own native tongues.
B. Acts 10 - Cornelius and Peter
1. An angel comes to Cornelius having him send for Peter.
2. Peter sees a vision from God that indicates God loves the Gentile as well as the Jew.
C. Paul, after his conversion, made 3 missionary journeys. Writes the majority of the Epistles which are full of stories of Paul being filled with the Spirit and doing miraculous things.
4. How do those same cross cultural issues and Spiritual laws affect us today?
A. Robert Tuttle, in his book Can We Talk explains that people the world over have four needs that don’t change transculturally. He calls them the “Universal Spiritual Laws of Cross Culture.” But first we need to be willing to feel good about other people, and see them as we see our own families.
1. Everyone needs to measure up to some kind of law.
a. We all have expectations we try to live up to. From our spouse, boss, children. But God’s grace redefines our expectations and gives us hope for the future.
Read Matthew 11:28-30
2. We all have an innate need to understand our origins.
a. In order for us to understand the origins of others we need to be sensitive to their cultures. When we are and we show true concern for them, their needs will surface. That’s relational evangelism.
3. Need to overcome temptation.
a. Frustration and lack of power to overcome temptation provide the catalyst for faith in Jesus Christ. Faith and trust in Jesus Christ leads to God filling us with the Holy Spirit, and empowers us to overcome. That allows us to measure up to God’s law, and that will bring fulfillment and peace.
If our response to Christ is one of repentance and belief, then God’s response is the gift of faith through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit.
Read Romans 8:9-17
4. We all have a need for community.
a. The birth of the Church in Acts.
Read Acts 2:40-47
As we can see, the real work of evangelism is fruitful when Christians are gathered and strengthened in their newfound faith.
So what is so important about community? We all have a need for affection, a need to belong, to be affirmed, to be valued by family and friends. We have a need for commitment to and for others, among those who are important in our lives, and this goes from cradle to grave. Community is where we come in to physical contact with those of like mind and spirit. Our hands were created for healing and nurturing. That’s what community is about. That’s what the church is about. That’s why we are here this morning. Praise be to God.
