Running On Empty

“Running on Empty”

John 14: 16-26

May 2, 2004

Intro: When I was in college I had the responsibility of taking a girl to a Mexican restaurant for her surprise birthday party. She had @ 20 friends ready to surprise her. Well, I went by to pick her up and take her to this restaurant. But as we got into my car I noticed I was just @ out of gas. So as we left her apartment I drove to a nearby gas station, but I thought the price was too high.

-So I kept driving until I came to another gas station a couple of miles down the road but it was the same price. So I kept on driving. Unfortunately we didn’t make it to the 3rd gas station a few miles away b/c the car ran out of gas. So here I was, stranded on the side of the road in Greenville, SC, w/a girl I’m supposed to be bringing to her surprise birthday party.

-I started trying to thumb a ride off of people as they drove by. For 30 solid minutes one car after another just drove right past me. Of course, after I flashed a little leg, a lady stopped and gave us a ride to the nearest gas station. By the time I refilled the car w/gas, we were an hour and a half late to the surprise party. Half the guests had left and the remaining group was madder than fire at me.

-The lesson I learned from this is to always make sure I fill up w/gas, regardless of the price, when I’m close to empty. Today we’re continuing our series “Pit Stop” and our focus for today is “Running on Empty.” So many of us are running on empty spiritually when we don’t have to be.

-But the good news is we’re going to see Jesus sharing w/us what we need to fill up with. We’ll see Jesus sharing w/us what kind of fuel we need in our lives that will provide us w/a fulfilling and meaningful life.

Sermon Idea: A really strange subject to talk @ is the HS. When I was a kid we called the HS the Holy Ghost, which made me a little nervous. But a lot of people wonder what the Bible’s talking @ when it talks @ the HS.

-Well, today in our passage of Scripture we’re going to see Jesus talking to His disciples @ the importance of the HS. And what we’re going to discover is that the HS is the fuel we need in our lives to keep us going, to keep us on the right track in life.

TEXT: JOHN 14: 16-26

Bckgrd: At the end of ch. 13 and the beginning of ch. 14 Jesus shares w/His disciples some startling news. He tells them He’s going to be betrayed and put to death on a cross. These guys had been w/Jesus day and night for 3 years. They’d seen Him perform miracles. They’d heard His incredible teachings and had seen His rising popularity. But now He’s telling them He’s getting ready to be killed! But He tells them He’s not going to just leave them hanging.

-Jesus lets His followers know He’s going to have the HS come and fill His place for Him while He’s gone. Now you may be thinking, “What’s that all about?” Jesus tells us by sharing 3 reasons the HS is important in our lives.

-The 1st reason the HS is important in our lives is b/c of:

DIV. 1: THE HOLY SPIRIT’S IDENTITY (vv. 16-17)

Exp: Anytime you’re filling up w/gas it’s always imperative you put the right fuel into your car. You don’t want to drive up to the gas station in your car that takes unleaded fuel and start putting in diesel fuel. You want to make sure you’re putting the right gas in your car so that it’ll function properly.

A. The same thing is true in life. To function properly you want to make sure you’re filling up w/the right kind of energy. What kind of energy can we fill up with? The Bible says it’s the HS.

1. You may wonder “Who and what exactly is the HS?” What is His identity?

Jesus describes the HS as being “another Counselor” that is given to us by God. The word “another” means “another of the same kind.” This is an important thing to take note of b/c Jesus is telling His disciples the HS is of the same essence of Jesus and yet different.

a. This is a passage of Scripture where we see the display of the doctrine of the Trinity. The Trinity is where we say there is only 1 God but w/3 roles: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And one of the roles of the HS is that of counselor. Now “counselor” means “to come alongside w/strength.” It’s referring to one who can hold us up and strengthen us in the midst of our weakness.