The Holy Spirit At Work In The Life Of Christ Series

The Holy Spirit at Work in the Life of Christ

Luke 1:30-37 (Plus multiple Scriptures)

Series: God’s Spirit at Work in Our World

Sermon by: Rick Crandall

McClendon Baptist Church - April 12, 2000

*God’s Holy Spirit has always been at work in His world, and this was certainly true in the life of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit was there with the Lord every step of the way. And today we will see 7 ways that the Holy Spirit was at work in the life of Christ.

1. First: The Holy Spirit was there for Christ’s conception.

*The Holy Spirit was responsible for the miraculous birth of our Lord. As we see in Matt 1:18, “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.

*The Holy Spirit conceived Jesus just as the angel Gabriel had told Mary in Luke 1:30-37:

30. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

31. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS.

32. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.

33. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

34. Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”

35. And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.

36. Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren.

37. For with God nothing will be impossible.”

*The Holy Spirit was there for Christ’s conception.

2. And He was there for Christ’s identification.

*We see this at the baptism of Jesus in John 1:29-34:

29. The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

30. This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’

31. I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.”

32. And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him.

33. I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’

34. And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”

*In that day there were so many imposters pretending to be the real Messiah. How would John the Baptist know the real Christ? God let His Holy Spirit take care of this crucial task. The Holy Spirit was there for Christ’s identification.

3. And He was there for Christ’s direction.

*Luke 4:1 tells us something important that happened after Jesus was baptized: “Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.” (Also see Mark 1:9-13) The Holy Spirit was there for Christ’s direction.

4. And He was there for Christ’s action.

*The Holy Spirit certainly had a key role in the mighty miracles of Jesus Christ. In Acts 10:38, the Apostle Peter declared that “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

*In Matthew 12:15-28, Jesus Himself stressed the key role of the Holy Spirit in His works:

15. But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there. And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all.

16. Yet He warned them not to make Him known,

17. that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:

18. “Behold! My Servant whom I have chosen, My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased! I will put My Spirit upon Him, And He will declare justice to the Gentiles.

19. He will not quarrel nor cry out, Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets.

20. A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench, Till He sends forth justice to victory;