What We Believe...about The Holy Spirit

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....