Whit Sunday 2008

INTRODUCTION

Whit Sunday is the day when the Christian church remembers the coming of the Spirit of God at Pentecost. This message is based upon Genesis 1:2 where we have the first mention of the Spirit. It is interesting that the Spirit is the first member of the Godhead mentioned in scripture.

TEXT

"The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters".

1. A PLANET THAT WAS IN A MESS

"the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep".

This speaks of man who is made from earth. At the graveside the minister utters those morbid words “earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust”.

Planet earth was in a mess. Every sinner is in a mess. They are ’out of order’, they are malfunctioning. Sin is the cause. Sin deforms. Sin ruins. Sin brings chaos. Life is empty and meaningless. That is why people commit suicide.

"without form" - shapeless and unattractive. The word "without" is significant. Every lost soul is without. Ephesians 2:12 "at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world".

The word "form" is also important. It speaks of Christ. Isaiah 53:2 "he hath no form nor comeliness" & 52:14 "his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men". Because of the treatment He received at Calvary our deformed souls can be transformed.

"void" - empty; sinners try to fill the emptiness with all sorts of things - sex outside of marriage, pornography, money, television, music, drugs, cars - but none of these things can fill the void. Only Christ can.

"darkness" - Ephesians 5:8 "ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord". 1 Peter 2:9 "ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light".

2. A PERSON WHO WAS ON A MISSION

"And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters".

a) He is active - "moved". The fact that He can move proves that He is a Person, not just a force or an influence. He moved upon the surface of the waters which were covering the whole earth and creation followed. Today He moves upon those that are lost in sin and makes them into a new creation.

b) He is protective - the Spirit was hovering over the Genesis earth to guard it. Deuteronomy 32:11 "As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: So the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him". He is the Comforter, comforting us in our bereavements, trials and persecutions.

O boundless love divine!

How shall this tongue of mine

To wond’ring mortals tell the matchless grace divine

That I, a child of hell, should in His image shine!

The Comforter has come!