Sermon Central
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Woe Is Me Series
Contributed by Charles Wallis on Jul 17, 2008 (message contributor)
Summary: The power of the Holy Spirit and the glory of God does not always lift up, but sometimes brings us to our knees.
Woe is Me: When God’s Glory Brings us Down July 13, 2008
Illus: I was craving some chocolate as I often do. I walked into the house and smelled freshly made brownies. I said “Thank God, someone made brownies.” Becky said I am not thanking God! What was good for me was not so good for her.
If you could experience the fullness of the Holy Spirit in your life, would you be interested? Do we understand what that means? Do we want what that means?
Everyone will not be happy when God shows up. We love to praise and worship God. We enjoy singing and joyful celebration. Today’s Christians at times almost worship. But the glory of God is not always joyful or celebratory. God’s presence is not just about making us feel good.
The same lighting and thunder that lights up the sky is the same lightning and thunder that sets the forest on fire.
Acts: Review
Our history: a continuation of the work of Jesus – a great cloud of witnesses.
We must wait for the Holy Spirit., but we cannot stand.
We need to be busy with his work, and prayer.
The Holy Spirit gives us power to live and witness for Jesus.
When the Holy Spirit comes, everything changes, nothing will be the same.
Wherever the Holy Spirit is, God receives glory and people come to Jesus.
Response to the power of the Holy Spirit:
Some were amazed and impressed.
Some mocked and resisted.
Illus: A man sued his church for 2.5 million because he when he fell under the Spirit, he hit his head.
Everyone will not be happy when the Holy Spirit comes. The glory and power of God affects people in different ways.
Isaiah 6: Woe is me! What might have seemed like a great event brought fear to a man of God.
We long for revival, we pray for the Holy Spirit, but are we willing to experience the fullness of the Spirit if that means being “undone?” Are we willing to be taken apart by the presence of God?
Isaiah is referring to the Day of the Lord - both for Israel and for us. Acts tells us we are in the last days. So when we pray for the Spirit to fall, we need to be ready for not only the majesty of God, but the terror of the Lord.
Do you want to be blessed? Jacob wrestled with God all night because he wanted a blessing – he got a blessing and walked with a limp the rest of his life. Are we willing to change if being blessed by God’s presence means that everything changes?
2 Cor. 2:16 (NLT) To those who are perishing we are a fearful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this?
The Holy Spirit is a gentleman, but He is not weak.
Some people died for lying to the Holy Spirit! Ananias and Sapphira.
Someone said when we were young, we feared not having the Holy Spirit, now young people fear the Holy Spirit. They are afraid of what that means.
We should not make presumptions about what the glory of God means. In other words, we cannot predetermine what the effects of the Holy Spirit will be. Sometimes we pray for the Holy Spirit, but we already
Illus: I have an agenda…what church should look like.
A woman made Elijah hide in a cave. God does not always shout – sometimes a whisper is more effective. Do you ever notice how people try to hear a whisper?
What does it mean to be in God’s presence? What does it mean to worship God?
Job 1:20 When Job lost everything he had, how did he respond? He fell down and worshiped God.
Woodrow Kroll, Back to the Bible: The word for worship throughout the Bible means to fall down. It means to acknowledge someone greater than you. That God is God and we are not – he is in charge.
1 Kings 8:11, 2 Chronicles 5:14 The priests could not stand because of the glory of God.
The wise men fell down and worshiped Jesus.
In Revelation, the elders fall down and worship.
We may not agree with all of their theology, but even the Catholics still bow down.
Some men used to fall down on their face in our church – right in the center of the aisle. That bothered me! But we need some men to fall down!
Scientists have discovered the earth makes sounds – groaning. The rocks will cry out.
Worship or Worth-ship, is not all about feeling good – liking the song. If you don’t like certain songs, worship God anyway. I used to need music to pray and read the Bible, but I matured.
