The Powerful Life

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Sean Booth Prayer retreat

BBQ after church at Greenhaven Neighborhood

Intro

We have been on a new series called More than forgiveness…And hopefully today that series title will begin making more sense

The past two weeks we have been looking at two foundational ideas

God is Holy: And we have to respond to that holiness

And last week we looked at this idea that God set apart time for us to enjoy Him. God created the sabbath for us to aid us in our holiness…so that we can experience his holiness... And so that He can shape us...

So before we get going I want to tell a story that I think will lay out the idea of holiness and where we are going today

The Powerless Life Story

So a number of years ago I was discipling a guy in the church and he had told me some of his hangups. And every week we met he wanted forgiveness for the same thing.

The first couple of weeks we prayed for forgiveness...

Then it went away for a while…it seemed like this guy was living a victorious life…And then it would come back from time to time…this one hang up and we would pray together…and then he would do better…and then we would pray about it again

And finally one of these days he told me that he had fallen back into that same hangup that he was dealing with before and again…the song and dance...

I hate it when this happens…Oh why do I do these same old things over and over again

Pastor would you pray for me.

And I don’t know how to describe what was happening in me at that moment

But I was frustrated…angry…mad...

Thinking I have spent months with you going over the Bible and you really wanted a changed life and you keep going back to the same thing

What came up in my mind is this:

I had just read this in my bible

Proverbs 26:11 NIV

As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly.

So either in stroke of pastoral brilliance or foolishness I am still not sure

I said…have you ever seen this proverb? This is you…You keep returning to the vomit of your life and I don’t know why...

So No, I wont pray with you for forgiveness...

And he was shocked…Like your a pastor, that’ your job...what are you doing?

So then I explained to him…The last thing you need is another pardon from your sin

because do you know what you are going to do? You’re going to leave here and feel like the weight of the world has been lifted off your shoulders and then in two weeks your going to come back and say guess what happened again!

No the last thing you need is another pardon. We are not going to pray for forgiveness

We are going to pray for a new heart

We are going to pray for the Holy Spirit to enter your life and for you to live by his power and not your own...

See, I hadn’t been able to articulate this before because that person in my mind was a good person they just had a little hangup

But what I came to realize in that moment was that ....All of victories depended on his effort…

He was only able to live a life of victory over sin and darkness so far as he remained strong

His victory depended on his strength....This is a precarious place to be in!

But I know the human condition, no one is that strong…Sin and temptation are constantly there

And when your victories depend on your effort then you are living in your own power and not in the power of the Holy Spirit...

So I start with this story today because some of you read Proverbs 26:11 as I was reading it

Proverbs 26:11 NIV

As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly.

This proverb is a word picture of the defeated life.

A life where you are depending on your own willpower for transformation.

But no matter how disciplined or strong you might be. You can not go it alone in following Jesus

So I want to start with this fill-in this morning

Holiness begins with a willful emptying of yourself and a filling with the Holy Spirit (Galatians 2:20)

When the Apostle Paul talked about following Jesus this is how he spoke

He said it most clearly here:

Galatians 2:20 NIV

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Following Jesus means full surrender and full allegiance.

It means all who we are including our identity is his

To say that I have been crucified with Christ…This means that there is a death that happens…That you put off your old self...

That part of you that tries to live in its own power...

That part of you that keeps returning to its vomit...

And it is asking God to live in your life so that you can actually say...

Hey that dave you knew years ago…Yeah he’s dead its is not me any more…I have been remade by Jesus because Dave died years ago and its now Jesus that lives in my life!

This is the essence of holiness...

Its not about trying to look good for others or being exactly morally right...

It is about such a full surrender that you don’t matter any more and the work of Jesus in your life is magnified

A Holy God wants humanity to experience Holiness

So what Does God want for us? what does he require?

So now we have this foundation that God is Holy and in his holiness, his set-apartness he sats things like this

The Leader of the Disciples Jesus after he confronted the resurrected Lord would write to the church

I just want to read you three verses:

1 Peter 1:13–16 NIV

Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

Leviticus 11:44a (NIV)

I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy.

Hebrews 12:14 NIV

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

The Bible is so clear. God is Holy. You be Holy

I mean without holiness no one will be able to see God…What does this mean?

Let’s take it back to Moses at the Burning Bush

Moses was in God’s holy presence and he couldn't go any further…He couldn’t yet see God

It wasn't until he spent a significant amount of time in prayer and fasting…actually 40 days before he could be holy enough to be in God’s presence

Literally without being set apart and removing all sin from his life…without Holiness, Moses couldn't see God....

You can’t get to holiness on your own power…I don’t care how hard you try or how many degrees you have…You just wont get there on your own

But what I hope to show you today is that God has provided a way for us to see him....Indeed God wants to be seen!

So I want to spend a few minutes in the Old Testament today

I want to give you this visual...

Its like the Old Testament Authors are building stairs...

The old testament always points us to Jesus

But it does it one stair at a time...

And as you read the old testament story it like keeps leveling up…They keep giving you a part of the story until Jesus comes and its like, OH this is what all the stairs were leading to, it makes perfect sense

So what I want to give you today is the key to the powerful life…and this sermon will end with an invitation to live not in your own power but in the power of the Holy Spirit…But please let me walk you up the stairs so to speak

What I want to do is to track the presence of God with you through the Bible…and you know what these verses are all going to be printed for you so I would recommend that you just take notes and look them up later

First and foremost, we are going to see that God’s presence is symbolized in the Bible by fire.

Notes:

Exodus 3:5–6 NIV

“Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

-God is in this bush, that is on fire but doesn't burn up

-Moses Hid is face…Why? He is contaminated by sin and can not stand to look at God who is pure holiness...

But if You were to ask Moses, where is God…He would say: right there in that bush!

So next the people of God are wondering around the dessert: and we see this little editorial note in Exodus…and this note appears over and over again:

Exodus 13:21 NIV

By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night.

So where is God? He is in that pillar of fire that is traveling around the dessert follow Him! And all of Israel at this point is organized around this pillar of fire

So then in our Journey we get to Exodus 19, and in this passage the people are all gathered around Sinai... Exodus 19 is one of the most impotrant chapters leading up to the 10 commandments

The people are preparing to receive the law from the Lord…I mean the next chapter is the 10 commandments

Exodus 19:3–6 NIV

Then Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”

Ok! So many Biblical steps are being laid here...

God is now on the mountain…Saying to his people…Ok…I brought you way out into the dessert to make you into something

a kingdom of priests…a Holy People

I brought you out here to set you apart for holiness…to be different from the rest of the world...

So then this happens:

Exodus 19:10–11 NIV

And the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes and be ready by the third day, because on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.

Ok Now moses has them wash their clothes and get ready…Now how well can you wash your clothes in the middle of the dessert? probably not well. The main point here is to understand that when you are confronted with a Holy God, you need to wash away the dirt in your life…That you need to be set apart

Ok…Then do you see what is happening....On the 3rd day the living God will come down in sight of his people…

Come on, the third day???…thats a whole other set of stairs to build…its all over the Old Testament…lets keep going

Exodus 19:16–19 NIV

On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently. As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him.

Ok here is what I want you to get a picture of

The people of God are standing around this mountain and the fire and the smoke comes down and sort of rests on top of them

Later on this day would be called “Shavu˓ot” It is to commemorate the day when God would clothe his people with power from on high

This was the feast of weeks, it would happen 50 days after passover

and every year the Jews would celebrate this day as a reminder that in the desert God came down from the mountain in the form of fire and rested on top of their heads…This is not insignificant later in the story!

God clothed his people with the Torah or the law

And again God is building steps…This will come up later in the story!

But lets keep going…Try to keep this all in mind

In Numbers 11 there is this big rebellion that breaks out…The people were sick of Mana in the dessert…this was the food that God had given them…They wanted Meat now!

So Moses literally goes to God and says…hey leadership is too hard…why did you do this…just kill me now

So god wipes out the complainers with you guessed it…fire....

and then he had moses bring together 70 elders and this is what happened....

God took his spirit and divided it over these 70 elders

Numbers 11:24–30 NIV

So Moses went out and told the people what the Lord had said. He brought together seventy of their elders and had them stand around the tent. Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke with him, and he took some of the power of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied—but did not do so again. However, two men, whose names were Eldad and Medad, had remained in the camp. They were listed among the elders, but did not go out to the tent. Yet the Spirit also rested on them, and they prophesied in the camp. A young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses’ aide since youth, spoke up and said, “Moses, my lord, stop them!” But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!” Then Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.

Ok so this whole thing is HUGE! this is the first point where God put his spirit on multiple people in the Bible!

And even these two random guys in the camp

And Joshua thought this was strange and not right so he tells moses…tell them to stop!

Did you catch that last line of moses?

“I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!”

This is looked at as Moses’s prayer

So Let’s trace the movement of God…Remember God is building steps for us to see what he is doing

First he is in a bush…its on fire but not consumed

Then he is in this pillar of fire leading his people around the dessert

Then he is on a mountain and his fire is hovering over his people giving them the law

Then God takes his spirit and puts it in people

And Moses is like this is great I wish everyone had this!

After all of this God dwells in the center of Jewish life in the temple

But There is a major problem.

God’s people don’t keep the law

God’s people actually oppress others

They don’t treat people fairly or kindly or with justice

So God allows for the destruction of his people

But we find later on in the prophets…more steps being built:

They are like…a day is coming...

Ezekiel 36:26–28 NIV

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God.

But how can all of this happen

We get the first glimpse of it in

Luke 3:16 NIV

John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Wow…So I know this is a lot to follow but track with me here...

John Baptizes with water…that is for cleaning you up symbolically…But Jesus baptizes with the Holy spirit and with fire...

Where is God? Yeah…In the fire…in the pillar of fire...

Just as in the desert God had his spirit rest on 70 elders, now he will have his spirit rest on all who follow Jesus...

So fast forward now to after Jesus died for our sins and rose again on the 3rd day What did Jesus tell everyone?

Luke 24:46–49 NIV

He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

The Jews symbolically called the Exodus 19 moment where people received the law…”Being clothed with power from on high”

So Jesus is setting us up for this moment…This new Torah moment! And the expectation is that we will get a new heart

So 50 days later, at the feast of Shavu˓ot

This is what we read

Acts 2:1 NIV

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.

What is the day of Pentecost? it is the feast of Shavu˓ot…Its the day that the Jews celebrate the torah being given to Moses

Its the original day that a pillar of fire rested over their heads

its the original day where they were clothed with power from on high

and they are all there gathering

and what do we read

Acts 2:2–4 NIV

Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

So on the day they were all celebrating God giving the law....When they were remembering the fire on the mountain

Now the law giver has clothed them all with power from on high

Now he is writing the law on our hearts and our minds...

this is what the holy spirit is doing

So I need to land this plane....

God wants you to live a powerful life

BUT

Many of us are like my friend: we lives lives of no power because as a dog returns to his vomit so does a fool return to his folly

We are trying to live this life in our own power

But God literally wants to clothe you with power!

Literally all of the bible leads us to Jesus and the only response to Jesus is to surrender your life and ask him to dwell powerfully in you

If your here and you have never experienced holiness then what you are probably missing is the indwelling of the Spirit of God in your life!

But the victorious life…life in which we are reshaped and remade in God’s image is defined not just by a moment of Saying yes to the spirit but by this Galatians 2:20 moment

Galatians 2:20 NIV

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

God had designed from the beginnings of the bible till the end of it for his spirit of power to live in you…So you don’t have to go it on your own

So maybe your here today and you have just been about the forgiveness of Jesus....

I want to submit to you that a whole new world is available to you

A world where your heart gets reformatted…Where God does a heart transplant

The God who dwelt in the bush, who was on the mountain in fire…who descended on people after pentecost wants to fall fresh in you today

And there are two responses:

you can absolutely resist God…HE DOES NOT GO WHERE HE IS NOT WANTED

Or you can say Lord I have believed in you for a long time but I have never been filled with your spirit

You can decided today that your old self will be crucified with Christ and you can ask God to send you his spirit and replace your whole life

In 1758 At the age of 22, Pastor Robert Robinson set out to preach on the Holy Spirit…he had this gut feeling that he needed more…a sermon wouldnt do…he needed a prayer and a song…So he wrote this song that we