The Person of the Holy Spirit

A couple of years ago I sat down with my Bible and a list of the sermon series I had done and those that had been done by my predecessor. As I prayed over that list I noticed that it had been several years since we went through one of the Gospels from beginning to End.

That prompted me to choose Luke because of this motivation to compile a complete, reliable record. As I preached through the book I noticed that is was not so much about Jesus’s humanity as it was His authority.

Knowing that Luke was only the first volume of a 2-volume collection, I committed to preach through Acts after we spent some time in Genesis and Revelation. As we went through Acts, which is labeled in most English Bibles, the Acts of the Apostles, I was impressed that the role of the Holy Spirit was not as much in Tongues and miracles, as it was in telling and directing.

Since Holy Spirit never draws attention to Himself, but always deflects attention toward Christ, I want to take 3 weeks to highlight the Person and Gifts that the triune God graciously gives to us by agency of Holy Spirit.

You may notice that many times this morning I will refer to Holy Spirit rather than the Holy Spirit. This is because we rarely refer to a person with a definite article. Using a definite article to refer to one specific person is awkward. Some of you call me Dave, some of you call me pastor, or the pastor, or our pastor, or Pastor Dave. But I can’t recall any of you ever calling me the Pastor Dave.

There are many pastors in our world, there are many Daves in our world, but there are only a few Pastor Daves. If we were in a Spanish speaking country there would be many Jesus; you no doubt know many Joshuas, but there is only one Jesus Christ.

This morning I will attempt to drop the the when referring to the person of Holy Spirit, because when I use that name you know which Spirit of Holiness to which I refer.

I will give you advanced warning that I am going to refer to MANY Scripture references that we will not take time to read [so have your pens or pencils ready]. I will give you the references so you can go back and verify that God’s Word describe His Spirit in these ways, and they are not merely my human ideas.

Transition: The first thing that God’s Word tells us about His Spirit is that He was alive and well long before any of us!

The Holy Spirit existed and was working before Pentecost (breath, wind, Spirit)

Creation (Gen 1:2, 2:7)

· Moved over the waters, generated man

10 years ago, All Sons & Daughters wrote the song Great Are You Lord that includes the lyric “It’s your breath in our lungs so we pour out our praise to You.”

Flood (Gen 8:1)

· The word for wind in Gen 8:1 is the same word as Spirit of God in Gen 1:2

Transition: After the Flood, God’s revelation with mankind became more prophetic/fulfillment.

Promise of Holy Spirit

OT promises of Holy Spirit fulfilled in the OT

· The promised Spirit enables prophecy (1 Sa 10:6 )

· The Spirit fulfils the promised presence of the Lord (Haggai 2:5)

· the Spirit, uniquely of God, is made virtually synonymous [in the OT]with God’s power (Zec. 4:6; Mic. 3:8) or His presence (Ps. 139:7)[i]

OT promises of Holy Spirit fulfilled in the NT

· The Spirit implements the promised new covenant (Rom 8:9)

· The promised Spirit is the guarantee for Israel’s future (Eze 39:29 )

· The promised Spirit will empower the life and work of the Messiah (Is 11:2 )

Promised Holy Spirit empowers Messiah (Isaiah 61:1-2; Luke 4:18-19)

Promises of Holy Spirit in the NT

· The Spirit is promised by Jesus Christ

The clearest promise was made by Jesus Himself in the reading before the sermon where Jesus promised another one like Himself who would come alongside to comfort and assist.

o Upper Room – Jn 15:26

o Ascension - Lk 24:49

o Pentecost - Ac 2:4

· The promised Spirit guarantees to believers their future inheritance (Eph 1:13–14)

Personality of Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is involved in personal relationships

He is in relationship with the Father and the Son (1 Pe 1:2)

1 Peter 1:2 ESV:2016

2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

He is in relationship with Christians (Ac 15:28)

Acts 15:28 ESV:2016

28 For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements:

The Spirit can be treated in personal ways

o Lied to – (Ac 5:3)

o Can be grieved (Eph 4:30)

o Can be outraged - (Heb 10:29)

Personal characteristics of the Holy Spirit

The Spirit is wise (Ro 8:27)

The Spirit can experience emotion and pain (Is 63:10)

Examples of the Holy Spirit’s actions

He teaches: (Lk 12:12)

He speaks: (Ac 13:2)

He knows: (1 Co 2:11)

He cries out: (Ga 4:6)

He hears: (Jn 16:13)

He comforts: (Acts 9:31)

Compiling this list of relationships, characteristics and actions clearly indicate that Holy Spirit is a person, not just a feeling or a motivation.

Transition: Without having a body, this person expresses his presence in many ways.

Presence of Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is present everywhere (Ps 139:7)

He is equated with God’s presence (Ps 51:11)

He is present with God’s people (1 Co 3:16)

1 Corinthians 3:16 ESV:2016

16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?

The consequences of the Holy Spirit’s presence in the church

He convicts of sin (Jn 16:8)

John 16:8 ESV:2016

8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:

He empowers Christians for witness (Ac 6:10)

He sanctifies (2 Co 3:18)

He brings blessing and fellowship (2 Co 13:14)

He brings freedom and peace (2 Co 3:17)

He brings life (Ro 8:11)

Romans 8:11 ESV:2016

11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

the NT experience is inextricably bound up with the historical Jesus[ii]

Transition: The person of Holy Spirit was promised and made present, and His presence demonstrates the…

Power of Holy Spirit

The Spirit’s power enables people to serve God (Eze 36:26–27)

The Spirit’s power prompts prophecy and visions (Ac 2:17–18)

The Holy Spirit’s power is demonstrated in the OT

In acts of judgment and war (Jdg 14:19)

In the lives of his servants (1 Sa 10:6)

4. The Holy Spirit’s power is seen in the life of Jesus Christ

5. The Holy Spirit’s power is seen in the church’s mission

In the church’s witness and preaching (Ac 1:8)

In the apostolic ministry of signs and wonders

In miraculous works in the church

Transition: This morning we have seen much that is said about the person of the Trinity who is most overlooked in protestant churches. But I can’t conclude without mentioning…

Holy Spirit’s Chief Role (John 16:14-15)

Jesus said

John 16:14–15 ESV:2016

14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

Illustration

1. It is a grievous error to read the Old Testament without seeing the Son and Spirt;

2. It is a horrendous error to read the Gospels without Father and Spirit; and

3. It is utter nonsense to seek experiences and power today apart from the Son who was sent by the Father.

Conclusion:

True Christianity is not a dead religion, it is quickened [made alive] by the convicting and indwelling Spirit of God.

True Spirituality is not an experiential mystery; it proceeds from one God who exists eternally as three persons.

The Spirit of Christ is not a feeling we encounter, He is a person with whom we relate and choose to obey each moment of each day.

Song of Response (MP3 from Francesca Battistelli)............................................. “Holy Spirit”

Benediction: 2 Corinthians 13:14 (ESV) — The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

[i]Bromiley, G. W. 1979–1988. “Holy Spirit.” In The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised, edited by Geoffrey W Bromiley, 2:731. Wm. B. Eerdmans. [ii]Bromiley, G. W. 1979–1988. “Holy Spirit.” In The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised, edited by Geoffrey W Bromiley, 2:732. Wm. B. Eerdmans.