The Holy Spirit in the Church Today
The Holy Spirit • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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I want to ask a quick question this evening and if you have an answer, go ahead and shout it out.
What does it mean… to be relevant?
The dictionary offers this bit of knowledge regarding the meaning of the word.
Relevant Defined: Closely connected or appropriate to what is being done or considered
Relevant means that whatever is being considered or presented fits within the context or culture. Relevant means it connects… relevant means it speaks the same or similar language… relevant means it is not out of touch, but rather it is in sync with what is going on.
I bring this up tonight because… many in the world today would classify the church as… irrelevant, out of touch, no longer connecting to the world around it.
And… people are buying the lie. People are believing that the church today has nothing for them. People are being convinced by the world that the Bible is old fashioned, that the message is not for this time, and that science has taken over as the source of truth.
This might be the claim today… but it is a FALSE claim. God’s message is still VERY RELEVANT for all people today. Why?
Because the wages of sin is still death. But the gift of God is STILL eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Sin is still dragging people down. But the Savior is STILL setting people free!
The gospel message is FAR from being out of touch… it is the most needed message of our day!
And it is the message that all believers have been commissioned by Christ to go and tell.
This mission… STANDS… until Jesus returns. We, the church, the body of Christ, are the commissioned extension of His ministry until He returns.
The message… is for today. Do you believe that? Because if the church loses sight of this, then we might as well close our doors!
So if the message is for today… then we must understand that the power needed to spread that message is also for today!
So I’m going to get in the face of some other denominations for a moment… specifically churches that would claim that the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is not for today.
Many base their belief off 1 Corinthians 13:8
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
And yet we clearly have not reached the end of the last days! How do I know this? Because Jesus has not yet returned! But I believe we are getting close!
So I lovingly ask this question: Why would God remove from His Church the power we need to complete the mission He has given us… before it is completed?
The empowerment of the Spirit was given to the church through Jesus that we might BOLDLY preach the message of the cross.
The God-sized mission requires a God-sized power to get it done!
The world might call it irrelevant… but the need for the power of the Spirit has never been more relevant than today!
Tonight, I’m not going to focus in on just the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, I want to focus in on all the spiritual gifts as they are in Scripture.
These gifts are given to believers to accomplish the Great Commission. I want you to see what 1 Corinthians 12 has to say regarding the gifts.
4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
First off, we need to understand that there are several different “gifts” that are given, but they all come from the same Lord.
Each gift works in a different way, but in all of them and in everyone, it is the same God at work.
The gifts of the Spirit do not work against each other, they work in tandem with each other to give glory to God!
Verse 7 makes it clear… the gift is given for the common good - who is Christ Jesus. And then we see a list.
The message of wisdom - how many know that wisdom… it still relevant today?
The message of knowledge - how many know that knowledge… is still relevant today?
The gift of faith - how many know that faith… is still relevant today?
The gift of healing - how many know that healing… is still relevant today?
The gift of miraculous powers - how many know that the miracles… are still relevant today?
The gift of prophecy - how many know that prophecy… is still relevant today?
The gift of distinguishing between spirits - how many know this gift… is still relevant today?
The gift of speaking in other tongues - how many know the gift of tongues… is still relevant today?
The gift of interpretation of tongues - how many know this gift… is still relevant today?
There are many gifts given by ONE Spirit for the work and ministry of the ONE TRUE GOD.
The question is not if these gifts are still relevant, the question is… do we desire to see these gifts in motion? Do we want to settle for what we alone can do OR do we want to see the supernatural work of God flowing on our churches again?
So my point in this message tonight is simple… how can we expect the world to view the work and ministry of the Spirit as relevant… if the people of the church struggle to operate in the gifts that God has distributed throughout the body?
Church, we cannot expect the world to embrace what we have neglected.
“But pastor, the gifts of the Spirit are kind of… messy. People don’t know what is going on. People feel uncomfortable when the Spirit is moving. They see it as weird or emotional or as something the don’t want to do.”
Here’s the deal: People are looking for REAL. People want… what is GENUINE. People can smell phony a mile away.
God wants to heal. God wants to deliver. God wants to do miracles. God wants to give faith, knowledge, wisdom, etc. God IS NOT in the habit of holding back what He promised! But people have a tendency of closing themselves off for lack of understanding.
Do we desire tonight to see God’s POWERFUL and RELEVANT gifts of the Spirit in operation within His Church?
Now be careful… this is one of those dangerous questions. Who is the church? YOU ARE! So if we say yes to that question, you are saying that you desire to see God’s POWERFUL and RELEVANT gifts of the Spirit in operation… WITHIN YOU!
So what do we do? First… we come to the Lord with
EXPECTATION
EXPECTATION
We need to come to God EXPECTING an outpouring of His Spirit and gifts.
We do NOT approach the Lord with an attitude of arrogance, entitlement, or demanding nature. God owes us NOTHING.
We do, however, need to understand that God desires to distribute these gifts among the body as He determines.
So the body, needs to come with expectation to receive.
I want you to look at Paul’s charge to the church at Corinth in 1 Corinthians 14.
1 Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy.
EAGERLY desire the gifts of the Spirit!
And again remember these gifts are not given that we might make a name for ourselves… they are given that we might make the name above all names known to this world!
Consider again when those in the upper room received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost.
Why were they there?
They were there WAITING for the gift the Father had promised them. Who told them to wait? Jesus did!
They were not hanging out in the upper room because it was a cool place to be or because they were hiding from anyone. They were waiting AND EXPECTING God to do what Jesus said He was about to do.
God has PROMISED… say that word with me… PROMISED to pour out His Spirit in these last days.
How many within the church are eagerly awaiting the outpouring of God’s Spirit? I guess let me ask it this way… why are we surprised when God’s Spirit is poured out in these last days? God said He would do it!
I think the answer is clear: we weren’t anticipating His move! We were not expecting God to do what He said He would do.
The gifts of the Spirit have been made available to the church of our day. They are RELEVANT to our mission, important to our church culture. These are gifts given to us to help us in the spreading of the gospel.
We need to EXPECT God to distribute these gifts within the body of Christ!
The church needs to expect God to move in this way. And… when He does, we don’t need to leave the world in the dark regarding what happened.
As God moves as expected… we need to be sure to give...
EXPLANATION
EXPLANATION
Turn with me to 1 Corinthians 14:6-7
6 Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction? 7 Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the pipe or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes?
WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN? That is the question to be answered! As Paul was addressing the church in Corinth, he made clear that an explanation regarding the gifts needed to accompany the gifts.
Listen… I have no doubt that people are interested in and curious regarding the supernatural.
Consider this: There were a slew of TV shows a while back that dealt with supernatural events all over the world.
And people tuned in. Why? They were curious… and they could watch it from afar. What danger did it pose in the safety of their living rooms?
Well, in all honesty, those shows opened people’s minds to the demonic forces of darkness.
The Bible tells us that all people are aware of God’s existence. Romans 1:20 says
20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
So if everyone knows God exists… what is the issue with believing in Him? The next verse gives us that answer.
21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.
People know that a higher power exists… and they are looking for connection. Problem is, they are looking in all the wrong places.
The gifts of the Spirit give evidence of that higher power - who is God. Those gifts are bestowed upon the church to point people to God. They are to operate in a way that is orderly and glorifying to God.
Things were getting out of hand in the church of Corinth. That is why Paul is writing. So he reminds them that things need to be explained.
Again, in Acts 2, Peter gives an explanation to a crowd that witnesses the first outpouring of God’s Spirit on His people.
They are a bit… confused at what happened. And church, we have leaders and congregants that believe the best way to avoid this confusion… is to say no to the moves of the Spirit.
Pittsburg, KS example.
The pastor was afraid his neighbor would be freaked out by a move of God.
But the Spirit of God does not push people away… He draws people nearer to the Lord.
Peter gave explanation as to what happened in Acts 2 and he didn’t hold back. Scripture records that 3,000 people came to know the Lord that day.
Church, we need not to shy away from what the Lord wants to do… but as He moves… we need to explain PER THE SCRIPTURES what He is doing.
That’s what Peter did… and that’s what we need to do as well.
If the world asks in response to a move of God, “What in the world happened right here?” We need to be ready to explain that what happened was not of this world, but came from the very creator of this world!
We need to operate in the gifts of the Spirit and we need to tell the world where those gifts are coming from!
And lastly, there is something important we need to consider as we look at these passages tonight.
In all that we do… it must be done in love.
LOVE is the Key.
LOVE is the Key.
So why am I bringing this point up tonight?
Simple. We looked at passages from 1 Corinthians 12 and 1 Corinthians 14. Do we know what the chapter in between says? IT SAYS DON’T FORGET ABOUT LOVE. Look at how it opens in the first few verses.
1 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
The gift of love is the greatest gift God has given us. Love comes from God because 1 John 4:8 tells us
8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
Love will ALWAYS be relevant! Love is something all people are looking for! There is coming a day when the gifts of the Spirit are no more… but love will forever remain!
If we operate in the gifts but show no love, all we are doing is making more noise. The world isn’t interested in more noise. Jesus didn’t commission us to make more noise.
Our mission… is one of LOVE… and is empowered by His Spirit! Look at 1 Corinthians 14:1 one more time.
1 Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy.
Again, love is extremely relevant to our world today. It is something we need more of… something people are looking for. It is something that must be at the heart of what we say and do.
So here comes the challenge:
Maybe our nation sees the church as irrelevant… because the church has become unloving. Maybe all the world hears coming from the church is noise. All talk, no love. All preach, no practice.
Maybe the Word has become irrelevant to the world because we have forgotten to love the world… as God so loved the world.
1 Corinthians 13:8 tells us that love never fails.
It was love that sent Jesus to the cross… AND HE DIDN’T FAIL. We now have victory over sin because GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD.
What would happen… if HWC so loved the world? What would happen is HWC so loved Agra, or Kirwin, or Kensington, or Phillispburg, or Smith Center, or Lebannon, or Norton, or Republican City, or Naponee, or Franklin, or Stockton? What would happen if HWC loved the heartland… the very place God has planted us for ministry?
Church, we need to make sure we aren’t just making noise. We need make sure that we are expecting the gifts, explaining the gifts, and doing all in the love of the Lord. THAT IS WHAT WILL MAKE OUR MINISTRY RELEVANT.
We don’t need a coffee bar or new paint or flashy things to be relevant. WE NEED THE LOVE OF JESUS AND THE EMPOWERMENT OF HIS SPIRIT.
So how do we respond?
We ask God for the gifts… and we open ourselves up to receive.
We ask God for more love… and we compassionately reach the lost world around us.
Can we seek Him tonight for these things as we close in worship and prayer?