The Holy Spirit Poured Out On The Bride of Christ

[Outpouring: Fire Bible (3) The baptism in the Holy Spirit will be preached and communicated to new believers (see 2:39, note), and the Spirit’s presence and power will be at work in obvious and effective ways as the Holy Spirit:]

Isaiah 44:1–5 (LSB) “But now hear, O Jacob, My servant, And Israel, whom I have chosen: 2 Thus says Yahweh who made you And formed you from the womb, who will help you, ‘Do not fear, O Jacob My servant, And you Jeshurun [my beloved] whom I have chosen. 3 ‘For I will pour out water on the thirsty ground And streams on the dry land; I will pour out My Spirit on your seed And My blessing on your offspring; 4 And they will spring up among the grass Like poplars by streams of water.’ 5 “This one will say, ‘I am Yahweh’s’; And this one will call on the name of Jacob; And this one will write on his hand, ‘Belonging to Yahweh,’ And will name Israel’s name with honor.

In this passage God give us promises — not just Israel, but ALL of us:

You see we have been grafted in to the promises given to Israel.

“Grafted in” is the language used in Romans 11:11-24

I’ll get to that passage in a minute.

But first, let me take us further down a rabbit trail for a minute — but it is the trail of a FAT rabbit — he’ll make a GOOD stew!

Here it is…

Do NOT buy into the heresy of Replacement Theology that says that the Church has REPLACED Israel in God’s plan of salvation.

Thereby giving us justification for antisemitism.

No, no NO!

The Bible is very clear.

There is no place in BIBLICAL Christianity for antisemitism — NO PLACE.

Why?

Because the Church has not replaced Israel, rather Romans 11 tells us the Gentiles have been grafted in WITH those in Israel who believe in Jesus so that we ALL become the Church.

Write it down, look it up. The NLT makes it a little easier to see and understand:

Ephesians 2:19–22 (NLT) So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. 20 Together, we are His house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus Himself. 21 We are carefully joined together in Him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. 22 Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.

Ephesians 3:6 (NLT) And this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus.

Does that mean we can dismiss and discount UNBELIEVING Jews..

NOT AT ALL.

Look at your Bible again. Look with me …

Romans 11:11–24 (NLT) Did God’s people stumble and fall beyond recovery? Of course not! They were disobedient, so God made salvation available to the Gentiles. But He wanted His own people to become jealous and claim it for themselves. 12 Now if the Gentiles were enriched because the people of Israel turned down God’s offer of salvation, think how much greater a blessing the world will share when they finally accept it. 13 I am saying all this especially for you Gentiles. God has appointed me as the apostle to the Gentiles. I stress this, 14 for I want somehow to make the people of Israel jealous of what you Gentiles have, so I might save some of them. 15 For since their rejection meant that God offered salvation to the rest of the world, their acceptance will be even more wonderful. It will be life for those who were dead! 16 And since Abraham and the other patriarchs were holy, their descendants will also be holy—just as the entire batch of dough is holy because the portion given as an offering is holy. For if the roots of the tree are holy, the branches will be, too. 17 But some of these branches from Abraham’s tree—some of the people of Israel—have been broken off. And you Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree, have been grafted in. So now you also receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in the rich nourishment from the root of God’s special olive tree. 18 But you must not brag about being grafted in to replace the branches that were broken off. You are just a branch, not the root. 19 “Well,” you may say, “those branches were broken off to make room for me.” 20 Yes, but remember—those branches were broken off because they didn’t believe in Christ, and you are there because you do believe. So don’t think highly of yourself, but fear what could happen. 21 For if God did not spare the original branches, he won’t spare you either. 22 Notice how God is both kind and severe. He is severe toward those who disobeyed, but kind to you if you continue to trust in his kindness. But if you stop trusting, you also will be cut off. 23 And if the people of Israel turn from their unbelief, they will be grafted in again, for God has the power to graft them back into the tree. 24 You, by nature, were a branch cut from a wild olive tree. So if God was willing to do something contrary to nature by grafting you into His cultivated tree, He will be far more eager to graft the original branches back into the tree where they belong.

Let the Holy Spirit give you understanding.

The blessings promised in our Isaiah 44 text are to US as well as to Israel...

So, along with believing Jews, God is telling US …

vs. 2: I will help you.

How?

Vs. 3 … [by] pour[ing] out water on the thirsty ground And streams on the dry land; I will pour out My Spirit

The Spirit Finds and Prepares the Bride

As we move towards the celebration of Pentecost Sunday on May 19th, let us continue to think about the active, participatory ministry of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Bride of Christ.

Jesus said in John 14:16–18 (LSB) “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, that He may be with you forever; 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him. You know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. 18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

While the Bridegroom is away, performing His role, which right now… :

Jesus tells us in John 14:2-3 is Preparing a Place for us

John 14:2–3 “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.”

And then the writer of Hebrews says in Hebrews 7:25 is: Jesus Interceding for Us

Hebrews 7:25 (LSB) Therefore He [Jesus] is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

Romans 8:34 (LSB) who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.

So, while the Bridgroom performs the duties the Father has given to Him during this time …

The Holy Spirit is the One making sure the Bride is ready for the Return of the Bridegroom and for the Wedding Supper of the Lamb.

We see that illustrated in Genesis 24, which I preached a few weeks ago.

In that chapter we not only see Abraham’s servant FINDING a Bride for his master’s son, Isaac, but he also PREPARED Rebekah for her bridegroom.

In the same way, the Holy Spirit is vital for us to be born again into the Kingdom of God.

To BE the Bride.

Our salvation cannot happen apart from Him.

1 Corinthians 12:3 (LSB) Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is accursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is also vital to us being prepared as the Bride of Christ.

Revelation 19:7–8 (LSB) “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to [God], for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” 8 And it was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

Not one person here is capable of being ready or of being properly clothed in fine linen bright and clean, apart from the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

We need Him, the Holy Spirit, to be poured out on the church afresh and anew today.

The Father’s Intention

Ever since Christ ascended to the Father.

He is NOT dead — He is alive!

Jesus has been interceding for us at the Father’s right hand, asking the Father to pour out rivers of the Spirit.

Just as He said He would do in the scripture I read a moment ago: John 14:16-18

He does that because He had previously said in:

John 7:38–39 (LSB) “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” 39 But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were going to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Commenting on [John 7:38-39] Siegfried Schatzmann notes,

“Those who are refreshed and satisfied by Jesus will themselves become channels of spiritual refreshment for others. The figure of rivers contrasts with ‘a fountain’ (seen in John 4:14) where Jesus said:

John 4:14 (NKJV) … whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”

This illustrates the difference between one’s new birth and one’s experience of the overflowing fullness of the Spirit-filled life.”

Hayford, J. W., & Matsdorf, G. (1993). People of the Spirit: gifts, fruit and fullness of the Holy Spirit. Thomas Nelson.

Poured Out Like Rain

Yes, Jesus is at the Father’s right hand interceding, asking the Father to pour out the Spirit like rivers of living waters.

To be, as our text says: like water [poured] on the thirsty ground And streams on the dry land; [God promises to] pour out HIS Spirit

We see the same illustration of refreshment in Isaiah 32:15 (LSB) [where God promises to rain down the Spirit on His people] Until the Spirit is poured out upon us from on high, And the wilderness becomes a fruitful orchard, And the fruitful orchard is counted as a forest.

In Joel 2:23–24 (LSB) [We hear God saying] So rejoice, O sons of Zion, And be glad in Yahweh your God, For He has given you the early rain in righteousness. And He has poured down for you the rain, The early and late rains as before. 24 The threshing floors will be full of grain, And the vats will overflow with the new wine and oil.

Over and over again in the Scriptures, we see God’s pouring out of the Holy Spirit being compared to the outpouring of rain, to rivers of refreshing from heaven producing fruitfulness in the midst of the desert.

We need to pray for that same outpouring in 2024.

A mighty outpouring.

As the old hymn says: “Mercy drops round us are falling, but for the showers we plead.”

This world is a spiritually barren, desert, place.

But the outpouring of the Holy Spirit can make all the difference.

It can transform barrenness into fruitfulness.

Our Worldview Magazine speaks of the many pressures our world and the Church faces.

It speaks of the barrenness of Natural disasters, persecution, war, forced conscription into military service, being displaced from our homes.

But in the midst of those pressures, God is pouring out His Spirit.

Barrenness is being transformed into the fruitfulness of

physical relief and healing

Muslims, never open to listening before, hearing the message of the Gospel and coming to faith in Jesus.

An Indian, Hindu woman, deserted by her husband, mother of 2 children, a bootlegger — coming to faith in Jesus

Children being ministered to in the love of Jesus

Forgiveness being given to enemies who ravaged their homes and stole their peace

Peace, hope and joy being found in the midst of a war-torn country

Depression being defeated as an unbelieving Russian woman becomes a daughter of God.

Through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit we see the truth of the quote at the top of page 16 ...

The Gospel is not fragile …

Dwells In The Church

Yes, as the Holy Spirit is poured out, He indwells the Bride of Christ with His presence.

As I read at the beginning of the message in …

Ephesians 2:21–22 (NLT) [Jews and Gentiles] are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. 22 Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by His Spirit.

This “dwelling where God lives by His Spirit” is right here, right now.

God indwells the Bride.

As He does so, the Church, this local church, becomes a place of fruitfulness.

A place where the broken are restored.

Where sick bodies are healed.

Where captives are set free.

If we truly believe that we will pray for a GREATER outpouring of the Spirit.

A FRESH outpouring of the Spirit.

Not so we can have more goosebumps — but so people can be touched with the power of God.

Unites the Church

As the Church comes together in unity, the Holy Spirit will indwells the Bride of Christ and bring greater unity.

Ephesians 4:1–6 (LSB) Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, exhort you to walk worthy of the calling with which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.

May the Lord knit us together in a unity of desire.

Just because we are sitting together in this building this morning doesn’t mean we are united in our desires.

May God bring us to a place like the Day of Pentecost where the 120 were together:

In one place

At one time

In one desire

With a united prayer: Lord, pour out the Promise upon us

If we will do that ..

The Holy Spirit will insure we have continued fellowship, koinonia, and unity through the Fruit of the Spirit.

But that is another sermon.

Pray for the Outpouring

So, this morning let’s pray for an fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit to bring healing and restoration for the hurting.

Let’s pray that we see the blessings of the outpouring of the Spirit.

That we see the necessity of the Spirit preparing us, the Bride of Christ, for the Return of the Bridegroom.

That, indeed, we cannot be ready apart from a fresh outpouring.

How does that fresh outpouring come?

Through what I asked us to do this week.

Fast

Pray

Do we long to see a turnaround?

Turnarounds don’t come by wishful thinking, but by passionately seeking God.

As the Worship Team comes this morning…

You are hurting and needing restoration and healing — maybe you need salvation or to rededicate your life.

Come

Or you want to be a channel of refreshing.

Come

Or you want to see a fresh outpouring of the Spirit.

Come