240508 BITES: Q26 How does the Holy Spirit call us?

Q26 How does the Holy Spirit call us? A26 He calls us by 1) convincing us of our sin, 2) opening our minds to know Christ, 3) and realigning our will with God’s; thus persuading and enabling us to voluntarily embrace Christ’s redemptive work (Jn 5:24)

Attention grabbing introduction: (LET THEM THINK AND RESPOND)

What does a coach do?

A good coach takes a raw athlete and equips them with skills and desires useful to achieve athletic goals

KIDS MIGHT BE ABLE TO VOICE IDEAS OF RECRUITMENT, TEACHING OF FUNDAMENTALS AND ADVANCED ELEMENTS OF THE SPORT AS WELL AS AN ONGOING REFINEMENT TO PEAK PERFORMANCE

In what way is this like what the Holy Spirit has done and keeps doing with a new believer? LET THEM PONDER DON’T ANSWER FOR THEM

Question/Answer

So here is tonight’s question: Q26 How does the Holy Spirit call us? He calls us by 1) convincing us of our sin, 2) opening our minds to know Christ, 3) and realigning our will with God’s; thus persuading and enabling us to voluntarily embrace Christ’s redemptive work

John 5:24““Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.”

Ask if anyone has questions then define terminology

Breakdown of Terms from Catechism Question:

convincing us of our sin - The Holy Spirit helps us understand we are sinners this may feel like guilt

John 16:8 And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment

opening our minds to know Christ - this involves the Holy Spirit bringing us to a point of realization that what the Scriptures are saying about Jesus is true, sometimes this feels like an “Aha!” moment

Acts 16:14“And a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening, whose heart the Lord opened to pay attention to the things spoken by Paul.”

and realigning our will with God’s; thus persuading and enabling us voluntarily embrace Christ’s redemptive work - He makes it possible for us to want to do what God wills, desiring not our own goals and priorities but His alone regardless of the cost

1 Thessalonians 2:13“And for this reason we also thank God without ceasing that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also is at work in you who believe.”

Ask what the kids understanding is of what this experience looks like for them - have they experienced the work of the Holy Spirit in their life?

Perhaps give a personal testimony to show what it was like and what life became like after that

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SPG 30. Q. What is effectual calling?

A. Effectual calling is the work of God’s Spirit (2 Tim. 1:9) whereby, convincing us of our sin and misery (Acts 2:37), enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ (Acts 26:18), and renewing our wills (Ezek. 36:26), he does persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ freely offered to us in the gospel (Jn. 6:44–45).

WSC Question 31 What is effectual calling?

Effectual calling is the work of God’ s Spirit, (2 Tim. 1:9, 2 Thess. 2:13–14) whereby, convincing us of our sin and misery, (Acts 2:37) enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ, (Acts 26:18) and renewing our wills, (Ezek. 36:26–27) he doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ, freely offered to us in the gospel. (John 6:44–45, Phil. 2:13)

WLC Question 67 What is effectual calling?

Effectual calling is the work of God’ s almighty power and grace, (John 5:25, Eph. 1:18–20, 2 Tim. 1:8–9) whereby (out of his free and special love to his elect, and from nothing in them moving him thereunto) (Tit. 3:4–5, Eph. 2:4–5,7–9, Rom. 9:11) he doth, in his accepted time, invite and draw them to Jesus Christ, by his word and Spirit; (2 Cor. 5:20, 2 Cor. 6:1–2, John 6:44, 2 Thess. 2:13–14) savingly enlightening their minds, (Acts 26:18, 1 Cor. 2:10,12) renewing and powerfully determining their wills, (Ezek. 11:19, Ezek. 36:26–27, John 6:45) so as they (although in themselves dead in sin) are hereby made willing and able freely to answer his call, and to accept and embrace the grace offered and conveyed therein. (Eph. 2:5, Phil. 2:13, Deut. 30:6)

AI Modified Draft: Q26

How does the Spirit extend the call of salvation?

The Spirit extends the call of salvation through the universal gospel invitation, where He convinces individuals of their need for redemption (Acts 2:37), enlightens them about Christ (Acts 26:18), and renews their will to respond (Ezek. 36:26). Those who embrace this invitation experience the effective work of the Spirit, making the redemption in Christ a reality in their lives (Jn. 6:44–45).

Mark Original Draft: Q26

How does the Holy Spirit call us?

He calls us by 1) convincing us of our sin, 2) opening our minds to know Christ, 3) and realigning our will with God’s; thus persuading and enabling us to voluntarily embrace Christ’s redemptive work

John 5:24““Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.”

*John 5:25 ““Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.”

Romans 8:30“and those whom He predestined, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified; and those whom He justified, He also glorified.”

2 Timothy 1:9 “who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus from all eternity,”

Acts 2:37 “Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men, brothers, what should we do?””

Acts 26:18 “to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the authority of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.’”

*Ezekiel 36:26 ““Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”

John 6:44–45““No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. “It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.”

*2 Thessalonians 2:13–14 “But we should always give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you as the first fruits for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. It was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Ezekiel 36:26–27 ““Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to do My judgments.”

Philippians 2:13“for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”

*Ephesians 1:18–20“so that you—the eyes of your heart having been enlightened—will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe according to the working of the might of His strength, which He worked in Christ, by raising Him from the dead and seating Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,”

2 Timothy 1:8–9 “Therefore do not be ashamed of either the witness about our Lord or me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus from all eternity,”

2 Corinthians 6:1–2“And working together with Him, we also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain—

for He says, “At the acceptable time I listened to you, And on the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is “the acceptable time,” behold, now is “the day of salvation”—”

1 Corinthians 2:10–12“But to us God revealed them through the Spirit, for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the depths of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the depths of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the depths graciously given to us by God,”

Ezekiel 11:19““And I will give them one heart and give within them a new spirit. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh,”

*Deuteronomy 30:6““Moreover Yahweh your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your seed, to love Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live.”

Broader Context:

There is lots of proof to rely upon that Jesus is the Savior

John the Baptist testified John 5:33 ““You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth.”

Jesus’ miracles prove that He is speaking the truth John 5:36““But the witness I have is greater than the witness of John; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish—the very works that I do—bear witness about Me, that the Father has sent Me.”

What God the Father spoke at His baptism John 5:37““And the Father who sent Me, He has borne witness about Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His form.”

Scripture John 5:39–40““You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that bear witness about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.”

Unfortunately, we will still not come to God unless God draws us to Christ

John 6:44–45““No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. “It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.”

This quote is important because it relates to the New Covenant that promises that God will change hearts to receive Him

Deuteronomy 30:6““Moreover Yahweh your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your seed, to love Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live.”

Jeremiah 31:34““And they will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know Yahweh,’ for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares Yahweh, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.””

Ezekiel 11:19““And I will give them one heart and give within them a new spirit. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh,”

Ask if anyone has questions

Questions:

So why does this matter at all?

When we feel convicted by Scripture we can know that He is at work in us commanding us to respond to the truth

John 16:8 And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment

The Holy Spirit is the One who makes it possible to believe in Jesus - Christ invites us to ask for Him from the Father

Luke 11:13““If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?””

The Holy Spirit makes it possible for us to recognize Jesus, if we understand Jesus as our Savior it is because His Spirit has made it possible

John 14:26““But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”

It is possible to ignore the Holy Spirit or defy Him - this is to not listen to what He is saying through Scripture

Matthew 12:31““Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven.”