Pentecost Sunday: A Spirit for Service
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Transition from Worship
Transition from Worship
Flow in the Gifts
Pray at the Alter
Sing Another Song (Overflow*/ Bow Down*)
Early Man: Created to Serve & Function
Early Man: Created to Serve & Function
Now no shrub of the field was yet in the earth, and no plant of the field had yet sprouted, for the Lord God had not sent rain upon the earth, and there was no man to cultivate the ground.
But a mist used to rise from the earth and water the whole surface of the ground.
Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.
The Lord God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed.
Out of the ground the Lord God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Now a river flowed out of Eden to water the garden; and from there it divided and became four rivers.
The name of the first is Pishon; it flows around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold.
The gold of that land is good; the bdellium and the onyx stone are there.
The name of the second river is Gihon; it flows around the whole land of Cush.
The name of the third river is Tigris; it flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.
Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.
Verse 5: There was NO MAN to cultivate the ground
`abad Definition
to labour, work, do work
to work for another,
serve another by labour
to serve as subjects
to serve (God)
to serve (with Levitical service)
God Needed a Man to FUNCTION/SERVE in the Earth before he would release provision.
There was noone in position to serve
So, God withheld the RAIN
The Rain was provision!! It would produce rapid increase, growth, and fruitfulness.
Thought 1: From the beginning MAN was made to work. But if we stop at Verse 5, we’d have a skewed view of God’s desire for man in the earth.
V5: in the KJV says “till” which makes us think directly of toil and sweat.
If we continue reading though, we’ll notice that God does a few things:
He PLANTS the Garden of Eden
He creates this new place of “presence”. It was the only place like it on Earth!
He PLACES man in the Garden (that word means to lay or to make REST)
He tells man to STAY in the place of His Presence.
He PROVIDES provision and nourishment (4 Rivers begin Flowing)
Pishon: means increase
Gihon: means bursting forth
Tigris: means rapid
Euphrates: means fruitfulness
In V15: in the KJV says “dress” and “keep”.
These help us to understand that God’s desire was not simply for man to break his back with toil and sweat but to be willing servants IN HIS PRESENCE at all times.
These words are used to describe the priestly anointing throughout the old testament. The priests were asked to “dress and keep” God’s people and His commandments.
And we see that when man fell, God specifically says that toil would be the result
Then to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’;
Cursed is the ground because of you;
In toil you will eat of it
All the days of your life.
“Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you;
And you will eat the plants of the field;
By the sweat of your face
You will eat bread,
Till you return to the ground,
Because from it you were taken;
For you are dust,
And to dust you shall return.”
As we continue in scripture, we realize that God continue to look for men to be a service. An ex
So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.
The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men,
To see if there are any who understand, who seek God.
But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.
Early Church: Created to Serve & Function
Early Church: Created to Serve & Function
As we get into the New Testament, we find ourselves in a similar state to the original earth in a spiritual sense.
It’s barren, dry, and without the true presence of God
Jesus comes on the scene and is endued with power to restore ORDER in the Earth.
And as He finishes His mission, he gives a strong declaration in Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest part of the earth.””
He tells the disciplies to in Acts 1:4 “And while he was with them, he commanded them, “Do not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for what was promised by the Father, which you heard about from me.”
Point 2: Now, what we’re actually seeing take place at the beginning of Acts has already been foreshadowed in Genesis 2. Jesus is now telling his discisples to go to Jerelusam and REST until the presence and power of the Lord is unleashed in full measure in the Earth.
When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
We see Jesus mirror the steps of the Father (Gen 2) in Acts
He PLANTS and teaches on the coming comforter - the Holy Spirit
He puts back in our appropriate PLACE - The Constant Presence of God
He PROVIDES access to the Presence & Power of God through Holy Spirit
And through Jesus’ victory, the Church is rewarded, birthed, and given the mantle to cultivate and to keep.
The Early Church - took on the model of the Garden. They Served & Worshipped
And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.
So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
The stayed in His presence (in His Word, in Prayer, and in Fasting)
They experienced the overwhelming power of God
They gave themselves to SERVE both God and others. They were selfless
They WORSHIPPED in sincerity
And God provided: Springing Forth, Rapid Increase, & Fruitfulness (Gen 2 reference)
2. The Early Church understood that they had been redeemed and brought back to the original place of presence.
For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.
Our Church: Created to Serve & Function
Our Church: Created to Serve & Function
And now we get to the place where we have entered the chat. And we have the opportunity to serve by the Spirit as the early church did. God still desires us to SERVE.
Peter said, 1 Peter 4:7-11
The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.
Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.
Be hospitable to one another without complaint.
As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Point 3: God is still looking for us....out of heart of desire not of obligation.
When we show up to SERVE, we do so:
HUMBLE: Philippians 2:3-4
Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
CONNECTED: James 4:8
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
SELFLESS: Mark 10:45
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
FRUITFUL: Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
Point 4: Our desire is to be used by God, whether on stage or in seats, His desire for all of us is that we would submit ourselves to Him in true worship. Regardless of our giftings or the passions that God has called us to, serving is the way of the Christian.
Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;
giving preference: OUTDO
There is beauty in serving by the Spirit, and there is blessing in being obedient to serve.
So He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life.”
Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
Serve Day
Serve Day
Sermon Illustration & Transition either into gifts/PM video