Recognizing The Spirit’s Work
Cory Griffith
Theology for Ordinary People • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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What We Know About Life
What We Know About Life
We recognize life
We know when something is living or dead. We can see life in a human, plant, or animal. We instinctively know when something is alive.
2. We Nurture Life
We feed, clothe, and care for our children, spouses and others. We take care of things because we know if we do not, they will die. We also instinctively know they need love and care to grow and flourish.
3. We cannot explain life
No matter how much we try to grasp how life works or functions, we truly have no clue the depth of understanding of life. We are not God, thankfully, and have only a basic grasp.
Tell joke about scientists and creation of life.
What causes a human to be alive?
Their spirit.
Where does a human spirit come from?
God, right?
How many parts are there to a human being?
There are 3. We have a body, also referred to as a tent. It is the physical part that moves us from place to place in the physical world. We have a soul, that is what makes us who we are. Our soul is in essence our personality, who we are, our sense of humor comes from there. Our spirit is given by God and it is also the means with which we communicate with God and it is eternal.
What part of us goes to God at death?
Our Spirit.
Why?
It is the part that is eternal and belongs to God. He promises to give us a new tent and our soul will be perfected too, but our spirit will continue eternally.
63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
God is the only source of natural or eternal life.
Did you know God is three parts too?
It is called tripartite. Man is created in the image of God, tripartite.
1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
7 then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.
4 The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
The Holy Spirit is present in all of creation, cosmic processes, but is especially present in the creation of human life.
24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man,
25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.
How can we see the kingdom of God?
How can we see the kingdom of God?
3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
“Born again of the Holy Spirit.”
2 Parts of the Holy Spirit’s Work
Creation, Cosmos, Man
Re-birth, Marked, sealed
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
Humans are compulsive worshippers
Mankind is always discontent with the environment he is in.
Is Discontent God’s Hand Knocking On Our Heart Door?
Is Discontent God’s Hand Knocking On Our Heart Door?
20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.
We can do nothing apart from Christ.
God will not tolerate sin forever, he is not the benevolent grandpa in heaven patting us on the butt and saying it will be ok. Helping believers understand this is part of the job of the Holy Spirit. He leads us to understanding.
The Holy Spirit is the Paraclete, counselor, one who stands beside.
42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.
44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common.
45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.
46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,
47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
How were they doing all these things despite the persecution they were facing?
The Holy Spirit strengthened them and gave them boldness but also helped them to love and be generous despite their circumstances.
Diaspora…
Break out of the lonely crowd…meaning, learn to be part of a community of believers instead of belonging to a club. Humans want to be acknowledged and loved. Our community is the way God intended to solve that issue. I like to think that even if God does not need humanity, He wants us so we can be part of His community.
28 For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements:
14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Christian community, spiritual, oneness, changes hearts.
Paul prayed a prayer that went like this when he was a pharisee, “God I thank you that I was not born a gentile, but a Jew; not a slave, but a free man; not a woman, but a man.” \
This is an example of a prayer the pharisees were taught to pray. Paul changes that prayer after his change of heart through the Holy Spirit.
He prayed this after his heart replacement, “In Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek; slave nor free; male nor female.”
Paul changed what he was taught as a child to mirror what Christ taught his disciples.
Why?
Because of the change through the Holy Spirit.
In the Holy Spirit we have;
Regeneration - New Birth
Sanctification - Changed to be like Christ
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
The belief that a good person can earn God’s favor leads to self-righteousness, contempt, and Spirit blindness.
Transformation through the Holy Spirit leads to accepting God’s mercy from Christ’s goodness
