The Holy Spirit

Intro - Turn to Acts 1:4-5

As we finish the book of Acts, if there is one takeaway I want you to have—3 words—The Holy Spirit.

In fact, many theologians have noted...that the book of Acts—is not really about the Acts of the Apostles or the Acts of the Church...it’s the Acts of the Holy Spirit through the Church...or more precisely..the Acts of the Risen Lord Jesus—through the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the Church among the world. Let me say that again.

And pop quiz—in the book of Acts—28 chapters, how many times is the Holy Spirit mentioned?

59 times...more than 2x per chapter. and 40 of those times—He is speaking.

The Holy Spirit is a big deal in Acts.

Pastor JD Greear, says it like this:

Jesus birthed the Christian movement by sending his Spirit like a mighty, rushing wind into his disciples. The place where they met shook with God’s power, and as a result they turned the world upside down. The first church was not primarily a study group, a self-discovery seminar, or a building program. It was a mighty movement of the Spirit that propelled Jesus’ followers into the whole world, preaching the gospel.

Acts is the story of disciples following that Spirit, being filled by that Spirit — trying to keep up, but feeling like a kite in a hurricane. Does that metaphor characterize your church? Does it characterize you?

Greear, J.D.. Jesus, Continued...: Why the Spirit Inside You Is Better than Jesus Beside You (p. 14). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

Certainly there are unique things in Acts that probably are not repeatable for us today (I know Christians disagree on this) but if Acts is the only historical record we have of Christians living after Jesus—they are the closest example to us today.

I was struck at the beginning of Acts, Jesus says this—this is after he died, rose bodily from the grave, and is about to ascend to heaven:

Acts 1:4–5 NIV

4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Don’t do anything...just wait...and gather...and pray.

why?

Acts 1:8 NIV

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

They could not fulfill the mission without the Holy Spirit—and neither can we.

So let me unpack the Holy Spirit...

in 2 ways—first half of my sermon —

Part 1 — Understanding Him

Part 2 — Application — Applying Him

So Understanding the HS Point 1:

First, Who the Holy Spirit is - The Doctrine of the Trinity

we often call Him “the 3rd member of the Trinity” (on screen)

so if someone were to ask me what makes Christianity unique (mainly 2 things—grace—we are saved by grace, not works—Jesus, not us), and I would also say who God is in the Trinity.

Trinity - 1 God, 3 persons (not on screen)

another way to say it “God is one as to essence but 3 as to persons...”

God the Father

God the Son

And who else? God the Spirit

The Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Spirit, etc.

yet we don’t believe in 3 gods—one god...

nor do we believe in what is called modalism—or oneness theology. modalism is this idea that God exists in different modes—as Father, or as Son, or as Spirit—but never at the same time.

not tri-theism—3 gods, nor modalism—oneness theology. one god—3 persons. got it? me neither

This is why I believe Christianity is not made up—because of this incredible doctrine—and we see it as Jesus’ baptism—when He is baptized, the Father says “This is my beloved Son—and the Spirit descends on Him like a dove...” all 3 are active.

where 1 is all are.

The Holy Spirit is that 3rd member of the Trinity—no less God

Acts 5:3 proves it...

Acts 5:3 NIV

3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?

The Spirit is not a force...or an impersonal force like Star Wars—but a person He. It’s very important to understand this b/c the Bible teaches it.

So Understanding the HS — Point 2

Secondly: The HS was active in the OT. (on screen)

Genesis 1:2 NIV

2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

The Spirit was active in creating the world.

The Spirit came upon key leaders like King David or prophets like Elijah, but not just those more godly guys...but even characters like Gideon and Samson in the book of Judges who had lots of problems. The Spirit could come on people and depart (like King Saul), and David feared this would happen to him.

Psalm 51:11 NIV

11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.

So one theologian (Kevin DeYoung) says it like this:

The Spirit’s activity in the OT is powerful but less than complete. The OT thus looks forward to a coming age of the Spirit.

Now, I can’t get into all of those, but the book of Joel, the book of Ezekiel, the book of Isaiah, and Jeremiah—they look forward to the day when the Spirit would come upon all, and indwell all—not just leaders, prophets, or kings—but all. and that a Savior would coming who bring the Spirit...

and guess..what we have it..

Jesus came empowered all throughout his life and ministry by the Holy Spirit—He brought the Spirit...

and when Jesus ascended on High—He poured out the Holy Spirit.

this takes me to my 3 point

So Understanding the HS - Point 3

Third, the Day of Pentecost (in Acts 2), brings a significant change. (on screen)

Acts 2:1–4 NIV

1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

and then Peter gets up and preaches a sermon explaining that the Spirit who came was promised from the OT—that the reason He came like this—is because Jesus lived, died, rose, ascended and poured out the Holy Spirit.

and this is what is so cool now—the Spirit is available to all people now—not just leaders, prophets and kings and judges from the OT

the same Peter who denied Jesus 50 days earlier—is on fire for the Lord—preaching, and 3,000 come to faith in Christ. the disciples are changed—turning the world upside down...

look at Acts 2:38 (look at this promise!)

—we get the Spirit when we believe

Acts 2:38 NIV

38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

now, I don’t think that means you have to be baptized in water to get the Spirit—because we will see later in Acts chapter 10—when Peter is preaching to Cornelius and the Gentiles, that they receive the Spirit before they are baptized in water.

so this is point 4...

So Understanding the HS - Point 4

The Holy Spirit indwells us...when we believe in Jesus. (Acts 2:38)

but the normal way we receive the Spirit is when we first receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. We confess our sin. We believe Jesus lived and died on the cross and rose from the grave on our behalf. We surrender all to Jesus.

and we get the 3rd member of the Trinity...living inside us..we get the very presence of God, the very power of God indwelling us. (think Romans 8 - those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God)

In the book of John, before Jesus goes to the cross, He is in the upper room, giving some last minute instruction to His disciples—and a lot of His teaching—concerns the Holy Spirit...

and look at John chapter 16—

Jesus says this:

John 16:7 NIV

7 But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.

Kevin DeYoung says “The ‘will not’ is not because the Spirit and the Son cannot occupy the same space—but only because the Spirit can come only after Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension.”

This takes me to application:

Remember the Holy Spirit. (In other words) Do you realize that we are better off now as Christians?

we don’t have to live in 1st century Israel to see Jesus. on this side of Acts 2, this side of Pentecost—Jesus can be everywhere because of the ministry and work and presence of the Holy Spirit. “We can do better than walking with him or seeing him. He can dwell in us anywhere at any time.” that’s good news!

so my first point is this—do you realize this? Do you appreciate this? are you in wonder and in awe—that the very power, promise, and presence of the living God, the living Jesus—lives in you by His Spirit. amazing...

and in Jesus’ upper room in John 14-16, especially—the Spirit’s ministry is one of...

conviction—He convicts us of sin...that begins in nonbelievers lives but continues in ours

he converts us—so we are born again John 3 “It’s the Spirit who gives life—”

the Spirit unites us to jesus—so that we are in Christ, one with Christ—

truth—He reminds us of truth—God’s truth in God’s Holy Word

He is a helper—a comforter—giving us God’s peace

He is an advocate—one who reminds us we are dear children of God

He empowers us — spiritual gifts

He shapes us into the image of Jesus—and our character — the fruit of the Spirit

I would encourage you to read passages like Romans 8 - Spirit is mentioned 22 times!

Romans 8:15–17 NIV

15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

The Spirit assures us that we are dear children of God. (Katie Mears story—I was preaching once in our last church in Lima—and I don’t remember what it was—but as an aside, I talked about how we are children of God (it was unplanned and maybe 4 or 5 sentences) in that moment, one of our dear Christian sisters said that a lightbult went off. that was the first time she sensed the Spirit’s work in her life.

What if we as followers of Jesus just remembered—that we have the Spirit living in us—the same one that empowered Jesus Christ...the same one that empowered the early Church in the Book of Acts. WHAT IF...

Application:

Avoid Extremes:

Don’t under-emphasize...or even over-emphasize.

so under-emphasize — Remember - we are better off now — don’t forget Him! this is probably most of us

Don’t over-emphasize him or get weird about it...

I love how one writer says it: Christians, you say, tend to gravitate toward one of two extremes regarding the third person of the Trinity. Some pursue experience in the Spirit apart from the Word. They listen for voices in their hearts or seek “signs” from God in the heavens. They always seem to be talking about what God “said to them” through a stirring in their spirit or in a strange confluence of circumstances. (seeking experiences of the Spirit apart from the Word can lead to disaster...can lead to relying on just feelings, intuitions, hunches...sometimes those can be right—but they can make us do some cuckoo things!) such people need to be firmly saturated in the Word of God

Others, however, seek to know and obey the Word without any interaction with, or real dependence on, the Spirit. These Christians might know who the Holy Spirit is and that he floats around in their hearts somewhere. They might even know that he produces “spiritual fruit” in their lives, but they relate to him in ways similar to how I relate to my pituitary gland: I know it’s in there somewhere, and that it’s necessary somehow for bodily growth and life, but I have no real “interaction” with it. I’ve never spoken to or heard from my pituitary gland. Its work remains invisible and undetected, even though I know it’s essential. (for them the Trinity is Father, Son and Holy Bible). such people need to remember that the Spirit’s work is like the wind blowing Jesus says—it’s mysterious!

Greear, J.D.. Jesus, Continued...: Why the Spirit Inside You Is Better than Jesus Beside You (pp. 22-23). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

But the Spirit and the Word work inseparably. One without the other leads to a dysfunctional Christianity.

another way to say this—Is the Word of God and the Spirit of God always work TOGETHER. or the Gospel of Jesus (Word of God) and the Spirit always work TOGETHER. don’t pit one against the other.

YOU NEED BOTH!

Jesus said this in John 16

John 16:13–15 NIV

13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”

The Spirit is NEVER against the Word of God. The Spirit will never tell you to do something that contradicts the Word of God. don’t be extreme and over rely on experience and sensationalism...

at the same time, don’t underestimate what the Spirit can do as He applies the Word—He makes God’s truth come alive—moving from just facts—to personal transformation, and radical empowering...we need to pursue the Spirit through God’s Word...as we read it—asking God to make it real, like fire in our bones...transforming us, convicting us, converting us (if we are not), empowering us, making us more like Jesus, leading us on mission—some of it is mysterious! (like we see in the Book of Acts)

Application - 3rd point...

Be filled with the Holy Spirit (rest of Acts - fresh fillings...)

so after the disciples are indwelt with the Holy Spirit in Acts 2 on the Day of Pentecost..look at this:

Acts 4:8 NIV

8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people!

Peter who already has the Spirit indwelling Him—is filled with the Spirit—and He gives an impressive short sermon about Jesus to a hostile Jewish leadership

Acts 4:31 NIV

31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

They already had the Spirit indwelling them—but they were filled, and empowered to live on mission for Jesus.

Acts 7:55 NIV

55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

look at Acts 13...the Apostle Paul...

Acts 13:9–10 NIV

9 Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, 10 “You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord?

The Spirit keeps empowering not just individuals but the church

Acts 13:2 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

Acts 15:28 - the Jerusalem Council

Acts 15:28 NIV

28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements:

the Holy Spirit is filling individuals but also the church...as it follows God and seeks His direction.

The Book of Acts is the Holy Spirit blowing and leading in powerful ways in individual lives and the Church....

Ephesians 5:18 NIV

18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,

(fuller fulness—balloon—not quenching or grieving the Spirit)

How are we filled with the Spirit...it’s not complicated...

Application:

Focus on Jesus

John 16:14 NIV

14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you.

The Spirit loves to focus on Jesus—that’s His main role—to glorify Jesus.

J. I. Packer calls the work of the Spirit a “floodlight” (or spotlight) ministry, quietly turning everyone’s attention away from himself and to the Savior.1

Theologian Dale Bruner calls him, in fact, the “shy member of the Trinity,” because he doesn’t like attention on himself!2

This means that when someone claims to be filled with the Spirit and yet spends most of his time talking about his own experiences with the Spirit, you have reason to doubt whether he really is filled with the Spirit. When the Holy Spirit speaks through someone, you tend to forget about the person speaking. You don’t even really think about the Holy Spirit. You find yourself thinking about Jesus.

Greear, J.D.. Jesus, Continued...: Why the Spirit Inside You Is Better than Jesus Beside You (p. 24). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

look at what Jesus says...

Pray for more of the Holy Spirit — Spirit’s power and filling in your life

Luke 11:9–13 NIV

9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

you already have Him — the Holy Spirit if you are a Christian...and your heavenly Father loves to give good gifts to His children...

“so go ahead and knock...Ask him for the best gift of all. Ask him for more of the Holy Spirit’s presence in your life. Ask God to fill your church with the Spirit’s power. Wouldn’t you like more of Christ, more repentance, more godliness in your life? Wouldn’t you like your church to be more loving, more faithful, more courageous, more honoring to God? Wouldn’t you like a fuller fullness?”

What would our church be like if we remembered we are indwelt with the Spirit and commanded to regularly be filled with the Spirit?

final song

one of the ways the Spirit moves is through stories about Jesus...

Your Story Matters - plug -

final Scripture....

Ephesians 3:16 NIV

16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,

Ephesians 3:17–19 NIV

17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:20–21 NIV

20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.