Real Change - Convicting and Converting
Notes
Transcript
Please turn to John 16:7
How many of you believe it is possible to change? I mean — really change.
I am a pretty optimistic person by nature.
I remember early on in my ministry as a pastor, sitting with a group of older retired gentlemen at a local coffee shop...sometimes this group would like to test the young pastor. This is the kind of group that talked about politics, death and taxes.
and so one gentlemen asked, “Pastor do you think people can really change?”
Me: “Absolutely!”
and he looked at me… “I think people can change—but only a little. They don’t really change. They are who they are. and that’s that.”
What do you think? Can people really change?
OR
How many of you would agree that we are living in some of the best times ever? This is a great time to be alive in human history?! Why or why not?
Surely we can think of worse times—living during the World Wars maybe or the Great Depression, or a pandemic.
but my guess is —some of us think—this is not a very pleasant time to be alive. Why? Division, politics, tremendous anxiety and depression, technology that’s hard to keep up with, difficult societal problems.
and that may be true...
but what if I told you spiritually speaking...it’s one of the greatest times to be alive? why is that?
Look at John 16:7
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.
JD Greear, pastor has a book—entitled “Jesus Continued...Why the Spirit Inside You is Better than Jesus Beside You.”
We are starting a short 5 week series on the Holy Spirit.
I believe this is THE BEST follow-up to the book of Acts, and even a follow-up to last week’s sermon on Doubt and the Apostle Thomas.
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.
the Holy Spirit has come—He came with power in Acts 2 on the Day of Pentecost—and since that time—all of us can have the presence and power of God living in us.
Kevin DeYoung says, “The church, then in a paradoxical way, is better because Jesus is no longer physically here. Back in the 1st century, one had to go to Palestine in order to be with Jesus. But now, on the other side of Pentecost, Christ can be everywhere by His Spirit. We don’t have to travel to Israel to be with him or live in the mountains or light candles to find him. We can do better than walking with him or seeing him. He can dwell in us anywhere at any time.”
After the Holy Spirit came—the early Church was a different group of people. Praying, praising, reaching, united, empowered, emboldened, led, directed, filled by the Holy Spirit-supernatural things happening—both physical and spiritual. The Holy Spirit made all the difference.
so I want to work at a couple of the important roles the Holy Spirit now plays today:
so let me keep reading:
8 When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment:
9 about sin, because people do not believe in me;
10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer;
11 and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.
What’s one role—He convicts...he
