The Holy Spirit in You

The last week I got some Christmas complaints out of the way as you were, maybe in the room with us, and you heard me, uh? File a couple of those complaints about Christmas has passed, but I think as we age, and as we mature, I think we understand that Christmas changes in its nature for us, doesn't it?

Because, as we're kids. Christmas is just pure joy and pure fun, and just all of the. things for us, uh, Christmas, is it? But I, I've discovered that as we come from child to adult and especially to parent, uh, Christmas becomes a whole lot less about fun and a whole lot more about logistics. Anybody with me on this? And I think even maybe, and I don't know, I'm not in grandparent mode yet, but I, I think I've kind of figured out that maybe when you get into grandparent mode, it kind of comes back and becomes a little bit more about both the fun and the logistics. So, uh, but I think as parents we're dealing with a lot of logistics. That's something that kind of sucks at our Joy. Sometimes, as we're thinking about all the things that have to take place around managing our kids, managing our family, and everything else is happening.

For instance, Transportation. How are we going to get to wherever we're headed, and how are we going to get back and do we actually have space for all the things that we might be coming back from the place that we're going with. I, I have noticed this. Maybe you've noticed it too, but there's a lot of logistical management along with all the food and the things that you have to transport all of it. And another thing. That I discovered specially as somebody who had kids and when we were just having kids. Our first child was born in 1999, okay, but we had this time, and some of you remember, this time with regard to kids and toys.

Every toy that your kid got had a set of batteries in it. You remember this, I think we've gotten a little bit better about this. I think they've started to do some rechargeables and a lot of things. In the day, let me tell you that whoever bought stock an Energizer and Duracell they were doing very very well for themselves because they we were going through batteries. It felt like we'd go to Sam's Club and buy a big thing of batteries and go through them in a month because our kids were just playing with all these toys and changing them all out. It was crazy.

Um. How much, how much batteries you'd have to have, and a lot of those toys were so dependent on the batteries, you know, whatever you push the stuffed animal, and it did these actions, or it was a keyboard that played a bunch of music where you know all the different things. You. You would if if you didn't have the batteries in it. That toy, all of a sudden, just became a paperweight sitting around your kids's room, cluttering everything up. But with the batteries in it. Oh man, the kids were having a absolute blast. I want to think about that idea of toys and batteries this morning as we get into the text.

And as we think about those toys that were designed by a designer and created specifically to have batteries in them so that when they were played with? They did the thing that they were intended to do. Because it reminds me of some some truths that we're going to look at in today's text.

Did God create? simply, uh, to operate on our own. Did God create us? And did he rescue us? Do some of the things that we've talked about in the past few weeks just to just to clean us up and leave us empty. No, we are meant to be filled with something we are meant as Believers to be powered by something. And that is today's fourth gift of Christmas. I want you to take a look there at today's fourth gift of Christmas as we look at First Peter chapter four, we're gonna pick up in verse seven this morning, and we're going to read down through verse 11.

I hope you'll look at God's word with me this morning.

Peter writes these words. The end of all things is at hand. Therefore, be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all. Keep loving one another. Earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show Hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's very Grace. Whoever speaks as one who speaks? The Oracles of God. Whoever serves as one who serves by the strength that God supplies in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ to him, belong glory and Dominion forever and ever. Amen.

This is the word of the Lord and the fourth gift of Christmas. For us this morning, would you pray with me? We thank you for your words. We thank you for the Apostle Peter, one who experienced great highs and great lows in following Jesus. And who knew deeply of forgiveness? Knew deeply of life in the spirit, and what that means. Would you please remind us of this life that you have given to us, not simply a rescue from hell, but bringing of us into life eternal and a life in the spirit? Live. Under the influence and under the power of the Holy spirit. That is our prayer today in Jesus name. Amen.

So, we've been on a journey these last few weeks, right? Looking at some? Powerful verses, little packages. Small things that tell a big story about the work that God has done to rescue for himself a people and bring us to God, and we've been looking in the past three weeks at three individual verses famous ones John 3, 16.

God so loved the world he gave his. Right is one and only son. He gave Jesus and made a way for us to come back to him. We read Romans 6, 23, that the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is. Eternal life in Christ Jesus, our lord, and that gift of eternal life is ours because of the work Jesus has done, and we can no rescue from hell and the promise of. Third week, of course. That, and last week, that we have been saved by Grace? Through faith. Not of ourselves. It's a gift of God, not by work, so no one can boast. And we are just reminded that even this face the faith. This ability to believe in Christ, as we've heard.

And we do so because of the faith that he supplies in. And so we've heard the story of what God has been unfolding for us. I feel like this is a bit of a commercial this morning. Sometimes you're watching one of those infomercials, right? And they, they got something for you? They're showing you these pans or these knives, and they're like, there's this, it does this. It does this. But wait, there's more. And today is the. But wait, there's more, because I want us to hear then, what this life that God's given us entails. This is the but wait, there's more. As we're looking at the life that God supplies us with, then?

Made us and left us empty with no batteries. No, he's given us power. He's given us power. We saw that at the beginning of this year, we spent a journey through the book of Acts, right. Acts chapter 1, verse 8, Jesus. In his closing words to his disciples before he ascends into heaven, he says.

When the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be my Witnesses in Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria to the ends of the Earth. Promise that we've been kind of just stewing and simmering in all year. To understand God's work in his church is to be an ongoing thing and that that in during that time. Of course, we saw in Acts the early book of Acts right that the Believers they were. They were waiting for this promised Holy Spirit when the Holy Spirit came when those batteries of the believer showed up. Filled them. They spoke an amazing gospel message, and they did amazing things, and that they were able to speak several of them in languages that other people who were gathered there could understand so that that day.

People. Came to saving faith and were baptized that day into Jesus Christ. And that is, as we left off last week, the Ephesians 2:10 work that we spoke of at the end of last week. We are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. That is the work that we're speaking of. As we speak of this Holy Spirit work.

some of you are asking me okay. Well, I, I hear what you're saying, Nate, and I understand that from throughout this whole year, but I don't understand it. Where is the Holy Spirit out in this passage I'm trying to see? It feels like maybe exactly about the Holy.

But it does speak of gifts, and it does, in its own way, speak of the work of the Holy Spirit. I want us to go back just up the page. Maybe it's across the page in my Bible. It's across the page. Just look back in chapter three, because Peter here sets the table for what he's saying here in chapter four with this verse in chapter three, and you see it on the screen here behind me, but I want you to look at it as well in your Bible.

That he might bring us to God. Being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit. This idea of being put to death in the flesh made alive in the spirit. This is the idea that we're talking about as we look back at. 623 Ephesians 2, 8, 9. We look at those verses, and this is now an another idea. Another out playing of that to say the way that you lived. Is the way that you ought not to live now. You've been rescued from that life of sin, and you've been given. In your faith.

Because of your following Jesus Christ, you have been given this gift of the Holy Spirit. And that's what Peter here is trying to drive home to us, then coming out of chapter 3 going into chapter four. To the so what? So now! If the holy spirit is here, the Holy Spirit has filled the lives of followers of Jesus Christ.

Then. What should be happening? he starts that off by just simply saying the end of all things is at hand. He wants to make sure they're in verse 7.

I, I want you to understand. There is an urgency. To listening to the Holy Spirit to following and living this life that you've been rescued into. You've been made alive in the Holy spirit, so there's an urgency to this. On a journey as a church over the last couple years, you remember me saying quite a bit that the end is near. It is very true. Whether that is the return of Jesus Christ, or whether that is your end. One of those two things are very near for anybody in this room, and so we must be prepared and we must live. Then, as a people who have been rescued and prepared?

So, to answer the question, then what? Okay, God, you rescued me? I'm open. I want to be connected. I want to have this Spirit living in me. I want to know.

Looks like Peter is going to explain that. What does this life in the spirit look like? What does it mean? As a spirit, daily moves in us to live like a people who are, as he said in chapter three, made alive. I want to live, like a Believer, who's been made alive in Jesus. This morning we see three ways that we live, like a people who are made alive and who live in the spirit. The first is this everyday obedience? Day obedience. Look at verse 7 with me here. Verse 7, chapter 4 first, Peter. Of course, he says. The end of all things at hand, therefore, be self-controlled and sober minded.

Your prayers. Self control and sober minded for the sake of your prayers. He uses a couple words here, of course. He uses the word self-controlled. To maintain a control of a person's mind and emotion. You know that if your mind gets out of control, if your emotions get out of control, we know sometimes bad things can happen right. And of course, we see him as well. He uses this term sober minded. Senses an ability to be able to think clearly. And to have a mind that's unclouded. Why does he say to have these things? What does he say to to live in this way, he says, for the sake of your prayers?

You don't want something to interfere with your prayer life with the ability to express to God, the things that we need. We want to be sober to see things rightly and to be able to speak to God? Note this is, as we're talking about life in the spirit. Who is this command too? Well, it is an imperative right and something you understand. And as we speak English, and as we hear something. That's an imperative. Who's a subject who's being spoken to here? Well, as an imperative, it is you.

Are certainly applicable both to the original readers and to us now. We should hear them as being received for us now, and that is what Peter is saying. Therefore, you Church be self-controlled. You Church be sober minded. That's what he's saying. Now now! What is? What is his reasoning here? What is this contrasted with? Well, we, to understand that we should look back just a few verses. Okay, a few verses here in verse 2 and in verse 3.

But he speaks of living for the time in the flesh. No longer for human passions there in verse two, but for the will of God. If I'm living for the will of God, he goes on verse 3. For the time that is passed, suffices for doing the Gin, what the Gentiles want to do. Living in sensuality in passions in drunkenness in orgies. Drinking parties and Lawless idolatry. Living in all these ways, it says there in verse 4 with respect to this. They are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery.

There's many things that are laid out here that, he says, okay. You want to compare and contrast what this life and the spirit of life that self-control looks like, as opposed to one that's not self-controlled. This is it. This is it? And it, isn't it interesting that as we look at that list, right? We see things connected to. Drunkenness, which leads to. All kinds of sexual morality and lawlessness.

a frat party doesn't, at least our generalities of a frat party. It's something like that, and and such things existed. Not just in our day, but clear back and Peter's. He understood the Gentiles. They lived this way. This is their Mo. God's people have been called out from the world and are called to be different and being called to be different. We ought to have right minds. We ought to have sober Minds.

That's why we have laws around something several of these things, right? Because they are things that influence the mind, it is not good for people to have the end of the influence of something else in their mind and then go driving. That's why we ban things like? Drunken driving. But, but we note here what he's saying, what Peter's saying that for us to be moved by the spirit? We ought to have a clear mind for the spirit. If you're ever wondering why, why isn't God speaking to me? Why isn't, why do I feel like I'm wandering from God? Perhaps you're filled in your life with things that are clouding your mind. Things that are addictions of the mind? Things that are clouding. From knowing what we ought to do.

so we see this list. This laundry list of sins that really, as they're laid out here. Regarding the Gentiles, an example of how they're living. They're all things that flow out of losing control. And we, we know, right, that as we think of just any of the sins that we could commit so many of them flow from one out of the other to the other to the other to the other. As we have lost control.

Of the. And as we are not ready to listen? A key concept that Jesus drives home even in the parable of the sower. As he says, we are to be ones who receive God's word and are ready to listen. It's not simply reading the Bible that's being prepared to hear from the guidance of the Holy Spirit as he speaks through the word.

Not just from Peter, but also from Paul in Romans 12, 2. Says, we not not conform to the world. We ought to be transformed. Wow. By the renewing of our mind? Is your mind being renewed? Where's God's word in relation to your mind? What is it doing? To you. Affecting you in your mind, preparing you to hear God's word, and to to block out those other voices that tempt you to walk in these ways. You see God's God's word and his holy spirit ought to be leading us everyday toward obedience. How do we know we're listening to the spirit if we're learning to obey more each day?

Do we know we're not listening to the spirit? Away from obedience. Becoming more under the influence of the lives of the enemy. And so. How are we to live then to understand this obedience that he's talking about? Well. On a very basic level, we ought to block out and stay off of substit. Cloud of things that cloud our mind. And I'm not just talking about alcohol or drugs here, right? Talking about ideologies, I'm talking about things that we bring in. Not just through a needle or through a pill. But Through The Eyes through the ears, the things that we take into.

We ought to think clearly about Sin. And we ought to challenge one another in that. As you see me becoming clouded in my judgment, it's your job as a Believer to call me out. The same goes for me with you. We ought to be challenging one another.

To be clear-minded, and we ought to seek to please God each day in our lives. That's everyday obedience, and that is what Peter's talking about here, first and foremost. Secondly. In the text that he speaks to us having an everyday love. In everyday love, not just an everyday obedience, but also in everyday love. And we see there in verse eight. He says, above all, keep loving one another earnestly. Since love covers a multitude of sins? It is this loving earnestly this again as we've spoken of love. It's not just this sweet, syrupy sentiment. It's tied to tangible things. It's First Corinthians 13 love definitions that Paul is talking about does not Rejoice in evil, but it rejoices in the truth. It perseveres and hopes.

Different ways, depending on the relationships and love that we have. Whether that be in our marriages in our families with our friends and our neighbors. But it is love that guides us out of bitterness and out of unforgiveness and towards forgiveness. And I think that's what he's speaking to here as he speaks of love, covering over a multitude of sins. I can still go to church. I can still be brothers or sisters with someone else in the church who may have wronged me or who I have wronged. In the past because we can find resolution. We can find forgiveness.

Paul says, what else does he say verse 9? Verse 9 there, he says, show Hospitality to one another without grumbling. Show Hospitality is to show kindness welcome people. Share food with them. Share time with them. This could be with family. This could be in your home. This could be with your church. A variety of places, but we are to be people who are not standoffish, but are hospitable. Again. Note that this command that we're speaking of here regarding this everyday love is for all of us, right, and all of us command. Keep loving one another. All of you show hospitality. All of you do these things.

Because this is the work that the spirit does in us. So? Yes to Christ, saying yes to following him. As we've seen previously, it is a saying yes to the guidance of the spirit and the guidance of the spirit to help us love and that gets contrasted back in. In verse four, look at how the world lives. We saw that just a moment ago with The Obedience Factor, but look at verse four with with respect to this. They are, surprise me. You do not join them in the same flooded debauchery, and they malign you.

Take part in their wickedness. You won't do the things that they do. They malign you. They lie about you. They put you down. They dishonor you? They believe you are the wrong viewer. Those who have no self-control will be ones who malign you, but for us. We ought to be moved by the spirit that's movement of the spirit in us is meant to produce love in all of us. It is meant to be apparent. Flesh. Life. If we're if we're living according to this contrast of what he said back in chapter three, right? We, if we're living in the flesh, it's going to become very apparent in how we use our mouths.

Not love. Because if we are not loving and living according to the spirit, we will gossip. We will distort we will malign others, and we will live and deal in untruths. And that ought not be. What happens with us as Believers, followers of Jesus Christ, seeking to live in a life in the spirit, our life in the spirit, is to be a life of love?

We ought to speak truth to one another. We ought to embrace what is right in one another, and we ought to model live in the model of Christ and how he loved. We ought to love. You to love as he loves. We've seen these first two examples this morning. This everyday obedience is everyday love. These these things that we're seeing understand. Both of these are for every believer. If you are in Jesus Christ and his spirit is in you, then these are the things that ought to be on the increase in all of us all the time.

It's the the things that we speak of when we look at Galatians chapter five, the fruit of the spirit, when the fruit of the spirit is in us. These things will become on the increase always and more apparent. Things Galatians 5, 22-23. They are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things, there is no law. Life in the spirit should look like these things and should always be on the increase. Now, as we're speaking of gifting this morning, we want to look at this this third every day that we see in the text and and specifically, as we're thinking, more of of individual gifts, everyday use of our gifts.

Look at verse 10. Look at verse 10 this morning.

As each has received a gift. Use it to serve one another. As good stewards of God's buried Grace. No what he says there as each has received. He says, each of you. Will receive a gift. But it is gifts of God's very Grace, as in they are not all going to look the same.

This is very clear from the scripture. Not every person receives the same spiritual gift. We do. We are all motivated towards obedience. We all do and ought to grow and love. We all ought to grow in the display of the fruits of the spirit, but in terms of these gifts that are spoken of this morning.

It comes differently to each individual who is saved. And that's. That's the implication here, he says. It gives a couple of examples verse 11, whoever speaks. As one who speaks the Oracles of God. Whoever serves as one who serves by this strength that God supplies. In the face of it, he says. Here, some of you will be better at speaking. Some of you will be better at serving and the spirit will fuel you and equip you to do these things. Not all. This is not an exhaustive list that Peter's giving this morning. Again, we have a moment where we can say. But wait, there's more, right?

We think back on Romans chapter 12.

In Romans chapter 12. Paul outlines several things that are included in the list of these spiritual gifts. He speaks of teaching and encouraging, serving, giving, leading in Mercy.

Paul is also guiding the church in First Corinthians chapter 12. Corinthians chapter 12, there we see Paul speaking to a disordered church, a church that had become very just out of whack with regard to their understanding of the spiritual gifts and how they ought to be used to the benefit of the church, but he speaks there and brings orders to them and the chaos of that church. In First Corinthians 12, there he speaks of wisdom of bringing a word of healing, a gift of tongues, a gift of discerning a gift.

Speaks in Ephesians chapter 4, and he speaks to the fact that not all of us in the way that we serve in the way that we use our gifts looks the same. Of the fact that God has given some to each of these. Offices. Each of these abilities? Ephesians 4 Apostles, prophets, evangelists, Shepherds, teachers.

Now, as we look at that list, just kind of expansively. We know some. There are some of the things that we're reading there on the list that are Supernatural. I can't make up those gifts.

Those languages. They spoke those languages in an. And we're Supernatural. But but look at many of these gifts. In fact, many more of these gifts on this list. Things that? You may have been created with and within your life and skill set. But now that you have the spirit in you, you are fueled by the spirit. This, these things are all taken. Put to God's purposes. They, they were without batteries before. Now, they have have batteries in them. The power of God put towards the use of God's kingdom and the growth of the church.

In good use. You see, friends. I believe that this is true. What he is saying here, that everyone who follows Jesus Christ, who is filled with this Holy spirit, you have a give. To be given. Towards God's purposes for God's glory. You have a gift to be given towards God's purposes for God's glory. Is our task? You know those things and then to be obedient in using these things false glory?

So, this morning, we've explored three different every days, right, three different. Every days, we've talked about everyday obedience. And growing in the changing of our desires to want to follow Christ and live a sober-minded life. We talked about everyday love growing in.

I always remember one thing that Pastor Corey always taught us several years ago. God, who do you want me to love today? God, who do you want me to love today? It's a great question. And finally, we've noted that. We have an everyday use of our gifts and our talents. Things that we may grow in. So, what does the gift of the Holy Spirit look like in a church? Well, it looks like a lot of things. But I can tell you this. I've seen the Holy Spirit move in. Many of you in many different ways.

And as we continue to grow as a church family? That that following and listening to the guidance of the Holy spirit that continues to increase. Running around. And so I want to give you that encouragement to continue to listen to God on all these points, seek to follow him as you look for guidance. You may not know how to love. You may not know what obedience looks like you may not know. What gift do you have? So, sit and talk with other believers visit about these things. Grow in the grace. Of God, and in following the Holy.

But what does it look like as a church? When we do these things together. I'm gonna give you a really silly example. I'll give you a silly example because it's Christmas. It's a fun season, and I think about this one. I think about Christmas and fun season.

What it means to bring some Joy? Because of the power that's working us. I used to work at Target. And I work at Target in the mid 90s. In the Heyday is battery powered toys. I'd have to go and stock and. Organize the toy section that's a nightmare. Okay, mid 90s, I mean, this is people were getting at fist fights over Elmo at this point. Okay, and so, uh, it was. It was chaos. You come at the end of the day. Man, this thing's chaotic, but one thing I always love to do.

Me almost. I see this row of, like, Barney, the dinosaur, right? They're all there, and they've all got that little thing in them. You squeeze their hand. And they just start singing their song, right? Me that just one of them was sitting on the shelf. I had a row of like, you know, they're on an end cap, right? I got like 12 of these things sitting right there. You. I kind of wait for a moment look around. Is there any kids around here? Oh, there's some kids couple rows down.

All of a sudden, you hear Elmo in chorus. You know. And then I sneak off. And then I watch and some kid comes running around the corner. Like, what? What is that? What's happening? I think about that.

Kids coming and seeing that and wondering what is going on here? What is all this Joy? What is all this laughing? Why are these? Why are all these toys doing this? Well, he got power in him. They got batteries. I think the ones that don't have the batteries aren't working. I put them in the back of the Shelf, move all the ones that the batteries working in the front, right? Because you want to hear them okay? And then everybody wonders. What on Earth is happening over there? Our church should be like that. The church should be like that.

Because when people see God's people filled with the Holy Spirit powered by the Holy Spirit doing things, the Holy Spirit has led us to do. And they ought to walk around the corner. What on Earth has got into those people? What is going on over there? They're living differently. They're loving differently, and man, they're serving in a crazy, awesome way. It's the power of the Holy. Got gots batteries in us? That makes all the difference. I want to call you this morning. If you don't know that forgiveness, the grace of Jesus Christ in your life.

I want to call you. Follow him today! Make your life and your dedication, your direction to him first priority, receive his grace. And call upon the name of Jesus for salvation. I pray with you this morning. Would you just bow and pray with me?

Transcribed by Pixel