Help Me, Holy Spirit!

The Holy Spirit our Helper

John 20:19–23 “On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.””

Acts 1:4–8 “And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 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 end of the earth.””

2 Promises we can be sure of…

Promise #1: Jesus will Return.

Our spiritual tradition has emphasized that we are “living in the last days before his return” [Lots of books written predicting the date of his return]

Bishop Miller: “I don’t know if these are the last days before Jesus return…I just know they are YOUR LAST DAYS before Jesus returns!

Why should that matter???

Because there should be a sense of urgency in our hearts to get in on God’s worldwide salvation project while I still have days on this earth!

Because you’ve have a Divine Design; you have a purpose; you (ya’ll together!) are God’s chosen people to bring Heaven to Earth!!

God created you with a part to play in “thy kingdom come thy will be done”

You are the body of Christ in the earth today.

Teresa of Avila (1515–1582)

Christ Has No Body

Christ has no body but yours, No hands, no feet on earth but yours, Yours are the eyes with which he looks with Compassion on this world, Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good, Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world. Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, Yours are the eyes, you are his body. Christ has no body now on earth but yours.

We were not meant to be Stargazers!

Acts 1:11 “and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.””

You were created to “Go into all the world…living the gospel…making disciples…being the body of Christ in the world today!

TRUTH: You (YES YOU!) were created to get in on what God is doing in these LAST DAYS!

Promise #2: The Holy Spirit has been given to ALL believers until he returns. [Say ALL!]

Joel 2:28 ““And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.”

TRUTH: You cannot live the life God created for you WITHOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT.

You don’t just need him sometimes, you don’t just need him in a crisis, you don’t just need him when you need a miracle…

You need the Holy Spirit EVERY DAY! (365/7 days a week)

The problem is too many of us settle for nominal salvation when we were meant for abundant life!

John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

You will Receive POWER!

I wanted to take a minute to draw our attention to this word POWER (dynamis) Jesus uses concerning the Holy Spirit. We like to think of it in terms of strength or might or force…but the word is better understood as the authority given that makes you able.

Spiderman Illustration: Peter Parker was just a normal guy until one day while visiting a science lad he was bitten by an experimental spider…giving him capabilities that he didn’t have before. Before he was just a normal guy. But when what was in the spider got into him, he received the same capabilities that were in the spider.

-or maybe better-

Some of you might know Officer Justin Owens, SC State Trooper in our church…Over the last few years he has been taking Alex and me through firearm safety and trained us for some local shooting competitions… So, I know about handling a firearm, I can tell you about eye sight on target, I can show you how to clear a misfeed, I can qualify for a shooting competition, but there’s a big difference between Officer Owens and me (besides he hits the target way more often than I do!)… The difference is his AUTHORITY. Unlike me, he has been authorized (deputized) with the authority to carry out protection and security for the state of SC.

The Holy Spirit is God’s authority, God’s power, living in you! You have been Deputized as a carrier of the grace of Heaven in your world today.

That’s why it matters the words that come out of your mouth!

Your words are a place of agreement. That’s why Jesus tells his disciples “whoever you forgive will be forgiven whoever you withhold forgiveness from will live in bondage” …or again… “whatever you bind on earth will be bound because it is already bound by God’s authority in heaven.”

Where can we see the Holy Spirit’s authority on display?

(Just a few examples…)

In my Home.

When there is chaos in my home, the Holy Spirit speaks the peace of God through me and calms the storm.

In my Body through healing and peace.

When my body needs healing, the Holy Spirit speaks through my prayers to the cells in my body.

In my mind.

When I am anxious and confused, the Holy Spirit speaks clarity and wisdom through my spirit and gives me confidence in Jesus.

In my future.

When I don’t know what to do, the Holy Spirit does, and he guides me step by step to the promises of God.

In life’s choices and decisions.

When I don’t know what to say or don’t know how to pray, the Holy Spirit speaks through me in ways I can’t understand, but heaven does.

Where do you need the AUTHORITY of the Holy Spirit in your life today?

On your job, facing difficult circumstances?

In your home, where there is division and fighting?

For your future, uncertain, scared, anxious, don’t know what to do?

Over your body, your health

Over mind, battling depression, loneliness….

The Table of the Lord

Prayer:

Holy and gracious Father: In your infinite love you made us for yourself, and, when we had fallen into sin and become subject to evil and death, you, in your mercy, sent Jesus Christ, your only and eternal Son, to share our human nature, to live and die as one of us, to reconcile us to you, the God and Father of all.

He stretched out his arms upon the cross, and offered himself, in obedience to your will, a perfect sacrifice for the whole world.

 Scripture:

On the night he was handed over to suffering and death, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, "Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me."

After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, "Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me."

Consecration Prayer:

Lord, we celebrate the memorial of our redemption in this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Recalling Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension, we offer you these gifts. 

Make these gifts holy and set apart by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the (†) Body and Blood of your Son, the holy food and drink of the new covenant.

Lord, as we receive them, as we take them into our bodies, make us also holy, set apart for your work, so that we may serve you all the days of our lives until your soon coming return.

All this we ask through your Son Jesus Christ.

AMEN!

Come to the Table:

Come to this table, not because you must but because you may, not because you are strong, but because you are weak. Come, not because any goodness of your own gives you a right to come, but because you need mercy and help. Come, because you love the Lord a little and would like to love him more. Come, because he loved you and gave himself for you. Come and meet the risen Christ, for we are his Body.

Family, the gifts of God for the people of God. All is ready & all are welcome at the Lord’s Table.

Come.

Instructions:

We will serve communion today at the front of each aisle if you will form the line at the front row. Please stay to your right as you come down the aisle. The communion minister will meet you there.

You can come with your hands held open to receive and the minister will deep the bread and place the elements in your hand for you.

After you receive communion our prayer partners are here at the altar to agree with you in prayer. If God is speaking to you today, if you have a need, I invite you after receiving communion to find a prayer partner and let them pray with you before returning to your seat.

[Worship Team Lead in Song]