Pentecost: Making Things Happen

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John 16:4–15 ESV

4 But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you. “I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. 12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

Title:Making Things Happen….

Prayer

Introduction: In the Hebrew Bible, Pentecost is an annual harvest festival that occurs seven weeks after Passover. It became an important Christian holiday after God poured out the Holy Spirit upon the Jerusalem church on the first Pentecost after Christ’s resurrection.

Acts 2 “1 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” 12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.” 14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: 17 “ ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; 18 even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. 19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; 20 the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. 21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ 22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. 25 For David says concerning him, “ ‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; 26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. 27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. 28 You…”

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE FORCE BY WHICH OUR SPIRITUAL LIVES CHANGE

Have you encountered the HOLY SPIRIT in your day to day?

Perhaps you feel a little stuck, feel as though its hard to get moving get activity to move from a starting point to a finishing point - to feel an effectiveness in what you believe you are called to do?

Feel as thought its hard to do the things God has called you to?

Maybe it feels impossible.

Well then this message is for you

Because without the power of the spirit of God, it is impossible. But for His power to be at work in our lives we MUST encounter him, live with him, walk with him… respond to his leading.

SOMETIMES THAT MEANS A FRESH ENCOUNTER

What is your own journey been with the Holy Spirit? are you living with and leaning into the spirits work in your own life, are you cognisant, aware and abiding in His leading…

… The holy spirit is a person

….. He is not an entity

……..He is not a philsophy

…He is not a feeling

Pentecost is simply the fulfilment of the OT feast of weeks, seven weeks after passover, after easter that instead of being an annual festival of celebration..

Its not an eternal reality brought about by Jesus Life, Death, Burial and Ressurection

John 16:13 ESV

13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

A few foundational things we believe as Christians about the Holy Spirit that i just want to revise quickly together:

(all these start with HE IS)

1.He is a person

- in other words he is not an entity. A distinct part of the triune God. God the father, God the son, God the Holy Spirit.

2.He is one with the Father & The Son and He acts for them both.

John 14:13–15 ESV

Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

3.He was the agent of creation

Genesis 1:2 ESV

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.

the RUACH (Hebrew), The PNEUMA (Greek)

4.He is the Author of Spiritual Birth

He is one who is the author of spiritual birth in the human heart

We know this because of what John’s gospel records for us

John 3 “ 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” 9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?”

5.He is the author of the scriptures

2 Tim 3:16

2 Timothy 3:16 ESV

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

the same word for breath, Ruach, Spirit…. Breath of God on our lives

Peter said it about the Prophets that they were “carried along by the HS”

2 Peter 1:19–21 ESV

And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

GOD CAN GIVE YOU THIS POWER

HE CAN GIVE YOU

I have put my words in your mouth - to Jeremiah 1 ……8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord.” 9 Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. 10 See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.” 11 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” And I said, “I see an almond branch.” 12 Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.” you.””

How did the word of the Lord come to Jeremiah? he didnt open up a bible? the spirit of God came to him

We need the wind

We need the spirit

We need the power

Without it… its a tough road ahead.

Whats his purpose? to make things happen

What could you and i possible make out of this life were given?

what God wants to do, is the impossible.

The Holy Spirit makes things happen!

Genesis 1:26 ESV

26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

So what on EARTH, is the Holy Spirit supposed to do in our lives? the short answer is this: to make things happen

what things?

the God things?

The God plans, Purposes, Calling….. Making those impossible things become possible.

6.He is the one who reveals to us our need of God

He does the truly miraculous in our lives, he brings us from a realization, What causes us to have a spiritual hunger for Jesus? Its the spirit of God that does that

It isn’t the work of forming a bible reading habit (although God will bless that)

It’s the

7.He show us the right things and the right way

Or in other words: Reveal the truth to us: what is true what is right what is the best path

our Predicament, Our state, our dire need of Christ.

But as we walk out the journey of life he shows

But we get to choose.

8.He is to Lead us away from sin & towards God

He

9.He is here to empower us to witness and work for the Lord Jesus.

(colaborer)

10.He wants to come into your life today

Not tmrw

Not next Sunday

Today.

Now.

Question is, will you let him?