Walking in the Spirit

Prayer

Thanksgiving and Praise

We walk with you each day in the Holy Spirit who dwells in us

Open your Scripture

Show us the ways in which we are to be bold witnesses to the end of the earth for you, our Lord and savior. Amen

Context

Last week: Robert setup the book of Acts

Luke is where Jesus began to do and teach; his ministry on this earth

Acts is where he continues to what Jesus continues to do, as he reigns on the throne, through us, guided by the Holy Spirit

Jesus gives clear instructions to his apostles:

Not for you to know seasons or times

1) Wait

2) You will receive the Holy Spirit

3) Then be my witnesses to the ends of the earth

Spirit’s Prior Work

This morning, We find them faithfully gathered together waiting

Jesus: You only know what I have revealed to you

Not only that, again, in Acts 1, Jesus states that You don’t even know the times or seasons of what I have revealed

Just wait. I am going to give you what you need

And what they need: is God himself dwelling in them

Now we find God dwelling in all those who call upon in the name of the Lord, repent and are baptized. Wow!

They are not waiting for some sort of birth or introduction of the Holy Spirit

Must always keep Scripture in context

Throughout Scripture, they were very aware of the Lord’s eternal presence and activity among them

Remember, the Spirit hovered over the waters at creation.

We are reminded of this Scriptural context weekly:

Kenyan BCP Liturgy at Communion Ordinary Time

A loving nod to our African Bishops, under whom we are ordained

starts out, “It is right and our delight to give you thanks and praise, great Father, living God, Supreme over the world, Creator, Provider, Savior and Giver. From a wandering nomad, you created your family

As we walk through it, we see ways in which the Spirit moved in God’s appointed and anointed leaders

burdened people, raised up a leader: Moses

We see God talking about the Spirit when he is appointing elders to aid Moses in Numbers

Numbers 11:17 bring the 70 to the tent of meeting “And I will come down and talk with you there. And I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it yourself alone.”

Sharing the Spirit that was on Moses with those who will be leading and discerning how to lead God’s people

Mediator: Moses, you go up on the mountain; fire and thunder, loud trumpet blasts and it was scary. People were in fear. “We don’t want to face him. You go up there”

So Moses did. He was the Spirit led mediator between God and his people.

Continues with Joshua: When Joshua chosen to replace Moses, we see God discuss the Spirit in him Numbers 27:18 “So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him.”

for a confused nation, you chose a king

God eventually gave the people what they wanted (I always like to make sure that is a warning to all of us in our desires and prayers).

Not what God designed.

But he loved us enough to send his Spirit down on the Kings

Samuel 10: the Spirit rushes upon Saul at his anointing

Likewise, with David, 1 Samuel 16:13 “Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward.”

David’s last words: 2 Samuel 23:2 ““The Spirit of the Lord speaks by me; his word is on my tongue.”

for a Rebellious crowd, you sent your prophets

Nehemiah 9:30, Ezekial 2:2 and 11:5, Micah 3:8, Zechariah

Scripture is clear that it was the Spirit of the Lord working in the hearts and speaking through the prophets

That is the definition of a prophet, the mouthpiece of the Lord; the Lord revealing himself to us through his word.

God revealed himself by his words through these Spirit filled prophets.

In these last days, you sent your Son, your perfect image, bringing your kingdom, revealing your will, dying, rising, reigning, remaking your people for yourself…

at his Birth: Matthew and Luke both state that Mary is found to be with child through/from the Holy Spirit.

Luke 1:35 “And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.”

Simeon and Anna when Jesus was presented in the temple

Luke 2:25–30 “Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation”

Spirit descended upon him

Luke 3:21–22 “Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.””

Spirit led ministry

Begins his ministry in the wilderness:

Luke 4:1 “And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness”

Jesus first sermon in his hometown reading the scroll of Isaiah

Luke 4:18 ““The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed,”

Raised him from the dead

Both the Apostles Peter and Paul describe Jesus raised by the Holy Spirit

Romans 8:11 “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.”

1 Peter 3:18 “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,”

Jesus sets up what the future new covenant role is

When teaching how to pray and right after the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus describes the ultimate gift of the Father to them:

Luke 11:13 “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!””

When facing persecution and trials, Christ states,

Luke 12:12 “for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.””

Christ is setting up the apostles and preparing them for this new covenant role that we see starting on this day of pentecost

Pentecost and the New Covenant Role today

Spirit shines light on our true mediator. Not just one who prays for us, like Moses, but one who died for us so that we can live.

Packer: “Prior to Pentecost, the Spirit sustained creation and natural life, renewed hearts, gave spiritual understanding, and bestowed gifts for service both in leadership and in other ways, and all this he still does. (OLD COVENANT ROLES ARE STILL THERE). The difference since Pentecost is that all his present ministry to Christian believers relates not to Christ who was to come, as was the case when he ministered to Old Testament saints; nor does it relate any more to Christ present on earth, as it did when Simeon and Anna recognized him, and during his three year ministry; it relates now to Christ who has come and has died, and has risen and now reigns in glory.

JI Packer goes on to say: much like a professor who was asked by the university board to become the president, but still remain a professor, Holy Spirit’s ministry is enlarged without diminishing what his role was before.

Stott provides us with 4 Ways to view Pentecost (all of which are true)

1) Final act of the saving ministry of Jesus before the parousia

2) Spirit brought the apostles the equipment they needed for their special role

3) Inauguration of the new era of the Spirit for all of us

4) First Revival

Packer on Pentecost: “… at 9 o’clock that morning the Holy Spirit’s new covenant ministry began, giving each disciple a clear understanding of Jesus’s place in God’s plan, a robust sense of identity and authority as Jesus’s person in this world, and an unlimited boldness in proclaiming Jesus’s power from his throne.”

There it is: this Bold Witness (our fall series title): This boldness to witness for and proclaim the power and reign of Jesus Christ.

Again, returning to the Kenyan Liturgy which we will read together in a moment, we see “By water and the Holy Spirit, you have made us a new people in Jesus Christ our Lord, TO SHOW FORTH YOUR GLORY IN ALL THE WORLD

The Spirit dwells in us so that we can witness to God’s mighty deeds and glorify him.

How does the Spirit do this?

JI Packer floodlight Ministry

Walking to church to preach on the words found in John “he shall glorify me”

Preparing his disciples during the Upper Room discourse

John 16:13–14 “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. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”

Packer says he came upon the church in the early morning with floodlights illuminating the exterior in such a way that the church glowed, but you could not see the lights.

He said, “that is the illustration right there”

Spirit’s new covenant role is to always shine the light on our savior, Jesus Christ; to glorify him.

Spirit dwells in all of us making all of us witnesses

It wasn’t just Peter in the first sermon

Wasn’t just talking to the 12

Wasn’t just talking to the 120

3,000 people that day who called upon the name of the Lord, repented, and were baptized, received the Holy Spirit, and were no longer waiting, they were to go and witness… and they did!

Most commentaries highlight this reversal of Babel

Turn inward, glorify themselves

Now, entire goal turn outward, glorify Christ

Through the Holy Spirit, they heard the gospel in their own tongue and was to go to their homes and witness to others about Jesus Christ

This was, to this point, the most diverse gathering of peoples found in the Scripture. Different regions, races, languages, cultures, politics, all devout Jews, but as we know, they would have had various theologies…

It wasn’t just because miracles were happening in that moment (this wasn’t a cool magic show), it was because the miracles that were happening were speaking of the mighty works of God! They were proclaiming and shining the light on Christ!!!

That is the point of Pentecost: CHRIST PROCLAIMED and GOD GLORIFIED

It is not for our own glory, it is for God’s glory

Remember, Moses, who had the Spirit, messed up by saying “shall we…” ALL glory must be given to Christ, to God Almighty.

There is not an appendix in our Bible or memorial in the holy land listing those who were speaking in various languages that day

The Spirit’s work is not about us, in fact, not about the Spirit… his work is to shine the light on our savior and Glorify God.

This is the start of the Holy Spirit’s new covenant ministry!

Since 9am that morning, this is the Holy Spirit’s new role in creation, in all our lives: dwelling in us so that we may live and witness for Christ. We have but one purpose for eternity: BRING GLORY TO GOD

The Spirit keeps us laser focused on Jesus Christ so that we can be the body of Christ on earth.

He reigns at the right hand of the Father and through the Spirit, we are to be his body on earth

How does he do this?

I don’t know; He is God!

God can and will do whatever God wants to do. Amen?

The only concept we have of what he can do is what he has done and revealed to us

Which means he can create everything, raise people from the dead, is eternal…

So the answer: anything he wants to do that does not go against what he has already revealed to us, which we find in Scripture

Scripture tells us today: On this day of Pentecost they declared the Mighty Works of God and he is not finished with his Mighty Works

Us Today: St. Andrew’s

We can expect Mighty Works of God as long as we keep the focus on Jesus Christ our Lord

What was God’s intention on the day of Pentecost?

Jesus was clear here — and throughout Scripture — that they were to witness to end of the earth (last week in Acts)

As Stott points out, this was a revival

This was a demonstration that it is not just the high priests who can come before the Lord in the holy of holies.

God doesn’t dwell behind the veil…

he now dwells in each of us.

Tim Keller: 12 Apostles “Most ordained people in history,” but Pentecost demonstrates they were not the only ones with the Holy Spirit… he dwells in all of us who believe in Christ and what Christ has done for us.

And, it is more than just knowing this intellectually or academically; the Spirit opens up our hearts to the Lord.

Again, Keller Gives illustration which was given by Thomas Goodwin, 17th century British Puritan.

Recounted seeing a father pick up his son, hug him and tell him that he loved him, then sat him down and kept walking down the street.

Was he more of a son in his dad’s arms or walking down the street?

Legally and objectively: always his son

Subjectively and existentially: this makes all the difference

This is what the Spirit does, He dwells in us so that we can see that Jesus Christ wraps his arms around us and holds us.

Gives us this sense of God’s affection for us and presence with us.

The Spirit shines the light on Christ and on our relationship with Him so that we cannot help but want to witness to the ends of the earth about our savior and his love for us.

This same Spirit is universal to all those who call upon the name of the Lord, repent, are baptized giving us what we need to be bold witnesses for Christ..

This year is the 30th Anniversary of St. Andrew’s

30 years ago a group of 17 people were led by the Spirit to be bold witnesses for the Lord

They knew that the Lord was calling them to be faithful, to pray together, to start a community led by the Spirit, who gathered around reading Scripture, proclaiming the gospel, and gathering around the table each week.

Led by the Spirit to be bold witnesses of our savior Jesus Christ.

Last week, we saw the largest non-Christmas/Easter service ever at 720 people.

All because a small group of people discerned and were led by the Spirit to do something that the world and logic said was crazy.

I thank God that they did, because here we are today.

The Spirit is moving, and brining people to churches grounded in Scripture, liturgy, and tradition.

Someone sent me a podcast a couple of weeks ago

Highlighting Various studies showing that young people (18-35) are attending liturgical churches grounded in Scripture, tradition, and the sacraments

And you know it has to be a revival, because they are even being drawn to hymns.

Looking for a church that takes Scripture seriously

a Church that stands firm on the truths found in Scripture

Looking for a church rooted in the past with solid foundations

Drawn to this sacramental theology

Churches that are alive and led by the Spirit to be bold witnesses for Christ.

Spirit is at work in our lives and in his church today.

he has gifted each of us uniquely to be part of his body on earth; to serve and to witness for him in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Part of this draw and us being a bold witness is what we get to do together here in a few moments: this sacrament of communion

In it, we ask the Spirit to consecrate the bread and wine by saying, “Accept our praises, heavenly Father, through your son our Savior Jesus Christ; and as we follow his example and obey his command, grant that by the power of your Holy Spirit these gifts of bread and wine may be to us his body and blood.”

It is a reverent time. A holy time. We pray over it and ask that the Spirit make the bread and wine holy.

We gather at the table, we come into the presence of Christ himself, we receive the grace that we do not deserve

Thanking God that he is present with us in this moment; and thanking him that he dwells in us.

It is at this moment, where Jesus Christ picks us up, hugs us, tells us that he loves us.

And when he puts us back down, when we walk out these doors, we continue walking with him in the Spirit throughout the week, being a bold witness to the end of the earth of this great love.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.