Filled, Not Empty
Notes
Transcript
A guy walks into a bar…
Now, before you get worried, this isn't that kind of sermon illustration.
The bartender looks at him and says, “What can I get you?”
The guy says, “Whatever you have that will make me forget my problems.”
The bartender says, “We don't sell that here.”
And that's really the problem, isn't it?
We live in a world where people are constantly looking for something to fill them, numb them, or give them an escape.
And Paul gives us a completely different answer in Ephesians 5:18.
If you have your bible, go with me and look at what Paul says.
18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,
Paul is saying, Don't look for something to control you. Look to the Holy Spirit to fill you.
Because here's the question I want us to wrestle with today: What is filling you—and what is influencing you?
Ephesus was one of the major cities of the Roman world and an important commercial and religious center in Asia Minor.
The city was famous for the Temple of Artemis, and Acts 19 gives us a picture of how deeply pagan worship was woven into everyday life. The gospel created such a disruption that the silversmith Demetrius and others became angry because people were turning away from Artemis.
So Paul wasn't writing to people living in a spiritually neutral environment.
They were surrounded by competing spiritual influences.
That makes Ephesians 5:18 particularly powerful.
Paul essentially says:
Don't allow the culture around you to determine what controls you. Be filled with the Spirit.
When you think about it, every person is influenced by something.
Our environment influences us. Our emotions influence us. Our relationships influence us. Our fears influence us. Our desires influence us.
I think it’s interesting that Paul put these two things together. He uses an example of being drunk with wine and filled with the Spirit. Why put these two things together?
It is because both involve influence and control.
When someone is intoxicated, the substance begins to influence. It influences how they act and how they speak. It influences how they think and make decisions.
Paul’s contrast is basically, don’t live under the influence of something that destroys you, but live under the influence of the Holy Spirit who transforms you.
The question isn’t whether something is influencing you, because something is.
The questions is what are we allowing to influence us?
This morning, I want to give you five reasons on why you need to be filled with the Spirit.
1. Empty People Look for Something to Fill Them.
1. Empty People Look for Something to Fill Them.
First, let me begin by saying, this is not a sermon on drinking. However, I believe it is important to look at this since Paul found it important to compare the two.
So…
Why do people get drunk? There are a lot of reasons. Some drink socially. Some drink because they enjoy it. Some drink because they're celebrating. But research also shows that people sometimes drink because they're trying to cope—with stress, anxiety, emotional pain, or problems they're facing.
In fact, NIAAA reports that drinking to cope can temporarily relieve emotional discomfort, which can reinforce the desire to drink again.
And that tells us something about human nature.
When we're empty, we look for something to fill us.
When we're empty, we look for something to fill us.
When we're hurting, we look for something to numb us. When we're anxious, we look for something to calm us. When we're lonely, we look for something to comfort us.
And sometimes we reach for things that were never designed to carry the weight we're putting on them.
Paul says there is a better way to live. Don't be controlled by what you consume. Be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Wine can influence you. The Holy Spirit can influence you. Wine can numb you. The Holy Spirit can transform you. Wine can temporarily change how you feel. The Holy Spirit can change who you are.
What you continually consume will eventually influence how you live.
What you continually consume will eventually influence how you live.
That brings me to the second reason on why you need to be filled with the Spirit.
2. Being Filled Is a Daily Decision
2. Being Filled Is a Daily Decision
Look at our text again.
18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,
The Greek word translated “be filled” is plērousthe.
The Greek word translated “be filled” is plērousthe.
It is a present-tense command. Paul isn't saying, “Be filled once.”
He's saying, “Keep being filled.”
It's an ongoing process.
Yesterday's filling isn't enough for today's assignment.
That's why being filled with the Holy Spirit isn't just something we experienced at an altar years ago. It's something we continually surrender ourselves to.
(HOLD UP GLASS)
If I fill this glass today, it is full today. But if I pour it out, tomorrow I don't say, ‘Well, I filled this glass yesterday, so I don't need to fill it today.’
Being filled with the Spirit works the same way.
We continually come back to God and say, ‘Fill me again.
This doesn't mean the Holy Spirit comes and goes. It means our need for His empowering presence is continual.
Look at Acts 4:31
31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
These were the same people who had already experienced the Holy Spirit in Acts 2.
4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Yet in Acts 4, they were filled again. One experience didn't eliminate their need for continual filling.
The Spirit-filled life isn't a tank you fill once; it's a relationship of continual surrender.
The Spirit-filled life isn't a tank you fill once; it's a relationship of continual surrender.
Yesterday’s filling was for yesterday’s assignment. You don’t live today on yesterday’s surrender.
What does daily surrender look like?
Holy Spirit have your way in me today.
It is not, Holy Spirit, bless what I’ve already decided to do.
However, it is, Holy Spirit, lead me.
3. Being Filled Means Being Influenced
3. Being Filled Means Being Influenced
I believe this is where Paul’s illustration becomes especially powerful.
If you were to fill yourself with wine, what would happen. You would get drunk. The wine would change your behavior because it changes influence.
But when you are filled with the Spirit, The Holy Spirit changes behavior because He changes the person.
The Spirit transforms our thinking. He directs our decisions. He develops our character. The Holy Spirit empowers our witness. The Holy Spirit produces spiritual fruit.
This is the transformation that takes place when you allow the Holy Spirit to fill you every day.
Look at Galatians 5:16-25
16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.
18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;
20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions
21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
Paul is showing us that being filled with the Spirit changes who is influencing our lives. When we live according to our flesh, the flesh produces one kind of life. But when we surrender to the Holy Spirit, He begins producing something different in us. The Spirit doesn't just change what happens around us—He changes what's happening inside us. He changes our desires, our attitudes, our words, and ultimately our actions. Being filled with the Spirit means allowing the Holy Spirit to have greater influence over our lives than our flesh does.
The evidence of being filled isn't simply what happens in a church service; it's what happens in your life after the service.
The evidence of being filled isn't simply what happens in a church service; it's what happens in your life after the service.
That's an important distinction. Spirit-filled living isn't only, “I felt something.” It's also, “I surrendered something.”
4. Spirit-Filled People Start Looking Different
4. Spirit-Filled People Start Looking Different
Look at the verses following our text, verses 19-21. It is in these verses that Paul immediately gives us evidence of Spirit-filled living. Look at verse 19.
19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord,
20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Do you see it? Do you see how spirit-filled people start to look different?
We Worship Differently
We Worship Differently
Spirit-filled people become people of worship. Not because everything is going well. But because their attention has shifted from their circumstances to God.
We Become Thankful
We Become Thankful
A Spirit-filled life develops a grateful heart.
We Become Others-Focused
We Become Others-Focused
This is a significant one.
Paul doesn't end with, “You will feel powerful.”
He ends with, “You will learn to serve others.”
The Holy Spirit doesn't fill us so we can become spiritually impressive.
He fills us so we can become spiritually useful.
He fills us so we can become spiritually useful.
The Spirit working inside us transforms us to become more like Christ.
That brings me to my last and final point.
5. Stay Connected to the Source
5. Stay Connected to the Source
The fifth reason that you need to be filled with the spirit is so that you can stay connected to the source.
As you are continually being filled with the Spirit, that allows you to stay connected to an active, growing relationship with Jesus.
When we continually work on staying connected to the source, we are continually positioning ourselves to receive from the Spirit through:
God’s Word
God’s Word
16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
Prayer
Prayer
We continually communicate with God rather than simply calling on Him when we’re desperate.
17 pray continually,
Worship
Worship
Singing, Praising, and Giving thanks redirect our attention toward God.
Service
Service
Spirit-filled people don’t simply consume ministry.
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
Spirit-Filled People become participants in God’s Mission.
Spirit-Filled People become participants in God’s Mission.
As we allow the Spirit to continually fill us on our daily walk, we learn to be obedient everyday.
We realize that the Spirit-filled life is ultimately a life of: YES LORD!
I believe that we all get empty at some point or another. Some of you might even raise your hand right now and say, “I’m empty!”
So, we all get empty.
Spiritually, emotionally, relationally—even Jesus' disciples experienced moments of exhaustion and weakness.
I believe Peter was pretty empty at the point that he denied Jesus.
So, the answer isn't pretending we're never empty. The answer is knowing where to go when we're empty.
The Holy Spirit isn't simply someone we experience occasionally. He is Someone we continually surrender to.
So the prayer isn't simply, “Holy Spirit, fill me.”
But, it becomes, “Holy Spirit, fill me again.” And tomorrow, “Holy Spirit, fill me again.” And next week, “Holy Spirit, fill me again.”
Because yesterday's experience with God was real, but God has something for you today.
Maybe you've been asking, ‘Why don't I feel what I used to feel?’
Maybe you've been trying to live today on yesterday's experience.
Tonight, I want us to do something simple.
We're going to surrender again.
Not because God has changed.
Not because the Holy Spirit left you.
But because we want to say, “Holy Spirit, fill me again. Have control of my thoughts. Have control of my words. Have control of my decisions. Have control of my life.”
Would you come and find you a place to pray this morning? Make your prayer, Lord fill me again. I need you today. I need you this week. I need you all the time.
Come find a place and let’s pray this morning.
