The Shocking Truth About the Spirit, Pt. 1: "Great Need and the Promise"

Intro

Wonderful example of the power of the spirit working in someone’s life.

Why don’t we have it all the time in our church in everyone to that degree? Or even like the early church that was adding to the church daily? I have heard it argued that it’s because we are not praying enough. Or that we are doing evangelism the wrong way. Or that God isn’t powerful enough. Or I have heard the argument that the spirit is female, so you aren’t calling her by the correct title, so she isn’t listening. It’s been said that we need to cleanse ourselves more, or that it has been removed from us due to changing worship styles bringing in different kinds of music or even that God has kept the Spirit from us because the church is divided over the ordination/gender issue.

As you can tell, there is considerable misunderstanding today about the Holy Spirit. Whether it's the work and nature of the Spirit or the idea of the latter rain, confusion exists both inside and out of the church. This new sermon series, “The Shocking Truth About the Spirit,” sets out to clear up the matter and build a sense of urgency in our hearts to desire the full power of the Holy Spirit. For without the Holy Spirit in our lives and the church, we will not succeed.

We will see that there is Plenty of Holy Spirit available, this is the era of the Spirit...

Today we will look at the great need and the promise.

As a church we aren’t doing our part to receive it.

There is a promise of hope for us.

There is a lot of misunderstanding about the person and work of the holy spirit. I have even seen version of the bible that turn the Spirit into a feminine character. She...

The promises of the Spirit (Jn. 14:16-17)

Three parts to the promise

1. The Spirit will be sent. ()

Story of someone getting the spirit. Liz and the baby.

We live in the period of the dispensation of the spirit.

Christ promised the Spirit would come.

John 14:16–17 NKJV

And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

When did he ask the Father for the Spirit?

He must have done that after the resurrection in the morning (, )

Then again, that night after the resurrection, in the upper room, he promised again.

Luke 24:49 CEB

49 Look, I’m sending to you what my Father promised, but you are to stay in the city until you have been furnished with heavenly power.”

Luke 24.49

And he he breathed on them the spirit to enforce his promise. He pledged and breathed on them the spirit as a promise after his resurrection

John 20:19–22 CEB

19 It was still the first day of the week. That evening, while the disciples were behind closed doors because they were afraid of the Jewish authorities, Jesus came and stood among them. He said, “Peace be with you.” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. When the disciples saw the Lord, they were filled with joy. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I am sending you.” 22 Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

John 20:19–21 CEB

19 It was still the first day of the week. That evening, while the disciples were behind closed doors because they were afraid of the Jewish authorities, Jesus came and stood among them. He said, “Peace be with you.” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. When the disciples saw the Lord, they were filled with joy. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I am sending you.”

2. The Spirit will be with us. (7)

Promise of the spirit #2

That he would ask the father for the helper.

Let’s look at this further. This promised spirit, is called a Helper - definition

John 20:19–21 CEB

19 It was still the first day of the week. That evening, while the disciples were behind closed doors because they were afraid of the Jewish authorities, Jesus came and stood among them. He said, “Peace be with you.” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. When the disciples saw the Lord, they were filled with joy. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I am sending you.”

john 20.

Helper - Parakletos = “one alongside”

from which we get paralegal, etc.

Like Jesus but someone who will be with us forever.

3. The Spirit will be in us. ()

Promise #3

Spirit will be in us. Having life in you, not just with you.

John 14:17 NIV

17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

John

Like a mother who knows if her child is with or in her. Changes her forever.

Jesus wants us to have a powerful experience. Not just life with you, but in you.

The subject of the spirit was brought up time and time again on the evening of that Passover. He told them...

the Spirit would teach them all things and give them great recall memories. ()

the Spirit would bear witness of Him and in-turn they would bear witness. ()

he said

the Spirit of truth would guide them into all truth and disclose what is to come. ()

His leaving was to their advantage because it mean that the Spirit could come. ()

He was promising and expecting to be closer to his disciples after his departure than he was while he was physically present with them.

John 14:18 CEB

18 “I won’t leave you as orphans. I will come to you.

John 14:20 CEB

20 On that day you will know that I am in my Father, you are in me, and I am in you.

;

Side note: I have heard it said that because Jesus was promising the Holy spirit would come upon them, that the Spirit was not yet on the earth during the era of the OT. Let’s look.

The era of the Old Testament

it can be documented that the OT mentions the Holy Spirit 88 times while the NT 262. That’s about 10X’s more than the OT. Even so, the OT does mention the Spirit and what He does.

Old Testament references to the Spirit

He acted in creation. ()

Work of regeneration. ()

Giving talents and skills for ministry. (Gen. )

Working through signs and wonders. (, )

Gideon ()

David ()

Elisha (, ; )

Isaiah ()

Ezekiel ()

During the Old Testament era, the Spirit’s work was more individual and rarely corporate.

However, the significance was that His work was individual and rarely in a corporate way.

Yet God longed and promised an outpouring of His Spirit to be given to all of His people. Particularly He was longing for this as the people were drifting away.

The most famous promise probably is found in Joel.

Joel 2:28 CEB

28 After that I will pour out my spirit upon everyone; your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions.

Joel 2:

God promises the Spirit to all humankind. (Joel 2:28)

It’s a Longing of God for us to receive the Spirit, and most famous account of this is in Joel.

And Peter quoted this passage in Acts upon pentecost to confirm that the promise had come true.

Acts 2:15–17 CEB

15 These people aren’t drunk, as you suspect; after all, it’s only nine o’clock in the morning! 16 Rather, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: 17 In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young will see visions. Your elders will dream dreams.

In other words, the reason they were able to speak in other languages and others hear them in their own was because they had been given the promised outpouring of the Spirit, and Peter was testifying that Joel’s prophecy, God’s promise, had come true as evidence in what was happening.

If the Spirit is so awesome to have in us, why didn’t God give the Spirit to all of God’s people sooner?

John tells us the answer.

John 7:39 CEB

Jesus said this concerning the Spirit. Those who believed in him would soon receive the Spirit, but they hadn’t experienced the Spirit yet since Jesus hadn’t yet been glorified.

Jesus was not yet glorified. (John 7:39)

And you ask, When was Jesus glorified?

Acts 3:13 CEB

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God of our ancestors—has glorified his servant Jesus. This is the one you handed over and denied in Pilate’s presence, even though he had already decided to release him.

And it happened as he was enthroned, the second Adam, then took His rightful seat on the throne.

Ephesians 4:8 ESV

Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.”

This is referring to the traditional thing kings did when they captured an enemy city and came home victories

Ephesians 4:8 NLT

That is why the Scriptures say, “When he ascended to the heights, he led a crowd of captives and gave gifts to his people.”

The kings, returning home would be welcomed with the subjects lined up. The king and his army would parade into the city. Leading the enemy soldiers they had captured. And the king would give gifts, a share of the spoils and toss them to the jubilant people.

Christ turned the tables. The captives Jesus took were the first fruits of His resurrection.

Matthew 27:52–53 CEB

and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised. After Jesus’ resurrection they came out of their graves and went into the holy city where they appeared to many people.

And the gifts are showered upon the church for the advancement of the kingdom. - apostle, prophet, evangelism, shepherd, teacher, helps, admin, etc.

Pentecost could not have happened before calvary.

Simply put, Jesus needed to be glorified after having conquered sin and death for us all.

That then leads in to the purpose for the spirit.

What is the purpose of the Holy Spirit?

John 16:8 ESV

And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:

Purpose of the Spirit is to convert the heart to Jesus.

To convince us of His great love for us and our need for his redemption in our lives.

it’s not the law that convicts us or the knowledge of our own helplessness. For we can stare right at the facts and change our minds one bit and continue in our ways. See the facts and not believe.

conviction of sin story.....

Repentance is prompted by a demonstration of God’s love for us lovingly displayed on the cross. (Rom. 2:4)

Romans 2:4 CEB

Or do you have contempt for the riches of God’s generosity, tolerance, and patience? Don’t you realize that God’s kindness is supposed to lead you to change your heart and life?

story of repentance in the face of kindness.

in other words,

The supreme, humble, gracious work of the Spirit it to show us who Jesus really is.

That’s why the spirit was not yet bestowed upon the entire church prior to the cross. Or to all of Israel in the OT era.

Now that Jesus is glorified, we have the awesome gift of living in the dispensation of the spirit.

The Holy Spirit was given to the early church.

The Promise is fulfilled. Yet, Jesus has not returned.

God promised we would receive the spirit. And it has arrived.

This is the shocking part. The promise is fulfilled. The spirit is available for the taking, yet the Lord hasn’t returned. The work isn’t finished. The shocking part is what is still missing.

The Spirit is available, yet Jesus hasn’t returned. Something is missing.

Great Need of Unity/community in order to receive the baptism of the spirit

We can find what was missing as we trace the clues Jesus laid out before the disciples as we see recorded in the gospels.

Not only did Jesus breathe on them in the upper room on that night of his resurrection. Not only was it a foretaste of the full outpouring of pentecost, but they needed the spirit because Jesus still had some training to give them. During the 40 days before his ascension, he needed to help them understand their job and in short time, centuries of messianic prophecies. They needed the Spirit to aid in their understanding.

So that night he ...

Luke 24:45 CEB

Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures.

More clues follow. you have no doubt heard about the famous great commission passage in . Go a make disciples and baptize…Did you know there are three other versions of the commission? and when we put them all together, we get a more complete picture of what is missing today. This will help us understand why we are not exploding in growth like the early church.

Four Commissions

Mk. 16:25

The first version of the commission was given on resurrection night.

It was to proclaim “forgiveness of sins” but not to go, but to “stay in the city” until they were “clothed with power from on high.”

Luke 24:46–49 NIV

He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

Second and third version were during times they met with Jesus in Galilee days later.

“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (Mk. 16:25)

“make disciples…baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you” (Matt. 28:19-20)

Last version is just before Christ’s ascension on the Mt. of Olives.

Acts 1:4–8 CEB

4 While they were eating together, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for what the Father had promised. He said, “This is what you heard from me:” 5 John baptized with water, but in only a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” 6 As a result, those who had gathered together asked Jesus, “Lord, are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel now?” 7 Jesus replied, “It isn’t for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has set by his own authority.” 8 Rather, you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Notice that this time, it is to wait.

A complete picture of the commission includes:

Stay

Go

Wait

Proclaim forgiveness of sins

Preach the gospel

Make disciples

Witness

Yet the disciples had been told about the promise, were already experience a small portion of the promise, but were still missing something. They were missing the point. Notice vs. 6.

Acts 1:6 CEB

As a result, those who had gathered together asked Jesus, “Lord, are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel now?”

Jesus is talking about waiting for the baptism of the spirit as their greatest need, and all they could think about was a physical temporal kingdom on earth, which Christ had already told them he had no intentions of establishing. They had a hard time thinking about new concepts.

Jesus gave an interesting reply.

Acts 1:7 CEB

Jesus replied, “It isn’t for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has set by his own authority.”

Just like when they asked before as recorded in . Jesus even there said it’s not of concern. That’s the father’s business.

Nothing has changed. In 1844 much of the world was caught up on the second coming. It’s of concern to us as well, it’s in our name, Adventists. I even have read books, heard tele-evangelists preaching and predicting the 2nd coming in such and such a year. 1983, 1994, 2012. Sure, we should give some emphasis to the second coming, after all it is promised and something we long for.

But Christ was more concerned with something else during the last weeks on earth.

His emphasis was on waiting for the holy Spirit.

Here the clues build up about what is missing today.

Christ’s emphasis is to wait for the baptism of the Spirit in order to have power to witness.

Christ is far more interested with our fitness for His return than we should be with the timing of His return.

The coming of the Spirit in our lives precedes the coming of Jesus to the world.

The baptism of the spirit is necessary for His coming!!! WHY???

Why is the baptism of the Spirit necessary for His coming?

Because the Spirit is the only One who can convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. ()

The Spirit is not sent to the world. Instead, Jesus sent it to the church!

John 16:7 ESV

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.

As He, the Spirit, works through the church, the world is brought to Jesus.

It’s called the baptism of the Spirit.

Matthew 3:11 CEB

I baptize with water those of you who have changed your hearts and lives. The one who is coming after me is stronger than I am. I’m not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

The baptism of the Spirit is of great need. (; ; ; ; ; )

God is so serious about our great need for the baptism of the spirit that it’s the only promise mentioned in all 4 gospels as well as 2x in Acts.

; ; ; ; ; )

Fortunately the disciples obeyed and waited. And they didn’t have to wait long after the ascension. A mere 10 days later was Pentecost.

Acts 2:1–4 CEB

When Pentecost Day arrived, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound from heaven like the howling of a fierce wind filled the entire house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be individual flames of fire alighting on each one of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them to speak.

Incredible!! The mighty wind and flames of fire. Just as predicted.

Baptism of spirit given to the church is the GREATEST NEED

What were they doing that fostered the baptism? The clues lie in the description of their experience as recorded in the book of Acts.

The early church received the baptism of the Spirit. What were they doing that fostered the baptism?

Acts 1:14 NIV

They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

They were in one accord. Constantly in prayer. Came together regularly. Shared everything. Helped one another. (; ; ; )

()

We are missing the Unity/Togetherness factor.

We miss this today. We usually emphasize unity of fundamental beliefs and traditions. Unity in mission. We miss experiencing unity in community. The togetherness factors. For man, it’s only about 1-2 hours a week where Adventist community exists. The rest of the week may be used for other community.

The togetherness factor was strong in the early church and also at pentecost. The promise was fulfilled because they waited and stayed together.

God started that idea, in His very nature. Three in one. Existing as the first community. And Adam and Eve created to be together in community. And so on. The same applies for the church, we exist to create community and have the togetherness factor. Two come together and create new life. The same for the church. Unity creates growth.

Yet the trinity is three distinct persons. Adam and Eve in the image of God, but not the same, an image and yet different. Even different from each other. They were companions, not identical.

We are created to live in these types of situations. God intended for us to live together with people not exactly like us. You know, opposites attract.

Even as the church. Love demands that we love and cherish those around us. That’s where love helps us.

The church is to function in the same way. When the disciples were arguing over petty issues,

Jesus gave one more commandment to help with the togetherness factor. (John 13:34-35)

John 13:34–35 CEB

“I give you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, so you also must love each other. This is how everyone will know that you are my disciples, when you love each other.”

Love each other.

Everyone in the world knows it’s easy to love someone who loves you back. But when you love the unlovable, when you care for those who forget you, when you forgive those who hurt you, that reflects what god’s type of love is all about. It reflects the love that Jesus showed by the crucifixion.

Spending time in the upper room those days, allowed the church, the first disciples, to discover what true love is all about. Think about it. Those people did not have a natural inclination to get along and love one another easily. Men and women were there with all the implications of gender differences.

Peter was there who thought himself spiritually superior.

James and John were like thunder to the others.

Thomas was there who would not accept the testimony of his friends.

The brothers of Jesus were there who made sport of Jesus by mocking Jesus and his followers.

But there they were, all together. United in purpose, mind, and community, with the togetherness factor.

And that is what happened to the early church. Because community took place, the promise could be fulfilled, they could have their greatest need met, the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Two premises of successful, rich, commission filled life of the church. #1 unity, two must come together, #2 baptism of the Holy Spirit.

When the church was united, new life was born. A church was born in the Spirit.

These are two non-negotiables, these two premises, it’s impossible to be God’s church

The shock to me, we have a two great needs, the baptism of the Spirit, and the togetherness factor.

Good news. We have a solution. Pray and work on being united in ministry, the work, spending our lives together more loving one another as Jesus, and especially going out to show the love to the community. As this happens, the Lord will fulfill the promise and pour out His Spirit like never before.

What’s taking so long. Let’s start today. We can build our togetherness factor. We can become a model SDA church for San Gabriel Valley, SCC, West Coast, East Coast, the world. Let’s make the preparations to be united, love one another, work together, receive the Spirit and do supernatural work for the lord. It can start with us. One church. God can start with us. Let’s get going. Let’s get united.!!!!!!

Promise = we will receive the baptism of the Spirit

Our great need = Togetherness/unity factor and the baptism of the Holy Spirt for our entire church.

Action Steps

Surrender to Jesus.

We see the premises now. The clues to their success.

First factor: Togetherness, Unity

Second factor: Baptism of the Spirit

We nee the baptism, but to precede this, we need to build community. The togetherness factor needs lifting.

We need unity/community. Not only united in 28 fundamentals or a majority in favor of a new mission or a board action to fund some ministry.

Let the Spirit convict the heart.

Spend more time with Jesus in prayer and study.

Get involved.

The early church was in one accord.

Come together more.

Reach out and help someone.

Love like Jesus.

Live well and love well.

We need unity/community. Not only united in 28 fundamentals or a majority in favor of a new mission or a board action to fund some ministry.

The early church was in one accord.

We can be an example for the whole world.

We can accept the challenge.

Ways to get in one accord, community, unity. One accord leaving our old lives behind, and bent on Jesus to use His methods and demonstrate the Love of God to the community. The Spirit works through us and our good deeds to demonstrate the matchless love of God. That convicts those we meet to come to Jesus and desire him to forgive and make them new creations.

Ways to get in one accord, community, unity. One accord leaving our old lives behind, and bent on Jesus to use His methods and demonstrate the Love of God to the community. The Spirit works through us and our good deeds to demonstrate the matchless love of God. That convicts those we meet to come to Jesus and desire him to forgive and make them new creations.

and I believe to all of us, is that we have access to the baptism of the spirit, all we need is more togetherness factor. More unity through coming together in one mind and purpose more often. Sharing life together in ministry more than we are.

We are in the age of the Spirit, yet we must not be baptised with the spirit as a whole church in the way they were, as we are not exploding like them. We have a unit of belief. We are working on a unity of purpose, strategizing, making board decisions. United in those areas. It’s the togetherness factor that seems to be lacking.

Spirit will be in us. Having life in you, not just with you.