Holy Spirit pt.6: Sealing - Eph 1:13
Holy Spirit - God IN Us • Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 8 viewsNotes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
When you hear the word “Seal” or “sealed” what do you think of.
Personally, I always think of these nasty goats who are licking the top of the BlueBell icecream cartons and put the lid back on. I wish they were sealed. To protect what’s inside from defilement and to assure me that what’s inside is what is supposed to be there.
One of the greatest gifts of the Spirit is this action of His seal being placed on us. Let’s look into the Scripture and learn about this Holy Spirit Sealing!
Read -14
1) Authenticity - We are legitimately His! Eph 1:13
1) Authenticity - We are legitimately His! Eph 1:13
In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
1) Authenticity - We are legitimately His! Eph 1:13
1) Authenticity - We are legitimately His! Eph 1:13
Parental Affirmation
Parental Affirmation
The First thing that the sealing of the Spirit does is it authenticates your conversion! It makes it official! You are a part of the family of God! In the same way having a notary’s seal on your deed or your birth certificate makes it official, The sealing of God is undeniable proof that you are HIS!
We can understand this idea of an authenticating seal in modern times and it was prevelant in Biblical times also.
And I bought the field of Hanameel my uncle’s son, that was in Anathoth, and weighed him the money, even seventeen shekels of silver. And I subscribed the evidence, and sealed it, and took witnesses, and weighed him the money in the balances. So I took the evidence of the purchase, both that which was sealed according to the law and custom, and that which was open: And I gave the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, in the sight of Hanameel mine uncle’s son, and in the presence of the witnesses that subscribed the book of the purchase, before all the Jews that sat in the court of the prison.
In the same way having a notary’s seal on your deed or your birth cirtificate makes it official,
When Jeremiah bought Hanameel’s field, Jeremiah paid for it, and then sealed the evidence and presented it to the court as an authentic proof of his purchase.
Your sealing by the Holy Spirit foremost is proof that you are His! It’s official!
In the New testament we see it in 14-16
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
You are a part of God’s family!
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Ownership Affirmation
Ownership Affirmation
Ownership Affirmation
Ownership Affirmation
Not only does the Spirit’s sealing validate your position as the Son of God, but it also affirms God’s rightful ownership of your life!
Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
When we are saved, we hand over ownership of our own lives and place it into the capable hands of God almighty!
Know ye that the Lord he is God:
It is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves;
We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
It’s his marking on us to validate His claim over us. Kind of like a receipt. When you buy something from the store, sometimes they stop you and ask to see your receipt! Why does that goofy little piece of paper give you the right to walk out of the store with the merchandise you are carrying? Is the paper some kind of magic thing? NOPE it’s just proof of ownership. that the debt has been paid in full!
It’s what Jesus meant on the Cross when he said that it is finished in John 19:30! It was a business term that would be stamped on a bill of sale meaning, he has sufficiently paid the debt.
When the Holy Spirit seals us, he is claiming rightful ownership on our lives!
In the old testament, they would literally mark their bodies to signify this sealing as God’s people by circumcising all male Jews! but now, the Holy Spirit comes and circumcises the heart of believers.
When therefore I have performed this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will come by you into Spain.
it’s why Paul bragged about bearing the marks of Jesus In his body in
But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
He considered himself branded like an animal. He was marked, sealed by the Lord for His use. He was authentically a follower of Jesus and if you’re in Christ and Sealed with the Holy Spirit, you are too.
He was authentically a follower of Jesus and if you’re in Christ and Sealed with the Holy Spirit, you are too.
2) Assurance - Eternally Secure
2) Assurance - Eternally Secure
The seal of the Spirit is the Earnest of our inheritance!
What is our inheritance? It’s our guaranteed home in Heaven and the Holy Spirit’s seal is the earnest of that promise!
Earnest is the money you put down on a contract that gives the buyer incentive to complete the deal.
Story of earnest money when I bought the house
When Jesus redeems us, he redeems us all the way right? He redeems the
God doesn’t deal in half ways. He is an all or nothing kind of God.
When Noah went into the ark, who shut the door?
And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the Lord shut him in.
Why? So that there was no chance that he could fall out. He could fall down inside the ark, sure! But he couldn’t get out.
When Daniel was thrown into the Lion’s den, why did King Darius seal the mouth of the den with his own signet ring?
And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.
When
To guarantee no one let Daniel out.
The work that God begins in us, He will complete it.
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
By Giving us the earnest of the Spirit, God is literally promising that there is no way he can not finish what he started. The only way God could NOT redeem us fully is if he gave up the earnest of the Spirit. He would have to break his own contract! God would have to sin to not complete the redemption because He promised He would!
When is the contract over btw?
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
We are sealed until we arrive in Heaven and are perfected.
And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
Phil 1:6
The Holy Spirit’s sealing is the earnest or promise that God will finish what He started.
3) Authority
3) Authority
In the OT, Kings wore a special ring called a signet ring. The King’s signet ring was the way a king would seal his official decrees and papers. They would drip wax on the document or envelope and the king would press his ring into the wax creating his seal. The kicker was that anyone who had access to the King’s signet ring would have the full authority of the king! The king’s seal carried the full authority of the King himself.
In 1 kings 21, Ahab wanted to buy a field that belonged to a guy named Naboth. Naboth was an honorable Jew and he didn’t want to give up part of the land allotted to his family when they came into the promised land and the Lord said the land was to stay in the families forever. Ahab potched a fit and sulked around a bit until finally, His evil wife Jezabel hatched a plan.
So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, dwelling with Naboth. And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people: And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die. And the men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who were the inhabitants in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto them, and as it was written in the letters which she had sent unto them.
Why in the world would the people stone Naboth because the queen said so? Did she have that authority? NO! But she had the kings signet ring and she sealed her orders with his ring giving her letter all the authority of the king!
Emily’s paperwork having an official seal gave me permission to take her out of the country.
Being new testament believers, we have the seal of the Lord and we are also to go out and act in His authority!
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
In whose name (authorty) are we to go and make disciples and baptize? In the authority of the one who sealed us. Because we have the seal of the Holy Spirit, we carry with us the authority of the Father! When we go in His name, with His message, we don’t go alone. We have the Holy Spirit working with us and authenticating the message in the hearts of those we speak to. Your lif ehas been sealed with the signet ring of the Lord! now Go in His authorty!
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Our mission work is done in the power of the Holy Spirit. No one will get saved because we’re awesome but they will get saved by the Power of the Holy Spirit!
It’s for this reason that we are called to speak out about sin. Turn to Ezekiel 33...
Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman: If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people; Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul. But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand. So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.
It’s not just that we should warn people about their sin, it’s that we must!
It’s not being judgmental to call sin, sin. God decided what is sin and you are speaking in His authority. Warning those who are living a life that will lead to judgment that there is a better way. Calling out sin isn’t judgmental, it’s loving. It’s caring. It’s speaking in that authority of God hoping to see a life redeemed and restored and sealed with the same Spirit that seals you.
Conclusion
Conclusion
The Holy Spirit seals the believer as soon as they believe and He seals us to prove our authenticity, our security, and to give us His authority. Without the sealing of the Holy Spirit, we would be miserably lost and hopelessly unsure of our standing with God but thatnks to this marvelous work of the Spirit, we can stand secure in our relationship with the father and boldly in the face of a lost world that doesn’t know God.