A0282_Dive In
Date: 14th January 2007 (Sunday AM) Ref: A0282
Place: Kambah P.S.
Title: Dive In
Text: & Acts 4: 16-18 & 29-31
Illust: On a really hot day like Friday where the mercury hits 40.5°, while it’s not always possible, nothing beats finding a suitably large body of cold water, the sea, lake, river, swimming pool & diving in, totally submersing yourself under the water. A way to escape the stifling, scorching heat of the day. The water is invigorating; it is refreshing and is a protection from the effects of the heat.
I. Holy Ghost Baptism
A. Baptism
i. The early church had experienced in Acts 2, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:2-4 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. (NKJV)
ii. Very clear that this was the event that Jesus had promised they would see & experience.
Acts 1:5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” (NKJV)
iii. The word baptized that Jesus uses in explaining what was to occur.
907 βαπτίζω [baptizo /bap·tid·zo/] verb.1 to dip repeatedly, to immerse, to submerge (of vessels sunk). 2 to cleanse by dipping or submerging, to wash, to make clean with water, to wash one’s self, bathe. 3 to overwhelm.
An immersion usually in water, complete dipping not just a little sprinkle. – What we mean when we have a water baptism, complete immersion- signifying a transformation, a change.
B. Immersed in the Holy Ghost
i. Jesus always chose His words carefully. If this is the meaning in water of ‘baptism’ a complete immersion, the sense that we need to have is that it is the same with the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. A complete immersion, not just dipping your toe in, not just accepting a religious sprinkle.
ii. Think of the words used in Acts 2: “rushing mighty wind”, “tongues, as of fire” – power symbols here, agents of change
Invariably after a very windy night, things have changed in our back yard / neighbourhood, furniture moved, tree limbs down. Relatively mild. – Cyclones; pick up yachts, buildings destroyed, landscapes fundamentally transformed
Fires, bring massive change; drive through Weston, out to Corin Forest. A raging bush fire is unstoppable, forced along by the wind consuming all in its path.
iii. Need to take the plunge, to be totally flooded over by the raw power & personality of the Holy Spirit.
II. Why?
A. Invigorating
i. Just like jumping into a pool on a hot day invigorates your body enabling you to continue, empowers you to face the heat & do what needs to be done, so to being filled with the Holy Ghost is enabling & empowering. This is what we see in our text.
ii. The disciples were facing some pretty heavy heat from the authorities trying to silence the message of the Gospel ~ & vs.17-18. Threats & intimidation. – The disciples prayed & received a fresh infilling, another submersion in the power of the Holy Spirit. & vs.29-31. He filled them afresh.
iii. Invigorated them to continue on, to face the threats, the heat & be bold, to do what they were called to do; “and they spoke the word of God with boldness.”
B. Protecting
i. You are protected from the impact of the heat all around you for as long as you stay in the water. – As soon as you get out though you start to get hot. - Used to go to Kambah Pool, , water was beautiful & refreshing. Problem was that you had to walk down this steep path to get to the river, that meant that you had a steep walk up the path to get to your car, by the time I got to the top, I was hot & bothered again.
ii. Being filled with the Holy Spirit, being immersed in His presence protects you from the heat of temptation, of persecution, of doubt, of fear. As soon as you start to try & function in your own strength, the heat of this world starts to sap your strength.
iii. Doesn’t have to be that way, called to walk daily in Him, being filled constantly by His presence. – Protected from the corrupting influence of the world.
Galatians 5:16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. (NKJV)
III. Desperate Need
A. Desire
i. Every Christians desire, should be to walk in the fullness of what God has for them. If not yet received the baptism of the Holy Ghost, you need to desire it, If you have, as our text points out, not just a once off, needs to be a constant reality in your life. A constant refilling & refreshing.
ii. There must be a real hunger and thirst for more of God before you will receive the Baptism with the Spirit. God does not give such gracious gifts except as they are sincerely desired and deeply appreciated.
Matthew 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. (NKJV)
Psalm 42:1-2 1 As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. (NKJV)
John 7:37 “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. (NKJV)
B. Crucial
i. This is not simply a nice to have; as the church faces greater & greater opposition in the world, as each day the world grows more corrupt, more immoral, more ungodly; Need to be able to walk refreshed & protected.
ii. In our society, people are drinking more & more alcohol. Why? To escape, to have a refuge. – Destructive, people say stupid things, do stupid things. Paul exhorts us not to be drunk but to fill ourselves with the presence of God.
Ephesians 5:18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, (NKJV)
Far more effective & far more satisfying.
iii. The disciples had seen Jesus, resurrected, they knew who He was & what He had done what more did they need? Yet, Jesus commanded the disciples not to do anything, until they were filled with the Holy Spirit.
Acts 1:4 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; (NKJV)
iv. We need to dive in, be baptised, immersed in the sweet, powerful presence of God.