WWB: The Holy Spirit

Big Idea: BI#4: We believe is the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believers?

1973 words

End Goal: Think: Add or Correct | Feel: Motivate to Move | Do: Start or Stop

{WE/ME – Find common ground with the audience.}

As we look through the bible we come across various references to God, Jesus and names to the 3rd person of the Godhead…He is called many things:

Holy Ghost

Holy Spirit

Counselor

Spirit of Truth

Much more

and his mission might seem unclear to some of you. As I was doing research on the message that God laid on my heart, I found that there is a plethora of information on the Holy Spirit. This message will not cover everything we know about the Holy Spirit, but will cover a few.

{GOD – Engage the audience with the text. As I read scripture, what are the things/topics/truths that I feel God would want to bring out to move the church forward? - GK}

Please open your bible to John 14:15-21.

While they are turning in their bibles, share the context.

Context: Jesus has spent time teaching, and healing and casting out demons. He has even raised someone from the dead (Lazarus). John 11:2

And now he is sharing with those closest to Him, that he is going to a place they cannot go. He is going to the Cross. He is going to die for the sins of the world, be buried and raise 3 days later. I am sure their anxiety was high, and maybe some were frustration.

Imagine how you would feel if someone close to you, someone you have come to love and respect decides they must leave.

Right before our text this morning, we see Jesus spending some time comforting them and then sharing that he is going to send someone else in his place. Someone just like Him.

PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT V.15

Read the whole text, to get a sense for what is going on John 14:15-21

John 14:15–21 CSB

15 “If you love me, you will keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. 17 He is the Spirit of truth. The world is unable to receive him because it doesn’t see him or know him. But you do know him, because he remains with you and will be in you. 18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you. 19 In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Because I live, you will live too. 20 On that day you will know that I am in my Father, you are in me, and I am in you. 21 The one who has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. And the one who loves me will be loved by my Father. I also will love him and will reveal myself to him.”

Explain

First we can notice a few simple observations:

A requirement that if you truly do love the Lord, you will obey what the Lord commands

A relationship is talked about throughout our bible

That Jesus will ask God/the Father to send another Counselor

ANOTHER = Allos expresses a numerical difference and denotes "another of the same sort;"

heteros = expresses a qualitative difference and denotes "another of a different sort." Christ promised to send "another Comforter" (allos, "another like Himself," not heteros), John 14:16.

This Counselor will be with you forever

The world cannot accept or know what they do not see

You know Him

He lives with you and Will Be in you.

Application:

If you don’t know the Lord as your savior, it’s the Holy Spirit pulling at your heart teaching you and reminding you of the truths of Jesus (found in the bible). It’s not the preacher or teacher you are upset with it’s God working through the Holy Spirit to tell you that you need to respond to Jesus.

If you are Christ follower, it’s the same Holy Spirit that is tugging on your heart to follow and obey our Lords commands. To be a doer of the word James 1:22 says.

The joy you could experience if you are obedient. Joy comes through obeying Jesus. John 15:10-11

John 15:10–11 ESV

10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

He/Holy Spirit teaches & reminds you of the truths of Gods word.

John reminds us in v. 17 that The world doesn’t understand it... because they are blind to the things of God.

John 14:17 ESV

17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

Not only do we have the presence of the Holy Spirit, but we also have...

PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT V.18

John 14:18 CSB

18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you.

An interesting statement is used here. Jesus says He is coming to you.

This is were we get an understanding of “the Trinity”.

The Trinity: Bethlehem CC believe there in only one God who has chosen to reveal Himself as God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit with distinctively personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence or being. 

We know this because we see it in Scripture:

Matt 3:16-17

Matthew 3:16–17 (ESV)

16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

There is no real good explanation of the trinity (I just want to make that clear because each one is lacking in some way or another. Or not totally and completely a good illustration of the Godhead we serve.

You see God is one, in 3 parts.

Father, Son, Holy Spirit

Each with there distint attributes yet all the same.

The Nesting egg I have (for me illustrates this alittle bit better than some). You see it is one. Yet when you open it up there is another. And when you open it up there is another. Each one alittle different, yet they are one.

Kinda like the Trinity. Each one has a purpose, each has a mission.

That promise of the Holy Spirit was fulfilled at Pentecost.

Pentecost Sunday is a commemoration and celebration of the receiving of the Holy Spirit by the early church.

John the Baptist prophesied of the first Pentecost when Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Matthew 3:11).

Matthew 3:11 ESV

11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Jesus confirmed this prophecy with the promise of the Holy Spirit to the disciples in John 14:26.

He showed Himself to these men after His death on the cross and His resurrection, giving convincing proofs that He was alive. Jesus told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the Father’s gift of the Holy Spirit, from whom they would receive power to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:3-8). After Jesus’ ascension to heaven, the men returned to Jerusalem and joined together in prayer in an upper room.

On the Day of Pentecost, just as promised, the sound of a violent wind filled the house and tongues of fire came to rest on each of them and all were filled with the Holy Spirit. They were given the power of communication, which Peter used to begin the ministry for which Jesus had prepared him.

After the coming of the Holy Spirit, the disciples did not stay in the room basking in God’s glory but burst out to tell the world. This was the beginning of the church as we know it.

What was the:

PURPOSE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT V.25

First let’s look at Jesus’s purpose. Jesus’ purpose was to glorify the Father. To share God’s love for the World and provide redemption for sinful humanity. Also to give us an example of how to live a godly life.

John 12:28 NIV

28 Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.”

The Holy Spirit (according to John 14:25-26 ), Jesus said:

John 14:25–26 (CSB)

25 “I have spoken these things to you while I remain with you. 26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.

John 15:26–27 (ESV)

26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me/Jesus. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.

The Holy Spirit is to Teach you all things

And remind you of Jesus’s words.

{YOU – Find one point of application everyone can embrace.} Do people feel a burden on them to accomplish it OR do they feel empowered to take steps because God is with them?

The Holy Spirit is alive and active in the church. Bringing those who do not know Christ to the truth of His word.

And to the Christian, to live a life pleasing to God. And we receive Joy when we are obedient.

When the Holy Spirit directs, do you obey?

Do you listen to Him?

How do you respond?

{WE – Imagine what we can do together}

How does God become the Hero? God becomes the hero when people realize they need a hero.  One who can cure, what we cannot cure.  Do people feel a burden on them to accomplish it OR do they feel empowered to take steps because God is with them?

LORD SUPPER:

1 Corinthians 11:23–26 NIV

23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Have deacons distribute the bread

Receive all the bread

Distribute the bread to the deacons then read:

Luke 22:19 ESV

19 And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

Take and Eat

Have the deacons distribute the Cups

Receive all the Cups

Distribute the bread to the deacons then read:

Matthew 26:27–29 NIV

27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

Take and Drink!

Matthew 26:30 ESV

30 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Extra

Mark 14:22–25 (ESV)

22 And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” 23 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. 24 And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. 25 Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

Luke 22:19–20 ESV

19 And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20 And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.