Filled with the Spirit - 4

Good evening Samuel, hope you had a great day Lord is beautiful weather as any for this conference and thankful for the blessing of being with you folks and just fellowship.

We've had of been marvelous just a great time to get back and get reacquainted with a lot my brothers and sisters had seen for what seems like a real way and then able to come back and just the it gets good all over again like that. Our pastor is read a rather lengthy portion and I'm glad you did really great because it gives us a sense of what's going on around the passage that I want to talk to you about tonight were going to be tonight is Ephesians 5, starting at about verse 18 and then for the next three or four verses on the subject of field with the spirit, as is already been remarked, there is a major watershed stock. The continental divide we find between chapter 3 and check for in the book of Ephesians in the first three chapters of this book we've been exploring what we might call this mystery. I mean that's what Paul calls the mystery of the eternal purpose of God is unconditional election, the predestination of his children to son ship. Then last of the second night was the first night, second session we looked at the mystery of salvation by grace through faith and how that worked in the fact that it is through faith that we are saving only joined to our Savior and that were united with this body, a body he says that Philip all in all is it. Speaking of the universal church, but then here at chapter 4. Suddenly, everything changes. Now we deal, let's look Ephesians 4 look for yourself. Verse one. I therefore, the prison of the Lord beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation to which your call.

Notice that now we have the call to walk which means you live conductor life to walk a new way that will have it.

We used to walk. Remember the zombie walk that we talked about verse nine that was the walk. You walked according to the course of the world you walked according to the spirit that works in the children of disobedience. You work walked according to the lust of your own flash that's a dead man walk okay.

You're no longer dead you been quickened with Chrysler to walk a new way and it's described in various ways if were here in chapter 5. Look. Look at verse two, he says, walking love as Christ has loved us and given himself an offering sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor walk in love like Christ has loved you a little later down in verse 11, have no fellowship with the unfruitful hoops I got thrown verse back verse eight that's what I wanted for we were Once upon a time darkness, but now you are light in the Lord walk as children of light walking.

Love you walk in the light, and though Paul does not use the phrase here.

He most certainly does over in Galatians chapter 5 in verse six being he says walk in the spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh a little later in that same chapter. If we live in the spirit let us walk in the spirit so we could define this walk in in several ways. It is basically to walk like Christ walked if we look back from verse 18 were going to sort of start against them really not true zero rig starting that when I get verse 18. I'm really start okay this doesn't count. Okay this is just warm up okay if you back up from verse 18 just a little bit back verse 14 want you to notice that he's quoting here from the Old Testament is not an exact quotation, but it's assumed ladies quote quoting Isaiah 60 verse one versus is a Zion rise, shine the light is come, and what is interesting is if you backup from that a little bit into the last couple of verses of Isaiah 59. What you're reading about is that there is a Redeemer who is going to come to Zion, and God is saying I'm going to fill his him with my spirit and with my words and basically he's going to give the spirit and the words to his children and to their children. And it'll never and why I think that's important is even back there in the Old Testament we see a close affinity a close relationship between the spirit and the word just keep that thought in your mind as we proceed because that will become important as we work through this subject the Messiah, the Christ in both languages Hebrew and Greek both mean, the anointed one, and by anointing.

Typically, it was done. As you know, with oil.

In other words, these anointed man might be a priest might be a profit might be a king.

They are to be orally and the interesting part is when you start looking at Old Testament prophecies prophecy.

Looking ahead into the New Testament. A.

They saw that this age that was coming was to be an age of the spirit we have two very clear statements of the new covenant, but there's many more but over in Ezekiel 36 starting at about verse 26 we have the idea that in this new covenant that God is going to give us a new heart, give us his Spirit in Jeremiah 31 when he cites this new covenant. He states that God is going to ride his wall his word. You see on our heart.

Notice the assimilation again of the word and the spirit and soul for an Old Testament saint. Looking ahead into the New Testament age he was seeing an age coming that is characterized by the spirit of God. The age of Messiah is to be an age of the spirit.

Let's well I don't take the time to turn their Job chapter 2 Peter quoted and extracted no passage, I'm talking about the day of Pentecost what's happening. He quotes Joe chapter 2 in the Old Testament in the last day. Looking ahead to the New Testament age is going to come a time when God will pour out his Spirit on all flesh basically meaning all kinds of flesh laser wasn't made. What you have to understand in the Old Testament for just a few folks upon whom the spirit fail.

Now I don't mean the Old Testament was devoid of the spirit you would have anybody say if that were the case when you speak of the special anointing you generally would speak of this guy over here who's a priest or this guy over here is a prophet or that guy over there a man like David was anointed as a cane, you got a got here, there, there, what were being told in the New Testament age is God is going to pour out his Spirit on all flesh, all kinds of old or young man your your young women. Your your old man going to dream dreams are young maidens is not only the aristocrats and even down to your servants in your handmade I'm going to pour out my spirit and notice I'm going to pour it out there is going to be an increase shall we say in volume is like opening the spec it wide open and what we then see as Peter preaches and cites this chapter out of Joel chapter 2 on the day of Pentecost. How does Peter interpreted the birth of all he says this is that which Joel was talking about. You see what's happening here on the day of Pentecost.

This is that that's what he's talking about is God is pouring out his spirit but he goes on to say that what's really going on is Christ is now exalted to the right hand of God. He has prayed to the father and received this gift and he sported out on us is either something different about this New Testament.

Messianic age the Messiah has earned blocked this blessing of the Holy Spirit, he has asked the father, for he has received it and now he is pouring it out on his people.

This is the age of Messiah is the age of Messiah spirit using the connection turned to John seven just a second. Jesus is in Jerusalem the last day of the feast of Tabernacles. I called it the great day of the fees. Some of the rabbis later was right. If you've never known joy unless you were in Jerusalem on that last day of the feast of Tabernacles thereby went down to the pool of Siloam and the priest would fill up these big pictures full of water and everybody been a long procession and their singing songs about the Lord is our salvation.

In the old bombing is an alien people that have come into Jerusalem for this thing and they're all going back up to the Temple Mount in their those priests would take those big pictures of water and pour it over the altar in there re-commemorating when Moses struck the rock in the wilderness in the water came out numbers. Miracles, like what happens will make her own miracle rival only found here and there pouring in and the people are seeing with joy.

Shall we draw water out of the wells of salvation and the Scripture says right in the middle of that thing you'll see it here in John seven verse 37 in the right the last day that great in the feast, Jesus stood and cried united in the middle of seeing here this guy stands up and shouts, if any man thirst letting come under me and drink. You begin to see who he's claiming he is you see what they're doing. That's me. You will water come to me he's a believer on me, as the Scripture is set out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water and just in case we miss it will slow John helps us he gives us a little word of commentary, verse 39 and look carefully at it. But this Pokey of the spirit that water, whom they that believe on him should receive for the Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified lesson amazing verse that we know he is not saying that the Holy Spirit wasn't hearing any way, shape, fashion or form they would be no one say that were the case, but compared to what's coming.

It's like Holy Spirit wanting here to what he's coming to be. So what is it waiting on were waiting on Christ to be what glorified. I knew a guy and and by the way this whole thing are filled with the spirit.

I had a flirtation with the deeper life movement back before I went out to Wyoming and there was a guy there who was trying to get filled with. He read this verse that the Holy Spirit had come yet because he's one yet glorified. So he just decided that's my problem I can get filled with the spirit of Jesus not glorified, so he went around every word out of his mouth was praise Jesus praise Jesus praise Jesus.

He's trying to get glorified his age so he get filled with the spirit that is not what you say John is pointing to a historical point in time when Jesus would rise and ascend and sit down at the right hand of the father.

Guess what, that's what Peter is saying is happening on the day of Pentecost.

Now the spirit is given, because Jesus is now glorified at a historical point in time Pentecost is like the celebration is the coronation of this new king. This is his wedding gift to us as it were his coronation gift that he is pouring out upon his people.

Remember that John the Baptist said, I baptize in water one coming after me. He's going to baptize with spirit and with our there's a lot of meaning packed into that there is a sense in which the Old Testament prophets were spirit empowered people right but did they have the power to you spirit to others.

Remember, Elisha came to Elijah's and when you go I want a double portion your spirit and what Elijah say what you're not allied to sin you've asked a hard thing. There not real sure, but I tell you this if you see me ascend you see me go up to heaven, you see that, then you'll get what you asked for Internet remember a double portion of Elijah spirit fell him but no Old Testament prophet could dish out the spirit. Jesus is going to dish it out. Baptize us in his spirit.

See the difference so we don't have to be afraid of this the spirit of Christ is our heritage and as we see it expressed here. It is our duty to be filled with the spirit as Paul has been dealing with Christian duty here. He oftentimes expresses it in a negative way and then in a positive way, you'll see that looking back into chapter 4, for instance, verse 25 Jesus put away lying by speaking the truth. Yet the negative you got the policy go down verse 28 let him that stole steal no more, but rather letting labor, working with his hands that which is good, that he may have to give to him that needed instead of stealing become giving look a little more. Verse 29 let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying you see the negative. Using the pause we see exactly the same here in verse 18, be not drunk with wine, in which is excess dissipate different ways. It's translated but you know the basic idea but be filled with the spirit again we have the negative don't do this, we have the positive do this to be filled with either wine or the spirit on a Windows talk about wine as a spirit so it really doesn't matter which spirit were talking about here to be filled with either one will have an effect on your conduct on your behavior.

I don't want to ask for a show of hands, but you know what I'm talking about.

To be drunk with wine. We've seen drunkenness. Perhaps some of you in your pre-Christian days experienced it yourself. We know what alcohol can do if taken to excess, but in the same sense to be filled with the spirit also affects one's behavior, drunkenness will cause a loss of judgment, a loss of perception. The loss of inhibition and self-control and usually it is exhibited in its in one's actions in one speech in one's silliness right on the other hand, to be filled with the Spirit is another kind of drunkenness and I don't know if I can say this right but is to be drunk on sobriety. Whatever you you you get my feeling it produces another kind of affect the very opposite of fact that alcohol produced to the saturated with the spirit as word of the city is to be saturated with the word is a joy that is true and real. It is not the silly shallow jesting joy of the draw is a true and real and lasting joy and in the morning the next morning when you're sober up going to repent and have any drunks you know that had just labor the life of the party the night before, but now that they sober up. They realize the damage that they have done. This is a joy that does not need to be repented of Dr. Mark Martin Lloyd Jones who was a medical doctor when he was writing about the Holy Spirit. He said if I were a pharmacist I would have to put the Holy Spirit under the classification of the stimulant, it stimulates you see it produces an effect just like alcohol is a stimulant. It will reduce certain conduct.

So the Holy Spirit is a stimulant. It produces a completely different effect down alcohol again looking at the words here. If we look in the original, we see that this is indeed a command be not drunk with wine, which is excess but be filled with the spirit is an imperative.

It's a command. Furthermore, it is in the present tense and present tense in Greek tells it sort of speaks of the kind of action that were talking about something that begins and continues on, and because of that, many would translate this be being bailed with the spirit. This is not a one and done thing that's where our Pentecostal friends missed the point is not some second blessing. And now you've got it. This is not wanted on this is a can and you will duty be being failed with the spirit. This is not speaking of one's initial baptism by the spirit over in first Corinthians chapter 12 we read it before by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, that is the very definition of being a Christian you have been placed by the spirit of God. It's called thereby call a baptism. You have been baptized by one Spirit into one body you have been connected. You have been joined to the body of Christ. You are now in Christ. That's the very definition that Paul has given us what it is to be a Christian. So in other words, if you have not been baptized by the spirit. You're not a believer, not a question that simple. If you are a Christian, then you can say you have indeed been baptized by the spirit because you been joined to the body of Christ.

But there is something that again is not a one and done as an ongoing duty to be being failed with the spirit. It's in the middle voice now in English, we really don't have anything that's exactly to the Greek middle voice, the closest we've got is what we call a reflexive verb like I hit the ball that's active I got hit by the ball. That's passive.

I hit myself with the ball. That's reflexive and that's the closest thing we've got in English to this notion of the middle voice in Greek is something you do yourself. In other words, this is not a command word by you set around and you wait for somebody else to do this. The monkey is on your back. The responsibility is on your shoulder and so you could also translated and some have tried different ways. I suggested be being filled with the spirit that that catches that present continual action, but perhaps put it this way. Get yourself filled with the spirit or failures and fill yourself with the spirit invite workers. It seems like you're just doing something internally and that's not this, but get yourself filled with the spirit or keep yourself filled with the spirit. This is an ongoing duty for the believer. It is our responsibility. Basically what were being told to do is happy self. That's probably a great way put happy self to the spirit.

You have much.

As you all and the only limitation. You remember Paul prayed we looked at his prayer last evening that you be filled with the fullness of God. That's what were the remember that the spirit in the New Testament age is the spirit of Christ to be filled with the Spirit is to be filled up on Jesus substantiated with Jason is sort of like a sponge when you dip it in a pail of water. You not only baptize the fun is in the water, but the sponge then instantiated with the water and that's the notion that our lives are to be absolutely saturated permeated by the spirit of Christ, and I think that will help us keep things perspective. Now what is the evidence of this.

This failing what is obviously speaking in tongues and we all know that right. Our association with Pentecostals and by the way I grew up. I don't want to speak disparagingly of of charismatics and Pentecostals. Some of them are very very serious believers and Christians. I grew up in the community. Each little town had a Baptist Methodist Church, and over in one of the towns had an Assembly of God Church and for while in high school I dated a girl who was a member of Assembly of God Church over there so I would go over to her church on Wednesday night. Sometimes, and I learned a lot about Pentecostalism over there speaking in tongues was not something that was unknown to me here in my community. We we grew up with it okay but I don't want to speak disparagingly of a lot of very godly people were over there.

They were serious about serving the Lord. They were just not the way they were seeking this experience and ingest it when it was sometime self is the loutish the loudest place you could be in our little country town on Wednesday not down there consuming got church so let me say that I own the one hand I don't want to be overly critical, and that yet on the other hand, I believe they've completely missed the boat when it comes to what is being described here, the evidence of being filled with the spirit, according to the next verse.

We got several of them here in verse 19 is indeed we speak noticed speaking to our's.

Your sales are one another is a better way of translating it in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, where his music is all about. Why do we seeing I mean I know there song that some of the scholars out there in the reformed circles.

I will is all about the word what it is all about the words when we just get up and read the following. Okay thought out.

Why do we see what is it about singing what is it about music. I remember the first sovereign grace Bible conference I went to Pine Bluff Arkansas in 1976 and several others were having a deep theological discussion in the swimming pool by the motel rooms. I soon learned that you want really get into the deep water did in the Deepwater. That's where all the deep conversations take place and we work.

We were talking about several of us young guys found out what it was saying, what's so important about singing in young man. His name is Edwin McClellan had seen sent Galveston Texas. He said will singing is legal according to knowledge, and I've never forgotten that he hit the nail right on the head member, Paul talks about the Jews have a zeal that is not according to the knowledge singing is a zeal.

It's far more zealous than just standing up hearing the words right.

It's a zealous activity but it's a zeal according to knowledge in singing. We are expressing the truth that we are hearing from this bold were echoing those things, and especially in congregational singing.

We have things like saying the same things singing in harmony singing in Concorde you think of what we are illustrating in our singing thought about that that what the congregation of St. is supposed to be. We are in fact demonstrating that in our songs were all what did Paul say what you all saying the same things will guess what, that's what we do when we say and notice what were the same song I take that to be inspired songs, films, songs of praise and thanksgiving and then spiritual songs. That's a little more difficult. The word is owed. In Greek it's it's what I sorta like what I just saying to you. It's a song of Christian experience and we have these wonderful hymns were were speaking of our praise to God and then we also have hymns. I'm thinking of love lifted me.

I was sinking deep and said assault of Christian experience and so there's a variety of ways that we express the truths that we have heard to one another. This is all a product of being filled with the spirit now. The other kind spirit will produce music to my wife Linda and I were over in Amsterdam. We have spend the night therefore had England meeting over there and unbeknownst to us, England was playing the Netherlands in a soccer game there at Amsterdam that you think people go crazy here over the Super Bowl or oversight.

Like I've never seen anything to match what goes on when they have a soccer game over there like a football football.

We got down we were a little late to the party apparently got down to the big square there in Amsterdam. Just as the paddy wagons were leaving they had loaded up a bunch of these guys a gotten into a fight, out there, but we were trying to walk walk away back to our hotel and all the sudden the distance were hearing all the singing men singing. I mean, you could hear it for blocks and we kept getting closer and closer, and what it was is a whole group about 40 or 50 of these English soccer fans standing out in the street in front of the singing to the top of their loans.

Whatever side of their fight song or near whatever it was it was us factor I never seen anything quite like that.

They were drunk and they were singing will guess what, when you get drunk on the spirit.

One of the evidences is that you start singing you start vocalizing the truth that has filled your heart. I do still see that I've shared with you before. In years past that in other religions. I just I don't get it. I've been around Muslim and I listened to some of their songs and it sounds like there's going Linda KII just can imagine some light boot boot boot. Their system that I all how I love Mohammed all have they don't do it you how singing the music that we express is so peculiar to Christianity and is just a natural. That's what we do when we get together we sing praises to our God into our Savior Jesus Christ take that for granted. Secondly, in verse 20 there's another effect of being filled with us. Giving thanks always for all things and all times for every thing that comes our way under God the father in the name of the Lord Jesus cries is to be in a perpetual state of thanksgiving no matter what is going on around us in our environment or in our personal lives, no matter what is happening. We are overflowing with a heart filled with praise and thanksgiving. I remember seeing them reading an account of an old man back over in England in the old days for his church mouse get a glass of water. He sitting at his table is a glass of water is a plate with a piece of bread on it and he looks up to heaven, and says all this in Christ to others. The Christian is over 1M not with how little he has been how much gas he may have. Nothing in this present life of what he hands thrills his soul and nothing in this present world can take its place and we are the culture that aspires to get stuff and stuff will not give you what Christ gives you. It doesn't give you the joint doesn't give you the peace.

All we could go on and on about how many doctors and how many lawyers now many rich units blow their brains out because of all the wealth doesn't satisfy that empty spot that Boyd in the shape of Jesus Christ that's in the human heart. Only Christ can fill it. I we go out west and for two months. Last summer we did have a drop of rain and boy things get brown.

You get up time you look around and you see some green you can guarantee there's water water over there and over and over again in the Old Testament you have the idea that that the wicked are like that.

He that that's the desert shrub.

It just when it gets dry, just dries up when it rains it rains up.

In other words, it's absolutely controlled by outside circumstance, but the tree that is planted by the water. It doesn't fade is that easily done AAA then lose its fruit in times of draft why because it's got an unseen source of nourishment and water in the Christian, the righteous man is illustrated by that principal, but there's something we've got. That's what Jesus is saying other belly flows water rivers of living water. We have the well inside us were not dependent on water coming from the outside for us to be green and to bear fruit. We got an internal source of water springing up within the heart and then notice.

I wouldn't go to touch verse 21 because notice submitting yourselves one to another.

God but really want to be honest this sentence didn't end till the end.

Verse 20 10 words we have the effect of the filling of the Holy Spirit singing music okay Thanksgiving and then submitting and submitting user what you mean by that wide submission of you, love your wives, you know a little bit about that but have you ever connected that to being filled spirit that being filled with the spirit enables me to take my place in the economy of Christ to fulfill my role where he has placed me in my setting. So men to love your why isn't evidence to love your wife like Christ loved the church that flows out of being filled with spirit ladies to submit to your husband. This is the evidence. This is a far cry from speaking in tongues, but it is this experience, this being filled with the spirit of Christ that enables us to produce the conduct that honors Christ serve your boss at the job, men to treat your employees.

Employees fairly like Christ would have you treat them.

These are the evidences that flow out being filled. It bleeds over into every area of our life, our personal life or corporate life and our relationship with one another out in the world right now. I want to try to demystify this for you a little bit because there is a mysterious side to this thing. But if we examine it closely. I want you to realize again that lien between the spirit and the word I mentioned it back in Isaiah 59. As we began tonight let's go to the day of Pentecost. Would you turn to acts two will see it here. Acts chapter 2 verse four. This is speaking of the hundred and 20 and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now I don't know how you could possibly make a case reading the entire chapter that this tongues met you hear anything other than borderline but very clear of the people will make it clear.

A little later. Verse eight. How is it that we hear every man in our own tongue rather than getting so infatuated with the fact that they spoke in tongues less asked the question what were they speaking in tongue when these people heard these men speak in their own native tongue. What are they speaking well. We have a little bit of clue if my eyes will fall upon the verse. How is it verse 11 Cretans and Arabians goes there was long list of nations greens Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God, but that sink in a minute. What wonderful works of God you suppose there talking about what has just transpired in the lives this point they have just come through the fact of the Christ. Christ death is barrel his resurrection they he is ascended to heaven and now they have this the confirmation that he is enthroned in the skies. I submit to you that the wonderful works of God that they are talking about in these other tongues is what we would call simply the facts of the gospel, it can't be anything else. So notice that they are empowered to speak. But let us never forget what exactly is it that they speak go a little later in the book of acts remember in chapter 3, John and Peter have a the lame man there at the temple and the second sermon in all these were converted and then of course in chapter 4. There called on the carpet by the Sanhedrin commanded not to teach and preach in the name of Jesus anymore. But in chapter 4 verse 23 they let him go and they go back to their own company and they tell everybody what happened and everybody rejoices that this is a fulfillment of prophecy, fulfillment of Psalm number two of the heathen people raging against Christ.

But notice verse 31 okay acts 431 when they had prayed, the place were shaken where they were assembled together and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost this the same bus I got filled with the Holy Ghost back earlier in chapter 2 using the on going thing here there, filled with the Holy Ghost and once the effect and they spoke the word of God with boldness. Using the connection there, filled with the spirit, and they speak will what is it they're talking about looking verse 33. For an example and with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. You see the connection between being filled with the spirit and speaking possible or singing gospel or being thankful for gospel are submitting to one another because of the gospel. These things are all connected. I and that's why I say I'm trying to demystify this story as an example. Let's go back to Ephesians 5 back to our text just a moment, let's look at it again.

Verse 18 filled with the spirit. Verse 19 speaking to yourselves arms him spiritual songs verse 20 giving thanks. Verse 21 submitting 1234 say those things. Close your finger here.

Go over to the book of Colossians chapter 3 verse 16. Now I have a theory. I do know that Ephesians and Colossians sent by Paul, written by Paul when he is in prison. They were sent together with ticketless back to Ephesus, Colossae and look up Lehman also delivered at the same time. So these are two letters that Paul is writing about the same time and so were not surprised that we find certain parallels between them that 1234 remember what it was. One was spirit to was singing music three was one Thanksgiving for submit okay okay that was spirit singing thinking submitting looking Colossians 3 but I want you to work backwards. Let's start with four verse 18 wives, submit yourselves to your own husband as Lord husbands, love your wives that's what we were reading. That's that submitting thing right are listed were put in the car in reverse, or let's back up watch just in front of that verse 17. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the father by him. What was number three Thanksgiving we had for his submitting dear three is what Thanksgiving I let's back up one more. What was number two over there and Ephesians speaking to yourselves in psalms him spiritual songs here in verse 16 the middle of verse 16 admonishing one another in psalms him. Spiritual salt same three things that we had in the correct you see the parallel Wallace back up just a little bit more in it, but our car into reverse one more time. The first part of verse 16 is then what must correspond with Ephesians 5 verse 18 that what is called over there being filled with the spirit, is hereby Paul said, let the word of Christ dwell in you richly remember me saying that you need to see that there is this relationship between the spirit and the word and what is described as being filled instantiated with the spirit of Christ over there is here left the word of Christ dwell in you richly, I mean after all, that is the point of the Holy Spirit in when Jesus was with his disciples in the upper room before he goes out and is betrayed there in John chapter 1314 1516 and that what he tells them I'm about to leave you boys, but I'm not often you I'm going to come to you on the return I'm coming to you, but I'm coming to you through the company received the Holy Spirit is his spirit right. He is going to come to them through the comforter through the Holy Spirit. And when he comes. What's he going to do is take my things and show them the I'm just thinking through the list you'll find it scattered throughout that last discourse, he shall glorify me to lead you into all truth. You get the point.

My spirit is going to come and be a surrogate parent for you and he's going to come and open your eyes so that you see more of me that's the role of the Holy Spirit not to give you some. You can play around with it is your toy but to glorify Christ to show you him that you be overjoyed and filled with joy over what Christ has done for you. That's the problem that I see with our Pentecostal brethren as they narrow this thing down to just one thing is what's really going on in the reception of the Holy Spirit is to open our eyes up to the totality of what Christ has done for us. I had a young man I was hoping Earl was going to be here tonight because he was around when this happened, I share the story with him shortly after there was a young man I was preaching young preacher out Wyoming place called Evanston and Mr. and about 10 o'clock on Saturday night, the son of one of the members there named Stanley he lived over in Rock Springs Rock Springs hundred miles away but that's next door and he call me at 10 o'clock brother Greg.

How would you like get a call like this, you may have for all I know you'll always cringe cotton up 10 o'clock on certain I would vote with Standley and Stanley Stella may well as well let you know that my wife and family were all coming tomorrow were coming over to visit my folks and also great men. That's great news that we look forward to seeing any civil I'd I just wanted to let you know give you little bit of heads up that I plan to speak in tongues tomorrow never got one of those calls.

I said all okay. We probably need to talk a little bit about the and I said the well what what are you going to say and he says well I don't know you know we I don't know what I'm liable to say I won't know unless there's an interpreter. There is a will you do agree that Paul tells us over there in first Corinthians. If no interpreter is used be quiet and easy. Yeah, I know that, but how would we know if there's an interpreter.

Unless I speak in some you see his logic is okay Stanley I tell you what just for the sake of argument, I'll grant you your supposition that you will speak in tongues and they will be an interpreter.

Okay, I'll just for the sake of argument, what are you going to say in tongues. Are you going to tell me something that's in the Scripture. If you are why don't we just read the Scripture. And if you are going to tell me something that's not in the Scripture, and we really got to see the problem.

What a static speech interpreter not is going to add to my understanding of what has already been revealed in the word of God. I don't take the issue with someone that speaks in tongues. I say you want to do it in your closet at home standing on your head. I don't care what you do that's fine, but the utility of that gift has ceased in the New Testament church. We don't need extra biblical revelation anymore. We have the canon of Scripture, we have what we need. We do not need additional prophecy.

Revelation and if I understand anything about Paul's argument over in first Corinthians 12. He points out that tongues alone doesn't edify anybody because nobody knows what you're saying, he says.

In fact, if you have the unlearned.

The loss people come into your meeting at everybody speaks in tongues while wow they're just blown away.

Look at the people got the supernatural. Give is that what he says. He says he got it already said you're crazy you're mad my friend when I visit that Dodgers with my girlfriend back there when I was about 16 years old.

That's exactly when I left there is, he makes it clear that the church is only edified by a understandable, clearly communicated message of truth, and so he will say seek the better the house, seek the good ones because that's our job in the church is not to put on a show.

Our job in the church is to buy one another and you cannot be edified. If you don't understand what is being spoken so that is where I would say that I'm not going to argue with you whether the gift is ceased or not. All I'm saying is in our day. Now that we have Scripture in our hands. Utility of that gift has passed away.

We have the authoritative word of God. You want to go in your closet speak in tongues. All you will that's great, that's fine with me.

I'm not going to get the fight with you but as far as edifying the church, its usefulness has passed.

I want to demystify but I also don't want us the supernatural. Isaac, I'm afraid in sovereign grace reformed circles. We have somewhat strip mind the supernatural out of Christianity that we made it all doable and whether God shows up or not we show along with the show. This is telling us that we have a deep-seated need of the spirit of Christ invading our hearts taking over our lives in and you know why it is so hard to be filled with the spirit is because were so full of everything else. It's hard to fill up a glass is already full. Somehow we become so full of the stuff of modern life in the entertainment of modern life in the show that's going on around us. The word the world chokes the word grieves the spirit we have no room for anything else in our lives, but all my friend. In short, we are called to be clones of Christ. Act like talk like live like the only way we knew, that is to be filled with his spirit. One fella put it like this is said the proposed you're on the street you're starving to death in the present of the First National Bank comes out and sees you variances come only in here.

He takes you inside the bank and he unlocks the ball with her stacks and stacks will any Cisco happy self.

All you and if you come out with one dollar whose fault is that your pool that's the promise you can have as much of Christ as you will. Let's get serious folks. How much do you really crazy to know your Savior. Listen to Paul in Philippians work after he served Christ for probably 20 years in St. Paul. What you want is I want to know in knowing it's almost like you never made any buddies Walt Whitman for 20th what I want to know him.

I want to know him in every way possible. That's my class that's my desire to know my Lord, how much do you want of Jesus. How much do you want of him to invade your life. Paul Peter will use very different words than Paul in explaining the same thing.

He will use the term Cora Gallego add to your faith this and this and this and this, Cora, Gail, it's a from Caracas back in ancient Greece. Remember, they love their dramas, their plays, but I never thought about how they put these things on. They had a Cora Goss guy with deep pockets who rents the place hires the actor who pays the expenses put this play on Cora Goss Peter using that same brave Cora Gallego Cora Gallego your soul add to your soul busy. So what I don't have any deep pockets.

Your master has deep pockets and he's given you the keys to the vault help your self to the spirit of Christ sacked she ate yourself all.

May God help us (father of all the things we talked about this week. This is the critical thing.

The explaining thing for a lot of our powerlessness and effectiveness is that we just really don't want you all that bad because we know that you come into our lives.

You take over.

Things are going to change things will be different priorities are going to be switched. Many of us we grown comfortable with our lives satisfied with where we are all father which you take all that away strip us empty us that we might be filled with the spirit of our Lord. Let us take this commandment seriously because very will real way it is key is the ground of fulfilling all the other to be instantiated spirit of our Lord do it for Christ's sake