John Chapter 20:21-24

We tell people we know, whenever you quit doing this and quit doing that then you get in church and then let another whole. If you're struggling is the place to if you've got families. If you got friends having a hard time bring up.

Don't wait till I get it sorted to get cleaned up or get their act together. Any other things, bring them right in the midst of their pain and their darkness so that Jesus can give them some we can begin to change your you come to God. God begins to clean your answer your question and never use this analogy before but did you get cleaned up to take a shower. Please say no. It worries me when people don't respond okay call the office will sit down with a no you don't get cleaned up to take a shot was a darkling job welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee. David is the senior pastor of the bridge occurred in Roseville, North Carolina.

While each of us struggle in life through.

Things the good news is that Jesus will come to us right where we are and just as we are today. Pastor David explains this important truth continues in the Gospel of John, chapter 20.

Now here's David McGee with his teaching that you might so we finished up with verse 21 for context, say start with verse 21 in John chapter 20 so Jesus said to them again. Peace to you as the father has sent me also send you.

And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, receive the Holy Spirit. Verse 22 in verse 23, I present some theological questions if you will that we need to ask ourselves and theological just a big word meaning the things having to do with God. If you will, he says receive the Holy Spirit. This is John chapter 20 verse 22. I point that out because there's another verse later acts chapter 1 verse eight that comes after this time in the chronology of you are looking at a timeline we have this event in later we have this other event, and here's what acts chapter 1 verse eight says, but you shall or will receive power when the Holy Spirit is come upon you, and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.

Now, this verse is the last recorded public words of Jesus. We have is just a couple phrases that he spoke privately with Paul so this verse has a lot away, but he presents us with a problem because if they receive the Holy Spirit.

Here than what was acts chapter 1 verse eight about while let's talk about the Holy Spirit for moment and I understand that the doctrine are our thoughts towards the Holy Spirit present some unique challenges in the body of Christ because of your new here. Here's what is going on and some of you, Holy Spirit, oh no, this is great.

Now the service is going to get all weird. There can be people run around hollering and screaming and fallen over. And all this stuff know they're not see you've probably seen things that have been presented in the name of the Holy Spirit had nothing to do Holy Spirit if you watch Christian television at all, you've probably seen these things for the moment. Separate yourself from that she because if you say okay well that's what the Holy Spirit looks like. I don't want him to sit him not yet the Holy Spirit to him is not Annette don't refer the Holy Spirit as it then you could use the same argument not to come to Jesus because you can look at people that say that the Christians are following Jesus and go man about following Jesus out on we do the same thing with the Holy Spirit. If that's the Holy Spirit. I don't want I want to we need to understand that you may have been exposed to things and the converse is true. You may have been exposed to teachings that of said the Holy Spirit is done. He's finished, he no longer have the present-day ministry that ended with the age of the apostles. I'm sorry that is not in the Bible. I understand people take one verse in a really twisted context to say that the present day of the Holy Spirit is not valid at.

I reject that it's important you understand but this promises to us as well that we can receive the Holy Spirit. That's interesting that Jesus in this portion of Scripture breeds on them and says receive the Holy Spirit. I believe they receive the Holy Spirit.

I believe they received a portion of the Holy Spirit, because later on. Jesus says you guys are gonna be filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirit is the language there and then we have the symbolism of Jesus just breathing on an international NAR. Acts chapter 2 chapter 3 is a mighty rushing wind is what it says I think again we have a picture seat might explain the Holy Spirit and his relationship to us because this is important before you were a believer and presently if you're in here and you've not asked the Lord to forgive you of your sins. The Holy Spirit is along side of you and your relationship with the Holy Spirit is him attempting to convict or convince you of wrongdoing. In other words to convince our convict you to come to him and asked the Lord to forgive your sins. That's the relationship you have with the Holy Spirit. You don't actually have the Holy Spirit because God can't well or sentence, we see that in the Hebrew Scriptures and God doesn't just decide it's just his nature and his holiness. He can't do that if it's like putting a dry leaf into a fire. The fire doesn't decide to consume the leaf. It's the nature of the fire and the nature of the leaf that if the leaf is and there's going to be concerned.

That's why in the Hebrew Scriptures in the Old Testament we see the the spirit coming up on people for a season for particular task and that's why you see Sampson when we were studying the book of Judges. It said he knew not that the Spirit had departed from him and David Masson says take not your Holy Spirit from me. Now there's a song that has those lyrics that we don't senior and the reason is were under grace now.

In other words, the Holy Spirit doesn't just dwell alongside of us. He dwells in us. From the moment you ask him to forgive you of your sins, but the question is does he dwell in fullness. The question is does do any of us need more of the Lord more of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

And should we ask for the question again for the moment.

Separate yourself from the baggage and the luggage you might have concerning the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. Obviously there some people who say absolutely not God. Do they no longer heals anybody no longer does any of that in an and this just all a bunch of nonsense and we totally reject okay on the other extreme, you have people that say all you know it's all great must swing from the chandeliers and run around the room screaming like a chicken with its head cut off and it's all okay and they don't look at the Bible to do things decently in order for Sprint and 14 tells us the let these things be done decently in order what that tells us. Let them be done with them be done decently in order now really talk about this a lot in the coming weeks we get in the book of acts, but this presents the question of what do you believe about the Holy Spirit is there more to receive the Holy Spirit.

There obviously is in part, Paul said the field with the spirit, when he wrote that understand what that means is be continually filled with the spirit so that puts both extremes and error if you say we can't. You shouldn't asked to be filled with the spirit also be filled with the spirit, if you say over here. While there is a subsequent experience after salvation, which I believe about teachers you know then there's that one time thing. No limit. The Bible talks about continually being filled with the spirit. I want to do what the Bible says and I want to have this. Can we agree that we can look to the Bible for doctrine, when it doesn't seem logical.

And some people say will know you can ask to be filled with the spirit and and that's not a doctrine that that is embraced, the gods finished without the wing that you got a couple versus the bank the different acts 238 and 39 then Peter said to them, repent, and let everyone of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit for the promise is to you and to your children and to all who are far off as many as the Lord our God will call promise wasn't just for the first generation church pastor you sailors of subsequent experience after salvation with the Holy Spirit absolutely now I know this is new for some of it and some of you again don't be anxious when were not going to get an awareness were just want to see what the Bible has to say about this. I think everyone of us if we were honest, would say Lord, we do we need more of you. We need more of your spirit.

We need more of your power, how do we get that Jesus tells us Jesus in Luke chapter 11 verse 13 says if you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.

There's the key guys now.

Maybe you're looking at this first going to fly on them. I never heard that I never heard that you had to ask for the Holy Spirit. While at this point, you know you have to choose whether you believe what people have told you, or you believe what Jesus said. Jesus said, you need to ask for. You need to ask for the Holy Spirit. What's awesome is Jesus always knows what were going to be thinking before we think it is an amazing thing in the preceding verses in here. You know I talked about. You may remember the passage of you familiar with the Bible.

He talked about. Look, if you ask me for bread, and give your stone I could give you snake and I can give you scorpion is an earthly father gives good gifts. How much more will give you good gifts give you the Holy Spirit is you ask to know some of you are afraid to ask for the Holy Spirit, Jesus speaks to this fear. In this passage and says don't be afraid.

Don't be afraid and understand you receive because you ask you receive because it's the same thing.

It's like salvation. Many of you when you asked the Lord to forgive you of your sins.

It was incredible emotional experience that's off great for some of you it was, that's great. That's also because we don't go home feelings that's what I tell you over and over you. Have you ever honored or privileged elites in my to the Lord to lead him in the prayer asking for them to be forgiven of their sins. When you get finished, never asked them, so how you feel because they may not feel anything. And then they're going to go I don't really think it made it work because I don't feel anything, you know. And then you will a spring again. You know that means you can. Don't do that. Why because we don't go on feeling same thing with Holy Spirit you ask the Holy Spirit to fill you and you may feel something you may not.

We don't go on our feelings about faith, ask about faith receive. It's important that we understand is, is this whole Holy Spirit thing that important you that you it was important that Jesus listen to his words in John 16, seven nevertheless I tell you the truth it is to your advantage that I go away for about do not go away, the helper will not come to you, but if I depart, I will send them to you if I depart, I was in them to so again you have it looks like fullness is coming after his ascension now. So the question is have you asked for Holy Spirit.

And when you asked that don't sit there and think you're going to get a scorpion or snake got Jesus and now we are just going to happen is not going to happen. Do we need the Holy Spirit yes we do see that first chapter, one of acts verse eight and he says you shall receive power.

It's interesting the word power. There is Dumas's where we get our word for dynamite. We need that power while so we can do those things are swinging from the chandeliers and do all of it and and and and and and it somebody says so that we can be witnesses so we can live the faith out how many of us need that power to live our faith. Everybody in here they would be honest I need that I need that I need that Dumas power that God offers will be right back with more from David McGee on cross the bridge right now. Here's a word from associate pastor DA Brown want to take just a minute to pray for a few cities in our listening audience. Specifically, Gallup, New Mexico, and Las Cruces Potala's Ross well to LaRose and Binghamton, New York and Oswego God, we thank you for these listening in the cities right now. We pray that you would pour your spirit out on them or that they would have faith to trust you and what you want to do in our life. We pray, if there's people father who have yet to put their trust in you that today would be the day today would say yes to the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ for them over.

Pray for those in leadership positions that you would anoint them that you give them wisdom and discernment, Lord, that they would look to your Bible for answers and form their conclusions.

Accordingly, we pray that you report your spirit out on the cities in Jesus name, amen, amen. Thank you brother and now get back to David McGee as he continues teaching verse by verse, verse 23 if you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them. If you retain the sins of any, they are retained and see we did this couple test versus if you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them.

If you retain the sins of many. They are temple. It's been said, well, let me take was not means that Jesus is not saying that these disciples you have the power to forgive sins.

That's a real stretch what he saying you have the power to did Claire people sins are forgiven is a big difference at the end of the Sunday morning service. I invite you to prayer.

Pray a prayer to ask the Lord to forgive them of their sentence and I could go to that person. After that go and your sins have been forgiven have the power to declare that what because the word says if anybody calls on the name of the Lord, the will be saved, so I know when they call on the name of the Lord that the Lord has forgiven them up there since I can declare that but if they come to mingle pastor, I need you to forgive me of my sins.

I'm sorry I don't have that power so you can do it here. You can do in the field. Are you can do it at home at night. You don't need a priest what you need is the one and only high priest which is Jesus see this is introduce this verse has been used to introduce the fact that you need to go to a come a priest to confess your sins so I reject that are different version, you need to go to the high priest to confess your sins, I would agree with that but this is led to all sorts of twisted nest really embarrassments in the history of the church. Why, because what did we do with the fact that we thought we had the power to forgive sins with some of it still goes on.

Now I got really twisted to live. We introduced what the fact that you could pay me to have your sins forgiven skull.

It was called indulgences and really happened. There was a whole menu of sins that as you committed, you could pay a certain price and be forgiven of their sins. Now God in his wisdom did not set that up. He didn't give us that power to do that he does give us the power to proclaim to people that their sins are forgiven if they pray that prayer you can say you are. I can proclaim that to you this morning. You've asked the Lord to forgive you of your sins, you have been forgiven and I can also say that if you've never asked the Lord to forgive you of your sins, your sins are not yet forgiven. So we need to be clear on this because this is a difficult issue that some people really wrestle with no Colossians chapter 2 Paul proclaims his forgiveness and 13 is as you were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ. He forgave all your sin, so Paul is proclaiming the forgiveness of sins not having the power to do it.

First John 212 John sisters, I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his namesake again. That declaration of the forgiveness of sins, Ephesians, Paul, again writes chapter 1 verse seven he is so rich in kindness that he purchased our freedom through the blood of his son and her sons are forgiven.

So there's a difference in you have and personally the power or any man or any priest or any hope for that reason, the power to forgive sins. God alone has the power we need to be understanding that, but we have the power to proclaim that forgiveness or lack of it says this verse in verse 24 now Thomas called the twin, one of the 12, was not with them when Jesus came. At this point, Jesus is our Jonah showed up to the upper room will we think it was over and Thomas wasn't there. Don't don't read quickly passes it wasn't with them. Wow, is that because the disciples at this point were a fracture group. They were afraid they were, we would say freaked out in today's terms, they were worried some of them weren't there anymore that that the sacred college of the 12 if you will, as it's been called, disbanded, they saw it was done to Thomas wasn't there and notice to that. What was her condition. When Jesus showed up the first. Don't miss this. They're scared their hot older worry and Jesus comes right in the midst of loved one to bring you comfort you so often we tell we fly right you got straighten up you gotta do this you gotta do that when you get it all sorted out income to God or when you when you get it all together way when you clean up your actor a year we usually think will win did that become part of a relationship with the Lord God begins the changes after we come to see we wheeze introduce this concept into the church that this is what good people New Orleans on the more we all get together. We talk about people who are bad that's not that's not bobble and we tell people you know whenever you quit doing this and quit doing that and then you get in church and then that another will if you're struggling is the place to be if you got families. If you've got friends were having a hard time bring up. Don't wait till I get it sorted out duly get cleaned up or get their act together and either think bring them right in the midst of their pain and their darkness so that Jesus can give them some hope he can begin to change their lives. You come to God. God begins to clean you up Matthew question interviews this analogy before but do you get cleaned up to take a shower.

Please say no. It worries me when people respond okay called office will sit down with him know you don't get cleaned up to take a shower while that darkling job.

What happens as you move towards God. You take the steps towards God begins to change you from the inside out. Sometimes it happens all at once. Usually it's actually more time. This process Jesus invites us on the process. He doesn't wait till we get it all together just like he appeared to these guys when they were shaken up the life lesson here, Jesus will come to us right where we are as we are so glad you come to us right where we are and just as we are. You can be in the middle of the silliest stupidest thing you've ever done this a Jesus, help me please and he'll help you. He will be there comfort that it doesn't help different than it was in our thinking because so many of us have tried to change ourselves and did work that it never forget. I was a backslidden Christian I came back to the Lord and when I came back to the Lord a couple things fell away real quickly been involved in in rock 'n' roll music and stuff and so I immediately quit a lot of those things the drink in than the doing cocaine and various other than the sender drugs. It still struggled with smoking marijuana. To be honest I don't struggle with immortal severe old notes, but I had just got back in the church and has to guy and I was. I just knew when I share this with that he was just going to hammer me and then yell at me and stuff and I and so I assure us the book and I had a problem and he shall as soon Jonah weekends and stuff still smoke dope. Sometimes and he said just keep coming to church to fellowship in God will change.

I did not expect an answer.

I thought the guy was in a smell like it because you been smoking that I'm sorry for displaying so you never do.

I don't raise my voice and some are just totally freaked out. But see I didn't have it together and needed help. And guess what he was right. Just a few weeks after that man said you need to do this anymore.

I found what I was looking for God to work in my heart. Came to me right where I wasn't in that dark time in when you have those dark times. Most uncertain moments in that darkest hour, hopeful walk in your life, and his name is Jesus friend you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now only Jenna short, simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him.

God wants you to pray this prayer so much that he died to give you the opportunity and the ability to ask him to forgive you. Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now.

Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I could have a new life not done wrong things I have sent and I'm sorry.

Please forgive me of all those things. Please give me the power to live for you. All of my days in Jesus name, amen it friend of you prayed that prayer according to the Bible you've been forgiven you've been born again. Jesus said he would not turn anybody away who comes to him and he came for those people who knew they needed forgiveness.

Those who were sick, not the righteous. So congratulations bring you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make.

God bless you, if you pray that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you. You can visit cross the bridge.com to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ. Or you can write to cross the bridge at PO Box 12, 515 Winston-Salem, NC 27117 and share how God is working your life you're the Bible tells us that the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord. But it does cost for us to come and bring that message to you and to others in your neighborhood through radio through the Internet and through the mobile technologies that God has gifted us to be able to use so if you like to support this ministry. Please go to cross the bridge.com. Click on the donate button and ask God how much he would have you give either on a one-time basis or continuing basis each month to help ensure that the teaching of God's word continues to go out through cross the bridge. Thank you so much ODA before we go. What are some ways that we can bless our listeners some days you can wake up with encouragement from Pastor David to the word of God with his email devotional life lessons to consider daily reading and the thought to meditate on.

Throughout today from the heart.

David McGee those are terrific and it's easy and it's free so folks sign up today@crossthebridge.com. Thanks again for listening and join us next time. As David McGee continues to verse by verse in the Gospel of John