Acts Chapter 8:12-17

Understand something like being here this morning and I start, the Holy Spirit talk about being filled with the Holy Spirit and immediately you began to envision some really wacky things it if you're a guest here your thinking all my gosh this is going to get weird people in the lease agreement and run an realm of reserve know they're not, they may want and I'll speak to the leadership of the a lot of times people do stop exhorts Holy Spirit. I do crazy wacky stuff that's unscriptural because older is not Holy Spirit is your flash so those people have misrepresentative you will, the ministry Holy Spirit.

But don't let that drive you away from a personal experience with the Holy Spirit because there's a thing I know about examples of Christian I know people that believe they were the sole representative. I'm not sure I ever got saved will come to cross the bridge with David McGee. David is the senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina comes to the Holy Spirit doesn't need to get complicated. We asked to be filled and he fills us today pastor David explains more as he continues teaching the book of acts chapter 8 Dr. David McGee with his teaching is your heart right rear acts chapter 8 and what were filing the early church and Saul persecuting the early churches & the people that are involved with the church and some things are going on and out of the Philip goes out of Jerusalem that we talked about the fact that Philip waited tables and and because he was willing to serve God in that way.

God used him in more powerful ways we find him now in Samaria. We talked about how they had to break down the walls between the Jewish people and the Samaritan people that Philip would reach out to only talked about breaking walls down and select brings us up to what's going on now and so they're in Samaria and these people are coming to the Lord was go back to verse 12, but when they believed Philip as the priest thinks concerning the kingdom of God in the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. Then Simon himself also believed in when he was baptized. He continued with Philip and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs that were done now.

Some of the commentaries that I read concerning this passage, they present Simon as being unconverted in the meat. Go ahead and tell you I don't believe that your you're going to see some troubling things in Simon, but when the Bible says Simon believed I have to think Simon believes so I think to do anything else, is a stretch, and this is why it's really important if you're a student of the Bible and you dig into God's word understand me share something about the way I study probably 75% of the material that I surely Sunday morning or Thursday night comes together through just reading the word.

I read what I get Ray to teach several times after I do that and really the bulk of the teaching is together then I'll start looking in commentaries, then I'll start doing cross-references in and things like that but I want to make sure that I'm receiving from God from his word.

What he wants to speak to you people, not necessarily what I love J.

Vernon McGee, I do not want necessarily what he was saying. The people who years ago our what some of these other commentators are saying to other people and that's important because sometimes if you dig in the commentaries before you dig another word, like what appraiser uses predigested thoughts for you so you gotta be careful with that because the sweat.

Doug and I believe Simon is believing, and he was baptized and I think here again we we exercise grace towards Simon now and see Simon is struggling with issues and it's a little scary that someone might think Simon wasn't saved because he was still struggling with issues unlike the rest of us. When we got saved and quit struggling with all our issues in a manner only verse 14 now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them who, when they had come down.

Pray for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit is cool because it's continuing to build the bridge between the church. It was beginning in Samaria, and the church in Jerusalem, they snap for John and Peter Hagan come see what the Lord is doing the Jewish Christians, meaning, and reaching out to the Samaritan Christians in other people being involved in meeting you know the needs of the people noticed Philip wasn't like all you guys can come down versus my flock is you know he opened the door they came in and they say the Bible says that they might receive the Holy Spirit that were to be talking about the Holy Spirit, we have to understand something, there is little hot of poor teaching.

There's a lack of teaching concerning the Holy Spirit, you may as I was I was a victim of bad teaching concern Holy Spirit for years and years and you may may need understand this morning that you may have been a victim of poor teaching regarding the Holy Spirit. Here's the thing, what should we look to to learn about our beliefs in the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, the Bob Solis Scripture that was a phrase that came out of the Reformation saying you know what were going to look to the Bible alone to base our doctrine and our theology on a single pastor, David, isn't that obvious know it's not because there's a lot of people that believe a lot of things about the Holy Spirit that are not scriptural, they can't backup of the Bible.

And when you challenge them with what they say why denominational headquarters told us this. I don't want to be handing you a flyer from denominational headquarters only say take a look at the book see what the book has to say about the Holy Spirit. Now here's the thing to should we base our beliefs about the Holy Spirit on our experiences. No no and here's why.

Because experiences will come get their subjective. In other words, somebody might come here and really feel the presence of the Lord and in somebody might come here and maybe they're having a bad day. Maybe I don't know what's going on but maybe they come here and I don't really feel the presence of the Lord.

So we see that our experiences can lead to misconceptions so what we want to do is look to what the Bible says so can we all agree this morning that were going to enter into Solis Scripture mode if you will, and base our beliefs on the Holy Spirit. According to the Bible, can we all agree on is a follower of Jesus.

If you can't recognize this is the book you're in trouble will be right back with more from David McGee on cross the bridge right now. Here's a word from associate pastor DA Brown. We want to take just a minute to pray for some cities in our listening audience. Specifically, Merlin Pendleton, Portland, Powell Butte Prairie city in Redmond Oregon. What we think, for the people living in the cities where we pray that you would draw them into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Father we pray for their homes, that there be unity and love that they would fall you with all your heart, soul and strength. As a family we pray for the pastors and churches in these areas God that you would anoint them to teacher word. Verse by verse.

Even Lord that you give the pastors wisdom and discernment, how to serve and love the people that God brings Lord we love you. We thank you for the cities. We pray that you do a mighty work in the name of Jesus. Amen, amen. Thank you brother and now get back to David McGee as he continues teaching verse by verse go back and reread 15 and the 16th when they had come down praying for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit verse six think for as yet he had fallen upon none of them they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

When I left, creates a situation for some of you because you may have been told that either a year filled with the spirit. When you're saved or that you're filled with the spirit. When your water baptized will, according to this passage. Neither of those are correct and let me explain.

There are well. List three Greek words and get heavy duty in the original language, but there is para in an happy these are the words use concerning our relationship with the Holy Spirit before your converted before you come to the Lord.

The Holy Spirit is along you. He doesn't dwell in you. Now something going on everybody gets a little bit Holy Spirit were all children of God know or not that's un-biblical is a very popular concept, but it's on biblical member Jesus was having a conversation John chapter 8 listen Jewish leaders in their they're talking about father there slamming Jesus saying he was born as an illegitimate child. If you miss that. Go back and reread it. They say we not be born of fornication. They were saying where's your daddy and Jesus goes on to say year of your father the devil, so obviously there's two fatherhood's going on in the world today there is those who belong to the Lord and and there's those who belong to the devil.

John chapter 1 verse 12 says for as many as received seen him they became children of God cc the clarification you have to receive Jesus to become a child of God, and it scripturally inaccurate to look at the whole earth and go everybody's children got another, neither is everybody filled with the Holy Spirit when you go what what's holding about the conscience. Well, that's the Holy Spirit coming into contact with your conscious convicting.

You are convincing you of your need for Jesus but seek God's holy God. God's not going to dwell where sin resides and why your yet unconverted, why you've yet to ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins Holy Spirit can't dwell in you because he's holy is what happens at conversion to paint this out and then were going to look to the Bible in your ear. You see, this is is just plain at conversion you receive some of the spirit of God. Ephesians chapter 1 verse 14 says you are sealed with the spirits. Interesting phrase actually is in the original Greek is like a down payment.

You have some of the spirit of God.

But the question is are you absolutely filled to overflowing.

I have to say no and here's one because that's the picture. The Bible paints the Bible paints a picture that there is a subsequent experience to salvation of being filled with the spirit and it's very plain from this passage. These people believed they been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus and yet they had not received the Holy Spirit now maintain one of the challenges to this the people issue is a safe way.

No, that was only for the early church. It's only the early church. It was supposed to have this subsequent experience with the Holy Spirit. That's a great theory show man here now I've had conversations with people who have all sorts of initials behind her name. Dr. PhD. I know that they been unable to convince me from this book that there is no subsequent experience with the Holy Spirit and when you look at this book you see that there is a subsequent experience in John chapter 20 verse 22 Jesus is speaking to the disciples. This is after his resurrection and he says this and when he talked about Jesus and when he said this, he breathed on them and said to them, receive the Holy Spirit.

At that point, did they receive the Holy Spirit. Absolutely, they receive a portion of the Holy Spirit. They did receive the Holy Spirit.

They had that in EN in the Greek. I am in the English that some portion into the cup experience. But after this, both chronologically and in your Bible asked chapter 1 verse eight after Jesus said receive the Holy Spirit. We have to believe they receive the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said this this to them, but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the year. Holy Spirit has come upon it. It's a different word in the Greek it's epic overflowing. Now this Bible paints that there is a subsequent experience. Absolutely. Have you been told that there's not perhaps you have but again, if you have you've been a victim of bad teaching unscriptural teaching because not only do we have that thing with Jesus.

Jesus and receive the Holy Spirit and they did and then him later saying the Holy Spirit will come upon you happy to overflowing, but we have this passage were looking at now where the people believed in Jesus Christ where they were baptized, and they had yet to receive infilling of the Holy Spirit. There's another place in acts. That's a little less clear but I'll sure asked chapter 19 verse two he said under them. Have you received the Holy Spirit goes since you believed and they said on that we have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost in that passage is unclear because they think they said well we been baptized in the name of John.

But the question is the telling, Paul says, have you received since you believe that's a great question for us this morning. Have you received since you believe some of you this may be very some of you may be centered on Petra never heard well. I apologize for that but you haven't heard it before but I can only make sure that you hear about it this morning. As we look at this passage also again let me remind you separate yourself from whatever teaching that you have had that has been on biblical is again. You know sometimes when I present this I present the opposing Scripture and almost adds confusion because you know what will do an experiment. It's in first Corinthians 13 and if you think you can find it and email it and ask us about and will be sure to answer but you know what it if I don't point out what verse of this. I don't think you'll find now there's a model if somebody has to twist the explanation of Scripture for you to understand what they really meant danger danger known really thin line. There is no passage in the Bible that says that what was going on in the early church was going to no versatile looked at the Greek gone and the depth of this rapture scenario went out and wouldn't Jesus have told us there is a subsequent experience.

Jesus told the disciples he said receive the Holy Spirit later on he said the Holy Spirit will fill you okay will will let me have told us we were leaking we needed to ask the Holy Spirit and Jesus have told us we need that for the Holy Spirit, one glad you brought that up to some of you may be sitting here going. I never heard her switch that will always bear.

Where is that the Bible is in their as a matter fact we go and do something else and want to take time on this because I wanted understand biblically what the deal was understand some people might be in here this morning and I start time at the Holy Spirit. Talk about being filled with the Holy Spirit and immediately you began to envision some really wacky things it if you're a guest here your thinking all my gosh this is going to get weird people going to be screaming and running around for the services of know they're not. They may wants and and I'll speak to my leadership will speak a lot of times people do stop ago it's Holy Spirit. They do crazy wacky stuff that's unscriptural because Holy Spirit is not Holy Spirit/so those people have misrepresentative you will, the ministry Holy Spirit.

But don't let that drive you away from a personal experience with Holy Spirit to because here's the thing. I know that examples of Christian I know people that believe they were the sole representative. I'm not sure I ever got saved… Look at their life and to what Christianity hope "that looks bad looks will wacky. I could've missed out on salvation and in the same way you could miss how the gift of the Holy Spirit use other people who have acted on scripturally as your example. Jesus knew that we were to be fearful in regards to this issue.

That's why he tells us in Luke chapter 11. He says if a son ask for bread from any father among you, will he give Musto Artie asked for officially giving him a serpent instead of a fish of the aspirin and will he offer him a scorpion in view than 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. That's as plain as it gets in Jesus you're supposed to ask Jesus that you may be afraid, but still ask. I've even heard some whacked out people say no. If you ask God to fill you with Holy Spirit demons will come in and Jesus and absolutely not absolutely and notice given the Holy Spirit to those who ask him for asked to be filled with the spirit life lesson here. We should be filled with the Holy Spirit. We should be filled with the Holy Spirit that Ephesians said be not drunk with wine, but be filled with the spirit, or be constantly filled with the spirit so what we want to do is we want to take a balanced approach because the Bible talks about that subsequent experience where you are overflowing filled also talked about being filled on a daily basis.

That's what the Bible does so we want to approach it biblically, but you should be filled with the spirit and and there is no reason for you not to ask the Lord to fill you with the spirit today your past experiences, your bad experiences.

Your improper teaching regarding this doesn't matter. This is what the Scripture says that you're supposed to ask for the spirit.

Howbeit how do you get filled with the spirit asked for the Holy Spirit.

You have to be filled with the Holy Spirit and God. It's as simple as that.

A lot of times you'll see people. The Bible mentions the laying on of hands to be filled with the spirit so that's what we do here. We do that in a manner that seems again can was Scripture because you talk about laying on of hands, and what is immediately everybody think they think it's a nice snack and somebody on the four that's not notice the phrase God the laying all of hands.

If God wanted us to smack one another in the four head he would've called smacking all of hands, but that's not what he called it because it laying on of hands so when somebody is be praying for semi to be filled with the spirit. It is an appropriate thing for them to reach over and for them to lay their hands on them and pray for or to take anointing will we see biblically all is a picture Holy Spirit, knowing them and say landlord fill you with the spirit. Those are all appropriate things that we see what happens. Verse 17 then they laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit and then notice again. They laid hands on and they received and again there's been some stuff I've heard people have an tarrying meeting know they just wait wait wait wait wait wait wait wait wait wait wait wait wait wait wait wait wait wait wait for the holy spirit to come upon you know the only time you see that is when the disciples waited the first time at Pentecost because there is a picture of you can go back in the teachings and in and you will hear the whole face of the cost and what that was about. That was the only tearing and I've heard people say will you know you will receive the Holy Spirit because there sin in your life. Well, ask the Lord to forgive you of your sin and asking the fill you with the spirit because again for people to you get filled with the spirit and then you know if you supposedly don't get filled with the spirit is able to send in your life. There's some wrong with you receive the Holy Spirit by grace just like you receive salvation by grace only mention one more thing in this room a lot of people here came. We know Jesus as our Savior. There was that moment in time we see Jesus, forgive me of my sent for some of us that was an increase credible emotional experience. Tears flowed for some people in here when they came in they asked Jesus to forgive the mother sounds. It was not this big incredible emotional experience. It was a quiet thing babies in the quietness of your own maybe didn't cry yesterday with your point both cases received salvation by faith through grace not based upon Wausau felt so don't base it on your feelings because some people might not feel forgiven when they do this you ask the Holy Spirit to fill you. You may feel something crab you may not, but you don't base it on your feet with someone Holy Spirit with. I want to be sure that we understand doctrinally and theologically with the Bible has to say about the Holy Spirit and again subsequent experience, namely experience constantly with your spirit friend you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now only Legion a 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 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 to congratulations for you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you, if you prayed that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you visit, cross the bridge.com and click on God's plan for new life to receive our first steps packaged with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ. God wants to bless you and encourage your relationships today.

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