The Person of the Holy Spirit - Life of Paul Part 60

You be a follower of Christ toward number one being the to keep things exactly the way they are today with the Lord Jesus in heaven and with the Holy Spirit here on earth, ministering to us or option number two, which would be to have the Lord Jesus personally back here on earth began walking without talking with a by eating and drinking and sleeping with a which option do you think most followers of Christ would choose well taken people to Israel for the last 15 years on the over thousand people and you know what I've learned is that what makes it so special and so meaningful to them that people are walking where Jesus walked up there praying, where Jesus prayed that the standing where Jesus told them.

So based on my experience with people in Israel. I suspect most people would probably given the choice to stop the number two that the Lord Jesus back here on earth with us again.

But interestingly enough, listen to what Jesus said about this he said, John 16, seven it is for your good that I am going away for I go away.

I will send the Holy Spirit to you.

The Lord Jesus made it clear that often number one with him in heaven and the Holy Spirit here on earth that really is our best option which means the Holy Spirit must be in the business of doing some pretty amazing and some pretty awesome things here on this earth for the Lord who said that that's what we want to start talking about the day the person and the work of the Holy Spirit, and it grows out of an incident out of the life of the apostle Paul. Acts chapter 19.

So let's look at the Bible and it will come back and will start talking about the Holy Spirit moving the background.

Remember now the apostle Paul has finished his second missionary journey. Let's show your map he's gone from troll as here in Northwestern Turkey today across the Aegean is going to Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens and Corinth only Greece preaching. He then made a quick stop in Ephesus and returned home to Antioch in Syria, which is down here just off of the map.

He began his second missionary journey in the beginning of 50 A.D. he finished it in the fall of 53 A.D. so that's where we are looking chapter 18 verse 23 and after spending some time in Antioch.

Paul spread out from there and travel from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia strengthening all the disciples after being back in Antioch for just a few months but show your map. The apostle Paul decided to go back and visit all of these cities in Galatia and Phrygia. That was the underbelly the southern underbelly of Turkey cities such as Derby List Dr., Coney in Antioch and pergola.

All of these cities decided to go back and visit the cities and encourage the believers there asked 19 verse one so Paul took the road through the interior that is of Asia minor and he arrived at Ephesus back to our map. Here Paul went to Derby Lister.

I called him and then went to the middle of Turkey the middle of Asia minor.

Arriving at Ephesus here on the western coast and Ephesus. As you can see with the capital city of the green portion of the map, the Roman province of Asia, making it the second most influential city in the Roman Empire of Paul's day now called and wanted to go to Ephesus for many many years.

But the God in his timing had never allowed Paul to go there and do any serious ministry here and accept the 19 suddenly, the timing of God is right, and now Paul is going to spend two years here in Ephesus. The longest amount of time he ever spent in any one city on any of his journeys to read more about that in the weeks to come out.

Verse one continues and what would Paul Dr. Ephesus he found there some disciples any and ask them did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believe and they answered no, we haven't even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.

So Paul said to them within what baptism did you receive and they replied John's baptism. Here the apostle Paul meets a group of disciples, followers of the Bible says they have believed and been baptized and yet the Bible says they've never heard of the Holy Spirit and it's obvious from the verses become. They did not have a Holy Spirit indwelling their life you save a lot. How could this be on the knock on that as soon as a person believes in Jesus.

As soon as they become a true follower of Christ, the Holy Spirit immediately comes into their life. Well, that's right. That's exactly what the Bible teaches Romans eight verse nine and if anyone does not have the Holy Spirit in their life.

That person does not belong to Christ.

But the Bible says these men that believe they were disciples, but they didn't have the Holy Spirit in their life, yet which means they were not born again the deal is not been sealed yet you still have to not be. Can you explain that while the explanation that I think makes most sense is that in the early days of the Christian faith before the New Testament was written. It took a while for the apostle Paul and the other apostles to spread the full and complete message about Jesus Christ throughout the Roman world, and while they were going about that. Pockets of people could be found who had incomplete information about Christ. They had enough information about Jesus, to be attracted to him but they didn't have enough information to close the deal for salvation and eternal life, and apparently that's what happened with these men here in acts 19 they believed fully everything they know about Jesus. They heard about John's baptism. Maybe they had heard a little bit about the earthly ministry of Jesus, but they didn't know about the cross. They didn't know about the resurrection they didn't know about the coming of the Holy Spirit and therefore they had not been able to complete the deal yeah but all that's going to change. Verse four Paul said John's baptism was a baptism of repentance and John told people to believe in the one who was coming after him. That is Jesus, and then Paul apparently went on to tell about the cross and tell them about the crucifixion.

Tell them about the resurrection and on hearing this, this new information updated information. These men were baptized now in the name of the Lord Jesus.

And when Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them and they spoken songs and they prophesied.

Whatever their exact theological deficiency was the apostle Paul. Six he told them the extra information they needed. They receive that information believe that information and the spirit of God into their lives in great power to stop for the moment because it's time to ask a most important question, although that is so are we ready okay. Even the most stoic among you, are you ready all right here we go ready 123 that Launcelot wasn't what any of this make to my life today were friends given an interesting that when the apostle Paul arrived here in town.

He asked these people have you received the Holy Spirit because Paul understood the central and crucial and strategic role of the Holy Spirit in our lives as believers and that the first thing he wanted to know do you have the Holy Spirit in your life and were to talk a little bit about that central and strategic ministry of the Holy Spirit. But you know I own a 1996 Dodge Caravan that I use us when we used to transport my daughter Jill around has 125,000 miles on it sent out a week or so ago. This use started blowing under the – whenever you start the car now diffuse control signal lights which frankly I think was that big a deal, so I didn't got there we don't need to fix that and also control the dash lights and I said well that's probably not that big a deal either. But it also control something that in Washington DC, is a big deal it control the air conditioning and so my wife that we gotta get it fixed us in our so we took it to the repair shop and when I went to pick it up. The guy hands me a bill for over $800 and I said to him I said how bad I got a pretty expensive fixture for use and I think I think I made them up for because here's what he said back to me he said and I quote well then next time. Why don't you just lay hands on the band like bedding in and asked the Holy Spirit. Okay you see what I think I said now we all know that the work of the Holy Spirit is not the heel fuses and band. We all know that. But what exactly is the work in the ministry of the Holy Spirit here in our world will before we talk about what the Holy Spirit does. Let's first talk about who the Holy Spirit is because that is crucial to understanding what he does. First of all, the two things I want to tell you number one. The Holy Spirit is a person is not an inanimate force is not a thing. He's not in it. The Bible says asked by the Holy Spirit can be like to ask them in the Holy Spirit can be resisted, asked him, the Holy Spirit can be obeyed. The Bible says, Romans chapter 8 the Holy Spirit prays for us before God the father. Ephesians chapter 4 the Bible says the Holy Spirit has feelings that can be hurt and wounded and grieve friends. You cannot grieve and it cannot hurt the feelings of an impersonal force. The Holy Spirit is a person which leads to the second thing I want to know is that not only is he a person, but he is also God the Holy Spirit is as much God as is God the father and God the son, the Lord Jesus all the attributes of the Bible. Credit the God, the Bible also credits of the Holy Spirit. All the works of God that the Bible credits the God, the Bible also credits to the Holy Spirit.

For example, Psalm 139 says that the Holy Spirit is omnipresent, Isaiah 40 says that the Holy Spirit is omnipotent, the Bible. First Corinthians 2 tells us that the Holy Spirit knows the deep things of God that only God can know Genesis 1 tells us the Holy Spirit took part in creation, which only God did first Peter chapter 2 tells us that the Holy Spirit inspired the writing of the Bible which we know only God do chapter 1 tells us that the Holy Spirit was the one responsible for the virgin birth. Matthew 2819 go and make disciples. Jesus said of all nations, baptizing them in the name singular of the father son and the Holy Spirit.

And the reason the word name is singular is because there is only one God who exists in three persons, God the father, God the son and God the Holy Spirit.

This is why the Council of Constantinople, 381 A.D. hundred and 50 evangelical bishops gathered to lock down theology, evangelical theology said and I quote, we believe in the Holy Spirit the life-giving lawn who is to be glorified equally with the father and the son. This is who the Holy Spirit is now that we know who is. Let's talk about what is he do will friends the work of the Holy Spirit is so enormously broad that we can't possibly cover it all.

Today, in particular, were not going to talk today about spiritual gifts were not going to talk about the charismatic gifts. The gift of tongues to get to feelings of prophecy and miracles and all of that and the reason is that I have a 12 tape series that I did years ago called tongs, healings and miracles. A biblical perspective that you can pick up in the bookstore.

If you have any questions about any of these gifts we talk about what the gifts are, how they operated or they operating today you have any issues with that the couple's place and you can listen to them. We are a non-charismatic church. We have serious theological concerns about the way some of these charismatic gifts are being practiced today. Therefore, we don't practice them. Now this doesn't mean were an anti-charismatic church. You will never hear her say a bad word about people who disagree with us on this and do practice these gifts. We never have, and we never will. But friends. It does mean that that we don't practice them. Here, however, we don't know the baby out with the bathwater. Just because we don't practice some of these charismatic gifts that does not mean that we downplay or diminish the ministry of the Holy Spirit in this church because folks in our world today. The Bible teaches that live in the church age in which were living almost exclusively. This age is the age of the Holy Spirit to put it another way, almost all the work of God going on today is being done not directly by God the father or directly by God. The fun, but by God the Holy Spirit to try to run the church without the Holy Spirit. That's craziness to try to reach people for Jesus Christ without the ministry of the Holy Spirit will that's ludicrous to try to live a life that honors God today without the Holy Spirit's help, that's impossible, friends trying to do the ministry of God without the Holy Spirit is like trying to run a car but I definitely so we do not diminish as a matter of fact we play off the ministry of the Holy Spirit, but of the ways that we feel are appropriate.

Now we are having said all about. What are some of the jobs. What are some of the ministries of the Holy Spirit. I'm only going to give you a few I can't possibly give y'all, but here are some of the most important number one.

The Holy Spirit in our world today is the one who removes people spiritual blindness so they realize their need for Jesus Christ.

Second Corinthians chapter 4 says that the God of this world, Satan has blinded the minds of unbelieving people so they cannot see the glory of Jesus. Number six goes on to say, but the spirit, the Holy Spirit made his light shine into our hearts as followers of Christ, so that now we can see God's glory in the person of Jesus Christ, you know, when you pray for a friend or loved one, a neighbor or relative a coworker to come to Christ.

You know it's really praying for what you are really praying for is for God the Holy Spirit to remove the spiritual blindness from these people to drop the spiritual scales from their eyes so that they can see and understand where they can before God and can appreciate their need for Jesus Christ and friends that you are walking with Jesus Christ today. Let me tell you Ludi have the type of that is I know I have the fact I have a lot of time. No no no you mama maybe a wonderfully but your mom is not the reason you're walking with Jesus today. The reason is that at some point in your life. It may be as a result of your Mama's prayers, but at some point in your life God the Holy Spirit dropped the scales from your eyes, remove the spiritual blindness from your heart and suddenly you understood where you stood with God and why you needed Jesus and you asking to be your personal savior.

If you're walking with Jesus.

Today you got the Holy Spirit to fight for the Senate here today you never trusted Jesus in the real and personal way. May I say to you that this is really the key issue when I was in the process of coming to Jesus. Amanda led me to price a lot. Every time you open the Bible and read and I would say to you every time you get ready to come to church a little prayer you should say is God, if you're really Jesus is who he said he is remove the blinders from my eyes and help you see that not go to God is real and Jesus. We continually study if is not a bit of danger and pray that prayer for soprano nothing but if God Israel and Jesus eventually said that the key issue that God needs to remove the blindness that the Bible says everyone of us come into this world with the spiritual blindness so that we can see and understand our need of Jesus.

Once we get there.

The rest of it is a piece That's a great prayer for you to print number two. What else is the Holy Spirit do number two. He is the one that brings new birth to people who come to Christ.

Remember Jesus talk about it to Nicodemus. John chapter 3 he said you must be born again and then he said you must be born by the spirit spirit is the one who gives new birth number three, the Holy Spirit indwells every genuine follower of Jesus Christ member with Jesus said, John 1417 he said to his disciples, the Holy Spirit has been with you. And after I rise after I rise from the dead and go to heaven and he comes at Pentecost. He will be in you inside that body with you.

That's why Paul writes first Corinthians 6 verse 19 don't you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and God you are not your own living inside of that body of your follower of Jesus Christ is not just you but as you and the Holy Spirit together. Number four.

The Holy Spirit is the one who gives us assurance of our salvation every day.

Romans 816 spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are God's children pay as a follower of Christ. You know that since that you have that you know that you know that you know that you belong to God, you know, that sounds living today were coming from is coming from the Holy Spirit testifying every day to your heart that your child of God when I first came to Christ in Chapel Hill, North Carolina almost 33 years ago I would walk down the street and see mild drug buddies and they would say what's going on and I said I just did my life to Jesus and they would go you know what they say what you greatly. Don't you know Christianity in real Christianity is all Jesus can't be the Messiah and they throw all these high sounding intellectual argument to me that I've never heard before. Think they must learn them in religion class. Their job will honor when I got from and all these things.

I couldn't answer these objections and I had no way to respond to my friends know what I knew that I knew that I knew that I belong to Jesus Christ and I would say to them you know I can answer your questions friends but I know that I know that I know that I belong to Jesus, I'm sticking with it and how did I know that I knew it because it was a ministry of the Holy Spirit to my heart say lawn, you may not be able to answer the questions friends but you still belong me and that's one of the things the Holy Spirit does force each and every day. Number five, the Holy Spirit is the one who illuminates our minds so that we can understand the Bible. First Corinthians chapter 2 verse 14 the person without the spirit cannot grasp truth that comes from God, for it is foolishness to him and he cannot understand it but we have received as followers of Christ, God spirit so that we can understand the truth freely given to us by God.

Yet running the people who say things like, you know, I read his Bible and acted like gobbledygook to me. I read it and it's like hieroglyphics and European understand one word this thing saying you know why because as a nonbelieving person without the ministry of the Spirit of God in their life they can understand spiritual truth and then all of a sudden these people come to Christ in their life. 0000, did you notice within your own. What happened to they came off the medication know know know what happened to a man, the Holy Spirit came into their lives that all of a sudden begin illuminating their heart and your mind so they can understand spiritual truth. If you have quiet time in the morning and you take out the Bible and you read it it makes sense to you and it thrills her heart and he gives a goofball and it encourages you for the day. Let me tell you why that's happening because the Holy Spirit is illuminating your heart and my so that you can grasp your true that's one of his job number six.

The Holy Spirit is the one who gives a spiritual gift so we can serve God and then empowers us to use them effectively. First Corinthians 12 number seven. The Holy Spirit is the one who comforts us in the trials of life. John chapter 14 were really low D is the one who wraps his arms around us and says it's going to be okay.

I'm here with you. Number eight. The Holy Spirit is the one who prays for us when we are so distraught that we don't even know what to pray for Steve the 107, our father, they don't really think they can say this, but here's what they really want from number nine.

The Holy Spirit second Thessalonians 2 is the one who restrains evil in this world so that the work of God can move forward friends.

Thank God for the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives and in this world not just given you a smattering of what the Bible teaches. How could we ever do ministry or life without the ministry of the Holy Spirit, but I have one more that I want to give you as we close, and this one is really cool is that we are all cool when they are but this is really cool and that is number 10 that the Holy Spirit is God's down payment on August as followers of Jesus Christ that you know what a down payment is a down payment of the deposit that somebody makes as a promise that they're going to follow through on the deal will listen to what the Bible says. Second Corinthians chapter 1 verse 22 God sealed us and gave us the Holy Spirit in our hearts as a down payment. Ephesians chapter 1 verse 13. After you believe in Jesus Christ, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is God's down payment, guaranteeing our inheritance as followers of Jesus Christ and what is this inheritance that the Holy Spirit is a down payment is guaranteeing in our lives will listen.

Second Corinthians 5 we know that he who raised Jesus will raise us also so that our mortality may be swallowed up by eternal life. Now he will prepare dogs for this very purpose, that is, for the purpose of having eternal life is God who gave us the Holy Spirit as a down payment friends. The indwelling Holy Spirit is God's guarantee that as a follower of Jesus Christ, you are going to get eternal life exactly like God promised the indwelling Holy Spirit is God's guarantee that God is going to raise you up to live forever just like he raised Jesus off the live forever put a deposit down on you.

He made a down payment on you and me and friends God and make down payments unless you serious about finishing the deal.

You know my son John is done traveling around with people looking at colleges and and he wants to play college baseball.

So were trying to coordinate our schedules over there on campus at the same time that the college baseball coaches there which sometimes gives us a very tiny window to shoot for, and we were looking we run a college up north out of the area. Here were the only day we could make that happen with the date of graduation from college and so I called up this little college town trying to get a hotel room for the night before graduation. Finally found one. It was not cheap but I finally found one so I get the lady on the phone for reservations. She's a bookstore I need to tell you that because this is graduation weekend, we require a down payment that we go ahead and immediately charge on your credit card today and I said okay will how much is it she said the full price of the room. What is your cancellation policy. She could our cancellation policy is doomed cancel whenever you want, but we keep your money.

What sound like much of a cancellation policy to me. She said 31 through midocean. I said all right, take the room I said let me just tell you something I said when I make this kind of a deposit on the room. You can be absolutely sure if I have to give that room away as a wedding present. Somebody is going to be there to stay in her room. I guarantee you that room will not go empty because I will make a down payment like that without being serious. I mean you know me right you know my heritage on what the point is God of the make down a down payment either lefties. And when God made the down payment in your life giving you the Holy Spirit friends he didn't because he fears he serious that everything he promised you about eternal life. You're going to get. He's coming back to finish the deal and he left. The Holy Spirit is a deposit just so you know beyond any doubt he's finishing that deal not on the little ghetto veteran that I need a better lift your spirits today. I don't know what the world will live. I mean, you know, God help you, but this was my spirits knowingness and the next week when I come back I see.

That's because Father's Day sort of talk today is the week after that really come back and talk some more about the Holy Spirit and just to whet your appetite a little bit to two weeks from now were to talk about the Holy Spirit and the role that he plays in living the Christian life beyond convinced that 90% or more people come to Christ have been taught to live the Christian experience incorrectly and that's why we look around and all the wonderful victory that everybody talks about having were not habited we go. Or maybe something's wrong with some not wrong with you something is wrong with the way that you were taught to live the Christian experience because at the heart of living the Christian experience properly is the ministry of the Holy Spirit talk about that two weeks so if your motto is hey if I'm a Christian talk about you live the Christian life. You don't want to miss two weeks from today were to tell you how to fix.

So let us pray together we say heavenly father, thank you for the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Thank you for above everything else is being our down payment are guarantee that you're going to do everything you said you're going to do the trigger to complete the deal so Lord Jesus, help us to walk out of here encourage this morning encourage that not only do we have the Holy Spirit doing all these wonderful things for us each and every day, but that the Holy Spirit is our absolute pledge from God that were going to heaven and that eternal life is going to be ours and so lift our spirits and encourage our hearts with that knowledge to date about what's going on in the world today remind us it's only temporary. One day were coming to be with you and we have the spirit of God as our down payment to prove and we ask these things in Jesus name, amen