Common Ground Holy Spirit: Part 3 1

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1 Common Ground Holy Spirit: Part

2 Common Ground Holy Spirit: Part 3 2 Overview Where We are Headed The Holy Spirit. Perhaps the most mysterious person of the Godhead, He is often undervalued and receives the least of our attention. Yet, He is the most powerful element in our relationship with God. For He is God, alive in us. He is the universal agent for the advancement of God s Kingdom in all God s people, at all places, at all times Previously In our last session together, we looked more closely at the face of the Holy Spirit. We explored what He looks like in His person and work. We examined His role in the Trinity as well as the Kingdom advancement. We were reminded that He is a helper and counselor eager to guide and strengthen us in our walk with God. Tonight So what do we look like when He indwells? How do we seek Him and what is the evidence of His power within us? Are we different? Do we stand out? Let s Move!

3 Common Ground Holy Spirit: Part 3 3 Context The Book of Acts 1 Purpose: To give an accurate account of the birth and early growth of the Christian Church Author: Luke Audience: Theophilus Date: Between A.D. 63 and 70 Setting: Known as the sequel to Luke s gospel, Acts is the connecting link between Christ s life and the life of the church, between the Gospels and the Epistles. Key Verse: But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power to testify about me with great effect, to the people in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria and to the ends of the earth... Acts "Introduction to Luke." ESV Study Bible: English Standard Version. Ed. Lane T. Dennis. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, Print. Taylor, Kenneth Nathaniel. Life Application Bible: The Living Bible. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, Print.

4 Common Ground Holy Spirit: Part 3 4 Text Acts 2 The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost 1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. 5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues! 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, What does this mean? 13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, They have had too much wine. Peter Addresses the Crowd 14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It s only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. 22 Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23 This man was handed over to you by God s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. 25 David said about him:

5 Common Ground Holy Spirit: Part 3 5 I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 26 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope, 27 because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence. 29 Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30 But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31 Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. 32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. 33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand 35 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet. 36 Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. 37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, Brothers, what shall we do? 38 Peter replied, Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off for all whom the Lord our God will call. 40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, Save yourselves from this corrupt generation. 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. The Fellowship of the Believers 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

6 Common Ground Holy Spirit: Part 3 6 Verse Cause Effect 4 Filling Speaking 6 Speaking Gathering 8 Gathering Hearing 37 Hearing Convicting 41 Convicting Repenting 41 Repenting Receiving 42 Receiving Devoting Sequence is everything.

7 Common Ground Holy Spirit: Part 3 7 The Cause and effect Causation in logic, philosophy 2 and theology. Understanding the cause/effect relationship in Acts 2. The church s action is the result/effect of the Holy Spirit. The Fellowship of the Believers Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. It is not a formula to create the Holy Spirit. The work of God begins (and ends) with God. The work of God begins with the glory and presence of God! The danger of the modern church: Mimicking the work of the Spirit without the presence of the Spirit. Having the existential without the essence. 3 Driving an ego-centered Gospel. We need to rediscover God! 2 Sproul, R. C.. The Consequence of Ideas. Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway Books, Print. 3 Piper, John. Don't waste your life. Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, Print.

8 Common Ground Holy Spirit: Part 3 8 The Coming of the Spirit The waiting. The disciples were obedient to wait as Christ directed. Acts 1:4-5 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. The filling. Acts 2:3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. This is simile. Fire: the description. seemed, like as, as This is Luke s best natural description of a supernatural event. Fire: the symbol. God s leading & presence Exodus 13: By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. 22 Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people. God s purity

9 Common Ground Holy Spirit: Part 3 9 Zecchariah 13:9 9 This third I will bring into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. Matt 3:11 I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 1 Corinthians 3:13 13 his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man s work. The fulfilling. This is the fulfillment of prophecy, Old and New Testament. Isaiah 42:1 Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations. Acts 2:17 In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. John 16:13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

10 Common Ground Holy Spirit: Part 3 10 The speaking. It is the work of the Spirit to point to/glorify the Father and the Son Glorifying God the Father Acts 2:11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues! Glorifying Jesus the Son Acts 2:36 Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. The Spirit does point to Himself as well. 4 The Spirit bears witness/gives evidence to his presence and work. Numbers 11:25 Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke with him, and he took of the Spirit that was on him and put the Spirit on the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but they did not do so again. Judges 14:6 The Spirit of the Lord came upon him in power so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat. But he told neither his father nor his mother what he had done. John 1:32 32 Then John gave this testimony: I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 4 Grudem, Wayne A.. Systematic theology: an introduction to biblical doctrine. Leicester, England: Inter-Varsity Press ;, Print.

11 Common Ground Holy Spirit: Part 3 11 The Response of the heart The inevitable response. There is joy that follows receiving the Holy Spirit The Fellowship of the Believers Acts 2:42 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. The inevitable increase. Acts 2:41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. Acts 2:47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Numbers do bear significance. Each number represents a life, heart and soul. If we desire to grow a Kingdom, our numbers should reflect the increase.

12 Common Ground Holy Spirit: Part 3 12 The Power that remains? Do we look like the 1st Century Church? Do we measure ourselves by ourselves? Do we display a 1st Century kind of power? Romans 8:9 9 You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. 1 Corinthians 6:19 19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. Do we confess? If the Holy Spirit is a helper / counselor, do we use Him in this regard? Do we confess our weaknesses in our relationship with God and ask for strengthening in these areas? Do we lead? Do we try to lead or be led by the Holy Spirit? Do we surrender? Do we give up control of the relationship? Do we give up comfort?

13 Common Ground Holy Spirit: Part 3 13 Jots Notes and prayer needs

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