HeartWaters #4 Pastor Mark Henderson Pure Water: The Holy Spirit is God Ephesians 4:29-5:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:19; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 Why does the divinity of the Holy Spirit matter? ide 2 As Christians we pretty much know what is a sin and what isn t. We know if we are doing wrong. For example, we know it is wrong to have an affair. (draw a line in the sand ) We know it is a sin to lie. (draw a line in the sand ) We know God doesn t approve of drunkenness (draw a line in the sand ) But we sometimes turn to technicalities to get as close to the line as we can without crossing it: But, what if we are just friends.. (tip toe toward the line) What if I just didn t say anything..then I m not lying, right? (step right up to the line) I had seven drinks but I acted fine, and I made sure I didn t drive! (balance at the edge of the line) Technically, I didn t cross the line, we often say to ourselves, and others. But, this is the point to remember, Pretend there is a line that if we crossed it we would be sinning And we moved toward the line, but didn t cross it. Our toes are right up to the line. We are still moving in the wrong direction. We are moving away from God, not towards Him. The closer we get to the line we are surely moving further away from God. That just hit me hard. I may not be sinning yet, but by moving in that direction, even if I catch myself, or control myself, my heart is being pulled by the sin. And I know me. When I am moving away from God it creates a domino effect. I soon become more selfish. I don t pray as much. I begin to start trying to take control of my life back into my own hands. And then it pretty much goes downhill from there. Increased sin is inevitable! I think we have to be honest with ourselves when we set this invisible line in our head. By establishing a line, am I moving toward God or away from God? Deep down, we all want to know that we are right with God. We want to know our creator and have Him be pleased with us. The gospel answers that need that we feel. While we were still sinners, Jesus died for us, the just for the unjust. When we turn toward God and put our faith in Jesus work on the cross we are freely forgiven. We don t deserve it! We can t be good enough! It is only by His grace that we are saved, I don t have to worry about being right with God because He has made me right! He is pleased with me! That s the gospel. This side of the gospel, however, we frequently get confused in how to think about life with Jesus. One frequent mistake is to leave it all up to God, to abuse grace. It includes thoughts like this: So, is sin not really a big deal now, because of grace? He ll forgive me no matter what right? I don t have to be good enough, so why do I want to be holy? I am doing pretty good and I won t ever be perfect, so why press on toward a goal I can t reach? Another frequent, but opposite mistake, is to believe it s all up to YOU and attempt to earn
God s favor after being saved by grace alone. Those thoughts sound like: I hope I did enough today to please God. I m not perfect, but I m still better than most people? If I try a little harder next week I know I can do better than this. But instead, God invites us to cooperate with His Holy Spirit in each of us. In this human and divine relationship to step in faith and depend on the Spirit in pursuit of holiness. How as a Christian do I pursue holiness in cooperation with the Spirit? Rick Warren recently wrote about it this way (May 21, 2014) - Throughout the Bible, we see an important truth illustrated over and over: The Holy Spirit releases his power the moment you take a step of faith. When Joshua was faced with an impassible barrier, the floodwaters of the Jordan River receded only after the leaders stepped into the rushing current in obedience and faith. Obedience unlocks God s power. Don t wait to feel powerful or confident. Move ahead in your weakness, doing the right thing in spite of your fears and feelings. This is how you cooperate with the Holy Spirit, and it is how your character develops. 1. The Holy Spirit is God The Holy Spirit, living inside of us as believers, is God! Stop and think about that truth for a second. The God who created me, who sustains my life from moment to moment, who paid the punishment for my sin in Jesus, lives in me! That is a compelling reason to cooperate with that Holy Spirit to transform my life to look more like Jesus. The Bible teaches an understanding of the Trinity as follows: God eternally exists as three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and each person is fully God, and there is one God. This understanding is found in a variety of passages in both the old and new testament. Let s take a look at just a couple which highlight for us that the Holy Spirit is God. Genesis 1:26, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. The plural verb, Let us and the plural pronoun, our suggest a plurality of persons in God himself. But not a full teaching of our understanding of the Trinity. Isaiah 63:10 says that God s people, rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit suggesting that the Holy Spirit is distinct from God himself and that by being able to be grieved, has emotional capabilities of a distinct person. There is then a more complete revelation of the Trinity and teaching that the Spirit is God in the new testament. In Matthew 3:16-17 when Jesus is baptized at the beginning of his ministry we read, the heavens were opened and eh saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on Him: and lo; a voice from heaven saying, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased, Here in one moment we see the three members of the Trinity performing three distinct activities. God the Father is speaking from heaven; God the Son is being baptized, and God the Holy Spirit is descending from heaven to rest upon and empower Jesus for his ministry. There are other passages we could look at as well, but it is clear that the Bible teaches us that the Holy Spirit is God. This doesn t mean we have a full or complete understanding of the Trinity, like Deuteronomy 29:29 says, The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law. God has revealed enough of himself in His Word for us to be obedient to what we know. So, what is the work of the Holy Spirit? This statement from Wayne Grudem is helpful here: Grudem, Systematic Theology, pg. 634, The work of the Holy Spirit is to manifest the active presence of God in the world, and especially in the church. (635) From the very beginning of creation we have an
indication that the Holy Spirit s work is to complete and sustain what God the Father has planned and what God the Son has begun, for in Genesis 1-2, the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters. And at Pentecost, with the beginning of the new creation in Christ, it is the Holy Spirit who comes to grant power to the church (Acts 1:8, 2:4, 17-18). The Holy Spirit has a primary role in completing and sustaining what God the Father has planned and what God the Son has begun. This morning we are specifically going to focus on the Holy Spirit s continuing work to purify us or make us holy. To be Holy, means to be set apart, to be wholly other. We have a relational God. He loves us. When we begin a relationship with Him through faith in His Son, he sends His Holy Spirit to continue that relationship. The Spirit continues the process of purifying us from sin. The Holy Spirit is GOD. 2. The Holy Spirit purifies When the Holy Spirit is flowing through me, what is the Holiness that the Holy Spirit is coaching us toward? Prior to any consideration of morality, biblical holiness describes a unique relationship that God has established and desires with his people. - Joe Scandrett, (IVP) In other words, to begin with, this purity is about a relationship that God desires to have with us, through the Holy Spirit, before any consideration of right or wrong behavior. Jerry Bridges continues with a helpful look at holiness. In the words of nineteenth-century Scottish theologian John Brown, Holiness does not consist in mystic speculations, enthusiastic fervors, or uncommanded austerities; it consists in thinking as God thinks, and willing as God wills. Neither does holiness mean, as is so often thought, adhering to a list of do s and don ts, mostly don ts. When Christ came into the world, He said, I have come to do Your will, O God (Hebrews 10:7). This is the example we are to follow. In all of our thoughts, all of our actions, in every part of our character, the ruling principle that motivates and guides us should be the desire to follow Christ in doing the will of the Father. This is the high road we must follow in the pursuit of holiness. The Holy Spirit calls us, prompts us, nudges us, and convicts us to become more like Christ in all that we think, say, and do. I m going to read 5 passages of Scripture giving us time to think about how each reveals the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives to purify us. Then I ll read it a second time before moving on. I would encourage you to pray this scripture with the open hearted approach of King David from Psalm 139. Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! Scripture: Holy Spirit help me to pursue holiness in my body... Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. (1Corinthians 6:19-20) Holy Spirit may I be transformed as you reveal the glory of the Lord to me...
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:17-18) Holy Spirit may we encourage each other in holiness, not quenching your work... And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:14-22) Holy Spirit remind me to forgive others as I have been forgiven... Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4:29-32) Holy Spirit empower me to walk in love, imitating Christ s love... 5:1 Walk in Love Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Ephesians 5:1-2) So what? Today I... The problem we face as followers of Christ We want to know that we are right with God, pleasing, holy Problem Internal dialogue I know myself, He can t be happy with my progress Who will guide us on this journey God has provided His Holy Spirit to empower us and change us from the inside out IF we will cooperate with His leading. Fork In the Road Decision Three Prayers that express our decision at this fork in the road with pursuing holiness: (attributed to Augustine) Lord make me good, but not yet. Lord make me good, but not entirely. Lord make me good.
Lord make me good, but not yet. (I won t cooperate with your Spirit) I don t really think a season of sin is going to wreck me. I m going to pursue what I want in a selfdirected life. Lord make me good, but not entirely. (I ll cooperate with your Spirit when I want) Some of my selfish sins seem harmless, they aren t really hurting anyone. I m never going to be good anyway, so I ll lean on your grace in this one. Lord make me good. (I m ready to cooperate and watch your Spirit work) I m turning from sin and the lines in the sand to pursue you God. I want what you want for me. I m tired of the pain and scars that my sin cause, so I want you to order my life. You re on the throne. I want to cooperate with your Spirit in pursuit of a life defined by Christ.