Sunday
Morning Bible Study
September
1, 2013
Introduction
Announce: Baptism/potluck next week.
Do people see Jesus? Is the gospel
preached? Does it speak to the broken hearted? Does it build up the church? Milk
– Meat – Manna Preach for a decision Is the church loved?
Years ago there was on old television game show called “What’s My Line?”
They would bring a mystery person into the studio and the four contestants
would take turns asking questions to find out what this person was known
for. What’s fun is to watch some of
these old shows on YouTube and see how some of these people would one day
become quite famous, though they might not have been famous at the time.
Raise your hand as soon as you recognize the person they’re interviewing …
We recognized him as he wrote out his name, and even more when we saw him, but
back in the fifties Colonel Sanders was unknown. Today I want to talk to you about someone you
may not really know that much about … not yet…
Illustration
An elderly woman walked into the local country church. The friendly usher
greeted her at the door. “Where would you like to sit?” he asked politely. “The
front row, please,” she answered. “You really don’t want to do that,” the usher
said. “The pastor is really boring.” “Do you happen to know who I am?” the
woman inquired. “No,” he said. “I’m the pastor’s mother,” she replied
indignantly. “Do you know who I am?” he asked. “No,” she said. “Good,” he
answered, and walked away…
Sometimes it’s good to not be recognized.
But sometimes there are people in your life that you really ought to
recognize and get to know.
I want to take a few weeks to talk about someone who is very, very
important to me, but someone who might be a bit of a mystery to a few of you.
(Ac 18:24–19:2 NKJV) —24 Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at
Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to
Ephesus. 25 This man
had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he
spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the
baptism of John. 26 So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and
Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God
more accurately.
Apollos was a believer, he was even a
preacher. He apparently was able to
persuade people about the Lord, and he would leave people behind in Ephesus who
would be called “disciples”. But he
didn’t have the whole story. There were
a few important things missing in his teaching.
Aquila and Priscilla were older believers who were able to straighten a few
things out for Apollos.
27 And when
he desired to cross to Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to
receive him; and when he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed
through grace; 28
for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the
Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.
Apollos was able to go on to Corinth in
Achaia and was used wonderfully there.
While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul showed up
in Ephesus.
1 And it
happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul,
having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some
disciples 2 he said to
them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him,
“We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.”
Here’s what amazes me – there’s this group of “disciples” who have not even
heard of “a Holy Spirit”.
Paul goes on to re-baptize them, lay hands on them,
they are filled with the Holy Spirit, and even do something wild like speak in
tongues.
I have a concern that there might be some folks who go to our church who
would be in the category of these fellows who said, “what’s
a Holy Spirit”?
As we start this series of studies on the Holy Spirit, it’s important that
we think about what we’re going to base our beliefs on.
Some of us have been believers for a long time, and it’s important that we
learn to sift through what we believe to make sure we are basing our ideas on
the correct thing.
Too often Christians base their ideas on the Holy Spirit purely upon
experience.
Some folks experience the work of the Spirit in quite an emotional way, and
much of what they believe about the Holy Spirit is based on these emotional
encounters.
Others have seen churches split over things related to the Holy Spirit,
such as the gift of tongues, and they too base their beliefs upon experience,
wanting to run from anything slightly spiritual because it’s too dangerous.
Some have never experienced the power of the Holy Spirit and their lack of
experience will make it easy for them to think that the Holy Spirit doesn’t
work today like He did in the book of Acts.
We’re going to try our best to make sure that we base our beliefs upon
God’s Word.
Who is the Holy Spirit?
He’s a person
Not an “it”
Some of us have learned our theology from Star Wars…
The Holy Spirit is not “the force”.
He is not an impersonal “thing”.
There was an early Church scholar named Arias, who caused division with his
declaration that God the Father was the only true God, that
Jesus was a created being, and the Holy Spirit was only an essence. This
doctrine is known as the Arian heresy.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses follow the Arian heresy and also see the Holy
Spirit as some kind of impersonal “force”.
In a way, it’s not hard to see where these “it” ideas can come from,
because the Holy Spirit is so careful not to draw attention to Himself that we
don’t really have a proper “name” for Him, we just call Him by a description of
what He is.
In addition, the word for “spirit”
in the Greek is “pneuma”, which is “neuter” in
gender. But that doesn’t make Him an
“it”.
Personality traits
The Holy Spirit has certain characteristics that only “persons” have. He …
He’s a “He”
(Jn 16:7–8 NKJV) —7 Nevertheless
I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not
go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to
you. 8 And when He has
come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Why is this significant? The Greek word for “spirit” (pneuma) is neuter, and sometimes the
pronouns used for the Spirit are neuter, only because they need to agree the
noun. But here in John 16, Jesus uses
masculine pronouns (literally, “Him”, auton,
and “that one”, ekeinos) to describe
the Holy Spirit.
Speaks
(Ac 13:2 NKJV) As they
ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me
Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
Forbids
(Ac 16:6 NKJV) …they were forbidden
by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia.
Prays
(Ro 8:26 NKJV) …the Spirit
Himself makes intercession for us with groanings
which cannot be uttered.
Loves
(Ro 15:30 NKJV) Now I beg
you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the
Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me,
Has a will
(1 Co 12:11 NKJV)
But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to
each one individually as He wills.
Has a mind
(Ro 8:27 NKJV) Now He who
searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is…
Strives
(Ge 6:3 NKJV) And the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive
with man forever…
Teaches
(Jn 14:26 NKJV) But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name,
He will teach you all things…
Testifies of Jesus
(Jn 15:26 NKJV) “But when
the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth
who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.
Guides
(Jn 16:13 NKJV) However,
when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth…
Searches
(1 Co 2:10 NKJV) But God
has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all
things, yes, the deep things of God.
Has opinions
(Ac 15:28 NKJV) For it seemed
good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than
these necessary things:
If you put these all together, you can only come to one conclusion, the
Holy Spirit is a person, not an “it”.
And as a person, we better be careful because we can …
Lie to Him
(Ac 5:3 NKJV) But Peter
said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and
keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?
Grieve Him
(Eph 4:30 NKJV) And do not
grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of
redemption.
Insult Him
(Heb 10:29 NKJV) Of how
much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has
trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which
he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?
It seems that sometimes when an action movie comes out with a sequel, to
make it more intense they add the tag line … “This time it’s personal”
My intent is not to scare you when it comes to the Holy Spirit, but to
recognize that He is a person.
Things change when you are not dealing with a “thing” but a person.
When you watch one of the “Hunchback of Notre Dame” movies, you are
introduced to this creature named “Quasimodo”, an ugly thing. Yet you learn to understand and eventually
appreciate that Quasimodo isn’t a monster, he’s actually the hero of the story.
The Holy Spirit is a Person. He is
no “monster”. He’s a Wonderful Person.
Like Quasimodo, He rescues us. He
gives us “sanctuary”.
He is God
1. Equated with Yahweh
In Isaiah 6, the prophet sees a vision
of Yahweh:
(Is 6:1–8 NKJV) —1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw
the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe
filled the temple. 2 Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he
covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one
cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The
whole earth is full of His glory!” 4 And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried
out, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am
a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a
people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts.”
Isaiah has seen the King, Yahweh (LORD).
6 Then one
of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had
taken with the tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth with it, and said: “Behold, this has
touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And
your sin purged.” 8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, And
who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”
Yahweh goes on to give instructions to
Isaiah about his ministry. Yahweh is
speaking.
Yet regarding this same passage, look
at who Paul says was speaking:
(Ac 28:25b NKJV) …“The Holy
Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers…
The same thing happens in Jer 31:31-33 when Yahweh promises to make a New Covenant
with His people.
In Hebrews 10:15-17 it says the Holy
Spirit made the covenant.
2. Equal to Father and Son
He has the same authority as the Father and the Son
(Mt 28:19 NKJV) Go
therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
(2 Co 13:14 NKJV)
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the
communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Amen.
3.
Attributes of God
There are some things that are unique to God. These things are what set God
apart from man. These things are all
attributes of the Holy Spirit.
He is Creator (Job. 33:4; Ps. 104:30)
He is Eternal (Heb. 9:14)
He is Omniscient (all knowing) (1Cor. 2:10-11)
He is Omnipotent (all powerful) (Luke
1:35)
He is Omnipresent (present everywhere)
(Ps. 139:7)
4. He is called God
Acts 5:1-11 tells the story of Ananias
and Sapphira who “lied to the Holy Ghost.”
(Ac 5:3–4 NKJV)
—3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to
the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for
yourself? 4 While it
remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own
control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to
men but to God.”
Peter equated lying to the Holy Spirit
with lying to God.
Why is this such a big deal?
We’ve talked about the Spirit being a “person”. We can relate to Him. But He’s not just any
old person, He’s God.
We aren’t talking about learning to rely on any
old person, we’re talking about God here.
He is all powerful and there’s nothing He can’t do.
And He lives inside of us.
Except He isn’t a “genie” who is here to do your beck and call. He the Sovereign God,
and we ought to learn to submit to Him.
The Holy Spirit has amazing power, but He may not wave a
magic wand and make your problems magically disappear. Instead He tends to want to give you the
power to obey Him, the power to change. And
it’s all dependent upon whether or not you will yield to Him.
He is holy
There’s a reason why He is called the “Holy” Spirit.
He is holy.
That means He’s separate from us. He
is different. He is pure. He is clean.
He is completely good.
We’ve already seen glimpses of this.
When Isaiah had his vision of Yahweh, how did he hear the angelic beings
say?
(Is 6:3 NKJV) And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is
full of His glory!”
Isaiah was so impacted by the presence of God, that
he responded:
(Is 6:5 NKJV) So I said:
“Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my
eyes have seen the King, The Lord
of hosts.”
I think that if we too catch a glimpse of the God we serve, we too will
realize our uncleanness and our great need to change.
We caught another glimpse of holiness back in Acts 19.
(Ac 19:2b NKJV) …So they
said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.”
I don’t think they meant that they had never heard of a thing called “a
Holy Spirit” as if that’s some kind of unimportant title.
The people in Ephesus knew all about spirits. They knew about people being possessed by
demonic spirits (Acts 19:11-16). Ephesus
had quite a large business going in witchcraft and magic arts (Acts 19:19).
The thing that these disciples were responding to was the description of
the “Spirit” that Paul talked about.
Paul talked about a “Holy” spirit.
Pure.
Clean. Good.
Paul wrote to the Thessalonians:
(1 Th 4:3–8 NKJV) —3 For this is the will of God, your
sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality;
Sanctification is the process of growing in holiness. The words all come from the same Greek roots.
Abstaining from sexual immorality (or, sex outside of marriage) is part of
what holiness is all about.
4 that each
of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor,
Your “vessel” is your physical body.
5 not in
passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no
one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because
the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and
testified.
When we take part in immorality, we are “cheating” on someone. It may be your spouse. It may be your girlfriend’s future
husband. It may be your future
girlfriend.
7 For God
did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. 8 Therefore he who rejects this
does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.
“Holy” isn’t the Spirit’s first name.
It’s who He is. It’s who God is.
And when we claim to follow God, we need to pay attention to what God wants
to do in our lives.
He wants to make us holy like He is.
For some of you that might sound like an impossible thing.
But it’s not all that impossible when you consider who is
living inside of us.
Play Aladdin clip again.
The Holy Spirit wants to give you the power to be holy.
It starts with you learning to say “yes” to Him.
Next week we’ll talk about the power of the Holy Spirit.