"Doctrine Matters: The Holy Spirit
(2)"
December 9, 2007
Pastor Phil Stevenson
Date: Dec. 9, 2007
Sermon Title: Doctrine Matters: The Holy Spirit
Text: Romans 8
WEFC
Introduction:
Will you take the sermon notes insert out of your bulletin and let’s take a moment and simply read aloud together the statement that our denomination is proposing regarding what we believe about the person and the work of the Holy Spirit? Let’s read this aloud together.
We believe that the Holy Spirit, in all that He does, glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ. He convicts the world of its guilt. He regenerates sinners, and in Him they are baptized into union with Christ and adopted as heirs in the family of God. He also indwells, illuminates, guides, equips and empowers believers for Christ-like living and service.
The Bible tells us that one time Jesus was praying in a certain place. It doesn’t tell us where that certain place was or how long Jesus prayed there. All we know is that it was close enough for his disciples to see him praying. And whatever they saw made them admire what he was doing. Perhaps it was how long he prayed and with such ease that He talked to God that made them want to be like him, sort of like the way a son would talk to his dad. Whatever happened there, something went on between Jesus and God that caused them to ask him, Lord teach us to pray. And so Jesus said when you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name. Your Kingdom come. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.” Then he said to them, as if to explain how easy it is to pray to God, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, please may I have 3 loaves of bread and some cereal? Company has come and I’m out of food and I’m going to have to feed them breakfast in the morning.’ And the friend replies, ‘Not now it’s too late. My wife and kids, we’re all in bed. I can’t get up right now!’ But if you keep asking, that friend will eventually get up and give you what you need, not because he’s kind but because you’re persistent.” Then Jesus showed his disciples a little more about God’s heart to those who pray to him. “What father among you will give your son a serpent if he were to ask you for a fish? Or if he asked you for an egg, would you give him a scorpion?” Would any of you do that to someone you love dearly? Of Course not! So then if you who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give The Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:1-13)
| Now the real punch line in Jesus’ explanation to his disciples is not so much the point that you can talk to the Father like a son talks to his dad, even though that is important, nor is it, as some would apply this verse, that if you’re just persistent enough at nagging God, he’ll give you whatever you want. I think the real punch line of what Jesus wants his disciples to understand is the degree to which God loves to meet the needs of His children. “If you dad’s treat your kids with love, how much more will the heavenly Father give The Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” The greatest response to any of our prayers is for God to give us His Holy Spirit. |  |
Dr. Carl F. H. Henry, a highly distinguished evangelical author and professor in the 1960-80’s was asked once in an interview how evangelical [Christians] could avoid “picking up the values and priorities of a darkening culture” while at the same time become increasingly salt and light to a fallen world? The answer that Dr. Henry gave was “The Holy Spirit.” He continued on, saying, “Evangelical churches must once again emphasize the necessity of the work of the Holy Spirit.” (Capitol Hill Baptist Church, Systematic Theology Core Seminars-Session VIII Lecture Notes: The Work of the Holy Spirit)
That’s what I want to try and do again this morning. Last week we emphasized the Person of the Holy Spirit. Today, I want to emphasize the necessity of the work of the Holy Spirit and how understanding this doctrine of the Holy Spirit really matters in our lives.
I appreciate the clarity with which John Stott speaks to this truth. “Without the Holy Spirit, Christian discipleship would be inconceivable, even impossible. There can be no life without the life-giver, no understanding without the Spirit of truth, no fellowship without the unity of the Spirit, no Christ-likeness of character apart from his fruit, and no effective witness without his power. As a body without breath is a corpse, so the church with out the Spirit is dead.” (The Spirit, the Church, and the World, John Stott, p. 60)
What these two men are saying along with this example from Jesus’ life is that everyone of us in this room today, no matter where we are on the continuum of spiritual life and maturity, everyone of us needs the Holy Spirit. It doesn’t matter if your only intention in life is to live completely for yourself or if you’re here as a senior saint having walked with God for years. You and I need the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit to intervene in our lives today. The Holy Spirit is the answer to whatever your prayer is this morning. So this morning I want to answer two critical questions as we consider why Doctrine Matters so much in our lives and specifically why the work of the Holy Spirit matters so much for you and me today. The first question is What is the work of the Holy Spirit? And the second is how should we respond to His work in our lives today?
1. What is the Work of the Holy Spirit? Let me answer this question with the two statements I have printed on the sermon notes. BIC Kids listen up. He illuminates in order to Convict & Convert; and He Indwells in order to Equip & Empower.
A. He Illuminates in order to Convict & Convert
1 Cor. 2:12-14 is probably one of the passages that most clearly defines this work of the Holy Spirit. Turn to it if you would. (Read 2:12-14.) Every person is in a state of spiritual darkness and is unable to understand spiritual reality. Only through the Holy Spirit’s work is it possible for us to understand anything of spiritual truths. I had the opportunity to hear a man’s testimony just this week. In our conversation he alluded to the fact that he had become a Christian. I asked him how it happened and he said, “ You know I was in a very low place in my life and it was like my eyes were just opened to my need for Jesus.” That’s the work of the Holy Spirit. Somewhere along the way he had heard about Jesus’ saving work and at just the right time the Spirit removed the veil from his eyes. His testimony reminded me of 2 Cor. 3:16-18. We turned to that passage and read it together. And he said that’s exactly what happened.
John 16:8 Jesus says, “And when [the Helper] comes he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.” A primary work of the Holy Spirit is to illuminate the reality of a sense of guilt in a person’s conscience. His job is to shine the light of righteousness into our dark sin-stained hearts. There is a righteous standard that exists and there will be a day of accountability for every person where we will have to stand before God as our judge. This is what I believe Jesus is describing as one of the works of the Holy Spirit. He comes as a helper for this purpose. Without His help none of us would have experienced this conviction. (That’s good for us to remember also. It is the Holy Spirit’s job to convict people of their sin. Now he may use us but ultimately it’s not our job to do that. It’s his.) He convicts and then he converts.
Remember Jesus’ words to Nicodemus? Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:5-6) You must be born again and it is the Spirit that converts a person from death to life; from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light, from slavery to freedom. Romans 8 is an amazing passage when it comes to this truth. Let’s go there for a minute or two. *The law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 8:2 By the Spirit’s power a conversion has taken place.
-- The law, weakened by the sin-saturated flesh, could not set us free from the law of sin and death. The law simply aroused in each of our flesh/members/bodies the sin that is resident there. It brought to the surface that which leads to death. It could not set us free. It simply aroused the greater reality that the truth is we are in bondage to sin. (7:7-8) Without the law sin was dead or dormant within me. The law was used by God to show how sinful sin is, how enslaving sin is, and how desperately we need a savior. “Who will deliver me from this body of death?” Answer: Jesus Christ our Lord! But still there is a battle that rages within me: I serve God with my mind but with my flesh I serve the law of sin. How is this overcome? Answer: the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus. The Holy Spirit is the person who takes what Christ has accomplished and applies it to our lives in such a way that we are set free. This is what verses 3 and 4 mean.
So not only does the Spirit illuminate in order to convict and convert us but he also indwells in order to equip and empower us. Through the indwelling Spirit’s presence we are enabled to fulfill the righteous requirements of the law.
B. He Indwells in order to Equip and Empower us.
We could at this point go to passages like 1 Cor. 12, or 1 Peter 4 or Eph. 4 and see how the Spirit equips through the giving of spiritual gifts. But let’s keep reading from Romans 8 to see how the Spirit equips and empowers us in ways that I think get talked about less than spiritual gifts yet may be in fact more significant in our day-to-day living. Follow along again at verse 5ff. “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.” This is how the Spirit equips us and empowers us. He transforms the focus of our minds. What’s the result? “To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law indeed , it cannot.” Why? because it is sin-saturated and needs to be reborn by the work of the Holy Spirit. “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”
Do you see how important it is to understand the doctrine of the Holy Spirit? Living a life that pleases God is impossible without the Holy Spirit’s illuminating and indwelling work. You cannot please God unless He is present and powerful. Look at verse 9: “You however are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you.” Therefore, the inference is, you are able to live a life that pleases God, “if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is alive because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.” Here we see the empowerment that comes from the Spirit’s dwelling in us. He has the power to take these sin-saturated spiritually-dead bodies and transform them into glorious spiritually alive bodies. That which is perishable will put on the imperishable and the natural will become spiritual.
But it’s not just an empowerment that secures a future resurrection. It is also an empowerment that brings about present victory over sin. Look at verse 12-13. So then, brothers, (here’s the conclusion of the matter and I like the way the NIV translates this part of the verse), we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it.” We have no loyalties, no debt to pay, no reason to be enslaved to the sinful nature as a master. “For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit, you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” This is the truth that I want to understand and experience more completely. No matter where you are on the continuum of spiritual maturity. This message is for you because we all sin. Youth, kids, singles, married with kids, empty nesters, senior saints: By the Spirit, by the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, we are able to put to death the deeds of the sin-saturated body.
This is what is promised through the illuminating and indwelling work of the Holy Spirit. This is why when we pray the greatest gift that the Father could give us in answer to our prayers is the Holy Spirit.
So how should we respond to this work of the Holy Spirit? What is our part in participating in this process of illumination to conviction and conversion and of indwelling to equipping and empowerment. The consistent answer throughout the Bible is Faith.
2. How should we Respond to the Work of the Holy Spirit?
A. For the Unbeliever, the answer is Faith.
Put your faith in the convicting work of the Holy Spirit. The sense of guilt you feel for your sin is there because the Holy Spirit is prompting you to consider that God’s holiness must be satisfied. The Bible says that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (the holiness of God, the perfect character of God) and that the wages of our sin is death. In other words the just response of a Holy God toward people who have turned their backs on Him is to punish them with death. This is the only payment that will satisfy the holiness of God, death resulting in an eternal separation from God. However, believing that the Holy Spirit’s conviction of my sinfulness is true is only the first step toward conversion and life. The second step is to put your faith in Jesus Christ who has paid the debt you owe.
I think there are a tremendous number of people in our country today who are feeling the weight of debt right now. Many people are struggling financially with the huge debts that have been incurred during this mortgage crunch. On top of that are credit card debt and car payment plans and second mortgages. I heard about one lawyer who specializes in helping people through these kind of predicaments. She has a steady stream of 3 appointments per day dealing with these types of financial burdens. This weight is very difficult to bear and many people are suffering in many ways because of it. But it is nothing in comparison to the debt that is owed a Holy God. The first step toward life is not to deny that weight of debt hoping that one day what we owe will just go away. Rather, we should confess our sin and repent of it, acknowledging what we owe is a true debt and then take the second step of faith by embracing the promise that all who call upon the name of the Lord Jesus will be saved. Open your heart to the Holy Spirit’s work of giving you a new heart, a heart that believes and trusts in what Jesus did on the cross for you. He paid the debt that satisfied the justice of God and through him all our debts of sinfulness are forgiven. The response of every person should be to put your faith in the promise of God, accept Jesus as your savior, the one who has died in your place, paying your debt, so that you might not die but live eternally with God. So the response to the Holy Spirit’s work of convicting and converting should be faith in God’s promises which are all fulfilled in Jesus.
B. For the Believer-the response is also the same-Faith.
Put your Faith in the promises of God that only through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit will you be equipped and empowered to overcome your weaknesses of the flesh. The sinful patterns and habits of our flesh will not be overcome by our hard work. Unfortunately for many of us we think that our first response to the convicting and converting work of the Holy Spirit is faith in Christ and then the second response is to work as hard as we can to keep our position with God where it’s supposed to be. We live as though we’re saved by faith and sanctified by works. But this is totally unbiblical. Salvation comes by faith and so does sanctification.
Roman 8:13 says It is By the Spirit that we are to put to death the deeds of the flesh. You cannot kill the deeds of the flesh with the efforts of the flesh. Only through faith in the indwelling work of the Holy Spirit will we be equipped and empowered.
Galatians 3 puts it pretty clearly. Read 3:1-5. Do you see it right there? Does God, who supplies the Holy Spirit and is in the process of doing a miraculous work of transformation in your life, do so by your efforts of keeping the law, or is it by the process of you hearing with faith? The obvious expected answer is by hearing with faith. Now what is it that we are to hear with faith that will bring about the transformation of our lives? It is the Truth that the Spirit will guide us into. It is the promises of God that enable us to tear down every argument and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God. It’s the ability to take the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God and use in our stand against all the schemes of the enemy. The empowerment and the equipping that the Holy Spirit provides is His indwelling presence to speak truth and promises that counter every temptation and show us the supremacy of God over every deed of the flesh that wants to rebel against him. Our response is to live by faith in those promises and obediently trust the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.
This is why it’s so important to be reading and memorizing the Word of God. It is the weapon of greatest importance that the Holy Spirit will use to overcome the sin with which we all so easily become entangled.
Conclusion:
Let me close with a story that reminded me of the power of the Holy Spirit’s work in a person’s life. This is not a story of a contemporary. It’s the story from the past. But it reminded me of not only the power of the Holy Spirit to convict, convert, equip and empower a man from the deepest darkest places of humanity but it also reminded me of the Holy Spirit’s ability to convict, convert, equip, and empower a missionary saint who ministered tirelessly in the midst of incredible opposition. I’m speaking of the missionary John Paton and a a converted cannibal chief who became one of his dearest friends. John Paton was a pioneer missionary in the mid to late 1800’s among the cannibals who lived on the New Hebrides Islands in the South Seas. He faced incredible dangers and oppositions. His life was threatened almost weekly. In the occasion I’m about to describe John Paton is very ill and the islands are being swept with a measles epidemic. Only Abraham and Kowia, his dear friend, are able to care for him. Kowia, himself has become very ill with fever and has come to his bed to pray with him.
Read from John G. Paton, p. 159-160.
Are you a scoffer or a skeptic? Or perhaps you’re just like me, a simple-minded Christian desiring to overcome the deeds of my sin-saturated flesh. The good news for us is the answer to our prayer is the greatest gift the Father could ever give us, the illuminating and indwelling Holy Spirit. If He can convict and convert, equip and empower a missionary and a cannibal chief, surely He can handle our needs. Put your faith in Him and cling to the promises of God that sever the roots of sin in our lives.
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