This message was preached by Colin D'cruz at Word of Grace Church on November 18th, 2018. To listen/download the audio please click here. To listen to the Sunday's worship and prophetic contributions please click here.
Let’s get into the word of God this morning. As we refer to the verses, turn to them. It’s important that we check the word of God and see that everything the preacher says is in the word of God. Paul wrote many of the books of the bible. In Acts 17:11 “Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true” So we need to receive the word of God with eagerness. And secondly, they checked Paul’s words, if they lined up with scripture. This morning, as we go through the word, that’s what I want you to do. Take down notes as well so you can meditate on it later.
Christmas is coming and one the things children associate
with Christmas is gifts. We all love to get gifts. Gifts are even better when
they are promised beforehand. Sometimes we get so excited that we can’t sleep!
That’s in the natural. What are the gifts that have been promised to us in God’s
word?
Acts 2:38 “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.”” These
are the instructions Peter gives to the people who have first heard the gospel.
The Holy Spirit is the gift that is promised to each and every one of us.
Q. Are we as eager to receive this gift of the Holy
Spirit as we are to receive a natural gift?
Acts 1: 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.”” This gift is a promise from God the Father himself. Let’s pray!
How many of you know that Jesus is the Lamb of God? most of
us! But this is only mentioned in the gospels once. But 4 times in the gospels
it is mentioned that Jesus baptises with the Holy Spirit. Matthew 3:11- John
the Baptist talks about how Jesus will baptise us with the Holy Spirit and
fire. We see the fulfilment of this promise in Acts 2. Jesus died, rose again,
appeared to his disciples and before ascending to the Father, he asked them to
wait for the Holy Spirit. On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came over
the people and all were amazed! It seemed like they were drunk, but they were
not. When the Holy Spirit comes upon Christians, we have to be different.
Firstly, we have to be saved. Believe in our heart and
confess with our mouth that God raised Jesus from the dead. When we do that, a
miracle will take place in our life. After that we have to be baptised in
water. It means being immersed in water. The next thing is that we receive the
gift of the Holy Spirit. This is different from the Holy Spirit working in our
lives to draw us to salvation.
Q. Were the apostles born again when Jesus was on earth?
Yes!
The Holy Spirit was already working in them, but they were
not yet baptised with the Holy Spirit. Even when Jesus rose from the dead, the
disciples were fearful. They met the risen Jesus, but they did not tell anyone
about Jesus. They did not have the power to proclaim the gospel. They waited 10
days. But when the Holy Spirit came they proclaimed boldly, were to temples,
healed people, cast out demons, the whole of Jerusalem had come to hear the
name of Jesus. The result of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is great boldness
just as the disciples had.
Acts 8- 4 “Those who had been scattered preached
the word wherever they went. 5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and
proclaimed the Messiah there. 6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs
he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 For with
shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were
healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city” When we are filled with the
Holy Spirit, we have the power and boldness to do this.
In verse 14-17 “When the apostles in Jerusalem
heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to
Samaria. 15 When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that
they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 because the Holy Spirit had not yet come
on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17
Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy
Spirit.” These were believers. But they had not yet received the baptism of
the Holy Spirit. Here it happened as hands were laid on them.
Acts 10: 44- 46 “While Peter was still speaking
these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45 The
circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of
the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. 46 For they heard them
speaking in tongues and praising God.” We’ve seen 2 ways in which the
baptism of the Holy Spirit happens. Jesus baptises us in the Holy Spirit. We
are immersed in the Holy Spirit.
Q. Are you baptised in the Holy Spirit?
You’ve got to know the answer. It is either yes or no. It is
not automatic. Acts 19: 1- 2 “While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road
through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and
asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?.” You can
believe in Jesus and baptised in water and still not be baptised in the Holy
Spirit.
Q. What does this do?
2 Corinthians 1:21-22 “Now it is God who makes
both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, 22 set his seal of
ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing
what is to come.” The baptism of the Holy Spirit is a seal on us to mark us
as authentic believers- it is a guarantee of what is to come. When the apostle
Paul was talking about his ministry in Romans 15: 18-19 “I will not
venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in
leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done— 19 by the power
of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem
all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.”
We can keep coming to church meetings but that is not enough. We need this
power of God- that people will sense the holiness of God in your presence.
Paul was so anointed! Acts 14:8 “In Lystra there
sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birth and had never walked. 9
He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that
he had faith to be healed 10 and called out, “Stand up on your feet!” At that,
the man jumped up and began to walk.” We want to see this happening in our
lives as well!
Acts 19: 13-16 “Some Jews who went around driving out evil
spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were
demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches,
I command you to come out.” 14 Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were
doing this. 15 One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I
know about, but who are you?” 16 Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on
them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of
the house naked and bleeding”
The Father has promised us a gift and that is the power of
God through the Holy Spirit. Jesus said if anyone is thirsty let him come and
drink. My prayer is that we will all be filled with the Holy Spirit that we
transform the world. Let’s pray.
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