SERMON OUTLINE: The Holy Spirit and the Believer

I.        Read the text, Acts 2:1-13

II.     The coming of the Holy Spirit

A.     The disciples receive the Holy Spirit

B.     The promise is for “all mankind” or “he who believes as the Scripture said”

John 7:37-39 “...If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

C.     The greater fulfillment of Acts 1:8

1.       Disciples received

2.       Jews received (Acts 2:37-39)

3.       Samaritans received (Acts 8:14-17)

4.       Gentiles received (Acts 10:44-47, 11:15-18)

D.     When? At the time of repentance and belief.

Ephesians 1:12-13 “That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise.”

III.   Evidence of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life

A.     Not works

B.     Not a charismatic experience

C.     Fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such things there is no law.”

IV.  The enabling ministry of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life

A.     Prayer and the Holy Spirit

Ephesians 2:18 “For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.”

Romans 8:26-27 “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. and he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”

B.     The Bible and the Holy Spirit

1 John 2:27 “But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.”

1 Corinthians 2:10-12 “But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man whish is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, no the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.”

C.     Witnessing and the Holy Spirit will empower us for witnessing (Acts 1:8)

Acts 1:8 “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

V.     In order to be filled

A.     The Spirit and the Word of God Ephesians 5:18 and Colossians 3:16

Ephesians 5:18-19 “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord”

Colossians 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

B.     Quench not, 1 Thessalonians 5:19 this sin involves no doing that which the Holy Spirit would have us do. It is putting out a fire

1 Thessalonians 5:19 “Quench not the Spirit.”

C.     Grieve not, Ephesians 4:30 this sin involves doing that which the Holy Spirit would not have us do

Ephesians 4:30 “And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”

D.     Confession and repentance

1 John 1:7-9 “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

This confession is absolutely vital, for while Christ’s blood will cleanse us from all sins, it will not cleanse us from a single excuse.

God does not demand golden vessels, nor does he require silver ones, but he must have clean ones. Thus the union with the Spirit is so strong that nothing can break it, but the communion with the Spirit is so fragile that the smallest sin can shatter it. (Willmington’s, p. 659)

Dr. H. L. Willmington, Willmington’s Guide to the Bible, Wheaton: Tyndale House, 1981.

SERMON OUTLINE: The Qualifications for Christian Witness

I.        Introduction

When he was the pastor of the Methodist church in Scarborough, William Sangster had an eccentric member who tried to be a zealous Christian. Unfortunately, the man was mentally deficient and usually did the wrong thing. While working as a barber the man lathered up a customer for a shave, came at him with the poised razor, and asked, "Are you prepared to meet your God?"  The frightened man fled with the lather on his face! 

W. Wiersbe, Wycliffe Handbook of Preaching & Preachers,  p. 215.

II.     Read the text, Acts 1:8, 22

III.   Definition and support of two key terms

A.     Apostle: one commissioned and sent. This term has more to do with the connection between the person and the sender than the person and the recipient. The men described with this word are representatives of their monarch and his authority. In a legal sense, the apostle is lawfully charged to represent the person and cause of another. The apostles had an encounter with the risen Lord and received their commission from Him personally. They are related to the OT prophets, whose office, on the basis of their commission, was to prepare the way for the One who was to come.

B.     Witness: From a legal standpoint, a witness is someone who can and does speak from personal experience about actions in which he either took part in, or which happened to him, or about persons and relations known to him. But a witness can also be viewed from a general standpoint, as a witness to facts, truths, and views, making known and confessing convictions. It signifies the proclamation of views or truths of which cannot be submitted to empirical investigation, but that the person has either personal knowledge, or is fully convinced of. This is the proclamation of things past and things future by faith.

IV.  What will uniquely qualify each of us to be a witness for Christ

A.     Being fully convinced by faith

Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”

2 Corinthians 4:1-14 “Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So then death worketh in us, but life in you. We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.

B.     Being fully convinced of the apostles’ message

2 Corinthians 5:17-21 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

1 John 1:1-5 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (for the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

C.     Being rightly related to Jesus Christ

John 15:18-20 “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, the servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.”

SERMON OUTLINE: The Holy Spirit working through the church in outreach

I.        Read the text, Acts 1:1-11

II.     Principles of interpretation

A.     Plot: This set of verses is devoted to “lay it out” for the reader, and at the same time “get something going.” He is telling us about what started the spread of the gospel from “Jerusalem, through Judea and Samaria, and to the remotest part of the world.” He is also telling us of something very critical to come, namely, the Holy Spirit. Might he also be getting ready to shatter the apostle’s view of what kingdom really meant?

B.     Characters: In this passage the characters of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Father, and the apostles are introduced.

1.      The apostles are introduced with a sense of anticipation

a.       “is it at this time?”

b.      “wait”

c.       “it is not for you to know”

d.      “when the Holy Spirit has come upon you”

2.      Jesus is shown very flatly, with a very direct, consistently focused, attitude. It really is as if He is almost gone and is intent on giving the apostles exactly what they need before He goes.

3.      The Father and the Holy Spirit are in control, but not developed as characters here

C.     Narrative time: Luke is telling this portion of the story chronologically, but also thematically.

1.      verses 1-3: resurrection proofs, appearances, and instructions – no details, just facts. A forty day period is condensed into 3 verses. Teachings about things concerning the kingdom of God – probably very important, not even divulged to the reader.

2.      verses 4-8: last instructions, to wait for the promised Holy Spirit. This is likely one conversation just before He ascended that is revealed in 5 verses, but was possibly a reiteration of things previously discussed by Jesus with the apostles. This topic has come up in the gospels.

3.      verses 9-11: ascension, Jesus leaves the earth with an anticipated return. This makes room for the Holy Spirit to come. He had said in the gospels that He had to go so the Spirit could come.

D.     Supporting texts

1.      Luke 24:49

2.      John 7:38-39

3.      John 14:16-17

4.      John 15:26-27

5.      John 16:5-7

III.   The Holy Spirit desires to work through the church providing power for a mighty work

A.     The power of the Holy Spirit working through the church can be illustrated by the power generation of a dam such as the Hoover dam. Before water from Lake Mead reaches the turbines, it enters the intake towers and enters four gradually narrowing penstocks which funnel the water down towards the powerhouse. The intakes provide a maximum hydraulic head (water pressure) of 590 ft (180 m) as the water reaches a speed of about 85 mph (140 km/h). The entire flow of the Colorado River passes through the turbines. Hoover Dam generates 2080 megawatts. (Wikipedia)

B.     Allow Him to determine decisions

1.      Acts 15:28, council at Jerusalem

2.      This all-important decision made at the Jerusalem Council concerning circumcision is a beautiful example of the teamwork between a local church and the Holy Spirit. Those assemblies governed by congregational vote often pride themselves on their democratic policies. But the real goal can only be achieved through a democratic-theocratic combined team effort.

C.     Realize He will condemn or bless the church’s efforts

1.      “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches...”

2.      Churches are often overly concerned about improving their image in the eyes of the younger generation, society, the business world, academic circles, etc. But the real concern should be directed toward that One who alone is properly qualified to improve and correct, namely, the Holy Spirit.

D.     He directs the church’s outreach

1.      Acts 8:29

2.      Acts 13:2,4

3.      Acts 16:6,7,10

4.      Revelation 22:17

IV.  The spread of the gospel from Jerusalem outward

A.     Earthquake and Tsunami

B.     Application and implementation

1.      prayer – genuine prayer and responsiveness

2.      encouragement

3.      visitation