This is not that week 1
This is Not that • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Summer Survey
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Goals for this series
Goals for this series
I want to take a stigma off the HS
I want to make baptism in the HS practical to you
I want to set standards by which we can confidently dive into Spirit-led moments.
Introduction
Introduction
Set the scene of the upper room
Mild weathered late spring morning
The city was abuzz with world travelers for the major feast weekend.
It had been several weeks since the culture shaking trial of the miracle working jewish rabbi.
(Rumors abounded) - Prevailing thought was that He had risen from the grave.
A group of followers has claimed to see a risen savior (five hundred eye witness accounts.)
Now 120 of those have gathered in an upper chamber with nothing more than an order to wait until they receive power
SUDDENLY THE SOUND OF A CRAZY WIND STORM HITS
THEY BEGIN TO SPEAK IN VARIOUS LANGUAGES
BALLS OF FIRE APPEAR ABOVE THEIR HEAD
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This is that
This is that
This instance captures the attention of the outside world.
They heard the wind
They hear the sound of many languages
They begin to investigate
Peter steps onto the balcony and begins to preach a gospel message about Jesus.
In that discourse he explains the happenings of the day.
But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
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The growing movement
The growing movement
Following Peter’s sermon 120 turns into 3120
Since that time the group of 120 has grown to more than 2.7b
With 2.7b people in a group…there are a lot of opinions represented.
Once becoming a Christian, you will discover that simply being a christian does not imply agreement with other christians.
That group of 2.7b is represented by more than 200 denominations in the US alone
More than 45,000 denominations worldwide.
One of the fastest growing sects within the realm of christianity is a group that would be classified as “charismatic.”
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Charismatics defined
Charismatics defined
The term charismatic is derived from Paul’s writings concerning the “gifts of the Spirit.”
when Paul says “spiritual gifts” it is the greek word “charisma”
So the “charismatics” are the group that is willing to operate within the gifts of grace or what we might refer to as the gifts of the Spirit.
That being said, a common terminology for charismatic denominations is that of a “spirit-filled” church.
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Gift-welcoming is not necessarily not spirit-filled.
Gift-welcoming is not necessarily not spirit-filled.
When we say “spirit-filled” church that often simply means a church that encourages and allows the operation of the gifts of the Spirit (charisma)!
Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant:
But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:
for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,
to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,
to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
I CELEBRATE THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT...
But there is a problem inherent in our current working definitions.
We classify “spirit-filled churches” as those who allow the operation of the gifts of the Spirit…
consequently, we classify spirit-filled believers as those who operate in the gifts of the Spirit.
It must be noted that in the upper room…they operated in the gifts because they were filled…they were not filled because they operated in the gifts.
Because we see the gifts as the cause and not the effect…we often pursue the gifts…
And so we have created a context that is ripe for the presence of “counterfeit charisma”.
There are many people going around saying they are “spirit-filled” because they speak in tongues…but they are full of the devil!
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How can we know?
How can we know?
Is there a way to know if someone is actually filled with the Holy Spirit?…Can we identify “counterfeit charisma?”
There is a large amount of debate regarding the initial physical evidence of the Holy Spirit.
Most commonly throughout Acts when a believer was baptized in the Holy Spirit they would speak in tongues.
So there are many that consider someone “seeking the baptism” until they hear them speak in tongues…THEN THEY SAY YOU’RE FILLED!
When Jesus was giving us the litmus test that we were to use in order to identify those who were really doing the work of the kingdom…HE DIDN’T TELL US WE WOULD KNOW THEM BY THEIR GIFTS!
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?
“You will know them by their fruits!”
Today I want to begin our conversations around the concept of “this is not that” by preaching to you The Holy Spirit is NOT JUST GIFTS!
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But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
The Holy Spirit is not only a giver of gifts…He is also a producer of fruit.
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From the beginning, God has been giving contents for cultivation.
From the beginning, God has been giving contents for cultivation.
Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth”; and it was so.
And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
When God was creating the vegitation of the earth that would ultimately be the source of nutrition and development for the entirety of the rest of his creation...
HE GAVE THEM AS SPROUTS...
Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.
God gave sprouts with the characteristic of “seeds”
A seed will always be a seed unless someone plants it.
The fruit that the garden produced would have been one and done without the variable of man to “tend” and “keep.”
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The commonality of unplanted seeds.
The commonality of unplanted seeds.
How crazy would it have been if Adam and Eve had heard the call of God to tend the garden by multiplying the seed bearing plants. And simply looked at the seeds and said WE DID IT!
The seeds are a miracle…but they are miracles with exponential potential.
To simply settle for the miracle of the seed is to miss the sweetness and nourishment of the fruit!
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The gifts of the Spirit are the seed of the Spirit
The gifts of the Spirit are the seed of the Spirit
If the Spirit of God is intended to bring about fruits in our lives...
In keeping with God’s nature and pattern since creation…He is not going to give fruit…He is going to give seeds.
I submit that the gifts of the Spirit are the seeds of the Spirit.
How often have we received the seed of the gift and been satisfied to celebrate the miracle of the seed?
We receive the gifts of the Spirit in our services and slap on the title of Spirit-filled.
But operating in the gifts is not necessarily to be Spirit-filled… THE TRUE TESTAMENT OF BEING SPIRIT-FILLED IS BEING SPIRIT-DEVELOPED.
The gifts of the Spirit are the seeds…but there is fruit to be produced.
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Do something with the seed
Do something with the seed
What if the seeds are intended to equip us for the cultivation of our lives.
When I receive a word of prophecy it is to give me steps to take in order to tend and keep the garden of my soul
When I receive the gift of tongues it is for the purpose of praying what I don’t know to pray for the purpose of tending and keeping the garden of my soul
The gifts are the seeds that I am to plant in order to bring about a harvest of fruit!
The release of the gifts is an act of providence but the continued development of the fruits is a manifestation of partnership.
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Producing fruit carries responsibility
Producing fruit carries responsibility
To carry an awareness that we are partners in the production of fruit…is to understand the responsibility of cultivation.
I am not saying that we can produce the fruit of the Spirit on our own...
There is nothing a farmer can do to create corn, wheat, fruit, etc...
The seed is absolutely necessary, otherwise the farmer is wasting his energy and effort.
The fruit is in the seed but it is the responsibility of the sower is to cultivate the environment and protect it to the best of their ability.
When we understand that the gifts are the seed we still value them but we do not discredit our role in allowing them to make us more than we are!
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Fruit creates filters
Fruit creates filters
Interestingly enough, the fruits create a filter by which we can govern and manage the gifts.
The Holy Spirit never intends for any of his gifts to contradict the production of His fruit!
The reason we say that we can be a Charismatic church with a seat belt is because God is a God of order!
One of the worst attributes of many charismatic expressions is the completely chaotic nature in which they take place.
Sporatic movements…Spontaneous laughter…Explosions of loud speaking in tongues...
Individuals who have participated in this have stated - “I couldn’t help it”
If there is a fruit…the gifts won’t contradict it.
If joy is a fruit - a gift won’t make us sad
If love is a fruit - a gift won’t be used to propagate hate
If gentleness is a fruit - a gift won’t generate harshness.
If self control is a fruit - a gift won’t be out of control
And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.
There is scriptural evidence that when the Spirit of God is manifesting in a room via the gifts…That He still intends for there to be order in practice.
The responsibility of the Spirit-filled church is to relinquish control while maintaining order.
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Don’t be satisfied to carry seeds of providence in your pocket
Partner with the work of the Spirit to see the fruit produced in your life!
My goal is that we will not only be a “Spirit-filled” church…but that we will be Spirit-developed Christians.
May we seek heaven as to ways that we can partner to see Fruit in our lives.