Sermon Tone Analysis

*SCRIPTURE:   *Acts 19:1-2 and John 14:16-18 NKJV (9-4-05)

 

*We want to ask this question an interrogatory:  *

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*TITLE:                       Who is the Holy Spirit?*

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*INTRODUCTION:*   Christians differ on the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer.

Have you ever met the Holy Spirit?

Do you know who He is?  Can you share with others the truths you know about Him?  Can and will you tell others where He lives or what He does or what He is like?

If you can’t, then do not feel that you are alone, for there are many other sincere Christians who cannot answer the question, “Who Is The Holy Spirit?

This is disturbing according to a new nationwide survey conducted by The Barna Group indicates that most adults remain confused, if not daunted, by the concept of a person having the Holy Spirit.

In its report of February 20, 2006, it concluded by those surveyed that only 9% of Christians are being guided by the Holy Spirit.

The

 

This brings us back to some conscientious Christians whom Paul has met in Ephesus that did not even know that the Holy Spirit existed.

\\ \\ Paul has just arrived in Ephesus on his *third* Missionary journey to begin a major evangelistic effort, but Apollos had already left for Corinth.

Apollos was a learned and eloquent Jew from Alexandria in Egypt and an influential leader in the early church.

Well-versed in the Old Testament, Apollos was a disciple of John the Baptist and "taught accurately the things of the Lord" (Acts 18:25).

However, while Apollos knew some of Jesus' teaching, "he knew only the baptism of John" (Acts 18:25).

When Aquila and Priscilla, two other leaders in the early church, arrived in Ephesus, they instructed Apollos more accurately in the way of God (Acts 18:26), and according to Scripture he showed others that Jesus was the Christ John had talked about.

Apollos was used greatly by God to strengthen and encourage the church.

When Paul had arrived in Ephesus he was informed there are other "disciples" like him in the area.

He was elated with joy, however, he soon discovered:

 

These twelve men (verse 7) had an understanding of Christianity much the same as that of Apollos before Apollos had met Aquila and Priscilla.

Paul entered into conversation with them to find out just where they stood in relation to the gospel.

Like Apollos, they knew only the baptism of John into repentance.

More, they had never heard of the Holy Spirit, which seem strange because John the Baptist had preached about the Holy Spirit as well as the coming of the Messiah (Matt.

3:11).

The Holy Spirit had come after Pentecost and these 12 men had been baptized unto repentance by John under the Old Covenant, which ended by Jesus at Calvary (Heb.

10:1-18).

However John had told them in Matt 3:11, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry.

He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

Once they understood this through Paul’s instruction, they put their trust in Jesus of whose coming their teacher John the Baptist - had spoken about.

Therefore, they believed (v.4) were baptized (v.5) and received the Holy Spirit (v.

6).

The believers at Ephesus were aware of their need to live a better life, but they were not aware of the power of the Holy Spirit to enable them to do so.

Their experience demonstrates the truth that without the Holy Spirit we cannot please God.

Thus, without the Holy Spirit we are incomplete Christians.

In fact, Scripture tells us in John 4:24, “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

The norm of Christian experience is a cluster of four things*/: Repentance, faith in Jesus, baptism, and the gift of the Holy Spirit.

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Thus it is vitally important that we, like the believers at Ephesus, find the answer to the question “*Who Is The Holy Spirit?”*

 

*I.

The Holy Spirit Is A Person*

 

A.

John 16:13-14 says, “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.

“ NKJV

 

B.

The Holy Spirit is neither an impersonal force nor a mere influence; rather, He possesses a full and distinct personality.

C.

A person who has been defined as one who when speaking -  says I; when spoken to is called you; and when spoken of is called Him or her.

D.

John 16:13, says “However, when He and uses the personal pronoun (6 times) to describe what He will do.”

E.

The Holy Spirit has qualities of a person, such as knowledge (1 Cor.

12:8, love (Rom.

15:30, and will (1 Cor.

12:11).

F.

The Holy Spirit acts like a person.

He searches the deep things of God (Rom.

8:26); He testifies (John 15:26); He teaches (John 14:26); He guides (Acts 16:6); and He commands and appoints (Acts 20:38).

The Bible always pictures the Holy Spirit as person and never as an impersonal force.

Therefore, as a person the Holy Spirit relates to us, He understands, He feels for us, and He is our divine Friend and Helper.

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*Not only is the Holy Spirit A Person, but:*

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*II.

The Holy Spirit Is Deity*

 

A.

The Holy Spirit is none less than God Himself because:

 

1.

The Holy Spirit possesses divine attributes.

a.

The Holy Spirit is omnipresent, which mean that He is present all of the time no matter when or where.

b.

As part of the Trinity, God is not a physical being limited to place and time as we are.

He is present everywhere, and he can be worshiped anywhere, anytime.

c.

David illustrates this in Psalm 139:7-10, by pointing out that there is nowhere we can go to flee the Lord’s presence.

Even if we were to ascend into the heaven, make our bed in hell, or go to the most extreme parts of the sea, we can never go beyond the reach of God’s presence.

2.

The Holy Spirit also possesses eternity, which only Deity possesses.

He is called “the eternal Spirit” in Hebrews 9:14.

3.

The Holy Spirit is omniscient, characteristic of God which means He knows all things actual and possible whether past, present, or future.

‘The Apostle Paul eludes this in 1 Corinthians 2:11b “one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.” NKJV

 

4.

The Holy Spirit is also omnipotent or all-powerful; a quality of deity, which means God, is all-powerful and can do anything that is consistent with His nature.

Luke 1:35 tells us when the Angel spoke to Mary “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.” NKJV

 

B.

Divine Works are ascribed to the Holy Spirit:  Some of these works are creation as mentioned in Gen. 1:2; the giving of life as mentioned in John 6:63, and the prophecy as mentioned in 2 Peter 1:21), and the Making of disciples in Matthew 28:19-20.

Not only is the Holy Spirit A Person, Deity, but:

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*III.

The Holy Spirit is God’s Agent on Earth*

 

A.

In John 14:16-17, Jesus promised that He would pray to the heavenly Father, and that the Father would send the Holy Spirit, who would abide with us forever.

B.

The power that Jesus spoke which is of God may be thought in three ways in relation to the Trinity.

It is founded in the Father, it is revealed through the Son, and it is activated by the Holy Spirit.

C.

From the beginning of time Genesis 1:2 until the end of time the Holy Spirit is working.

a.

It started in Genesis as He brought order into the universe when He moved upon the face of the waters.

b.

In Job 26:13, we are told the Holy Spirit garnished the heavens.

c.

In Psalm 104:30, we are told the Holy Spirit renews the face of the earth, and in

 

d.

Job 33:4, the Holy Spirit gives life to human beings.

D.

The Holy Spirit is God’s agent on earth in the Ministry of Christ.

1.

He was active in the development of Christ as He “grew, and waxed strong in the spirit.”

Luke 2:40.