I In You
The Power of the Blood Covenant • Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 3 viewsA sermon series based on the book by Malcolm Smith
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
The Story of Balaam
Balak, king of Moab, wanted him to curse the Israelites.
Balaam said that he could only say what the Lord wanted him to say.
2 times he blessed the Israelites by saying “the words that the Lord put in his mouth”
The 3rd time, something extraordinary happens:
Remember who Balaam is. I think he is a prophet for hire. He is more out for money and prestige than he is for truth
He is a stumbling block to the Israelites. He caused them to fall into immorality.
But the 3rd time that Balak asks him to curse the Israelites, this is what happens:
Numbers
2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. And the Spirit of God came upon him, 3 and he took up his discourse and said,
“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,
the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,
4 the oracle of him who hears the words of God,
who sees the vision of the Almighty,
falling down with his eyes uncovered:
The Spirit of the Lord came upon Him!
Upon this unregenerate, self-seeking man.
He actually ends up prophesying the coming of the Messiah!
This is the first time that we read words like this. You would think that we would read about it happening to people like Abraham or Joseph or Moses.
We do read about God doing incredible things through them, but you don’t read that the Spirit of the Lord came upon them.
And throughout the OT, we read of the Spirit of the Lord coming upon various people.
In the Book of Judges, the Spirit of the Lord would come up on those whom He had chosen to do His work:
Gideon, Jephthah, Samson:
When he killed the lion with his bare hands and when he killed all the Philistines with the donkey’s jawbone, it says that the Spirit of the Lord came upon him
When the Lord called a prophet to do his work, it says that the Spirit of the Lord would come upon him
And this is the way it was in the OT and for the first part of the NT.
The Spirit of the Lord was
1. A transient thing: It would come and go (e.g. It says it of Samson a number of times.
2. It was only for certain people whom God had called
3. It was local: For example, when Solomon dedicated the temple, we see the Spirit of God coming and dwelling in the Holy of Holies. And that’s where God’s presence dwelt until in Ezekiel we see God’s glory departing the temple because of the sin of the people.
And that’s the way God worked in and through His people in the OT. And it accomplished His will…for a time.
But in the pages of the OT, there are glimpses of something different coming. A time when God’s Spirit would work differently
A time when God’s Spirit would enter the hearts of man.
-25-27
25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
God was pointing toward a time when His spirit would be in the hearts of man
Transforming them from the inside
This would be a day when His commands wouldn’t just be outward ritual or expression, but would be done from a truly changed heart: changed motives and desires.
And when Jesus came, He also spoke of the coming Holy Spirit
In , Jesus was talking with his disciples in the Upper Room. His time on earth was nearly over. He had almost completed the work that He had come to do.
And His disciples were feeling uneasy..something was going on but they weren’t sure what.
And Jesus was speaking words of comfort to them and telling them that they would one day see Him again
15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.
He dwells with you: through Christ being with them
And will be in you: something different. Not being overcome by the Spirit as men of old were. Not just an outside force acting upon them
This is going to be something more wonderful, more powerful
The Spirit of Jesus dwelling inside of his followers.
In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.
What a most astounding thing! This is something that the people of the OT could have only dreamed about.
These had to be amazing words indeed for the disciples.
But in case they missed it or couldn’t believe that they heard right Jesus repeats this thought as he is praying for them.
And I believe that they are standing right there as he is praying for them
One of the main themes of Jesus prayer is unity
20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.
Jesus in the Father
Us in the Jesus
Jesus in us (through the Holy Spirit)
Does this grab you like it grabs me? Isn’t this incredible and astounding?
Jesus is speaking of an intimate and mysterious connection between us and Him. Between us and the Father.
Do you remember us talking about when mankind sinned, that lifeline between God and man was broken. That life blood was cut off and mankind died. And mankind lived apart from God, living a life that only had an appearance of life.
It was not the true life that God desired for His people.
But Jesus is speaking of a time in the near future when this would change.
The much longed for reconciliation between God and man would take place and man would receive the very Spirit of God!
And Jesus introduces us to these two concepts:
"I in you” (Jesus in us)
"You in me” (us in Jesus)
I would like to spend the next couple of Sunday’s looking at these two concepts
Because this is the heart of the New Covenant. If we are talking about “where does the power come from”, then this is it.
And I’m a bit nervous about tackling this subject because we are about to dive into something that is vast and wonderful and indescribable.
We could spend weeks or even years talking about this. Christ in me. I in Christ.
I’m scared that I won’t communicate right or that I won’t do it justice. I want us to catch a new glimpse of what Christ has done.
But I want us to look at what this means (how can this be) and what the implications are.
First of all, what this doesn’t mean.
Christ in us does NOT mean that we become God or even become Jesus
It does not mean that through meditating or through some hocus-pocus we can attain a state of enlightenment like the Buddhists
It doesn’t mean that we will become god’s in the next life like the Mormons
It doesn’t mean that we become instantly perfect like God is
So what does it mean? Christ in you?
What are the implications? What does this mean for us as Believers
Clearly we are talking about the work of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said so in that He was sending the Holy Spirit
So what does it mean? Christ in you
Key things:
Abide in me and I in you.
Brings truth :17
Brings life to your bodies “future”
Jesus Christ in you
Christ formed in you
God working in you
Christ in you the hope of glory
The Holy Spirit Fills
:4Acts 2:4 (NIV) 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
(NIV) 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people!
8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people!
(NIV) 31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
When we see God’s spirit moving in the OT, there is a sense in which it is an outside force acting on a person, like a sudden gust of wind.
And this person would do something incredible and then the Spirit would leave.
Peter () gives us this picture when he says that the prophets of old prophesied as they were “carried along” by the Holy Spirit
And this is how God accomplished His will in times past.
But now in the NT, we see this changing. We see that people were filled with the Holy Spirit.
This is still God working and showing His power through human. But the difference in language is significant.
Because what this indicates to me is that there is something powerful and miraculous that happens on the inside of a person when we believe
This indicates the fulfillment of the prophecy from Ezekiel.
God putting a new spirit in us
Giving us a heart of flesh instead of stone.
Doing major surgery inside of us. A transformation.
Transforming our desires, our motives
But this filling of the Spirit doesn’t just always happen automatically.
Paul indicates in that we have a choice in this. He is talking to the Ephesians about how they walk (or live their lives)
Walk as children of the light
Don’t take part in the works of darkness
Walk wisely, not unwisely
Make the best use of your time because the days are evil
And then he says this: Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,
18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,
What is wine? Something that you put into your body to control or change how you feel and how you act.
And if you drink enough of it, it you get addicted. You want more. You need more.
And that leads to Debauchery—excessive or reckless living, indulgence in physical desires
But it’s not just wine that we use to control ourselves: Maybe Paul could have just as easily said things like:
Don’t eat lots of food, but be filled with the Spirit
Don’t give in to sexual addiction, but be filled with the Spirit
Don’t hang on to your anger and allow it to drive you, but be filled with the Spirit
Don’t get your fulfillment from your job or position, but be filled with the Spirit
Don’t live to get your identity from what other people say about you. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
The issue here is, what drives you when you get up in the morning? What is it that’s on your mind? What is it that fills you?
Because this is not just a one-time thing. “I’m filled. Done.”
Paul says in that this is how you walk. Or live. You walk, or live, not being controlled by all the things that we like to be controlled by or the things that our flesh craves, but by being filled with the Spirit.
It seems so simple, but we fight this. Why? Because we are allowing the HS to take over parts of our lives that we have been in control of.
Are you frustrated? Are you powerless? Are you pushing your motorcycle which has run out of gas?
God has given you His Holy Spirit. Walk in the Spirit.
This is a real thing to Paul. He says in Galatians to “Walk by the Spirit and you won’t fulfill the desires of the flesh”.
It’s an intentional walk.
Paul doesn’t say, keep begging God to fill you with His Spirit.
He doesn’t say, maybe the Spirit will fall on you at some point
He simply says, “Walk”. Just do it
We are going to talk about this more when we talk about being in Christ.
It’s a constant walk.
I know that some days we are up, some days we are down
Our emotions play a big part in our lives
That brings us to our second point
The Holy Spirit is always present (counselor, comforter)
Jesus said, “I will not leave you alone
(NIV) “If you love me, keep my commands.
This is not a bargain that Jesus is striking: “Guys, if you are really good and don’t make me angry, I’ll give you something in return”
Rather, Jesus is stating the obvious. “Guys, if you love me, show it in the way you live. Value what I value. Honor me by acting like me. Do what I have said to do”
“Yes, I know it’s going to be difficult so here’s what I’m going to do for you:
15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.
Again, have you been powerless in your Christian life? Does your motorcycle look good, but you are pushing it along?
My question to you is, “Do you love Jesus?” Are you doing what He said to do?
And not just doing it out of a sense of duty and and form.
Im not talking about making your Christianity into a list of rules and checking them off one by one.
I’m talking about learning to know Jesus and learning to know what pleases Him.
If that is your heart, Jesus says, I’m going to ask the Father and He will send you a Comforter or advocate
But the problem is, even though Jesus said “I’m going to send the Holy Spirit and he will live with you forever”, we often act like He is nowhere around. Except at church.
We come to church and we say, “Lord thank you that we can come into your presence”.
We sing songs like
“Come Holy Spirit”
“Your presence Lord” (asking the Lord to send His presence. “Holy Spirit, you are welcome here. Come flood this place and fill the atmosphere”)
Now I think it’s fine and good for us to express our desire and hunger for God. Jesus said, “Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.
But do you have that hunger every day?
If you don’t hunger, ask the Holy Spirit to make you hungry for Him!
Do you realize that the Holy Spirit is living IN us and that WE are a temple of the Holy Spirit. Not this church building, but US. WE are the temple!
As long as we realize that the Holy Spirit is right there saying, “Hey, I haven’t gone anywhere. I’m right here. Be filled! Walk with me. Walk in me!”
The Holy Spirit Brings truth.
When we think about the work of the Holy Spirit, we probably get a lot of different picture. Depending on our upbringing, we might go right away to where Paul talks about the miraculous giftings of the Holy Spirit
But I think it’s significant how Jesus introduces the Holy Spirit to His followers. “The Spirit of truth”. (vs. 16-17
If we were to ask, what is the main job of the HS, what would you say?
I would say, to reveal truth
Do you remember how a few months ago, we talked about life apart from God when man sinned and broke that life’s flow of nourishment from God
He entered a life of separation and death
Paul gives this picture in Ephesians 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not become partners with them; 8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.
6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them.
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord.
6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not become partners with them; 8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.
Life apart from the Spirit is a life of deception and darkness
Is it any wonder that people believe what they do and do what they do? It’s because apart from the Spirit, they are deceived.
They don’t have the HS which is the Spirit of truth.
This means we have a Helper who helps us to recognize
The truth about the world around us
The truth about other people
The truth about ourselves
The truth about Scripture
The truth about God