Essentials Of The Faith / Sunday Morning Sermon Series / Statement Of Faith

Jesus Part 2

 This is what we believe. Now let me tell you what other's believe about the Holy Spirit.

 In a 1997 Barna report, 61% of US residents surveyed agreed with this statement  'The Holy Spirit is a symbol of God's presence and power, but is not a living entity.'  Even more, that answer was held by a near majority of those in most every Christian denomination, mainline and evangelical and was most common among young people.

 It seems that the church is not teaching an adequate doctrine of the Holy Spirit.

 It is not surprising then that there are churches today, filled with busy, hard working people who, teach a Sunday School class, lead a small group, serve on vital committees and boards in the church and even preach.  The reality is, they often do all these good things without enthusiasm and without power.

 Christians often find themselves going through the motions, volunteering for more and more things to do FOR God. In fact, many are just TOO busy for God. And it often shows in their face, their attitudes and in their spirit.

 When it comes right down to it, many Christians act no differently than their counterparts in the world around them. They work and strive and work some more, never satisfied, never seeing the results they expect and often, never really content or at peace with their lives. But Christians shouldn't be like the world, they should be different.

Turn to:
1 Peter 2:9 'But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light'

Titus 2:13-14 'Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;   Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

 Did you hear that? We are to be different, peculiar even. Christians are not to trudge through life with our chins in the mud, depressed, and defeated,  w/o hope or excitement about who we are in Christ.

 Instead, we are to show forth the praise of Him who has called us out of darkness into the light...We are to be a peculiar people..zealous of good works. Zealous, excited, enthusiastic!

EXP: How is it we can do that? Because we are  peculiar..different than the world? Why? Because we have what the world does not have. Immanuel, God with us.

 We have the empowering presence of God Almighty with us each and every day,
 With us in each and every work we do for God,
With us in each and every relationship we are seeking to nurture. God with us.

 Christians used to have a name for this kind of relationship with God. It was called a 'heartfelt' religion.  But today many frown at emotion, and quench any expression of excitement. And many stay away from talk of being Spirit Filled.

 Why? For fear of being labeled a fanatic, or even worse.....a charismatic.

 It is unfortunate but for many, faith is merely  intellectual and  service is  highly mechanical. What is greatly needed is a rekindling of the passion  of our RELATIONSHIP with God. And this only happens by the person and work of the Holy Spirit, filling our hearts afresh with His enabling and empowering presence.

 Forgive me, but what we need is to be a little more Charismatic.

Sidebar: Walter Elwell in his book Evangelical Dictionary of theology defines Charismatic, this way.

 'Chrisma: signifies redemption or salvation as the gift of God's grace and a gift enabling a Christian to perform a particular ministry in the church. The Spirit bestows His charismata for the edification of the church, the formation of Christian character and the service of the community.'

 Isn't that something we all need?

 Unlike Charismatic doctrine, we don't need to pray to receive the Holy Spirit. As Believers, He is already living in us. But I am getting ahead of myself. What I want to talk about is the presence of God in the life of the Believer, by the person and work of the Holy Spirit.

 Before we get to our main text this morning, I want to take you on a bit of a journey. I want to show you something I found to be both exciting and comforting. I want to show you what spiritual giants like Brother Lawrence, Martin Luther, Thomas A Kempis, DL Moody and others have known and depended on.  The Empowering presence of God.

 Briefly, in the book of Genesis we read that Adam  in the garden, was in God's presence and spoke directly to Him.  After the Fall, Scripture gives us numerous accounts of God speaking either directly or indirectly to different people, but not face to face. The presence of God was limited to His voice or representatives speaking for Him.

  Then there was a change.

Exodus 25:8 'And let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them.'
Exodus 29:45-46 "And I will dwell among the sons of Israel and will be their God. "And they shall know that I am the Lord their God who brought them out of the land of Egypt, that I might dwell among them; I am the Lord their God.'

 In the pillars of smoke and fire God was now dwelling in the midst of His people in the tabernacle.  This was better than just a voice in the clouds  because God was physically present with them in the smoke and fire.

1 Kings 6:11-13  Now the word of the Lord came to Solomon saying, "Concerning this house which you are building, if you will walk in My statutes and execute My ordinances and keep all My commandments by walking in them, then I will carry out My word with you which I spoke to David your father. "And I will dwell among the sons of Israel, and will not forsake My people Israel.

 God has moved from the traveling tabernacle to the stationary Temple where His presence was before the people. And where His presence was, His glory was abundant.

2 Chronicles 7:1-3 'Now when Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the house. And the priests could not enter into the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord filled the Lord's  house. And all the sons of Israel, seeing the fire come down and the glory of the Lord upon the house, bowed down on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave praise to the Lord, saying, "Truly He is good, truly His lovingkindness is everlasting."

 God's presence in the Temple was even more glorious than in the Tabernacle. But, once again, because of the depth of the people's sin, God removed his presence from the Temple and His people and then removed his people from the land.
Trans: This is where we catch up with our text this morning. Turn to Ezekiel 36:22. Here we will see God's plan to dwell once again among his people.

 We will see what God is going to do so that He might always be present with His people in a way He has not done before.
 In a way that would bring the Christian closer to Him and enable and empower him like at no other time.

God's Presence gets a change of address
I. The Holy Spirit: The Presence of God (Ezekiel 36:22-28)
Background Ezek. 36:22-25

 The Israelites had given God a bad name because of their utter sinfulness. God now tells them through the prophet Ezekiel that He is about to do a great work. Not for their sake, but for the sake of His name. God said that He will do a mighty act that will prove to all the nations that He is a great and holy God. What will He do? He will bring sinful Israel back to the Land, He will cleanse them of their sin and He will once again be their God. And He will do this by being present with them again.

 Did this happen? Yes but not all at once. This is a prophesy that has a few stages to it's fulfillment. Israel was returned from captivity to the Land and God prospered them.  But, what He says in vs 26-28 didn't happen until the time after Jesus ascended to heaven. What was the prophesy later to be fulfilled? God was going to change His zip code. He was about to make a dramatic and powerful change in how He was present with His people.

    A. God gives us a new heart Ezek. 36:26
 Our heart is weak and sinful. It is insensitive and inflexible and full of pride. It wants to be autonomous, independent. You have a heart  like stone, God says, it will not be able to keep my law because it is selfish and prideful.

 Instead, God said I will give you a heart of flesh, a soft and tender heart, pliable for Me to mold and shape after my own heart. According to my good pleasure.

Trans: A new heart is not all that God promises.

    B. God gives us a new Spirit: His  Ezek. 36:27
 The cleansing and the giving of a new heart by God is followed by the imparting of new life. God gives us His Spirit and God's Spirit brings life. With the indwelling of the Spirit of God, we will now be motivated to love, follow and serve God. Our spirit is sinful and leads to death but God's Sprit  makes us righteous before God and  brings us eternal life.

 His life lived in us, by His Spirit, will bring glory to His name. Remember, He said he was doing this not because they were worthy or perfect. No they and we are sinful and unworthy. He does this, He gives us a new heart and His Spirit so that we may be the praise of His glory to the world around us.

    C. God's Spirit means God's presence! Ezek. 36:28
 The prophet Jeremiah in Jer. 31:31-33 calls this God's new covenant with His people. Remember the purpose of God's covenant was that God would be our God and we would be His people and he would dwell in our midst. You see, the placing of God's Spirit in the life of the Believer, assures His presence forever. It is the earthy  fulfillment of the biblical promise of God dwelling with His people forever.

Conclusion
 Let me see if I can bring this all together. The desire of God has always been to dwell with His people. But since the Fall, our life of sin has always kept Him at a distance.

 But God has moved throughout the centuries to come closer and closer to His people. Culminating in His presence in the Temple of the OT where His presence was glorious  and powerful. But the time of the Temple is over, it has been destroyed because God was preparing an ever more intimate temple for His dwelling place. YOU!

1 Corinthians 3:16 'Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?'

 Did you hear that? We don't need to physically hear the voice of God, nor do we need a prophet to tell us what God has to say. We have Immanuel, God with us. God is forever present in us by His Spirit.  Since the miracle of Pentecost, Believers experience the presence of God in a way that is utterly unique and immensely intimate.

 Believer...Listen. GOD IS IN YOU! He has fulfilled His purpose, He has kept His word. He is our God, we are His people and He is dwelling not just in our midst, but IN US! Isn't that great!

 But if that is true, why do many still lack power in their ministry and life? Why are many still without lasting peace and joy in their lives? Why do many leave the worship service Sunday after Sunday feeling  no different then when they leave?
 Because they are not trusting in, yeilding to, walking in,  the presence of God through His indwelling Holy Spirit. Because they are not filled with the Spirit.
Ephesians 5:18 'And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit'
 Most Christians would never be caught drunk with wine - but many ignore the positive side of this command... Be filled with the spirit. May God give us the grace & willingness  to be obedient to this command.

Honestly, how many of you here this morning would like to:
 Follow Christ more closely?

 Serve Him more faithfully?

 Give to Him more cheerfully

 Know Him more intimately?

 Pray to Him more effectively?

 Love Him more passionately?

 Witness for Him more boldly?

 Worship him more enthusiastically?

 If you said yes to any of these, then you must recognize, yield to and be filled with the empowering presence of God as given to us in His indwelling Holy Spirit.

 How do we do this? Come back next week.