Filled with the Power of the Spirit

January 27, 2013    Filled with the power of the Spirit

Nehemiah 8:1-3,  5-6,  8-10

“And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up.  Then Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered. “Amen, Amen.” Lifting up their hands.

Psalm 19  UMH 750

The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the decrees of the Lord are sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Epistle I Corinthians 12: 12-31a

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.  For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body- Jews or Greeks, slaves or free – and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues.

But strive for the greatest gift which is LOVE.

Gospel  Luke 4:14-21

The Spirit is power, love, and grace by which God acts.

This is evident in the creation (Gen. 1:2), in maintaining life (Job 33:4); In Old Testament leadership (Genesis 41:38); in the giving of knowledge (Proverbs 1:23); in prophetic activity (Isaiah 61:1); The promise is made that the Spirit of God will be given to all humanity at the dawn of a new age (Joel 2:28).  But the Spirit of God does not give new life in the Old Testament; rather the Spirit maintains God’s plan for Israel – that from the root of Jesse (Isaiah 11:10); shall come the savior of the world.

In the New Teatatment the Holy Spirit is released for all humanity through the work of Christ.  The Holy Spirit is the power of God in the church. Jesus promised the Spirit to his followers (John 14-16).

1)Between Christ’s ascension and the end of the age, we are not left alone.  We are not left to our own resources.  The Spirit has been given to Christ’s followers John 20:22.  The Spirit is called the Counselor John 14:16-26), the protector or the supporter of the body of Christ.  The Holy Spirit now unites Christians with the risen, ascended, and glorified Christ (romans 8:4 ; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Galations 4:6).

2) The Spirit can only work within the church.  When the gospel is preached, the Spirit is at work Galations 3:3-5.  The Book of Acts tells us that missionary activity, various ministries, and even church vigor and growth are from the Spirit.  Spiritual life, spiritual nourishment and Christian maturity can only take place in the church.

3) The believer is baptized in Christ and receives the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). Only in the church does the believer share in the life of God’s Spirit (Ephesians 3:20-21).  This “new creation” (John 3:3-8) lives through the Spirit as a child of God (romans 8:14-17) and in the family of God (Philippians 2:1-5).  The Spirit gives gifts (I Corinthians 12:4-7) and cements the living relationship between the ascended Christ and redeemed humanity.

The Importance of the Holy Spirit Today.  The life of the church and the life of a Christian would be impossible without the Holy Spirit.  In the midst of our troubled world , the Spirit unites us with Christ.

READ Romans 8:26-27

Because of the Holy Spirit, salvation is totally  the work of God.  The Spirit opens us to God.  We cannot believe by our own strength and will.

The Holy Spirit’s work has always been vital to United Methodists. On May 24, 1738, Wesley’s heart was “strangely warmed.”  He went on to write in his journal, “ and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.”  Assurance is based upon God’s action in Christ.   Assurance is not supposed to make us feel good. That is why Wesley went on to proclaim the good news to everyone who would listen.

This is why he preached that sins were already forgiven.  This God-centered experience was the source of his bold and courageous teaching, preaching, traveling, and energy level.  God-centered assurance frees United Methodists to be like John Wesley – to boldly, courageously, and energetically proclaim the gospel.

It is the Spirit who continually regenerates the church, who leads believers to salvation, and who communicates assurance to all Christ’s followers.  It is the Spirit who links us to the living and ascended Christ. That is why we are filled with the Power of the Spirit.