Sermon on the Holy Spirit, according to Jesus

I. Introduction: The Gift of the Holy Spirit

• Recap of Last Week: Lord’s Prayer context – God desires to give us good gifts, especially the Holy Spirit.
• Jesus’s Teaching: God’s ultimate gift is Himself, in the form of the Holy Spirit.

II. Jesus’s Last Supper Teachings (John 15-16)

• Context: Jesus’s final, crucial instructions before His departure.
• The Vine and Branches (John 15):
  • Abide in Jesus; stay in His life and teachings.
  • The world will hate those who follow Jesus, just as it hated Him (John 15:18-19, 25).
  • Disciples’ sorrow over Jesus leaving.
• Introduction of the Helper/Spirit of Truth (John 15:26-27; John 16:7-11):
  • The Helper (Holy Spirit, Counselor, Guide) will be sent from the Father.
  • He will bear witness about Jesus, and disciples will also bear witness.
  • Purpose of the Helper’s Coming:
    • To keep believers from falling away, even amidst persecution and martyrdom.
    • It’s advantageous for Jesus to leave so the Helper can come.
    • The Helper will convict the world concerning:
      • Sin: Because they do not believe in Jesus.
      • Righteousness: Because Jesus goes to the Father (Pharisees thought they were righteous but killed Jesus).
      • Judgment: Because the ruler of this world (the devil) is judged (sin and death are broken by Jesus’s resurrection).
• The Holy Spirit’s Guidance and Submission (John 16:12-15):
  • Will guide believers in all truth.
  • Will not speak on His own authority, but what He hears (from the Father).
  • Will declare future things and glorify Jesus.
  • The Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) is in a constant state of submission to each other.
  • The Holy Spirit brings communication from God (Father and Son) to the believer.

III. The Holy Spirit in Action: Ephesus (Acts 19)

• After Jesus’s Ascension: Pentecost – Holy Spirit comes, church grows and disperses.
• Apollos in Ephesus (Acts 18:24-28):
  • Eloquent man, knew scriptures, fervent in spirit.
  • Taught accurately about Jesus but only knew John’s baptism (repentance, not Holy Spirit).
  • Priscilla and Aquila explained the way of God more accurately.
• Paul in Ephesus (Acts 19:1-7):
  • Encounters believers who had not heard of the Holy Spirit.
  • Baptized them in the name of Jesus.
  • When Paul laid hands on them, they received the Holy Spirit, spoke in tongues, and prophesied.

IV. Caution Against Single-Verse Doctrines

• Definition: Teachings derived from a single verse or isolated instance in the Bible.
• Dangers:
  • Can be out of context with the rest of Scripture.
  • Example: “Second Work of Grace” (1860s, John Wesley): Idea that a second experience after belief leads to sanctification, based on instances like Ephesus and Samaria where the Holy Spirit came later.
  • Legalism: Loves single-verse doctrines to create rules and steps for receiving the Holy Spirit (e.g., “eight steps”).
  • Pride: Promotes boasting about achieving certain spiritual experiences.
• Encouragement: Single-verse doctrines can foster humility and curiosity, prompting deeper study of the entire Bible.
• Truth Check: Any teaching from the Holy Spirit will not contradict Jesus’s teachings, as the Holy Spirit speaks what He hears from Jesus.

V. Living in the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4)

• Paul’s Letter to Ephesians: Addresses Christians who now have the Holy Spirit.
• Call to Unity (Ephesians 4:1-6):
  • Walk worthy of your calling with humility, gentleness, patience, and love.
  • Maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
  • One body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God.
• Christian Maturity: To know Jesus and grow in Him.
• “Filling” of the Holy Spirit:
  • Not about gaining more of the Spirit (He has no quantity).
  • About increasing the measure of our lives guided by the Holy Spirit’s will over our own.
  • Compared to a cup that keeps getting bigger each time it’s refilled.
• Do Not Grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:29-30):
  • Live for God, grow, and thrive in the Spirit.
  • Avoid corrupting talk and actions that give opportunity to the devil.
  • You cannot lose the Holy Spirit, but you can grieve Him.
• Sealed for Redemption (Ephesians 4:30):
  • When you believe, you are permanently sealed by the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption.
  • This signifies a new creation; the old is gone (no need for works to achieve this).

VI. Conclusion

• The Holy Spirit’s primary work is to help us and bring unity, guiding us in Jesus’s teachings.
• Prayer of thanks for the Holy Spirit’s indwelling presence and desire to live out His full power.