June 2, 2024
Dave Stephens

Series: Who is the Holy Spirit?
Week 3: The Holy Spirit in the Life of the Church

After Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, the Holy Spirit’s arrival on Pentecost marked a new chapter for the early Church. Acts 2:1-4 records this momentous event:

“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly, a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”

John 7:37

“On the last day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.’ By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.”

John 16:7

“But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.”

Luke 24:49

”I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

Introduction

The arrival of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost marked a transformative moment, not just for the disciples, but for the entire world.

Point 1: The coming of the Holy Spirit was The

of Jesus’ Promise

Jesus had promised His disciples that another Advocate, the Holy Spirit, would come after His departure.

People would no longer be visited on occasion but the Holy Spirit would live in them!!!

Point 2: Power To

Acts 1:8

”But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

The coming of the Holy Spirit empowered the disciples to be effective witnesses for Christ. This empowerment is not just for bold preaching…but also for living lives that bear witness to the transformational power of the Gospel.

Point 3: The Birth of the

Reveal Answer

Acts 2:41-42

”Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

The Holy Spirit’s coming signaled a new era in which the community of believers would grow and spread across the globe.

The Holy Spirit continues this work today, filling believers with spiritual gifts for the edification of the Church and the advancement of God’s Kingdom.

As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 12:4-7:

“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone, it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.”

There are a lot of different roles The Holy Spirit plays in our lives.

▪ He makes us look more like Jesus over time (2 Cor 3:18)
▪ He teaches us and helps us remember things (John 14:26)
▪ He tells us things that are going to happen in the future (John 16:13)
▪ He convicts us of righteousness (John 16:8-10)
▪ He helps us to be confident of our position as God’s children (Romans 8:16)

What is the Baptism in the Holy Spirit?

Once a person has the Holy Spirit living inside of him (indwelling), he is now eligible for some other experiences that the Holy Spirit brings, the greatest of which is known as “The Baptism with the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 8:12-17:

“12 But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. 13 Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done.
14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, 15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.”

If “getting saved” and “getting baptized with the Holy Spirit” are the same event, then this passage makes no sense at all.

But, just to establish this truth from another story, let’s look at another passage in Acts where the difference is made plain again.

Acts 19:1-7

“1 And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples 2 he said to them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’
So they said to him, ‘We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.’
3 And he said to them, ‘Into what then were you baptized?’
So they said, “Into John’s baptism.”
4 Then Paul said, ‘John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.’
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. 7 Now the men were about twelve in all.”

Now…let me give you some important thoughts on this:

• The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is not a
  Reveal Answer
  to go to heaven. It’s a tool to help Christians be more effective at representing Jesus while they are alive on the earth.

• The Baptism in the Holy Spirit does not make you
  Reveal Answer
  than other Christians. It makes you more effective than you were.

• The Baptism in the Holy Spirit does not put you at a higher rank. You have already been seated with Jesus at the highest point possible in the universe the moment you got saved.
  “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:4-6
  
• The Baptism in the Holy Spirit doesn’t make God love you any more. God loves you the same whether you choose to receive it or not.
  
  

In the 4 passages of scripture that speak of the baptism in the Holy Spirit in detail, all accounts include the evidence of speaking in tongues. (The Day of Pentecost…Paul at Ephesus…The Samaritans…the House of Cornelius)

When it comes to the spiritual Gifts…there is nothing to be afraid of!!!! For God has not given us a spirit of fear…this scripture is in direct context to the gifts he Holy Spirit gives. Everything He gives has no fear attached!!!

The Holy Spirit has been integral from the dawn of creation, empowering Jesus’ ministry and continuing to work dynamically within us and through the Church.