Holy Spirit and the Church
Sermon #1 The Holy Spirit and the Church
Main Verses: Acts 1:1-8
Far too often Christians don’t properly recognize the importance of the Holy Spirit’s ministry. In this series on Acts, we will be reminded about the importance of the Holy Spirit and His ministry. He is the third member of the trinity, not a third wheel, and each believer needs Him. In this first message we discover the centrality of the Holy Spirit’s ministry to the church.
Jesus Prepared the Early Church for the Holy Spirit
Acts serves to connect Jesus’ ministry to the ministry of the Holy Spirit. In a significant way the Spirit facilitates the next chapter of God’s story. John Pohill observes, that before Jesus’ death His followers experienced the Spirit through Christ’s presence and after Pentecost, they experienced Jesus through the Holy Spirit’s presence.
Early Believers were told to Wait for the Holy Spirit
They were not to launch their ministry after Jesus went back to heaven until they received power from the Spirit. The church cannot do what God is calling us to do without the ministry of the Holy Spirit. When we attempt ministry without relying on the Holy Spirit, we inevitably picture God’s kingdom in ways that are far too small. When it comes to serving God, our focus should never be on the details we can’t control, but on God and what He wants us to do.
Believers Are to Rely on the Holy Spirit
We are to rely on the Holy Spirit because He offers His power so we can be His witnesses. A witness is someone who has seen something firsthand, the apostles had seen Jesus alive after His death, they were witnesses. As the book of Acts unfolded, others who hadn’t physically seen Jesus the way the apostles did, also became His witnesses as they experienced His forgiveness and power in their lives. “A witness is anyone who cooperates with the Holy Spirit in telling other people about Jesus,” according to Pastor Brian Bill. As we rely on the Holy Spirit, we begin by sharing Jesus with people in ever expanding circles, we start locally, then share regionally, and ultimately share God’s love around the world.
Application:
- Examine your attitudes toward the Holy Spirit. Ask God to help you be more aware of the Spirit and how much you need His ministry is your life.
- Just as the early church was told to wait until the Holy Spirit came before leaving Jerusalem, believers today are to realize trying to do God’s work in our own power without God’s Spirit empowering us is foolish. Make a list of specific areas you need God’s power to make a significant impact.
- List several people God may want you to share His love with during the coming weeks. Ask Him to empower you, through the Holy Spirit to bear witness to the hope He has given you.