The following message is a sermon given last year on the day of Pentecost, or feast of firstfruits, also called in the Old Testament, the feast of weeks, because they we are to count 7-complete weeks to arrive at this day, from the day following the Sabbath, around the time of the feast of unleavened bread. This message is about the awesome nature of God’s power, called the Holy Spirit, which this day commemorates the first introduction to the church of God, at it’s official beginning, and is available to God’s first fruits, called in scripture, the elect. See Titus.1:1; Romans.11:5,28.
This year, the day of Pentecost arrives on Sunday May 19, 2013
BRETHREN & FRIENDS, “WHAT DO YOU SEE AS BEING THE MOST IMPORTANT KEY TO OUR FUTURE”?
I’LL COME BACK TO THIS MOMENTARILY, AND WHILE YOU’RE THINKING ON THAT;
I HAVE ANOTHER “Q”, IF YOU HAVE YOUR ANSWER AND ALREADY WRITING IT, WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE GREATEST HINDRANCE TO THAT MOST VITAL OF KEYS TO OUR FUTURE?
IN BEING ABLE TO ANSWER THESE CRUCIAL “Q’S”, WE CAN SET AND RUN A COURSE THAT WILL ALLOW US TO NOT ONLY REACH OUR DESTINATION RELATIVELY ‘UNSCATHED’, BUT GIVE US A VICTORY WE CAN’T COMPREHEND IN IT’S ENTIRETY AT THIS STAGE OF OUR JOURNEY.
LET’S TURN TO
WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT IN EVERY JOURNEY, THERE ARE SPEED-BUMPS, POT HOLES, DEAD-ENDS, OR NO THROUGH ROADS, DETOURS, FLAT TYRES IF YOU’RE DRIVING, RAIN, WIND, HEAT & COLD,PERHAPS TRAVEL-SICKNESS, VEHICLE BREAKDOWN IF TRAV’ BY MOTOR-VEHICLE, PERHAPS EVEN POSSIBILITY OF TRAIN OR CAR-WRECK, ETC. BUT THE MORAL OF THESE DIFFICULTIES IS THAT ANY JOURNEY CAN BE, & OFTEN ARE FROUGHT WITH DANGERS! I WANT TO REMIND US THAT THE JOURNEY WHICH WE HAVE EMBARKED ON IS THE MOST PERILOUS OF ALL!! AND FROUGHT WITH ETERNAL-LIFE THREATENING DANGERS!
I WANT TO REMIND EACH ONE OF US AS GOD’S CALLED OUT & SPECIALLY SELECTED TO UNDERGO THIS JOURNEY, THAT WE HAVE BEEN SCATTERED FOR A REASON, AND GOD EXPECTS US TO PROVE TO HIM & TO OURSELVES THAT WE ARE NOT BEING OVERCOME BY IT, AND THAT WE ARE PATIENTLY WAITING ON GOD AS WE’RE ADMONISHED IN Isa.64; Let’s go there briefly.
Isa.64:4-8 ARE WE INDEED WAITING PATIENTLY, BEING FAITHFULLY SHAPED THRU TRIALS, THRU THIS GIFT OF GOD’S LOVE IN US? ARE WE WALKING WORTHY OF THIS AWESOME GIFT GOD HAS SEEN FIT TO BESTOW UPON YOU, AND ME?? WE ARE THE CLAY AS WE’RE SHOWN IN Isa.64:9
I DON’T THINK ANY OF US TRULY APPRECIATE AS WE SHOULD THE SHEER GREATNESS OF WHAT WE ARE PART OF RIGHT NOW!
WHAT ANSWER DID YOU COME UP WITH FOR THE 1ST “Q”??
WELL, LOGICALLY, THE MOST IMPORTANT KEY TO OUR FUTURE IS THE INDWELLING OF GOD’S HOLY SPIRIT, INDWELLING, BECAUSE IF IT IS NOT PRESENT WITH US,A)WE WILL HAVE EITHER QUENCHED IT; OR B) THE SUPPLY HAS BEEN CUT OFF!!! EITHER WAY, LIKE A NEEDLE IN A HAY-STACK, “IT” WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND-AGAIN! Heb.6:4-8
BRETHREN, IF THIS GIFT IS NOT UPPERMOST IN OUR MINDS, OR WE ARE GETTING BOGGED DOWN IN OUR JOURNEY, BEING OVERCOME BY OUR DAILY LIVES, INSTEAD OF THE COLOSSAL NATURE OF THAT POWER, OR BEING BLUNTENED BY LIFE’S CHALLENGES, WE MAY LOSE-IT. LET’S NOW LOGICALLY ANSWER MY 2ND “Q”.
WITHOUT THIS KEY, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE!!
BUT, WOULD YOU SAY THAT SATAN THE DEVIL IS THE GREATEST HINDRANCE TO THAT MOST VITAL KEY, BECAUSE FROM THE BEGINNING HE HAS DECEIVED ALL MANKIND (Rev.12:9)
HE IS AFTERALL, THE god OF THIS WORLD (2Cor.4:4) WHO WORKS IN THE CHILDREN OF DISOBEDIENCE (Eph.2:2) RIGHT? YES, RIGHT, BUT GOD SHOWS THAT THERE IS ANOTHER AND EVEN MORE POWERFUL & COMPELLING ASPECT TO THIS SITUATION.
LET’S TURN TO Deut.30; HERE IS A VITAL TRUISM ON ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL HINDRANCES TO THE ACQUISITION AND AVAILABILITY GOD’S H/S IS US!
OUR CHOICES DETERMINE THE DIRECTION, WHETHER OBEYING GOD’S INSTRUCTIONS UNTO LIFE, OR REJECTING GOD IN DISOBEDIENCE INSTEAD OF RESISTING SATAN UNTO OUR OWN DESTRUCTION Deut.30:10-20
HERE ARE 7-SUB-POINTS IN RELATION TO THE POWER OF GOD’S HOLY SPIRIT.
#1. IT IS THE POWER OF GOD Mic.4:8
#2. THIS POWER IS A GIFT OF GOD II Tim.1:6-7
#3. IT IS THE POWER THAT HAS BEGOTTEN US INTO THE GOD FAMILY. 2Cor.1:21-22
#4. IT IS THE POWER WHICH “SEALS” THE BELIEVERS WITH THE PROMISE OF GOD. Eph.1:13-14 AND THE EARNEST OF AN ETERNAL INHERITANCE
#5. IT IS THE POWER BY WHICH J.C UPHOLDS & SUSTAINS THE UNIVERSE. Heb.1:1-3
#6. IT IS THE POWER SUPPLY WE HAVE RECEIVE FROM THE FATHER. (Phil.1:19)
#7. IT IS BY THIS POWER THAT WE UNDERSTAND ALL THINGS. ICor.2:4-5,9-13
Acts Chapter 1:
LET’S NOW GO BACK TO THE DAY OF PENTECOST, OR FEAST OF FIRSTFRUITS, SOME 2000 YEARS AGO, BECAUSE THAT’S THE DAY WE’RE CELEBRATING TODAY, AND WE’LL HAVE A LOOK AT WHAT HOLDS THE KEY TO OUR FUTURE IN OUR 7-MAIN POINTS TODAY.
LET’S 1ST BE REMINDED BRETHREN WHAT THIS DAY SYMBOLIZES.
Acts.1:1-3 (hold places here) THE NUMBER “40” HOLDS GREAT SIGNIFICANCE IN HOLY SCRIPTURE AS TO COMPLETENESS, USUALLY IN TRIAL, AS AN ASIDE, LET’S QUICKLY REVIEW A FEW OF THOSE REF’S
A. ISRAEL WAS IN THE WILDERNESS 40-YEARS Deut.8:2-5; 29:5
B. MOSES WAS IN THE MOUNT FASTING FORTY DAYS & NIGHTS. Ex.24:12-18
C. ELIJAH TRAVELLED TO THE MOUNT ALSO FASTING FOR 40-DAYS & NIGHTS. I Kings.19:1-8
D. JESUS CHRIST ALSO FASTED 40 DAYS AND NIGHTS WHILE BEING TEMPTED OF SATAN THE DEVIL. Mt.4:1-2
E. ANOTHER ONE IS THE 40-YEARS FROM THE CRUCIFIXION OF THE LORD UNTIL ISRAEL WAS OVERTHROWN,TURN TO MT.24:1-2; LK.19:41
F. IN Gen.7:4,12 IT RAINED 40-DAYS & 40-NIGHTS
STILL IN ACTS.1:3 WE SEE THIS NUMBER 40 AGAIN; VERSES 4-8, THIS V.8 BEING ANOTHER REF’ FOR THE POWER BY WHICH GOD’S H/S OPERATES
Point #1:GOD’S H/S WAS CUT OFF FROM THE WORLD.
THIS DAY SYMBOLIZES & ACTUALLY FORESHADOWS THE OUT POURING OF THAT POWER UPON MANKIND!! Joel.2: THE LIMITLESS AWESOME & TERRIFYING POWER! CAN WE PICTURE THIS TIME?
Joel 2:21-25,28-29,32
We know that mankind were cut off from access to God’s H/S back in Gen.2:7-9, 15-17; 3:1-6, 22-24. AS WITH ALL MANKIND, WE WERE PART OF THIS DECEIVED WORLD! (Eph.2:2; 2Cor.4:4; Rev.12:9)
THEREFORE, HOW DID WE BECOME UN-DECEIVED?? THRU THE POWER OF GOD’S H/S, NATURALLY THEREFORE, THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY WE COULD BE RE-DECEIVED…THRU BEING CUT-OFF FROM ACCESS TO GOD’S H/S, WHETHER GRADUALLY, OR INSTANTANEOUSLY!
That’s why God tells us not to quench the Spirit! (I Thess.5:19)
Rom’s.11; PHYSICAL ISRAEL WERE CUT OFF, & NOW BY ALL APPEARANCES, MOST OF SPIRITUAL ISRAEL HAVE LIKEWISE BEEN CUT OFF! WHY??
Rom.11:11 THERE IS A PURPOSE TO EVERYTHING GOD DOES, & THIS PROVOKING TO JEALOUSY IS NOT DONE IN VAIN, AS WE READ BACK THERE IN James.4:5-6; Hold your places in Rom.11:
Let’s just go to James momentarily
BACK HERE IN Rom.11:12-22
THEY WERE CUT OFF BECAUSE OF UNBELIEF!
THIS SERMON IS ONLY 1-METHOD BY WHICH WE CAN BE REMINDED AT LEAST ANNUALLY, OF THE TREMENDOUS SIGNIFICANCE OF THE INCREDIBLE POWER, GOD HAS MADE AVAIL’ TO US.
I’M NOT INTENDING TO GIVE THE MEANING OF THIS DAY-THAT’S FOR THIS AFTERNOON.
Point #2: THE KOG IS TO BE OUR PRIMARY GOAL
THAT ENTAILS PREPARING FOR IT BRETHREN, THEN THIS GIFT WILL NOT DEPART FROM US.
SO, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MEANS THAT MAKE IT ACHIEVABLE?
a) BY THE SUSTAINED LOVE OF GOD’S LAW! TIME IS NOT A LUXURY MOST OF US HAVE, BUT TIME IS IMPORTANT IN DEVELOPING THIS LOVE, THE UNDERSTANDING, THE KNOWLEDGE AND THE POWER OF GOD’S H/S. Let’s turn back to Rom.5:1-5; Acts.5:29-33 OPPOSITIONS WILL COME…
b) Jn.7 AS WE EXPERIENCE ANSWERED PRAYER, GOD’S BLESSINGS & BENEFITS, WE MATURE IN THE FAITH ONCE DELIVERED TO THE SAINTS (Jude3) John, chap’7:17; FOR FURTHER CONFIRMNATION OF THIS TURN TO Psa.103:1-5,10-13
c) IT’S A DAILY PROVING PROCESS; II Tim.1:6-7,
I Tim.4:13-14. THIS IS JUST A BEGINNING, AND WITHOUT STIRRING UP THE SPIRIT, COMPLACENCY SETS IN, AND THAT LEADS TO WATERING DOWN, & ALL MANNER OF UNRIGHTEOUSNESS, ULTIMATELY REBELLION AGAINST GOD’S LAW, CONTENTION, BITTERNESS, & DEFILING OF OTHERS. Heb.12:7,9-15
POINT #3: UNDERSTANDING & THEN WISELY USING THIS GIFT
BRETHREN, AS GOD’S INSPIRED BIBLE IS MAN’S MANUAL FOR LIFE, SO SAY I NOW, THE H/S OF GOD IS THE POWER BY WHICH WE UNDERSTAND EVERY SYLLABLE IN THAT MANUAL, BECAUSE THAT MANUAL IS SPIRIT & IT IS LIFE! (Jn.6:63.)
- Rom.3:9-18 LACK OF GODLY FEAR IS A SIGN THAT MANY ARE BEING DE-SENSITIZED OR RE-DECEIVED.
WE ALL LACKED THIS FEAR BEFORE OUR BEGETTAL OF GOD’S H/S, & THEREFORE FELL INTO THIS CATEGORY. BUT…GODLY FEAR IS A RIGHT ATTITUDE IN GOD’S SIGHT, PRODUCING HUMBLENESS OF MIND..(We’re talking about understanding & then “WISELY” using this gift, remember?)Isa.66:1-2,5
- LET’S NOTICE A WARNING IN II Thess.2: THIS WILL TIE IN THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS POINT ALSO…
II Thess.2:8-11 THEY RECEIVED NOT THE LOVE OF GOD, IT DOESN’T SAY THEY QUENCHED IT, OR IT WAXED COLD…SOME RECEIVED NOT THE LOVE OF THE TRUTH!
BUT, THOSE THAT DID & STILL QUENCHED “IT” DID NOT “WISELY” USE IT, DID THEY?
A. II Thess.2:12 WHAT THIS IS SAYING, IS THAT IF YOU, OR I ARE DETERMINED TO DECEIVE OURSELVES, LEANING TO OUR OWN UNDERSTANDING & NOT BELIEVING THE TRUTH, & EVEN HAVING “PLEASURE” IN UNRIGHTEOUSNESS, WE WILL BE PUNISHED WITH DESTRUCTION (damned- strongs 2919 ‘Krino’) II Pet.3;
B. II Pet.3:14-18 ON THE OTHER HAND, WHAT GOD IS SAYING HERE IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS SERMON TODAY, IS THAT WE ARE TO USE THE POWER OF GOD’S H/S TO “GROW” BY ALL SPEAKING THE SAME THING (No Divisions-I Cor.11:18;) BY FAITHFULLY KEEPING GOD’S HOLY-DAYS AS WE HAVE PROVEN, NOT ACCORDING TO THAT WHICH MEN TEACH, BUT WHICH THE HOLY SPIRIT TEACHES.
POINT #4: COME OUT OF THIS WORLD
(IJn.2:15-17) TRAD’S INCL BIRTHDAYS, XMAS, EASTER, LENT, VOTING DISSIDENT LIT. HAIR LENGTH FOR MEN, DRESS LENGTH FOR WOMEN, IN MUSIC, MOVIES & ENTERTAINMENT, THE PAST TIMES ALL OF THIS WORLD. BY THE DOING OF THESE THINGS WE MAY BE IN BREACH OF OUR COVENANT WITH GOD! WE DON’T WANT TO GO THERE, OR BE SENT THAT STRONG DELUSION
I Jn.2:19-20 GOD SELECTS WHO RECEIVES HIS H/S, REMEMBER, EVEN SIMON MEGAS WAS BAPTIZED! Acts.8:13 BUT DID NOT RECEIVE THAT POWER.
POINT #5: GOD’S POWER GIVEN TO MEN!
AVAILABLE ON THE 1ST DAY OF PENTECOST FOR THE N.T CHURCH. J.C LED THE DISCIPLES TO UNDERSTAND HOW THIS WOULD TAKE PLACE BEFORE HE ASCENDED UP TO THE FATHER. Lk.24:25-27,30-31,33-36,44-51. WE CAN NOW GO TO Acts.1:1-4, 8
POINT #6: GOD’S POWER NOT LIMITED TO A TRINITY
Acts.2:1-18 GOD’S H/S IS ABLE TO BE POURED OUT! SO IT’S NOT A 3RD-BEING, NOT A TRINITY, OR THE TRI-UNE-GOD AS SOME SUPPOSE
OUR SUCCESS DEPENDS LARGELY ON OUR OWN WORKS, OUR CONDUCT, WHICH IS A REFLECTION OF OUR MIND, THE STATE & CONDITION OF OUR MIND-DO WE REFLECT JOY IN OUR CALLING, OR ARE WE CONSTANTLY NEGATIVE? WE NEED ACCESS TO THIS POWER AT ALL TIMES, DO WE LEAN TO OUR OWN UNDERSTANDING ON THIS ISSUE OR THAT?
REMEMBER, EVERYTHING J.C DID WAS AWAY FROM SELF, IT WAS ABOUT SERVING THE FATHER, SERVING GOD’S PEOPLE, GIVING OF HIMSELF.
WHAT A REMARKABLE EXAMPLE, & ONE WE NEED TO EMULATE
WE HAVE A RESOURCE TO MANAGE THAT ULTIMATELY WILL FILL THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE! LET’S NOTICE Lk. Chap’ 1; Of course we can only touch on the many points we need to for time here today, but this scripture shows us that the KOG certainly has NO-END!
This is where God was informing Mary of her impending pregnancy. She had a right reaction to this marvellous news, & God foreknew this had to be the case, just as He did when He tested Abraham. Lk.1:26-33
THIS DAY DEPICTS THE GIVING OF THIS POWER AS A 1ST TYPE TO GOD’S CALLED, A REMNANT. LET’S GO TO JOEL AGAIN.
Joel.2:28-32
WHAT WE HAVE CONTENDED FOR TODAY IS THE FAITH ONCE DELIVERED THRU THIS MIGHTY POWER OF GOD, BUT THERE’S ONE THING WE HAVEN’T ADDRESSED YET-
THAT THIS POWER IS TO HELP US ACHIEVE..DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS? WHILE YOU THINK ON THAT, I WANT TO REMIND US AS WE COME TO A CLOSE IN THIS SERMON BRETHREN, THAT WE NEED TO MAKE OUR CALLING & ELECTION SURE…II Pet.1:10-11
POINT # 7: J.C’S DIVINE NATURE BEING DEVELOPED THRU GOD’S H/S
THIS MEANS GROWING UP SPIRITUALLY, OTHERWISE HOW CAN WE BE OVERCOMING, THIS MEANS MOVING FORWARD IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE FATHER & THE SON, NOT JUST HEAD KNOWLEDGE, WE HAVE TO PUT IT TO WORK, TO PRACTISE, STUDYING, PROVING, SUBMITTING TO GOD’S WORD IN EVERY ASPECT & PERSPECTIVE!
WE ARE TO BE IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING J.C’S PERFECT SPIRITUAL CHARACTER, THE DIVINE NATURE, IS TO BE A MAJOR PART OF WHAT WE ARE AIMING TO ACHIEVE!
AS PART OF THAT FOCUS, WE MUST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT UNLESS WE KEEP IN MIND THE ENORMITY OF THE SACRIFICE J.C PAID FOR EACH OF US PERSONALLY, WE COULD JUST SLIDE BACK INTO OUR OLD WAYS, AND SINS, AND THERE WILL THEN BE NO MORE ROOM FOR SACRIFICE
Heb.10:19-23,26-27; 2 Pet.2:20-22
LAST SCRIPTURE
Ezek.37: AND HERE WE WILL REHEARSE THE GREAT RESURRECTION OF THE WHOLE HOUSE OF ISRAEL & THEIR BEGETTAL OF GOD’S H/S
Ezek.37:1-14; Ezek.36:22-28, 32-38; 37:22-28
TODAY WE HAVEN’T EVEN SCRATCHED THE SURFACE, THERE IS MUCH, MUCH MORE. BUT LET’S NEVER FORGET, OR BE COMPLACENT BRETHREN, THAT HAD J.C NOT ALLOWED HIMSELF TO BE BEATEN TO AN UNRECOGNIZABLE STATE, HAVING HIS SKIN FLAILED OFF HIS BODY FOR YOU, AND FOR ME, BEEN SHAMEFULLY NAILED TO A STAKE AND THEN SPEARED IN HIS SIDE, WE WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE KEY TO OUR ETERNAL FUTURE. I HOPE YOU ALL HAD A MOST PROFITABLE AND JOYOUS FEAST OF FIRST-FRUITS BRETHREN, THE NEXT STAGE OF THIS PLAN BEGINS THE DAY OF TRUMPETS. SEE YOU THEN
