Being Thankful

Scripture Text

Psalm 103:1-5

Intro: In one week this nation will celebrate Thanksgiving Day. It's a day to be thankful to God as a nation for the benevolent gifts He has given this nation and to each of us individually. In this message I would like to mention from God's word some things we need to thank God for not only once a year but all year long.

  I. We should remind ourselves to bless the Lord for all His benefits. Psalms 103:1-2 (NKJV) ¹ A Psalm of David. Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! ² Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:

a. David told his spirit man to praise the Lord with all his being, that is, to put his whole heart in his praise of God’s holy name. This was certainly warranted in view of the Lord’s many benefits and blessings. The purpose of this was so he would not forget what God had done. It is a needed reminder because all too often we do forget. We forget to thank Him for soundness of body, soundness of mind, sight, hearing, speech, appetite, and a host of other mercies. We take them too much for granted. All the material and spiritual blessings. [Ephesians 1:3]                                                                                               II. David began to list some of God's benefits. Psalms 103:3-5 (NKJV) ³ Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, ⁴ Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, ⁵ Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. God forgives all your iniquities> Gross Wickedness and evil. It's an unspeakable miracle of divine grace that crimson red sins can be made whiter than snow. I can understand the man who chose one word for his tombstone—FORGIVEN. To know that our sins have been put away forever by the precious blood of Christ, past, present, and future—well, it’s just too much to take in. God heals all your diseases. All genuine healing is from God. If you have been sick, and then have recovered, you can thank God for your recovery because He is the source of all healing. One of the names of God in the Old Testament is Jehovah Rophi—the Lord your Healer. Every instance of true healing comes from Him. Second, the Lord is able to heal all kinds of diseases. There is no such thing with Him as an incurable disease. Third, the Lord can heal by the use of natural means over a period of time or He can heal miraculously and instantly. No limit can be placed on His power to heal. Fourth, when He was on earth the Lord actually healed all that were brought to Him (Matt. 8:16). Fifth, during the Millennium He will actually heal all diseases except in the case of those who rebel against Him.     God redeems your life from destruction. He redeems our lives from the Pit, or destruction. Of course, this can be applied to His saving us from going down to hell. But I think that the meaning here is rather that He continually delivers us from dangers, accidents, tragedies and thus from going down to the grave. Only when we get to heaven will we realize how often we were protected by the personal intervention of our God from premature death. God crowns you with loving kindness. Tender kindness motivated by or expressing affection. And tender [soft, delicate] mercies. Acts of kindness, compassion, favor and blessings. It is a wonderful crown for those who were once the loveless and guilty. We are loved with everlasting love and showered day by day with His mercy. God satisfies “your years” with good things as long as we live. The literal translation is He “satisfies “your years” or “as long as you live.” The truth is there that the Lord satisfies the longing heart, and that He does not withhold any good thing from those who walk uprightly.

Conclusion: The result of these five benefits—forgiveness, healing, preservation, coronation,and satisfaction—is that our youth is renewed like the eagle’s [v:5] Sickness and violence may affect the body but they cannot touch the spirit. “Though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day” (2 Cor. 4:16). On earth there is no fountain of eternal youth as far as the body is concerned, but the spirit can go from one degree of strength to another.

Invitation: If you don't know God, be thankful that you right now have another opportunity to get to know Him by confessing your sins to Jesus and ask Him to forgive you of your sins and save you, so when this life is over you can live with God the Father forever.

Remembering Jesus Through the Lord’s Supper

Intro: When we partake of the Lord’s Supper we want to make certain we remember what Jesus has done for us. As we commune with Him through the Lord's Supper we should give Him the acknowledgment, worship, and praise He deserves.
I. Remember the Word became flesh. John 1:1,14 (NKJV) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. 

a. God knew before the world was created we would need a Savior. He knew mankind would sin and thus become guilty before Him and be separated from Him, eternally lost. Even though Jesus was with God in the beginning and He was God, and He made all things, yet He agreed to come to this earth in a fleshly body to seek and save those that were lost. Think of what Jesus gave up to become one of us and be our Savior. He was not born in a king’s palace but a lowly manger, a feed trough for animals. Through Jesus we see the glory of God that is full of grace and truth.
II. Remember His life. [ 1 Peter 2:22, 2 Corinthians 5:21 & John10:10b]

 a. Jesus was the only person who ever lived a perfect life before the Father God. 1 Peter 2:22 (NKJV) "Jesus committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth";

2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV) For God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Jesus lived His life for us to provide the only Way by which people can enter into God’s provision for eternal life. Romans 1:4 (NKJV) He was declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.

He protects us from our enemies. We can have communication with the Father at any time for the help and provisions that we need. [Heb. 4:14-16] Jesus said He came so that we might have life and that more abundantly now and throughout all eternity.
III. Remember Jesus’ death. Hebrews 2:14-15 (NKJV) ¹⁴ Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, ¹⁵ and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. We Christians do not have to fear death! For in death we find eternal life. John 12:32-33 Jesus said, if I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all peoples to Myself." ³³ This He said, signifying by what death He would die. Matthew 27:46 (NKJV) And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" Jesus suffered the agony of the cross to pay the debt for our sins.

IV. Remember His resurrection. Romans 1:4 (NKJV) and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. John 11:25-26 (NKJV) ²⁵ Jesus said to Mary, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. ²⁶ And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?"

By Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, He affirmed all the claims He had made about Himself. Because of our faith in Jesus' death, burial, and and resurrection, God the Creator became God our Father. We are His children and just as Jesus was resurrected from the dead, so shall we.
V. Remember His promise to return. When Jesus was preparing His disciples for His death, He told them in John 14:2-3 I got to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. The apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11:26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes. Through the Lord’s Supper we proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. One day He will split the clouds and come to take us home. But until that time We will continue to remember Him until He returns.
 Invitation: To partake in the Lord's Supper you must know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord. Otherwise this observance has no meaning for you. If you have never confessed your sins to Jesus and asked Him to forgive and save you, now is the proper time to do that. Then you can participate as we observe the Lord's Supper.

Seven Assurances From God

Scripture Text 

Romas. 8:28-39

Intro: God in His word has given us the assurance that He will deliver us from our struggling and suffering. He has not only saved our souls but He has assured us that nothing can separate us from the love of God which we have in Christ Jesus our Lord!

1. Assurance 1: God works things out for those who love Him. Romans 8:28 (NKJV) And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
a. We must know some things! God works All things together for our good if we love Him and are called according to His purpose. His purpose is for us to be like Jesus.
2. Assurance 2: God has determined to fulfill His purpose for the believer. Romans 8:29 (NKJV) For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
  a.  Since God is not limited by time as we are, he “sees” past, present, and future at the same time. God’s foreknowledge, insofar as we can understand it, means that God knows who will accept the offer of salvation. When we accept the offer of salvation, God has a predetermined plan to conform or begin a new work in our lives to change us into the image, the exact likeness of Christ.
 b. To honor Christ (v.29b) When all believers are conformed to Christ’s likeness, the resurrected Christ will be the firstborn of a new race of humans, who are purified from sin. Because we are God’s children, we are Christ’s brothers and sisters.
3. Assurance 3: God has set the glorification of the believer—once-for-all. Romans 8:30 (NKJV) Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
a. The true believer can rest in this glorious truth that God has done three wonderful things for him. God has called, justified, and glorified him. Note that all three steps are in the past tense; all three steps are something already accomplished. The believer's glorification has already taken place in the plan and mind of God. God already sees believers glorified; He already sees believers in His presence. It is assured and predestined—already written down in the books of heaven, never to be erased.
4. Assurance 4: God has acted for the believer, not against him. Romans 8:31-33 (NKJV) ³¹ What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? ³³ Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.
  a.  He is our Savior (v.32a) It was while we were sinners, acting and rebelling against God, that He gave His Son to die for us.
  b.  He is our Provider (v.32b) God not only saved us but He continues to supply our every need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus our Lord.
  c.  He Justified us. (v.33) It is God; only God can charge us with sin and shame. But if we have truly trusted Jesus Christ as our Savior, we are one of God's elect, he does not charge us with sin. He has justified us through the blood of Christ. He forgives our sin and counts us righteous in Christ Jesus. If we are God's child, no one can charge us with anything. We are God's; we belong to God.
5. Assurance 5: Christ does not condemn the believer. Romans 8:34 (NKJV) Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
  a.  He died for us (v.34a) Christ has died for us. Christ is our glorious Savior. When we honestly come to Him, He does not condemn us for our sin and shame; He forgives us. He is able to forgive us because He died bearing our sins for us.

  b.  He arose for us (v.34b) .  Christ has risen from the dead for us. Christ is our risen Lord. His resurrection does two marvelous things for the believer.

 c. The resurrection of the Lord proves that God was perfectly satisfied with the death of Jesus Christ. What Christ did—His dying for our sins—was acceptable to God; He has accepted Jesus' death for us. God has approved His dying for us.

  d.  By His resurrection Jesus has been exalted for us (v.34c) The Lord Jesus Christ is exalted as the Sovereign and majestic Lord of the universe. He is the Ruler who reigns and rules over all, who possesses all might and power and is full of all wisdom and truth. He is the One who is going to destroy and utterly eliminate sin and evil in the world. He is the One who is going to establish a kingdom of righteousness and justice, love and truth in the new heavens and earth.
  e.  He intercedes for us (v.34d)  Christ makes intercession for us before the throne of God. He is our great Intercessor, our Mediator and Advocate who stands between God and mankind. It is Christ Jesus who brings us to God and who not only redeems us, and forgives of our sins, but He also prays for us in agreement with God's will for us..
6. Assurance 6: Christ has made us more than conquerors. Romans 8:37 (NKJV)  ³⁷ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

a. No force on earth can separate us from Christ's love. Romans 8:35-36 (NKJV) ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ³⁶ As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."

Christ comforts us through all trials. Christ supplies all our needs. Christ delivers us through persecution. Christ delivers us into His very presence, giving us eternal life if we are martyred. Christ cares for us no matter the situation. Christ enables us to overcome the world no matter the situation. No matter the circumstances, we are more than conquerors through Christ who has loved us (v:37). Christ will carry us through all, strengthening and encouraging us. We cannot lose, no matter the severity of the situation, because Christ loves us and is going to look after and take care of us. We believers can rest assured, Christ protects us from the severest circumstances.
7. Assurance 7: Nothing can separate us from God's love. Romans 8:38-39 (NKJV) ³⁸ For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, ³⁹ nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

a. There is nothing in the universe that can separate the believer from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Death puts us in His presence. Nothing we experience in this life can separate us from His love. No angel or spiritual creature can separate us from His love. Nothing in this present time or future events can separate us from God's love. Nothing from outer space or from hell below can seperate us from God's love. If there be any other creature than the ones named, that creature cannot separate us from "the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

 As believers, we can be fully persuaded of this glorious promise of God..

Invitation: To be able to claim these assurances for yourself, you must confess your sins to Jesus, ask Him to forgive those sins and then invite Him into your life. If you have not done that now is the time. Jesus said “no man can come to the Father but by Me.” 

Best Prayer Partner

Scripture Text Romans 8:18-27

Intro: As we Christians suffer pain and agony in this world of sin, we are not alone for we have the best prayer partner anyone could ever have. He is the Holy Spirit of God!

I. Suffering is the experience of all creation. (verses 18-22) Romans 8:18-22 (NLT) ¹⁸ Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will give us later. ¹⁹ For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. ²⁰ Against its will, everything on earth was subjected to God's curse. ²¹ All creation anticipates the day when it will join God's children in glorious freedom from death and decay. ²² For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.

a.  Creation is subject to corruption (v.20) When Adam sinned, everything on earth was subjected to God’s curse; that is, to futility, change, and decay. Creation is cursed because it is unable to attain the purposes for which it was made. The perfect order in the world was marred by sin; therefore, fallen people had to live in a fallen world.   b.  Creation will be delivered. (v.21) All creation anticipates the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay as described in Revelation 22.

c.  Creation groans in labor for deliverance (v.22) Paul pictures the fallen creation groaning as in the pains of childbirth. Animals get sick and die. Some animals kill and eat others. Trees and plants die. Consider earthquakes, storms, floods, fire, drought, famine—these are surely not what creation was meant to be, but sin and evil now rule. Just as the pains of childbirth end at the birth of the child, so the groaning and pain of the creation will end at the birth of the new earth when Jesus returns. Creation groans and longs for its release and transformation into the new heaven and new earth.

II. The believer suffers and struggles for deliverance from corruption. (v.23-25) Romans 8:23-25 (NLT) ²³ And even we Christians, although we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, also groan to be released from pain and suffering. We, too, wait anxiously for that day when God will give us our full rights as his children, including the new bodies he has promised us. a. Even though we have the Holy Spirit within, we groan to be released from sin, pain and suffering in this world. (v.23) We also wait anxiously for that day when God will give us our full rights as his children, including the new bodies he has promised us. In this process we are not alone, for the Holy Spirit groans with us in prayer, expressing our unutterable longing to God and giving us a foretaste of future glory.  b.  Hope saves and delivers the believer. (v.24-25)Romans 8:²⁴ Now that we are saved, we eagerly look forward to this freedom. For if you already have something, you don't need to hope for it. ²⁵ But if we look forward to something we don't have yet, we must wait patiently and confidently. Until the time of our release and redemption, we must groan, wait, and hope. Hope means confident expectation. When we put our faith in Christ as Savior, we are saved and we can eagerly and confidently look forward to the freedom we will have at Christ’s return. We already have the presence of the Holy Spirit within, but we must eagerly wait for our new bodies, which we will be given. Our full redemption has not yet happened; it will happen when Christ returns for His church. That is why it is still a hope for believers. Our salvation is both present and future. It is present because the moment we believe in Jesus Christ as Savior we are saved, our new eternal life begins. But at the same time, we have not fully received all the benefits and blessings of salvation that will be ours when Christ’s new Kingdom is completely established. While we can be confident of our salvation, we still look forward with hope and trust toward that complete change of body and personality that lies beyond this life. Waiting for things patiently is a quality that must be developed in us. Patience is one of the Spirit’s fruit borne in our lives. It includes fortitude, endurance, and the ability to bear up under pressure in order to attain a desired goal.

III. The Holy Spirit pleads for us in our suffering. (verses 26-27)

a. Prayer of the Holy Spirit delivers and saves the believer. (v.26) Romans 8:26-27 (NLT) ²⁶ And the Holy Spirit helps us in our distress. For we don't even know what we should pray for, nor how we should pray. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. In the same way that our “hope” gives us fortitude, the Holy Spirit helps us in our feebleness and distress. It is assumed that we are praying in this verse. The Spirit is not going to force us to pray. It is our responsibility to pray: to take the time to get alone and pray. When we do this the Spirit begins to act both upon and for us. At these times, when our weakness is so intense that we don’t even know what we should pray for, nor how we should pray, the Holy Spirit voices our requests for us. He intercedes for us with groanings which we can't utter. We may not know the right words to say, but the Holy Spirit does. His groanings to God become effective intercession on our behalf.  

 b. God hears, delivers and saves the believer. (v.27)Romans 8: ²⁷ And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will. The Father knows all hearts and he knows what the Spirit is saying. God can look deep, past our voiceless groanings, to understand the need we face, our hidden feelings. Even when we don’t know the right words to pray, the Holy Spirit prays with and for us, always in harmony with God’s own will. With the Holy Spirit helping us pray, we don’t need to be afraid to come before him. God knows the mind of the Holy Spirit. God knows exactly what the Spirit is requesting for us. There is perfect agreement between the Holy Spirit and God the Father.

Invitation: To have the help of the Holy Spirit in your pain and suffering, you must confess your sins to Jesus, be forgiven and saved by Him, and then be baptized into the family of God. At the time of salvation, the Holy Spirit comes to live in you and will be your helper the rest of your life. He will never forsake you!

The Indwelling Spirit

Scripture Text

 Romans 8:9-14

Intro: The apostle Paul makes a statement in Romans 8:8 “So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” In today's scripture we pick up with a very clear statement in Romans 8:9 of how we can tell if we are in the flesh or in the Spirit of God.

I. The Spirit dwells within the believer. Romans 8:9 (NKJV) But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 
Ask God, does Your Holy Spirit and the Spirit of Christ live in me? If the Spirit does not confirm yes to your question, you need to get saved today!

  a.The Spirit of Christ removes a person from being "in" the flesh. The Holy Spirit is the One who takes us out of the flesh and baptizes us into the body of Christ. The "Spirit of Christ" is said to indwell the believer the same as the "Spirit of God." Both are said to be equally within the believer. Galatians 4:6 (NKJV) And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!"

By the Spirit's presence within the believer, he is no longer positioned "in" the flesh: not in God's eyes. The believer no longer lives his life controlled by his sinful nature. He is no longer comfortable with the things of the flesh. The old fleshly man is dead because he was crucified with Christ at the time of salvation and made a new creation in Christ. [2Cor. 5:10]

Since the Holy Spirit positions a Christian "in" Christ, to not have the Spirit of Christ within means to not be a Christian.

II. The Spirit gives life to the spirit of the believer. Romans 8:10-11 (NKJV) ¹⁰ And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. ¹¹ But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. 

  a. We have received Christ, He lives in us and has given us eternal life at the moment of salvation. Our fleshly bodies however are still infected by sin brought into the world by Adam's disobedience and will eventually die because (1 Cor. 15:50)“Flesh and blood can not inherit the kingdom of God, neither does corruption inherit in-corruption” Sin has been defeated by Christ, and even though our bodies will die, Yet in these bodies we are alive spiritually because of Christ's righteousness and can live by the Spirit’s guidance.

b. The Spirit will make alive our mortal bodies. (Romans 8:11b above) In addition to eternal spiritual life, we are also promised the physical resurrection of our bodies into eternal life. The Spirit of God who raised Jesus from the dead will also give life to our corruptible dying bodies.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 (NKJV) ¹⁶ For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. ¹⁸ Therefore comfort one another with these words.

III. We Believers are debtors to the Spirit. Romans 8:12 (NKJV) Therefore, brethren, we are debtors--not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. Because of all that Christ has done and is going to do for us, we are debtors to the Holy Spirit of God, who brought us eternal life. We are under no obligation whatsoever to do what the sinful nature urges us to do. We are to refuse the thoughts and desires of our crucified sinful nature, and say no to ungodliness and worldly passions. The old way of life brings nothing good, only misery, death, and destruction. Remember we have been saved from sin's control over us. In verse 6 of this chapter it says to be carnally minded is death, but to be Spiritually minded is life and peace. SO,

IV. Believers determine their own fate: Death or life. Romans 8:13 (NKJV) For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. Our sinful nature shows itself through the way we think, act, and live. Therefore, we must turn from following the sinful nature and its evil deeds, the practices and habitual responses of the sinful nature that leads to death. This is an action to be done, a moral decision to be made. Every day we are to turn away from the desires that draw us away from God. 2 John 1:8 (NKJV) Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward. The Jews considered themselves to be children of God because of their heritage; but Paul explains that the True children of God are those who are led by the Spirit of God as evidenced in their lifestyle. In Eph.4:30 we are told to “Not to grieve the Holy Spirit of God.” May each of us God's children invite the Holy Spirit to lead us in our daily lives .

Invitation: As we close, I would like to ask each of you, Does the Holy Spirit of God and Christ live in you? Have you confessed your sins to Christ and asked Him to forgive you and come into your life by His Spirit and save you? If not, now is the time! If you have been born again by the Spirit of God, are you being led by Him each day? Does He make your decisions for you or does someone else? Surrender to the Spirit of God who lives in you and live the abundant, blessed life! 

Endued With Power

Intro: All Christians have been endued with power from on high for the purpose of spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ and His salvation throughout the earth.

I. Jesus instructs His disciples. Luke 24:45-49 (NKJV) ⁴⁵ And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. ⁴⁶ Then He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, ⁴⁷ and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. ⁴⁸ And you are witnesses of these things. ⁴⁹ Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued (anointed) with power from on high."

 Jesus instructs His disciples to take His message of salvation to all nations. Jesus promised The Holy Spirit and power would be sent to help them. As the disciples went forth witnessing, they would be given the wonderful promise of the Holy Spirit and power of the Father. The disciples would to be equipped for witnessing. They were to receive the promise of the Father which was the Holy Spirit. They were to receive the Spirit and be filled with His power. The source of the spirit and power was God. Christ was to send the promise. The promise was "of the Father." God gave the promise. Believers had to tarry, that is, wait upon the Lord and pray for the promise. The Spirit could not come till Jesus was resurrected. The promise of the Holy Spirit was to come from "on high." God Himself is the Source of the Holy Spirit and power for all evangelism. Jesus' command is for us today. Our responsibility is to reach as many for Christ as we can.

II. The last recorded statement of Christ on earth. Acts 1:7-8 (NKJV) ⁷ And He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. ⁸ But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

This last statement of Jesus was final, authoritative, and of utmost importance. The dates of the restoration of the Kingdom were not the disciples’ business Jesus said. These are set by the Father. What should concern and consume the disciples, however, was the loaded statement that follows. They were to receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them. The Holy Spirit is a major theme in Luke and Acts and is the major point of continuity between the life of Jesus and the ministry of the church.

Who is the Holy Spirit? God is three persons in one—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God became a man in Jesus so that Jesus could die for our sins. Jesus rose from the dead to offer salvation to all people through spiritual renewal and rebirth. When Jesus ascended into heaven, his physical presence left the earth, but he promised to send the Holy Spirit so that his spiritual presence would be in mankind as He promised in Luke 24:49) above. The Holy Spirit first became available to all believers at Pentecost (Acts 2). Whereas in Old Testament days the Holy Spirit empowered specific individuals for specific purposes, now all believers have the power of the Holy Spirit available to them because He comes into our lives at the moment of salvation.

When the Spirit comes Jesus said, you will receive power. Receive power to do what? To tell people about him. They were to start right there in Jerusalem (1:4). Judea was the region surrounding Jerusalem. Samaria was Judea’s hostile next-door neighbor, a more difficult but equally important place to take the gospel. The ends of the earth may have referred to the Roman Empire, the world power at that time. The direction was of primary importance: Beginning from where you are at this moment, take the message of Christ outward, like ripples caused by a pebble thrown into a pond, not stopping at just your city or state but moving on beyond regional influence to the very “ends” of the earth. In other words, reach it all!

The disciples took Jesus at his word and went about their task exactly as he directed: they began in Jerusalem, spread to Judea and Samaria, then filtered out across the known world at that time. We are to follow that same pattern and this “Reach Texas” mission offering was created to help us do just that.

Conclusion: Turning people to Christ and His salvation is the only way to save our state, our nation and be obedient to Christ's command to share the gospel with those who are lost. may we obedient to Christ's command!

Invitation: What is your relationship to Christ? Is He you personal Savior and Lord? If not now is the time to confess your sins to Him and ask Jesus to forgive you and save you for Heaven when this life is over. Invite Him into your life to take charge of you and your affairs. Then publicly confess Him by being baptized! You will be so thankful that you did. You will never regret it and you will have a home in Heaven!

Work, Labor, Hope

Scripture Text 1 Thess. 1:2-4

Intro: Monday is Labor Day where we pay tribute to those who work for their families and our nation. What if we had a tribute to the contributions Christian workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of God’s Kingdom and others? A Christian contributing to the strength, prosperity and well-being of God’s Kingdom is a Christian that is stirred up and aroused to work and should be commended.  

I. The apostle Paul commends the Thessalonian church. 1 Thessalonians 1:2-4 ² We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, ³ remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father, ⁴ knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God.

He commends them for their work of faith; labor of love and patience of hope in the Lord Jesus Christ.

These three things stir and arouse a Christian to work for God's kingdom, their families and nation.

2. Work of Faith. [Rom. 10:17, James 2:20] Includes living a life of faith that Follows conversion. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Rom:10:17

Paul had brought them God’s word and many had responded. When the power of the Holy Spirit is working thru the word, a person is drawn to Jesus Christ and when he truly believes in Him by faith, he is filled with joy and is stirred to work and serve the Lord Jesus. The same is true with a body of believers, the church. For our faith to do any good, there must be a commitment to work Our faith.  James 2:20 (NKJV) But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?

We are to seek God and believe His word, we are to believe his promises, believe he is able to do far and above anything, we could expect in the natural, because God is supernatural.  Hebrews 11:3 (NKJV) ³ By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. Creation is one of God’s supernatural actions. He is able to do many supernatural things through our faith in Him. The stronger the belief of a Christian in Christ and His word, the stronger will be their work of faith for Him. Luke 17:5-6 (NKJV) ⁵ When the apostles wanted more faith they said to the Lord, "Increase our faith." ⁶ So the Lord said, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you. A strong faith stirs, arouses, activates, and energizes believers to work and carry out the mission of Christ. There must be a commitment. People in that day were being persecuted severely but they didn’t stop lifting up Jesus. There must be an understanding, not to give up, but Trust God in everything. Even, if it is not politically correct, and Even if others don’t see it.  Strong believers don’t give up their faith, to try and please people. We want to please God.  

3. Labor of Love. Faith without love is of no value. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
¹ Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. ² And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.³ And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

When a person truly loves Christ, he is prompted and driven to labor for Christ. Love stirs the Christian to labor. The word "labor" means to toil; it’s a persistent work. Labor of love is work done by those who have experienced the forgiveness and love of Christ, Those who are always conscious that Christ has taken their sins upon Himself and borne the punishment for them. In response to Christ’s love for them, the believers are motivated to express God’s love to others.

Simply stated, labor of love is exercising the power of the Holy Spirit within to love God, self, and others just as Jesus has loved us. It is the wonderful love of Christ at work in the believer that moves him to love and serve others. The believer does all he can to please Christ and to fulfill the joy of Christ. This is what Paul meant when he said "the (love of Christ) constrains (makes) me" to serve Him. 2Cor.5:14

4. Hope in the Lord Jesus Christ stirs the church to endure in its work and labor. Our hope (confident expectation) is in the Lord Jesus Christ to return from Heaven to take us home to be with Him.

So we patiently wait for Him. Wait means more than doing nothing; it emphasizes an active attempt to live for His glory in the meantime. As we wait for Jesus we will continue our work of faith and our labor of love for Jesus by living for Him and serving others. We know that that Lord is going to transfer us into heaven at the end of this life and reward us according to our labor here on earth. Therefore, strong believers and churches are driven to endure in hope—to continue on in their difficult work of faith, labor of love and patient waiting for Christ. We love Him because He has first loved us and gave Himself for us.

Invitation: Have you put your faith in Jesus for your salvation? Have you experienced the love of Jesus? If not ask Jesus to forgive your sins and save you. Invite Him into your heart to take charge of your life. If you do have faith in Him, Are you working your faith? Are you laboring in love, serving Him out of your love for Him and others? Are you working patience into your life? If not, why not? We were saved to do works of righteousness and labor for His Kingdom. Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

The Holy Spirit and Salvation

Intro: This message concerns the work of the Holy Spirit in bringing lost men and women to Jesus Christ. Many think that the Holy Spirit does nothing in our lives until after we're saved. Yet, if it were not for the Holy spirit working in our lives before we accepted Christ, we would have never accepted Christ. What then is the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of an unbeliever?

A. HE BRINGS CONVICTION. [John 16:7-11] [2 Cor. 4:4]

 1. He tells us of our sin

John 16:8-11 (NKJV) ⁸ And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: ⁹ of sin, because they do not believe in Me; ¹⁰ of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; ¹¹ of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

The word "conviction" or "reprove" means to reveal, to bring to light, to expose.

2 Corinthians 4:4 says that the devil has blinded the spiritual eyes of an unbeliever. One of the primary things the dIevil does is to blind us about our sin. It's the Holy Spirit that opens our spiritual eyes, he brings to light our sin.

Notice vs8..." The Spirit will convict the world of sin." Do you see that the word"sin" singular, one? What one sin does the Holy Spirit expose in our life as he leads us to salvation?  Is it your worst sin? Is it adultery, drunkenness, which one? The one sin is the sin of unbelief. (vs 9) The Holy Spirit exposes our sin, the sin of unbelief.

But that’s not all the Holy Spirit does in the life of a lost person

 2. He tells us what we need to do.

When the Holy Spirit brings conviction, he brings to light our sin of unbelief and  summons us to repentance. He reveals to us our sin and then points us towards Jesus, towards repentance and faith in Him as our Savior. That desire in your heart to be saved was put there by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is like a giant magnet that draws you to Christ. The desire to know God was put there by the Holy Spirit. Let me illustrate that by my own salvation. I was 37 years old. At that time in my life I knew I needed to get saved, I was under conviction. The Holy Spirit had exposed my sin of unbelief. One Monday night, I went to a friend's church where he was attending a revival. There I heard a message about God's three deadlines. At the end of the message I knew I needed to get saved and I responded to the invitation. That's how the Holy Spirit brings conviction. He exposes our sin and then points us towards the Savior. You can resist the Holy Spirit. That desire in your heart will not always be there. The more you say no the more your heart hardens. Your heart can become so hard and calloused that it no longer desires to be saved. That is why the Bible says that "today is the day of salvation."

But not only does the Holy Spirit bring conviction but also,

B. HE REGENERATES OUR SPIRIT. [Ephesians 2:1, John 3:3]

 1. Our Problem – We were spiritually dead in sin.

Ephesians 2:1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins.

We all, before meeting Jesus were dead in our sins. Spiritually dead, possessing no spiritual life, no connection with God.

 2. Our Need. Jesus said to Nicodemus in John 3:3 that he “must be born again or we can't see the Kingdom of God.” 

All unsaved people are spiritually dead and need to be born again.

 3. Our Solution. [Titus 3:5]

Titus 3:5… “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.” The word "renewing" means regeneration and it is actually a compound word that literally means "birth again" or as Jesus would say, "born again." It is the Holy Spirit that cleanses and causes the new birth. It is the Holy Spirit that renews, regenerates that which is spiritually dead. A spiritually dead person does not need to walk an isle and shake the preacher's hand. A spiritually dead person needs to repent and allow the spirit of the living God to give them new birth! It is through the power of the Holy Spirit and only through the power of the Holy Spirit that makes the spiritually dead come alive.

What does the Holy Spirit do in bringing unbelievers to Christ? First, He convicts, then He regenerates, and next,

C. HE SEALS OUR SALVATION. [Ephesians 1:13]

Ephesians 1:13 “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise

This one verse gives the entire process of salvation.  You heard the gospel, believed the gospel, and then were sealed by the Holy Spirit. What does it mean to be sealed with the Holy Spirit?  Think of how a seal was used in the bible.  In Jeremiah 32, we find Jeremiah buying a piece of property.  The deed was signed and then sealed, making Jeremiah the new owner of that property. A seal was used in Bible times as proof of ownership and to provide security. The Holy Spirit operates in the same fashion.  The Holy Spirit living in your life is proof that you belong to God. With the blood of Christ he has bought you. He now owns you.  The Holy Spirit living in your life also provides protection and security.  It is impossible for you to ever lose your salvation because no one has the power to break God’s seal.

D. HE GUARANTEES OUR SALVATION. [Ephesians 1:14]

Ephesians 1:14… “who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory”

The Holy Spirit in your life is God's down payment on your salvation.  The word  guarantee or deposit is an interesting word.  In Paul’s day it meant engagement ring.  A fitting illustration, don't you think?  Christ is the Bridegroom and His church is the Bride.  We know he will come and claim His bride because he has given us his Spirit as the engagement ring. It also means earnest, as in earnest money, like a down payment on a house. When you want to put an offer in on a house you are asked for some earnest money. It proves you are serious about your offer. If the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life is God’s earnest money, can you lose your salvation? If you were to lose your salvation then God would lose His down payment, He would lose the Holy Spirit that He has placed in you.

Wait a minute, the Holy Spirit is God, God can’t lose God. Exactly! The presence of the Holy Spirit is God’s guarantee of salvation!

INVITATION: What is the Holy Spirit saying to you right now? Does the Spirit confirm with your spirit that you are saved? If not, confess your sins to Jesus and ask Him to forgive and save you. Invite Him into your life right now, don't wait, you may not get another chance. If you are sure of your salvation, are you filled with the Spirit of God and being led by Him daily? If not, ask for forgiveness of that sin and surrender your life completely to Him today!