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There's all kinds of ideas about sanctification and being holy and some people think that might come with a zap or some kind of personal encounter with God, other people might think that's going to happen by getting slain in the Spirit.
What I'd like to do this morning is try to show you that the Word and the Spirit work together and that the Spirit of God by His own sovereign will and decreed purpose uses the Word of God to sanctify Christians.
So therefore at the end of the day you'll say I'd like to be more like Christ. The instrument that I should be using should be the should be the Word of God, you want to be more holy? I can tell you by experience but I can tell you by scripture this is the key to your holiness.
Not some kind of regular book but the inspired Word of God, God breathed the Word he uses to correct, to reprove, to rebuke and to train you in every aspect of righteousness. Now I feel like I'm talking to the choir because you all know and why would you come to a Sunday school at our church unless you wanted to hear things from the Bible.
But about 18 years ago I got this paper that I just handed out to you and I don't even know who the author is but I will tell you ahead of time that the author isn't me and so I just I think maybe those notes are mine that only Tracy can understand.
But these, this little chart we're going to work through today very simply and you're not gonna probably learn anything new per se but you'll be reminded again that if I want to be holy I will use God's Word and the Spirit will apply what I've learned to my mind, by the way what does mind and heart, is there a difference between mind and heart in Christianity?
People say that's head knowledge but it hasn't gotten to my heart yet. Is that the right kind of thinking? We say it all the time in English. That's the right way of thinking in Hebrew and Greek. The heart and mind are so connected it's inseparable.
You'd say heart to a Jew or heart to a Greek and he would think or she would think mission control center. He would think or she would think. You know everything. I am tied up with my emotions but my mind as well.
So you're gonna see today that God is going to use your mind slash heart with the Word to transform you. So we better get in the Bible as soon as we can. If you look at the top, God's plan of transformation obviously it all stems from the work of Christ for us.
Does anybody know Romans chapter 5 verse 8 by memory? Okay excellent, when you have God making His love conspicuous God promoting or advertising His love for us. In what particular event would best signify the love of God?
The answer according to Romans chapter 5 is the death of Christ the substitutionary death of Christ. Then it says it results in the work of the Holy Spirit within us. And then you see the kind of I like to use this word just because I like to use it, this bifurcation.
There are just some words that you love to use. There was a professor back at Dallas Seminary and he used to read the dictionary and you could tell what section of the dictionary he was in because he would always use the words that he was just learning.
So he would be using adroit or some kind of word. You knew he was in the A's and I love the word bifurcation. So you see this split by like bicycle on the left hand column the Holy Spirit and the right hand column God's Word.
And you will see in each of these sections a similarity. And we're gonna look at the verses for each of these. And just to give you the overview first Holy Spirit bears witness of Christ. God's Word bears witness to Christ.
Holy Spirit brings conviction. God's Word brings what? Conviction. Holy Spirit imparts knowledge. God's Word imparts knowledge. And so what we'll do today is we're gonna see how the Word of God and the Spirit of God are used in the wisdom of God to transform us.
Because I want you to know that it is the Bible that God will use. The Holy Spirit will use the Bible to make you say no to sin and yes to righteousness. It's not going to be some kind of dream that will make you holy.
It's not going to be some kind of trying hard and sweating and working and toiling outside the Bible to make you holy. God is going to use the Word. Matter of fact I can say it this way. Who do you know in church history?
Your favorite missionary William Carey. Your favorite missionary-ette. Who's your favorite lady missionary? I have my favorite one. Who's your favorite? Mary Slessor is my favorite. Who is Mary Slessor?
A Scottish lady, prim and proper. And she decides to go to Africa. And she decides to rescue twins. Because twins of course are demon-possessed. Didn't you know that? Of course they're not demon-possessed but that's what the culture thought.
So she rescued 51 sets of twins saved them from their own death and then wanted to preach the gospel to them. Every one of your favorite preachers favorite missionaries past or present were students and experts in what?
The Word of God. I'm going to just I don't want to be mean but I'm going to just be aggressive. I defy you to find me one great Christian who wasn't an expert in the Word of God. Can you think of one?
I don't care if they're on your side of the theological fence whether they're John Wesley or they're John Calvin they all were experts in the Bible. And then the Spirit of God uses that Bible knowledge to shape and to mold and to cut and to fine tune the Christian.
So I want to just tell you today what you already know. You need the Word of God to be transformed. And you need it whether you're 15 or 58 or 85 questions so far? Who's the oldest person in the Bible?
I'm just thinking about age. Can you think about his Bible knowledge? Wow. Can you think about how bad his back must have hurt? Alright we're going to look up each of these Holy Spirit bears witness of Christ.
And then God's Word bears witness of Christ. Because I want you to see in your own Bibles this truth. So let's look up John 15 verse 26. You want to get your Bibles out. We're going to look up a lot of verses.
And if you can use your own Bible for your own study the same Bible for your own study. Rather I think it would be helpful because you can say okay John 14. I know I've been there before. It's half way down on the right hand side and you can quickly find that John chapter 15 verse 26 the Holy Spirit bears witness to Christ.
As we're turning to look this up one of the ways I can find a Spirit filled church is a church that promotes Jesus Christ. Because the Spirit of God could say look at me worship me. I am fully God. Is the Spirit.
Fully God? Completely? Fully? Divine essence? Divine nature? Eternal God of the ages? The Holy Spirit. Yes? Could He in fact say or could the Father say of Him worship the Holy Spirit. Focus on Him. Would that be right?
He could definitely do that. But the Holy Spirit has been given the great privilege and role in the triune Godhead to promote Jesus Christ. I've had many people come to me and they say your church is not Holy Spirit filled.
And I just say what do you mean by that? And they usually mean because we don't have some kind of Holy Spirit manifestations in 1 Corinthians 12 or 14. And what I say to them show me a church that takes the Word of God to promote Christ Jesus.
And I'll show you a Spirit filled church because the Spirit it's almost like He hides behind the door and says don't look at me look at Jesus Christ. He promotes Christ Jesus. In this particular case we see the verses.
John chapter 15 verse 26. When the helper comes whom I will send to you from the Father that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father He will testify about it. Could say the Father that would be good.
The Father would deserve it. It could say Himself and He as the Spirit of God as God Himself. That would be proper. But according to the wise plan of God the Spirit of God testifies about Jesus. So the Spirit testifies about Jesus.
When you read this Bible what do you think this Bible points to? To whom does this Bible point? Christ Jesus. Let's look at John chapter 5 and I think you'll see this. The Holy Spirit was sent by Jesus to testify and bear witness of Christ Jesus.
But additionally in God's Word you can take the Bible and say this is a book that's all about Jesus Christ. John chapter 5 verse 39. You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life.
It is these. What's these referring to? It is these that testify about me. Everything about the scripture points to Christ. Now I don't want you to go too crazy and open up your Bible at random and say this verse refers to Jesus.
But in total in direction. In overview this is a book about Jesus Christ. Whether you're in Genesis whether you're in Leviticus or whether you're in Revelation the Word of God testifies to one person of the Trinity especially Jesus Christ.
Questions so far? All right. So the Spirit of God and God's Word bear witness of Christ. Secondly the Spirit of God and God's Word bring conviction. Let's take a look at the conviction verse found in John chapter 16 verse 8.
Of course we know the context here and coming to the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and in the future. But here just reading it to give us a general idea. John 16 verse 8. And He when He comes will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.
Now pulling away from that verse for a minute is it true that the Spirit of God convicts us of sin? Who else would do it? We probably wouldn't convict ourselves of sin. We probably convict ourselves of that was inconvenience.
That was some crime that I have to pay. No but the Spirit of God comes and He convicts us of sin. Well similarly is that a word? Similarly feel like I was saying some Tolkien novel his name. That's even harder to pronounce God's word.
Hebrews chapter 4 verse 12 and 13. Very well known verses also say that God's word brings conviction. And you can just see how this is all going. The word of God is used by the Spirit of God to do the same purpose.
I could even say well if the word of God is the Logos is Christ incarnate. In a sense you can see how this all works together. Hebrews 4 .12. You know the verses for the word of God is living active sharper than any two-edged.
Now there's different words in the Bible for sword. Which one do you think this is? You think this is some kind of huge sword that's used by some huge Andre the Giant kind of guy to just lop off people's arms.
Or do you think this is something that's a little smaller and more precise and used of kind of almost a surgical preciseness and precision. Which one do you think it would be? Well the rest of the verse should give us some insight and piercing as far as the division of things that can't be undone as far as the division of soul and spirit there's no difference between soul and spirit.
You have a body and a soul or you have a body and a spirit. But here this great huge big sword can dig down into small precise things. No this could be translated this way sharper than any two-edged surgeon's scalpel.
I will never forget the days being in the operating room and standing there. You know you think you're in some kind of movie and I'm not supposed to touch anything because my hands aren't scrubbed and I don't have gloves on.
But I've got all the other regalia and you're standing there and I don't want to get too close to the table because if I pass out I know I'm going to do a face plant into the operating field. And I also don't want to get too far away because I can't see.
This is amazing stuff going on in there. They get everything all arranged and then all of a sudden what do you think the doctor says male or female. Doctor says to the assistant male or female what's the first thing they usually ask for scalpel.
And you can just see when that scalpel begins to cut that skin for the very first time. I just remember Mike don't forget to breathe. Don't forget to breathe. But you know what. It's not that really precise of a scalpel needed to just open the skin.
When they need precision in scalpels is when they're going to do some kind of very precise surgery where they need to get some kind of micro scalpel. And in effect the word of God is like a micro scalpel that can get in through the calcified recalcitrant heart that we have to get in there and do divine surgery on our heart.
It's not the big sword it's the little one and it's able to pierce. As far as the division of the soul and spirit. I don't believe we have three parts body, soul and spirit. I believe we have two parts fused into one.
But here for language he says this does work that can't even be done really of both joints and marrow. You can even think about that scalpel there and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Who could do that? How can you judge anybody's thoughts or intentions or motives? I just interviewed someone and they said I'd like to be baptized. Are you a Christian? They give me their testimony. How do I know?
How does anybody know? God knows and God's word knows. And look at verse 13 and there is no creature hidden from his sight but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
And so God's word can be used by the spirit of God to bring conviction and get into the heart of the matter. I love this language by the way Hebrews is written to what kind of people? It's a hard question.
And Hebrew people were steeped in what kind of system for the removal of sins. For the taking care of sins. The law but specifically sacrifices. Is there any kind of sacrifice language in here do you think?
If you want to kill a lamb what do you do? Every time it runs by you just take the machete and just give it a whack. Hope you make it. Oops! Caught off the tail. There goes another one and you just run around.
Kind of like that game they have where you grease the pig and try to catch it. How do you kill an animal like that? You go and grab the animal. I don't know how they would do it but I would probably have to put my leg up around the thing to keep it still.
If I was by myself if I couldn't get it in a little pen. I know, don't take this too far but I'm trying to create the picture. You try to hold it down still. And then what do you do? What part of the body are you looking for?
The throat. So what do you do? You take the head and you push it down real far. And you take the shoulder and push it the other way. And there that neck with the jugular vein. What kind of artery do you have up here?
Carotid artery. And it's all exposed and it's open and it's laid bare for the surgeon to come or the butcher depending on which one to do his work. That's the kind of language here that God's word just opens us up.
By the way, do you like conviction? I mean, yes and no. I love to be convicted because I know God's word is real and God cares for me enough not to let me stay where I am. It doesn't feel good. But I like to be convicted when I hear sermons.
I want to hear somebody like today's sermon. I'm describing today's sermon by Jesus as a sledgehammer. And last night Luke was out and I was at the hospital visiting the Binney's and all kinds of other things.
But I wanted to take Luke out into the yard give him a sledgehammer and give him some old HP printer that we had and just say, son here's some goggles and go after this printer with that sledgehammer.
And you know, those things these days the cartridges cost more than the actual printer and the printers are just pieces of junk. You know, there's probably 19 billion printers floating around out there.
I think we asked the question yesterday. What happens to all those printers? Well, what was going to happen to ours. I was going to have Luke take that sledgehammer and just pulverize the thing. And then I would have said you know what these words from Jesus in Matthew 6 -1 they're like a sledgehammer to my heart because they are brutal.
They make me think you know what. I am a hypocrite. I do things to have other people notice. I don't want to. But I do. And I don't want to act like this Pharisee. And they are a sledgehammer. Not just to the pastor.
But I would imagine if you're honest you do these things too. In this particular case the use of a word is not a sledgehammer. It's a sword. Questions so far? When you're speaking and you start to lose people.
You can always bring the operating room illustrations in. And that always revives them for a while. Okay. Number three. The Holy Spirit and God's word work in conjunction. Work concurrently. By the way why should this not surprise us?
Who is the one that breathes out God's word? Who is involved taking men. The apostles as if they were sails in a ship driving with the wind. These sails these men to write exactly what he wanted them to write.
Which person of the Trinity was driving men in the apostolic era to write scripture? The Holy Spirit. So of course it makes perfect sense. It's very logical. The Spirit of God and the word. Bear witness to Christ.
Bring conviction. And number three. Impart knowledge and wisdom. Impart knowledge and wisdom. Let's look up the right hand side this time. 1 Corinthians 2 verse 12 and 13 imparts knowledge and wisdom.
If you turn there with me I'll just read it. It's fine. 1 Corinthians 2 verse 12 and 13. Paul writing as an apostle to the church of Corinth says. Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the spirit who is from God.
Make sure when you think of we you don't automatically think of you are the Corinthians and Paul. But Paul being an apostle a writer of God's word. Now we apostles we writers of God's word have received not the spirit of the world but the spirit who is from God so that we may know the things freely given to us by God.
Which things we also speak not in words taught by human wisdom but in those taught by the Spirit combining spiritual thoughts and spiritual words. Study 1 Corinthians 2 a little bit. Verse 6. We might as well just jump up there.
Since we are so close the Holy Spirit says of him in a negative way in a sense. Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature. A wisdom however not of this age nor of the rulers of this age who are passing away.
The wisdom we speak comes from in context the Spirit not the world. Number 4 imparts salvation. If you want somebody to be saved the Spirit of God uses God's word. Let's look at these. These are excellent ones.
John chapter 3 verse 5. Somebody I should probably have read that. So I'm just not the only one reading but I can do that. Number 4 Spirit of God imparts salvation. Jesus answered Amen, Amen. Truly, truly verily, verily.
John 3 verse 5 I say to you unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God. If we don't save ourselves someone else has to save us. I was just talking to the young man in the uh baptism old baptism interview just a few minutes ago.
Even this kind of language of being born. How many people have ever seen a live birth. Any kind of birth. And you're just in the room. Some nurses have seen a lot. I just saw Nancy look like you know.
Ask me a hard question. How many of you have seen Nancy. Yeah you weren't working in that wing. Were you. And uh I just remember seeing uh my four children being born. But I also remember being in rooms where I would sell coterie equipment.
You can tell I must think you're sleeping because here comes the next you know operating room story. And I just remember C-sections too. And even being born you say well you know what. I can't understand the analogy of being born again as something that happens to you.
Because you know my kids have had C-sections. Even then when you go into the room to see a C-section I've only seen one. When they make the incision. I mean it is Red Sox outfield all around. I mean because that baby's coming out and it's just a little push down.
And what happens to that baby. Literally they have to catch the baby. I mean that baby's flying out of there. But it's not the baby that that forces itself out. Uh the baby's cry doesn't force itself out.
The baby's ingenuity doesn't force itself out. The baby's you know squirming around trying to go feet first. You know that wasn't the baby's decision. I think I'll go feet first today. When you're born it's something that happens.
What? To you even the English language being born is passive. You're not burying yourself. You are being born. It's the same thing with the scriptures. Uh language and emphasis. Salvation happens to you.
You don't force it. You don't come up with your own faith. You don't come up with your own anything. By the way just thinking about the majesty of God in birth. How many millions of years does it take for babies to say.
Well by the way uh I'm drinking amniotic fluid. I'm breathing amniotic fluid. I'm living in amniotic fluid. But when I come out I should probably breathe. How many. I guess maybe billions of years. Then you could get it to happen.
As my kids would say not. Alright the Holy Spirit imparts salvation. Likewise which instrument does God use. The Holy Spirit use to impart salvation. Let's go to Titus chapter 3 verse 5. And we'll find the answer on the right hand column of your handout.
God's Word. They just go together. Birds of a feather flock together. Love and marriage they go together. Right. All these things. Frick and frack. They go together. Ben and Jerry's. They go together.
God's Word and the Spirit of God go together. We just were in Vermont as you're turning there. And I couldn't believe. You know I think when I go to Hawaii years ago macadamia nuts were half price. And I thought you know they're from Hawaii and they're cheaper.
They don't have to be shipped as far. Then I went to Vermont and I thought I could get some cheap Ben and Jerry's it was about $4 .50. A little. What are they? Pints? A little pint. I thought this is supposed to be cheaper not more expensive in Vermont.
So then we went to the Vermont country store where things were even more expensive. Titus chapter 3 verse 5. He saved us. This is every one of your testimonies. If you're a Christian not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness but according to His mercy by the washing of regeneration.
There's no water in that verse. And renewing by which member of the Trinity the Holy Spirit. It's the divine cleansing by God. We were dirty. God cleansed us cleaned us. It was not just outside. It was inside as well.
Okay question so far. Yeah, John that's correct. That's right. And so often what do we do? We read the Bible and it says we. We just throw ourselves in there as well with the saints of Corinth. Sometimes Luke will say we because he wants you to know that he's got other apostles physically with him.
In this particular case Paul says we because the context is revelation and inspiration of the scriptures. And here's what we have. Because remember he's counteracting all these crazy Corinthians who have these other false super apostles saying listen to us not them.
And Paul is saying it's not just listen to me versus listen to them. Here's what we have. Here's what we as apostles have. And it's the spirit of wisdom that we have. They just make up their own things.
So that's right. That's by the way one of the very common mistakes in 1st Corinthians chapter 2 to see that we as putting us in there with the epistle versus seeing Paul calling it we as a writer of God's word.
Alright. Well let's do the next one. You know what I probably should have done. I probably should have just given these all blanks. And then you would have had to fill them in as you go. But now you know the end already.
You know where I'm going. You already agree. That's alright. Let's just keep going. Indwells the believer. 1st Corinthians chapter 6 verse 19. Let me show you that both God's word and the Holy Spirit indwell the believer.
1st Corinthians chapter 6 verse 19. A context that is more of a negative context a warning context. Rather it's probably better than negative. And it says in 1st Corinthians chapter 6 verse 19. Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you whom you have life from God.
And that you are not your own true or false. Our bodies belong to the Spirit of God. They're not our own right? We've been bought with a price. That's exactly right. Does God's word indwell a Christian?
Let's look at Colossians chapter 3 verse 16. I think the answer is yes. I should have got a white board here to write on. But that's alright. 1st Corinthians excuse me. Colossians chapter 3 verse 16. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you with all wisdom and teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
So according to this God's plan of transformation you want to be changed. The word will show conviction of sin. It'll show Christ Jesus. It'll impart wisdom and knowledge. It'll impart salvation. And the word actually indwells the believer.
Okay so far so good. Any questions? Yes. Okay that's a great question. It's one I'm glad you asked because it's insightful. And I'm sad you asked because I'm not going to have a great answer. So let's just close in prayer.
Okay the question is this. If it is the omnipotent I'll just flesh it out a little bit. If the omnipotent eternal all wise holy spirit dwells in a Christian and that same holy spirit dwells in every Christian.
Why aren't all Christians sanctified equally? That is to say if I have the same spirit you have the same spirit. You have a brand new Christian who has the same spirit. Why aren't we all equal in our spiritual growth?
Answers. Anybody have any answers? I'll give you what I think. But first I'll glean from your answers so I can use it. Yeah Louis. Okay good. Well isn't that true in our own families where children that have the same DNA who live in the same houses who have the exact same parents they go to the exact same schools.
Some are very different from one another. I think what Sixto could be getting at as well is even though I think God is sovereign over sanctification you know me I wouldn't want to ever say something about God not being sovereign.
There are choices that we do make that God is sovereign over. And there is responsibility that we do have. God does not believe for us. Right? God does not. We're not pietist lay back. And what? Let God.
God is sovereign over the entire growth of a Christian and their strengths and their weaknesses. But there are disciplined Christians who show their sanctification and their growth that undisciplined Christians don't show and don't have.
If we go all the way back to the end we could probably say well it's in fact God helping them to be more disciplined. Yes. But I think you'll see the responsibility come broadcasting out of the scriptures.
It is you that needs to obey. Of course by the Spirit's power. It is you that need to be disciplined. It is you that need to examine truth. And so what we don't want to do is say well God's sovereign over all that for whatever reason God chose to have different levels of Christians even those that got saved at the exact same time because that's the way God uses the church.
But additionally to that God the Spirit sovereignly gives gifts to some and not others. And he gives different measures of faith to some and not others. So some could be the leaders and some could be dependent.
So some could be self sufficient. No they would never be self sufficient more sufficient on the help of others. And so why God designed the body that way. I don't know God could have made us believers and instantly glorified and sanctified that moment.
But in his wisdom he has allowed us to stumble and fall and learn and grow. And I think of even Christ Jesus. Why would he have to be born. Why would he have to learn. Why would he have to acquire knowledge.
Some of these things that I believe because they're in the Bible. But there's no way I can figure out how the omniscient God learned. You say well maybe he learned in his humanity. I don't know about some of those arguments.
Frank I think that's an excellent point. And even when we sin because can God take sin and turn it into something good. And then you realize you know what. I'm out there running too far ahead. My father's back here in the woods and he says you know here's what I tell my kids run up as far as you want.
Every kid wants to be up to the very front especially the boys. You know I want to be up there. And it's the race between the dog and the boy who can be farthest out in front in our nature hikes. And I just tell the kids it's the same thing every time you can go as far as you want as long as you can see daddy all of a sudden they disobey and they go out too far.
So then I like to compound the problem. And I like to hide behind a big redwood. And then they're just kind of lollygagging around. And what's the key word in New England if you're walking through the woods.
And you always have to remember this word because it's Henry David Thoreau. And he said when he was walking through the woods he would what you New Englanders don't know this saunter. You saunter if you're Thoreau-ian.
Obviously we're a little farther west. Oh you hear that Thoreau was what you did with the baseball. Lewis said that for the tapes and he said so you know what happens when the kids are all of a sudden going around their merry way.
And then they look back and they don't see dad. Matter of fact sometimes then we'll run the opposite way just to even instill more fear into the children. And then they come running back and so the rest of the trip.
What do they do. They stay. They stay close. God could stop you and stop me from sinning every time we sin. But God is pleased sometimes even though he's he's holy and set apart from the sin he can take his grace pull back his grace a little bit we do what we would have done if it wouldn't have been for his grace.
We're responsible. We sin. We realize we sin. And then we run back to God and say I remember how good that was for Calvary to cover every one of my sins. I remember God what you said and I want to obey.
I remember that even though I think I'm right leading my life. I don't lead my life correctly. And so as Frank was alluding to even those sins that we commit God can use to bring us back.
Closer to God. Alright well we're never going to finish but you know if you're a teacher or a pastor always bring too much information versus not enough and so that's why I always have two or three sermons or two or three lessons.
Frank I think that would be excellent too because you good for the unbeliever and good for the believer to look at other Christians and say.
There is really a transformation and there is hope and God is working and God is active. God is living. Versus you know the second you become a Christian you're glorified but you're on earth you know you still have your scars but you're walking around in a glorified body and you can go through windows and walls and all that.
I had a fun experience the other night Luke couldn't sleep and I thought you know I want to do some kind of father son things with Luke you know that we can always remember and this is probably kind of a dumb one but along those lines of transporting and everything I said all right Luke I know what we'll do on CBS .com they have the old Star Trek series from the 60s season one season two season three and you just find an episode and play it.
And so I found an episode and you know it's only 42 minutes or whatever it is. And so we just sat there and watched together and it never dawned on me that when they were all standing in the transporter room and you see this looks like well what's happening.
Because he's never seen it he's never noticed it. And I thought wow you know this is a weird this is a way that I can sanctify my own fleshly desire to watch Star Trek thinking it's a father-son moment.
All right strengthens believers. Let's look at Ephesians chapter 3 verse 16. We're on the left hand column Holy Spirit down to strengthens believers. The Spirit of God and the Word of God work in conjunction.
Work concurrently. Work together to strengthen Christians. Ephesians chapter 3 verse 16. Let's see if I have that there that he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with power through his spirit.
That's the agent in the inner man. Paul is getting ready to continue on in this great prayer of praise in Ephesians chapter 3. Don't have time to dissect the verse but enough is said if I tell you the Spirit of God is used to strengthen with power the Christian on the inside out.
Okay likewise or similarly we have the Spirit of God not only strengthening Christians but also God's word. Colossians chapter 1 verse 9 to 11. By the way in this little prayer here if you would like to pray for the leaders here at the church or you would like to pray for Bruce Binney today or some of the other saints who are hurting here is a great prayer.
Part of the prayer could be Lord help Karen. Part of the prayer could be this for Bruce and for others even though it's not directly relating to suffering. This will help the Saints. For this reason Colossians 1 9 since the day we heard of it not cease to pray for you and ask that you be filled with the knowledge of his will and all spiritual wisdom and understanding for what purpose.
So that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord to please him in all respects bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. That's the tie-in to scripture. Right there strengthen with all power according to his glorious might and all his glory and attaining of all steadfastness and patience.
We'll stop there. All right, there's three more to go and we're going to be out of time. Which one do we want to do? Let's go down to equips believers. Equips believers. Bottom of the Holy Spirit column.
1 Corinthians chapter 12 verse 11 the Holy Spirit equips believers. And so does the word the Spirit of God uses the word in other words to do that very thing. 1 Corinthians chapter 12 verse 11. But one and the same Spirit capital S.
By the way are there capitals in New Testament manuscripts. Trick question how do we know that it's capital.
Because it was capital in the original. That's well yes and no. There's two ways to write Old.
Testament manuscript. New Testament manuscripts. One was all capitals and the other was all minuscules all small letters. Why would you do one versus the other space. If you've got to get parchment or you've got to get vellum you've got to get some kind of animal skin and scrape off all the hair and flip it around and find the ink and everything else.
You know it's like when you get a cheat sheet together for school or a study sheet and you're allowed to have one three-by-five card. You write big letters or small letters micro letters. You get like the point oh oh oh three Pentel pencil out you know.
And you're just like writing. So we don't know if their capital are not based on we don't know if it's Holy Spirit our inner spirit of man. Except by context and I would say ninety-eight percent of the time the translators get it right but not all the time when I see the word spirit one of the first things I think of small s or large s and it's don't.
You can't always trust a translator. You can't always trust a pastor. You can't always trust your husband. You know you should you know not automatically suspect them teaching the wrong thing. But I always ask that to myself.
This is obviously capital s Holy Spirit. But the one and same spirit works all these things distributing to each one individually just as he wills. It is God's will and pleasure to give spiritual gifts that he owns to the people that he owns and has purchased for himself.
So he would equip us to do the work of the ministry as Ephesians language would tell us. But also the word of God does the same thing verses you know very well 2nd Timothy chapter 3 all scripture is God breathed profitable for all kinds of things including training in righteousness so that the man of God may be adequate equipped for every good work.
So the word of God and the spirit of God work concurrently to equip Christians. Now so far as I look at these and they're probably more I think the Holy Spirit has not let us alone on some kind of desert island to fend for ourself.
Would that be a fair statement. God saves you and just let you go. It's kind of like you know you you your wife has a baby and they're just like you know sink or swim. Big fella hope you can make it. I mean what do parents do.
I think that's part of the image of God in us the image and likeness of God where we want to nurture and protect. But what parents can't do God can do. And that is give them every possible thing they need for sanctification there it says on your notes it results in progressive sanctification ongoing change which is very similar to increase Christ likeness.
And as we are more and more like Christ that translates into greater glory to God the more you can act like Christ. You think about how God the Father is pleased with the son. This is my son in whom I am well pleased that gives greater glory to God.
Then before I take the final questions key principle at the bottom the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit works through the Word of God to transform the children of God into the likeness of God so as to bring maximum glory to God.
So what I would say is your pastor thank you for already believing in that principle. You are a church that loves the Bible that wants the Bible. I don't know what else to give you. Can you imagine if I had to sit at home this week and figure out the latest skit to do the latest dog and pony show.
MacArthur was asked one time how do you get 5 ,000 people to come out on a Sunday night. Because whatever you do we want to do that too. 5 ,000 people. They've already been to church once. How do you get 5 ,000 people to come out on a Sunday night John said to the interviewer the television reporter.
We sing some hymns we have some baptisms and then I preach for an hour. Okay nice joke. Now tell us the real reason why people come out on a Sunday night. We sing we baptize we preach. And so you already know these things.
You want the word of God because you wouldn't be here anymore if you wanted something besides the word. There's so many dear people here and I say to myself constantly if I could just spend more time with them if I could just spend more time with them.
And then I've got four kids and I think they're good. They're gone soon. What am I going to do about those kids. And then I think you know I want to love you in a variety of ways. But if I can give you the word of God from the pulpit and in some way try to live out what I preach.
I don't live everything I preach I want to then that's the best way I can show love to a church who wants the word of God. What else can I do if you're here to be friends and make friends. It's the wrong place because you know what your friends are going to let you down.
And I personally don't have time for friends because my friends are kind of in ministry. If you say well I'm here because I like certain kinds of music. You know I like Christian hip hop and if you like Christian hip hop great.
But I just can't give everybody what you want. Because if I gave everyone their preferences then what would it be. It would be chaos is what it would be. We would have 150 different kinds of services.
So anyway I commend you as a church for desiring the word of God is a pleasure. I know when I get up and preach like today today sermon will probably get most pastors fired. But I know you're just going to go.
Thank you sir may I have another 6 1 to 18 is the sledgehammer of Jesus Christ to say don't be a hypocrite. I love you enough to tell you to stop being a hypocrite and do everything you can to please God serve him and if anybody notices fine but don't dare do anything to be noticed by other people and it's a whack.
I've just been crushed by this text all week thinking I am the biggest hypocrite at this church. What what allows me to be able to keep preaching is in my opinion I don't want to be if I wanted to stay as a hypocrite.
I shouldn't be a pastor but I don't like to be a hypocrite. So God forgive me okay enough of the self-confession. Any other questions regarding.
Sanctification of the word. Yes. Okay I'll repeat the question. Let's just turn to 1st Corinthians chapter 12 again. 1st Corinthians.
Chapter 12 the question has to do with spiritual gifts. And the issue really with spiritual gifts is when we realize that they're given by God at salvation you'll see past tense terminology and they're given by the Spirit of God sovereignly.
Then our response is basically we need to serve. And maybe we'll recognize our gifts but we never ever have to search for other gifts or to somehow think you know what I wish I had this because then it just flies in the face of God's sovereign decision of who gets which gifts and I believe I can teach but I would never would have picked that because I want to be behind the scenes and I don't want to be up in front.
And I want to be just kind of in the chair someplace. You know when I first got saved I'm in the sorry if anybody's in the back row are you three men back there. But I'm in the back not because I want to be by the nursery or by you know whatever reasons you guys want to be in the back all your righteous reasons.
But I wanted to be back there because I wanted to just slink down and just lay low. You know I never I never asked for it. I think people that do ask for the pastor are in for a rude awakening. But I never asked first Corinthians chapter 12 verse 11.
But one and the same spirit works all these things distributing to each one individually. Every Christian gets a gift maybe more just as he wills. And then he uses what kind of language in verse 12. Kind of body language.
I mean if I had 14 arms besides calling me Shiva you would probably think I was kind of looking strange. You know. And when we see the cases on the internet where someone is born with four arms we cut those off and God doesn't have any spiritual deformities as it were he he will give those gifts as he decides how to put his local bodies together for his glory.
And so to answer your question sovereignly given can never be added after salvation. At salvation you're given that gift although it might be in kernel form it might be an immature form. It will be not just all of a sudden you know George Whitfield and evangelizing he will give you those gifts at salvation for the good of the body not for your own good but for the good of the body.
And so the seeking of other gifts and the seeking of things even if I believe speaking in tongues where today I would never say I want to desire that gift because they're past tense and they are for the good of the body.
So if I do speak in tongues it would be for the good of the body. Not just because I can feel I've arrived at a higher plane of spirituality. You can ask whatever you want. Yes. Okay. It's a good question.
A fair question. The answer for the tape and for you who could not hear what do I do as I recognize people's giftedness. And how do I plug them in into their respective ministries. I think is what you're probably asking.
You know what I believe. I believe that if you just are available to serve God will put you in the right place. Let's use the example of teacher Lewis Brown shows up. He says I like to teach. God has gifted me in teaching.
I did not go put my finger in my mouth and pop it to say you know who I didn't.
Do that but what I did.
Was great. Thank you. Prove yourself faithful. Maybe I'll let you teach sometime. And Lewis's response was well that's the way it should be done. I wish I could teach sooner but that's just the way it should be done.
So even with a teaching gift I want to see people's faithfulness. Not necessarily faithful giving because I never look at that but faithful attendance faithful service. Are you faithful enough to say you know what.
I'm a teacher. But I'll clean that thing up or serve here or go visit there. And so as I watch people's faithfulness then I'll say oh I need somebody for junior high. The Bowmans have gone through all kinds of trials and I need somebody to fill in for Chris and Janet for junior high.
And I go who sends their kids to Oana. Who's faithful. Who needs to be stretched. Who could do it. Who's a member. And I go. Brian Bartlett needs that job. And so I go up and I say God's here to tell you through me that you're supposed to do that.
No I didn't do that but in a sense that's what's happening. I mean I could be wrong and Brian's acceptance or denial could be wrong but I say you know I really like what I see Brian. I know you love the word you pray for your kids.
I see how you treat your own wife and kids. Would you take the ministry of the junior high. And the whole time Brian's probably in the background praying Lord use me. I'd like to teach but I don't know if I'm able and I don't know what I can do.
God help me so I'll never forget as long as I live. God doesn't care about your ability. He cares about your availability. And when you're able to serve I am positive that he will get you in the right place.
Absolutely positive and I don't even need to know. I mean I try to look. I don't believe in spiritual gifts surveys and I just believe that God has gifted you. And so you don't know what your gift is sir.
Find something to do and those kind of people God will get exactly to where they should be. So what do I do to facilitate that. I try to say from the pulpit serve. And I also try to say be involved. Look for out for other Christians and you'll get an exact right spot.
And it's freeing to me because how could I do it so many times I say to myself throughout the week I believe in the Holy Spirit because how could somebody how could five elders shepherd all these people and all the ins and outs and all the other things.
I mean even this week Joyce is in the hospital. Karen's in the hospital some other things going on that someone asked me not to bring up but health issues. We've got job situations. Somebody else who else is in the hospital.
Oh Chuck Strong just got out of the hospital. Lars Larson just had a heart attack or maybe more and he was in the hospital. I mean all these things surrounding what's going on with the family and I believe in the Holy Spirit.
I want to be there when I can but God's going to have to undergird. So I believe if you serve and you have a desire to serve the Lord like today's sermon we'll talk about when Jesus says you just serve for me.
Somebody notices fine but never do it to be noticed. So don't even try to serve by saying I hope the elders notice me so I can do X Y Z just serve. God will get you exactly where he needs you to get it needs you to be just a quick update yesterday I was very very pleased to just see the service of the body.
Bruce called Peggy Bellwood but dialed a different B number and set up Bellwood. And at 430 or 530 in the morning called Scott and Karen Brown instead to say emergency surgery emergency brain surgery on my wife at 630 the Bellwoods have the car and I don't know checks and other things.
And so he tried to call the Bellwoods and he called the Browns instead so that the Browns said is anybody. Is anyone there. Well who would be there because it's just announced so the Browns with little Alyssa in tow.
How old's Alyssa. Four or five drive down to Brigham and Young's to be there. And then by the time I got there Daniel O 'Brien was there. Scott Walkton Eric Johanson. Who else was there. I don't know.
Just this group of people and then other come others coming and I just thought well I'm just so thankful for the body so as you have loved the church this week thank you for that. Nobody notices. God notices.
And the update now is after the surgery we were just praying. There are three major things with Karen. One to go under the anesthesia could kill her because of her situation. She's one of the oldest living people with her heart condition to the surgery could kill her.
And three coming out of anesthesia could kill her. And so we were just in the room praying and reading some Psalms and just hanging out. Well the nurse the doctor came in and said surgery was successful and she's she's out of surgery she's she's awake now.
And it was almost like you could hear the collective sigh of relief. I kept thinking about the lady next to us. She could hear all this stuff going on. I think she thought it was a pastor's convention because here are all these people lay people just reading and praying and doing these other things.
I thought you know I'm glad I'm here but this crew doesn't need me to somehow lead. And so Bruce was there and they told us yes you know it was successful. So sigh of relief and praise and prayers of praise.
And then they said you know it's she's in very critical condition and there still could be some swelling in her brain. And of course if your brain swells there's no way to have relief. Right. It's not if your arm swells it swells.
If your brain swells it starts pushing against other brain tissue so there's some swelling in the night and Karen's losing her words and can't really say things like she ought to. So that's the next round is today.
They could have to do a take some of the skull and take it out so there would be relief or who knows what could happen. But if you can visit. I heard that hospital parking is only six or seven. I parked on the street with Eric Johanson and I said listen let me pick up your parking because you've been here since seven o 'clock this morning and I'll just pay for both on the church credit card.
Thank you for serving and well I'll just back up here. I went to the parking attendant in the hospital and said could you validate my card. I'm clergy please. And usually they just stamp it right away and they said they probably looked at me the way I was dressed the clergy you know I didn't have some kind of collar or something backwards and I said well they say I have any ID.
I don't have any clergy ID. I said here's my ID and this always works until yesterday. I give them my Bible which who walks around with the Bible besides some kind of Protestant clergy or something and they didn't take it.
I said well here's my Valley of Vision Puritan prayer book that doesn't do me any good. I thought some good that did and then I said well here's my Bethlehem Bible Church credit card used to have a twenty five thousand dollar limit until Fred tweaked it down to five or whatever he did still wouldn't take it so we would go out there and I said Eric I'll pick it up.
And I gave him my credit card. No credit cards taken fifty bucks for two people to park for the day and I thought I don't know about you but I just don't carry that much money around. I'm here to visit someone but I guess in the hospital it's actually six or seven dollars.
So if you go visit and you say I don't know what to do just go visit and say I don't know what to say but we love you and we love Karen and just sit there. You don't have to say anything. You don't have to know anything.
You just have to say we love you. So there was a steady stream of visitors yesterday. I know it's a long trip no service tonight though so if you want to go visit I would really encourage that to go visit Bruce and Karen.
I'm concerned about Karen because she's already weak so how many of these things can she take before it's just finally too much and so the Lord can do anything he'd like but we want to make sure we keep encouraging and so far God has been faithful all the way through getting us out of Burbank rehab when she should be having brain surgery in Boston so I'm very thankful and it was neat to hear Bruce pray yesterday after.
So anyway it's too late. Let's pray. Father thank you. We entrust Karen into your hands. We're thankful for all the things that you've done and Lord I pray that you would reduce the swelling increase Bruce's faith and Father may people like the neighbor of Karen yesterday wonder what is it like to serve the living God and do a work in her name and entrust these people to you.
We believe that there's a Holy Spirit. We believe he's eternal and powerful. We believe he does things for Christ glory and may that be the case with the Binney's and other families who are hurting in Jesus name Amen.
Thanks. 1.