Pentecost 2023
John 14:16 “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; 17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you, and will be in you.
Introduction
This morning as we come celebrating Pentecost and God’s pouring out His Holy Spirit on His people, I want us to pick up where we left off in last week’s sermon.
Now remember last week in our study of the Ascension we found that one of the primary ways that God responds to us in light of Christ’s Sacrifice is by pouring out His Holy Spirit on us.
Therefore, this morning I want to look at what this pouring out of the Spirit means/does. That is, I want us to look at the work of the Holy Spirit and specifically the way the Spirit’s work applies the fullness of the salvation that Christ accomplished for us to each and every believer.
A] The Big Picture: on Pentecost God responded to us in light of Christ’s sacrifice by pouring out the Holy Spirit on us, in order to apply to us, the salvation that Christ accomplished for us. Importance: application is the particular work or role of the Holy Spirit in our salvation. Thus, the Father plans, the Son accomplishes, and the Spirit applies FN#1. Simply put, every aspect of the Spirit’s work (from spiritual gifts to His indwelling presence) is a part of His role of applying/administering salvation to us.
Notice then how Scripture describes the Spirit’s work of application
B] The Work of the Holy Spirit
1. God sends the Holy Spirit to mark all those in Christ as God’s possession and to seal them for the fullness of salvation
Ephesians 1:13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation— having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge/deposit of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession (Eph 4:30) FNs#2&3
2. The Holy Spirit applies and unfolds the salvation, forgiveness, and healing that Christ accomplished for us. That is, He cleanses, renews, and furthers/nurtures us with God’s grace. Notice then, here we are dealing with everything that falls under sanctification, Christian growth, and the Christian walk
Ezekiel 36:25 “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 “Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new disposition within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 “And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. (also I Pet 1:1-2)
3. The Holy Spirit guides and assists the believer in their walk with God. Thus, the Spirit draws, strengthens, convicts, and prompts the believer. Simply put, the Spirit is directly and intimately involved in every aspect of the believer’s daily life/walk.
Isaiah 30:21 And your ears will hear a word behind you, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right or to the left.
Importance: remember, the Spirit never leads us beyond God’s Word or in lieu of God’s Word. Rather, He always leads us according to God’s Word. FN#4
4. The Holy Spirit gifts, equips, and empowers the believer’s Christian walk and service (i.e. his worship, care for one another, and witness).
1 Corinthians 12:7 But to each one is given the manifestation (public disclosure) of the Spirit for the common good. (I Cor 12:11)
Ephesians 4:7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;
Importance: at once we are reminded that as the Holy Spirit applies Salvation to us we are not merely passive benefactors of the new life. Rather, we are given to be active participants in its mission and work. FN#5
5. The Holy Spirit discloses and certifies God’s ongoing presence with, love for, and favor towards the believer
1 John 3:24 And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us. (John 14:23)
Romans 5:5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Romans 8:16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
Bottom line: The Spirit seals, fills, leads, and empowers God’s people. In other words, Pentecost is the proof that the sacrifice made (on the Cross) and presented at the Ascension is now being applied to the very details of your life.
Footnotes
1] Pentecost is literally the bridge between the resurrection life of the empty tomb and your life today.
2] The notion of the Spirit sealing believers as God’s possession is an idea repeated throughout Scripture. Thus believers are called the first fruits of creation (i.e. the portion from all humanity set apart for God and as God’s)
Revelation 14:4 These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they have kept themselves chaste. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been purchased from among men as first fruits to God and to the Lamb.
In turn, believers are called saints. That is, we are holy, sanctified, set apart as God’s possession.
2 Corinthians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the church of God which is at Corinth with all the saints who are throughout Achaia:
3] The idea of the Spirit being given as a pledge or deposit guaranteeing the fullness of our salvation is a notion we see over and again in one form or another throughout the New Testament
Romans 8:23 And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.
Ephesians 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
4] This makes sense: remember it is the Spirit who breaths out Scripture and its instructions (I Pet 1:20-21). Thus, it is no surprise to find that the Spirit guides believers according to the Spirit’s Word. Not only that, remember we have pointed out that what the Father required of you (i.e. His Word/Law) Christ fulfilled for you, and now the Holy Spirit applies to you. In other words, God’s Word is what was required, fulfilled, and is now being applied (Jer 31:33). As such, God’s Word is the blueprint of grace. It is what grace and the Holy Spirit are doing in you. The result is that the Spirit never leads us beyond God’s Word. Instead, He was sent to apply the salvation that is the fulfillment of that very Word.
5] If Christ’s burial provides the delay in which we are blessed with a direct share in the work/mission of Christ, then the Holy Spirit is poured out to equip us for that work. Notice then our work of “building up the body of Christ” (Eph 4:12) is based on and directly reflects the Holy Spirit’s same work of building up, providing for, and nurturing God’s people (inside and out- be it through discipleship or witness). In other words, each gift is a public manifestation/disclosure by which the Spirit allows us to share in the very objective and work that He is doing as He administers and unfolds the salvation and Kingdom that Christ accomplished.
~Outtake
I originally had this point as the conclusion of the sermon. However, the content was already covered in points 1 and 2. Regardless, I have included it here as an outtake because it provides a nice conclusion to the progression of the sermon. Thus the salvation sealed and applied, will be fully ours
6. The Holy Spirit is the guarantee that the fullness of the new life will be ours. In other words, what God has begun in us, the Spirit seals to us and unfolds in us until it reaches its full and final completion.
Philippians 1:6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. (also I Thes 5:24; Eph 4:30)