Wednesday, August 23, 2017

“The Trinity We Profess-- The Spirit Who Sustains” Sermon series on “Basics of Christian Faith” July '17


1.       Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Heavenly Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.  We continue our sermon series on the “Basics of the Christian Faith,” by looking at:  The Trinity We Profess--the Spirit Who Sustains,” dear brothers and sisters in Christ.
2.       A pastor in Ann Arbor, Michigan, tells of a woman who lived near his church.  This woman was well known for her negativity.  In fact, she was not only a hostile person, she “seethed with hate,” he said.  She’d been a church member at one time but had dropped out 20 years before.  Something had happened, but no one now could remember what that had changed for 20 years.  And so for those 20 years she was filled with hate.  And yet, the Pastor said that the woman came one week to visit the church again.  She came back the next week and the week after that.  She attended services and meetings for about a month.  Then one day the woman walked up to the pastor in the church.  To his surprise, he saw a totally different person.  The woman said to him with a smile, “Hey, you know, the Christianity stuff really works!”
3.       That’s all there is to the story.  It’s a true story and it really happened.  But, it’s no more dramatic than that.  And yet, it’s very dramatic.  Christianity really works!  God’s means of grace, His Word and the Sacraments really work.  The warming fellowship with other Christians and the encouragement in our Lord’s love that happens in that fellowship really work.  God the Holy Spirit does within us those things that we can’t do.  Christianity really works.
4.       But, is the Holy Spirit a kind of “cosmic force” or “universal wisdom” that fills all people?  The Holy Spirit isn’t some kind of force field that floats through the universe.  But, he’s also not some kind of mysterious “life principle” that unites everything that exists in some kind of cosmic entity.  Neither is He some kind of philosophical idea or “inner wisdom” that lives in all people.  Instead of all of this, the Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity.  He’s our Sanctifier, the one who brings us to faith and sustains us in that faith.  The Bible teaches us that the Holy Spirit is God.  It assigns to Him personal names--the “Spirit of Grace,” the “Spirit of Christ,” and the “Holy Spirit.”  The Bible also assigns to Him the characteristics and attributes that only God has such as:  holiness, omnipotence, omniscience, and eternal existence.  The Bible attributes to Him work that only God can do and gives to Him divine honor and glory.
5.       Some people think that God forces people to come to faith or that He gives us a choice of resisting Him or turning to Him.  The Holy Spirit deserves that glory for all He is and all does.  We especially praise Him for His work in bringing us into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.  A story is told about Robert Ingersoll, a famous atheist of decades ago.  It’s said that he went about the country lecturing to large groups, seeking to disprove God’s existence.  On one occasion, Ingersoll attempted to explain away the resurrection of Lazarus.  He claimed that this miracle was really just a trick that Jesus used to boost his waning fortunes.  In Ingersoll’s version of the story, Lazarus was a good friend of Jesus who pretended to die.  He then let himself be dressed in grave clothes by his friends and buried.  The plan, according to Ingersoll, called for Jesus to pass by the grave some days later and give a cue by calling Lazarus’ name.  Lazarus would then come out from the tomb and everyone would think Jesus had performed a miracle and believe that He really was God.  To make his point, Ingersoll asked the audience, “Now can anyone tell me why Jesus said, Lazarus come forth?”  A Christian in the back of the room replied, “Because if He hadn’t said Lazarus, the whole graveyard at Bethany would have come out to meet Him.” 
6.       This story illustrates well the nature of our conversion.  Lazarus, truly dead, couldn’t even move his finger until Jesus spoke His divine words.  And so we who were spiritually dead couldn’t come to Jesus by ourselves.  We couldn’t turn to Him.  We couldn’t decide it was in our best interests to have faith in Him.  We couldn’t create faith inside our own hearts.  We couldn’t turn to God in repentance and faith.  No, we were spiritually dead.  Remember Jesus’ words?  You did not choose Me, but I chose you?”  The Holy Spirit chose us.  He called us out of death into life.  His Word gave us spiritual life and eternal life, just as surely as Jesus’ Word gave Lazarus new physical life.  God’s Word has power to create new life.   And this new life is totally His work and not our own.
7.       But, do we cooperate with the Holy Spirit in our conversion?  In the same breath with which we declare how totally dependent we are upon our Lord for our salvation, we shout with joyful praise to God because He’s done for us what we couldn’t do for ourselves.  Picture conversion a little like this:  imagine yourself walking up to a large building on which is written the large letters THE HOLY CHRISTIAN CHURCH.  Over the entrance is a sign that reads, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.”  You think, “Well, that makes sense.  I read the Bible.  I pray.  I go to church.  I fellowship with other Christians.  I will decide to become a Christian,” and you go through the door.  But, once inside the building, you look up over the doorway and above the entrance is a sign that says, “The only way you got in here was by the grace of God.”  And now the Christians sees spiritually with the eyes of faith that it wasn’t a matter of deciding to believe, but of God at work that made entrance into the Christian church possible.  Our conversion to Christ happens entirely because the Holy Spirit has worked new life in us.  He alone creates and sustains within us saving faith in Jesus.  We don’t cooperate.  God in His grace alone causes our conversion.
8.       Some people think that the day of Pentecost was the birthday of the church.  The Holy Spirit has done His saving work down through history.  You know the verse:  “No one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit,” from 1 Cor. 12:3.  Throughout the entire Old Testament the Holy Spirit drew people into the family of God.  He created within them faith in the Savior who was to come as He gave them many divine promises about the Savior and His work.  In that sense, the Christian church predates Pentecost by centuries.  But, we also need to acknowledge that the Holy Spirit’s work today is different from His work in the Old Testament church.  In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit “filled” mainly prophets, priests, and kings.  He equipped them for their work as God’s servants.  But, today the Holy Spirit fills all of God’s people for the same purpose.  To equip us for our work as God’s servants.  In fact, the New Testament clearly calls Christ’s people priests, kings and even prophets.  1 Peter 2:9 says, “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood” and Rev. 1:6 says, “Jesus Christ has made us kings and priests to serve our God.” 
9.       On Pentecost Peter pointed to the prophecy of Joel in which God promised His Old Testament people that one day their sons and daughters would prophesy, “Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out My Spirit in those days, and they will prophecy” (Acts 2:18).  God had promised this 800 years before the birth of Jesus.  In this sense something dramatic happened to the church on the day of Pentecost.  It was so dramatic that the apostles themselves referred to it as “the beginning” in Acts 11.  What began at Pentecost continues today.  Think of it!  You and I have a power that at one time was reserved for only prophets, priests, and kings.  The Holy Spirit is alive and at work in us to empower us for works and words of witness.
10.   Is our love for God the motive for all we do in our Christian life?  The Spirit gives us a zeal for seeing God’s kingdom advance.  The Spirit works courage in our hearts, especially during times of persecution.  The Spirit builds within us a desire for worship and with compassion for the people around us.  The Holy Spirit stirs within our hearts a hunger and thirst for God’s Word and the Sacraments.  The Spirit creates within us love for God and for other people.  Love isn’t simply a “motive” or our motive.  Instead its evidence that God is at work within us.  Love isn’t something we bring into being on our own.  The Holy Spirit creates it within us.  He does that as He works through His Word and Sacraments to develop the image of Christ within us. 
11.   We talked about conversion.  In one sense, it happens only once.  But, it’s also a lifelong process of transformation we call sanctification.  We are even now “becoming Christians” growing more and more like Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.  People really miss the boat when they think that the objective of the Christian is to learn and keep the 10 Commandments.  Christians aren’t just a people who “follow a set of rules.”  The Holy Spirit is working in us to transform us so that we share Christ’s attitudes and see people with the eyes of Jesus.  When that happens our lives become lives of response.  Like trees whose roots have grown deep into soil, we bear the fruit of the Spirit.  Not because we try hard, but because we know who we are in Jesus.  Just as sin used to come naturally in our lives, so now it comes natural to bear the fruit of the Spirit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and all the rest (Gal. 5:22-23). 
12.   Jesus called the Holy Spirit the “Helper.”  Where do you need help right now?  With a particular temptation?  With a challenge in your family or job?  With your finances or future?  Jesus called the Holy Spirit the “Comforter.”  Where do you need comfort?  As you tell about Jesus to a loved one?  As you face surgery?  As you remember that sin and the way you’ve committed it again and again?  As you listen to that coworker mock your faith in Jesus?  As the love you tried to show is misunderstood? 
13.   The Holy Spirit is here for you.  He lives in you.  The Holy Spirit is transforming you to be more like Jesus.  The Holy Spirit wants to comfort and help you no matter how insignificant you think your needs are.  No matter how impossible you think your situation looks.  He’s reaching out to you in love.  Let Him take your hand.  Amen.


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