GOD’S POIEMA: Beloved, if you are IN CHRIST by grace through faith (Eph 2:8,9), do you know what God says about you in Ephesians 2:10? You are God’s “WORKMANSHIP, created IN CHRIST JESUS for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” The Greek word for “WORKMANSHIP” is POIEMA which gives us our English words POEM and POETRY. Poiema means “something made” and in context is something made by God Himself. As a new creation skillfully and artfully created IN CHRIST JESUS (2 Cor 5:17), have you ever thought of your new (supernatural) life as a work of “divine poetry?” Beloved, as believers “each of our lives is the papyrus on which the Master is producing a work of art that will fill the everlasting ages with His praise.” (S Gordon) You are God’s masterpiece. You are His poem. You are His work of art. When we look at ourselves this way, we begin to understand our incredible value in Christ. Indeed, as C S Lewis said “We are a divine work of art.” “If Rembrandt’s artistic masterpieces have great, undisputed value, would not God’s one-of-a-kind human masterpieces convey even greater value?” (D Robertson)
Timothy Keller asks “Do you know what it means that you are God’s workmanship? What is art? Art is beautiful, art is valuable, and art is an expression of the inner being of the maker, of the artist. Imagine what that means. You’re beautiful, you’re valuable, and you’re an expression of the very inner being of the Artist, the divine Artist, God Himself. You see, when Jesus gave Himself on the Cross, He didn’t say, “I’m going to die just so you know I love you.” He said, “I’m going to die, I’m going to bleed, for your splendor. I’m going to re-create you into something beautiful. I will turn you into something splendid, magnificent. I’m the Artist; you’re the art. I’m the Painter; you’re the canvas. I’m the Sculptor; you’re the marble. You don’t look like much there in the quarry, but I can see. Oh, I can see!” Jesus is an Artist!” And you beloved are His crowning achievement, His masterpiece!
The idea of poiema is that our new life in Christ is like a poem which expresses “form and pattern along with beauty. Like the underside of grandmother’s cross-stitch, the everyday of our lives may look to be knotted and hopelessly tangled. But when we turn the fabric over, we see design and beauty that was there all along but that we never foresaw.” (Gage) Perhaps you don’t feel much like a work of divine poetry, but regardless of how you feel, the truth about you as God’s workmanship, is that you are His “MASTERPIECE” (NLT), His “HANDIWORK” (NAB), His “WORK OF ART” (NJB), in fact, a work of art that is one of a kind! You are “custom designed”, “tailor-made,” by the Master’s hand. “Each of our lives is the canvas on which the Master is producing a work of art that will fill the everlasting ages with His praise.” (John Phillips)
J C Philpot – Consider what is here declared of those who are saved by grace through faith—that they are God’s “workmanship”—the fruit and product of His creative hand. All, then, that we are and all that we have that is spiritual, and as such acceptable to God, we owe to the special operation of His power. There is not a thought of our heart, word of our lips, or work of our hands, which is truly holy and heavenly, simple and sincere, glorifying to God or profitable to man, of which He is not by His Spirit and grace the divine and immediate Author!
C H Spurgeon says it this way – “You have seen a painter with his palette on his finger and he has ugly little daubs of paint on the palette. What can he do with those spots? Go in and see the picture. What splendid painting! In an even wiser way does Jesus act toward us. He takes us, poor smudges of paint, and He makes the blessed pictures of His grace out of us. It is neither the brush nor the paint He uses, but it is the skill of His own hand which does it all.” (Praise the Lord!)
Indeed, the redeemed should sing out like David “I will give thanks to Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are Thy works, and my soul knows it very well.” (Ps 139:14)
As Spurgeon says “If we are marvelously wrought upon even before we are born, what shall we say of the Lord’s dealings with us after we quit His secret workshop, and He directs our pathway through the pilgrimage of life? What shall we not say of that new birth which is even more mysterious than the first, and exhibits even more the love and wisdom of the Lord.”
O to be like Thee! O to be like Thee,
Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art!
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
-Thomas Chisholm
The only other NT use of the Greek word poiema is in Romans 1:20-note where Paul writes “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through WHAT HAS BEEN MADE (All one Greek Word – POIEMA) so that they are without excuse.”
As creationist Henry Morris says “God has written two poetic masterpieces, as it were, one in the physical creation, one in the lives of men and women redeemed and saved by His grace (Eph 2:8). Both give eloquent testimony to the eternal power and Godhead of the Creator-Redeemer.” Two great “divine poems” – the created world and re-created, redeemed men and women in that world. Even as the “heavens are telling of the glory of God and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands” (Ps 19:1-note), we too as God’s MASTER CREATIONS should never be ashamed to let others see His WORKMANSHIP in us by our Spirit enabled obedience to Jesus’ command to “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they see your GOOD WORKS, and glorify (give a proper opinion of) your Father Who is in heaven.” (Mt 5:16-note) As new creatures in Christ, we need to remember that we were created for God’s glory, and created for good deeds, because it is by our good deeds that our Father gets all the glory (cf Ps 115:1-note). Indeed, the chief end of each of our lives is “To glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.” (Westminster Shorter Catechism) In summary, Eph 2:8-10 teaches that we are saved not BY good works but FOR good (supernatural) works and in the mystery of His amazing grace He even rewards us for those Spirit enabled works (cf 2Cor 5:10-note, Rev 22:12-note)!
Dr W H Houghton, pastored the Calvary Baptist Church in NYC and later served as president of Moody Bible Institute. When Dr. Houghton became pastor of the Baptist Tabernacle in Atlanta, a man in that city hired a private detective to follow Dr. Houghton and report on his conduct. After a few weeks, the detective was able to report to the man that Dr. Houghton’s life matched his preaching. As a result of Houghton’s faithful life as God’s “POIEMA“, that man became a Christian.
In Ps 143:5 David prays “I remember the days of old. I meditate on all Your doings. I muse (meditate) on the WORK (LXX = POIEMA) of Your hands.” Have you meditated on the truth that now IN CHRIST, you are “the WORK (poiema) of” His hands? It is good to meditate on what God has made and rest in the confidence that “He Who began a good work in you will complete it in the day of Christ Jesus.” (Php 1:6-note).
Regarding the works we as God’s workmanship are to work out, E W Moore writes that “The works are ready, waiting for us, all we have to do is to be willing to be led into them. How many disappointments we should have been spared in life if we had always acted on this conviction. God knows what we are fitted for far better than we know ourselves. He who made us knows whereof we are made. He won’t put “square pegs into round holes. If we would be useful in Christ’s service our wisdom is “to have no plan except to enter into His plan for us and imitate Paul who said “Lord, what do you want me to do? (to which Jesus replied) “Arise and go to Damascus and there you will be told of all that has been appointed for you to do.” (Acts 9:6NKJV, Acts 22:10) Lowell adds that “No man is born into the world whose work is not born with him; there is always work, and tools to work withal, for those who will.”
Great Master, teach us with Your skillful hand;
Let not the music that is in us die!
Great Sculptor, hew and polish us; nor let
Hidden and lost, Your form within us lie!
—Horatius Bonar
ILLUSTRATION – Kent Hughes – “In Christ we are of untold worth. This great truth may be hard to actually take hold of as we exist in frail human bodies carried along in the rush of modern-day busyness. Some of us have had things happen which make us doubt our worth. But we are His “workmanship” — His work of art. Moreover, we are in process (Phil 1:6). Michelangelo was once asked what he was doing as he chipped away at a shapeless rock. He replied, “I’m liberating an angel from this stone.” That’s what God is doing with us. We are in the hands of the Great Maker, the ultimate Sculptor Who created the universe out of nothing, and He has never yet thrown away a rock on which He has begun a masterwork. His tools are Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, His Word, and the preaching of the Word.” And often God’s Spirit uses difficult circumstances or difficult people to sculpt our character into His “masterpieces” conformed to the image of His Son (Ro 8:29).“In Christ” we are of untold worth. This great truth may be hard to actually take hold of as we exist in frail human bodies carried along in the rush of modern-day busyness. Some of us have had things happen which make us doubt our worth. But we are his “workmanship” — his work of art. Moreover, we are in process.
Joni Eareckson Tada who became quadriplegic after a tragic accident, describes herself as God’s “poiema” in her book A Place of Healing writing “(God) has a plan and purpose for my time on earth. He is the Master Artist or Sculptor, and He is the One Who chooses the tools He will use to perfect His workmanship. What of suffering, then? What of illness? What of disability? Am I to tell Him which tools He can use and which tools He can’t use in the lifelong task of perfecting me and molding me into the beautiful image of Jesus? Do I really know better than Him, so that I can state without equivocation that it’s always His will to heal me of every physical affliction? If I am His poem, do I have the right to say, “No, Lord. You need to trim line number two and brighten up lines three and five. They’re just a little bit dark.” Do I, the poem, the thing being written, know more than the poet?”
THE CRAFTSMAN’S TOUCH – Dennis Fisher writes “I recently saw a documentary about the making of a Steinway piano. It traced the meticulous care that goes into crafting this fine instrument. From the cutting of trees until the piano appears on a showroom floor, it goes through countless delicate adjustments by skilled craftsmen. When the year-long process is complete, accomplished musicians play the piano and often comment on how the same rich sounds could never be produced by a computerized assembly line. The secret to the final product is the craftsman’s touch. When the tabernacle was built, we see that God also valued the craftsman’s touch. He chose the craftsman Bezalel and said of him: “I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to design artistic works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood” (Ex. 31:3-5). Today God’s Spirit dwells in the hearts of believers (who are His temple – 1Cor 6:19). Yet the call to craftsmanship has not ended. Now each individual believer is God’s “workmanship” (Ephesians 2:10-note). The Master Craftsman is the Holy Spirit, who chips away at flaws in our character to make each of us like Jesus (Ro 8:28, 29). And as we yield to His workmanship, we will find that the secret to the final product is the Craftsman’s touch.” (The Craftsman’s Touch – Our Daily Bread)
The Spirit is the Craftsman
Who makes us like the Son;
He’ll mold and shape our being
Until His work is done. —Sper
The Father gave us the Spirit
to make us like His Son
Jon Courson reminds us that “God is saying, ‘You are My poetry. You’re special to Me. I’m not giving up on you.’ He is making you something not only useful but beautiful, something that is poetic.” Indeed, every believer is God’s poem in a world of prose, God’s beauty in a world of gloom, God’s fine art in a world of moral degradation. And God’s most marvelous creation is making spiritually dead men alive in Christ! Created in God’s image (Ge 2:7), yet born in sin, we are redeemed and re-created in the image of His Son. Dear saint, don’t ever forget that you are the subject of Christ the Creator’s (Jn 1:3) two creations, and as the result of His second creation, you are His ultimate workmanship, His most lyrical poem, His crowning achievement, His greatest masterpiece and you will be “on display” to show the universe the full extent of His creative genius throughout eternity! Hallelujah!
PLAY MICHAEL CARD’S “POEM OF YOUR LIFE” with lyrics below
Life is a song we must sing with our days
A poem with meaning more than words can say
A painting with colors no rainbow can tell
A lyric that rhymes either heaven or hell!
We are living letters that doubt desecrates
We’re the notes of the song of the chorus of faith
God shapes every second of our little lives
And minds every minute as the universe waits by
CHORUS:
The pain and the longing
The joy and the moments of light
Are the rhythm and rhyme
The free verse of the poem of life
So look in the mirror and pray for the grace
To tear off the mask, see the art of your face
Open your ear lids to hear the sweet song
Of each moment that passes and pray to prolong
Your time in the ball of the dance of your days
Your canvas of colors of moments ablaze
With all that is holy
With the joy and the strife
With the rhythm and rhyme of the poem of your life
With the rhythm and rhyme of the poem of your life
POIEMA – GREEK WORD STUDY
VERSE BY VERSE COMMENTARY ON THE BOOK OF EPHESIANS
GIVE THANKS – IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS FOR THIS IS GOD’S WILL FOR YOU IN CHRIST JESUS – 1 Thessalonians 5:18
IN EVERYTHING – The Greek word for “everything” is “pas” which means no exceptions. There is a silver lining to every cloud. God is with us whatever befalls us (Heb 13:5). It is God’s will that we find joy in prayer in Christ Jesus in every condition of life.
As Ruth Bell Graham well said “We can’t always give thanks FOR everything, but we can always give thanks IN everything.”
Job is a prime OT illustration of the supernatural response of thanksgiving even in the face of overwhelming troubles (If you are experiencing trials and afflictions [and most of us are!] read Job 1:13-20). IN the midst of his manifold afflictions, Job declared, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1:21) And in the end he was able to say “I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear; But now my eye sees Thee… And the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning,” (Job 42:5, 12) “Behold, we count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.” (James 5:11)
Gratitude is always a God-honoring attitude.
For all the heartaches and the tears,
For gloomy days and fruitless years
I do give thanks, for now I know
These were the things that helped me grow!
—Crandlemire
Ephesians 5:20 says “ALWAYS (at all times) giving thanks for ALL THINGS in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father.” How is this possible? Certainly this is not our NATURAL inclination! But it is possible by God’s SUPERNATURAL provision. In other words, what is IM-possible, is HIM-possible! Paul had just commanded us to continually “BE FILLED with the Spirit.” (Eph 5:18). What “fills you” will “control you” and in Ephesians 5:20 the Spirit enables us to accomplish supernaturally what we cannot accomplish naturally.
As John Piper asks “How can we not be thankful when we owe everything to God?”
Indeed, he who thanks God for His mercies shall never want a mercy for which to thank, for “Every stream should lead us to the fountain.” (M. Henry)
When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.
— J Oatman
Ray Pritchard writes that “The foundation of gratitude is the expectation of nothing. If one expects nothing then anything is bonus. If one expects more than he receives, then he is disappoint. We are so prone to complain because roses have thorns than to give thanks because thorns have roses! “In everything give thanks.” How do we do this in a practical sense? First, thank Him for your blessings. Second, thank Him for how He has helped you in your trials. Third, thank Him for His presence every day. Fourth, thank Him for His promises for the future. As a Christian, our whole life is to be one great, “Thank you, Lord.” This is the will of God for us in Christ Jesus.”
We should be ready to give the Lord thanks
For blessing as well as for test;
Hearts that are thankful is all that He asks;
Let’s trust Him to give what is best.
—Bierema
If you pause to THINK, you’ll have cause to THANK, because God’s GIVING deserves our THANKSGIVING.
Paul exhorts us “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, GIVING THANKS (present tense = continually, as our habitual practice) through Him (Christ Jesus) to God the Father.” (Col 3:17) How is it possible to live a life of continual thanksgiving? As Jerry Bridges says we must “first renounce all confidence in our own power and then rely entirely on the power of the Holy Spirit. We must be ENABLED, not merely HELPED. What’s the difference? The word HELP implies we have some ability but not enough; we need someone else to supplement our partially adequate ability. By contrast, ENABLEMENT implies that we have no ability whatsoever. We’re entirely powerless. We can do nothing (cp Jn 15:5). But when by faith we renounce self-sufficiency and embrace reliance on the power of the Holy Spirit, we receive divine empowerment, enablement, and strength for personal transformation and ministry.” In short, the Holy Spirit enables us to continually manifest an attitude of gratitude.
Andrew Murray – A joyful, thankful life is what God has destined for us, is what He will work in us. What He desires, that He certainly does in those who do not withstand Him, but receive and suffer His will to work in them.
Notice that in 1Thes 5:16 (Rejoice always) and 1Thes 5:18 we see joy and giving thanks which Paul also associates in Colossians 1:11-12 in the phrase “Joyously giving thanks to the Father.” Paul’s juxtaposition of thanksgiving (eucharisteo) and joy (chara) is not surprising for both words are related to the the same Greek root (charis) which is our word “grace.” Indeed grace is the foundation for saints enabled by the Spirit to “joyously give thanks” when the circumstances are not very joy filled! And remember the lost world is watching. Will I respond naturally or supernaturally. The former draws attention to me, but the latter brings glory to the Father (Mt 5:16)! The secret of abounding joy is a Spirit wrought, grace based gratitude attitude. Remember, when you can’t change the wind, allow the Spirit to enable you to adjust your sails!
Thanksgiving is the vibration of the soul’s heart-strings under the soft touch of God’s benevolence.
F F Bruce – Ingratitude is one of the features of pagan depravity in Ro 1:21 (For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or GIVE THANKS; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.); the children of God are expected (and enabled by the Spirit) to “abound in thanksgiving” (Col 2:7; Col 3:15, 17, 4:2; Eph 5:4,20)
J. C. Ryle – Thankfulness is a flower which will never bloom well excepting upon a root of deep humility.
Warren Wiersbe – An attitude of gratitude is a wonderful weapon against unbelief, disobedience, a hard heart, and a bitter spirit. Instead of complaining about what we don’t have, let’s be thankful for what we do have, because God always gives His best to those who leave the choice with Him… We can’t control the circumstances of life, but we can control how we respond to them. That’s what faith is all about, daring to believe that God is working everything for our good even when we don’t feel like it or see it happening. “In everything give thanks” isn’t always easy to obey, but obeying this command is the best antidote against a bitter and critical spirit. The Scottish preacher George H. Morrison said, “Nine-tenths of our unhappiness is selfishness, and is an insult cast in the face of God.”
D Edmond Hiebert – When we realize that God works all things out for good to those who love Him and are yielded to His will (Ro 8:28, Ge 50:20), thanksgiving under all circumstances becomes a glorious possibility “He who can say `AMEN‘ to the will of God in his heart will be able to say ‘HALLELUJAH‘ also.”‘
Consider what the Lord has done
For you and those you love;
Then give Him thanks with hearts of praise
For blessings from above.
–Sper
We don’t need more to be thankful for,
we need to be more thankful.
God grant us the Spirit wrought grace to emulate Matthew Henry’s high standard , writing in his diary on the day he was mugged “Let me be thankful first because I was never robbed before; second, although they took my purse, they did not take my life; third, because although they took my all, it was not much; and fourth, because it was I who was robbed, not I who robbed.” Beloved, one of the greatest marks of spiritual maturity is the ability to give thanks when it is difficult!
G. K. Chesterton was once asked what was the greatest lesson he had ever learned to which he replied “The greatest lesson I have learned is to take things with GRATITUDE and not take them for GRANTED.” Chesterton added that “You say grace before meals. All right! But I say grace before the concert and the opera, and grace before the play and pantomime, and grace before I open a book, and grace before sketching, painting, swimming, walking, playing, and grace before I dip the pen in the ink.” Thanksgiving as a lifestyle is faith in action.
Thanksgiving to God comes (super) naturally when we count our blessings. We be would much less apt to protest the command to give thanks in EVERYTHING if it were our habit to give thanks in ANYTHING. Empowered by the Spirit, we need to focus on our “haves,” not our “have-nots.” As the psalmist says “Bless (praise) the LORD, O my soul, and FORGET NONE of His benefits; ” (Psalm 103:2). Indeed, praise to God comes naturally when we count our blessings.
M B Babcock encourages us “Be on the lookout for mercies. The more we look for them, the more of them we will see. Blessings brighten when we count them. Out of the determination of the heart, the eyes see. If you want to be gloomy, there’s gloom enough to keep you glum; if you want to be happy, there’s gleam enough to keep you glad. Better to lose count while naming your blessings than to lose your blessings by counting your troubles.”
David Cooper writes that “Thanksgiving delivers us from a victim mentality and gives us a victor’s mentality. I once read that nothing can help the person with the wrong mental attitude, and nothing can stop a person with the right mental attitude. And the right mental attitude to overcome our obstacles and win our battles is thanksgiving.”
Missionary Benjamin Weir was held hostage in Lebanon and imprisoned under miserable conditions for 16 months. In his first interview after his release, he was asked how he spent his time and how he dealt with boredom and despair. His answer stunned the reporters. He simply said, “Counting my blessings.” “Blessings?” they responded. “Yes,” he explained. “Some days I got to take a shower. Sometimes there were some vegetables in my food. And I could always be thankful for the love of my family.”
Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will be singing as the days go by.
—Oatman
ILLUSTRATION – Thankfulness seems to be a lost art today. A ministerial student in Evanston, Illinois was part of a life-saving squad. In 1860, when a ship went aground on the shore of Lake Michigan. Edward Spencer waded again and again into the frigid waters to rescue 17 passengers. In the process and his health was permanently damaged. Some years later at his funeral, it was noted that not one of the people he rescued ever thanked him.
ILLUSTRATION – As Pastor H A Ironside was about to begin his meal in a restaurant, a man approached and asked if he could join him. Ironside invited in to sit and as was his custom, he bowed his head in prayer. When he opened his eyes, the other man asked, “Do you have a headache?” Ironside replied, “No, I don’t.” The other man asked, “Well, is there something wrong with your food?” Ironside replied, “No, I was simply thanking God as I always do before I eat.” The man said, “Oh, you’re one of those, are you? Well, I want you to know I never give thanks. I earn my money by the sweat of my brow and I don’t have to give thanks to anybody when I eat. I just start right in!” Ironside said, “Yes, you’re just like my dog. That’s what he does too!”
ILLUSTRATION – A woman had a parrot who always complained about everything. It was Thanksgiving Eve, and she was preparing the Thanksgiving meal. The parrot complained about everything as she worked. Finally, she had heard enough. She took him out of his cage and opened the refrigerator to put him in to punish him, “You’ll stay in the refrigerator until you cool off and get control on your tongue,” she said as she put him and closed the door. The parrot was stunned. Shivering, he caught a glimpse of the Thanksgiving turkey, skinned, legs pointing upward from the pan. The parrot said to the turkey, “Good heavens, man! What did you say?”
“In Everything Give Thanks!”
Mid sunshine, cloud or stormy days,
When hope abounds or care dismays,
When trials press and toils increase
Let not thy faith in God decrease—
‘In every thing give thanks.’
“All things we know shall work for good,
Nor would we change them if we could;
‘Tis well if only He command;
His promises will ever stand—
‘In every thing give thanks.’
“He satisfies the longing heart,
He thwarts the tempter’s cruel dart,
With goodness fills the hungry soul,
And helps us sing when billows roll.
‘In every thing give thanks.'”
–Author Unknown
As David a man after God’s heart (Acts 13:22) said “I will GIVE THANKS to the LORD according to His righteousness, And will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High… I will GIVE THANKS to the LORD with all my heart; I will tell of all Thy wonders… Therefore I will GIVE THANKS to Thee among the nations, O LORD, And I will sing praises to Thy name… The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall THANK Him… Sing praise to the LORD, you His godly ones, And GIVE THANKS to His holy name… I will GIVE THANKS to Thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart, And will glorify Thy name forever… With my mouth I will GIVE THANKS abundantly to the LORD; And in the midst of many I will praise Him… I will GIVE THANKS to Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Thy works, And my soul knows it very well.” (Ps 7:17, 9:1. 18:49, 28:7, 30:4, 86:12, 109:30, 139:14)
Father grant by Your Spirit through Christ Jesus that we might be enabled to be “imitators of those (like David who continually gave thanks to You and) who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” (Heb 6:12) Amen
Play Give Thanks
See in depth commentary on 1 Thessalonians 5:18
O GLORIOUS DAY – One in thirty New Testament passages refer either directly or indirectly to the Second Coming of “the King of kings and Lord of lords.” (Rev 19:11-16–note) Twenty-three of the twenty-seven NT books mention that He is coming again. Finally, for every biblical reference to Jesus’ First Coming there are eight that point to His return! Clearly Jesus’ Second Coming is a truth which the Spirit desires for Christ’s Bride to frequently ponder so that we might be daily “looking (with a sense of longing and eager expectancy) for the BLESSED HOPE and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus.” (Titus 2:13-note) In a word, the Spirit knows that what we are LOOKING FOR will (or should) determine what (better WHO) we are LIVING FOR! Using a great song by Casting Crowns as the background, below are a “chain” of Scriptures that describe THAT DAY….that GREAT and GLORIOUS DAY! Take a few moments today to prayerfully ponder these passages that describe THAT DAY “when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire,” (2Th 1:7), that GLORIOUS DAY when “the Son of Man will appear in the sky…coming on the clouds of the sky with power and GREAT GLORY.” (Mt 24:30–note) Remember…IT COULD BE TODAY! Maranatha (Our Lord, Come!). Or as Jesus says in the Book of the Revelation (in the very last words of Scripture) “Yes, I am coming quickly.” (To which we cry) “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.” (Revelation 22:20-21–note) Christ’s imminent return should prompt “expectant obedience!” Are you living in light of our Lord’s imminent return?
“One DAY He’s coming. O GLORIOUS DAY!” (Casting Crowns) – ‘The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and GLORIOUS DAY of the Lord shall come, for you yourselves know full well that THE DAY of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which DAY your Lord is coming. THAT DAY will come on you suddenly, for just as the lightning, when it flashes out of one part of the sky, shines to the other part of the sky, so will the Son of Man be in HIS DAY. And we know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is. Therefore, since the night is almost gone, and THE DAY is at hand, let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will confirm us to the end, blameless in THE DAY. Indeed, we know Whom we have believed and are convinced that He is able to guard what we have entrusted to Him until THAT DAY, and to keep us sealed for THE DAY of redemption, for He who began a good work in us will perfect it until THE DAY of Christ Jesus.
Be glad in THAT DAY, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven. In the future there is laid up for us the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to us on THAT DAY and not only to us, but also to all who have loved His appearing in the glory of His power, when He comes to be glorified in His saints on THAT DAY, and to be marveled at among all who have believed. Therefore be encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see THE DAY drawing near and pray that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until THE DAY of Christ, when THE DAY dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. To Him be the glory, both now and to THE DAY of eternity. Amen. (Acts 2:20, 1Th 5:2, Mt 24:42, Lk 21:34, Lk 17:24, 1Jn 3:2, Ro 13:12, 1Cor 1:7-8, 2Ti 1:12, Eph 4:30, Phil 1:6,Lk 6:23, 2Ti 4:8, 2Th 1:9-10, 1 Jn 3:2, Heb 10:25, Phil 1:9-10, 2Pe 1:19, 2Pe 3:18)
Play O GLORIOUS DAY by Casting Crowns
One day the trumpet will sound for His coming
One day the skies with His glories will shine
Wonderful day, my Beloved One, bringing
My Savior, Jesus, is mine
Living, He loved me
Dying, He saved me
Buried, He carried my sins far away
Rising, He justified freely forever
One day He’s coming
Oh glorious day, oh glorious day
Oh, glorious day
Oh, glorious day
AMAZING GRACE – Vance Havner once gave the following acronym for GRACE…
G stands for Gift, the principle of GRACE. (Eph 2:8-9–note)
R [stands] for Redemption, the purpose of GRACE. (Eph 1:7–note)
A [stands] for Access, the privilege of GRACE. (Ro 5:1-2–note)
C [stands] for Character, the product of GRACE. (2Cor 5:17–note)
E [stands] for Eternal Life, the prospect of GRACE. (Titus 3:7–note )
The law tells me how crooked I am. GRACE comes along and straightens me out. – D L Moody (Ro 5:20–note)
Without this GRACE there is no pardon for the past, no power for the present, and no prospect for the future. – Stephen Olford (2Cor 12:9–note, 1Pe 1:13–note)
The life of GRACE is the death of sin, and the growth of GRACE the decay of sin. – Thomas Brooks (Ro 5:20-21–note, Ro 6:1–note, Ro 6:11–note)
GRACE finds us beggars but leaves us debtors. – Augustus Toplady (Ro 1:14–note ,1Cor 9:16)
While sin is an occasion for grace, grace is never to be an occasion for sin. – Bob Deffinbaugh (Ro 6:1-2–note)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of GRACE and truth….For of His fullness we have all received, and GRACE upon GRACE. For the Law was given through Moses; GRACE and truth were realized through Jesus Christ….For you know the GRACE of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich. (John 1:1, 14, 16, 17–note, 2Cor 8:9)
Almighty God, Your GRACE impart,
Fix deep conviction on each heart;
Nor let us waste on trifling things
The life that Your salvation brings. Amen
Play Chris Tomlin’s version of Amazing Grace
Here is a beautiful rendition of the classic version of Amazing Grace
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Jude Commentaries – Click for literally 100’s of resources – commentaries, etc |
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Jude’s Purpose: Expose the false teachers who had crept into the fellowship unnoticed and encourage the saints to stand firm in the faith and rescue the perishing. |
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Key Words: Lord (Jude 1:4, 5, 9, Jude 1:14, Jude 1:17, Jude 1:21, Jude 1:25), Faith (Jude 1:3, Jude 1:20) Keep/Kept (Jude 1:1, 6, 21, 24), Ungodly (Jude 1:4, 15, 18), Beloved (Jude 1:1, 3, 17, 20), Judgment(Jude 1:6, 9, 15), Remember (Jude 1:17), Angel/Archangel (Jude 1:6, 8, 9), Holy Spirit(Jude 1:19, 20). See discussion of key words, a vital component of inductive Bible study. |
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The following outline is adapted from J Sidlow Baxter’s Outline entitled “Contend for the Faith” WHY CONTEND EARNESTLY – APOSTATE TEACHERS (Jude 1:3-16). HOW TO CONTEND EARNESTLY – OUR RESOURCES (Jude 1:17-23). JUDE’S DOXOLOGY: Coming consummation. (Jude 1:24, 25) In all contending for the faith we must “keep ourselves in the love of God,” the counterpart of which is that the love of God must be in us. We must love, even while we contend against the errors of apostatisers (Contend without being contentious!). We must love their souls even while we oppose their words and deplore their ways. Sometimes it is delicately difficult to keep these separate, but the love of Christ in our hearts (cf Ro 5:5,) will put wisdom on our lips….There are some who “contend” against us. Endless counter-contention with them is useless. But there are others who need “snatching out of the fire”; they have been deceived, and in one sense or another, i.e. by bewilderment, remorse, doubt or danger, are in the fire. And there an still others on whom we are to “have mercy with fear,” i.e. being cautious lest in seeking to bring them back we should defile our own garments. (J Sidlow Baxter) Jude is the only NT book devoted exclusively to confronting “apostasy,” meaning defection from the true, biblical faith. Jude does not quote the OT directly, but there are at least 9 obvious allusions to it. Contextually, this “epistolary sermon” could be called “The Acts of the Apostates.” – John MacArthur Application: Fight for the truth! Stand up against error! The book of Jude is the very definition of punchy and pithy proclamations—with its short commands and statements popping off the page like machine-gun fire. But in our day and age, punchy has become rude or unacceptable. In many circles the forcefulness of Jude will not be tolerated, the crowds preferring a softer and gentler side of the Christian faith. But Jude reminds us that there is a time and a place for the aggressive protection of the truth from those who would seek to tear it down. How can you participate in defending the truth from error? – C R Swindoll |
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A SERMON ON Jude 1:22-23
Let’s review the context of Jude 1:22-23 by looking at who wrote the letter. In Jude 1:1–note we see that Jude is the author and is a brother of James. What is not mentioned is that he is a brother of Jesus, in fact a brother who John 7:5 says was not “believing in” Jesus, but now he is – Let’s make this practical. Let me ask you….Is there a relative you think is too far gone for Jesus to save? Let me encourage you – Keep on living the Gospel before them and don’t stop praying for them – as Paul Harvey used to say on the radio “You have not yet seen the end of the story!” If I was Jesus’ half-brother I would have let everyone know and yet Jude calls himself a slave or a bondservant, in Greek a doulos, which pictures a man whose will is absolutely “swallowed up” in the will of His Master. Jude’s life was not his own but belonged to Jesus (cf 1Cor 6:19-20–note, Titus 2:14–note, 1Pe 2:9–note). Is that truly the desire of my heart – to live out His good and acceptable and perfect will (Ro 12:2–note) for my life? Do my daily choices demonstrate I am wholly sold out to Jesus? Can I refer to myself as a bond-servant of Jesus?
Let’s go on the recipients — To whom is Jude writing this short letter? “the CALLED,BELOVED by God the Father, KEPT for Jesus Christ” When was the last time you really stopped to meditate on the truth that the God of the Universe really loves you with a love that is unconditional, infinite, perfect, everlasting? He calls you His “beloved”! This is a great truth upon which we should frequently meditate, especially when we don’t feel beloved (Action Point – Memorize and Meditate on 1Jn 3:1–note). Remember our feelings can be (and usually are) deceiving, but God’s Word is truth and the truth about every genuine believer is that no matter how you “feel,” you are still a “CBK” – one who is called, beloved, kept! Forever!
Why is Jude writing? He is very clear on this – Jude wants the saints to “earnestly contend(even to the point of exerting agonizing effort) for the faith (sound doctrine, the Gospel, cf. Gal 1:23; 1Ti 4:1) which was once for all delivered to the saints. (Now Jude explains why they are to earnestly contend) For certain persons have crept in unnoticed (they’ve “slithered” in by a side door, so it’s an “inside job” [cf “savage wolves will come in among you” = Acts 20:29-30–note] – they come into the body and pretend to be part of the body), those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons whoturn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, JesusChrist.” So they propagate false doctrine, specifically a doctrine that teaches they have a license to sin because they are covered by grace. Go ahead and sin because grace has paid the bill!
Last week we looked at Jude 1:20–note and Jude 1:21–note. And what did we learn? Remember that Jude’s main objective is for the saints to earnestly contend for the faith and so he gave them 4 items on his spiritual checklist to enable them to faithfully contend without being contentious. Actually he gave them FIVE –
Number 1 – What does Jude charge the believers to do in Jude 1:17? Let’s read it – “But you, beloved, ought to REMEMBER (command conveying a sense of urgency. Do this effectively!) the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.” What’s the key word? REMEMBER! Don’t forget what the apostles spoke! And what is the application for us today? Don’t forget about what the apostle’s wrote in the New Testament. So the first way to EARNESTLY CONTEND for the faith is to know what the NT says about THE FAITH. Even better, Memorize the Word so that you will be enabled by the Spirit to Meditate on the Word. Hebrews 5:14 (note) says that “SOLID FOOD is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.” So as we take in the SOLID FOOD of the NT, and REMEMBER it, our “spiritual antennae” (so to speak) will be on high alert for someone sneaking into the body and teaching ERROR instead of TRUTH.
Number 2 – Build yourselves up with the Word – Peter says we are to be like newborn babes LONGING FOR the PURE milk of the Word that by it we might GROW in respect to SALVATION. (1Peter 2:2–note) Do you understand what Peter just said? Simply put — NO intake of the Word, NO spiritual growth. PERIOD! Without answering let me ask you and remember you are under grace not law – How much time this last week did you spend in the Word of God, the PURE WORD, not devotionals, not books about spiritual topics but the LIVING AND ACTIVE WORD? Don’t be deceived or detoured – you will not build yourself up if you are not in the Word on a regular basis.
Number 3 (Number 1 – REMEMBER the NT, number 2 – EAT the word each day and number 3) PRAY in the Holy Spirit. If you are filled with His Word you are more likely to be filled with His Spirit (See discussion) and to pray His word which is praying in His will (cf 1Jn 5:14-15–note). Have you ever been impressed to pray for someone in the middle of the day, even someone you had not thought about in a long time? I think that is being sensitive to the Spirit initiating prayer and that is one example (but not the only way) of praying in the Holy Spirit. (cf Eph 6:18–note, Ro 8:26-27–note)
Number 4 – Keep yourself in the love of God – In a word – Obey the Word you used to build yourself up. Don’t be a HEARER of the word and not a DOER because you are only fooling yourself (cf James 1:22–note). It’s like the old saying “In one ear and out the other!” OBEDIENCE is the key to BLESSING – Jesus said His desire for us is that we might have life and have it ABUNDANTLY (Jn 10:10b). Let me ask you – Are you experiencing abundant life? Are you keeping yourself in the love of God? Keeping yourself in God’s love is a key to abundant life. Jesus said if you really love Me you will obey my commandments without hesitation (delayed obedience is disobedience beloved) and that will lead to ABUNDANT LIFE (Jn 14:15). Let LOVE not LEGALISM motivate your OBEDIENCE, remembering that the Gospel teaches that you are under grace not law!
Number 5 – Keep watching the Eastern horizon for the imminent return of our Bridegroom to sweep us away with Him forever (cf 1Thes 4:17–note, cf Second Coming). Repeatedly (five times – Rev 2:16–note, Rev 3:11–note, Rev 22:7, 12, 20–note) in the last book of the Bible, the Revelation, Jesus said “I am coming quickly.” Beloved, He could come while I am speaking. There is a great word used only once in the NT – it is MARANATHA which means “Come Lord” or “Come now”. Do you have a “Maranatha Mindset?” – Let me ask you – What changes in your lifestyle – in what you watch, in what you surf on the web, in what you spend money on, in how in much time I devote to a hobby, etc, etc – what difference in those activities would it make if you begin today to live (enabled by the Holy Spirit) with a Maranatha Mindset, a “COME NOW LORD” mindset? Remember what (WHO) you are looking for WILL (should) radically impact WHAT (Who) you are living for – for self or for Savior, for time or for eternity! The choice is yours. Only one life, Twill soon be past, Only what’s done, For (in) Christ will last!
SO LET’S REVIEW OUR REVIEW…
Jude says to that in order for us to earnestly contend for the Gospel we are to
REMEMBER the WORD,
READ the WORD,
PRAY the WORD,
OBEY the WORD and
KEEP WATCHING for the LIVING WORD!
Let’s read Jude 1:22-23 in the ESV = And have mercy on those who doubt. Save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.
Without going into any detail, these two verses are fraught with technical difficulties and some translations suggest Jude is describing 2 groups but the ESV (NAS, NIV, RSV, etc) describes 3 groups – doubters, those in danger of fire and those with stained garments. Are they believers? We cannot be dogmatic and even the experts don’t agree. We will address each group and how we as believers are to respond to each group.
Let’s look at the first group — Who are those wavering or having doubts and what are they doubting? I think that in this passage they are believers who have listened to those who have crept in and promoted a false teaching that GRACE gives us a LICENSE to SIN. They are wavering between the sound doctrine of the apostles and the false doctrine of those who have crept in. They have been taught it’s okay to sin because we are under grace, so we don’t worry about our sin. But if one begins to sin without reservation, what happens to their heart? They begin to doubt their salvation. They begin to doubt if they are truly the called, the beloved and the kept! So this group are likely doubting sound doctrine, including the doctrine of eternal security.
And so Jude issues a command (present imperative), not a suggestion, that we are to “Have mercy” — we are to continually be ready to show mercy. Like a pharmacy dispenses medications to make our body healthy, we are to be “God’s pharmacists” so to speak continually dispensing mercy to help restore their souls to spiritual health. And how often do we need to do this? Habitually, daily, as our lifestyle, an attitude and action we can only do as we are filled with (controlled by) the Holy Spirit. Let’s all be honest – If someone comes to us week after week, continually expressing doubts over what they believe, our fleshly reaction is tell them – “Get over it – Just get in the Word and grow up!” But when we are filled with the Spirit, He empowers us to dispense God-like compassion whenever the need arises. We are God’s vessels of honor (2Ti 2:21–note), God’s instruments, God’s ambassadors (2Cor 5:20–note) of the soul saving and soul restoring Gospel and like God are not to condemn, criticize or judge them for their wavering faith but are to give them what they need. Remembering this simple definition of mercy – It is not giving them what they DESERVE but what they NEED! So these doubters need our help, our reassurance, our reminder that they are “the called, beloved by God the Father, kept for Jesus Christ” (Jude 1:1) We need to emphasize that the Father loves them and the Son keeps them and guards them with His watchful eye. As the words of the Civilla Martin’s great old hymn say “His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.” That’s giving them Spirit enabled mercy! That genre of kind words and actions is what will attract their wavering hearts back to the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints, to the sound doctrine that revives their faith.
Now let’s look at the SECOND GROUP – Jude writes “Save others by snatching them out of the fire.” SAVE means to rescue someone from danger or peril. While some interpret these as believers, their potential fate of fire would strongly suggest they are those in the church who are not genuine believers and are being lurked from the truth of the Gospel by this surreptitious false teachers. What is the danger described in this passage? Clearly the danger is FIRE so the question is to what does FIRE refer? Are there any clues in Jude’s letter. There is a clue in Jude 1:7–note where Jude compares the fate of the false teachers who are mixing grace with a license to sin with the fate of sinners in Sodom and Gomorrah, and what is that fate? It is that they will undergo “the punishment of eternal fire,” which is clearly a reference to hell. As an aside many speak of hell as a place of eternal torment and it is, but the most tragic description is Paul’s statement in 2Thessalonians 1:8 where those destined for this FIRE “will pay the penalty of eternal destruction away from the presence of the Lord and the glory of His power.” This tragic truth should break all of our hearts for those who are in danger of the FIRE. Our attitude should be like the great American evangelist Dwight L Moody of whom it is written “Mr. Moody never preached about hell without tears.” Brethren, now that’s SPIRIT EMPOWERED COMPASSION like Jesus Who lamented over Jerusalem (Mt 23:37-39). This same Spirit enabled heart attitude is what should motivate us to speak the Gospel, the power of God for salvation (Ro 1:16–note), to those in danger of eternal separation from the glory of God! In Psalm 3:8 David reminds us that “salvation belongs to the LORD”. So clearly saving souls is God’s business and yet He has graciously given every believer the incredible privilege of being His instrument through which the message of salvation can be sounded forth. In 2Corinthians 5:18 (note) Paul writes that “God Who reconciled us to Himself through Christ…gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” So beloved you are in the ministry whether you know it or not! And you didn’t even have to attend seminary! Paul went on to add in 2Cor 5:20 that “we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were entreating through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” The Lord Jesus Christ assigned that same mission to every believer when He commanded us to “Go therefore and make disciples (command – “Just Do It!”) of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19). Brothers and sisters, there is therefore no higher calling, no greater privilege, no more urgent task than the ministry of reconciliation God has entrusted to us. By the power of the Holy Spirit may God enable us all to obey Jude’s command to “SAVE others by snatching them out of the fire.” But let’s be honest – How many of us regularly share the Gospel with those in danger of eternal separation from the glory of God? And why not? What holds us back? I think for most of us it is the fear of rejection or of being labeled a “Bible thumper” or a “Jesus freak.” So how can we be a church that without hesitation or reservation obeys Jude’s command to “SAVE OTHERS” by speaking the Gospel? Let me suggest that we imitate Paul’s example – as great an evangelist as he was in Ephesians we see him make an interesting prayer request of the church at Ephesus. Listen to what Paul asks in Ephesians 6:19-20–note – “Pray for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth BOLDLY to proclaim the mystery of the Gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may DECLARE IT BOLDLY, as I ought to speak.” What word do you see repeated? Let’s read it again – did you hear it this time? BOLDLY is repeated twice. Paul of all people is asking for HOLY BOLDNESS to speak the Gospel! Can I suggest that this is a prayer we could begin to pray for each other? Would God answer this prayer? (cf 1Jn 5:14-15–note) I think He would and I think we might begin to have some testimonies of how God’s Spirit gave us courage to speak the Gospel in situations we would never have done before in our own power, fearfulness and timidity. God grant Your Church everywhere to be a Spirit filled church with Spirit empowered believers who are filled with holy boldness and courage to tell others about Jesus that we might see Him rescue the perishing. And all God’s church said “Amen!”
Fanny Crosby the great blind hymn writer put Jude’s “GREAT COMMISSION” in these words (words which by the way literally resulted in several conversions by just listening to the hymn) –
“ RESCUE THE PERISHING, care for the dying,
SNATCH THEM IN PITY FROM SIN AND THE GRAVE;
Weep o’er the erring one, lift up the fallen,
Tell them of Jesus, the Mighty to save.”
Or as Jude says snatching (verb depicts a sudden, forceful snatching) them out of the fire. Listen to the third verse
“Down in the human heart, crushed by the Tempter,
Feelings lie buried that grace can restore;
Touched by a loving heart, wakened by kindness,
Chords that were broken will vibrate once more.”
Did you hear the phrase “TOUCHED BY A LOVING HEART, WAKENED BY KINDNESS”? That’s the MERCY that Jude is calling us to live out before those that are perishing. Speaking kind words, not harsh, condemning words will open the door for the Gospel. So let us pray for boldness. Let us pray that we will be merciful or mercy filled. Let us boldly speak the Good News of Jesus to rescue the perishing, snatching them from eternal separation from God.
Now let’s briefly look at the third group. Jude like a commanding officer issues another command “to others SHOW MERCY (make it your practice to show mercy) with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.” We know what it means to show mercybut what does it mean to show mercy WITH FEAR? Some interpret WITH FEAR as showing mercy with an attitude of a reverential fear of the Lord. That could be, but the other interpretation is equally valid and that is to dispense mercy mixed with caution lest we become spiritually contaminated by their polluting sins. And so one writer refers to this as the “Dangerous” group. The New Living Translation paraphrases it “Show mercy to still others, but DO SO WITH GREAT CAUTION, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.” An old adage sums up the attitude we should have toward these individuals – love the sinner but hate their sin! We don’t know exactly what sin or sins of their fallen flesh nature they were committing, but we know that it requires great caution on our part in interacting with them. Think of an individual who is drowning. What is the one warning you often hear? Be careful when you try to rescue them so that they don’t end up drowning you because they are in such a frenzied state of panic. And so one writer says “There is danger to the sinner; but there is also danger to the rescuer. He who would cure an infectious disease runs the risk of infection.” In fact recall, the recent West African Ebola Outbreak in which several health care workers in seeking to SHOW MERCY, contracted the highly contagious virus and died!
WHAT’S THE MESSAGE FOR US TODAY? Before we were saved Isaiah 64:6 says “all our righteous deeds were like filthy rags,” but once we were saved by grace thru faith in the Gospel, Isaiah 61:10 says God clothed us “with garments of salvation”. It is this latter garment that, through presentation of the Gospel, we offer in love and mercy to those in filthy, polluted spiritual garments. However we must we both WISE and WARY, lest we begin to TOLERATE their sin, then TOY with it, and ultimately are TRAPPED by it ourselves. Here is the take home message – Yes, empowered by the Spirit, we must continually show MERCY to these individuals, but must never forget that compromise with their polluted lifestyle will very possible cause our spiritual downfall!
LET’S END WITH AN ILLUSTRATION OF RESCUING THE PERISHING — This illustration from a real life story helps grasp to whom and how we are to show mercy – Jim Cymbala well known pastor of The Brooklyn Tabernacle Church, an inner city church in NYC, tells the following story in his book Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire – “Jesus didn’t just speak the healing word to lepers from a distance of thirty yards. He touched them (Mt 8:2-3). I shall never forget Easter Sunday 1992—the day that Roberta Langella gave her dramatic testimony….A homeless man was standing in the back of the church, listening intently. At the end of the evening meeting I sat down on the edge of the platform, exhausted, as others continued to pray with those who had responded to Christ. The organist was playing quietly. I wanted to relax. I was just starting to unwind when I looked up to see this man, with shabby clothing and matted hair, standing in the center aisle about four rows back and waiting for permission to approach me. I nodded and gave him a weak little wave of my hand. Look at how this Easter Sunday is going to end, I thought to myself. He’s going to hit me up for money. That happens often in this church. I’m so tired. . . .When he came close, I saw that his two front teeth were missing. But more striking was his odor—the mixture of alcohol, sweat, urine, and garbage took my breath away. I have been around many street people, but this was the strongest stench I have ever encountered. I instinctively had to turn my head sideways to inhale, then look back in his direction while breathing out. I asked his name. “David,” he said softly. “How long have you been homeless, David?” “Six years.” “Where did you sleep last night?” “In an abandoned truck.” I had heard enough and wanted to get this over quickly. I reached for the money clip in my back pocket. At that moment David put his finger in front of my face and said, “No, you don’t understand—I don’t want your money. I’m going to die out there. I want the Jesus that red-haired girl talked about.” I hesitated, then closed my eyes. God, forgive me, I begged. I felt soiled and cheap. Me, a minister of the Gospel … I had wanted simply to get rid of him, when he was crying out for the help of Christ I had just preached about. I swallowed hard as God’s love flooded my soul (Ed: The filling of the Spirit returned to Pastor Cymbala the moment he confessed his sin of indifference to this man’s true need! And the same dynamic can happen in our life beloved. Confess and repent. Do it quickly. Don’t continue to grieve or quench the Spirit!). David sensed the change in me (Ed: Spirit controlled!). He moved toward me and fell on my chest, burying his grimy head against my white shirt and tie. Holding him close, I talked to him about Jesus’ love. These weren’t just words; I felt them. I felt love for this pitiful young man. And that smell….I don’t know how to explain it. It had almost made me sick, but now it became the most beautiful fragrance to me. I reveled in what had been repulsive just a’ moment ago. The Lord seemed to say to me in that instant, Jim, if you and your wife have any value to me, if you have any purpose in my work—it has to do with this odor This is the smell of the world I died for. David surrendered to the Christ he heard about that night. We got him into a hospital detoxification unit for a week. We got his teeth fixed. He joined the Prayer Band right away. He spent the next Thanksgiving Day in our home. We invited him back for Christmas as well. I will never forget his present to me. Inside a little box was one handkerchief. It was all he could afford. Today David heads up the maintenance department at the church, overseeing ten other employees. He is now married and a father. God is opening more and more doors for him to go out and give his testimony. When he speaks, his words have a weight and an impact that many ordained ministers would covet. As Christians reach out to touch everyone, including the unlovely who are now everywhere in our society, God touches them, too—and revolutionizes their lives.”
There used to be a telephone commercial that said “Reach out and touch someone” (referring to the touch tone phone). In the spiritual world, Jude is calling for the church to contend earnestly for the faith by first fortifying your faith and then by practicing your faith by reaching out and touching those who others might deem untouchable. God grant that His church in America is energized by His Spirit to be such a church for sake of the Name above all names, Christ Jesus. Amen.
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Other illustrations related to RESCUING THE PERISHING.
Vance Havner once said “When people do not mean business with Christ in their hearts they will not do business for Christ with their hands. There is no place in Scripture for the type of church member who sings, “O How I Love Jesus,” but feeds no sheep; who sings, “Rescue the Perishing,” but does no rescue work himself.” In his book Consider Jesus Havner adds “We shrink from personally touching the world’s need, we abhor the ceremonial defilement of going down into the mire and muck of the world ourselves. It is one thing to sing, “Rescue the perishing.” It is another thing to rescue some of them, snatching them from the fire, hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.”
ILLUSTRATION – Dwight L. Moody once saw a man freezing to death on the street in Chicago. Moody could not just talk this man into warmth. He pounded him with his fist and got him really angry. The man began to pound back and then got up and ran after Moody. That got his blood circulating and saved his life. Our loud and outspoken witnessing may make people angry, but at least it may awaken them from their spiritual stupor. Who needs your boldness, your compassion today?
ILLUSTRATION – Those we save, says Jude, are as if snatched from the fire. They must be treated as we would treat a hamburger patty that falls into the hot coals. We must reach in quickly to prevent its further contamination, but we must also guard against personal injury.
ILLUSTRATION – Evangelism is like strong horseradish: people praise it with tears in their eyes. There are other word associations we could make with the concept of evangelism. For some people, evangelism is an evangelical mugging mission, where we go into a phone booth, come out with a big red S on our chests and charge out into a neighborhood, seldom our own, to win it for Christ. For others, it’s some kind of evangelical ambush where we lure the honest, unsuspecting victim to some type of an event, lock the doors, and sing twenty-two verses of “Just as I Am.” Some people think of evangelism as a bombing mission where, from protective cloud cover at 30,000 feet, we fill backyards with gospel bombs. For others, evangelism is herding fish into the stained glass aquarium where the big fisherman throws the lure from the pulpit. —Joseph Aldrich
ILLUSTRATION – When my wife and I went to Dallas Seminary, we decided we wouldn’t live in the “cemetery” housing. Instead, we lived in the high-class, red-light district. If you want to get an introduction to life itself, that’s the place to be. We made a commitment to take one non-Christian person, couple or individual, out to dinner once a week. Did we ever get a liberal education. But what fun; we had people coming to know the Lord right and left in that place, because we simply loved them. We opened our home to them. —Joseph Aldrich
ILLUSTRATION – Arithmetic from Hell – A kind of arithmetic has been spawned in the counting rooms of hell. This kind of arithmetic is always interested in reaching the masses but somehow never gets down to a man or a woman. This kind of arithmetic always talks about winning the world for God but doesn’t think much about winning a neighborhood for God. That arithmetic makes it valiant to cross oceans and never really crosses streets. – Haddon Robinson
ILLUSTRATION OF THE RESCUE TUBE – Have you ever noticed that when the life guards at the pool are seated on the guard tower, they will have in their lap (if they are following regulations) a 3-4 foot firm rubber structure known as a “rescue tube.” What’s the function? To rescue a drowning victim. One way to do so is to hold the rescue tube out to the distressed swimmer (assuming they are close enough to the edge of the pool), instructing them to grab the rescue tube and slowly pulling the victim to safety.
ILLUSTRATION – John Wesley was a young child when there was a consuming fire that struck the parsonage where his entire family lived. John called for help from the second floor. After heroic efforts, John was rescued and from that point on considered himself “a brand plucked from the burning” (Zech. 3:2). This event gave him a sense of God’s providence in his life and produced a deep passion and sense of purpose. His personal deliverance from the flames led to a passion for others and their salvation.
TRAGIC STORY OF DAWSON TROTMAN FOUNDER OF THE NAVIGATORS – On the afternoon of June 18, 1956, ten people who were attending a Christian conference in upstate New York were speeding in a power boat across Schroon Lake. Suddenly a wave struck the boat, hurtling two of its occupants into the water. The man held the young girl’s head above the water while the boat circled back to them. Just as she was lifted to safety,her rescuer sank beneath the waters and disappeared from sight. The man who thus died saving the life of a girl whose name he did not know was Dawson E. Trotman, founder and director of The Navigators, designer of the counseling and follow-up program used by Evangelist Billy Graham. In his thirty years of service for Christ he had been used to bring back into focus for the Christian world some foundational New Testament truths, the influence of which had only begun to be felt during his own lifetime. His close personal friend and co-laborer Billy Graham said, “I think Dawson Trotman touched more lives than any man I have ever known. We today are only representatives of thousands of many races and languages and cultures that have been touched by this great man. .. There could not have been a more dramatic and characteristic way to die. He who spent all of his life in bringing salvation and upbuilding to others…spending his last moments in saving the life of one who could not swim.” (The Pathfinder: A Condensed Life Story of Dawson E. Trotman by Lorne C. Sanny)
Here is another version of the tragic drowning of Dawson Trotman entitled ALWAYS HOLDING SOMEONE UP – The July 2, 1956 issue of the Time Magazine in its opening paragraph of the article entitled “Religion: The Navigator” was as follows – “Dawson Trotman clambered back into a motorboat one day last week after two hours of waterskiing on Schroon Lake, N.Y. He was dog-tired, but before he settled down he asked one of the two girls in the boat, Allene Beck, if she could swim; when she shook her head, he traded places with her so she would be in a safer spot. Minutes later the speeding boat bounced on a wave, and both of them, the 50-year-old man and the girl, shot into the water. He swam to her and held her head above water until the boat could circle back and she was hauled aboard. But as hands reached down to seize Trotman’s hand, he sank out of sight.” Dawson Trotman died by drowning, as he saved the life of another in the throes of death. The caption under his picture in the article appropriately summed up his life as it read “Always Holding Someone Up.” The article also aptly concluded with “He lived to save others” and “His death was just the way he would have planned it.” (Always Holding Someone Up)
ILLUSTRATION – A man in Sussex, England, gives this testimony:“I believe I can attribute my conversion, through the grace of God, to one verse of that precious hymn, ‘Rescue the perishing.’ I was far away from my Saviour, and living without a hope in Jesus. I was very fond of singing hymns, and one day I came across this beautiful piece, and when I had sung the words, ‘Touched by a loving heart, wakened by kindness, Chords that were broken will vibrate once more,’ I fell upon my knees and gave my heart to the Lord Jesus Christ. From that hour I have followed him who, through this verse, touched my heart and made it vibrate with his praises ever since.”
ILLUSTRATION – Here is an example of demonstration of compassion to the perishing from Fanny Crosby’s autobiography, in the chapter entitled “Work Among Missions” (shelters in cities where the destitute would accumulate) – “One evening there was a man in the seat in front of me, and from his singing I judged that he was under conviction (Ed Comment: Remember that Fanny was blind and so clearly had a keen sense of hearing to be able to detect a man’s “heart conviction” just by his singing! Lord, give us all sensitive ears like Fanny! Amen). Something within prompted me to ask him (Ed Comment: Surely this was the Spirit of Jesus within her, another voice to which she clearly had developed exquisite sensitivity! God help us all to have such sensitivity to Your still small voice. Amen) if he would remain and hear the sermon, and he finally consented to do so. Just before the close of the address I whispered, “When the invitation is given, will you go to the altar?” For a moment he hesitated, and then asked, “Will you go with me?” I did go to the altar with him and had the pleasure of seeing him a saved man. I could give more than one instance where men have been reclaimed, after a long struggle and many attempts at reformation, because someone spoke a kind word to them even at what appeared to be the last moment. I have also know many others who turned away from a meeting simply because the cheering word had not been spoken, nor the helping hand extended. Never to chide the erring has always been my policy, for I firmly believe that harsh words only serve to harden hearts that might otherwise be softened into repentance. (see her verses below — and notice she does not say not to reprove, but to take care how we reprove! Interesting!) ” (Fanny J Crosby: An Autobiography)
Speak not harshly when reproving
Those from duty’s path who stray;
if you would reclaim the erring,
Kindness must each action sway.
Speak not harshly to the wayward;
Win their confidence, their love,
They will feel how pure the motive
That has led them to reprove.
JOB’S SECRET IN THE STORM – We have all “heard of the “endurance of Job” (James 5:11) in the face of unspeakable adversity and personal loss (Job 1:1-2:13). As Oswald Chambers said “We must get hold of those great souls, the men who have been hard hit — hit and have gone to the basis of things and whose experiences have been preserved for us by God, that we may know where we stand.”
So how did Job survive such incredible afflictions? We get a clue from Job 23, where this suffering saint declares “Behold, I go forward but God is not there, and backward, but I cannot perceive Him. When He acts on the left, I cannot behold Him. He turns on the right, I cannot see Him.” (Job 23:8-9) BUT despite not BEHOLDING God, we see Job still BELIEVING God, confidently declaring “But He KNOWS the way I take. When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” (Job 23:10–note)
But how did Job KNOW that God KNEW? He did not have the Bible on computer, a Gideon New Testament or as far as we know any written record of God’s Words! Job explains the source of his ability to walk by faith and not by sight (2Cor 5:7–note), declaring “I have not departed from the command of His lips (obedience to God’s Word). I have treasured (as men do with what they most love and value = same word tsapan in Ps 119:11 “I have treasured Thy Word”) the words of His mouth more than my necessary food (Job “internalized” God’s Word). (Job 23:12–note) In a word, Job memorized and obeyed God’s Word, which fortified and sustained him through his incredibly difficult trials. In Job’s example of faithful, patient, suffering (James 5:10, Heb 6:12–note), he gives us a tried and true “template” for surviving the trials and tests of life — The Word of God HELD (and obeyed) in our heart, will HOLD us firm in faith when the winds of adversity blow! Spurgeon affirms “There is the picture which Job has sketched. Hang it up on the wall of your memory, and God help you to paint after this old master, whose skill is unrivaled.”
Beloved, are you treasuring the Word of God in your heart that you might not sin against Him (Ps 119:9,11–note)? Are you fighting the good fight of faith (and the temptations of the devil) even as did our Perfect Example, our beloved Lord Jesus, choosing daily to live not just by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Mt 4:4)? Are you fighting off dark thoughts of despondency as did God’s choice prophet Jeremiah (Jer 1:5), who declared “Thy Words were found and I ate them (cf memorized them) and they became for me the joy and the delight of my life.” (Jeremiah 15:16)?
The transformation and renewing of our minds (2Cor 3:18–note, Ro 12:2–note, Eph 4:23–note) and our growth in godliness (2Pe 1:5-8–note) is dependent on our feeding upon the living Word, the Bread of Life, the Word of Truth, which alone provides sustenance for our soul. God’s Word (from His very ”lips”) must become our greatest treasure even (especially) in dark days of suffering. Even better, we need to hide the Word of Life (Phil 2:16–note) in our hearts before the dark days come, so that we might run and hide in that Word when the days do come. “Every (no exceptions) Word of God is tested. He (via His Spirit) is a Shield to all who take refuge (and trust) in Him (via His Word).” (Proverbs 30:5–note)
Remember that like Job and Jesus and Jeremiah, the first requirement for keeping God’s Word in our hearts even as we would a precious treasure is to recognize that it is a TREASURE. A beautiful and touching story is told of a young French girl who had been born blind. After she learned to read by touch, a friend gave her a Braille copy of Mark’s gospel. She read it so much that her fingers became calloused and insensitive. In an effort to regain her feeling, she cut the skin from the ends of her fingers. Tragically, however, her calluses were replaced by permanent and even more insensitive scars. She sobbingly gave the book a goodbye kiss, saying, “FAREWELL, FAREWELL, SWEET WORD OF MY HEAVENLY FATHER.” In doing so, she discovered that her lips were even more sensitive than her fingers had been, and she spent the rest of her life reading her great treasure with her lips.
Father, as we go through the storms of life, shield us with your Word and by Your Spirit give us the desire and power to have an insatiable appetite to eat and obey the pure milk of Your Word in the Name of the living Word of God. Amen (Phil 2:12–note, Phil 2:13–note, 1Pe 2:2–note, Rev 19:13–note).
When the storms of life come, may God’s Spirit enable us to remember His Word and empower us to sing…
I WILL PRAISE YOU IN THE STORM by Casting Crowns
I was sure by now
God you would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say “Amen”, and it’s still raining.
As the thunder rolls
I barely hear Your whisper through the rain
“I’m with you”
And as You mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God Who gives
And takes away
I’ll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
Every tear I’ve cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I WILL PRAISE YOU IN THIS STORM
RELATED RESOURCES:
Memorizing His Word
Memory Verses by Topic
Meditating on the Word
Primer on Biblical Meditation
Job 23:10 Commentary
Job 23:11 Commentary
Job 23:12 Commentary
A SPIRIT FILLED CHURCH
A. Example of a Spirit Filled Church in Acts
B. Example of a Spirit Filled Church in Ephesians
C. Example of Jesus
III. The Potential of a Spirit Filled Church
IV. The Prayer for a Spirit Filled Church
V. Summary of Characteristics of a Spirit Filled Church
I. THE PROBLEM OF A SPIRIT FILLED CHURCH
It was the middle of winter and the electricity had been knocked out by an ice storm. As we listened to our battery-powered radio the announcer said, “The following churches will be closed due to lack of power.” What a provocative statement! What would the announcer say about many American churches today? They probably wouldn’t be closed for lack of activity, but lack of power is another matter!
Francis Chan – God put His Spirit in us so we could be known for our power. Sadly, most believers and churches are known for talent and intellect rather than supernatural power. What’s worse is that we’re okay with it…. I’m willing to bet there are millions of churchgoers across America who cannot confidently say they have experienced His presence or action in their lives over the past year. And many of them do not believe they can.” (Forgotten God – Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit)
David Platt in his book Radical has a chapter entitled “Beginning at the End of Ourselves — The Importance of Relying on God’s Power (Subsection entitled – “Dependent on Ourselves or Desperate for His Spirit”) – This is where I am most convicted as a pastor…I am part of a system that has created a whole host of means and methods, plans and strategies for doing church that require little if any power from God….I am frightened by the reality that the church I lead can carry on most of our activities….never realizing that the Holy Spirit of God is virtually absent from the picture.” (Radical- Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream)
Vance Havner – We are seeing much today of service without the Spirit. There is an appalling ignorance of the Person and work of the Holy Spirit in our great church bodies. It is not what is done for God that counts, but rather what is done by Him, the work of His Spirit through our yielded wills. Programs, propaganda, pep, personnel, these are not enough. There must be power. God’s work must be done by God’s people God’s way. The Quakers got their name from the fact that they trembled under the power of the Spirit. At least their faith shook them! Too many of us today are shaky about what we believe but not shaken by what we believe! Too many people assemble at God’s house who don’t really believe in the power of God. Having begun in the Spirit, we live in the flesh (Gal 3:3)….Never has the church had more wire stretched with less power in it. All is vain unless the Spirit of the Holy One comes down (cp Zech 4:6). Sad to say, we seem not even to know that we have not the Spirit in power. If He ceased His work many church members would never know the difference. Like Samson, we don’t realize that He has departed (Jdg 16:19, 20, 21), but we keep “shaking ourselves” in the prescribed calisthenics.
A.W. Tozer some 50 years ago made a similar pronouncement “If the Holy Spirit was withdrawn from the church today, 95 percent of what we do would go on and no one would know the difference. If the Holy Spirit had been withdrawn from the NT church (in Acts), 95 percent of what they did would stop, and everybody would know the difference.”
SO HERE IS THE QUESTION… Which 95% would you want your church to be? Mostly natural or mostly supernatural? A humanly energized group of people or a Spirit filled and empowered Church? The popular spiritual song This is the Air I Breathe aptly summarizes what every believer’s daily cry should be…
Your Holy Presence living in me
This is my Daily Bread
Your very Word spoken to me
And I, I’m Desperate for You
And I, I’m lost without You!
Ray Pritchard (Sermons – Keep Believing Ministries) said that the modern church’s “greatest need is for spiritual power” explaining that actually “our greatest need is to know how great our need really is….(and that need) is to know the Spirit deeply and personally. It is never enough to possess the truth. The truth must eventually possess us in order to change us….I remember some years ago hearing Dr. J. Vernon McGee preach a commencement address at Dallas Theological Seminary. He was then in his early 80s and near the end of a long and fruitful ministry. I’ve forgotten almost everything else he said that night, but one comment has stayed with me. He said that if he were starting his ministry over again, he would give much more attention to the Person and work of the Holy Spirit. He would preach on the Spirit more frequently and attempt to lead people to depend on his power every day.” (How Can I Be Filled With the Holy Spirit?)
And so this overview on the Spirit Filled Church hopefully will transmit some information, but it will be for naught if it does not bring about Spirit wrought transformation for that is the desperate need of the body of Christ in these last days! The preacher and teacher can (and should) preach and teach the Word of Truth, but only the Holy Spirit can impart and implant that Word into the fertile soil of our hearts!
CAVEAT/DISCLAIMER – The mere mention of the Holy Spirit may send shivers down your spine! Questionable practices and emotional extremes in the Name of the Spirit by some have caused many believers to shy away from the Holy Spirit and to become coolly intellectual – espousing orthodoxy but without true orthopraxy! In so doing these orthodox saints have essentially neglected the vital, necessary role of the Spirit in a Spirit filled church. The enemy is undoubtedly quite pleased that many in the Body of Christ are firmly entrenched in one of these two polarized camps — either fully fanatical or insipidly intellectual! I believe the Scripturally defined “middle ground” is where God wants His Church and the goal of this message is to outline the Scriptural pattern for a Spirit filled church.
A C Dixon – When we rely on organization, we get what organization can do. When we rely upon education, we get what education can do. When we rely on eloquence, we get what eloquence can do. But when we rely on the Holy Spirit, we get what God can do.
II. THE PATTERN OF A SPIRIT FILLED CHURCH
Let’s drop the plumb line of God’s Word to determine the truth about the Spirit Filled Church (and we are just scratching the surface). Any ministry that exalts the Spirit at the expense of exaltation of Jesus Christ is clearly in error for our Lord Himself stated that the Holy Spirit “shall glorify (doxazo = give a correct opinion or correct estimate of Jesus) Me; for He shall take of Mine, and shall disclose it to you.” (John 16:14). Jesus explained that “When the Helper (parakletos = the Holy Spirit) comes, Whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth Who proceeds from the Father, He will testify (martureo = bear witness of the truth) about Me (Not primarily about Himself).” (Jn 15:26) The Westminster Shorter Catechism asks “What is the chief end of man?” and answers “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him for ever.” The chief end of the Spirit of Christ Who indwells every believer (Ro 8:9–note, Ro 5:5–note) is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ through us, not to glorify Himself!
(From Jensen’s Survey of the New Testament- excellent resource)
A. EXAMPLE OF A SPIRIT FILLED CHURCH IN ACTS
So let’s begin with the “birthday” of the Christian church in Acts 2.
Acts 2:1 “And when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent, rushing wind, and it filled (pleroo) the whole house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled (pimplemi – see Greek word study) with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.” (Thayer wrote “what wholly takes possession of the mind is said to fill it.”)
From the diagram we see the church as a body of Christ (Eph 4:12–note) was born when the Spirit came on the believers and all were filled. Notice that “all” were filled and all began to speak as the Spirit was giving them utterance. As Ray Pritchard says “The filling of the Spirit is not primarily an emotional experience, and it’s certainly not reserved for a few super-Christians. It’s nothing more than the normal Christian life when the Holy Spirit is in control.” (Ibid) As discussed more below being filled pictures these believers as controlled by the Spirit. We see this meaning of filling in other passages where we observe that what fills a person controls them. And so the Jewish “were filled with rage, and discussed together what they might do to Jesus (notice that filling often energizes action!).” (Lk 6:11, cp Lk 4:28, 29). Jesus was gone but (as discussed below) He had fulfilled His promise to the disciples to send the Spirit Who would be His representative and their (and our) empowering Agent. Remember that…
Bethlehem was God with us.
Calvary was God for us.
Pentecost is God in us.
So let’s look at the effect the Spirit exerted on the early church, keeping in mind that these Scriptures provide a pattern for the Spirit filled church in our day…
Acts 4:1-4 (context = persecution) And as they (Peter and John) were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple [guard,] and the Sadducees, came upon them, 2 being greatly disturbed ( because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 And they laid hands on them, and put them in jail until the next day, for it was already evening. 4 But many of those who had heard the message believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand (cp 3000 souls saved in Acts 2:41)….
Acts 4:18 And when they had summoned them (Peter and John), they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; 20 for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” (Why couldn’t they stop speaking? Because they were filled with the Spirit, the One Who is to bear witness of Jesus [Jn 15:26]! And how did the church respond to the persecution and subsequent release? They held a prayer and praise service!)….
Acts 4:24 “ And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord” (Don’t miss this picture — the Spirit filled church is a unified church. The word Luke uses here is homothumadon or homothymadon which means of same temperament and helps us understand the Spirit wrought unity of the first Church)….
Acts 4:29 “And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Thy bond-servants may speak Thy word with all confidence (boldness – parrhesia), 30 while Thou dost extend Thy hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Thy holy servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit (the fact that this is repeated shows that Acts 2:4 filling was not permanent, one time event), and began to speak the word of God with boldness (parrhesia) (affects speech). 32 And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul (creates unity); and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own; but all things were common property to them (stimulates generosity). 33 And with great (megas) power (dunamis) (Note not just power but great power! God’s answer recalls Eph 3:20–note where Paul writes that God “is able [see God is Able] to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power [dunamis] [What power? Not an impersonal power, but power provided by a Divine Person, the Holy Spirit!] that works [energeo in present tense = continually “energizes”] within us!” Do we really believe this?) the apostles were giving witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus (fulfillment of Acts 1:8–note), and abundant grace (charis) was upon them all.
There it is – a Spirit filled church! Let’s summarize what we observed about a Spirit filled body of believers:
(1) They will experience persecution
(2) They will pray together
(3) They will be filled with the Spirit
(4) They will be filled with holy boldness (parrhesia),
(5) They will be unified in heart and soul,
(6) They will be generous
(7) They will experience His power (dunamis) to proclaim the Gospel (euaggelion)
(8) They will experience abundant grace (charis).
Before Pentecost, the disciples were like rabbits. After Pentecost, they were like ferrets! Indeed “Peter the denier” (Jesus = Mt 26:34, Peter’s 3 denials = [1] Mt 26:69-70, [2] Mt 26:71-72, [3] Mt 26:73-74) empowered and emboldened by the Spirit was supernaturally transformed into “Peter the Proclaimer!” (Acts 2:4,Acts 2:14, 36-38, Acts 4:8 = “Peter filled with the Holy Spirit”). Before Pentecost the disciples found it hard to do easy things; after Pentecost they found it easy to do hard things. Pentecost was a once in a lifetime occurrence, that “changed everything.” And remember that if Pentecost was never repeated, neither is it retracted. In other words, despite the passage of 2000 years, we are still in the era of the Holy Spirit and the Spirit filled church! The potential is there for every church to be empowered by the Spirit to glorify the Name of Jesus (cp Jn 16:14)!
Other Acts passages related to the Spirit filled church…
STEPHEN – Acts 6:3 “But select from among you, brethren, seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task….5 Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit…7 And the word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith. 8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people….Acts 7:55 But being full of the Holy Spirit, he (Stephen) gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God…60 And falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” And having said this, he fell asleep.
Comment: These passages reveal a number of interesting results or effects of Spirit-filling. For example notice that Acts 6 mentions men full of the Spirit and then describes the effect — “the word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly” (Acts 6:7)
Spirit filled believers (like Stephen) are supernaturally empowered to be witnesses of Jesus Christ (Acts 1:8), shining brightly even before those who are filled with hatred (Acts 7:58, 8:1 = Saul/Paul) Spirit filled believers are supernaturally enabled to forgive even those who persecute them! Finally note that being filled with the Spirit enables one to die with a peace that surpasses human understanding.
SAUL/PAUL – Acts 9:17 (Three days after Saul/Paul’s conversion-cp Acts 9:1-16) And Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit.…20 and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.”…22 But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this [Jesus] is the Christ.
BARNABAS – Acts 11:22-24 And the news about them reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas off to Antioch. Then when he had come and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord; for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And considerable numbers were brought to the Lord.
Comment: Spirit filled believers like Barnabas encourage the church to “to remain true to the Lord with a firm resolve of the heart.” And notice the impact –
PAUL – Acts 13:9-10 But Saul, who was also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his gaze upon him, and said, “You who are full (what a dramatic contrast full of the Spirit vs full of deceit!) of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to make crooked the straight ways of the Lord?”
Comment: Spirit filled believers are armed with the Spirit’s power for spiritual warfare (cp the filling in Eph 5:18 which is necessary to carry out the commands in Eph 6:10-17. Because these verses are so far apart and are even separated by a chapter break, many expositors miss the fact that we are just as dependent on the Spirit to fight our invisible foe as we are to sing to one another!)
Acts 13:52 And the disciples were continually filled (pleroo in the imperfect tense = over and over filled) with joy and with the Holy Spirit. (cp “joy of the Holy Spirit” = 1Thes 1:6–note) Acts 14:1 And it came about that in Iconium they entered the synagogue of the Jews together, and spoke in such a manner (Spirit empowered) that a great multitude believed, both of Jews and of Greeks. 2 But the Jews who disbelieved stirred up the minds of the Gentiles, and embittered them against the brethren. 3 Therefore they spent a long time there speaking boldly (enabled by the Spirit) with reliance upon the Lord, Who was bearing witness to the Word of His grace (“The Gospel,” cp Jn 15:26), granting that signs and wonders be done by their hands.
Norman Brown summarizes – From these passages, it is clear that the results of filling vary with individuals and circumstances. But apart from special manifestations, there are always certain results: (1) the experience is Christ-centered, not Spirit-centered (cf. John 16:14); (2) the Spirit will reproduce—not imitate Christ in the believer (Gal. 4:19); and (3) the Spirit will impart His own spiritual power (cf. Acts 1:8–note). In connection with these results, it is important to note that tongues is not a universal evidence of the filling of the Spirit. Many times in the book of Acts, Christians are described as being filled with the Spirit without any textual mention of tongues as being its manifestation (Acts 4:8, 31; 6:5;9:17; 13:9). To argue for the necessity of tongues in relation to filling—in spite of these silent passages—is to break basic rules of hermeneutics…..The sum of the teaching of the passages in Acts seems to be that the Spirit-filled life is the normal condition of the believer. Spirit-filling is intended for all Christians as a part of the will and purpose of God for their lives. The evidence in Acts suggests that the filling with the Spirit is both an act and a process; both an event and a life….In order to be filled, the Christian must meet the scriptural conditions of yieldedness. Accordingly, Ironside states, “We cannot be filled by deciding to claim it by faith. Neither are we filled by praying for it (Ed: But we can pray to know the “surpassing greatness of His power” Eph 1:18,19–note and to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man” Eph 3:16–note) … We are only filled with the Spirit as we yield ourselves to God and walk in obedience to His Word…..When the Christian meets the conditions for being filled, the Holy Spirit, like an overwhelming force, immediately occupies as much of that person as is relinquished to Him. While the former sin nature is still present, it has been reckoned dead, and the new nature—energized by the Spirit—is capable of producing the fruit of the Spirit (cf. Gal. 5:22, 23–note). (The Filling Of The Holy Spirit In The Book Of Acts)
What is a Spirit filled church? A Spirit filled church was the normal experience for the church in Acts and is to be the expected experience of every church of every age! And so in simple terms a Spirit filled church is composed of Spirit filled believers, irrespective of their position in the church or their degree of maturity. Every believer has received the Holy Spirit at the moment of regeneration, for as Paul explained “you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.” (Ro 8:9–note, cp 1Cor 6:19–note) So the moment we were born again by the Spirit, the Spirit comes in as resident, but when we allow (yield, surrender to) Him to fill (control) us He becomes “president” so to speak! In other words, the Spirit comes not just to residein us, but to preside over us! As Wayne Detzler says “The Christian church can only adequately fulfill its function in the world when every member knows this Spirit fulness.”
God has sovereignly made His provision available. Our responsibility is to make His place available. Are you willing to allow Him to preside and to guide your life? Your answer determines whether you will experience His filling or not! And remember, Scripture teaches that when we believed we received all of the Spirit we will ever possess. The question now is how much of each of us will He possess (fill, control) each day?
It is one thing for you to have the Holy Spirit.
It is another thing for the Holy Spirit to have you!
B. EXAMPLE OF A SPIRIT FILLED CHURCH IN EPHESIANS
Let’s look at Paul’s command to be a Spirit filled church, noting that the verb filled is plural which indicates this command is for the entire church…
Ephesians 5:15–note Therefore be careful (present imperative = command calling for this to be their lifestyle – something only possible as we yield to the Spirit) how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, 16-note making the most of (exagorazo in present tense = continuously redeeming) the time (kairos), (why?) because the days are evil (poneros). 17-note So then do not be foolish, but understand(suniemi in the present imperative) what the will of the Lord is. 18-note And do not get drunk(methusko) with wine, for that is dissipation (asotia), but be filled with the Spirit, 19-note speaking (present tense) to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing (present tense) and making melody (present tense) with your heart to the Lord; 20 always giving thanks (present tense) for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; 21 and be subject (present tense) to one another in the fear of Christ.
Comment: Be filled in Eph 5:18 is not a suggestion, but a command (it is every believer’s responsibility) in the present tense calling for Spirit filling to be our habitual practice, our lifestyle so to speak. It follows that no believer understands (or is in) the will of God who is not filled with His Spirit (Eph 5:17–note) The present tense also underscores the fact that filling is not a one time event but is a repeated action. The implication is that each morning we need to wake up with a sense of our desperate need for Spirit to fill us. The passive voice indicates this filling is not something we do, but something we allow the Spirit to do in us. Our part is to acknowledge our need and willingly surrender our will to the Spirit. I would add that given that the Spirit is Holy, we also need to “keep short accounts” and continually confess our sins when He brings them to our mind (1Jn 1:9–note whereconfess = present tense = as our lifestyle, our habitual practice). Finally, the verb be filled is in the plural which indicates this command applies to the entire church (as we say in Texas it applies to “Y’all”). Every church (and every member) is to be a Spirit filled church. To not be Spirit filled is to disobey God’s command, which of course is a sin!
Charles Swindoll – I don’t know of a more important verse in the New Testament for the Christian than Ephesians 5:18—honest, no exaggeration. This verse tells the believer how to live an authentic, empowered life.
Ray Pritchard describes how we are to be filled with the Spirit — “We need two things—emptinessand openness. You can’t fill a jar that’s already full, and you can’t fill a jar that is not open. There must be a sense of need—“Lord, I’m empty and I need to be filled by your Spirit.” There must be a willingness—“Lord, I’m open to you. Let your Spirit fill me now.” The filling of the Spirit is really as simple as that. As long as we are conscious of our need and as long as we are willing to yield to the Lord, we can be filled with the Lord because His power is available to us all day long.” Pritchard has coined the term “fillability” to describe our need and desire adding that “when your need to be filled with the Spirit becomes your great desire, you will be filled. Over and over again. Instantly. Every time.” (Ibid)
Let’s summarize what a Spirit filled church looks like according to Ephesians 5:15-21…
(1) The members are continually speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. As an aside, this “fruit of filling” enables one to discern whether he is filled with the Spirit, for out of the mouth comes that which fills our heart (cp Mt 12:34). When the Spirit fills (controls) our heart, wholesome speech proceeds from our mouth. On the other hand, when unwholesome speech proceeds from our mouth (Eph 4:29–note), we can be know that we have grieved the Spirit (Eph 4:30–note) and at that moment are not controlled by Him, but by our sinful flesh! How were your words today? If unwholesome, then confess them to the Lord, so that you do not continue to grieve the Spirit.
As an aside, there are some commentaries that combine speaking and singing (#2) as one effect, but in the Greek sentence these are separate and distinct participle verbs. Furthermore, when one compares the parallel passage in Col 3:16–note speaking in Eph 5:19 parallels “teaching and admonishing“, which is is distinct from singing.
(2) The members of the body continually sing and make melody with their hearts to the Lord. He is to be our audience to Whom we seek to please as we sing, not others in the body.
(3) The members are always giving thanks for all things. Notice the two key adjectives – always andall things! A continual “attitude of gratitude” even in the face of trials and/or afflictions is a strong indicator of Spirit filling, for such a genuine response is not natural but supernatural! Notice also that since gratitude is the antithesis of grumbling, the latter response is a sure sign of control by the unholy flesh rather than the Holy Spirit. In Phil 2:14–note we are commanded not to grumble, but the only way this is possible is to work out our salvation in fear and trembling in daily dependence on God at work in us giving us the desire and the power to do what pleases God (see Phil 2:12–note, Phil 2:13NLT–note where “God Who is at work in you” = the Holy Spirit!) Did you grumble today? Are you still grumbling and grieving the Spirit (Eph 4:30–note)? Then run to 1Jn 1:9–note and Pr 28:13–note! Remember that “The LORD’S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning. Great is Thy faithfulness.” (Lam 3:22-23)
(4) They are continually willing to submit themselves to each another in the fear of Christ. When we surrender to the Spirit, He will enable us to willingly surrender our right to be in control in every situation. Spirit wrought mutual submission in the body of Christ will be manifest by a Phil 2:3-4–note mindset (Doing “nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind” regarding “one another as more important than” ourselves, not looking “out for [our] own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”). In short, such submission to one another is not natural but supernatural as the Spirit empowers each member of the body to have an attitude of humility and selflessness.
(5) Notice also that in the context of Eph 5:15-17 being Spirit filled enables the members of the church to continually….
(a) Walk wisely.
(b) Redeem the opportunities God provides. (See related discussion Redeem the Time)
(c) Understand God’s will. (See related discussion – The Will of God).
Comment: Note that each of the preceding verbs is plural which means Paul is addressing the entire church. In addition each verb is in the present tense which calls for these attitudes and actions to be our lifestyle, clearly something we can accomplish only supernaturally as the Spirit enables us!
Note also that the effects of Spirit filling do not cease in Ephesians 5:21, but successively impact ourmarriages (Eph 5:22-31–note), our children (Eph 6:1-4–note), our workplace (Eph 6:5-9–note), ourwarfare (Eph 6:10-17–note), our prayer life (Eph 6:18–note) and our power be a bold witness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Eph 6:19-20–note). Too many believers forget that in every area of our life, we are continually in desperate need of the power of the Spirit, Who alone enables us to live as more than conquerors in Christ!
Relationship of being filled with the Spirit and “filled” with the Word…
Colossians 3:16–note Let the word of Christ richly dwell (present imperative = command to the entire church [verb is plural] calling for this to be their lifestyle = only possible as we individually yield to the Spirit giving us the desire and the power) within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
| RELATIONSHIP OF BEING FILLED… WITH THE SPIRIT AND WITH THE WORD |
|
| THE HOLY SPIRIT |
THE HOLY WORD |
| Ephesians 5:18, 19, 20 | Colossians 3:16, 17 |
| Be filled with (present imperative) |
Let…dwell within (present imperative) |
| The Spirit (of Christ) |
The Word Of Christ |
| Speaking to One Another |
Teaching and Admonishing One Another |
| In Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs |
With Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs |
| Singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord |
Singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God |
| Always giving thanks | Giving Thanks |
|
Click more in depth chart comparison between Eph 5:18-6:9 and Col 3:16-4:1 |
|
In summary, being filled with the Word is intimately related to being filled with the Spirit. The corollary conclusion is if you are not daily eating the Word or meditating on the Words you have memorized, you are not likely to be filled with and controlled by the Spirit. (cp John 6:63 where Jesus links the Spirit and the Word). Are you eating (e.g., inductive Bible study) and “chewing the cud” of (meditating on)the Word of Life daily? Spiritual health like physical health depends on adequate intake of good nutrition (cp Jesus’ words in Mt 4:4, Job 23:12–note)! See discussion on the inestimable (and even eternal – see1Ti 4:8–note) value of Memorizing God’s Word. See online memory verse tool to aid your daily intake of the “bread of life” – Memory Verses by Topic.
Charles Spurgeon once said that a Christian’s blood should be “bibline,” bleeding Scripture wherever he or she is pricked or cut (speaking figuratively of course)!
Let’s test the hypothesis of filled with the Spirit and filled the Word by observing the example of Jesus. Remember that He emptied Himself when He became flesh (Phil 2:6-7–note) and one reason was that He would then give His disciples the example of how a godly man can live in this fallen world. In light of that truth, it is not surprising that believers are repeatedly instructed (even commanded) to follow Jesus (“Be[present imperative = continually] imitators…of Christ” = 1Cor 11:1, “be imitators…walk in love, just as Christ also loved you, and gave Himself up for us” = Eph 5:1-2–note; Christ left “an example for you to follow in His steps” = 1Pe 2:21–note, “walk [conduct yourselves] in the same manner as He Himself walked” 1John 2:6–note, ).
Luke 4:1-4 And Jesus full of (pleres) the Holy Spirit returned from the Jordan (where the Spirit descended on Him = Mt 3:16-17, Mk 1:10-11, Lk 3:21-22, Jn 1:32) and was led about by the Spirit (Mt 4:1 – demonstrating His willingness to submit to the Spirit; cp Mk 1:12 = “impelled Him”!) in the wilderness 2 for forty days, being tempted (peirazo in present tense = continually tempted) by the devil. And He ate nothing during those days; and when they had ended, He became hungry. 3 And the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” 4 And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE (Matthew adds “BUT ON EVERY WORD [rhema = spoken word] THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.’” = Mt 4:4, quoting Dt 8:3).’
Comment: If the Lord of glory was willing to submit to the Spirit for guidance, how can we not do likewise! (cp Gal 5:18–note, Gal 5:25NLT–note).
Luke 4:14-15 And Jesus returned to Galilee in the power (dunamis) of the Spirit; and news about Him spread through all the surrounding district. And He began teaching in their synagogues and was praised by all.
Comment: If Jesus’ taught filled with and empowered by the Spirit, how can any teacher not be desperate to emulate His example, lest their teaching be wood, hay and stubble?
Peter summarizes Jesus’ 3 year ministry in Acts 10:37-38 – “You yourselves know the thing which took place throughout all Judea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed. You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed (chrio) Him with the Holy Spirit (cp Lk 4:18, Isa 61:1-2,Isaiah 42:1, 59:21, Isa 11:2–note) and with power (dunamis), and how He went about doing good, and healing all who were oppressed by the devil; for God was with Him.”
Comment – Jesus was anointed for ministry with the Spirit and power. His disciples have also been anointed for Paul says “Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed (chrio) us is God.” (2Cor 1:21). John referring almost certainly to the Holy Spirit’s anointing of all believers, adds that we “have an anointing (chrisma) from the Holy One” (1Jn 2:20–note) and this “anointing(chrisma) which you received from Him abides (or dwells = meno in present tense = continually) in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you (John is not saying we don’t need teachers at all – see note); but as His anointing (chrisma) teaches you about all things.” (1Jn 2:27–note)
Two important observations:
(1) Jesus defeated temptation filled with Spirit and filled with the Word the “sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God” (Eph 6:17–note). By His victorious example, Jesus has shown us the secret for triumph in times of temptation—the Word and the Spirit (cp Ro 8:13–note)!
(2) Jesus carried out His powerful ministry in dependence on the Holy Spirit and His power(dunamis). How are we carrying out the ministry God has given us — with the arm of flesh (2Chr 32:8) or the strong arm of the Lord (Ps 89:13, Isa 62:8)?
Comment – Without supernatural power, we can do absolutely nothing of eternal significance (cp Jn 15:16, 15:8). As Jesus said “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me (separate from the enabling power of the Spirit of Jesus) you can do (Greek = absolutely) nothing.” (Jn 15:5) Being saved is not a matter of what we do for God, but is what God does through us as we allow His Spirit to empower His ministry in and through us. Stated another way, the human spirit fails us unless the Holy Spirit fills us.
John MacArthur adds “A Christian can accomplish no more without being filled with the Holy Spirit than a glove can accomplish without being filled with a hand. Anything he manages to do is but wood, hay, and straw that amounts to nothing and will eventually be burned up (1Cor. 3:12-15). Functioning in the flesh produces absolutely nothing of spiritual value.”
Conclusion: A Spirit filled church follows Jesus’ example –
Filled with the Spirit of Truth
Filled with the Word of Truth
Filled with supernatural power
III. THE POTENTIAL OF A SPIRIT FILLED CHURCH
Let’s join the 11 tremulous disciples in the upper room the night before the Cross, the night Jesus told them that He would go away (Jn 13:33, 36, 14:2-4, 12, 28, 16:5). Last words! The last words of anyone are worth listening to especially if they are the last words of Jesus (John 13:1-16:33 = His last words before His crucifixion).
GREATER THINGS
IN THIS CITY
John 14:12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; andgreater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father (cp Jn 7:38-39–note;, Jn 16:7 below).
Examples of greater works (quantitatively, not qualitatively) are seen in the number of souls gathered into the Kingdom in Acts 2:41 = 3000 and Acts 4:4 = 5000. And so most agree that far more souls were saved in the ministry of the apostles in Acts then in Jesus’ entire ministry.
In Chris Tomlin’s spiritual song God of this City there is a line that echoes Jesus’ prophetic promise that “greater things have yet to come, and greater things are still to be done in this city.”
Question: Do you want to be a body of Christ in your city about which it is said they “have turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6KJV) for the glory of Jesus the King? I do! Then we must determine to jettison dependence on men’s methods and stay desperate for the Spirit’s power, for only by His supernatural dunamis can we expect to do “greater things…in this city“!
John 14:16-18 “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another (not heteros but allos = another of the same kind!) Helper (parakletos = one who stands by to help or render aid, to enable), that He may be with you forever. [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. “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” (Post-resurrection = Jn 20:19-21, 22; Then at Pentecost when the Spirit of Jesus came to indwell them)
John 14:26 “But the Helper (parakletos), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My Name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.
Jn 15:26 “When the Helper (parakletos) comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, [that is] the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness (martureo = bear witness of the truth) of Me,
John 16:7 But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper(parakletos) shall not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.
John 7:37-39–note Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. 38 “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.’” 39 But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
Mt 28:18-20 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples (matheteuo in the aorist imperative = command conveying a sense of urgency! The only command in the “Great Commission!”) of all the nations (compare “all the nations” with Jesus’ commission in Acts 1:8 and you see our total need for the powr of the Spirit in both passages), baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always (How? The indwelling Spirit of Jesus! cp parallel “Great Commission” passage in Luke 24:46-48, 49, cp Acts 1:4,8–note), even to the end of the age.”
Conclusion: The potential for the Spirit filled church is a greater harvest of souls then Jesus Himself is His 3 year ministry. Why? Because the Holy Spirit is not just in one person but in every member of the body scattered in the fields that are white for harvest (John 4:35)!
Come, Holy Spirit, God and Lord!
Be all thy graces now out-poured
On the believer’s mind and soul,
To strengthen, save, and make us whole.
–Martin Luther
IV. THE PRAYER FOR A SPIRIT FILLED CHURCH
As we yearn to yield more to the Spirit of Christ we will encounter increased resistance from the world, ourfallen flesh and the devil, so let us pray without ceasing (1Th 5:17–note, Eph 6:18–note) for ourselves and for one another Paul’s prayer for the saints at the church in Ephesus (Eph 1:18-19). Notice that he is not praying for them to be filled with the Spirit per se, to receive more of the Spirit, to be baptized with the Spirit or to experience what some refer to as a second blessing. No, he is praying for the eyes of their hearts to be opened to the vistas of the great riches they already possess in Christ (cp “every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” – Eph 1:3–note). In short, he is praying for these saints to possess their possessions, to possess what God has already promised them and made available for them in Christ through His Spirit. How do they possess their possessions? Ultimately by faith and obedience. (See study of relationship between faith and obedience) Or as the old hymn says “Trust and obey for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, then to trust and obey.” As former Wheaton College president V. Raymond Edman used to say “The Spirit-filled life is no mystery revealed to a select few, no goal difficult of attainment. To trust and obey is the substance of the whole matter.” So as a body let us boldly approach the throne of grace (Heb 4:16–note) and pray Paul’s great prayer. What might God do with His church if we kept on asking, kept on seeking, kept on knocking (Mt 7:7–note)?
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that (term of purpose or result) you will know (eido = know beyond a shadow of a doubt – an assurance only given by the Spirit to our hearts) what is the hope (elpis) of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing (huperballo = to a degree which exceeds extraordinary!) greatness of His power(dunamis) toward us who believe (pisteuo). These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might (Ephesians 1:18-19–note)
Comment: Hope (elpis) is not “hope so” but “hope sure!” The great doctrine of Biblical hope speaks of the saint’s absolute assurance of a future good. We can be absolutely confident that God will do good to us in the future. The writer of Hebrews describes it as “full assurance.” (Heb 6:11–note). The surpassing greatness of His power in context is the same power that resurrected Jesus Christ from the dead (see context – Eph 1:19b–note and Eph 1:20-21–note). One wonders if the saints at Ephesus continued to pray this prayer (and similar Pauline prayers – Eph 3:16-19–note) for one another (something that is really only possible as the Spirit enables us), because in the short span of only about 30 years the church was the recipient of some painful words from Jesus – “I have this against you, that you have left (aphiemi) your first love. 5‘ Remember (mnemoneuo a present imperative = command calling for this to be their lifestyle – something only possible as we yield to the Spirit) therefore from where you have fallen, and repent (metanoeo in the aorist imperative = command conveying a sense of urgency! And dependency!) and do (poieo in the aorist imperative = command conveying a sense of urgency! And dependency!) the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you, and will remove your lampstand out of its place–unless you repent.” (Rev 2:4-5–note) God grant that these words never need to be spoken to your church beloved. Amen
APPLICATION:
What would (could) God do with a truly Spirit filled Church?
What clues do we see in the Spirit filled church in the book of Acts?
Would you like to be part of a Spirit filled Church?
V. SUMMARY OF CHARACTERISTICS OF A SPIRIT FILLED CHURCH
SPIRIT FILLED CHURCHES – Are persecuted churches because the enemy knows from experience (he has read the book of Acts!) they are mighty instruments in the hands of the Almighty God. (Acts 8:1, Acts 4:29)
SPIRIT FILLED CHURCHES – Have the Spirit’s power enabling them to suffer joyfully, courageously and victoriously (Acts 5:41, Stephen in Acts 7:55-58, 1Thes 1:6–note).
SPIRIT FILLED CHURCHES – Are praying and fasting churches, seeking God’s will, God’s guidance, God’s glory. (Acts 4:24-30, Acts 13:2-3, Acts 14:23)
John Piper on Fasting – Fasting is an exceptional measure, designed to channel and express our desire for God and our holy discontent in a fallen world. It is for those not satisfied with the status quo. For those who want more of God’s grace. For those who feel particularly desperate for God.(Sharpen Your Affections with Fasting)
SPIRIT FILLED CHURCHES – Manifest a sense of unity in diversity wrought by the Spirit even in times of difficulty and persecution. (Eph 4:3-6, Acts 1:14, 2:46, 4:24, 5:12, 15:25, cp Jn 17:21-23)
SPIRIT FILLED CHURCHES — Are generous churches (with a heart of charity) whose members are seek to meet the needs (chreia) of others in the body of Christ. (Acts 2:44-45, Acts 4:34-37).
SPIRIT FILLED CHURCHES – Exhibit Spirit enabled boldness and power not to DO witnessing but to BE witnesses for Jesus Christ. (Acts 4:31, Acts 1:8)
SPIRIT FILLED CHURCHES – Are powerful witnesses to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. (Acts 4:33,Acts 1:8)
SPIRIT FILLED CHURCHES – Are Scripture saturated churches (“continually devoting [proskartereo in the present tense] themselves to the apostles’ teaching [didache]”), exalting Jesus for the sake of transformation not information. (Acts 2:42)
SPIRIT FILLED CHURCHES – Are composed of saints who continually recognize their desperate need for the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit coupled with a deep desire (similar to Ps 42:1-2) for the Spirit’s filling. They have “fillability!” (Eph 5:18)
C H Spurgeon on Ps 42:2 – My soul. All my nature, my inmost self. Thirsteth. Which is more than hungering; hunger you can palliate, but thirst is awful, insatiable, clamorous, deadly. O to have the most intense craving after the highest good! this is no questionable mark of grace. For God. Not merely for the temple and the ordinances, but for fellowship with God himself. None but spiritual men can sympathize with this thirst. For the living God. Because he lives, and gives to men the living water; therefore we, with greater eagerness, desire him.
SPIRIT FILLED CHURCHES –Speak to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. (Eph 5:19)
SPIRIT FILLED CHURCHES – Sing joyfully from the heart to exalt the Lord. (Eph 5:19, cp “pure heart” in Ps 24:4 As C H Spurgeon says “The soul must be delivered from delighting in the groveling toys of earth.” Psalm 24:4 Comment)
SPIRIT FILLED CHURCHES – Continually express gratitude to God the Father (always, in all things) rather than grumbling and complaining. (Eph 5:20).
SPIRIT FILLED CHURCHES – Willingly submit to one another, surrendering their rights to their brothers and sisters in the fear of Christ. (Eph 5:21)
SPIRIT FILLED CHURCHES – Let the Word of Christ dwell in them richly, daily reading, actively memorized and joyfully meditating on the Scriptures. (Col 3:16)
SPIRIT FILLED CHURCHES – Are enabled by the Spirit to walk wisely (Eph 5:15), to redeem the time (Eph 5:16) and to understand the will of God (Eph 5:17).
SPIRIT FILLED CHURCHES — Are characterized Spirit filled marriages (Eph 5:22-31–note), Spirit filled families (Eph 6:1-4–note), Spirit filled workplaces (Eph 6:5-9–note), Spirit empowered warfare (Eph 6:10-17–note), Spirit initiated prayer life (Eph 6:18–note) and Spirit given boldness to bear witness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Eph 6:19-20–note).
Comment: Sadly many believers do not realize that in every area of our life, we are continually in desperate need of the power of the Spirit, Who alone enables us to live life and live it abundantly in Christ and for Christ (Jn 10:10)!
SPIRIT FILLED CHURCHES – Are supernaturally empowered to engage in spiritual warfare (Acts 13:9-10).
Comment – As discussed above being filled with the Spirit as commanded in Eph 5:18 is vital for waging spiritual warfare against supernatural beings as described in Eph 6:10-17! Because Eph 5:18 is so far from Eph 6:10-17 and also separated by a chapter break, many expositors miss the fact that believers are just as dependent on the Spirit to fight our invisible foes as they are to sing and make “melody with (their) heart to the Lord!” (Eph 5:19)
SPIRIT FILLED CHURCHES – Follow the example of Jesus of continually being ready for temptation by being Scripture filled and Spirit filled! (Luke 4:1-4)
SPIRIT FILLED CHURCHES – Experience the power of God to see souls added by the LORD for His glory not theirs. (Acts 2:47)
SPIRIT FILLED CHURCHES – Attract outsiders not to come see their programs but the One the Spirit is exalting.
SPIRIT FILLED CHURCHES – Do not depend on their great resources but their great God’s unfathomable riches in Christ. (Eph 1:3, Eph 3:8, Col 2:2-3)
SPIRIT FILLED CHURCHES – Are not eager to make a name for themselves but to exalt and glorify the Name above all names, Jesus Christ. (Jn 16:14, Jn 15:26)
Comment: Indeed we are commanded to be the light of the world, but the switch must be turned on to allow the power of the Spirit to flow! (Mt 5:16–note, Php 2:15–note).
SPIRIT FILLED CHURCHES – Are radical but not fanatical, depending on God’s Spirit, not men’s programs. (Zec 4:6)
SPIRIT FILLED CHURCHES — Are filled with supernatural joy (Acts 5:42, Acts 13:52, , Acts 11:23, 16:34, 1Thes 1:6–note).
SPIRIT FILLED CHURCHES – Bear a “bumper crop” of the fruit of the Spirit — love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Gal 5:22–note, Gal 5:23–note)
GOD OUR REFUGE – Trust in Him at all times, O people. Pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our REFUGE. Selah. The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knows those who take REFUGE in Him. (Indeed) a humble and lowly people will take REFUGE in the Name of the LORD, for You are a REFUGE for the poor, a REFUGE for the needy in distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat. O taste and see that the LORD is good. How blessed is the man who takes REFUGE in Him! Let the righteous rejoice in the LORD and take REFUGE in Him. You are my REFUGE and my fortress, my God, in Whom I trust! You are the eternal God, my REFUGE, and underneath are Your everlasting arms. Let me dwell in Your tent forever. Let me take REFUGE in the shelter of Your wings. Selah. You will cover me with Your pinions, and under Your wings I will seek REFUGE. Both high and low among men find REFUGE in the shadow of Your wings. God is my REFUGE and strength, a very present help in trouble. He is a shield to all who take REFUGE in Him.
It is better to take REFUGE in the LORD than to trust in man. (Therefore) in the LORD I take REFUGE, (for) blessed are all who take REFUGE in Him! He is a REFUGE for the oppressed. (And so I) will say of the LORD, “You are my REFUGE and my Fortress, my God, in Whom I trust. You are my God, my Rock, in Whom I take REFUGE. I call to You when my heart is faint–Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I. For You have been a REFUGE for me, a Tower of strength against the enemy. How great is Your goodness, which You have stored up for those who fear You, which You bestow in the sight of men on those who take REFUGE in You. O GOD, my Lord, in You I seek REFUGE. Leave me not defenseless! I cry to you, O LORD. I say, “You are my REFUGE, my Portion in the land of the living.” You save by Your right hand those who take REFUGE in You from their foes. You deliver me because I take REFUGE in You (and I know that) none of those who take REFUGE in You will be condemned, for the righteous has a REFUGE when he dies.
As for me, I will sing about Your power. I will shout with joy each morning because of Your unfailing love. For You have been my REFUGE, a place of safety in the day of distress. (Indeed) You are my strong REFUGE. In You, O LORD, I have taken REFUGE. Let me never be put to shame. Keep me safe, O God, for in You I take REFUGE. O LORD my God, I take REFUGE in You. Save and deliver me from all who pursue me. Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in You my soul takes REFUGE. I will take REFUGE in the shadow of Your wings until the disaster has passed. (Indeed) let all who take REFUGE in You rejoice. Let them sing joyful praises forever. As for me, the nearness of God is my good. I have made the Lord GOD my REFUGE, that I may tell of all Your works. Amen and Amen.
Ps 62:8, Nahum 1:7, Zeph 3:12, Isa 25:4, Ps 34:8, Ps 64:10, Ps 91:2, Dt 33:27, Ps 61:4, Ps 91:4, Ps 36:7, Ps 46:1, Ps 18:30, Ps 118:8, Ps 11:1, Ps 2:12, Ps 9:9, Ps. 91:2, Ps 18:2, Ps 61:2-3, Ps 31:1, Ps 141:8, Ps 142:5, Ps 17:7, Ps 37:40, Ps 34:22, Pr 14:32, Ps 59:16, Ps 71:7, Ps 71:1, Ps 16:1, Ps 7:1, Ps 57:1, Ps 5:11, Ps 73:28)
PLAY “YOU ARE MY REFUGE” – Shannon Wexelberg
Related Resource: Christ Our Rock of Refuge
A TRIBUTE TO ELISABETH ELLIOT
Below are a few memorable quotes in memory of a magnificent saint, Elisabeth Elliot, who “fell asleep in Jesus” (1Thes 4:14) and entered through gates of splendor into the glorious presence of Jesus Christ on June 15, 2015 (1926–2015).
There is nothing worth living for, unless it is worth dying for.
Faith does not eliminate questions. But faith knows where to take them.
The fact that I am a woman does not make me a different kind of Christian, but the fact that I am a Christian makes me a different kind of woman.
Of one thing I am perfectly sure: God’s story never ends with ashes.
Does God ask us to do what is beneath us? This question will never trouble us again if we consider the Lord of heaven taking a towel and washing feet.
Freedom begins way back. It begins not with doing what you want but with doing what you ought – that is, with discipline.
God is God. Because He is God, He is worthy of my trust and obedience. I will find rest nowhere but in His holy will that is unspeakably beyond my largest notions of what He is up to.
We want to avoid suffering, death, sin, ashes. But we live in a world crushed and broken and torn, a world God Himself visited to redeem. We receive his poured-out life, and being allowed the high privilege of suffering with Him, may then pour ourselves out for others.
Maturity starts with the willingness to give oneself.
I have one desire now – to live a life of reckless abandon for the Lord, putting all my energy and strength into it.
Where does your security lie? Is God your Refuge, your Hiding Place, your Stronghold, your Shepherd, your Counselor, your Friend, your Redeemer, your Saviour, your Guide? If He is, you don’t need to search any further for security
God never withholds from His child that which His love and wisdom call good. God’s refusals are always merciful—‘severe mercies’ at times, but mercies all the same. God never denies us our hearts’ desire except to give us something better.
Waiting on God requires the willingness to bear uncertainty, to carry within oneself the unanswered question, lifting the heart to God about it whenever it intrudes upon one’s thoughts.
I do know that waiting on God requires the willingness to bear uncertainty, to carry within oneself the unanswered question, lifting the heart to God about it whenever it intrudes upon one’s thoughts. Its easy to talk oneself into a decision that has no permanence—easier sometimes than to wait patiently.
If we hold tightly to anything given to us unwilling to allow it to be used as the Giver means it to be used we stunt the growth of the soul. What God gives us is not necessarily “ours” but only ours to offer back to him, ours to relinquish, ours to lose, ours to let go of, if we want to be our true selves. Many deaths must go into reaching our maturity in Christ, many letting goes
The will of God is not something you add to your life. It’s a course you choose. You either line yourself up with the Son of God . . . or you capitulate to the principle which governs the rest of the world.
Does it make sense to pray for guidance about the future if we are not obeying in the thing that lies before us today? How many momentous events in Scripture depended on one person’s seemingly small act of obedience! Rest assured: Do what God tells you to do now, and, depend upon it, you will be shown what to do next.
To be a follower of the Crucified means, sooner or later, a personal encounter with the cross. And the cross always entails loss.
Worry is the antithesis of trust. You simply cannot do both. They are mutually exclusive.
One does not surrender a life in an instant. That which is lifelong can only be surrendered in a lifetime.
Worship is not an experience. Worship is an act, and this takes discipline. We are to worship ‘in spirit and in truth.’ Never mind about the feelings. We are to worship in spite of them.
When obedience to God contradicts what I think will give me pleasure, let me ask myself if I love Him.
The will of God is never exactly what you expect it to be. It may seem to be much worse, but in the end it’s going to be a lot better and a lot bigger.
To love God is to love His will. It is to wait quietly for life to be measured by One who knows us through and through. It is to be content with His timing and His wise appointment.
The life of faith is lived one day at a time, and it has to be lived—not always looked forward to as though the ‘real’ living were around the next corner. It is today for which we are responsible. God still owns tomorrow.
The world looks for happiness through self-assertion. The Christian knows that joy is found in self-abandonment. ‘If a man will let himself be lost for My sake,’ Jesus said, ‘he will find his true self.”
Is the distinction between living for Christ and dying for Him so great? Is not the second the logical conclusion of the first?
We never know what God has up His sleeve. You never know what might happen; you only know what you have to do now.
By trying to grab fulfillment everywhere, we find it nowhere.
Money holds terrible power when it is loved.
It is God to Whom and with Whom we travel, and while He is the end of our journey, He is also at every stopping place.
The Word of God I think of as a straight edge, which shows up our own crookedness. We can’t really tell how crooked our thinking is until we line it up with the straight edge of Scripture.
It is in our acceptance of what is given that God gives Himself.
Our vision is so limited we can hardly imagine a love that does not show itself in protection from suffering. The love of God is of a different nature altogether. It does not hate tragedy. It never denies reality. It stands in the very teeth of suffering.
The secret is Christ in me, not me in a different set of circumstances.
God knows what He is doing and He is not under any obligation to make us any explanation
Until the will and the affections are brought under the authority of Christ, we have not begun to understand, let alone to accept, His lordship.
If your goal is purity of heart, be prepared to be thought very odd.
Cruelty and wrong are not the greatest forces in the world. There is nothing eternal in them. Only love is eternal.
Don’t dig up in doubt what you planted in faith.
A young woman asked the great preacher Charles Spurgeon if it was possible to reconcile God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility. “Young woman,” said he. “You don’t reconcile friends”
You can never lose what you have offered to Christ.
God has promised to supply our needs. What we don’t have now we don’t need now.
God has never promised to solve our problems. He has not promised to answer our questions … He has promised to go with us.
The work of God is done on God’s timetable. His answers to our prayers come always in time—his time. His thoughts are far higher than ours, His wisdom past understanding.
You can’t get to tomorrow morning without going through tonight.
Restlessness and impatience change nothing except our peace and joy. Peace does not dwell in outward things, but in the heart prepared to wait trustfully and quietly on Him Who has all things safely in His hands.
Leave it all in the Hands that were wounded for you.
Elisabeth Elliot’s life was a life wisely spent, one that forever “will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven.” (Daniel 12:3)
Father, may you cause her “tribe” to increase for the glory of the Lamb! Amen
Play this beautiful version of “When It’s All Been Said and Done”
preceptaustin 
