The Mission of the Holy Spirit
A. A GREAT QUESTION – THE MISSION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
1. A distinction between his Mission & what He does to accomplish that mission.
2. The things He did get attention and fascinate.
3. The Mission is often lost in what He does to accomplish that Mission.
B. THE TEXT GIVES THE MISSION
1. Convict the world of Sin, Righteousness, and Judgment.
2. Other things, like miracles, were subservient to the Mission, to accomplish it.
A. CONVICT( reprove KJV ). Elegcho, “convict or convince someone of something,
point something out to someone, bring to light, expose, set forth.” ( A&G ).
B. “MAKE THE FACTS KNOWN AND CONVINCE THE WORLD” – Connie Adams.
C. THE MISSION! CONVICT! ALL else to accomplish this.
ie. empowering people to work miracles.
A. MIRACLES GET ATTENTION, MAKE A BIG SHOW, EXCITES THE IMAGINATION.
B. PEOPLE MISTAKENLY PLACE A GREATER EMPHASIS ON THAT.
C. PENTECOST ILLUSTRATES (Acts 2:1-39).
1. vs. 1-13. Tongues got attention, big show, excited imagination, raised questions.
2. vs. 14-21. Gave Peter an opportunity to speak. Explains – Joel 2:28.
3. God’s purpose in sending the Holy Spirit (vs. 16-21).
4. And in sending Jesus, to be raised (vs. 22-24).
5. Promised by God thru the Spirit (vs. 25-33), This is the Promise of the Spirit.
a. Not the Spirit himself, or the miracles being performed.
b. What do we typically think of when we speak of the promise of the Spirit?
c. Jesus received this promise. Already spoke in tongues. What did he get?
d. Our minds dwell on the circus!
e. What they saw & heard was proof that Jesus received the promise, not the
promise itself.
6. Two things about the Spirit in vs. 33.
a. His declaration of the resurrection,
b. The proof of the apostle’s testimony (vs. 32).
7. Emphasis goes away from the Show to the Message.
8. Peter’s conclusion (vs. 36). Their minds now on the message and not the show.
THE SHOW WAS OVER!!
9. vs. 37. Their reaction ignores the show and addresses what the show proved!
A. CAN’T DISCOUNT GOD’S COMPASSION – BUT NOT EVERYONE GETS MIRICLES.
B. Heb. 2:1-4. JESUS’ WORD CONFIRMED BY THE APOSTLES.
C. GOD BORE WITNESS TO THEIR WORD BY THE MIRACLES.
D. THE PURPOSE OF THE MIRACLES – CONFIRM THE MESSAGE.
IF WE COME LOOKING FOR THE SHOW, WE MISS THE REAL TREASURE.
E. THE MISSION OF THE SPIRIT WAS NOT TO EMPOWER. SO WHY DID HE DO IT?
TO ACCOMPLISH HIS MISSION (John 16:8).
A. OF SIN? (Acts 2:36; Rom. 3:23).
B. OF RIGHTEOUSNESS?
1. Matt. 3:15. Not just the right thing to do
2. Rom. 1:16-17. A righteousness of God. God’s plan for making us right.
3. Rom. 3:21-26.
a. Witnessed by the law (types) and the prophets (promises).
b. Thru faith in Jesus – forgiveness.
c. Where love and justice meet.
C. OF JUDGMENT? (Heb. 9:27; Acts 17:30; 2 Cor. 5:10).
D. WE KNOW ABOUT THESE THINGS BECAUSE THEY ARE IN THE BIBLE.
1. They are there because it is inspired of God thru the Holy Spirit.
2. Convicted by the Spirit thru His work, the word found in the Bible.
(Eph. 6:17; 1 Cor. 4:15; 2 Thess. 2:13-15).
3. In what form does grace appear (Titus 2:11-12; 2 Tim. 3:16-17).
A. HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU ARE SAVED?
1. The Spirit bears witness with our spirit. How does he do that?
2. He inspired writers to tell us what we must do – in the Bible.
3. Where is our spirit’s testimony? We know what we have done.
B. WHAT DOES HE SAY?
1. Believe (Mark 16:16).
2. Repent (Acts 2:38).
3. Confess (Rom. 10:10).
4. Be Baptized (Acts 2:38).
C. ALL REVEALED THRU THE SPIRIT – HIS TESTIMONY.
D. HAVE I DONE THESE THINGS? IF OUR TESTIMONY DOESN’T AGREE,
YOU ARE NOT SAVED!