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Living Sent (Jim’s edit)
John 16:5-15
Kingdom Life - Bethel Church, August 20, 2017
Because God is Father, we are his children and we live as family.
Because Christ is King, we are his servants and we serve others.
Because the Holy Spirit empowers us, we are sent to live intentional life for God’s purposes.
Because God gives us a new identity, we are a family of servants that are sent!
John 16:5-15 (ESV)
But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
There are two ways in which it was to our advantage that Jesus went away.
1. The Gospel
2. The Holy Spirit
The Gospel
1 Corinthians 15:1–7 (ESV)
Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.
Romans 6:23 (ESV)
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- The gospel of Jesus saves us from the penalty of our rebellion against God
- The gospel of Jesus brings healing and redemption to our daily problems
Guilt - is the idea that I owe someone else… through the gospel of Jesus Christ, I come to repent or turn away from my sin and recognize that God, through Christ, has paid my debt.
Anger- is the idea that someone owes me… through the gospel of Jesus Christ I recognize that God has forgiven me and gives me the grace to forgive others.
Greed - is the idea that I owe me… through the gospel of Jesus we get a new identity. We can’t be our own savior. Only Jesus can save us. He loves us generously and calls us to be generous to others.
Envy - is the idea that God owes me… through the gospel we recognize that we are owed nothing but given everything in Christ. Because through Christ we receive God’s extravagant love, we can celebrate others.
The Holy Spirit
- The gospel is the good news that Jesus saves us from the punishment of our sins
- The gospel is the good news that the Holy Spirit is present and active in our lives and will never leave us!
What the Helper, the Holy Spirit does…
- The Holy Spirit convicts regarding sin: Romans 6:23
- The Holy Spirit convicts regarding righteousness:
2 Corinthians 5:21
- The Holy Spirit convicts regarding judgment: Colossians 2:15
- The Holy Spirit guides us into all truth: Titus 3:4-7
- The Holy Spirit guides us into all truth, including our new
identity: Galatians 2:20
- The Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus: 1 Corinthians 12:3
Bethel Church’s statement of faith says this about the Holy Spirit:
We believe that the Holy Spirit, in all that He does, glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ. He convicts the world of its guilt. He regenerates sinners, and in Him they are baptized into union with Christ and adopted as heirs in the family of God. He also indwells, illuminates, guides, equips and empowers believers for Christ-like living and service.
HOW DOES THE HOLY SPIRIT HELP US LIVE SENT?
John 3:8 (ESV)
The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.
- The Holy Spirit guides us into all truth
Psalm 46:10 (ESV) - Be still, and know that I am God.
James 4:8 (ESV) - Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.
Time each day to be still and draw near to God, to let the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit indwell, illuminate, guide, equip and empower you for Christ-like living and service.
15 minute challenge - take 15 minutes of silence, Bible reading and prayer each day.