John 16:5 – 16 “Who’s That?”

John 16:5 – 16

“Who’s That?”

            Last week was Pentecost (we celebrated Memorial Day).  This week is “Trinity Sunday” when the church explores the concept of the Trinity and what that means.

            The most confusing thing in theology for many people is the Holy Spirit.  In practice the Holy Spirit is the most misunderstood concept in the church.

I.          What’s what?

            A.         Misunderstandings:

                        1.         Misunderstanding #1: The Holy Spirit is a “force” or “power.”

                        2.         Misunderstanding #2: The Holy Spirit’s presence is emotional.

                        3.         Misunderstanding #3: The Holy Spirit shows up in “signs” or “sign gifts.”

            B.         The result of our misunderstandings:

                        1.         We have a fuzzy image of the Trinity.

                        2.         We judge “worship” in the style that we feel is “presence.”

                        3.         We reduce the Holy Spirit’s work to an experience.

II.         What does Jesus say?

            A.         The reality of the Trinity:

                        1.         [v 5] Jesus talks about “Father” and “Son” as distinct yet one entity.

                                    a.         Entity – “being or existence, especially when considered as                                                            distinct, independent or self-contained” [dictionary.com]

                                    b.         Person – “The composite of characteristics that make up an                                                           individual personality; the self.” [The American Heritage®                                                               Stedman's Medical Dictionary from dictionary.com]

                                    c.         Legally speaking, a person has rights and obligations.

**** A human is a person but God is the only one who can be independent or self-contained.  Therefore, God is three in one, one in three.  Each person of the Trinity has distinct place and obligations.  None act independently of the others.

            B.         What are the duties and responsibilities of the Holy Spirit?

                        1.         CONVICT [v 8]

                                    a.         Convict (to impress with a sense of guilt… dictionary.com) of sin.

                                                1.)        The goal is to bring belief [v 9].

                                                2.)        We are uncomfortable with a sense of guilt and will react…

                                                3.)        We will repent or reject this action of the Holy Spirit.

                                    b.         Impress the need for righteousness.   [v 10]

                                                1.)        Righteousness is both a right standing before God.                                                                                      (Forgiven and cleansed)

                                                2.)        Righteousness is also the life experience of ACTING like we                                                           are forgiven and cleansed.

                                                3.)        This comes ONLY through the INDWELLING presence of                                                                  the Holy Spirit.  (a.k.a. “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”)

                                    c.         Impress the results of the final judgment.

                                                1.)        The future is set…

                                                2.)        Satan and his minions are judged.

                                                3.)        Question: who are you aligned with?

                        2.         GUIDE [v 13]

                                    a.         Truth.  (Independent of the person determining “what is truth”…                                                    based ONLY on God.)

(Ill. Baseball play… players look to the umpire Bill Klem and asked “what is it?”  His famous answer “It ain’t nothin’ till I call it.)

                                    b.         The Holy Spirit does NOT speak on His own.  (The Bible.)

                        3.         GLORY [v 14]

                                    a.         Make Jesus known. 

                                    b.         Jesus makes the Father Known.

***** God the Father gave Jesus (God the Son) the center stage.  What Jesus does is reflect back the glory to the Father while behaving and acting the way the Father would act.  The Holy Spirit is then sent as the indwelling presence of the Father and the Son in a real and meaningful way.

III.        What is this supposed to do for and to us?

            A.         Conviction creates emotions…

                        1.         There is an awful feeling of battle or helplessness as the Spirit wages war                                                on our sinful nature and it’s desires.

                        2.         It is a very difficult line to cross to repent and abandon our sin.

            B.         Once we surrender/yield to the controlling power and administration of the                                     Holy Spirit there is a sense of joy.

                        1.         The joy comes from being clean.

                        2.         There is also a sense of power that comes from faith that God can and                                          will do anything without the struggle against God.

            C.         The Holy Spirit guidance gives us the confidence of a light house.

                        1.         The fixed point of direction.

                        2.         The fixed point of unwavering and unchanging truth.

***** Youth played a game of “stock market.”  They were given different pieces of paper with different symbols.  The values kept changing, randomly.  Finally they started to get mad at me for changing the values.  Object lesson: the values of this world are constantly changing.

            D.         Knowing God’s glory will result in:

                        1.         Awe and gratefulness.

(Ill. We have a new dog.  He’s very smart.  He’s figured out two things… First, he’s dependent on me for his food, water, and attention.  Second, he’s safe when he obeys me.  Last week he started to run across the road in front of a car.  I called him back in time.  He looked up to me, body shaking, as if to say “thank you.”

                        2.         Worship.

IV.        What does this mean?

            A.         The Holy Spirit is a radical revolution of our lives (not gradual evolution).

                        1.         CHANGE in the temper of the mind.

                        2.         CHANGE in the disposition of the heart.

                        3.         CHANGE in the bent of the will.

***** The indwelling and overcoming power of the Holy Spirit is NOT a slow struggle BUT the free gift for the surrendered and believing heart, mind, and will.

            B.         The Holy Spirit institutes a “two-step” process.

                        1.         Salvation through faith.  (Conviction à repentance)

                        2.         Growth in salvation to living a Christ-centered life. (Salvation à                                                    sanctification)

            C.         Small detail.  While God has taken the initiative you must co-operate.

                        1.         Grace is resistible.  (God does not create mindless slaves or robots.)

                        2.         The Bible says “Humble yourself before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”                                     [James 4:10 CEB]

                        3.         Grace can be wasted… disobedience has a way of resetting us back to                                          “square one.”  (Ill. Playing the childhood game “Chutes and Ladders”

                        4.         Yielded means filled and at peace. 

(Christ-centered life rather than a self-centered life)

Something New

Revelation 21:1 – 5

Everything New

The story is told at one Presbyterian General Assembly, the moderator announced; “The next number will be an address by Rev. James McCosh, chancellor of Princeton University. Subject: “the immortality of the soul.” Time allotted: 15 – minutes.” (Joke)

Three (3) things will change in eternity.

A. The physical stuff will change!

1. There will be NEW heaven and a NEW earth.

2. Romans 8:19 – 22

a. “Eager expectation” for the sons of God to be revealed.

b. “Subjected to frustration” as the result of sin in general....

c. “Bondage to decay” (everything deteriorates).

3. Physically we al have an appointment with death and the judgement.

(Ill.) Cathedral of Milan – three archways, entrances have marked on them:

1. “All that pleases is but for a moment.”

2. “All that troubles is but for a moment.”

3. “That only is important which is eternal.”

***** Some have suggested we give a 100 year test: “Will this matter in 100 years?” *****

B. The relational stuff will change!

1. God dwelling with us. (Not just as the Holy Spirit, but also as Father and Son)

2. 2 Corinthians 5:14 – 17

a. Eternal destiny CHANGED = “Convinced”

b. Lifestyle CHANGED = “live... no longer for themselves...” (For Jesus)

c. Mind CHANGED = “from a worldly point of view” (not focused on the flesh)

c. Believes = new creation.

(Ill.) Traveler in China in Kwelin noticed a sign that read “Eternal life for sale.” Looking in the building he saw row upon row of black caskets. It was a coffin/casket factory.

(Ill.) Irishman passing a cemetery on day paused at a startling inscription on a tombstone. It read; “I still live.” After scratching his head in puzzlement the Irishman muttered; “If I was dead, I’d be honest enough to own up to it.”

***** We are born in sin and dead to God by nature. Life is lived for the self. We think like everyone else thinks.

Jesus changes all that! “The old has GONE, the new has come!”*****

What happens is God has initiated an EXCHANGE (see 2 Corinthians 5:21). EVERYTHING we have (sin, death, hell) for EVERYTHING Jesus has (righteousness, life, and abundant and eternal life).

C. The emotional stuff will change! [Revelation 21:1 – 5]

1. The ultimate cure for emotional pain? [God]

a. “EVERY tear” (God will wipe them away.)

b. No grief – no death.

c. No crying (there will be no cause or need to cry)

d. No pain (emotional, physical, spiritual)

2. Problem is we are living in “the society of the victim.”

a. Everybody wants to portray themselves as the victim. Why?

1.) Victims get sympathy and attention. (Explain “slavery”)

2.) Victims get bad behavior excused (and the innocent blamed).

b. The only “victim” in the universe is God.

1.) God owns the world, BUT we rebelled.

2.) God gave us directions and instructions (law) BUT we broke them and are on a path of self-destruction.

3.) God the Father sent God the son (Jesus) to demonstrate His love AND we crucified Him.

4.) God freely gives us His grace offering us love and restoration, BUT we continue to reject Him.

***** God does not want our sympathy, attention or His behavior excused. God DOES want to heal us from our sin, unrighteousness, and pain. *****

D. What now? The person, here, now, and later...

1. The body will die, then be resurrected to one of two eternal destinies.

2. The soul will live in eternity with or without Christ.

3. The spirit (mind) will either glory or suffer now and then later.

(Ill.) There is a rock that is 100 miles by 100 miles. Imagine that once every 1,000 years one little bird comes to sharpen its beak on the rock. When the rock is warn away by a single bird sharpening its beak every 1,000 years... then a single day of eternity will yet to have gone by.

***** God wants you to spend eternity with Him. *****

1. Resurrected to eternal “heaven.”

2. To be eternally with you.

3. To wipe away every tear.

“being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” [Philippians 1:6]

***** What happens in eternity starts now. *****

Sin... failure is the common problem. It causes physical death. It causes spiritual death.. It creates emotional turmoil, chaos, and pain.

What you must do... “A,B,C’s”

Acknowledge the sin in your life. Accept personal responsibility for your actions and attitudes.

Believe in Jesus. Believe in a way that makes a difference in your behavior.

Choose new, abundant, and eternal life in and through Jesus by confessing with your mouth “Jesus is Lord.”

Father's Day, "the blessing"

Genesis 28:3 – 4

“The blessing”

 

Abraham may have been the “father of faith” but he left behind a conflicted family.  Even today, the world’s oldest civil war (Israel v Palestinians) comes from this conflict.  Isaac seeks to preserve the spiritual heritage of Abraham by passing on his blessing.

 

Between Isaac’s sons looms a dark sibling rivalry that has deepened from the one he’s experienced from his brother.  Even before birth the brothers have competed.  At one point the elder brother has sold his birthright to the younger brother.  This resulted in bitterness between them.

 

Isaac remembers the hostility from his family.  As his days near an end, he decides to settle the matter between his sons and pass on to them his blessing.  Unfortunately for him and his family, he as played favorites (which is a family curse), and intends to give his blessing according to his desires.

 

Into this father son conflict, comes a word of wisdom from the son’s mother.  It may seem like she is scheming but she does have a prophecy from the Lord that the older would serve the younger.

 

What is happening and why?  Let’s take a look at the story…

 

I.          God blessed Abraham.

 

A.        God intended something special to happen through Abraham.

 

1.         “I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, [18] and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.” [Genesis 22:17 – 18]

 

2.         This was to be a generational promise.  That would be the foundation for salvation offered through Jesus.

 

B.        This blessing is inherited spiritually.

 

1.         “He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.” [Galatians 3:14]

 

2.         The Bible does not record Abraham personally handing this down to Isaac.  (It doesn’t mean he did not, but the omission is glaring.)

 

3.         Isaac’s blessing is handed down personally… (it’s different than Abraham’s blessing)

 

II.        God blessed Isaac.

 

            A.        “After Abraham's death, God blessed his son Isaac…” [Genesis 25:11a]

 

1.         God is said to have blessed people regularly. (Adam and Eve, Noah and his sons, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob… it’s a running thread in Genesis)

 

2.         This one is special because it distinguished between Ishmael and Isaac.

 

            B.         It may have been the regular practice of families to bless their children.

 

1.         “And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, "Our sister, may you increase to thousands upon thousands; may your offspring possess the gates of their enemies.” [Genesis 24:60]  (Laben blessed his daughters and grandchildren in Genesis 31:55)

 

2.         Notice the “formula” used in this family: many children and victory over enemies.

 

III.       The conflict between Jacob and Esau comes to an ugly episode.  [Genesis 27]

 

            A.        Isaac creates the confusion with his request.

 

1.         “Prepare me the kind of tasty food I like and bring it to me to eat, so that I may give you my blessing before I die." [5] Now Rebekah was listening as Isaac spoke to his son Esau. When Esau left for the open country to hunt game and bring it back, [6] Rebekah said to her son Jacob, "Look, I overheard your father say to your brother Esau.” [27:4 – 6]

 

a.         Certainly Isaac knew what God had told Rebekah about the two.

 

“The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, "Why is this happening to me?" So she went to inquire of the LORD.  [23] The LORD said to her, "Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.” [Genesis 25:23]

 

b.         It seemed like Isaac was not listening to God… and had determined to bless Esau.

 

However, God had another idea: “Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad--in order that God's purpose in election might stand: [12] not by works but by him who calls--she was told, "The older will serve the younger." [13] Just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” [Romans 9:11 – 13]

 

2.         Rebekah gives Jacob this advice: “Now, my son, listen carefully and do what I tell you: [9] Go out to the flock and bring me two choice young goats, so I can prepare some tasty food for your father, just the way he likes it. [10] Then take it to your father to eat, so that he may give you his blessing before he dies.” [27:8 – 10]

 

a.         Rebekah has a plan.  (It is AMAZING she would think of this so quickly or stick so close to Isaac to know the exact moment he intended to pass down the blessing!)

 

b.         Rebekah’s details include her fixing the food the way Isaac liked, taking Esau’s best clothing, and covering his hands and neck with goat skin.  (Notice this meal included bread. Esau’s did not…)

 

            B.        Esau regrets his previous actions.

 

1.         “After Isaac finished blessing him and Jacob had scarcely left his father's presence, his brother Esau came in from hunting. . . . When Esau heard his father's words, he burst out with a loud and bitter cry and said to his father, "Bless me--me too, my father!" [35] But he said, "Your brother came deceitfully and took your blessing." [36] Esau said, "Isn't he rightly named Jacob? He has deceived me these two times: He took my birthright, and now he's taken my blessing!" Then he asked, "Haven't you reserved any blessing for me?” [27:30, 34 – 36]

 

                                    a.         It sounds like Isaac can not change his mind, once given.

 

b.         However, the New Testament tells another story: “Afterward, as you know, when he (Esau) wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. He could bring about no change of mind, though he sought the blessing with tears.” [Hebrews 12:17]  (In other words, Isaac COULD have changed his mind, but did not…)

 

                        2.         Regret is not repentance or change and the sibling feud deepens.

 

a.         “Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him. He said to himself, "The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob.” [27:41]

 

b.         Esau becomes the ultimate illustration of “godless,” because he threw away something of eternal value (blessing) for something of this world (food).

 

“See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son.” [Hebrews 12:16]

 

IV.       Ultimately Jacob ends up with Abraham’s blessing as well.

 

A.        Not only does Jacob have Isaac’s blessing but he is also officially given Abraham’s blessing as well.

 

                        1.         That makes him the “heir” of the promise.

 

2.         While Esau ended up with the family fortune, Jacob becomes “Israel.”

 

“What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? [37] Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?” [Mark 8:36 – 37]

 

B.        The bottom line is that the blessing comes from and through a life of faith well lived before our children.

 

                        1.         You might think you have not accomplished much. 

 

2.         You feel you are just one link in the chain or a brink in the foundation.

 

Isaac did not accomplish “much.”  He was not the main character in great faith quests like Abraham, Jacob, or Joseph. 

 

However, Jacob did do ONE thing that earned him a spot on the list of those who did great things through faith.

 

“By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.” [Hebrews 11:20]

 

Fathers, if it is the last thing you do… make sure you do this one thing and do it well.  Bless your children.  Point them to faith in Jesus, bless them with the indwelling presence of Jesus, Son of God, Savior!  Very possibly their future and eternal destiny depends on your blessing.

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