Sermons From My Heart

Sometimes the people who make our laws get a little carried away and pass some very silly laws. Even back in the day when Jesus lived, they had some pretty silly laws. There was a group of religious leaders called the Pharisees who were keepers of the law of Moses and they believed that keeping the law was everything. They also believed that their own understanding and teaching about the law was the only correct teaching. Jesus was quite often opposed by the Pharisees and was accused of breaking the laws of Moses, especially the laws regarding the Sabbath. The passage we heard from Mark’s Gospel tells us about two times that the Pharisees accused Jesus and his followers of violating the Sabbath.

One Sabbath day, Jesus and his disciples were walking through some fields of grain. His disciples were hungry and began to break off some heads of grain to eat. The Pharisees saw it and said to Jesus, “Look, why are they breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath?”

Jesus saw the foolishness of the Pharisees’ comparison of breaking off a few heads of grain to eat with harvesting the whole crop. He asked them, “Haven’t you read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He went into the house of God and broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests were allowed to eat. He also shared it with his companions.” Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath.”

What started out as a natural and innocent act by Jesus’ disciples led to a confrontation between Jesus and the Pharisees. The disciples were hungry, so they picked some grain, shucked the skins and ate the grain. There was nothing wrong with that…except that they were working on the Sabbath. Reaping, threshing, winnowing and preparing a meal were considered to be work, and these types of work were not allowed to be done on the Sabbath.

Jesus didn’t argue that His disciples broke the letter of the Law. He contested a view of the Sabbath that killed the spirit of the Law. He reaffirmed the principle that the Sabbath was made for man-a day of physical rest and spiritual renewal. He also declared His authority as Lord of the Sabbath.

Jesus’ point was that when a higher law such as the Sabbath conflicts with a lower law such as the Pharisees’ rules, the higher law takes priority. The higher laws of worship in the temple suspended the lower law of Sabbath observance, and the higher law of mercy suspended the lower law as it did when David and his followers ate the consecrated bread in the temple.

Another time, Jesus went into the synagogue and noticed that there was a man who had a deformed hand. Since it was the Sabbath, the Pharisees were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched to see if he would heal the man. If so, they would accuse Jesus of working on the Sabbath.

Jesus said to the man with the deformed hand, “Come and stand in front of everyone.” Then he turned toward his enemies and asked, “Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil?” The Pharisees refused to answer him.

Jesus looked at them angrily and was saddened at the hardness of their hearts. Then he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” He held out his hand and Jesus healed him. Immediately the Pharisees left to go and meet with Herod to plot how to kill Jesus.

Jesus reasserted His authority over the Sabbath when He healed the man with the withered hand. Healing was work that could not be performed on the Sabbath unless it was a matter of life and death. Jesus asked the Pharisees if mercy could take precedence over the Sabbath Law. He also asked if it was lawful to save a life or kill someone. If the Pharisees had no mercy for saving life, they would indict themselves as killers on the Sabbath day.

Jesus’ earthly ministry was a transitional time between the religious practices of the Old and New Covenants. In the new era Jesus had ushered in, for example, plucking heads of grain to eat on the Sabbath was not unlawful. Yet in their rejection of Jesus’ teachings, the Pharisees either did not understand or would not accept that many of their established rituals and traditions could no longer coexist with His new way of life.

The laws, as written by the Pharisees, were oppressive. These experts, in a desire to scrupulously observe the Laws of Moses, had devised 613 commandments. The whole Jewish community was, in their view, obliged to keep these laws. Can you see how oppressive this was? How could you keep these laws if you couldn’t read? The overwhelming majority of the people were poor and illiterate. In the view of the religious elite, this did not excuse anyone from observance of each of these 613 laws. So, the literate, presumably the upper class, would have access to the religious regulations, while all the rest would, because of their ignorance, be constantly breaking the laws. The entitled could look down their religious noses at all the “sinners” around them. Jesus saw this exclusion and the distance it seemed to put between God and the people and He confronted it constantly. The passage from Mark’s Gospel shows one of his fundamental teachings; the compassionate interpretation of the Law, “The Sabbath was made for humans, not humans for the Sabbath.”

God created and established the Sabbath as a benefit and blessing to His people. The Pharisees, however, had turned His good deed into a weighty obligation. As the Creator of the Sabbath, Jesus had the authority to determine how it should be best practiced. When we exchange the freedom of the Spirit for the straightjacket of legalism, the rules become more important than the life that the rules were meant to guard. Legalism drains the life out of everyone it touches.

Jesus’ opponents had no interest in the welfare of the man with the withered hand; he was important to them only as a potential means to discredit Jesus for breaking their traditions. The Pharisees wanted to make the Sabbath all about show and self-denial, but Jesus reiterated that the Sabbath was and is a celebration of God’s graciousness and provision-whether gathering grain, feeding the hungry or healing someone on the Sabbath.

Jesus forced the Pharisees to examine their tradition regarding the Sabbath to see if it was consistent with God’s Old Testament Law. When Jesus asked the question in Mark 3:4, He used a device common in the Middle East. He framed the issue in terms of clear-cut extremes. The Pharisees could not answer Jesus’ question without condemning themselves. In their stubbornness, they preferred to keep their mouths closed rather than open their hearts and change their traditions. Such hardened religious pride provoked more of a negative reaction in Jesus than any other sin.

Ironically, Jesus had just asked if it was lawful to save a life or kill on the Sabbath, and now, on the Sabbath, Jesus’ enemies plotted to kill Him. While the Pharisees worried that Jesus would damage their religious hold over the people, the Herodians-who supported Rome and Rome’s puppet ruler, Herod-probably worried that Jesus would provoke political opposition and damage their power base. These two factions, who were normally opposed to each other, found common cause-against Jesus.

Jesus became angry, but at the same time His heart broke. Jesus was angered by sin and grieved by unrepentant hearts. The Good News bounced off calloused hearts and minds without the slightest effect. When our hearts are hardened, we can’t see the grace and the gift of the Sabbath. We stop seeing the freedom and healing of another person as important. We become blind to the depth of the truth of who Jesus is and what He is up to in the world. Hardness of heart will always rob us even if we are standing in the presence of God. We are encouraged to yield our cold hearts to the warm healing hands of Jesus before it’s too late.

Society has largely forgotten that the Sabbath was meant for physical rest and spiritual renewal. Most stores are open seven days a week. Young people often skip attending church because of sports and other activities that take place on Sunday. Christians who observe the Sabbath are seen as weird or different-and people who are seen as weird or different are often targets for ridicule or persecution. Even as we honour the day of rest, we need to be flexible. Human need has to take priority over religious prescription. That’s why doctors, nurses, police officers and firefighters work on the Sabbath. Emergencies don’t take a day of rest.

In spite of the rapid pace of life, God still invites us to seek proper rest and holy reflection. That is why Jesus and His disciples went from the grain field to the synagogue. They went from feeding the body to feeding the spirit.

Many churches today refuse to address the issues at hand, or if they do address them, they do very little. They conceal the problems and put on a good face. They are like the Pharisees who refused to do anything to help the man with the withered hand. Many people have fled from people and churches who place doctrines, practices, and institutions above the needs of humanity. Man seems to have been made to serve religion and not vice versa.

God is not into rules. He’s into relationships. When God gives laws, it’s not for the purpose of personal piety. The purpose of the law is to be in right relationships with our neighbours and with God. That’s the purpose of the two Great Commandments-love God and love people. There are many reasons for reaching out to meet the needs of people around us. One reason may be to simply lend a helping hand. Another may be to put our gifts and talents to good use. A valid reason could be that we must take action against the nonchalance and indifference others have towards the needs at hand. Many churches have been sorely convicted when a believer steps out and shakes up the status quo.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013, pp. 1346-1347)
2. “Jesus and the Sabbath.” Retrieved from https://www.sermons4kids.com/jesus_and_the_sabbath_print.htm
3. McKenna, D.L. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 25: Mark (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982; pp. 66-71)
4. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible: New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
5. The Rev. Lauren Carlson, “Proper 4(B): The Law of Grace.” Retrieved from http://modernmetanoia.org/2018/50/21/proper-4b-the-law-of-grace/
6. Two Guys and a Bible Newsletter, Aug. 2017. Retrieved from www.twoguysandabible.com
7. “Made for Man.” Retrieved from www.forthright.net
8. Jude Siciliano, OP.,” First Impressions, 2^nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (B).” Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org
9. “Sabbath-Keeping Stewards.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
10. Pastor Jack Hibbs, “Divine Goodness.” Retrieved from devotion@reallifewithjackhibbs.org
11. Richard Innes, “Communicating Christ.” Retrieved from www.actsweb.org
12. Joni Eareckson Tada, “Shaking the Status Quo.” Retrieved from communications@joniandfriends.org
13. Richard Innes, “Rules vs. Relationships.” Retrieved from www.actsweb.org
14. The Rev. Duane Steele, “Rest in Holy Time.” Retrieved from http://day1.org/845-rest_in_holy_time.print

What do you do when someone gives you a special gift? Do you carelessly toss it aside in a closet, or do you use it and appreciate it? What would you do if the gift came directly from God? Paul answers this in Romans 3:1-8.

God blessed the Jews by making them the custodians of His special mission, a privilege that had been given to no other nation. That mission included studying, obeying and teaching the truth as expressed in God’s Word. Unfortunately, the Jews did not treat this gift the way God wanted them to, and the same situation exists today. Has any gift been as overlooked by humankind and taken for granted by the church as much as the availability of the Holy Scriptures?

The religious Jews were entrusted with the truth but refused to be changed by it. Paul expected them to accuse him of saying God abandoned them, that they were no longer His chosen people. To answer them, Paul used David’s words. When David committed adultery and had Uriah murdered, God sent the prophet Nathan to confront him. When Nathan accused David of being guilty of sin, David knew it was God speaking through the prophet. Rather than deny the sin and make it seem as though God is a liar, David confessed. David said he did evil in God’s sight-that is, he agreed with God- “That you may be justified in your words and may overcome when you are judged.” Paul wants the Jews to know God is faithful both when He rewards people and when He judges them.

Despite their failings, the Jews were God’s chosen people, the law He gave them was His unique word, and the rite of the covenant was His chosen sign. They all had deep significance even though the Jews had misread them.

Paul expected the Jews’ claim that because their unfaithfulness highlights and magnifies God’s faithfulness, they shouldn’t be judged. People can creative when rationalizing what is clearly sin. The fact that God exposed their sin and condemned it shows His justice in that He has treated everyone alike, even His chosen people. Far from showing Him to be unfaithful, He is seen to be strictly reliable and just. When David wrote Psalm 51, he was concerned that God might be the dispenser of justice and that His integrity would shine through every critical attack.

Paul challenged their views several times during his ministry, often with mixed results. Sometimes they repented, but most of the time they reacted unfavorably to him and his message. This is understandable because when deeply held views are challenged, reactions are often strong.

Paul’s brutal exposure of their sin was to show the guilt of the Jewish race before God and introduce then to the gospel of the Lord Jesus. Everyone must come to Christ. Some of his opponents claimed that the apostles’ teaching on grace amounted to saying, “I’m saved anyway, so I might as well sin. God’s grace will take care of it.” Paul condemned that distortion of grace.

The Jews should have learned a lesson from Genesis 18:25: “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” God is just and will exercise justice even when it means judging His chosen people. He does not need the people of Israel to sin to display His righteousness; it is dependent upon nothing outside Himself.

The phrase, “Let us do evil that good may come” means that those who are released by grace may reject the law. But the end does not justify the means when the means are sinful, evil or righteous. When we admit ou helplessness to God, He accomplishes His desires for His glory alone, in us and through us. He will provide what we need, when we need it most. It might not be special to anyone else, but to us it will be unmistakable evidence that we are walking in the Spirit…even if it’s nothing more than a little bookmark.

God has given us the instruction book He wrote and it is our responsibility to read it and obey it. He has given us a Bible and the freedom to read it. What do we do with it? Is it a coffee table book, a drink coaster, a paperweight or a dust collector? Is it a well-used and well-worn guidebook for living a life in Christ? The Bible will keep us from all kinds of trouble, but only if we read, study and apply it. It is the very Word of God.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013, pp. 1546-1547)
2. Briscoe, D.S. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 29: Romans (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982; pp. 71-73)
3. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
4. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
5. Stephen Davey, “Walking in the Spirit.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
6. Pastor David McGee, “What Time is It?” Retrieved from www.crossthebrigde.com

One of the most famous Bible verses is John 3:16: “For God so loved the world.” Just how great is God’s love and how could we measure it?

Sometimes we use a measuring cup to measure things. If we make some cookies, we would use a measuring cup to make sure that we put in exactly the right amount of flour, sugar, and milk. Is there any way we can use a measuring cup to measure God’s love? In Psalm 23, the Bible says, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want….my cup runneth over.” Well, if our cup runs over with God’s love, I don’t think we could use a measuring cup to measure it.

If we were building something, we might use a tape measure to measure the length, width, and height of different things. Can we use a tape measure to measure God’s love? In Psalm 108, the Bible tells us that God’s love is higher than the heavens. If God’s love is higher than the heavens, I don’t think we could use a tape measure to measure it, could we?

We use a watch to measure time. I wonder if we could use a watch to measure how long God’s love will last. In Psalm 103, the Bible tells us that God’s love is from everlasting to everlasting. Wow! If God’s love is from everlasting to everlasting, I don’t think we could measure it with a watch.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” How do you measure a love like that? We can’t measure it — we don’t need to — but we do need to experience it.

My hope for you today is found in Ephesians 3:18-19: “That you may understand how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. May you experience it, though it is so great you will never fully understand it.”

Bibliography

 1. “Measuring God’s Love.” Retrieved from www.Sermons4Kids.com

Trinity Sunday is the one day of the church year when we do something a little different. Instead of talking about Jesus and his miracles, we talk about a concept that isn’t easy to understand let alone preach about. We talk about the Trinity-Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

The reading from Isaiah 6:1-8 was chosen for Trinity Sunday because of the curious question it asks: “Who will go for us?” Why was this phrase used? It is because it is a foreshadowing of the Trinity. This passage is the most famous call of a prophet in the Bible. It is regularly offered as one of the readings for Trinity Sunday, apparently due to the thrice-repeated cry of “Holy.” The three cries were made to the three members of the Trinity.

The Trinity is a necessary part of salvation. In John’s Gospel, Jesus talks about having descended from heaven, being the only-begotten Son of the Father (who loves the world and has sent him to save it), and of the Spirit who blows like the wind, bringing new life and new truth. The Trinity tells us who God is, what God does and what God is like. The relationship between the members of the Trinity is part of a crucial way of understanding not only God but His involvement in the world.

God eludes our grasp, so we make God into something we can manipulate. We try to fit God into the confines of reason or locate God in our established institutions, moral codes and household idols. We pay lip-service to God with hearts that are far from God. The Trinity was created in an attempt to describe God. God may be unseen, but He is revealed in Isaiah’s vision. Isaiah said that he saw the Lord. The doctrine of the Trinity is expressed here. We, like Isaiah, confess that God has been seen in Jesus.

The story of salvation in Jesus Christ teaches that we can’t talk about God in only singular terms. There is relationship with God. Three persons in a dynamic relationship that is held together by love. The relationship between God and the world flows out of a relationship of love that exists between Father, Son and Holy Spirit. A changed world reveals the gracious God who walks among us in Jesus and is present in and with us through the Holy Spirit. This is the God who wants to draw us into the divine life. We can’t help but continually set out the clear invitation to come and find life. Come and love and worship the Living God-Father, Son and Holy Spirit, to whom be glory in the world and in the church forever.

Isaiah’s vision was one of the most powerful witnesses to an encounter with God’s breaking into human life in a life-changing way. God is always present, moving gently and sometimes dramatically in people’s lives. For Isaiah, being unclean relates to sin, or what people do to hurt others. Isaiah said he was unclean, lost and in desperate need of forgiveness-just like all of us. God heard Isaiah, and Isaiah was forgiven. Isaiah proclaimed God’s promise that those who have seen the Lord and confessed their sins are forgiven and made free. God’s presence doesn’t destroy. It cleanses, liberates and commissions. Jesus was God incarnate. The Holy Spirit is God among us today.

Isaiah’s vision revealed his own sinfulness. He saw himself as a man of unclean lips whose sinfulness disqualified him from joining the seraphim in praise. This experience of God’s majesty in verses 1-4 led to Isaiah’s repentance in verse 5 as well as forgiveness and commissioning for God’s work. Anyone who would tell God’s people to repent must first experience God’s forgiveness.

Isaiah sensed God’s holiness. Sovereignty is the powerful nature of God. Holiness is the moral nature of God. He is pure, complete and whole. Isaiah also saw that God’s holiness is a matter of “doing”. God’s will can’t be known. His purity can’t tolerate sin.

It is for these reasons that our worship must focus on God’s character. We must wait in God’s Holy presence until the Holy Spirit comes. We should expect a glimpse of His glory. Our holiness begins in His glorious presence. It gives us the promise that we are imprinted with His character. God’s loving forgiveness leads to a response of service. That is our pattern as Christians: we love and serve and give in thankful response to what God has given us in Jesus Christ.

So how should we react when we see the Holy character of God? We should feel anguish for our sin. When we see God, our sin is exposed. We can only cry “woe” not for others but for ourselves. Our spiritual sensitivity to sin is dulled because we have lost sight of a holy God. We need to see His holiness, feel the shaking pillars and smell the rising smoke that causes us to cry, “Woe is me, for I am undone.”

If our lips are unclean, so are our hearts. When we see God’s holiness, we are reminded that we are unworthy and deserve judgment. For Isaiah, the term “unclean lips” had another meaning. Whether he had already been pronouncing “woes” upon the people of Israel, or would soon do so, he was called to speak for God. But, upon seeing the holiness of God and catching a glimpse of God’s glory, Isaiah asked, “How can I speak for God without a heart like God?” Every preacher, teacher and witness for the Word of God must ask the same question. If there is sin in our hearts, our lips will betray us.

We are spiritually bankrupt. We may have all the good works in the world in our bank account, but apart from Christ, they’re worthless. It’s like going to the grocery store and trying to pay with Monopoly money. The only solution we have is to trust in the currency we’re given in Christ, who credited our account with an unlimited supply of grace. In Him, we’re no longer bankrupt. We get to experience His riches for eternity.

The live coal from the altar of God reminds us that behind the love that takes our guilt and the forgiveness that atones for our sins is a Cross that extracted a cost-no less than the life of the Son of God. Once we are touched by God’s purifying fire, we can hear God speak with a passionate fire-a passion that is missing from many Christians today. Satan flees before people who are ignited by the fire of God.

All of Israel needed to be shaken by Isaiah’s vision of the Lord. The vision reinforced His sovereignty over all the universe. God promised to preserve a remnant through whom He would come to set up an ultimate reign of peace and justice. Scripture reveals the unfolding story of God’s plan to redeem the world. From the very start, the plan took shape in the lives of people like Abraham, Moses, David and countless others. God looks to people today to live out His plan. Will you let Him use you? You don’t have to be afraid. Our fear decreases as our understanding of God increases. God can do what we can’t do.

Our hearts need to be cleansed so we can represent Him with the words of our lips. This is a continual process. It’s easy to be swayed away and think we are being used by God because of our works of righteousness. It isn’t about us. It is about Jesus, God and the Holy Spirit. We need to ask them to send us. We need to respond to their call and set our eyes on their majesty, awesomeness and purity. We are not worthy to be used but they have made a way to wash us through the blood of Christ so that we can speak for them from a cleansed heart. All we have to say is, “Here I am! Send me.”

As Isaiah carried his message to his people, giving them a vision of hope in a time of judgment, so God today calls the church into action, to be a people with eyes to see, ears to hear, and consciences no longer dulled., moving into the world, like Jesus to touch others, bringing healing to the lost, sight to the blind, life to the dying, that all the world might bow down before the Holy One and then be lifted up to praise the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

So how can we be certain that we have a true call from God? We can’t rest until we step out from the safety of our lives and launch into what we believe God is calling us to do. A good test is to ask if we are gifted for what we believe we are being called to do. God will give us the skills and resources we need. We possess one of three things-time, resources and unique abilities. We can be the people God uses to reach the unreached.

Another test of God’s call is to try doing in a small way what we feel we are being called to do. For example, if someone feels called to be a teacher, he or she can learn a subject well and offer to teach a small class in his or her church. If God has called or led us to do it, He will help us. But we need to do our part too. No matter what skills we may have, we can’t help someone unless we are available.

Over 200 years ago, a humble shoe cobbler named William Carey stood before a group of ministers in London, England. He said to those men, “God has put it on my heart to reach the masses with the Gospel message and take seriously the command of Christ to take the Gospel to the world.” One minister stood up and said, “Young man, sit down. When God chooses to save the pagan, He’ll do it in His own time and in His own way.” That didn’t stop William Carey. He went to India, led countless people to Christ, and sparked the modern missions movement.

All it took was one little shoemaker in England to change the world for Christ. And he did it even though many people, even Christians, were against Him going. That was a bold testimony of faith!

What would our lives look like if we served God with that kind of enthusiasm? Where would we go? What would we do? We need to take a bold step of faith today and tell God, “Wherever…whatever…I’m yours!” Isaiah was told to go into the world. Our own involvement in the world, its people and its transformation can never be separated from our faith in the missionary God we discover in Jesus and through the Spirit.

There is so much that God wants to do in our lives through His word. He wants to change us by renewing our minds. He wants to empower us through the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. There’s an aspect of the transformation He wants for us that doesn’t come from renewed minds, or by greater dependence on the Holy Spirit, but only through a personal spiritual encounter with God himself. God might not give us the same kind of vivid experience that Isaiah had, and He will probably meet us through His word and through prayer, or maybe in a meeting, maybe even in a totally unexpected place, but He will reveal Himself to us personally.

For people today to answer the call of God, there must be an awareness and acceptance of the pain and suffering that comes with the call. It is a tough place to live, especially in a world that is engrossed in comforts and pleasures. Why answer God’s call if we don’t have to? We can be saved, live a nice life and wake up in heaven. Why answer God’s call? There is only one reason, one answer, to that question: to have the experience of standing before the throne of God and hearing His voice. We must be willing to step out and be sent. Are you ready? Do you want more? if so, then start praying. Read the books of Isaiah and Jeremiah to learn more about their lives and how God called them. You will never know all God has for you until you let go and ask Him to send you out. That is our great Commission.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013, p. 887)
2. McKenna, D.L. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 17: Isaiah 1-39 (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1993; pp. 106-116)
3. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
4. “Use Me.” Retrieved from support@leadlikejesus.com
5. Max Lucado, “God is Able.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
6. “Here am I! Send Me.” Retrieved from www.dailydisciples.org
7. Dr. Jack Graham, “What It Really Means to Surrender Your Life.” Retrieved from www.jackgraham.org
8. Dr. Harold Sala, “Missions.” Retrieved from www.guidelines.org
9. Richard Innes, “The Baffling Call of God.” Retrieved from www.actsweb.org
10. Dr. Jack Graham, “The Only Cure for Spiritual Bankruptcy.” Retrieved from www.jackgraham.org
11. “To See Him Face to Face.” Retrieved from www.dailydisciples.org
12. Epiphany Esources, Trinity Sunday (B). Retrieved from info@epihanyesources.com
13. Micah Pearsons, “Isaiah 6:1-8.” Retrieved from communic@luthersem.edu
14. “Choose Somebody Else! Reflections on Isaiah 6:1-8.” Retrieved from http://www.patheos.com/progressive-christian/choose-somebody-else
15. “Disclosing New Worlds, Trinity Year B.” Retrieved from http://disclosingnewworlds.net/trinity-year-b
16. Ron Starenko, “Holy Trinity Sunday.” Retrieved from http://crossings.org/text-study/holy-trinity-sunday-2/
17. Pastor Ed Markquart, “An Awesome Holiness: Isaiah.” Retrieved from http://www.sermonsfromseattle.com/series_c_awesomeholiness.htm

How do you see yourself?

The answer to that question affects our attitudes, actions, responses and reactions to life’s circumstances. If we see ourselves as the helpless victim of Satan and his schemes, we will likely live like his victims and be in bondage to Satan’s lies. If we see ourselves as children of God, we will likely live like children of God. In order to live like a child of God, we need a firm grip on God’s Word. We need to understand who we are as a result of who God is and what he has done. The only way we can gain this understanding is to consider the work of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, also known as the Trinity.

There are many mysteries in the Christian faith, one of which has to do with the nature of God. How can we understand God who is described in the Bible as both the one true God and the God we know as Father, Son and Holy Spirit? Today, Trinity Sunday, is the one Sunday when we consider this important part of the church’s doctrine, instead of considering a teaching or message from Jesus.

Believers are debtors who have to share the Gospel with the world and live righteous lives. They are responsible to live according to the Spirit instead of the flesh. No one can destroy the flesh in this life, but they can destroy the deeds of the flesh. The indwelling of the Spirit gives people the ability to kill the corrupt deeds that once defined them, thereby enabling them to taste a life that won’t perish.

Following the Holy Spirit’s leadership is proof that we are children of God. For believers, conviction of sin and a pattern of repentance are assurance of our salvation. Two effects confirm that someone has been released from fear into sonship: adoption and an ability to call God “Father.” The Spirit of adoption provides release from the spirit of bondage. Slavery to sin leads to fear. The Spirit delivers us from fear and does not take us back to it again.

God does not punish us for our fears. Instead, he redirects our attention to him. He wants us to turn from fear to faith. He wants us to turn away from anything that feeds our fears and focus on him. Paul invites us to imagine a life of courage, the courage of those who have been adopted by God and invited into the full measure of God’s blessing and riches.

Christ and fellow believers sanctify us, but we have to take an active role in battling sinful habits. We are freed from sin’s slavery and are adopted as children of Christ’s family. We do not have to fight this battle alone. The Holy Spirit will show us the way and give us the tools that we will need.

The Christian walk won’t be easy. Following Jesus won’t mean a life that is free from trouble. In fact, it will often lead to more problems and struggles. Some of the most committed Christians have lived some of the most difficult lives. Some of them paid a heavy price. Some of them even died because of their faith. The Bible even tells us to expect problems and to be joyful when we face them. With Christ, we can do that. Without Christ, we will fail.

We can learn from suffering. We must not be angry or bitter. We should look at our suffering as a way to become more intimate with Christ. We should use that time to sense his love and compassion. We should use the time to grow to trust him and grow closer to him.

Every time people pray and call God “Father,” the Holy Spirit does the same thing. That is dual evidence of sonship. Sonship does not rest alone on one’s changing spirit for affirmation. The affirmation of sonship rests on the unchanging testimony of the Holy Spirit. The rewards of sonship are being children and heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. An heir has not yet received his inheritance, but expects to receive it in the future. The biblical idea of an heir implies possession and enjoyment in the future.

We are heirs of God’s kingdom, but that does not mean we will inherit it like we would inherit something when a loved one dies. Our heavenly inheritance means that we are in a privileged position as a result of our place in God’s family. Our hope for growth, meaning and fulfillment as a member of God’s family is based on our understanding of who we are as a member of God’s family. That understanding will greatly determine how we live our lives.

We have certain obligations as a member of God’s family, just like we have obligations in our earthly families. One of the obligations we have as a member of God’s family is to use his gifts to fulfill the Great Commission. One day we will be judged for what we’ve done with what we’ve been given. If we use God’s gifts for God’s purposes, we will be rewarded for this choice.

The Holy Spirit is a gift from God for all of us. It can’t be bought or sold. Because the Spirit is in us and because we have access to the mind of God, we have an obligation to allow the Spirit to do good deeds on our behalf. We will become more like Jesus and share the blessings that are due him. We also gain practical benefits:

1. Everyday leading from God.
2. Fearless intimacy with God.
3. Assurance of belonging to God.
4. A continual reminder of our value before God.

All we have to do is let the Spirit be spiritual within us. When we do, we will start to understand God’s grace.

God is not a distant ruler. He is up close and personal; therefore, our unconditional faith in God the Father is taken seriously. That Spirit bears witness to our faith, and that faith is created when we accept Jesus (also known as God the Son) as our Lord and Saviour. God spared no expense to save us from a life of slavery to sin. God will stop at nothing to make us his own. He pursues us relentlessly until we are completely adopted into his family.

When we die with Christ, we are one with him in his death, but our sufferings are not meaningless. We suffer so that we can share his glory. The path to suffering is the path to glory. We must “mind” the things of the Spirit rather than those of the flesh. We must choose to walk with the Spirit instead of walking with the flesh. This can be hard for us to do when we are not faced with difficulties that challenge us. We can become so comfortable with our lives that we don’t see the need to deepen our spiritual lives. Christ’s grace allows us to rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to put to death our earthly, sin-filled lives.

Paul did not outline what the things of the flesh and the Spirit are, but it appears that he was thinking of the presence of the Spirit within the believer. When the believer constantly thinks of the Spirit, it impacts a believer’s thinking. If we think of the Spirit of truth constantly, it will take us exactly where we need to go and help us to reach our maximum potential in life. In Paul’s mind, Jesus’ radical message was that Christ’s love offered belonging and forgiveness, and goodness would flow from our new relationship with God because love creates love, not fear of disobedience. The doing of righteousness is a work of the Holy Spirit. God’s law is realized in the life of a believer through the direct and personal intervention of Christ.

We are proof of Christianity. We are proof that God saves lives and that the Spirit changes them completely. The Spirit lives in us and gives us faith when we don’t have any. We have a choice. We can accept the Spirit and live a new life in Christ, or we can continue living our sin-filled, earthly lives.

The power of sin dwelling within us prevents us from doing what is good and right in spite of our best intentions. The solution to this problem is the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. A mind that is set on our earthly lives separates us from God and his Spirit. If we reject Christ, we condemn ourselves to an eternity in hell. If we accept Christ, we will be with him in heaven for eternity. Where would you prefer to live?

Bibliography

• Jeremiah, Dr. David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013)

• Swindoll, Charles R.: Swindoll’s New Testament Insights on Rome (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan; 2010)

• ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 10 Bible software package.

• Morris, L.: The Epistle to the Romans (Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Erdmans; Inter-Varsity Press; 1988)

• Briscoe, D.S. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 29: Romans (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982)

• Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, NKJV (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2015)

• Michael Youssef, Ph.D., “Fear Turned Into Sin.” Retrieved from my devotional@leadingtheway.org

• Stephen Davey, “Evidence From Within.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

• Neil Anderson, “Following our shepherd.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com

• Rick Renner, “Is the Holy Spirit ‘Tugging’ at Your Heart Today?” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

• Exegesis for Romans 8:12-25. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com

• Steve Arterburn, “Struggle.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

• Steve Arterburn, “Learning Through Suffering.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

• Pastor Rick Warren, “The Power of Eternal Thinking.” Retrieved from connect@newsletter.purposedriven.com

• Neil Anderson, “Understand Who You Are.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com

• Neil Anderson, “How We Perceive Ourselves.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com

• Neil Anderson, “A Solid Belief System.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com

• Pastor Dave Risendal, “The Feast of the Holy Trinity.” Retrieved from donotreply@wordpress.com

1. 1. Audrey West, “Commentary on Romans 8:12-17”. Retrieved from http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=1343
   2. Elisabeth Johnson, “Commentary on Romans 8:12-17”. Retrieved from http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=321
   3. William Loader, “First Thoughts on Year B Epistle Passages from the Lectionary: Trinity.” Retrieved from http://www.staff.murdoch.edu.au/~loader/BEpTrinity.htm 

The minister gave his Sunday morning service, as usual, but this particular Sunday, it was considerably longer than normal. Later, at the door, shaking hands with parishioners as they moved out, one man said, “Your sermon, Pastor, was simply wonderful – so invigorating and inspiring and refreshing.” The minister of course, broke out in a big smile, only to hear the man say, “Why I felt like a new man when I woke up!”

Actually, I can understand if you do happen to fall asleep while reading this message (and hopefully you won’t!!!!!!!) because the topic is very “dry” and hard to understand. We’re doing something a little different today. Instead of talking about Jesus and his parables or teachings, we’re talking about one of the key doctrines or teachings of the Christian church. Why talk about doctrine? Simply put, the doctrine of the Christian church is the substance of our faith. If we do not show any interest in biblical doctrine, then we do not show any interest in our roots.

The Trinity is a difficult concept to understand let alone preach about, and part of the reason is because the Trinity is not specifically mentioned anywhere in the Scriptures, even though the concept of the Trinity is mentioned throughout the Bible. There is always a danger when a man-made concept is introduced into something God has created. The early church introduced the concept of the Trinity to explain how God works in our lives to restore our relationship with him.

In essence, the Trinity is the belief that God is one in essence, but distinct in person. In other words, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are somehow distinct from one another, yet at the same time they are completely united in essence, will and tasks. God has a life in which all three members of the Trinity relate to each other, give to each other, and love each other.

This is the concept behind the Nicene Creed and the Apostle’s Creed. The intention of the creeds was to affirm these three core beliefs:

1. The essential unity of God
2. The complete humanity and essential divinity of Jesus
3. The essential divinity of the Spirit.Christians affirm the unity of all three members of the Godhead.

Christians affirm the unity of all three members of the Godhead. We worship and glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

The three members of the Trinity-God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit-are three unique “individuals” (for lack of a better word), but they are one in that they are part of God’s master plan to restore our relationship with him. God is dynamic and unpredictable, just like the wind, and just like the wind comes from all directions, sometimes God convicts us of our sin, sometimes God denounces us and our sinful nature, and other times God opens Christ to us, yet at all times God still loves us.

God created the plan of salvation, Jesus put the plan in place, and the Holy Spirit implements it in our daily lives. The Holy Spirit is the invisible force that allows us to accept Christ and what he did for us. The Holy Spirit allows us to walk with God along the straight and narrow path in our new relationship with God.

The Holy Spirit reminds us of what Jesus did on earth. It tells us what God is thinking. The Holy Spirit is infinite and indefinite. It can be everywhere and with everyone all of the time. In contrast, Jesus could only be with a few people in one place and at only one time because of his finite, human form. Only through his death on the cross does he disclose what it means for him to have been the mind and will of God in human form.

Like Christ, we have to suffer a form of death and resurrection when we allow God to enter our lives. When we do, we die to our own sinful nature and rise again into a new life that is energized by the Holy Spirit. To be born again means that we see things in a new and different light and in a way that is broader and deeper than we can understand now, and to be energized by God’s power-a power that is greater than ours. The only way we can gain this new insight into God’s kingdom is to be born again with the Holy Spirit through God’s grace and truth. We receive the Holy Spirit through baptism and acceptance of Christ in our lives. The water of baptism washes away our sinful nature and allows the Holy Spirit to enter and teach us all about what Jesus said about himself and God the Father.

The transition to our new relationship with God can be painful and full of conflict. It involves letting go of our sinful earthly life, which can be difficult. After all, change can be uncomfortable. The status quo is like our favourite pair of shoes-it just feels so darn good! Change is sometimes necessary. We need to be shaken up if we want to walk with God. Just like we trade cars when they wear out, we have to trade in our old, sinful life for a new one modeled on the life of Christ. Faith heals our sinful nature when the Holy Spirit is born in us. It also heals the conflict that results from our change to our new life. It also heals our relationship with God, and relationships are the foundation of our lives.

God is so vast and so infinite that we can’t even begin to understand him on our own-the gap is simply too great. God bridged this gap by sending his son Jesus. In other words, God became human so that he could understand our human nature. Only by becoming human and by understanding our human nature could God bridge the gap between him and us and begin the process of restoring our relationship with him.

A good analogy is the trips a world leader takes to visit foreign leaders who can’t speak the leader’s native language. When you see pictures of the two leaders sitting down and having a conversation, you often see more people with them, and one or more of these people are translators. They translate what the leader says in his or her native language into a language that the other leader understands and vice versa. When God became man, not only did he bridge the gap between him and us, he was able to translate the mind and will of God into terms that we can understand. That is also why Jesus often spoke in parables. He used ordinary experiences that his audience could understand to teach them about God.

We are never too old to accept the Trinity and what it offers. The Holy Spirit gives us a spiritual awakening. In John 3:1-17, Nicodemus thought that because he spent many years climbing to the top of the Jewish faith he could not change, but the encounter with Jesus changed him. How do we know this? It is because Nicodemus helped Joseph of Arimathea prepare Jesus’ body for burial after his crucifixion.

None of us can enter God’s Kingdom on our own, because we cannot measure up to God’s spiritual standards by ourselves. Why it that? It is because God’s spiritual standard is perfection. We need the help of all three members of the Trinity. We are and always will be sinners, but with the Trinity we become sinners saved by grace. Even though the Holy Spirit restores our relationship with God, and even though our sinful nature has been removed, we still have to accept the consequences of our past sins. God can’t overlook sin. Sin demands punishment. God took our punishment on himself as our substitute when he as Jesus died on the cross. When we accept him as out substitute, the Holy Spirit lives within us and reestablishes our relationship with God.

When we look upon the crucified Christ, like the Israelites who were bitten by serpents in Numbers 21 looked at the bronze serpent on the pole and lived, we are given a new life. In other words, we are born again. When we are born again, we receive the Holy Spirit. It encourages us to meet our needs in a way that honours God. It leads us to salvation, regenerates us, convicts us of our sinfulness, teaches us to live for Christ, and seals us for redemption. It also leads us in truth. The Spirit will guide us to remember the truth, reproduce the truth, receive the truth, act upon it and speak it.

God works at the highest levels of power and the greatest distance from us. He enters history uniquely identified with Jesus, who was fully human and fully God. God also personally encounters us in our ongoing history.

The most difficult truth for us to understand is that our sinful nature has made us spiritually dead to God. That is why we need to be reborn spiritually. Baptism is the sign of a new life in Christ. Baptism allows the Holy Spirit to enter us. Once the Spirit turns on the light in our souls, we can understand spiritual things. Our soul comes into union with God and gives us eternal life. God adopts us, makes us his own and promises to be with us forever. This is the heart of being born again.

When we re-establish our relationship with God, he becomes our Father by rebirth and adoption. God loves us because of his nature and he won’t stop loving us. The Spirit gives us rebirth and new life, and God gives us the Spirit because he loves us. God’s work in Jesus through the Holy Spirit is to save ourselves from our own foolishness and our destructive nature. In return, God uses the Holy Spirit through us as a voice of humanity in an inhumane world. We gain the confidence to speak out because the Holy Spirit has touched us like the fiery coal touched the lips of the servant in Isaiah 6:1-8. Life in the Spirit does not have the problems or temptations that exist in life in the world.

God is Father, Son and Spirit, co-equals united in mutual love and divine essence. When we remember this, we can understand what Jesus meant when he said that he and the Father and the Spirit are one. We can’t have one without the other. Jesus reveals God and reconciles us to God. He is the one through whom we are able to enter God’s kingdom, and the Spirit takes us there. The Holy Trinity is God (who is love) coming to us in whatever way we can receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. As a result, we become new people who express God’s love in everything we do, say or think.

Bibliography

• Lectionary Homiletics, Volume XXIII, No. 4 (St. Paul, MN: Luther Seminary; 2012; pp.1-9)

• Craig Condon, “The Three Musketeers-Father, Son and Holy Spirit”. Sermon on John 16:12-15

• Craig Condon, “No Greater Love”. Sermon on John 3:1-17

• Alan Smith, “Both Born and Adopted”. Retrieved from thought-gor-the-day@hub.xc.org

• Gerrit J. Bomhof, “Wind”. Retrieved from today@thisistoday.net

• John Piper, “The Free Will of the Wind”. Retrieved from www.desiringgod.org

• Richard Innes, “Do Good People Go Into Heaven, Part II”. Retrieved from www.actsweb.org

1. 1. Dr. Charles Stanley, “Why Did Jesus Have to Die?” Retrieved from www.intouch.org
   2. Steve Arterburn, “Never Too Late”. Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

• Anne Graham Lotz, “A Spiritual Implant”. Retrieved from angelmin.info@angelministries.org

1. Pete Briscoe, “Is It About Your Behavior or Your Being?” retrieved from crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
2. The Rev. Dr. Fred R. Anderson, PCUSA, “The Threefold Nature of God”. Retrieved from www.day1.org
3. Exegesis for John 3:1-17. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com
4. Dr. Charles Stanley, “Jesus Christ, the Seeking Savior”. Retrieved from In_Touch_With_Dr_Charles_Stanley@crosswalkmail.com
5. Jim Burns, “New Life”. Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
6. The Rev. Dr. David Lose, ELCA, “Like It or Not”. Retrieved from www.day1.org
7. Wycliffe Bible Commentary. Part of Lessonmaker 8 Bible software package.
8. ESV Study Bible. Part of Lessonmaker 8 Bible software package.
9. Albert Mohler, “Does Doctrine Matter?” Retrieved from Jesus.org@crosswalkmail.com
10. C.H. Spurgeon, “Spurgeon at the Metropolitan Tabernacle”. Retrieved from Biblegateway@lists.biblegateway.com
11. Daniel Clendenin, PhD, “The Infinite God as Truly Intimate”. Retrieved from www.journeywithjesus.net
12. Roland McGregor, “McGregorPage #820, Trinity Sunday, 6/3/12”. Retrieved from mcgregorpage-bounces@mcgregorpage.org
13. The Rev. Dr. Thomas G. Long, PCUSA, “The Start of the Trail”. Retrieved from www.day1.org/3832-the_start_of_the_trail.print
14. John Shearman’s Lectionary Resource, Year B, Season after Pentecost, Trinity Sunday. Retrieved from http://lectionary.seemslikegod,org

In John 15:26-27 and John 16:4-15 , Jesus addressed His disciples. They heard His words while He was with them, and they were with him from the beginning of His ministry. Jesus’ speech took place on the night before He was crucified. The disciples were so concerned about their own future that they weren’t the least bit curious about Jesus’ immediate future. Jesus knew about their concern and encouraged them with a wonderful truth. The Holy Spirit would be far superior to Jesus because the Spirit could be everywhere at once, whereas Jesus could only be in one place at a time. The disciples and all future believers would always be in communion with God.

The Spirit continues to guide us and the church today. Our circumstances change daily thanks to new technologies and politics, but the Holy Spirit is ready to help us relate God’s truth to new situations. In every new circumstance, the same Holy Spirit guides us to re-learn old, faithful truths and to apply those old truths in new and faithful ways.

Jesus’ abrupt mentioning of the Holy Spirit had a purpose. The Spirit’s role in the life of a believer is to provide courage in the face of persecution. In addition, suffering often brings doubt. The Holy Spirit will testify to the truth of Jesus within believers and through believers to those who persecute them and others who witness the persecution.

Jesus knew the disciples would not understand what He said in this passage. They did not understand why He was going to die. At the appropriate time, they would remember His words and understand why they were being persecuted.

One day the apostles would need to communicate their experiences of Jesus, both while He was alive and after His resurrection. For this overwhelming task, they would need help. Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would testify through the oral and written testimony of the apostles. The New Testament is no random compilation of thoughts but a carefully composed set of documents superintended by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus’ death would remind the disciples of everything He taught them. The Holy Spirit would remind them of His teachings-teachings the disciples would apply as they fulfilled their part of God’s plan for salvation. In tough times, remembering the things that Jesus warned of will keep believers from stumbling.

Jesus warned the disciples that they would face trials and persecution, but He didn’t tell them about the nature and sources of their trials. He didn’t clearly tell them that the Holy Spirit would come and give them comfort. He didn’t have to do these things because He was with them and would teach them these things gradually. He also didn’t tell them these things because He would go before them and suffer the same trials they would face later. Also, He taught them what the Holy Spirit would be and do after His ascension.

During Jesus’ earthly ministry, the Holy Spirit did not dwell in His followers but selectively empowered them for specific acts of ministry. At the moment of Christ’s ascension, the Father sent the Holy Spirit to serve as a constant presence, comforter and counselor for His people. The Holy Spirit couldn’t come and do his part of God’s plan for salvation until Jesus completed His part of the plan and left the earth. The Holy Spirit is under the authority of Jesus and will only reveal the truth that is in Him.

Most of us understand sin to be about behaviour, but the Holy Spirit knows sin is really about unbelief. Sometimes the most difficult thing to accept is that we’ve been wrong all along. That’s because we have a natural tendency to defend our decisions at all cost. But when the time comes, and we’re confronted with the truth, accepting it can be so hard. That’s why it’s so hard for people to accept Christ as their Saviour. Doing so would mean that everything they have believed in up to now is wrong. We have to be humble enough to admit what’s true when we’re faced with it, even if it means we’re wrong. It’s better to be late to the truth than to live a lie!

The Holy Spirit not only convicts believers but guides them into all truth and points them to Christ, glorifying Him. His witness can be trusted. He will apply God’s truth to man’s own minds and convince them that they are sinners. If we are convicted of sin and receive the Holy Spirit, our natural tendency will be to accept Christ as our Saviour. The Holy Spirit will show us our need for Jesus and reveal the loveliness of His character and the fitness of His work to our wants.

The Holy Spirit will guide us. He will not control us. We keep our ability to choose to follow His leading. We are always responsible for our words and actions. He will help us determine what is true and what is not, what is wise and what is foolish, what is best and what is simply okay. He will guide us through the details of everyday life. He will give us the discernment we need to make both big and small decisions. When we accept Christ, God seals us with the Holy Spirit. When the devil tries to snatch us from God, the seal of the Holy Spirit turns him away. He bought us with Jesus’ death and resurrection. He owns and protects us. The Father takes all things that are the Son’s-wisdom and truth for all His people-and pours them out through the Holy Spirit that Jesus may be glorified. Here we see the eternal living intimacy with God through His ministry.

The power of the Holy Spirit gives us the ability to achieve God’s purpose for our lives. He gives us abundant joy. He prepares us for everlasting life unhampered by sin. He wants us to use His power for His kingdom. He will equip us with the Holy Spirit to guide our steps as we accomplish the tasks God calls us to do. That power will elude us as long as we are deceived and mesmerized by worldly power.

The world we live in is full of sin. All of us have been preyed on by the devil. He lied to Adam and Eve. He has seduced us and influenced us. We think that by lying, fighting and seeking more power and money that we can be happier. We think this because we have been lied to by the world, the flesh and the devil. The apostle Paul says that these lies are opposed to the Holy Spirit.

It seems that lying, or stretching the truth, has become a national pastime, thanks in part to Donald Trump. We lie about everything from our age to our resume to our mother-in-law’s cooking. God hates all sin-including lying. He hates sin because He is a truthful God, a transformed God. When we lie, we are acting contrary to His character. God will never prompt us to lie or sin. The Holy Spirit will always lead us to tell the truth, but only if we follow Jesus.

The problem is not that the Spirit has stopped moving, but more likely that we have stopped listening for it, even for just a bit. How do we get better at listening to the Spirit? Scripture gives us some clear lessons on how to start:

1. We need space. We have to find the time to listen to God, and we have to get rid of everything that keeps us from listening to God, and that includes material goods.
2. We need community. We need to have fellowship with fellow believers, and that includes worshipping with them.
3. We need to get out. We have to get out and share the Gospel with the world.

So how does the Holy Spirit guide us? He does it through our reading of the Bible, deep impressions or nudges from our consciences, and other people who are under the Holy Spirit. The latter item can only be done by worshipping with other believers through attending church and Bible studies. When God’s Word tells us that our lives are not as they should be and that we need to change, that’s the Holy Spirit intervening for our sakes.

It’s inevitable that one day we, like the disciples, will face persecution for our faith. We have to prepare ourselves and Jesus tells us how:

1. Rely on the Holy Spirit to supply wisdom, ability and courage.
2. Faithfully proclaim divine truth and stand firm.
3. Don’t get trapped by evil.
4. Remember that persecution and the rise of evil are inevitable.

The power that fell on the disciples on the Day of Pentecost is at work in and among us all the time, even if we aren’t aware of it. It gives us the power to perform acts of kindness, witness to others and give faithful service both within the church and in the community.

Are we willing to let the Spirit do His work? Are we open to His power to convict us of our own sinfulness and show us our need for a Saviour? We need the Spirit to help us understand the eternal hole we’ve dug for ourselves. We need to see our need for righteousness for life itself. We need to understand that Jesus came to deal with it all, to face the judgment of God in our place, to execute justice and mercy for our own good. Thank God that He sent a helper, because we have made a mess of the things that matter the most in our lives.

Bibliography

• Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; pp. 1469-1470)

• Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.

• Fredrikson, R.L. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 27: John (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1985; pp. 233-237

• Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible: New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)

• MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)

• Lucado, M.: The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson; 2010)

• Michael Youssef, Ph.D., “True Power.” Retrieved from mydevotional@ltw.org

• Pastor Ed Young, “Throttle Back.” Retrieved form Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

• “Convicting and Convincing.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

• Pastor Rick Warren, “Truth Guide by Steps.” Retrieved from newsletter@connect.purposedriven.com

• Reginald Smith, “Spirit of Truth.” Retrieved from today@thisistoday.net

• Dr. Neil Anderson, “The Spirit of Truth.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com

• Anne Graham Lotz, “The Spirit of Truth.” Retrieved from angelmin.info@angelministries.org

1. Rev. Gregory Seltz, “Spirit Help in Time of Need.” Retrieved from lh_min@lhm.org
2. Dr. Chuck F. Betters, “Meditation and Illumination.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
3. “What to Do When You Discover You’re Wrong.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
4. Dr. Charles Stanley, “The Nature of Conviction.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
5. Jamy Whitaker, “Did You Feel That?” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
6. Pastor Jack Hibbs, “Onward Christian Soldiers.” Retrieved from devotion@reallifewithjackhibbs.org
7. Amy Boucher Pye, “The Advocate.” Retrieved from donotreply@email.rbc.org
8. Richard Niell Donovan, “Exegesis for John 16:12-15.” Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
9. T.M. Moore, “A Work of God’s Spirit.” Retrieved from noreply@ailbe.org
10. Pastor Ken Klaus, “What a Ride!” Retrieved from lh_min@lhm.org
11. Dr. David Jeremiah, “I Don’t Need to be Saved.” Retrieved from turningpoint@davidjeremiah.org
12. Rick Boxx, “Spirit of Truth.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
13. Samantha Haycock, “Bible Study, Trinity Sunday ( C ).” Retrieved from www.episcopaldigitalnetwork.com
14. Os Hillman, “Faithfulness to Convict.” Retrieved from tgif@marketplaceleaders.org
15. Chris Clow, “Pentecost (B): What are we Celebrating?” Retrieved from comment-reply@wordpress.com
16. Swindoll, Charles R.: Swindoll’s New Testament Insights on John (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan; 2010; pp. 270-277)
17. Judith Jones, “Commentary on John 15:26-27; John 16:4-15.” Retrieved from http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=3663)
18. Dr. Fred Anderson, “The Church’s Hope.” Retrieved from http://day1.org/1257-the_churchs_hope.pring
19. Fr. Lawrence Lew, “Donum Dei Altissimi!” Retrieved from https://www.english.op.org/torch/donum-dei-altissimi   

On the day of Pentecost over 2,000 years ago, the Holy Spirit came to the disciples, and through the Holy Spirit the church was born. It is a time when the church traditionally concentrates on the gift of the Holy Spirit and the ways in which it strengthens the church. It is a time to consider how the Spirit has created and sustained faith in our lives. It is a time to explore how the Spirit empowers our witness so that others might have faith.

The power of the Holy Spirit ignited the disciples. Peter was ignited and gave one of the most powerful sermons in history. It included both the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy and a strong rebuke/accusation. The effect was remarkable. The message pierced the hearts of the people, and as a result more than 3,000 people were baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit. When these new converts returned home, they spread the message, and thus the church was born.

This would not have been possible without the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is not an impersonal force. It is a person. It possesses the mind of God, emotions and will—because it is God. It performs the actions of God. It has the attributes of God.

As a result of the Holy Spirit, the church opened its hearts to fellowship. It opened its hands to care for each and every member. Members opened their homes to each other, especially for worship. They devoted themselves to prayer. As a result of all of this, the church grew and found favour with other people-both inside and outside the church.

The term “Spirit” describes wind or breath. The Pentecost wind is no wind of destruction. It blows where it will and fires up people with faith and spiritual power. The church did not come alive until after God breathed the Holy Spirit. The wind was an outward sign of what was happening within the disciples. The Holy Spirit came like a rushing wind on the first Pentecost, and it still comes like a rushing wind today. We can’t control the wind, and we can’t control the Holy Spirit no matter how hard we try. We try to control what it tells us to do or who it wants us to allow into our churches. Many Christians want just enough religion to be comfortable, to be respected, to feel good about themselves, but not so much that it shakes up their routines and changes their way of living. Many Christians want the benefits of the Holy Spirit without having to experience much of the Spirit.

Differences can enrich and enliven our worship experiences. Differences force us to reach across what divides us. Differences and diversity force us to rely on the Holy Spirit in order to remain faithful to the Gospel of Jesus in more creative and dynamic mission efforts. We are called on to share the Good News with others and welcome them to find love of each other and the love of God. If we do not share the Good News, it is wasted. The Holy Spirit calls on us to share our gifts and love with those who are different from us.

God gave the disciples supernatural ability to speak the languages of all those who had gathered in Jerusalem from around the known world at that time. The Spirit’s presence signified their baptism into the spiritual body of the church. This gift was the result of being filled with the Holy Spirit so the disciples could preach the Gospel to all the people.

God does the same thing today. He speaks through both chosen people and simple people like you and me. This message of being somebody again through God alone is communicated. Why? So that it might get through to everyone. For example, I post my sermons on my blog, and I also post links to these sermons in several Facebook groups. As of the date I prepared this message, my sermons have been viewed over 100,000 times by people around the world. As people who have received God’s grace we get to be a bridge of that good news to people we know and love.

Part of the Jewish liturgy involved reciting one of the great acts of God in their history. When the Holy Spirit came they all worshipped and rehearsed his wonderful works. Bystanders understood them because of the Jewish liturgy. When the Holy Spirit comes to fill a Christian, he/she speaks and acts in ways that weren’t possible before. Christians live supernaturally because the Spirit of God within them controls them.

For example, just a few days before Pentecost, Peter was too scared to admit he knew Jesus. Now, filled with the Holy Spirit, God changed him. In Acts 2:16-21, Peter quoted Joel 2:28-33, which was Joel’s prophecy of the Holy Spirit and the beginning of the last days. On that first Pentecost, the Spirit came to people in a new, more powerful way that signalled the beginning of the new covenant age, which runs from the time of Christ’s death until he returns at some time in the future. These are the last days in that the coming of the Messiah, which was foretold in the Old Testament, have now occurred. His saving death and resurrection have been accomplished, and now the Holy Spirit has to build the church before Christ returns.

Acts 2:1-21 is the marching orders for the church. The coming of the Holy Spirit was an awe-inspiring moment that changed the world. It was a tipping point when history was changed. We have to go with the flow. It asks us to go beyond our comfort zone. God’s dream was one where all believers would gather together in unity and faith. Gold calls on us to love one another. That love changes us. It allows us to show grace to everyone.

Sometimes we wonder if what happened at Pentecost can happen today. We wonder if we can gain a deeper understanding of the Holy Spirit and experience its transforming strength. We want to deal with our own feelings of spiritual inadequacy. God answers these questions and other questions people are really asking. People want something more than ordinary, dull religion. They want the power and intimacy of the Holy Spirit. It changes us. We were created for union and communication with the Holy Spirit. The greatest need for both society and the church today is for a contemporary Pentecost. We, like the disciples, must be ready for the miracle of the supernatural endowment of the Holy Spirit’s power.

The flames represented the purity and power with which the disciples would speak as they proclaimed what God had done. The fire of the Holy Spirit burns away anything that will keep us from being the people God wants us to be. It convinces us that God loves us unconditionally and that we can love others unconditionally. It gives us the ability to love others deeply. The Holy Spirit releases us so that we can praise others. That praise becomes very effective proclamation. It frees us from self-concern and to Spirit-consciousness. We are free to praise God and to receive what he will do.

When people hear a minister preach on a Biblical text with the power of the Holy Spirit, and the people have been prepared by the Holy Spirit, the result is conviction, faith and changed lives. In contrast to the baptism with the Spirit, which is the one-time act by which God places believers into His body, the filling is a repeated reality of Spirit-controlled behaviour that God commands believers to maintain. The work of the Holy Spirit in the church today is to dwell with believers so they will look like Christ and be empowered to continue his ministry here on earth.

How does the Holy Spirit work in the church today?

1. He convicts us of our sin, shows us that none of us can live up to the righteousness of Jesus, and reveals to us the judgment that is coming to those who die without faith in Christ.
2. He immerses us into the family of God.
3. He encourages and comforts us when we are hurting or discouraged.
4. We work with him to maintain unity among Christians.
5. He brings peace in the midst of life’s storms.
6. He pours out the power for victorious living.
7. He helps us to study and understand the truths of the Bible.
8. He intercedes for us when we can’t put our feelings into words.
9. He gives us power for evangelism.
10. He distributes spiritual gifts as he deems best throughout the Body of Christ.

A life in Christ is God’s will for his people. God’s plan can’t be stopped. Pentecost is a taste of what will happen in God’s kingdom when the Spirit is poured out on all people. The Holy Spirit will live in all believers.

The Holy Spirit is more than a tool to help us overcome life’s challenges, but much of what we are asked to do is far beyond what we are called to do. On our own, we are never enough. The outpouring of the Spirit is far greater than anyone expects. It will be poured out on all flesh and everyone who calls on the Lord will be saved. The Spirit will give us the strength we need to do God’s work in our world.

In return, we are called on to be wanders. We aren’t meant to be too settled, rooted or rigid. Our spiritual lives are meant to be a pilgrimage. The dangerous place is the place that gets too comfortable or stagnant. We are to be on the move, and our churches are meant to be on the move as well.

Pentecost is the day when we remember the eruption in which the Church came to birth. It is also the day when we remember the countless ways in which the Holy Spirit shapes the Church as an institution and ourselves as individuals. It is also the day when we are reminded that once we have received the Holy Spirit, we are required and enabled to take a stand for good and against evil in whatever circumstances we find ourselves. The Holy Spirit will teach us to love God and neighbour-and he will reward us by giving us a life worth living. That life won’t be easy or trouble-free, but it will be worth living and dying for-and that is the greatest birthday gift of all.

Bibliography

• Jeremiah, Dr. David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013)

• ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 10 Bible software package.

• George Hermanson, “All You Need Is Love.” Retrieved from www.holyscriptures.com

• David McGee, “Grace for Life.” Retrieved from www.crossthebridge.com

• Ogilvie, L.J. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 28: Acts (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1983)

• Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, NKJV (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)

• MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, NASV (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)

• Rev. Gregory Seltz, “That’s Just Who God Is.” Retrieved from lh_min@lhm.org

• Dr. Roger Barrier, “What is the Role of the Holy Spirit in the Church Today?” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com

• The Rev. Dr. Charles Reeb, “Controlling the Wind.” Retrieved from www.day1.org

• Pastor Dave Risendal, “The Holy Spirit Has Called Me.” Retrieved from donotreply@wordpress.com

• Jacob Myers, “Commentary on Acts 2:1-21.” Retrieved from http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=1296

• Rick Morley, “Wanderlust-a Reflection on Pentecost.” Retrieved from http://www.rickmorley.com/archives

• Jeremiah, Dr. David: AD: The Bible Continues: The Revolution that Changed the World (Carol Stream, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers Inc.; 2015, pgs. 39-56) 

How many of you have seen the movie Saving Private Ryan?

It’s a war film set during the invasion of Normandy in World War II. The film is about U.S. Army Ranger Captain John H. Miller (who was played by Tom Hanks) and his squad as they search for Private First Class John Francis Ryan (who was played by Matt Damon). Private Ryan was the last surviving brother of four servicemen. Captain Miller lost several of his men in their search to find him. After finding him, Captain Miller himself was mortally wounded. As he laid dying, he told Private Ryan, “Earn this.”

Years later Private Ryan stood in front of Captain Miller’s grave and said, “Every day I think about what you told me that day on the bridge. I tried to live my life the best I could. I hope that was enough. I hope that, at least in your eyes, I’ve earned what all of you have done for me.” He turned to his wife and said, “tell me I have led a good life…. tell me I’m a good man.”

Private Ryan asked the same question many of us ask ourselves: “Have I done enough with this one and only life God has given me?” On our own we can’t answer that question, but with Jesus’ help the answer is clear. He died for us so that we don’t have to do anything. By his grace we can live lives that are satisfied with good things, as the writer of Psalm 104 tells us. The question then becomes “Is the work of Jesus enough to make me satisfied and significant?”, and the answer is always a resounding “Yes!”

All of God’s creation is subject to his authority, including the biggest sea creatures. All of creation must praise him. In return, he takes pleasure in everything he has created. They depend on him, and in return he is generous to them. They can rely on him. We are part of God’s creation, so we can also depend on him.

God gives life. He makes the world new again and again. Creation is God’s and it exists for him. He cares and provides for creation, and in return everything he has created gathers in what God gives them and returns a portion to him. This is what the term “tithing” means-giving back to God a portion of what he has given us. God’s spirit has touched all of us in amazing ways, and we must share what we have been given with others.

It’s almost impossible for us to understand creation. Even our best scientists have to regularly revise their theories to try to explain creation-and God puts all of his wisdom at their service and ours. What God has created is awesome beyond our ability to understand it.

All of creation is supposed to show the majesty of God, including Jesus. He was the shekinah, or the visible sign of the invisible God. According to the Old Testament, the shekinah was a radiant cloud or a brilliant light within a cloud that showed the immediate presence of God. That same cloud led the Israelites by day in the desert. That same cloud also appeared at Jesus’ baptism and his transfiguration.

On the other hand, sinners and the unchurched are those who reject God’s rule and rebel against him. They are a blemish on the world, and God will remove that blemish in due time. The purpose of Psalm 104 is to foster hatred of sin. Its purpose is not to foster hatred against sinners. On the contrary, we are to love them. For example, Pope Francis’ recent statements to the Roman Catholic Church about how homosexuality and divorce are to be treated show compassion and love instead of hatred.

Our prayerful response to God’s love is to worship him and care for creation, but unfortunately our modern world has selfishly neglected to care for creation. The only way to prevent an ecological disaster is for humanity to treat God’s creation with respect.

Those who bless and praise God want to see the day when sinful men have been removed from the earth and the curse of sin removed. Throughout the Old Testament there are stories of how God used creation itself to destroy evil and rebuild the world. The prime example is the story of the Great Flood. There is a destructive power in nature. God’s world contains forces that are beyond our wildest dreams, so we would be wise to respect both the forces of nature and the forces of God. We can’t challenge God’s truth and justice, because they are both swift and just. God wields his power with love and compassion.

If we take time to develop the habit of seeing God in our lives, we will be able to withstand the most trying times in our lives. When the Holy Spirit breathes new life into us, we can expect that it will be consistent with the character of Christ even though we might not be able to anticipate everything it will mean.

Our Christian life with God is like a song that is ready to be written. He loves to hear our praise. He will put a song in our hearts that will be the sweetest melody that we can enjoy for the rest of our lives. Just like the angels sang “Glory to God” at Christ’s birth, we are to give God glory in every circumstance in our lives. We don’t have to be a great singer to sing praise to God as long as we praise him every day. We can praise him when we do our household chores or serve others behind the scenes. When we show that Jesus is in our lives and reflect his character to those around us, we will make God happy.

Bibliography

• ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.

• Dr. R.C. Sproul, “Witnessing His Glory.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com

• Williams, D. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 14: Psalms 73-150 (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1989: pp. 239-242)

• MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)

• Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)

• “Sing to Me.” Retrieved from Biblegateway@e.biblegateway.com

• Carol A. Solovitz, “God Pause for Tues., June 3, 2014.” Retrieved from communic@luthersem.edu

• Ron Moore, “Beyond the Last Note.” Retrieved from www.ronmore.org

• Ron Moore, “Significant in Christ.” Retrieved from www.ronmoore.org

• Joni Eareckson Tada, “What Makes God Happy?” Retrieved from communications@joniandfriends.org

• Alan Brehm, “The Waking Dreamer.” Retrieved from http://thewakingdreamer.blogspot.ca/2010/06/breath-of-god-acts-21-21-ps.html
• Matthew Stith, “Commentary on Psalm 104:24-34,35b.” Retrieved from http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=320

What would you say to someone if you knew that you were seeing them for the last time? If you were dying, what would be the last words you would say to your family and friends? If you’ve ever thought about the answers to these questions, then you can appreciate what was going through Jesus’ mind in the Gospel reading from John 17:6-19.

This reading is part of Jesus’ farewell speech to his disciples. He is preparing them for his death, resurrection and ascension. He knows that his disciples will be rejected by the world as he was. In this passage he hands over his mission to his disciples and all believers who come after them. The disciples have spent the last three years in training. Now it is time for them to pass the final test and go into the world.

Jesus’ farewell address can also be our farewell address to the world. When we die to self, we die to our old earthly way of life. We are disconnected from the world and connected to God when we live our lives in God’s mercy and kindness. If we have accepted that mercy and in return we show mercy and kindness to everyone we meet, then we are connected and present to God.

Jesus’s request was an expansive one. It was made on behalf of the disciples, but his thoughts travelled throughout history to today. His heart of love is bursting with the same message. Jesus prays that those who follow him will be protected to the end. Since Jesus is the one doing the praying, his request will be granted. He also prays that all believers will be united. That unity should be the norm, but unfortunately today it is the exception. There are still differences within and between denominations. The only way Jesus’ prayer for unity can be achieved is through the regenerating and sanctifying work of the Trinity.

The world Jesus lived in emphasized group identity or unity. People thought in terms of groups. We are to be a united group that does God’s work in our world. We are to be united in our homes, our relationships and our church bodies. We are a group that is set aside for a special use.

In spite of the lack of unity, we as believers are not to withdraw from the world. We are to stay in the world and be a positive influence. We must open our hearts to the real needs of our neighbours. We do this by putting aside our differences and working together to spread the Good News of the Gospel.

Jesus’ true followers know his name and keep his words. They are vulnerable in this particular other worldliness, especially since the world hates followers of Jesus. The world is captive to a spirit that is alien to God’s spirit. It is governed by a sense of scarcity instead of abundance, fear instead of courage, and selfishness instead of sacrificial love. It is easy to be obsessed with what is in the world. Jesus encouraged his followers not to embrace the world’s values. We must remember that even though we are in the world, we are not of the world. Christians need only to remember that Jesus has promised to keep them separate from the world. Jesus does not run away in the face of danger. He offers an alternative spirit and reality. We have different desires, goals and a different God than people who live in the world. Our God helps us to be different by continually sanctifying us with the truth.

We are called on to go out into a world which has declared that God is dead and has not risen, because God never was dead. We are to share the good news that there is a God and that he lived among us in the person of Jesus Christ. We must be careful not to water down this message by turning it into a model for social work. We must hold on to the truth that our actions are a sign and witness to God’s love for the world and the future promise for all people. We are to heed the words of the hymn, “O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing”:

My gracious Master and my God,

assist me to proclaim,

to spread through all the earth abroad,

the honours of your name

We are in the world not to condemn it, but to love it. How do we do this without condemning the world or judging it? The answer can be found in the words of Jean Vanier, founder of the L’Arche communities. He said, “To love someone is not first of all to do things for them, but to reveal to them their true beauty, to say to them through our attitude, ‘You are beautiful. You are important. I trust you. You can trust yourself.’”

Even though Jesus has left us physically, he is still with us in spirit-the Holy Spirit. We are not to dwell in feelings of despair or abandonment, because Jesus is always with us and we belong to him. Our belonging to him is an important part of the essential nature and purpose of God and Jesus. Because we belong to Jesus, we are holy and we are kept holy in the truth of God’s word. Because we are one with God, we will be rejected by the world. We don’t need to worry, because Jesus will protect us.

If we have an unfounded fear that causes us to withdraw from the world, we will fail to bring light into the world, and the dark world will remain devoid of the living church. This fear can be overcome by bearing our souls to our Lord and Maker, and being silent so we can hear his response. If we are transformed by God’s Spirit and have a strong spiritual core, we will shine a bright, holy light in the midst of darkness.

We are sanctified so that Christ can send us into the world to share the Gospel. Believers are to be united in the common belief of the truth of God’s Word. This unity in Christ is accomplished through God’s Word. It keeps us from evil. Our presence in the world blesses the world and protects fellow believers from evil. When we receive God’s Word and accept it, we glorify God.

Jesus sanctified himself for believers by presenting himself as a perfect sacrifice. He was the perfect sacrifice for us as well. He has the same concerns for us today that he did for his disciples. He sends us out into the world today in the power of the Holy Spirit to reveal his love and salvation wherever we go. We are to do this in spite of the challenges posed by our modern culture.

The disciples belonged to God the Father, and so do we. The origin of discipleship was in God’s heart. The operation of discipleship is through Jesus. The obligation of discipleship is obedience to the written word of God. The way a person regards the Bible is the way he/she regards Christ, the living Word.

Sanctification means that we must submit to God’s will for our lives. Submission to God is a key part of Jesus’ priestly prayer. It does not mean a loss of freedom. It means freedom from the bondage of sin and our own desires. It involves separating ourselves from evil influences and following the morals Jesus has given us. This sanctification is necessary because although Jesus defeated the devil on the cross, Satan is still loose in the world and conducting his campaign. We can’t be a disciple of Jesus without submitting to him in every area of our lives. Submission to Jesus is a life of liberty like we have never known before. Submission to God does not mean that we lose our identities. It is a sweet surrender to God. It gives us a purpose. When we die to our earthly lives, we live for Christ. Happiness depends on happenings in our lives, but joy depends on Jesus. Submission leads to happiness and joy. It mends our wounded souls.

When we submit to God’s will, he does not expect perfection from us in return. As long as we try our best to determine what God wants us to do in our lives, he will love us. Even though we live in a chaotic world where it’s hard for us to make sense of what’s going on and where there are too many things competing for our attention, we must remember that God’s love and our own call to love have to take priority. As long as we remember these two things, we will be living in the world but we will be part of what God wants for this world.

Bibliography

• ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 10 Bible software package.

• Frederikson, R.L. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol.27: John (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1985)

• MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, NASV (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)

• Dr. David Jeremiah, “Not of the World.” Retrieved from turningpoint@davidjeremiah.org

• Jeremiah, Dr. David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013)

• Michael Milton, “Four Myths about Submission in the Christian Life.” Retrieved from www.preaching.com

• Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, 7^th Sunday of Easter (B).” Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org

• Pastor McGee, “Set Apart.” Retrieved from www.crossthebridge.com

• Christine Caine, “Not of this World.” Retrieved from Biblegateway@e.biblegateway.com

• James Boyce, “Commentary on John 17:6-19.” Retrieved from http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=1292

• David Lose, “The Other Lord’s Prayer.” Retrieved from http://www.workingpreacher.org/craft.aspx?post=1492

• Peter Lockhart, “Sent Into the World.” Retrieved from http://revplockhart.blogspot.com.au/2012/05/sent-into-world.html

• The Rev. Thomas Brackett, “The Prayer That Won’t Let Me Go.” Retrieved from www.day1.org/3821_the_prayer_that_wont_let_me_go.print

• Dr. James Howell, “In but Not of the World.” Retrieved from http://www.day1.org/1256-in_but_not_of_the_world.print

• Fr. John Boll, O.P., “Volume 2: Ascension May 17, 2015”. Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org