Transformation, Empowerment

3. TRANSFORMATION The need for character and integrity that reflects our status as citizens of God’s Kingdom and is molded by the Holy Spirit

Lifestyle for a New Covenant Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount  Treats the pinnacle of Old Testament morality as a mere baseline from which to start New Testament letters  Fruit of the Spirit (Galatian s 5:22-23) “since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” 1 John 4:11

The character of leadership in the Pastoral letters Those entrusted with leadership need to be markedly different from the surrounding society  1 Timothy 3:1-13  Titus 1:5-9 “The grace of God …teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.” Titus 2:11-12

Not pharisaic endeavor, but Holy Spirit heart-surgery “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.” Ezekiel 36:26-27  A new spiritual ‘DNA’ that renews our desire and gives us the ability to live in a manner that pleases our heavenly Father

The scandal of unsanctified leadership  Sharp words, a critical spirit, moral inconsistency and a general lack of grace can undermine our credentials  Hypocrisy and a lack of integrity provide people with an excuse to ignore Jesus himself  Trust is destroyed and relationships undermined by unsanctified leadership

4. EMPOWERMENT The need to be receiving the power of the Holy Spirit to be witnesses for Jesus

Jesus’ promise to his followers On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptised with water, but in a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.” “…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:4,5,8

Jesus and the Holy Spirit The Spirit at work in Jesus’ own life…  Conception – Luke 1:35  Childhood – Luke 2:47  Character – Hebrews 5:8 Jesus “learned obedience,” was “made perfect” and was “holy, blameless and pure.” Hebrews 5:8,9; 7:26

Jesus and the Holy Spirit Incarnation – relinquished the privileges of divinity  Authentic human – Philippians 2:6-11 Baptism – received the empowering of the Spirit John the Baptist “saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him.” John 1:32

A consistent pattern in the Old Testament The Spirit came upon a person, who then engaged in some form of dynamic activity  Samson, Othniel, Gideon, Saul, Jehaziel  Prophets “prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” 2 Peter 1:21

The essential equipping – for Jesus and for us …he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptised with water, but in a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.” “…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses...” Acts 1:4,5,8

Baptized with the Holy Spirit  Sadly shrouded in controversy, but this is Jesus’ own vocabulary.  No one spiritual gift is ‘evidence’ of having been baptized with the Spirit.  The only Biblical evidence is that we become a more effective witness to Jesus.

R.A.Torrey’s story I had been a minister for some years before I came to the place where I saw that I had no right to preach until I was definitely baptized with the Holy Ghost. I went to a business friend of mine and said to him in private, “I am never going to enter my pulpit again until I have been baptized with the Holy Spirit and know it, or until God in some way tells me to go.” Then just as far as I could, I shut myself up alone in my study and spent the time continually on my knees asking God to baptize me with the Holy Spirit….

It was a very quiet moment, one of the most quiet moments I ever knew; indeed, I think one reason I had to wait so long was because it took that long before my soul could get quiet before God. Then God simply said to me, not in any audible voice, but in my heart, ‘It’s yours. Now go and preach.’ I went and preached, and I have been a new minister from that day to this.” R. A. Torrey, The Holy Spirit: Who He Is and What He Does

 Not a particular emotional experience  Not any specific spiritual gift  But a genuine change in spiritual reality which begins a new era in his ministry  A shift from human effort to divine energy

AN URGENT NEED

Can we give a clear ‘Yes’ to all four questions…?  Have I been born again?  Am I growing in both intellectual and personal knowledge God the Father Son and Holy Spirit?  Is Christ being formed in me?  Have I been baptized with the Holy Spirit?