September 30, 2013 Sunday Sermon - The Work of the Holy Spirit

This Sunday we continued to look at what Jesus said about our relationship to the world as recorded in John 16.  Remember by “world” the scriptures mean that system of organized society that is hostile to God and Jesus’ followers.  

In past weeks we have seen that in our relationship to the world...

• We are to be witnesses
• We are to be forewarned and therefore properly prepared
• We are to remember our time here is temporary

This week we looked at the work of the Holy Spirit concerning our relationship to this world. In John 16 we learn that the Holy Spirit:

• Has come as our Advocate and Comforter as Jesus promised - we are not alone
• Is convicting the world concerning sin, righteousness and judgement - thereby empowering the Gospel and enabling our witness
• Guided the Apostles into all truth and declared to them things that were yet to come, leaving us with a trustworthy record of all Jesus taught and everything we need to know to live lives worthy of our calling     
• Glorifies Jesus

We looked at what it means to be a witness and discovered it is more than any evangelism program or tract or simple formula. It really means bearing witness by the life we live, even unto death.  To be a faithful witness we need to say yes to scripture exhortations like the Apostle Paul’s in Romans 12:1-2:

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. 

We need to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit (Parakletos - Helper, Comforter, Advocate) if we are to live the kind of lives God desires from us and to be effective witnesses for Christ.  Eph 5:18:  And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,...

Our question this week is:  How aware are we of the Helper working in our lives?  Do those who observe my life see Christlikeness?  If not, meditating on Paul’s exhortations above from Romans and Ephesians would be a great place to start!