Sermon Theme
It is something that is a hot topic… in fact has been for a long time When the Labour Government came to power in Australia in May of 2022, one of the big election promises was to reduce the yearly domestic power bill, year on year, by $275 At the heart of this promise was the hot topic about ENERGY, or POWER.
Today with the war against Iran beginning its 3rd week, ENERGY is again a VERY hot topic This time it is fuel prices that have people’s focus as prices rise upwards of 50c/lt
A BIG misconception many have of the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God is a ‘POWER’ or an ‘ENERGY” source. The Spirit is sometimes conceived of almost like a superpower Christians invoke when they are in need of help or an emotional lift. Rather than a person, He is seen as an impersonal force. This essentially commodifies God, in much the same way we are prone to commodify our neighbours. We tend to value those in helping roles only for the help they offer, and the same can be true of the way we think of the Spirit. We conceive of Him as a button to push for service, rather than as a person to love and worship”. (Adam Schoenmaker – Oasis Church, Bray Park Qld)
So here is the BIG QUESTION we focus on today While we think so much about God the Father, and Christ His Son.. what place do we give to the Holy Spirit?
Sermon outline
- THE PERSON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
- HIS PRESENCE WITHIN US
- HIS WORK THROUGH US
Readings reproduced on this page:
The Holy Bible: New International Version. 1996, 1984. Grand Rapids: Zondervan
Sermon Outline
Readings
Heidelberg Catechism LD 20
53 Q. What do you believe concerning "the Holy Spirit"?
A First, He, as well as the Father and the Son, is eternal God.
Second, He has been given to me personally, so that, by true faith, He makes me share in Christ and all His blessings,
comforts me, and remains with me forever.
John 14:16–26 (NIV84)
16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—
17the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
18I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
19Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.
20On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.
21Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.”
22Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”
23Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
24He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
25“All this I have spoken while still with you.
26But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
Text
John 14:16-17 (NIV84)
16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—
17the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
