The Apostle Paul calls us Jars of Clay (2 Corinthians 4:7). As followers of Jesus we must allow the Word of God to fill us with it's message of Truth and Grace. In this way, we become a "vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work" (2 Timothy 2:21).

Monday, December 12, 2016

The Helper - December 11, 2016 sermon






By Pastor Greg

          A man was in his usual place in the room, sitting at the table and reading the paper after breakfast.  He came across an article about a beautiful actress who was about to marry a football player.  The player was known primarily for his lack of IQ, common sense, and good looks.  He turned to his wife: "You know, I'll never understand why the biggest, ugliest jerks always get the most attractive wives."  His wife replied, "Why thank you, dear!"
Ouch.  The truth really hurts sometimes.  But hey, someone needs to say it.
In this whole dialog with His Apostles, Jesus says lives must be changed in this wicked, hostile world, and it is up to the Church to make that happen.  Sure, people are not going to like what they hear, but someone needs to speak up on behalf of Jesus.  Jesus even warned His apostles that the world will hate them simply because they represent Jesus … which will make sharing the message of Jesus even harder (That message, by the way, involves conviction and repentance; two words the world does not like to hear).  However, rather than expect us to do this on our own, Jesus promised to send some help.
(John 16:5-15) But now I am going to Him who sent Me; and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’  6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.  7But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.  8And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; 9concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; 11and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.  12I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.  13But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.  14He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.  15All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you”.
To accomplish this seemingly impossible task of speaking His Truth to the word, Jesus says He will send the Helper.  He is talking about God’s Holy Spirit.  And isn’t it a bit odd that Jesus would use the word HelperHelper implies that the Church is responsible for telling the truth while the Spirit gives guidance and direction.  Shouldn’t it be the other way around?  It just seems natural that the Spirit would do the work, and the Church would assist.  Yet Jesus seems to imply that the Spirit would move and work in the hearts of the apostles, guiding and helping them.  Apparently, many Christians misunderstand how the Holy Spirit operates in this world.
Often, someone will pray “Lord, send Your Spirit to bring a revival.”  Or perhaps a Christian will ask the Spirit to touch the heart of a neighbor.  We want the Spirit to speak to the lost.  I’ve heard many pastors pray for revival in their community – as if the Spirit will move throughout the town leading people to the Lord.  Don’t we do this?  Don’t we want the Spirit to go through the pews in a church, seeking out the unsaved, and win them for Christ?
Just as Jesus came in bodily form to minister on earth, the Holy Spirt needs a body to accomplish His ministry; His body is the Church.  We are the tools through which the Spirit works.  The Holy Spirit empowers us to do the work of God.  For example, He, the Spirit, guided and empowered Peter to preach at Pentecost (Acts 2:14-36), which, by the way, was a very confrontational message (see Acts 2:37-38).  The Spirit does the same today.  So, if we, the Church, want revival, we are the ones who must get to work.  If we want a neighbor to come to Christ, we must be the ones to talk with them.  The Spirit works through us.  Revival will not happen unless we do something to make it happen.
However, in today’s text, did you notice what the Spirit will help us do?  Working through the Church, the Spirit will convict the world, reveal God’s righteousness to the world (and consequently show the world how sinful it is), and warn the world of God’s coming judgment against sin.  Oh yeah, that will make the Church popular.  People are going to flock to the Church.
Why is this part of God’s plan?  I mean, I’ve always heard that you catch more flies with sugar than with vinegar.  Why not preach a message of love and tolerance?  Why doesn’t the Spirit comfort the world and make the world happy?  It’s because God’s plan is redemption, not happiness.  God is not looking to make the people of this world happy; He is looking to make them holy.  And holiness does not happen when we are told just what we want to hear. 
Yes, the Spirit does comfort those who already believe.  A Christian does find love and acceptance from God through the working of the Spirit.  But in matters of sin and salvation, the Spirit’s primary role is to reveal the truth.  Sure, the truth hurts, but it does help.  The truth refines and transforms.
Yes, it’s true; the Spirit will help a Christian become more loving and patient and kind.  This is the “Fruit” the Spirit produces in us.  But when it comes to the people of this world, the Spirit, working through Christians, convicts a person’s sin, reveals a person’s sin, and warns that God will one day judge that sin. 
          Just as He did through Peter and Paul, the Spirit is looking for submitted and surrendered Christians today who will allow Him to guide and direct them.  He is looking for believers who are willing to speak the truth – speak God’s truth, not some modern-day, watered-down, feel-good message of tolerance. 
          It irks me when some Christians want the Church to become more like the world.  It irks me when misinformed Christians claim the Spirit is speaking new things to the Church today.  That’s a lie.  The Spirit will not speak on His own initiative (16:13).  He will not contradict what God has already said.  So, if we want to bear fruit, as Jesus has commanded, then we must be focused on helping people become holy, and not focused on popularity.
The bottom line is this: The Church needs to stop telling the world just what it wants to hear, and instead tell the truth.

It’s what the Holy Spirit will help us do.

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