Sunday, October 4, 2015

Something’s Missing


Acts 19:1-7 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?” “John’s baptism,” they replied. Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. 

Pastor Rick continued on our Sunday Sermon series through the book of Acts last week and stated that each challenge that we face is conquered through the gospel of Jesus Christ because the Holy Spirit, sent by the Lord to indwell the Believer, brings physical, spiritual and eternal life to the situation. Be filled and feel the power of God. Approximately 80% of Americans profess to be Christians in this Christian nation, yet many of the minority non-Christian 20% put themselves into positions to silencing God and persecuting Christians. Who are we disciples (learners/followers) of? Do not surrender to them; surrender your life to Jesus, the Savior and find victory in Christ. We know that we are sinners and need to turn from our sin; repenting and following the Lord, our God, being baptized in Jesus.

Colossians 1:26-27 “The mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

The disciples believed, but believed in what? John 3:16 tells us “that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Believers in Jesus Christ receive a salvation and a regenerated spirit, but also have a personal relationship with the Lord beyond an intellectual experience. The disciple walks with the Holy Spirit inside and worships the person of Jesus Christ; not the idea or the title. Disciples are baptized into what? Baptism is an outward express of an inward desire to follow the Lord. It’s an act of repentance in a public proclamation because of the hope in Jesus – one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. Baptism is truly a matter of the heart. In Acts 2:38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 8:9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.”
  
Let’s make this clear: If you are in Christ, you have the Holy Spirit, but if you are not in Christ, you do not have the Holy Spirit and if you do not have the Holy Spirit, you do not have Christ. If you are not worried about your friends, family members and acquaintances; you should be. John 3:35-36 tells us: “The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.” And 1 John 5:9-12 explains further: “We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” Take our distracted eyes off of other things and focus on Jesus.


This side of eternity with the Lord in the Kingdom of Heaven, we are engaged in a spiritual battle; not against flesh and blood, but against evil; the darkness of sin and unbelief against the Light of God and the Lord’s sovereign Word, Will and Way. Do not live like something’s missing. Be on mission for Christ; not going through the motions, but truly going and knowing and doing for the Lord, equipped with the fullness of God in righteousness, obedient to God’s called for us. This is our Heavenly Father’s world and we are His. Now live like it. 


In Christ, Brian - on my notes from Pastor Rick's  sermon

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