The Holy Spirit part 3

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Holy Spirit

(Part 3)

Good Morning – So glad we are all here  

In a series called The Holy Spirit Promise

• We are starting to series focusing on who the Spirit is
  • Xians from the early church (us) believe in what we call trinity
  • Father/Son/Holy Spirit
  • This is One God – But in 3 persons

– When it comes to all 3 – There’s a huge imbalance in conception

o Most of us get God the Father

§ He’s God

§ He’s in Heaven

§ He is known throughout OT – into the NT

o Most of us get God the Son

§ Jesus – Came to Earth

§ In the flesh/blood

§ We have tons of stories about what He’s like

 

o When it comes to the Spirit

§ For many – Just a blank spot in how we think about God

§ So we just move on

§ Figure its not important

• Which is crazy b/c it’s GOD

– Crucial that we embrace all of God… not just 2/3rds of God o I am not ok with the church ignoring the Spirit anymore o Thus – we are doing this series

o Hopefully it becomes part of who we are

– First week – Talked about the person of God (Foundation to build)

o Many people think of Spirit as a force

o Spirit isn’t a force – but a living being we r in relationship with

– Last week – Talked about the power of God

o Jesus does miracles not because He is God – Emptied himself

o But he did them by the power of the Holy Spirit

o Means Jesus is a template for all followers to model after

§ So many of us write of what Jesus did as God

§ But the same power on Him is on You/Me

– This week – Idea of Spirit as God’s Presence

o Or in other words – The Spirit as “GOD WITH US”

o So important for us to understand the presence of God

[Pray]

When we look at the Story of the Bible  

Scriptures begin/end with a picture of God w/ His people

Gen 3:8

Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was

walking in the garden in the cool of the day…

– Beginning of Genesis God is with His people (Garden of Eden)

o Not really even sure what that means

o We do know there was no barrier b/w God and Human

o All access – Full intimacy with God

– Then at the End of Revelation we see the same thing

Rev 21:3

Look! God’s dwelling place (tabernacle) is now among the people and he will dwell with them. They will be his people and God himself will be with them and be their God.

– Rev 21&22 – John’s see’s in the future a reunion of Heaven/Earth

o John sees a day where Heaven & Earth are no longer set apart

o But instead are going to be one in the same

So in Beginning: Human w/ God – At the End: Human w/ God

– The problem is the middle – And it happens right away (Gen. 3)

o Adam and Eve sin in rebellion against God’s presence

o Essentially saying “No we don’t want it”

o In that they r shut out of the Garden of Eden and God’s presence

 

– This is a weird thing to say b/c God is God (Everywhere)

o But at the same time Gods “Nearness” – Manifest Presence

§ Idea that you know God is in the room

§ You can feel it – Know it in your bones

 

o Now God’s Nearness is the exception not the rule

§ People are now born at a distance from God

§ Not born into Garden of past

§ Not born into the New Heaven/Earth of future

After Gen. 3 – Story of Bible becomes all about ONE THING above all else

– God’s unstoppable, relentless desire to be with His people

o Take a few minutes to follow this arc through the Bible

Mt. Sinai/Tabernacle/Temple/Exile/Jesus/Church/Body

First we start off with: Mt. Sinai

Ex. 19:9

The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you…

 

Ex. 19:16-20

On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was covered with smoke because the LORD descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently. As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him. The Lord descended to the top of Mount Sinai…

– At Mt Sinai: God comes to His people in cloud of fire/smoke/thunder

o It’s terrifying – Moses only one w/ guts to approach the mountain

§ Everyone else is scared to death

§ This is how intense God’s presence was

– So God’s presence descends first upon a mountain

Not much later we read about the: Tabernacle

Ex. 25:8

Then let them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. Make

this tabernacle & all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you.

– Big deal b/c in ancient world the gods were located in time/space

o So your god was of/in the trees or ocean or sky or earth

o But THIS GOD (one true creator God) is God over everything

o So He is mobile – He wants a tent to go camping with his people

§ Actually it’s a super nice tent – Glamping

– Most of the rest of Exodus in how they were to build this tent

Ex. 40:34-38 (End of the Book)

Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting (now this cloud isn’t on the mountain, it’s on the tent in the middle of the camp), and the glory of the LORD

– Glory: This is the weightiness of God – His presence and beauty

filled the tabernacle. Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because

the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out – until the day it lifted. So the cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites during all their travels.

TAG: So God’s glory is 1: Mountain 2: Tabernacle

 

And the story continues in 1 Kings: Temple (point to madness – promise)

– Fast forward few 100 years – God’s people no longer in the desert

o They live in a permanent place – Capitol city is Jerusalem

o Brand new temple (Tabernacle but way nicer & permanent)

§ 1 Kings 8 is opening ceremony for the temple

1 Kings 8:10-12

When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place (middle of temple), the cloud (3rd place we’ve seen the cloud – mountain > tabernacle > temple) filled the temple of the LORD. And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled his temple. Then Solomon said, “The LORD has said that he would dwell in a dark cloud, I have indeed built a magnificent temple for you, a place for you to dwell forever.

– In the story of God’s people this is the high point

o Entire nation is there in their capital

o Everyone gathered around to cut the ribbon

– But even here only select few could experience the presence of God

o You could stand outside and see the cloud – Couldn’t go in

o Only 1 man could go into where the cloud settled

o This would only happen once a year (Yom Kupur)

– So its not like everyone could experience God’s presence

o They were outside looking in

o Observing from a distance the presence of God

o Not actually in it

Tag: Era short lived – People reject God – Captivity/temple destroyed

God’s people are captured – Exiled from the land of God

Ez. 10:18-19 (Here things get very interesting)

Then the glory of the LORD departed from over the threshold of the temple and stopped above the cherubim (angels). While I watched, the cherubim spread their wings and rose from the ground, and as they went, the wheels went with them. They stopped at the east gate of the LORD’s house, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them.

– Notice: Everything read so far is of God’s presence coming to a place

o Here we see God’s presence leaving

• Literally out the east gate o From here on out God is nowhere to be found

– Prophets start to speak of future day God would return to His people

o Here is one example (pretty strange one)

o Prophet has a vision of valley of skeleton bones – God’s people

Ez. 37:11-14

Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel, They

say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone, we are cut off.’ (God no longer with us) Therefore prophesy and say to them: This is what the Sovereign LORD says: My people, I am going to open your graces and bring you up from them, I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you , my people will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring

you up from them. I will put my (Ruach) SPIRIT in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.

Ez. 37:27

My dwelling place will be with them, I will be their God and they will be my people. (This is the point and purpose of God throughout the story) Then the nations will know that I the LORD make Israel holy, when my sanctuary

– What God is saying – Not only will God’s people come back to land

o But God himself will come back to His people

o And when he does… it will be on a whole different level

§ Because He will put his Spirit in His people

– Remember from what we’ve studied

o At this point God’s Spirit wasn’t in all His people like today

o God’s Spirit was only on a prophet/priest/king

o But here it says one day down the road that will all change

§ God will again enter the temple

§ God’s Spirit will enter His people

TAG: This is basically how the OT ends… epic cliff hanger: Jump to Jesus

Context – In between Ezekiel and Jesus is about 400 years

– In this time the temple is actually rebuild by king named Herod

o Beautiful building (one of wonders of ancient world)

o But there is ZERO record of God’s presence ever back in temple

– So 1st century Jews living back in Jerusalem

o But the temple is empty of God’s glory/presence

o Everyone was still waiting for prophecy’s to come true

o AND God does come back to temple – In a way no one expected

Jn. 1:14

The Word became flesh and made HIS DWELLING among us.

– Dwelling: Skin-uhoh – Where we get the word tabernacle/temple

We have seen his GLORY, the glory of the one and only Son, who came

from the Father, full of grace and truth.

So Jesus is now the tabernacle/temple – Filled w/ the Glory of God

– One of the reason Jesus gets in trouble (Well… He was feisty)

o Does stuff we read as normal – Back then: No way outside temple

§ Like: Oh you are a sinner – Repent and you’re forgiven

§ This was against the Torah (Law)

o If u wanted God’s mercy – Had to go to temple & sacrifice

§ Priest had to through the system tell you it was forgiven

• Here comes Jesus

• No temple or sacrifice or priest

• You repent right now… okay “I forgive you”

o Then the reason Jesus is finally arrested

§ Stands up infront of temple: Destroy it & I’ll rebuild in 3 days

• Everyone confused as looked at temple behind him

• We know he wasn’t talking about the empty temple

• He was talking about the temple of Himself

 

– Jesus is claiming that He is a temple replacement

o All the stuff (sacrificial system/temple/priesthood) – Good but…

o We don’t need it anymore because now we have Jesus

o Jesus is now the temple – Place God is found

Almost done with this part – Gets even crazier: CHURCH

– Few weeks after Jesus death and resurrection

o Jesus now in heaven with Father

o Followers in Jerusalem waiting 4 what prophet/Jesus said coming

o Waiting for the Holy Spirit

 

Acts 2:1-4

When he day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire (imagery from OT – No time right now) that separated and came to rest on each of them. ALL OF THEM were filled with he Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the spirit enabled them.

– All of THEM – Not just a few – Not just the temple or on a mountain

o This has never happened in the history of the world to this point

o They were all filled with the Holy Spirit

o Because of that… Look where H.S. is now (last few stops quick)

1 Cor 3:16-17

Don’t you know that you yourselves (plural – community) are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst (talking to the church body)? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person, for God’s temple is sacred, and YOU TOGETHER are that temple.

 

– SO there is still a temple… just not made of brick and mortar

o Lucky to have a building to meet in

o But this is not the sanctuary

o You are the sanctuary – You are God’s dwelling place together

– When we come together: More than just teaching/singing/say hi

o It’s a place where God is

o It’s the main reason we really believe in Sunday morning church

– Something happens when God’s people come together

o Scriptures are opened

o Corporate worship as one voice

o Communion/giving/prayer

§ It’s all done in unity and agreement

§ That is where the Spirit is

Then to end this journey – it goes even one step further: Body

1 Cor 6:18-19

Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside

the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.

 

– In context Corinth was a pretty nasty place

o You would go to the temple to meet w/ a god through prostitute

o Paul saying this is not where God is

o This is not what your body is for

 

– God is already in you – By doing what you are doing

o You are destroying the temple of God

 

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you (this is now singular), whom you have received from God? You are not your own, you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

 

– So now as the Holy Spirit has finally at long last come

o Not only is the Church body the temple of God

o You yourself are the temple of God

o You are the place where God is

RECAP

Story of the Bible – God’s plan to bring his presence back to mankind

1. Garden of Eden – We are in the presence of God – But we sin/reject

a. God’s plan is to reunite with us at all costs

2. Mt. Sinai – God’s presence is on the Mountain (Glory, Fire, Wind)

3. Tabernacle – God’s presence is right in the middle of the camp

a. God has moved closer to His people

 

4. Temple – Right in the middle of the capital city

 

5. Exile – God goes away for awhile

6. Jesus – God comes back in an amazing way as Jesus of Nazareth

a. Only after this and Jesus death/resurrection

b. The Spirit can now enter His people

 

7. Church – Together Paul tells us the Church is His temple

a. And even better your body itself is now the temple of God

b. And the Holy Spirit dwells in you

 

8. Now we wait for the day – When Spirit is not only over us

a. But when the Spirit of God dwells over every inch of cosmos

Here’s the point – If God did all this to be with us

We should walk in the confidence – He won’t let anything stand b/w us

– That is how much He loves you

o And He wants you to know that He is always with you

o How He is with you is by His Spirit

 

– We think well Jesus is with me too (True)

o But technically Jesus is in a body in heaven at right hand of God

o It is His Spirit that is with us

 

– And nothing can steal that away from you

o Just please pursue knowing/growing in/talking to the H.S.

o And know He is always there for you

Question might ask – What stopped Spirit from dwelling in us b4 Jesus

– Answer is sin – Which is no longer a barrier

o Most of us know that… But we don’t live like that

o Before Jesus defeated sin you couldn’t be his temple

§ Even if you wanted to

§ The Spirit could come over you (oil) – Only for moments

§ He could not dwell in you

 

o But everything changed when Jesus defeated sin

1 Jn 2:2

He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the

sins of the whole world.

– Now the Spirit of God can enter anyone – Sin is defeated

o But He will only come through invitation

o Separation no longer a sin issue (atoned sins of the world)

o It is now a choice issue – It’s now about relationship

Matt 7:21-23

Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord” will enter the kingdom of

heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

 

– What have we seen is will (desire, plan) of God throughout history

o This isn’t talking about works

o This is talking about relationship – To be w/ His people

§ Makes more sense as he completes his thought

Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord did we not prophesy in your

name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles (works)? Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you (Relationship talk). Away from me, you evildoers!”

 

– What is the doing of evil/Lawlessness – Works?

o No he just very plainly said this no about what you do/don’t do

o It’s the rejection of relationship – “I never knew you”

God’s whole plan so u could live in relationship w/ Him

That is done thru the presence of the Holy Spirit – THIS IS HOW TO LIVE

– You can live in the confidence that God is with you

o He is your strength when you are weak

o He is your comfort in times of chaos

o He is your help when you want to give up

– Living in the Presence of the Holy Spirit is everything you need

o We just have to constantly be reminded of it

o We just have to continually sing of it

o We just have to always have Him on our minds

§ In prayer

§ In meditation

§ In how look at the world

– There is more of the Holy Spirit in you than you would ever need

o He isn’t rationed out to you

Titus 3:6

God poured out the Holy Spirit abundantly on us through Jesus Christ our Savior

 

Your life will be lived in fullness only as you live in his presence

Rom 8:6

The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the

Spirit is life and peace.

 

– Live in the confidence that you have invited Him in

o Grow in that relationship – Everyday in His presence

o Let the power of the Spirit grow in you – as relationship grows

[PRAY]