Making Room for the Holy Spirit

Making Room for the Holy Spirit

Illustration: Years ago my wife and I visited a California mountain town. One small restaurant directed us to park in back. Only, when we drove around back, it was just a lot of trees. People had parked around the trees, but no real effort had been made to make the area car ready. It makes sense, because it was a mountain town! They didn’t want to cut down their trees for a parking lot. That would have been a little radical. In our own lives, if we are going to welcome the Holy Spirit’s working, we are going to have to plan how to make room for Him. What things need to be cut out? What things need to be brought in?

Background: Acts 6, Stephen is a man full of “grace and Power” who confounds the local Jews with his ability to defend the Gospel. They accuse him falsely, but he uses his trial as a brilliant opportunity o share the Gospel. In Acts 6:10, unable to “withstand the wisdom and the Spirit” hew as preaching with, they become enraged.

In chapter 7, Stephen calls them, “Stiff necked” and says their hearts are “uncircumcised.” (Acts 7:51) He is bluntly calling these Jews – Gentiles! They are outside the covenant of Abraham and Jesus. They are not true children of Israel. In response, they stone him.

Acts 8:1 is important, because Luke tells ust hat Saul “approved” of Stephen’s execution. That day, Luke says that “great” persecution broke out against the Church in Jerusalem. Saul personally went from house to house and had people thrown in prison.

The result of Saul’s actions was that people had to scatter. But as they went, they shared Jesus!

One of the people who appears to have lived in Jerusalem, but had to run, was a man named Philip. He is later called the “Evangelist.” Earlier in Acts 6, Luke had noted that he was Full of the Holy Spirit. Acts 21 notes that he has four daughters who prophecy.

Philip, on the run form Saul, went to Samaria. This is an area Jews often avoided because of conflict and racism. When Philip went, he preached Jesus and got an amazing response. (Acts 8:6-8)

There was a magician there named “Simon.” He actually doesn’t have any powers of his own, but calls on demons and spirits to aid him in duping people. He claims to believe Philip’s message and is baptized.

When the church at Jerusalem heard that Samaritans were getting saved, they sent the dream team (Peter and John) to check things out! These two Apostles are strong leaders from Jesus’ core group. They both saw the empty tomb together, and just a little earlier had healed a cripple beggar. When the Apostles come, they lay their hands on the people and the Holy Spirit is given.

Why is the Spirit given at the laying on the Apostles hands and not Salvation? Int his instance, I think it is because the Gospel is opening up to a new People Group. So all three groups the Gospel is opened to must have Apostolic connections (Jews, Samaritans, Gentiles.) Jesus had told Peter he would give him the “keys” to the Kingdom. I think that is the preaching of the Gospel, opening the door for new people groups to come to Salvation.

The giving of the Spirit causes Simon to realize there is a problem: People are not going to follow him if they already have a stronger spirit. So he has an idea, maybe he could buy the Holy Spirit!

Terrible Situation: No Room For The Holy Spirit.

• Acts 8:20, Peter tells Simon that both he and his money are going to hell.
• Acts 8:21, Peter makes it clear that Simon has no part in the ministry. Because his heart is not right with God.
• Acts 8:22, Peter demands Simon repent.
• Acts 833 is a striking statement. “I see you are in gall of bitterness.” That is an awkward term. My brother in law nicely put it, “Peter is being more crass than translators are comfortable making it.” Gall is what the body produces – waste. He tells this magician he’s full of – waste – (get it?). “Peter here is being a fisherman!”

Observations: People Who Make Room for the Holy Spirit:

1. Run from (Acts 8:22)

2. Give Great Attention to (Acts 8:35)

• Philip knew the Scriptures well enough to explain the context and then the application to Jesus.
• How did Philip know all that? He had spent time studying.
• Observation, the more you study Scripture, the more you see Jesus!

3. Trust God to use every

• An angels sends Philip toward Gaza. He goes to the “desert road” and sees a Eunuch in a chariot.
• Acts 8:29, the Spirit tells him to go over to the chariot. Does the Holy Spirit still do that? I think what Philip heard was the sure voice in his heart that we all do when the Spirit speaks.
• Acts 8:30, he runs with passion! That he “hears” the man reading is not unusual. Back then most people read out loud. The idea of “silent reading” was uncommon.
• After the man is baptized, Philip is carried away! (Acts 8:39.) The Spirit of the Lord “harpatzo” (snatched) him up. That’s the same word Paul used for the Coming of Christ and the gathering of the saints. We are “snatched up.”
• FF Bruce notes that Philip’s being carried away is a mirror of the Elijah story. God speaks through Elijah, then carries him off in a whirlwind. Elijah ended up in heaven, Philip was transported on up the road to an old Philistine city.
• God put you where you are for a reason. Philip could have been frustrated! God sent him in a big circle. But instead, everywhere he goes, he just speaks Jesus!

4. Forgive Wounds

• Philip is picked up and taken to “Aztoz” which is a little town by New Testament times. It had been the Philistine city of Ashdod. Interesting, the Ark was taken there and the god Dagon fell before the ark. Here the Gospel comes, and men fall before it.
• He ends up in Caesarea, which is a big port city. He seems to set up residence with his four daughters in this town. He is living here because of the earlier persecution, he lost his house, his friends, his church, his job, his money. Specifically, he lost these things because of Paul’s attack on the church.
• Now, this is interesting. Acts 21:8, Luke says that he and Paul came to Caesarea, and who did they stay with? Philip the evangelist! It’s so startling, Luke even notes that he was “one of the seven” to make clear this is the same Philip who had to go on the run earlier. This is so gracious. Philip could have held a grudge, but instead he welcomes Paul into his home! He lost his last home – because of Paul! Now he has Paul not only come over for a frozen lasagna and some forced fellowship; he brings him into his home for a long time! (Acts 21:10)
• Gracious people forgive offenses kindly.
• Forgiveness lets you see the rest of the story!
• The result of people knowing Jesus is joy. (Acts 8:8, Acts 8:39)