Next week is Pentecost when we
remember and celebrate the person of the Holy Spirit coming upon the first
disciples to empower and equip them to carry on Jesus’ work.
I say person, because the Holy Spirit
is a person. He is the third person of the Trinity.
He is referred to in scripture as the
Spirit of God or the Spirit of Jesus and as I hope we’ll see this morning he
has an absolutely vital role to play in our lives and in the church.
Today’s reading from Acts recounts
what happens immediately before Pentecost. We have an account of the final
conversation between the risen Lord Jesus and his disciples before he returned
to his father in heaven.
And what I find really surprising
about this conversation is that Jesus’s disciples still don’t understand the
nature of the kingdom that he wants them to play a part in establishing.
If you look at verse 6 they ask Jesus
– “Lord is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel.”
They were still expecting Jesus as
the Messiah to establish an earthly kingdom – rather than a heavenly one.
They were still expecting him to
overthrow the Romans and restore a time of blessing and prosperity to the
Jewish nation such as they had experienced under king David.
Their understanding of Jesus and his
intention to build his church was extremely limited.
And we see this limited understanding
of the church – what is was and who it was for - continue in the early chapters
of Acts.
For instance, it was a tremendous
surprise to Peter and the early Jewish Christians when Gentiles started to
receive the Holy Spirit and become Christians too.
This is perhaps not altogether surprising
because as Paul says in his letter to the Colossians, the creation of the
church was a mystery that was kept hidden from previous generations by God.
We can understand the concept of the
church because it is revealed in the New Testament – but the early disciples only
had the Old Testament to go on.
Their thinking, which was based on
the law of Moses and the prophets – needed to change, and their minds needed to
be transformed and renewed, because God was doing a new thing.
And so, the coming of the Holy Spirit
at Pentecost was vital for a number of reasons.
It was to empower and to equip the disciples
to share the gospel and build the church – but it was also to change their
understanding of the purposes of God and their thinking.
To give them a completely new outlook
on life and the people around them, particularly Gentiles.
As Jesus said – “when the Spirit of
truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth.”
And of course, this is what the Holy
Spirit wants to do for us if we will allow him.
Before we become Christians we too
have very little understanding of the church as the body of Christ, or the
nature of Jesus’ kingdom.
But when we become Christians our
view of life and the world around us starts to change.
As we read and submit our minds to
God’s word – to the bible – the Holy Spirit gives us insight and starts to
change our view of life and the world around us.
As Paul says in his second letter to
the Corinthians – “So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of
view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.”
The Holy Spirit helps us to start to
see life and the world around us from God’s perspective. And he helps us to understand
the nature of God’s kingdom and the part we can play in extending it.
And then as we start to understand these
things, he wants to empower and equip us to play our role in building the church.
He wants to enable us to be witnesses
as Jesus puts it in verse 8, people who experience the new life that Jesus came
to bring and then seek to share it with others.
So, when the Holy Spirit comes – yes
he brings power – but he also brings understanding and purpose. And the power
that he imparts to us is specifically to enable us to carry out the purpose he
has for us.
The purpose that we have as
Christians is twofold. It is both corporate as members of the body of Christ –
and individual – our own specific God given calling.
Our corporate purpose as Christians is
to build God’s church here in Brenchley. We are each called to play some part
in the life of All Saints Church as we seek to reach outwards to those living
in our parish – both adults and children - with the good news of the gospel.
As we seek to care for the people in
our parish and to show them something of God’s love. And as we seek to
encourage and build up one another for this mission.
Our individual calling is the
specific role God is asking us to play. This is both in building up our local
church but also the role he has for us to play in our daily lives and the life
of the wider church.
As well as working to build our local
church – God wants us to be his witnesses in our everyday lives – to reach out
to our family and friends and neighbours and work colleagues.
And to play some part in building the
church nationally or even globally. There are a huge range of areas that God
calls Christians to work in.
It may be working in the NHS or in
politics. It may be hospital visiting. Or you may do part time work for a
Christian charity. You may have a heart for people who are in prison
or for the homeless.
You may have a heart to pray for
Israel and the Middle East. You may have a heart for persecuted Christians or
for the people of some specific country.
You may be an intercessor – someone
who can pray for prolonged periods about specific things that God puts on your
heart.
You may be an administrator or
someone with a gift for hospitality.
Whatever your role is – it will be
perfect for you and for your life.
However, in order to do anything for
God – as Jesus makes clear in this passage we need to be empowered by God.
We need to be filled with his Holy
Spirit. We need to be filled with his life and his love – because this is what
inspires and enables us to serve him.
God longs to fill us with the Holy Spirit
but this filling is for the work that God wants us to do – both in our local
church and in our everyday lives.
And as we are filled with the Holy
Spirit he will guide us and teach us and help us and empower us specifically to
do this work – to fulfil the role God has for us.
And he will give us exactly the right
spiritual gifts for this work.
The question we then need to ask
ourselves is are we willing to offer ourselves to God in his service? Are we
willing to play the role that he has for us – both in our local church and in
the wider world?
Are we willing to say yes Lord – use
me – use my time and my talents – work through me to extend your kingdom in the
world.
Show me what it is that you want me
to do for you. Fill me with your Holy Spirit. Fill me with your power and your
love so that I can serve you, so that I can make you known.
Send me out in the power of your
spirit to live and work for your praise and glory in the world.
I think sometimes we can be hesitant
about offering to play a role in the life of the church because quite frankly
we don’t feel up to it.
But as Joyce Meyer says, God is more
interested in our availability than our ability.
We need to step out in faith and say
OK Lord – you know my weaknesses and my limited abilities - but if this is
something you want me to do – I’ll do it.
And then we’ll find that God helps us
and equips us – and we’ll realise that we can always rely on him to help us do
whatever it is that he’s asked us to do.
And why is it so important that we
offer ourselves to God and roll up our sleeves and work for the extension of
his kingdom?
It’s because as we see in verse 11 – one
day Jesus is going to return and when he does, judgement is coming with him.
A separation will occur between those
who believed in him and worked for the extension of his kingdom and those who
didn’t.
Of course, we don’t know when he’s
going to return – and equally we don’t know how much longer we each have on
earth to make a difference. So the time we have now, today, is precious.
And we all want our families and
friends to be saved. And God wants our families and friends to be saved – but
the only way that is going to happen is if we co-operate with him.
The more we give ourselves to him and
his purposes the more he can work though us to touch the lives of those around
us.
I’d like to end my talk today with a
time of reflection and prayer.
A time when we can each consider
whether we want to play a part in building God’s church and extending his
kingdom in the world.
And then if we do, a time when we can
offer ourselves to God and ask him to fill us with his Holy Spirit.
To guide and show us what it is that
he wants us to do – and to equip with whatever gifts we may need to do this.
So let’s start with a time of quiet
when you can reflect on whether you want to help build up God’s church.
On whether you want to offer your
gifts and talents to God to help people come to know him.
You may not be sure what it is that
he wants you to do – but that doesn’t matter.
All that matters is your willingness
to play a part.
And if you are willing, tell God now
in the quietness of your heart.
You can share anything that worries
or concerns you with him.
…………………………………..
And now – let’s pray.
Lord Jesus thank you for your
presence among us now. Thank you that you know us so well. You see what is
going on in our minds and hearts.
You understand our weaknesses and our
fears and that is why we so much need your Holy Spirit to help and guide and
empower us.
Lord as we offer ourselves to you now
- we ask you to come and fill us with your Holy Spirit. Fill us with your life
and your love and your power.
Lord impart to us now whatever it
that we need to serve you.
Now just rest for a few moments. If
you feel comfortable hold out your hands to Jesus and receive from him whatever
it is that he wants to give you.
……………………………..
In the name of the living God. Amen
