After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, - Matthew 3:16
Well, hello again and welcome! This morning we will continue our series on “The Works of the Holy Spirit”. Before we begin, let’s look back at some of the works we’ve already covered.
The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment providing lost people with the opportunity to be saved and calling believers to continual confession of unconfessed sin so that their fellowship with God and effectiveness for Him may be unhindered.
The Holy Spirit currently prevents this world from becoming completely overwhelmed and dominated by sin. He restrains the rise of the Antichrist (the Man of Lawlessness) and thereby delays God’s final judgment, and will continue to do so until He is taken away.
The Holy Spirit effects all aspects of salvation. He regenerates the new believer, making them spiritually alive. He justifies the new believer, acquitting them of their sin so that they stand blameless before God. He sanctifies believers, working to put away the deeds of the flesh and increasingly conform them into the image of God as they grow and mature in their faith. When Christ returns, He will glorify all believers by fully and finally removing all remnants of sin from them and will fit them with incorruptible and immortal bodies that are fashioned for eternity.
We are just getting started in our study of the amazing works of the Holy Spirit. In today’s sermon, we will add a few more to our growing list. I have titled this message “The Adjoining Works of the Holy Spirit”. Here we go!
I. BAPTIZED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT
Just prior to His ascension into Heaven, Jesus gathered the apostles together and commanded them to wait in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit fell upon them. He said, “John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” (Acts 1:4-5) What did Jesus mean when He said this? What is baptism of the Holy Spirit?
The Bible teaches that all Christians, regardless of their ethnicity or social status, are baptized by the Holy Spirit into the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12-13) . This is something that happens to all believers at the moment of salvation. When a sinner receives Christ, the Holy Spirit instantaneously “baptizes” them into the Church. Christians do not have to initiate this baptism or seek it out. The baptism of the Holy Spirit happens once and only once in the life of all believers.
Scripture also states that when a lost person trusts in Jesus, they are “buried with Him” in baptism (Colossians 2:12). In other words, they are baptized into the likeness of His death. Having become unified with Him, they also share in the likeness of His resurrection so that they might walk in newness of life (Romans 6:3-5). When a person is baptized in the Holy Spirit, the redeeming work of Christ that was accomplished and secured through His death, burial, and resurrection is applied to and actualized within the new believer.
This spiritual reality is pictured symbolically in water baptism. Water baptism alone does not lead to salvation, whereas baptism of the Holy Spirit corresponds with it (Acts 19:1-7). John the Baptist was fully aware of the limitations of water baptism for the repentance of sin. While it was an expression of guilt and the desire for forgiveness, it was not a profession of belief in Christ. He spoke of One coming after him, who would be greater than him, who would baptize people with the Holy Spirit, leading not only to forgiveness, but to salvation (Mark 1:7-8).
II. ADOPTED INTO GOD’S FAMILY
The Bible says that everyone who has a saving belief in Jesus Christ is given the right to become a child of God (John 1:12). John marvels in the love of God and celebrates the fact that all Christians are His children (1 John 3:1). The Bible uses this language throughout, describing God as the Father and believers as His sons and daughters.
Jesus came to redeem sinners that they might receive adoption as His sons (Galatians 4:4-7). This miraculous work is carried out by the “Spirit of adoption”, aka the Holy Spirit, who indwells believers (Romans 8:14-17). When a person is saved, they are spiritually adopted into the family of God and, as His children, become heirs of His inheritance.
During the Passover meal, just hours before His arrest and crucifixion, Jesus promised that He would send the Holy Spirit to indwell and empower the apostles after His departure. He assured them that He would not “leave them as orphans” (John 14:18). When the Holy Spirit arrived, they would be adopted into the family of God. So it is with all believers who place their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
III. UNITED WITH BELIEVERS
Through His work of baptism and adoption, the Holy Spirit unites all Christians together in profound ways (Ephesians 4:1-6). There is 1 Holy Spirit who indwells all believers. There is 1 baptism that He executes in the lives of all believers. This baptism joins them to 1 body, making them all members of 1 church. Christians are united as fellow members of the Body of Christ, who are called to work together harmoniously to advance the kingdom of God.
There is only 1 faith in 1 Lord, Jesus Christ, that leads to salvation. When a sinner is saved they are reconciled with the 1 God and adopted by the 1 Spirit into His family. God the Father, who sent His Son Jesus to seek and to save the lost, is the father of all people who have trusted in Him. Christians are united as the children of God; they are spiritual brothers and sisters.
Believers should strive to live in unity with each other understanding that they are siblings in the same family. Paul urges Christians to be humble, gentle, and patient with one another. He implores God’s children to bear with one another in love and be diligent to keep the Spirit of unity in the bond of peace. Beloved, the Holy Spirit brings unity to believers in that they are all fellow members of His body (the church) and are all siblings in His family (the children of God).
CONCLUSION
This morning we have discussed the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the doctrine of adoption, and the importance of Christian unity. We have explored how the Holy Spirit works to join or bind believers together in these ways. Before we close, let’s briefly summarize what we’ve learned.
Baptism of the Holy Spirit brings a new believer into the fellowship of the Church, making them a member of the Body of Christ. It also allows them to participate in and partake of the benefits secured by Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. It is effected by the Holy Spirit in the lives of all new believers at the moment of their salvation.
The Holy Spirit adopts new believers into the family of God. As His adopted sons and daughters, Christians receive all the rights and blessings that are afforded to God’s children. They become heirs of the inheritance He has prepared for them.
Believers are brought into unity with each other when they become co-members of Christ’s body, the church, and become brothers and sisters in the family of God. They should embrace this unity with one another that is made possible by the Holy Spirit and should strive to walk in it.
Next week we will continue this series on the works of the Holy Spirit with a message about the spiritual gifts. When a person is baptized into the Body of Christ, the Holy Spirit gifts them to serve the body. More about this next Sunday… have a blessed week.
Well, hello again and welcome! This morning we will continue our series on “The Works of the Holy Spirit”. Before we begin, let’s look back at some of the works we’ve already covered.
The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment providing lost people with the opportunity to be saved and calling believers to continual confession of unconfessed sin so that their fellowship with God and effectiveness for Him may be unhindered.
The Holy Spirit currently prevents this world from becoming completely overwhelmed and dominated by sin. He restrains the rise of the Antichrist (the Man of Lawlessness) and thereby delays God’s final judgment, and will continue to do so until He is taken away.
The Holy Spirit effects all aspects of salvation. He regenerates the new believer, making them spiritually alive. He justifies the new believer, acquitting them of their sin so that they stand blameless before God. He sanctifies believers, working to put away the deeds of the flesh and increasingly conform them into the image of God as they grow and mature in their faith. When Christ returns, He will glorify all believers by fully and finally removing all remnants of sin from them and will fit them with incorruptible and immortal bodies that are fashioned for eternity.
We are just getting started in our study of the amazing works of the Holy Spirit. In today’s sermon, we will add a few more to our growing list. I have titled this message “The Adjoining Works of the Holy Spirit”. Here we go!
I. BAPTIZED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT
Just prior to His ascension into Heaven, Jesus gathered the apostles together and commanded them to wait in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit fell upon them. He said, “John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” (Acts 1:4-5) What did Jesus mean when He said this? What is baptism of the Holy Spirit?
The Bible teaches that all Christians, regardless of their ethnicity or social status, are baptized by the Holy Spirit into the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12-13) . This is something that happens to all believers at the moment of salvation. When a sinner receives Christ, the Holy Spirit instantaneously “baptizes” them into the Church. Christians do not have to initiate this baptism or seek it out. The baptism of the Holy Spirit happens once and only once in the life of all believers.
Scripture also states that when a lost person trusts in Jesus, they are “buried with Him” in baptism (Colossians 2:12). In other words, they are baptized into the likeness of His death. Having become unified with Him, they also share in the likeness of His resurrection so that they might walk in newness of life (Romans 6:3-5). When a person is baptized in the Holy Spirit, the redeeming work of Christ that was accomplished and secured through His death, burial, and resurrection is applied to and actualized within the new believer.
This spiritual reality is pictured symbolically in water baptism. Water baptism alone does not lead to salvation, whereas baptism of the Holy Spirit corresponds with it (Acts 19:1-7). John the Baptist was fully aware of the limitations of water baptism for the repentance of sin. While it was an expression of guilt and the desire for forgiveness, it was not a profession of belief in Christ. He spoke of One coming after him, who would be greater than him, who would baptize people with the Holy Spirit, leading not only to forgiveness, but to salvation (Mark 1:7-8).
II. ADOPTED INTO GOD’S FAMILY
The Bible says that everyone who has a saving belief in Jesus Christ is given the right to become a child of God (John 1:12). John marvels in the love of God and celebrates the fact that all Christians are His children (1 John 3:1). The Bible uses this language throughout, describing God as the Father and believers as His sons and daughters.
Jesus came to redeem sinners that they might receive adoption as His sons (Galatians 4:4-7). This miraculous work is carried out by the “Spirit of adoption”, aka the Holy Spirit, who indwells believers (Romans 8:14-17). When a person is saved, they are spiritually adopted into the family of God and, as His children, become heirs of His inheritance.
During the Passover meal, just hours before His arrest and crucifixion, Jesus promised that He would send the Holy Spirit to indwell and empower the apostles after His departure. He assured them that He would not “leave them as orphans” (John 14:18). When the Holy Spirit arrived, they would be adopted into the family of God. So it is with all believers who place their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
III. UNITED WITH BELIEVERS
Through His work of baptism and adoption, the Holy Spirit unites all Christians together in profound ways (Ephesians 4:1-6). There is 1 Holy Spirit who indwells all believers. There is 1 baptism that He executes in the lives of all believers. This baptism joins them to 1 body, making them all members of 1 church. Christians are united as fellow members of the Body of Christ, who are called to work together harmoniously to advance the kingdom of God.
There is only 1 faith in 1 Lord, Jesus Christ, that leads to salvation. When a sinner is saved they are reconciled with the 1 God and adopted by the 1 Spirit into His family. God the Father, who sent His Son Jesus to seek and to save the lost, is the father of all people who have trusted in Him. Christians are united as the children of God; they are spiritual brothers and sisters.
Believers should strive to live in unity with each other understanding that they are siblings in the same family. Paul urges Christians to be humble, gentle, and patient with one another. He implores God’s children to bear with one another in love and be diligent to keep the Spirit of unity in the bond of peace. Beloved, the Holy Spirit brings unity to believers in that they are all fellow members of His body (the church) and are all siblings in His family (the children of God).
CONCLUSION
This morning we have discussed the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the doctrine of adoption, and the importance of Christian unity. We have explored how the Holy Spirit works to join or bind believers together in these ways. Before we close, let’s briefly summarize what we’ve learned.
Baptism of the Holy Spirit brings a new believer into the fellowship of the Church, making them a member of the Body of Christ. It also allows them to participate in and partake of the benefits secured by Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. It is effected by the Holy Spirit in the lives of all new believers at the moment of their salvation.
The Holy Spirit adopts new believers into the family of God. As His adopted sons and daughters, Christians receive all the rights and blessings that are afforded to God’s children. They become heirs of the inheritance He has prepared for them.
Believers are brought into unity with each other when they become co-members of Christ’s body, the church, and become brothers and sisters in the family of God. They should embrace this unity with one another that is made possible by the Holy Spirit and should strive to walk in it.
Next week we will continue this series on the works of the Holy Spirit with a message about the spiritual gifts. When a person is baptized into the Body of Christ, the Holy Spirit gifts them to serve the body. More about this next Sunday… have a blessed week.