That the first century church enjoyed the presence of the Holy Spirit in a miraculous way, there's no doubt in the minds of Bible believers. Then, why not in the 21st century church? Let's see.
Greetings to you, my friend. It's a joy we have to welcome you to our program of Bible study In Search of the Lord's Way to become and to be a Christian. You're hearing so many convenient but substitute ways, now days, that the Lord's way should be a refreshing message to you. Our programs are produced in Edmond, Oklahoma and are broadcast here and all over the country by churches of Christ and Christians who want to share these Christ-centered, Bible messages with you and with many, many others like you.
The night before His crucifixion in Gethsemane’s garden, Jesus prayed for all believers that we might be one. There are many obvious reasons He would pray such a prayer. He mentioned one in particular: "that the world may believe." Christ Jesus does not applaud the diversity among professed believers in which many people take such pride today. The price of it is an unbelieving world. But, there's hope that someday we may move toward the unity for which our Savior prayed. I sincerely believe it's possible –and it is possible, not in diversity, but in biblical Christianity.
This month our messages are about the Holy Spirit. They're available to you --free of course --in this little book with that title. We won't have said everything that can be said and needs to be said about the Holy Spirit in four short messages, but we'll get to some other things in future programs. If you think you'd like a free copy of this little book, or an audio cassette tape of these messages or a CD, please make your request at once. We're gratified by the wide-spread interest in these studies. We are so gratified. Thanks so much! If you'd like a copy, free of course, our address is In Search of the Lord's Way, P.O. Box 371, Edmond, OK 73083. Our E-Mail address is Searchtv@aol.com and our toll free telephone number is 1-800-321-8633. Just ask for the book about The Holy Spirit. Ken Helterbrand's going to lead us in a hymn now in his usual superb manner, then I'll be back for Bible reading and prayer.
We are reading today from the book of Romans chapter 8. We’ll begin reading in verse 12. “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors – not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the spirit of God, these are the sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs – heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.” Now let us go to God in prayer. Our Father who are in heaven, we pray to you today, in the name of Jesus Christ. And give you our thanks and our praise for revealing yourself to us in Your Son and sending us the gift of the Holy Spirit to help us to abide in you and walk in the ways that Jesus taught. We pray your blessing upon our study today, Amen.
A great many people inevitably associate the Holy Spirit with miracles. And since it's generally perceived that there's a greater power in a miracle than in any other event or deed, to these people the Holy Spirit possesses and exercises more power than --well, even God or Christ. They exalt Him to the very highest position in the heavens. Those people even pray to Him instead of to God as the Bible teaches us to do in Matthew 6:9. There, Jesus taught, "In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name." The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of God --the Spirit of Him who raised up Jesus Christ from the dead. (All of those expressions are found in Romans 8:9-10.) Then, let's freely ascribe to Him all the attributes of Deity, for He is Diety. He is the Spirit of the Almighty God. He is the Spirit of Christ Jesus. He possesses miraculous powers. However, unlike God and Christ, the Holy Spirit does not possess sovereign power. It's interesting, and it's worthy of note here that in the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit never calls attention to Himself. Jesus said the Holy Spirit whom God would send would glorify Him (John 16:14).
Jesus Christ showed Himself to be an obedient Son, even to death on the cross to accomplish the Father's will (Hebrews 5 verses 8 and 9). It was then that God declared Him to be His Son with power by raising Him from the dead (Romans 1:4). And the Father gave the Son all power or authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18-20). That authority will be returned to God at the consummation of all things at Christ's second coming (I Corinthians 15:28). And today, my friend, right now, as we speak Jesus Christ is seated at God's "… right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all" (Eph. 1:20-23). Then, it's by God's design that the fullness of deity dwells in Christ, that Christ might have preeminence in all things (Colossians 1:18).
Therefore, the ministry of the Holy Spirit, including the exercise of His miraculous powers is all in conjunction and cooperation with that of God and of Christ. The Spirit's ultimate purpose is the reconciliation of God and man. God conceived the plan of reconciliation; Christ executed it; the Holy Spirit revealed it. Without the Holy Spirit the riches in Christ would remain securely stored in Heaven's keeping. But because so much is being taught to the contrary, it must be stressed that the miracles ascribed to the working of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament are done for no reason than what can be associated with the revelation and the confirmation of the gospel message.
After His resurrection and prior to His ascension to the Father, Jesus charged the eleven of the twelve men whom He had chosen and prepared for the apostleship (remember Judas had hanged himself). He charged them to go "into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized," He said, "will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned." A-n-d," He said, "these signs will follow those who believe; In my name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover. --So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went out, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, confirming the word through accompanying signs. Amen." So ends the gospel of Mark.
From Luke's account of that commission, we glean more information. It's in Luke 24 verses 44 through 49. Among other things He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you (the apostles) are witnesses of those things. Behold I send the promise of My father upon you; but tarry you in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high."
The promise was the Holy Spirit who would (1) guide them into all truth, (number 2) bring to their memory all He had taught them over the space of about three years and (3) reveal to them new truths. And, according to Mark, He would verify their teaching with signs or miracles. They were told not to go out on their own, but to wait in Jerusalem for the promise --the Holy Spirit. They returned to Jerusalem where they waited and prayed and chose Matthias to take Judas' place in the apostleship. And, at the occasion of His ascension (Acts 1) He warned them again not to go yet, but to wait for the promise. "For John truly baptized with water;" He said, "but you (apostles) shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." They would need the Holy Spirit's inspiration, His guidance, His revelations, and His power to do those signs and wonders to confirm their teaching.
"When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind fill all the house where they were sitting. Then there appeared unto them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." So it was that, immediately the preaching and the teaching began that this Jesus whom the Jews had crucified had been raised from the dead, and was then seated at God's own right hand in heaven. Jesus had been made both Lord and Christ!
Just as Jesus promised, they did speak with new or other tongues --not an "unknown tongue" now, not a "prayer language" not an "ecstatic utterance," but languages spoken by other nations, which the apostles had never studied or never spoken. "And many wonders and signs were done through the apostles" (Acts chapter 2 verse 43). Peter and John healed a lame man who sat asking alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple in Acts chapter 3. "Through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people---" (Acts 5:12).
They went and they preached and they baptized people who believed in Jesus as the Lord commanded them to do, and the Lord worked with them confirming their preaching with those signs or those miracles. It was not the miracles, but the gospel they preached that was the power of God to salvation. Read it in Romans 1:16. The miracles or the signs confirmed or verified their gospel --their good news message.
Acts chapter 2 verse 4 says, "And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." You know, I've often wondered why those who claim this gift for themselves nowadays, who speak in tongues, don't today hear the sound of that great wind that "filled the house where they were." Well, it would be a grave error to say that everyone of whom the Scripture says, "they were filled with the Holy Spirit," did miracles. For example, there's John the Baptist of whom it is written in Luke 1:13-15 that he was "filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mothers womb." John was one of the greatest preachers of all time. Jesus said of him, "Among them that are born of women there has not risen a greater than John the Baptist" (Matthew 11:11), yet John did no miracles (John 10:41). There were lots of others just like him.
There were people in the early church on whom the apostles laid their hands and conveyed on them miraculous power, but it was not "the baptism of the Holy Spirit" like the apostles received on Pentecost. For example there were the seven men in Acts chapter 6 who were chosen by the congregation to "serve tables." Stephen was one of them. Verse 8 says, "Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people." Another of them was Philip, who when the disciples were scattered, went to Samaria and preached Christ to them. Acts chapter 8 verse 6 says, "And the multitudes with one accord heeded to the things spoken by Philip, they heeded to the things that were spoken by Philip, when they saw the miracles which he did." Acts 2:45.
I Corinthians 12 mentions "spiritual gifts," nine in number, which were also miraculous. They were the gifts of wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy; discerning of spirits, tongues and interpretation of tongues. These are not identified as the "baptism of the Holy Spirit." Not in the scriptures. Neither are they called, "the gift of the Holy Spirit" which Peter promised at Pentecost in Acts chapter 2 verse 38. They are "gifts of the Spirit," –that the Holy Spirit gave.
So, that the early church enjoyed the presence of miracles is not arguable. Of course it did. I don't know anybody who denies it today, but should there be found someone who tried, he'd certainly be showing his biblical illiteracy. Well then, doesn't that mean that the presence of the Holy Spirit necessitates miracles in the twentieth century church too? No, no not at all; for good reason, too. The discussion of those gifts of the Spirit which is introduced in I Corinthians 12 continues through chapters thirteen and fourteen. And in chapter 13 verse 11 Paul writes, "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things." Well, what has that to do with this question anyway? It must have some bearing on the subject because the Holy Spirit Himself interjected it into the discussion right here.
Well, you may have heard me tell it before, but I can't find a better illustration of it right now, so what He was saying, so I will just repeat this one that I told you before. I was waiting in the Oklahoma City air terminal for the departure of a flight to somewhere back, awhile back. I was amused by a woman with a baby, whose --well, I guess it was a combination car-seat and a stroller. Whatever it was, it wasn't going to go in an overhead bin on an aircraft. It was a whopper sized thing. It would take up a large portion of a baggage compartment even. The thing that struck me was, is there no limit to the size of what a passenger can check? But, I understood why she needed it, of course. She had this small baby. She'd need it when she arrived at her destination. We boarded the plane and across the aisle from me was a man and woman with what appeared to be --maybe a 15-year-old boy. I had a 15 year old grandson at the time, so I had an idea what one looks like. But they didn't have a car-seat-stroller with them. That wasn't surprising. They wouldn't be expected to have one, now would they? Not with a 15-year old. Just so, you wouldn't expect the mature church to carry around some of the necessities of an infant church. That's what it means.
Miracles were a necessity for the infant church to confirm the gospel that was being revealed to them and was in the process of revelation at the time. Remember? Awhile ago we read from the Scriptures that when the Helper (the Holy Spirit) would come He would (1) guide the apostles into all truth. Number 2 He would refresh their memory of what Jesus had taught them during those three years that he was with them. Number 3 He would reveal more truth to them and number 4 He would confirm the revelation by miracles. And when that ministry was finished, the miracles were no longer necessary and the Holy Spirit stopped doing them (I Corinthians 13 verse 8). Let's pray. Holy Father. Thank you for the Holy Spirit which you bestowed in such a miraculous way upon the apostles to guide them in the revelation of Your word. And now that we have your word, we are thankful for it and this provides for us the guidance of the Holy Spirit in things spiritual. We thank you Lord, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
A while ago we mentioned the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit, all nine mentioned in I Corinthians 12. They are wisdom, knowledge and faith; healing, miracles and prophecy; discerning of spirits, tongues and interpretation of tongues. Now notice chapter 13 verses 8 to 10: "Love never fails. But where there are prophecies they will fail. Whether there are tongues, they will cease, whether there is knowledge it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come then that which is in part will be done away" --like the baby carriage. I've seen people just try to laugh those words away. They actually make light of them. But, they are the very crux of this discussion in I Corinthians 12, 13 and 14. He mentioned three of the nine gifts and said they are going to "end," "cease," "be done away." So, from the beginning, miracles in the church were designed --planned-- by the Lord Himself, to be temporary. If three of the nine gift’s of the Spirit, listed in that list are to end, couldn't a person reasonably conclude that the whole list would end? Of course so; that's the idea.
These gifts had to do with revelation and confirmation of God’s word. When I Corinthians was being written, the revelation was not complete, but when revelation was completed, and the bible was written of course partial knowledge would have ended, and once revelation had been confirmed by miracles, there's no need to keep on confirming it with more miracles. The purpose of miracles in the church was served at that time. And since, the Holy Spirit always works in conformity with the will of God and of Christ, He has no divine purpose in performing miracles in today's church. As a matter of honesty, dear friend, modern miracles are not said to be for the same purpose as New Testament miracles. They are done today for the glory of the self-acclaimed miracle performer! I know. I've been there and seen it and heard it.
Well, that's all we have time for in this series of four programs about The Holy Spirit. We'll have more later. If you'd like one of the little books containing the Holy Spirit the four messages for this month, simply address us, In Search of the Lord's Way, P.O. Box 371, Edmond, OK 73083. Or if you have access to E-Mail, you may address us searchtv@aol.com. Our toll-free telephone number is 1-800-321-8633. CDs and audio cassette tapes are available free, also, if you prefer CDs or tapes. It's all free. Everything's free. Say, we're glad you were with us today. We hope you’ll return and be with us next week. God bless you. We love you. |