The Holy Spirit’s Mission, Pt.1
Notes
Transcript
Intro: The Bible tells us in the Book of Ecclesiastes, “that there is nothing new under the sun”. Solomon is saying that the cycle of life never changes, birth, life and death. That can also be attributed to all things in creation, seasons, rising and setting of the sun, earth’s orbit, etc…
Solomon goes on to say, “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven;” As Solomon gives a list of various happenings in life, he says they all have a purpose or mission.
Purpose- the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists: particular design or intent for a particular use
Mission- an important assignment or operation carried out for political, religious, or commercial purposes. Vocation or calling to a specific purpose or role
If we look at these two words they have a lot in common as they work together. Everything exists for a purpose, and every purpose has a specific mission as to why it exists. Look at the sun and moon in creation.
The Sun- Without the Sun's heat and light, the Earth would be a lifeless ball of ice-coated rock. The Sun warms our seas, stirs our atmosphere, generates our weather patterns, and gives energy to the growing green plants that provide the food and oxygen for life on Earth.
The Moon- The Moon makes Earth a more livable planet by moderating our planet's wobble on its axis, leading to a relatively stable climate. The influence of the lunar cycle affects human sleep patterns and behavior. 'For many animals, particularly birds, the Moon is essential to migration and navigation. Others will time their reproduction to coincide with the specific phases of the lunar cycle.
Jesus has always existed because He is God, but that does not exclude His purpose and mission as the Son of God. His purpose is redemption of mankind from sin, His mission was Calvary to complete His purpose
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,
11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
The Holy Spirit exists for a purpose and has a mission as to why He exists! This morning I want to share with you one of the purposes that the Holy Spirit exists as God, as we look at “The Holy Spirit’s Mission to the World”.
Text; John 16:7-11
John 16:7–11 (NKJV)
7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.
8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me;
10 of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more;
11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
1. The Advantage of the Spirit; 7
1. The Advantage of the Spirit; 7
Jesus has told his disciples that He would soon be leaving them but He would send the Helper [Holy Spirit], to be with them and take His place.
This is a very puzzling statement from Christ that it would be to their advantage if he goes away;
Advantage- to be in a more favorable position
He’s the Son of God in the flesh! What could be better than that!
Remember;
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
When Jesus stepped off His throne and into flesh, He was still God, but He limited himself to the flesh. He didn’t give up his deity, but He did limit himself to being in only one place at a time.
Lazarus died before Jesus could get to Bethany [John 11]
Jairus’ daughter died before Jesus could get to her [Mark 5]
The advantage of the Holy Spirit coming is that He didn’t take on flesh and is not limited as Christ was, and can be in everyplace at one time. “Omnipresent”, God in us!
We will focus more on that next Sunday as we look at “The Holy Spirt’s Mission to the Believer”
2. Convict the World of Sin; 8a, 9
2. Convict the World of Sin; 8a, 9
The first mission of the Spirit in the world is to convict men of sin!
Convict- legal term that is the presentation of evidence that bears proof of wrong-doing [SIN]
Sin- rebellion against God [lying, cheating, adultery, homosexuality, murder]
That’s not what Jesus is talking about. All those things are the natural tendencies of sinful man. Jesus is going far beyond that to the one thing that will condemn a person to hell!
[9] Unbelief- absence of faith
The Holy Spirit convicts our heart and mind that there is only one way to the Father and His name is Jesus! To give us opportunity to repent and be saved!
John 3:16–18 (NKJV)
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
10 “And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven.
The Holy Spirits mission is to quicken sinful mans heart to the reality that Jesus Christ as the only Savior of the world!
A person doesn’t go to hell because of lying, cheating, adultery, etc… or that he came into this world as a sinner. A person goes to hell because God has provided a way of salvation for man, and if you deliberately turn away from it and refuse the Saviour who died that you might live, you cannot be saved!
Ironside, H. A. (1950). The Mission of the Holy Spirit (p. 7). Loizeaux Brothers.
2. Convict the World of Righteousness; 10
2. Convict the World of Righteousness; 10
Righteousness- being right with God
If Jesus is God, the Son of God, why would He need to be made righteous?
Sin separates, Righteousness restores
Jesus is talking about His Resurrection from the grave and being exalted back to the right hand of the Father! It is the mission of the Holy Spirit to convict the world of Jesus’ righteousness!
Our sin is what brought Jesus from glory to Calvary; at Calvary Jesus made atonement for SIN [complete propitiation], that satisfied every righteous demand required by God concerning SIN!
10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,
21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God,
These scriptures reveal Christ’s sacrifice for our sin but they also speak of His Resurrection to life and His imputed righteousness to those who believe.
His Resurrection is proof of His conquering sin and death and He is righteous [without sin] because He is sitting at the right hand of the Father! Remember God cannot be around sin! And if you are in Christ, you are righteous and are no longer separated from the Father!
7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.
4. Convict the World of Judgment; 11
4. Convict the World of Judgment; 11
Judgment- condemnation, divine punishment
This is not talking about the future judgments that will take place at the Bema Seat of Christ judging the saints in their works, nor the Great White Throne Judgment in judging the dead to be cast into Hell!
Jesus is talking about the present judgment of Satan, the ruler of this world/god of this age.
John 12:27–33 (NKJV)
27 “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.
28 Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.”
29 Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to Him.”
30 Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake.
31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.
32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.”
33 This He said, signifying by what death He would die.
Calvary won the victory over Satan and Sin. Calvary was it’s judgment!
15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.”
15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,
The Holy Spirit convicts the world that Satan has already lost and Christ is the victor! And only a fool would say in his heart “there is no God”.
Close;
30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent,
31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”
What relationship do you have with Him who died on the cross for you?
22 If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. O Lord, come!