Participants:
Series Code: HC
Program Code: HC180005A
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00:24 Welcome to 3ABN's Fall Camp Meeting,
00:27 Homecoming 2018. 00:32 Featuring inspired messages from your 3ABN family. 00:41 And featured speaker Shelley Quinn. 00:44 All to prepare your heart for the coming of the Lord. 00:49 Hello and welcome once again to 3ABN's Spring Camp Meeting, 00:54 Fall Camp Meeting, that's right, 2018. 00:58 And we praise the Lord 00:59 for every one of you that has come. 01:01 So welcome every one of you that is here 01:04 and every one of you that is joining us 01:05 wherever you are in this world. 01:08 During this hour, 01:10 we have Sister Shelley Quinn with us. 01:13 She works as Program Development Manager 01:16 and Producer at 3ABN. 01:19 And I appreciate, one of the things I appreciate 01:22 about Sister Shelley Quinn is that, 01:25 she preaches with conviction, 01:29 compassion and also depending on the Holy Spirit. 01:34 So she will be out very soon 01:36 to bring the message to us entitled 01:39 "His presence in the cube." 01:42 His presence in the cube. 01:45 And I am happy to share with you 01:47 that we also have Brother Tim Parton, 01:49 he will be coming out to play the piano, 01:52 and Pastor Ryan Day will be 01:55 also singing a beautiful hymn 01:58 that will prepare our hearts for the message 02:02 we are going to hear. 02:03 The title of the song is, 02:05 "I stand in all of you." 02:09 So if you're ready for God's blessing, 02:11 let's hear the message and song, 02:13 and then we will hear the message 02:15 and the preaching of God's Word through Sister Shelley Quinn 02:18 right after this beautiful hymn. 02:20 May God bless every one of you. 02:34 You are beautiful beyond description 02:41 Too marvelous for words 02:47 Too wonderful for comprehension 02:54 Like nothing ever seen or heard 03:00 Who can grasp Your infinite wisdom? 03:07 Who can fathom the depths of Your love? 03:14 You are beautiful beyond description 03:20 Majesty, enthroned above 03:28 And I stand 03:31 I stand in awe of You 03:36 I stand 03:38 I stand in awe of You 03:43 Holy God to whom all praise is due 03:51 I stand in awe of You 04:04 You are beautiful beyond description 04:11 Yet God crushed You for my sin 04:18 In agony and deep affliction 04:25 Cut off that I may enter in 04:31 Who can grasp such tender compassion? 04:38 Who can fathom this mercy so free? 04:45 You are beautiful beyond description 04:51 Lamb of God who died for me 04:59 And I stand 05:01 I stand in awe of You 05:07 I stand I stand in awe of You 05:13 Holy God to whom all praise is due 05:21 I stand in awe of You 05:28 And I stand 05:30 I stand in awe of You 05:35 I stand 05:37 I stand in awe of You 05:42 Holy God to whom 05:46 all praise is due 05:50 I stand in awe 05:54 Of You 06:01 I stand 06:05 In awe 06:09 Of You 06:24 Thank you, Ryan and Tim, for ushering us 06:27 into the presence of the Lord. 06:29 These gentlemen learn that song 06:31 and my request it's one of my favorite worship songs. 06:35 And I thought it was so appropriate 06:38 for today's topic. 06:39 Let's pray. 06:41 Heavenly Father, we do stand in awe of You, 06:44 You are too great for our human minds to understand, 06:50 but Father I really believe You've directed me 06:54 to teach on this topic today. 06:58 And I thank you for leading me through a new study of this. 07:02 And I just ask, Father, help me to share 07:07 what You've directed in a way, in a manner 07:12 that can have an impact on our lives. 07:15 In Jesus' name, 07:16 let Your Holy Spirit be our teacher, amen. 07:21 Do you realize God created us with mathematical minds? 07:26 Math is a science, but it is also a language 07:31 that astrophysicists and astronomers 07:35 used to try to understand, 07:38 and to describe His great universe. 07:41 You use math daily. 07:43 You use math to count, to tell the time. 07:46 You use math to measure, 07:49 to shop those 50% off sales. 07:52 You use math to bank to pay your bills 07:57 and even to operate your vehicle. 07:59 If you have a car that gets 30 miles to the gallon 08:02 and you buy 2 gallons of gas, how far can you go? 08:06 Amen, 60 miles. 08:08 I knew you look like a smart audience. 08:11 So I need you to help me 08:13 with a very simple math equation. 08:15 If I have one here, and one here, and one here, 08:21 what does that equal? 08:22 Three. Absolutely. 08:23 Three is the correct answer. 08:25 If we assume addition is the right formula. 08:30 The Bible says in Deuteronomy 6:4, 08:34 "Here, oh Israel, 08:36 the Lord our God, the Lord is one." 08:39 That is a major tenet of Judaism, 08:43 they are monotheistic, they believe in one God. 08:46 It is a major tenet of Christianity as well. 08:51 Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:4, 08:54 when someone asked Him, 08:57 "What is the greatest commandment?" 08:59 And it's recorded in Mark 12:28, 29. 09:04 Paul describes God as one God. 09:09 And we know that in Deuteronomy 6:4, 09:12 when it says, "The Lord is one." 09:15 The Hebrew word for one is echadh. 09:19 And it means a compound unity. 09:24 God is one, 09:27 but He is made up of more than one. 09:32 When we think about, 09:35 I believe and I hope to show you today, 09:38 that the Bible teaches God, the Father, Son, 09:42 and Holy Spirit equal one. 09:45 Now some people push back on that idea 09:48 because their mathematical mind has a hard time realizing 09:53 how three can be one. 09:55 So I asked God for an illustration. 09:59 And no sooner had I prayed that, 10:03 then He gave me an epiphany. 10:06 It is something I have never heard before, 10:09 and I have shared this with people 10:11 who've been in ministry longer than I, 10:14 and they've never heard it before either. 10:17 What this is, is we need to change 10:23 our mathematical assumptions. 10:26 It is not addition 10:28 because one plus, one plus, one, 10:30 the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. 10:34 One plus, one plus one equals three. 10:37 The formula 10:39 for our triune God is on the screen. 10:44 It is one times one, 10:48 times one, which equals one, 10:53 one to the third power. 10:57 The Father, Son, and Spirit, 11:00 the three persons of the Godhead 11:02 are of equal essence, 11:04 they have the exact same nature. 11:07 Jesus said, "I and the Father are one." 11:10 He said, "Believe me that I am in the Father, 11:13 and the Father is in me." 11:15 And then He called the Holy Spirit, 11:18 the Spirit of your Father. 11:21 Paul called Jesus the great God and Savior. 11:25 And Paul equates 11:27 the Holy Spirit to the Spirit of Christ. 11:30 They are all of the same essence. 11:33 One times, one times, one equals one. 11:37 But they are also the divine nature 11:40 is an indivisible essence. 11:44 One divided by one, 11:47 divided by one, equals one. 11:50 One is the perfect number to represent the Godhead. 11:55 One is the only number 11:57 that can be multiplied by itself, 12:00 and divided by itself, 12:03 and still equal the original number. 12:07 To the Hebrew mind, 12:09 harmony was achieved by exact equality 12:15 or by repetition of like dimensions. 12:20 So they saw harmony in a square 12:23 and perfect harmony in a cube. 12:27 When you in math, take a number 12:30 and multiply itself by itself, 12:35 say for example two times two, that number is the square. 12:41 If you multiply a number by itself twice, 12:45 two times, two times two, 12:48 that number is a cube. 12:52 One is the only number that can be cubed 12:57 and still have the same value, the original number. 13:03 One times, one times one equals one cubed. 13:09 Each time a cube is mentioned in scripture, 13:13 it is a place where God dwells. 13:17 And I believe that what God is showing us 13:21 in the cube is His invisible attribute 13:25 of one times, one times one. 13:28 In Romans 1:20 on the screen, 13:32 Paul here is writing, referring to nature. 13:34 But He says, 13:35 "For since the creation of the world, 13:37 His invisible attributes are clearly seen, 13:40 being understood by the things that are made, 13:43 even His eternal power and Godhead." 13:46 Well, God instructed other things to be made. 13:51 And I believe it is to show His invisible attributes. 13:55 God told Moses on the mountain. 13:59 Let them make me a sanctuary that I may dwell with them. 14:02 That is the heart of our loving God. 14:05 He wants to dwell with His people. 14:08 And then, He gave Moses the exact dimensions, 14:13 He gave him exact instructions, how to build this sanctuary. 14:18 And it was theology in a physical form, 14:23 it explained the plan of salvation. 14:27 The Holy of Holies which was the inner sanctuary, 14:32 it was the most sacred place of the sanctuary. 14:36 This was where God's Shekinah Glory 14:39 would come down and rest on the Ark of the Covenant, 14:43 it was symbolic of His throne room. 14:46 The Holy of Holies was a perfect cube. 14:50 And in 1 Kings 6:20, 14:53 we see that the Holy of Holies, 14:57 the design was duplicated by Solomon in the temple. 15:01 On the screen, 1 Kings 6:20 says, 15:05 "The inner sanctuary, 15:07 the Holy of Holies was twenty cubits long, 15:10 twenty cubits wide, and twenty cubits high." 15:15 A perfect cube. 15:16 Now to the Hebrew mind, 15:18 a cube was the symbol of perfection 15:21 because it was square on every side, 15:24 and all sides and angles corresponded 15:27 exactly with each other. 15:29 This indicated to them that the Holy One of Israel 15:33 dwelt in perfection. 15:36 God's presence was in the cube. 15:40 What else is a cube in Scripture? 15:44 The New Jerusalem 15:46 that will be the most holy place on earth 15:50 where God will dwell throughout eternity, 15:52 and where all will come in and see His face, 15:55 and experience face to face fellowship with Him. 15:59 In Revelation 21:16, 16:03 this describes the New Jerusalem on the screen. 16:08 "The city is laid out as the square, 16:10 its length is as great as its breath. 16:12 And he measured the city with the reed: 16:14 twelve thousand furlongs. 16:16 Its length, and breadth, and height are equal." 16:21 The New Jerusalem is a perfect cube. 16:24 God's presence is in the cube. 16:28 Even the perfect unselfish love of God 16:32 is described in cubular language. 16:35 Paul told the Ephesians, that he prayed 16:38 that all of the saints would be able to comprehend the width, 16:43 and the length, the depth and the height, 16:45 depth and height, they're of the same dimension. 16:48 But the width, the length, the depth and the height 16:51 of the love of Christ which passes knowledge, 16:55 the Lord our God is one, one times, 16:58 one times one equals one divine being. 17:02 And His presence is in the cube. 17:06 Only one true God, a single divine person... 17:10 Excuse me, a single divine being, 17:14 but the Bible never says a single person. 17:18 Scripture clearly describes God as existing 17:24 in a unique plurality 17:27 of three divine persons who cooperate 17:30 and are in agreement about everything, 17:32 they share the nature of the Godhead, 17:34 they share His personality, His character, 17:38 and the divine attributes of deity. 17:42 Now I have to say this. 17:44 Our triune God is totally unlike anything in our world. 17:50 He is greater than anything that we can comprehend. 17:55 We know and believe, 17:56 and I think you will all agree that God is love, 17:59 that is the essence of His divine nature. 18:02 He is a relational God. 18:04 And in the next 39 minutes, 18:06 we're going to consider a few other things 18:09 that God says about His nature. 18:13 But I am approaching this topic with humility and caution, 18:18 we are on holy ground, 18:20 it is beyond comprehension for the finite human mind 18:24 to understand the nature of God. 18:28 So we don't want to go beyond Scripture, 18:32 we're going to stick to Scripture. 18:33 I started off, I did a study of 150 pages is my notes. 18:38 And then I had to reduce that to 16, 18:40 and I still have too much. 18:42 But I wanted to make sure for myself 18:45 because sometimes you believe something 18:47 and I just wanted to double check. 18:49 But Scripture clearly determines, 18:52 God is self existent, unchangeable, eternal, 18:56 omnipresent, omniscience, omnipotent, 18:59 and incomprehensible. 19:01 Jesus said in John 4:24, 19:03 "That God is Spirit, and those who worship Him 19:08 must worship in Spirit and in truth." 19:11 And Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 1:17, 19:15 "God is the king, eternal, 19:19 immortal, and invisible." 19:22 And then again in 1 Timothy in 6:16 he says, 19:26 "God alone has immortality 19:29 who lives, who dwells in an unapproachable life, 19:34 no man has seen Him or can't see Him." 19:36 God is Spirit. 19:38 He is distinct from any material substance. 19:41 He is transcendent. 19:43 He is not subject to the limitations 19:47 of our material universe, yet Scripture is clear. 19:52 As a Spirit, God is not 19:55 a mere impersonal force. 19:59 God interacts with His created beings 20:02 in an intimate and personal manner. 20:05 Now the Bible speaks of God 20:08 in terms of the activities of mankind, 20:11 of walking, sitting, hearing, or seeing. 20:15 But there is a sense 20:17 in which God is not like humanity at all. 20:20 He does not have a physical body like us, 20:23 yet he is a person. 20:25 He is a living entity, 20:27 endeavored with personal properties 20:29 of understanding will and emotion. 20:31 And it is not inaccurate to call God person. 20:35 In the Greek, prosopon is used, 20:40 it translated person, presence, face, countenance, 20:45 and it is used of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 20:49 Let's look to the screen for Genesis 1:26 and 27. 20:54 "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, 21:00 according to our likeness," 21:03 here we see God speaking of Himself 21:05 with plural pronouns, 21:07 this expresses communication among the divine beings. 21:12 And then he says, 21:14 "Let them have dominion over the earth. 21:16 So God created man in His own image, 21:18 in the image of God He created the male and female, 21:21 He created them." 21:23 Scripture is not specific 21:25 as what, to what constitutes the image of God. 21:29 In context, the creation of animals and mankind 21:33 were separate acts, we did not evolve from an ape. 21:37 Male and female were created with moral, mental, 21:41 and spiritual capacity to have fellowship with God. 21:45 He walked with Adam and Eve in the cool of the evening, 21:48 in the garden. 21:50 We were created with intelligence 21:53 to exercise free will. 21:54 What a great gift. 21:56 And to have dominion over the earth 21:58 and to procreate. 22:01 But man's fall into sin marred God's image in us. 22:07 1 Corinthians 15, 22:10 just jot that down, but don't turn there. 22:13 We don't have time. 22:15 Paul writes, 22:16 "We have borne the image of the man of dust, 22:21 the first Adam." 22:23 But then He gives us hope. 22:24 "We shall also bear the image of the heavenly man, 22:29 the last Adam." 22:31 At the last trumpet, 22:33 when the redeemed are called forth, 22:36 and put on immortality. 22:38 Let me tell you something, 22:40 the reason I am a Seventh-day Adventist Christian 22:44 is because I believe this church teaches 22:47 more Bible truths than any other. 22:49 And if I found a church that taught more, 22:52 I would join it. 22:53 Our pioneers came from many different denominations, 22:58 many different beliefs, 23:00 but I admire them, that as they got together, 23:04 and they had to consolidate these beliefs. 23:07 They did so through deep study of the Scripture. 23:12 It was a progressive study and often a corrective study. 23:17 They had to accept new truths to them, 23:20 like the Sabbath, diet, righteousness by faith. 23:23 But they also had to release spiritual err, 23:28 like date setting or the closed door policy 23:32 or in my absolute 23:36 strong opinion Semitearianism. 23:40 You see, they were the perfect example 23:42 of Proverbs 4:18. 23:44 The Bible says, 23:45 "The path of the righteous will shine ever brighter 23:50 to the full light of day." 23:53 Our church has 28 fundamental beliefs 23:56 and what I love is that the Bible alone is our creed. 24:01 The second of our 28 fundamental beliefs 24:05 is on the trinity. 24:06 And here's what it states, 24:09 "There is one God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, 24:13 a unity of three co-eternal persons." 24:18 See, I am a monotheistic Trinitarian. 24:22 I believe in one divine being, 24:25 who consist of three divine persons. 24:28 Now the word trinity is not in the Bible, 24:33 neither is monotheism, neither is incarnation. 24:37 These are words that we have adopted 24:40 to explain what the Bible teaches. 24:43 Why do we believe in the trinity? 24:45 There are over 50 scriptures, triadic scriptures 24:51 that mention the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 24:54 I think that is sufficient proof 24:56 to support our doctrine. 24:58 Now the teaching on the Father 25:00 is generally unanimously accepted. 25:04 So I want to begin with Jesus Christ. 25:07 In Philippians 2:5-7, 25:10 this will be on the screen for you. 25:12 Paul writes, "Let this mind be in you 25:15 which was also in Christ Jesus, 25:17 who, being in the form of God," and in the Greek 25:20 that's literally existing in the form of God, 25:23 He possess the essential attributes, 25:26 "did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, " 25:31 because He was, 25:32 "but He made Himself of no reputation, 25:34 taking the form of a bondservant, 25:36 coming in the likeness of men." 25:38 Christ in His pre-incarnate state, 25:43 God of Spirit, Christ was a spiritual being, 25:46 equal to the Father and the Spirit. 25:48 He possessed all the qualities of God. 25:52 He has always been God, and His love for humanity, 25:56 He did not consider that majesty, that equality, 26:02 something to hold on to. 26:04 No, He emptied Himself, not of His divine nature, 26:08 but of His environment of glory. 26:12 And the pre-incarnate Christ came to earth 26:16 as the eternal Son of God. 26:19 In the beginning was the Word of God, 26:22 the Word was with God, the Word was God. 26:24 Eternal God became the last Adam, 26:28 the only begotten Son of God. 26:31 Do you know what only begotten means? 26:34 It actually means unique. 26:37 One of a kind. In 26:39 Hebrews 11, Isaac is referred to 26:43 as the only begotten son of Abraham. 26:46 Oh, wait a minute, Abraham had Ishmael first, 26:50 that was his biological son, then he had many other sons. 26:54 Yet the Bible calls Ishmael, Isaac, 26:58 let's see if I can confuse you. 27:00 The Bible calls Isaac, the only begotten son 27:06 because Isaac was unique to God's promise. 27:10 The Gospel of Luke refers to Adam 27:14 as the son of God. 27:16 When the King of kings and Lord of lords 27:18 took humanity upon Himself, in the limitation of humanity, 27:23 He became the last Adam. 27:27 And He came to earth in 27:30 as the only begotten Son of God, 27:33 the unique covenant Son of promise, 27:36 for temporary subordinate role to the Father. 27:40 In Colossians 1:17, Paul writes, 27:43 "He is before all things, and in Him all things consist." 27:49 Jesus said, "Before Abraham was I am." 27:53 He said, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, 27:56 the first and the last." 27:58 And in Colossians 2:9, 28:00 Paul says, "In Him, in Christ dwells 28:04 all the fullness of the Godhead bodily." 28:07 Christ has always possessed all the attributes of God, 28:12 just as I believe does the Holy Spirit. 28:15 In the Old Testament, two advents were promised, 28:20 the advent of our Messiah Savior, 28:25 and the advent of the Holy Spirit. 28:28 Now we have to understand, 28:31 the Bible is a progressive 28:34 self revelation of God. 28:38 Theological concepts that are introduced 28:41 in the Old Testament are more fully developed 28:46 in the New Testament. 28:48 Both the Messiah and the Holy Spirit 28:52 were promised and introduced in the Old Testament and both, 28:57 the theological concept 28:59 is more fully developed in the new. 29:01 Now in our limited time, 29:02 I can't consider the Holy Spirit's activity 29:05 in the process of salvation. 29:07 I simply want to establish from Scripture, 29:10 that he is a person and a person of the Godhead. 29:15 Now I'm defining person as an individual 29:20 of conscious intelligent existence 29:24 who is not an animal. 29:25 For example, we think of the Angel Gabriel, 29:30 who is a ministering Spirit, as a person. 29:33 We think of Satan, who is an evil spirit, 29:38 as a person. 29:39 And Jesus said, "God is Spirit." 29:42 We certainly consider Him as a person. 29:45 The Holy Spirit is not 29:47 a mere influencing emanation of virtual power. 29:52 He is a conscious intelligent person. 29:55 Some professed Christians flatly deny 29:58 the Holy Spirit is a person. 29:59 And one of the things I've heard, 30:02 you know, in the Greek, the word for Spirit is pneuma. 30:05 And it can also mean breath and wind. 30:08 So to suggest that the Holy Spirit 30:11 is just the breath of God and emanating virtue of power. 30:16 What anti-Trinitarians do is that they point to John 3:38 30:20 where Jesus said, 30:21 "The wind blows where it wishes." 30:23 You can hear it, you can't tell where it comes from 30:26 or where it goes, 30:28 so is everyone born of the Spirit. 30:30 This does not disprove 30:33 the personhood of the Holy Spirit. 30:36 It simply expresses a motive operation 30:40 like Jesus said, "I am the gate. 30:41 I am divine. I am the door. I am the bread of life." 30:46 It is a mode of operation. 30:48 Now some consider the Holy Spirit 30:50 an energy force from God 30:52 because He was, Acts says He was poured out 30:56 that He was shed a blood. 30:57 But the same language is used of the Messiah 31:01 in Isaiah 53:12. 31:04 It says, "He poured out His soul unto death." 31:09 See, the word poured out in the Hebrew 31:12 literally means to expose or make naked. 31:16 This was a metaphor that the Messiah 31:19 fully exposed Himself 31:22 to the naked reality of death on our behalf. 31:25 The Holy Spirit poured out His figurative language, 31:30 it is a metaphor of Him descending. 31:34 When water is poured out, it descends, 31:37 the Holy Spirit descended from heaven to earth. 31:40 I believe that the public advent 31:43 of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost 31:45 was second in importance only to the incarnation 31:51 of our Lord at the advent of Jesus Christ. 31:55 He became incarnate, Jesus became flesh, 31:59 so that He could become the last Adam, 32:03 so that He could get it right, as humanity's representative 32:08 to get it right, to be faithful to God, 32:11 and also to be our substitutionary sacrifice 32:14 on the cross for our sins. 32:17 Or the advent of the Holy Spirit 32:20 was also for incarnation that He would live, 32:26 dwell in Christ redeemed, for the purpose of ushering 32:30 and in ministering the new covenant. 32:33 The same Holy Spirit 32:35 who had been active among the people 32:37 from the beginning of time. 32:39 You'll probably remember in Genesis 6:3, 32:42 Jesus or God says, 32:44 "My Spirit will not strive with man forever." 32:49 The Holy Spirit has always been with us. 32:52 But the spirit who had led the disciples 32:55 working alongside them in companion ministry 32:58 would now be dwelling inside them. 33:01 After Pentecost, 33:03 He came to live in all believers 33:06 because that is God's great desire 33:09 is to be with His people. 33:11 1 Corinthians 3:16, Paul says, 33:13 "Do you not know that you are the temple of God 33:18 and that the Holy Spirit dwells in you." 33:21 This demonstrates how personal and relational our God is. 33:26 Now some believe that the Holy Spirit is Jesus. 33:31 And Jesus expressly disclaims that. 33:34 Let's look at John 14. 33:37 We're going to actually consider 6:16-18. 33:41 But let's focus on John 14:16. 33:44 Jesus said, "I will pray the Father, 33:46 and He will give you another..." 33:49 Now that's a significant word, we'll come back to it. 33:52 "Another helper," in the Greek it is allos paracletos, 33:58 "that He," this other helper, "may abide with you forever." 34:03 A paracletos is a person, there is not one English word 34:09 that can translate that. 34:10 A paracletos was an advocate, a legal assistant, 34:14 who defended someone's cause. 34:16 He was an intercessor, a counselor, 34:19 a comforter, a helper. 34:21 In His earthly ministry, 34:23 Jesus was our paracletos on earth. 34:26 But He returned to the Father, to prepare a place for us. 34:30 And after making the atonement for sin, 34:33 Christ became our paracletos in heaven. 34:36 In 1 John 2:1, John says, "If any one sins, 34:41 we have an advocate, in the Greek, 34:43 a paracletos with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous." 34:48 So taking his absence from earth, 34:50 Jesus said, "He would send 34:53 another paracletos." 34:57 Another is significant because in the Greek 35:00 there are two words for another. 35:04 Heteros is another of a different kind. 35:09 Allos is another of the same kind. 35:13 Jesus used allos, allos paracletos, 35:18 another of a like kind. 35:20 Jesus was saying, 35:22 "I am sending one who is just like Me." 35:27 The Holy Spirit has the same character as Christ. 35:32 He is God, no comparison could be made 35:35 between a person and a mere Jesus Christ too 35:38 as a person in a mere abstract influence. 35:42 So Christ was signifying that the Holy Spirit 35:44 would take His own place as God's advocate 35:48 with humanity on earth to take up 35:51 where Jesus' earthly ministry left off. 35:54 He would teach and comfort us, 35:56 advice and defend, and intercede for us. 35:59 So now let's continue with verse 17, John 14:17. 36:04 Christ Identifies this allos paracletos as, 36:09 "The Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, 36:14 because it neither sees Him nor knows Him, 36:16 but you know Him, 36:18 for He dwells with you and will be in you. 36:21 I will not leave you as orphans, 36:23 I will come to you." 36:25 What did Jesus mean, 36:26 I will not leave you as orphans? 36:29 What does that promise mean? 36:30 Within context, 36:32 He is referring to the advent of the Holy Spirit 36:34 at Pentecost. 36:35 When the Holy Spirit dwells in you, 36:39 the Father and the Son dwell in you by faith, 36:43 because the three are one. 36:46 Look at Ephesians 3:16, 36:49 Ephesians 3:16, it will be on the screen. 36:52 Paul praise, "That god would grant you, 36:54 according to the riches of His glory, 36:56 to be strengthened with might through His Spirit, " 36:59 His Holy Spirit, "in the inner man, 37:02 that Christ may dwell in your hearts," how? 37:05 "Through faith, 37:07 that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 37:09 may be able to comprehend with all the saints 37:11 what is the width and length and depth and height 37:13 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge, 37:17 that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." 37:20 In John 14:23, Jesus made another promise. 37:25 He says, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, 37:30 and My Father will love him, and We will come to him 37:35 and make Our home with him." 37:37 Where the Holy Spirit dwells, the Father and the Son 37:41 dwell by faith. 37:42 They are equal one times, one times one equals one. 37:46 I believe the Word of God unequivocally teaches 37:49 that the Holy Spirit is as much a conscious intelligent person 37:53 as the Father and the Son. 37:55 All elements that constitute personhood and deity 37:59 are ascribed to and found in the Holy Spirit. 38:02 We're going to look at five points from Scripture 38:06 that show He is the person, He's endowed with wisdom, 38:09 understanding, and a will, he's endowed with emotions, 38:12 with speech and a mind that formulates thought, 38:15 He intercedes, Christ intercedes, 38:17 He teaches and bears witness. 38:19 Then if we have time, we will look at five points 38:21 that show His deity that He is holy eternal, 38:25 omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. 38:29 So point number one, as Christ... 38:33 Excuse me. 38:36 As a person the Holy Spirit is endowed with wisdom, 38:41 understanding, and a will. 38:43 Look at 1 Corinthians 2:10 and 11. 38:47 It says, "God revealed them to us through His Spirit. 38:51 For the Spirit searches," that's an act of understanding, 38:55 "the Spirit searches all things, 38:57 yes, the deep things of God. 38:58 For what man knows the things of a man 39:01 except the spirit of the man which is in him?" 39:03 Now here in the Greek, this is the self consciousness 39:06 that resides in a man or a woman, 39:08 "Even so no one knows the things of God 39:11 except the Spirit of God." 39:13 That is a totally different Greek construction. 39:16 It is not merely the self-consciousness of God, 39:19 but the personal Holy Spirit 39:21 in His relation to God, the Father." 39:24 Then in 1 Corinthians 12:11, 39:27 Paul speaking of spiritual gifts 39:29 given by God. 39:31 And 1 Corinthians 12:11 says this, 39:33 "But one and the same Spirit works all these things, 39:36 distributing to each one individually 39:41 as He wills." 39:43 The Holy Spirit is endowed with a will, 39:49 He operates with divine prerogative. 39:52 Paul's language would be meaningless if the Spirit 39:56 were only an influencing energy. 39:59 Now open your Bibles if you have them please 40:02 to Acts 13. 40:05 Acts follows Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. 40:08 Acts is the history of the first 30 years 40:12 of the early church. 40:13 We're going to read three scriptures 40:15 to prove His divine prerogative. 40:19 Acts Chapter 13, let's look at verse 2. 40:23 We'll see the Holy Spirit chose church leaders, 40:26 He commanded and exercised authority. 40:29 Acts 13:2, "As they ministered to the Lord invested, 40:33 the Holy Spirit said," 40:35 now you've got to be able to speak to say something, 40:37 and here's what the Holy Spirit said, 40:39 "Now separate to me Barnabas and Saul for the work 40:43 to which I have called them." 40:46 Now flip over to Acts 15. 40:49 Acts 15, look at verse 28 because the Holy Spirit 40:54 lead in church decisions. 40:56 Acts 15:28, James says, 40:59 "For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit 41:01 and to us to lay upon you, no greater burden 41:05 than these necessary things." 41:08 So now flip to Acts 16. 41:11 Acts 16:6. 41:14 The Holy Spirit led in the directing 41:17 of where the gospel would be preached. 41:20 Act 16:6. 41:22 "Now when they gone through Phrygia 41:23 and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by," whom? 41:28 "They were forbidden by the Holy Spirit 41:30 to preach the word in Asia. 41:33 After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go to Bithynia, 41:37 but the Spirit did not permit them." 41:42 So keep your finger there in Acts 41:44 'cause we're going to come back there. 41:45 Point number two, as a person 41:48 the Holy Spirit is endowed with emotions. 41:53 So we'll look to the screen for the next three scriptures. 41:56 Romans 15:30, Paul says, "Now I beg you, brethren, 42:00 through the Lord Jesus Christ, 42:02 and through the love of the Spirit, 42:07 that you strive together with me 42:09 in prayers to God for me. 42:11 The Spirit loves." 42:14 Ephesians 4:30, 42:17 Paul writes, "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, 42:23 by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." 42:27 Only a person can be grieved. 42:31 Then in Hebrews 10:29, 42:34 it is written, 42:36 "Of how much worse punishment do you suppose, 42:38 will be thought worthy, 42:40 who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, 42:44 counted the blood of the covenant 42:45 by which he was sanctified a common thing, 42:48 and insulted the Spirit of grace?" 42:52 Only a person can be insulted. 42:56 So now you've got your finger next, 42:58 let's turn to Acts Chapter 5. 43:01 We have seen the Holy Spirit loves, 43:03 He grieves, he can be insulted. 43:06 Acts 5:3. Acts 5:3. 43:11 "Peter said, 'Ananias, why is Satan filled your heart 43:16 to lie to the Holy Spirit.' " 43:18 Only a person can be lied to. 43:20 you got to hear to receive testimony 43:23 and keep back part of the price of the lamb for yourself. 43:26 While it remained, was it not your own, 43:27 and after it was sold. 43:29 Was it not in your own control? 43:32 Why have you conceive this thing in your heart? 43:35 You have not lied? 43:38 Who did He lied to? 43:40 The Holy Spirit. 43:41 You have not lied to men, but to God. 43:46 So if lying to the Holy Spirit is lying to God, 43:51 the Spirit must be God. 43:53 Now jump down to verse 9. 43:56 Peter's now talking to... 43:58 This is Acts 5:9, 44:00 "Peter's talking to Sapphira and he says to her, 44:04 'How is it that you've agreed to test to tempt 44:08 the Spirit of the Lord? 44:09 Only a person can be tempted.' " 44:12 Now on the screen, Mark 3:28-30. 44:18 This is a sobering passage. 44:21 Jesus is speaking and He says, "Assuredly I say to you, 44:24 all sins will be forgiven, the sins of men, 44:27 and whatever blasphemies they may utter, 44:29 but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit 44:32 never has forgiveness, 44:34 but is subject to eternalcondemnation..." 44:37 Verse 30 explains why he said this 44:40 because they said, "He has an unclean spirit." 44:44 An unclean spirit was a fallen angel, 44:46 a demonic spirit, a person. 44:49 So this is clear proof that the Holy Spirit's a person. 44:53 If he weren't a person, 44:54 no comparative opposition could be made 44:57 between Him and an unclean spirit. 45:00 But it is more, 45:02 it is clear proof that the Holy Spirit is God 45:08 because only God can be blasphemed. 45:13 Now point number three, 45:15 as the person the Holy Spirit is endowed with speech 45:19 and a mind that can formulate thoughts. 45:21 Turn quickly to Acts Chapter 8. 45:24 Hope you've still got your finger there. 45:26 We're going to look at a few of the many, many examples 45:31 that attribute speech to the Holy Spirit. 45:36 Acts 8:29, 45:39 "Then the Spirit said to Philip, " 45:43 here's a quote of the Spirit, 45:45 "Go near, and overtake this chariot." 45:49 The Spirit was directing Philip. 45:52 Flip over to Acts 10. 45:54 Acts 10 will say he speaks to Peter 45:59 in verse 19 and 20. 46:00 While, Peter... 46:02 Acts 10:19, 46:04 "While Peter thought about the vision, 46:06 the Spirit said to him, 46:11 'Behold, three men are seeking you. 46:13 Arise therefore, go down, and go with him, 46:17 doubting nothing for I have sent them.' " 46:21 Only a person, 46:24 a person of the Godhead can speak 46:27 and exercise divine prerogative. 46:32 In 1 Timothy 4:1 on the screen. 46:36 It says, "Now the Spirit expressly says, " 46:39 he's not vague in his speech, 46:41 "that in latter times 46:43 some will depart from the faith, 46:46 giving heed to deceiving spirits 46:49 and doctrines of demons." 46:52 The Holy Spirit in clear words warns us 46:56 that apostasy would be caused by evil spirits. 46:59 Now I want you just to listen to this, 47:02 it won't be on the screen. 47:04 But this is an Old Testament text. 47:07 It comes from Isaiah 63:10. 47:11 And it says, 47:12 "They rebelled 47:14 and grieved His Holy Spirit. 47:19 So he, the Spirit, 47:21 turned himself against them as an enemy 47:23 and he fought against them." 47:26 Now let's look at Hebrews 3:7 on the screen 47:30 because these two tie in together. 47:34 Hebrews 3:7, 47:35 "Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: 47:39 'Today, if you will hear His voice, 47:40 Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion. 47:42 In the day of the trial in the wilderness, 47:45 Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, 47:50 and saw My works for forty years." 47:52 See how those two dovetailed together. 47:56 This is a quote from Psalm 95, where God is speaking. 48:01 And it is attributed 48:04 to the speech of the Holy Spirit. 48:06 Point number four, the Holy Spirit intercedes, 48:10 the Holy Spirit intercedes. 48:13 "Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. 48:16 For we do not know 48:17 what we should pray for as we ought, 48:19 but the Spirit Himself..." 48:21 Now in the King James Version, 48:23 it says the Spirit itself. 48:25 "But the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us 48:29 with groanings which cannot be uttered." 48:32 Christ intercession to the Father 48:34 proved that He was a person distinct from the Father. 48:38 The same for the Holy Spirit, his intercession proves, 48:42 he is distinct personhood. 48:44 Now there is much fuss about the King James Version 48:49 and the translator saying, "The Spirit itself..." 48:53 Let me tell you something, 48:54 in the Greek that is grammatically correct. 48:57 Spirit is neuter gender. 49:00 But other translators came along 49:03 and they changed it to the Spirit Himself 49:06 because every time 49:08 Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit, 49:12 He used the emphatic male personal pronouns, 49:18 He, Him, or Himself 49:21 when referring to the Holy Spirit. 49:24 I believe it is a grave error to use it or itself 49:29 when referring to the Holy Spirit, 49:30 even though it's grammatically correct 49:33 because Spirit is neuter gender. 49:36 But we wouldn't say, "God is Spirit, " 49:40 and when you worship it, worship in Spirit and truth 49:44 because we know 49:48 that God is a person. 49:51 Under our next point, 49:52 we're going to look at two scriptures. 49:53 The first one says, "Jesus says, 49:55 'The Father will send the Spirit.' " 49:57 The second one, He says, "I will send the Spirit." 50:00 There is no contradiction in this 50:02 because they always act in concert. 50:05 So point number five, the Holy Spirit teaches 50:10 and bears witness. 50:11 John 14:26. 50:14 John 14:26, "But the helper, 50:18 the paracletos, the Holy Spirit 50:21 whom the Father will send in My name, He," 50:26 Jesus is using that personal male pronoun, 50:29 "will teach you all things." 50:31 In other words, He's all knowing, 50:33 He's omniscient. 50:34 "He will bring to your remembrance 50:35 all things that I said to you." 50:37 He teaches both the new and the old. 50:40 Christ constantly used he and him 50:44 in referring to the Holy Spirit. 50:47 Let me ask you, do you think 50:50 our Savior would have employed language 50:54 that would confuse His disciples? 50:58 Would we dare accuse Him of such a frightful error? 51:04 There's no other alternative than to regard the Holy Spirit 51:09 as another person of the Godhead. 51:12 John 15:26, "Jesus says, 'But when the Helper comes, 51:18 whom I shall send you 51:20 from the Father, the Spirit of truth 51:23 who proceeds from the Father, " 51:25 and in the Greek the literal is that He proceeds 51:29 from beside the Father, 51:32 "He, this Holy Spirit, will testify of Me." 51:37 Jesus said about seven times that He would give 51:39 or send the Holy Spirit. 51:41 To me that's additional proof that the Spirit is a person 51:44 or Jesus' language would be useless, it would be senseless. 51:47 He called this the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth. 51:52 His disciples didn't grasp all the truths 51:54 that Jesus tried to teach them while on earth. 51:58 But when the Spirit came, He made it plain to them. 52:02 Spirit guided Bible study is progressive, 52:07 there is a progressive understanding of the truth 52:10 as we are ready to receive it. 52:13 And the Spirit will never teach us anything 52:15 that is not in Scripture. 52:17 In Romans 8:16, 52:20 it says, "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit 52:23 that we are children of God." 52:25 Bears witness is a forensic term. 52:29 It denotes that He is supplying evidence, 52:32 legal proof, and only an intelligent being 52:37 could perform this function. 52:39 The Holy Spirit is a person. 52:42 Now Scripture clearly and abundantly shows us 52:48 that the Holy Spirit has the attributes of deity 52:51 that are peculiar to God. 52:55 First the Holy Spirit is imminently holy 52:58 as His name indicates. 53:00 But the Holy Spirit is eternal and attribute 53:03 that is exclusive to God. 53:06 In Hebrews 9:14, it says, 53:09 "How much more shall the blood of Christ, 53:11 who through the eternal Spirit," 53:14 and remember God can be called eternal, 53:16 "offered Himself without spot to God, 53:19 cleanse your conscience from dead works 53:22 to serve the living God." 53:24 He also... 53:26 Point number eight is omniscient, 53:29 He is all knowing. 53:31 We've already reviewed John 14:26 when Jesus said, 53:34 "He's going to send the Holy Spirit, 53:36 who would teach us all things and bring to our remembrance, 53:41 everything He said." 53:42 Point number nine, He is omnipresent. 53:45 He is everywhere. 53:47 In Psalm 139:7-10, 53:52 we're just going to read 7 and 8. 53:54 He says, 53:55 "Where can I go from Your Spirit? 53:58 Or where can I flee from Your presence? 54:01 If I ascend into heaven, You are there, 54:03 if I make my bed in hell," 54:05 speaking of the grave, 54:06 "behold, You are there. 54:08 And He is..." 54:10 The tenth point, omnipotent. 54:13 Luke 1:35, "The angel said and said to her, 54:17 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you. 54:19 And the power of the highest will overshadow you. 54:22 Therefore, also the Holy One who is to be born 54:26 will be called the Son of God." 54:29 The Holy Spirit miraculously formed 54:34 the incarnate Christ in Mary, 54:37 and then He anointed Him for ministry. 54:41 Creation is attributed as much to the Holy Spirit 54:44 as it is to the Father and the Son. 54:46 Romans 8:11 says, 54:47 "The Holy Spirit raised Jesus from the dead, 54:51 who but a divine person 54:54 could have accomplished this." 54:58 I believe that the doctrine of the triune God 55:03 is an important matter. 55:06 The Bible plainly teaches 55:09 three divine persons 55:12 equal one divine being. 55:15 This is mysterious to us, 55:19 it is inexplicable to human race. 55:22 And although they were co-eternal, co-essential, 55:26 and co-equal, 55:27 we see a historic submission 55:30 in the history of ministry on earth. 55:33 Christ submitted to the Father's will, 55:36 the Holy Spirit submits to Jesus' authority. 55:40 This is the absolute humility 55:44 of the Godhead. 55:46 There is no competition. 55:49 This is other centered love. 55:52 The advent of the Holy Spirit 55:55 is the fulfillment of divine promises 55:57 in the Old Testament and in the New Testament. 55:59 He came to witness under Christ exaltation 56:03 to take Christ place on earth, 56:05 and to continue and complete the cause of Christ, 56:08 to ignore the Holy Spirit 56:11 as the distinct third person of the Godhead, 56:15 dishonors and grieves Him. 56:18 We're not giving Him the glory do His name. 56:21 He's our helper, our comforter, our teacher, our counselor, 56:26 and our advocate. 56:27 And His great work of salvation is so necessary for us. 56:32 He's the one who sanctifies, exhorts, inspires, and guides. 56:37 I believe the Holy Spirit 56:39 is the third personal power of the Godhead. 56:43 God's presence is in the cube. 56:49 One times one, 56:52 times one equals one, 56:56 one to the power of three. 57:00 The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, 57:06 one to the power of three. 57:10 My, Brothers and Sisters, I want to encourage you, 57:15 as I did, go back, restudy, make sure that 57:19 what you're holding on to is truth. 57:23 God's presence is in the cube, 57:26 and I don't want you to miss it. 57:29 God bless. |
Revised 2018-11-19