Participants: Jim Reinking
Series Code: LDS
Program Code: LDS000022
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00:33 The question is what is the unpardonable sin?
00:38 What is this terrible sin 00:40 which the Bible says God cannot forgive? 00:43 You know, there are those who want us to believe that 00:46 the unpardonable sin is murder is to take him another's life 00:49 or maybe he's committing suicide. 00:51 I mean, somebody who commit suicide 00:53 can never come back and say I'm sorry, Lord, 00:55 you know, I shouldn't have done that 00:56 or maybe the killing of an unborn child 00:59 or some other terrible deed. 01:01 However, this evening as we open God's word, 01:04 we will discover 01:06 that the unpardonable sin is not a particular sin, 01:09 so horrible that God cannot forgive it. 01:12 There is simply no sin that is so great 01:16 as to take us beyond God's mercy. 01:19 Can you say amen to that? Amen. 01:21 In fact, we have the assurance. 01:23 And I want to begin with a word of assurance 01:25 where it says, 01:29 "Where sin increase, grace abounded all the more." 01:34 Now think of what that means, where sin, you know, 01:36 where-- where sin increase, 01:38 grace is more than sufficient this verse's what talking about. 01:42 Grace is always sufficient for our need. 01:44 Need and we need to believe that. 01:47 And another word of assurance as we look at 1 John 1:9 01:52 where it says and "If we confess our sins, 01:54 He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, 01:57 and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 02:01 So I'm gonna set this foundation with these two texts 02:04 before we get into this-- 02:06 This issue of the unpardonable sin. 02:08 I want each of us to have a sense of assurance in Jesus. 02:14 We can have that assurance, but nevertheless, 02:16 Jesus spoke of the unpardonable sin 02:18 in these words. 02:21 He said, "Therefore I say to you, 02:23 any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men, 02:26 but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven." 02:31 And so the unpardonable sin is blasphemy 02:33 against the Holy Spirit. 02:35 It was my sophomore year at college. 02:39 It was in the fall time of the year. 02:40 It's actually before I think I met my wife to be Donna. 02:44 I was in my dorm room and I was study one evening 02:47 and somebody knocked on my door and then 02:49 when I open the door, there I found Jim standing. 02:52 I'd know Jim. He was a year behind me. 02:55 I known Jim, you know, we were friends, 02:58 but we were really close friends. 03:01 And so I was a little surprised to him and invited him in 03:04 and he didn't waste anytime getting to the point. 03:07 He shared with me that the previous summer 03:10 in a fit of hanger he had sworn against the Holy Spirit. 03:16 And now he was filling this grief in heart, 03:20 wondering if and swearing against the Holy Spirit 03:23 whether he had committed the unpardonable sin. 03:28 Well, is that what the Bible is talking about 03:30 when it talks about the unpardonable sin? 03:32 Was he guilty on the unpardonable sin? 03:34 Well, you and I cannot really understand the sin 03:37 against the Holy Spirit without understanding the ministry 03:40 and the function of the Holy Sprit. 03:43 So our subject tonight-- 03:44 Tonight is on the wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit to us. 03:48 And so I am gonna approach this subject 03:50 kind of through the back door. 03:52 I'm not gonna approach it directly at first. 03:54 I'm gonna set a foundation as we discover 03:57 what the Bible teaches about the Holy Spirit. 04:00 And we're gonna be looking at a number of vital things 04:03 in reference to the ministry of the Holy Spirit. 04:07 In fact, you remember six weeks ago as we began the seminar, 04:10 I had you in Genesis 1 and we looked at verse 2 04:14 where it says "And the earth was without form and void, 04:17 and darkness was upon the face of the deep. 04:20 And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." 04:24 And remember, we talked about the fact 04:25 whenever God is in the process of establishing life 04:29 whether it is, you know, in this case of creation literal life 04:34 or whether He is establishing spiritual life 04:37 as God certainly did 04:39 in the lives of Philippe and Libya 04:41 and other members of their family as He is doing, 04:44 has done in your life and as He's doing in your life. 04:47 My friend, there is the indication 04:50 of the powerful working of the Holy Spirit. 04:53 There is no life without the Holy Spirit. 04:57 And then I take you 05:00 where Jesus said, "Go therefore 05:02 and make disciples of all the nations, 05:04 baptizing them in the name of the Father, 05:06 the Son and the Holy Spirit." 05:08 So we also see as we look at this particular passage. 05:11 We recognize that the Holy Spirit 05:13 is one of the members of the God head of the three. 05:17 And number three, the most mysterious 05:20 is that of the Holy Spirit. 05:23 I'll take you to John 14 05:26 and beginning with the verse 16 05:28 as Jesus-- Jesus that night that He was betrayed. 05:31 As He was in the upper room, 05:32 as He was sharing with His disciples, 05:35 some of the most beautiful teachings 05:36 that Jesus gave where in that setting, 05:39 and in that setting anticipating 05:41 that He was gonna believing them on a number of occasions. 05:45 He kept coming back to the importance 05:48 of the vitality and the power the Holy Spirit 05:50 that will be present in their lives in His absence. 05:54 Notice what He said, John 14 and looking at verse 16. 05:58 Jesus said, "And I will ask the Father, 06:00 and He will give you another Helper." 06:03 He's talking about the Holy Spirit. 06:06 And, you know, we'll look at-- We will see in a few moments 06:08 the Holy Spirit is called our comforter, the comforter. 06:12 I love these descriptions of the Holy Spirit. 06:16 He is our divine spiritual helper 06:21 and we need the help of the Holy Spirit, don't we? 06:24 It just gives us assurance 06:25 to know that we're not alone in this. 06:28 The Holy Spirit has been promised 06:29 to be with us to help us. 06:31 So He will give you another helper that 06:33 He may be with you for how long? 06:36 Forever. That is the Spirit of truth." 06:40 I want you to notice that phrase because 06:42 we're gonna see at least three other passages 06:45 or scripture that speak of the spirit as the spirit of truth. 06:49 And so there is direct coloration, 06:51 there is a direct relationship between 06:53 the Holy Spirit and truth. 06:55 "That is the Spirit truth, whom the world cannot receive, 06:58 because it does not behold Him or know Him, 07:01 but you know because He abides with you and will be, what? 07:05 He will be in you." Oh, is that wonderful? 07:10 The promise that the Holy Spirit will be in us. 07:14 And then Jesus said, "I will not leave you as orphans, 07:18 I will come to you." 07:20 And, my friend, it is clear, it is through the Holy Spirit 07:23 that Jesus comes to us, 07:25 it is through the Holy Spirit that Jesus abides in us. 07:30 And very simply put without the Savior 07:33 and without the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. 07:37 My friend, there is no spiritual life. 07:41 There is no spiritual life. 07:44 Within the Seventh-day Adventist Church 07:46 and understanding an acceptance of the gifts of the Holy Spirit 07:50 is a test of fellowship. 07:52 It is one of the things that 07:54 we ask an individual to be in agreement on 07:57 as He come into the fellowship of the church. 07:58 The primary test of fellowship of course 08:00 is a relationship with Jesus Christ, right? 08:03 That under guards everything, 08:05 it was foundational to everything, 08:07 but the gifts of the spirit are vital 08:10 to us individually and to the church. 08:13 And, yes, we have this particular-- 08:15 Well, we have this council in 1 John 4:1 08:19 where it says, "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, 08:22 but test the spirits to see whether they are from God." 08:27 And so, my friend, 08:29 we are council in this passage or scripture 08:32 that we need to have discernment to determine 08:35 indeed that it is the spirit of God that is at work 08:38 or whether it's another sprit that is at work. 08:44 I tell you the evil ones counterfeits are so masterful. 08:50 They are so deceptive. 08:52 And sometime unless we are really-- 08:54 Unless we really have a sense of discernment 08:57 and I'll share with you that means by which 08:59 we can discern whether it's of God or not. 09:02 But unless we discern that this is indeed of God, 09:06 we can find ourselves in a state of deception that can happen. 09:10 It could happen. 09:11 So we need to know what's going on. 09:13 You know, there are all kinds of representations 09:16 that are made about the Holy Spirit 09:17 and the reception of the spirit 09:19 or as some refer to it, the baptism of the Holy Spirit. 09:23 You know, there are those who want us to believe 09:25 that the baptism of the Holy Spirit 09:28 will result in all kinds of wild demonstrations 09:32 and unintelligible utterances. 09:35 But, my friend, we must never-- 09:37 We must never confuse a rush of emotion 09:41 for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. 09:45 I'm gonna repeat that. 09:46 We must never confuse a sense of the emotion 09:51 for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. 09:55 Emotions, emotions coming though. 09:58 Emotions cannot to be depended upon 10:02 but, my friend, Jesus can be depended upon. 10:05 And His word can be depended upon. 10:08 Amen? Absolutely. 10:11 As we turn to 1 Corinthians 14 10:13 and beginning with verse 33. 10:15 Paul gives us council to the Corinthian Church. 10:18 He says, "God is not a God of confusion, 10:21 but a peace, as in all the churches of the saints, 10:24 but let all things be done properly 10:27 and in orderly manner." 10:29 And if you check out the context, 10:31 he is talking about-- 10:33 He's talking about the ministry of the Holy Spirit. 10:36 Indeed, he is talking about the gift of tongues 10:40 in this context of this statement 10:43 when he says, "Let everything be done--" 10:46 What did He say? 10:47 "Properly and in an orderly manner." 10:53 And so, my friend, we understand 10:55 that when the spirit is at work, things-- 10:58 You know, things don't get under-- 11:00 Out of control. 11:01 Things do not get out of control. 11:03 Things will be done properly when the spirit of God. 11:07 They will be done in the orderly manner 11:09 when the spirit of God is truly at work. 11:13 In Matthew 3-- Let me take you to-- 11:15 I believe it's a greatest baptism 11:17 of the Holy Spirit that anybody has ever experienced. 11:21 It's the baptism of Jesus where it says, 11:22 "Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan 11:25 coming to John, to be baptized by him. 11:28 And after being baptized 11:29 Jesus went up immediately from the water, 11:31 and behold the heavens were opened, 11:33 and He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, 11:36 and coming upon Him, and behold, 11:39 a voice out of the heavens, saying, 11:41 'This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.'" 11:46 And take a note it says the Holy Spirit came down 11:48 upon him like a dove. 11:50 You know, the very word Messiah means anointed. 11:54 And I believe this is that a special unique occasion 11:58 which Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit 12:01 for the ministry, 12:02 His ministry that followed His baptism. 12:05 But when we look at this outpouring of the Holy Spirit 12:08 upon Jesus Christ, we have no indication 12:10 that Jesus came up out of the river, 12:12 out of the Jordan River, upon the riverbank. 12:14 You know, somehow dancing around, dancing the jig. 12:18 We have no indication that, you know, 12:21 he threw himself into the dust shrinking. 12:24 And sometimes is done in the name of the Holy Spirit. 12:29 You know, something about this, don't you? 12:31 Some of the things that are done in the name of the Holy Spirit. 12:36 Let me take you on to Acts 2 12:38 as we look at the outpouring of the Holy Spirit 12:40 upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost. 12:44 Acts 2 and looking at verses 2-4 where it says, 12:47 "And suddenly there came from heaven 12:50 a noise like a violent, rushing wind, 12:52 and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 12:55 And there appeared to them tongues 12:57 as of fire distributing themselves, 12:59 and they rested on each one of them 13:02 and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit." 13:05 Can't you just picture that? 13:07 Wouldn't that be a powerful experience 13:09 here if in this place, the Holy Spirit came down 13:12 upon this in that-- with that kind of power. 13:15 Can you just imagine, you know, with tongues of fire? 13:19 You know, over each one of this indicating 13:21 that we will receive the Holy Spirit. 13:23 It was-- it was a powerful experience, 13:27 but again we have no record in the New Testament. 13:32 We have no record in the Book of Acts. 13:34 Again of the any uncontrolled exhibitions 13:37 or again on intelligible utterances 13:40 that we're going on 13:42 when they received the gift of the Holy Spirit, 13:45 when they were baptized for the Holy Spirit. 13:48 So why as we talk about the reception of the Holy Spirit 13:52 and with it the receiving of the gift 13:54 or gifts of the spirit, 13:56 why are the gifts given to us? 13:59 Well, my friend, they are given for the purpose of ministry. 14:04 That's why they are given for the purpose of ministry. 14:06 It gives a purpose to each one of our lives, 14:10 each of us is called a ministry. 14:13 And that's we will discover tomorrow morning. 14:14 There are some 40 different gifts of the spirit 14:17 that are specifically mentioned in the New Testament. 14:20 So it is the Holy Spirit that empowers and qualifies 14:26 us for our own personal ministry. 14:30 That's what it means to be a follower of Jesus. 14:32 In Ephesians 4:8 It says, "When He--" 14:37 Speaking of Jesus, "When He ascended on high, 14:39 He led captive a hosts of captives." 14:41 Remember at the resurrection of Jesus, 14:43 there were many that were resurrected from the graves 14:46 and there were taken to heaven. 14:47 That's what its talking about here. 14:49 And then it goes on to say, "And He gave gifts to men." 14:52 When Jesus ascended to heaven, it was His purpose 14:55 that the gifts would operate among His people in His absence. 15:01 And that is really very important to understand 15:04 as we talk about the gifts of the Holy Spirit. 15:07 They operate in the absence of the Savior 15:09 as we turn back to heaven. 15:11 You know, as I shared with you some years ago, 15:14 I was on this marvelous trip to the Holy Land. 15:18 And I tell you to be in some of these places. 15:21 You know, when they told us when we are in Jerusalem 15:23 that street level in Jesus day was some 70 feet underground, 15:26 you know, it wasn't quite the same, 15:29 but you were there. 15:31 I have to tell you, 15:32 my favorite place in the Holy Land 15:33 was the Sea of Galilee. 15:36 You know, I imagine largely unchanged 15:40 and all of the events in the life of Jesus 15:42 is calling his disciples, His ministry 15:45 in that particular region. 15:48 You know, you can just see it. 15:49 In fact, I remember we were in a two decker boat 15:53 on the Sea of Galilee and I'm in the upper deck. 15:57 This is a pretty big boat. 15:59 40, 45 maybe 50 feet long. 16:03 And we're out in the Sea of Galilee 16:05 and storm comes up, just like in the Bible story. 16:09 And I tell you, we were going to the storm 16:11 and the waves, the spray of that was coming up 16:14 and drenching us on the top deck. 16:17 I mean, it was real getting into the New Testament story 16:21 of Jesus and His disciples. 16:23 So that was my favorite place, but you know, 16:26 after spending a whole week there, 16:28 we were at Ben Gurion Airport, going to the process 16:32 as we were going to fly Air Alitalia to Rome 16:37 for the three days we were gonna spend in Rome. 16:40 And so as we are waiting to be process, 16:42 as we were waiting for that 747 to come up 16:44 and to take us out of Israel. 16:48 We were in conversation. 16:49 I was in conversation with a woman 16:52 that was actually from California, 16:54 an African-American woman, a wonderful Christian. 16:57 And, you know, when you're in the Holy Land, 17:00 you are often talking about the events 17:01 associated with the life of Jesus. 17:04 And somehow in that process, 17:05 we began talking about the Holy Spirit. 17:08 And I remember her saying to me, 17:09 you know, one has not really received 17:11 or been baptized in the Holy Spirit 17:13 unless you have receive the gift of tongues. 17:17 Now not every Charismatic Christian 17:19 will take necessarily that position, but many do. 17:23 The one is I received the Holy Spirit. 17:25 One has not been baptizing the Holy Spirit 17:28 unless they have the gift of tongues. 17:30 Because of some of the confusion about some of these issues, 17:34 I am gonna spend just little bit of our segment of our study 17:37 talking about the gift of tongues 17:40 and how that relates to our experience 17:42 receiving the Holy Spirit. 17:44 I guess I would actually take you to 1 Corinthians 12:28, 17:49 where Paul is talking about 17:51 some of the gifts of the Holy Spirit 17:54 and you will notice as we look at this passage of scripture, 17:57 he is laying out the gifts in an order of importance. 18:02 Now let me just say this, 18:04 every one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is important. 18:07 But some by nature are more important of the deadly 18:10 because Paul makes a statement. 18:11 He says, "And God has appointed in the church, 18:14 first apostles." 18:16 And we understand how vital their ministry was. 18:19 "Second Prophets." 18:20 Of course, we would expect prophets 18:22 to be at the top of list, wouldn't we? 18:24 And then it goes on to say, "Third teachers, then miracles, 18:27 then gifts of healings, helps, administrations." 18:30 And at the bottom of the list is various kinds of tongues. 18:35 And yet this gift is often elevated above all of the gifts. 18:42 My friend, that's not what is indicated here 18:45 in 1 Corinthians, is it? 18:46 Is it? 18:47 It's not first, it's not second, it's not third. 18:50 It's at the bottom. 18:51 In fact, he goes on to ask the question. 18:53 "All are not apostles, are they? 18:55 All are not prophets, are they? 18:57 What's the obvious answer? Of course, not. 19:02 And then he goes on to ask "All are not teachers, are they? 19:05 All are not workers of miracles, are they? 19:08 All do not have gifts of healings, do they? 19:10 All do not speak with tongues, do they?" 19:13 And at this point, there are those 19:15 who would like to us-- Like to tell us. 19:17 Yes, we all will. 19:20 If we really receive the Holy Spirit. 19:23 But again, obviously from the scriptures 19:25 not all will have the gift of tongues, right? 19:30 Again, as we go back to the experience of the church 19:34 on the Day of Pentecost, 19:35 when the gift of tongues was initially given, 19:38 notice how it's described here. 19:40 Again Acts 2:6, "And when this sound occurred." 19:44 That is that mighty Russian wind. 19:47 That's what it sounded like. 19:48 It's the Holy Spirit descended upon them. 19:50 "And when the sound occurred, the multitude came together 19:53 and were bewildered because they were each one 19:56 hearing them speak in their own language." 20:04 So, you know, when the gift of tongues 20:06 was given to the apostles on the Day of Pentecost, 20:09 we had individuals from all of the then known world 20:13 that were gather there at Jerusalem, 20:14 they didn't all speak the same language. 20:17 And so it is clearly, it's obvious to us 20:19 why the gifts of tongues was given to the disciples? 20:24 So that they could communicate 20:26 the gospel to those who have come there, right? 20:30 And they heard them. 20:32 They heard the disciples, the apostles. 20:34 They heard them, speaking in their own language. 20:40 And, you know, that's exactly the gift of tongues. 20:43 The word tongue is in old English word, 20:47 which in the modern vernacular means languages. 20:51 And so we really ought to be talking 20:53 about the gift of languages. 20:55 And do you notice when we talk about the gift of languages, 20:58 it demystifies the whole idea of the gift of tongues 21:02 and it's in harmony with what the Bible teaches 21:05 about the gift of tongues. 21:07 The gift of languages. Now as we talk about. 21:10 I'm gonna move on now, 21:11 I'm not gonna spending more time on this particular issue. 21:14 As we talk about the reception of the Holy Spirit, 21:17 there are some qualifiers. 21:20 One of the qualifications to receiving 21:23 the Holy Spirit is one's acceptance 21:27 of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. 21:28 That is not to say that the Holy Spirit 21:30 is not seeking to influence us before that point, right? 21:35 But to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit comes out of, 21:39 it come into relationship with Jesus Christ 21:41 is what we find as we look at the teaching of scripture. 21:44 But there is another qualifier that is given to us in Acts 5:32 21:50 where he says, "And we are witnesses of these things, 21:53 and so it is the Holy Spirit, 21:55 whom God has given to those who, what? 21:59 Given to those who obey Him." 22:02 You see, this almost-- This is a natural result, 22:08 you know, coming to the Lord Jesus. 22:11 I mean, apart of communist fundamental 22:12 to coming to the Lord Jesus in fact. 22:14 I mean, we on some level have grown weary 22:17 with the life of sin. 22:18 At some point we have come to the conviction. 22:21 We need a Savior. 22:22 And so we come to Jesus as a Holy Spirit 22:24 is drawing us to the Savior. 22:26 We convicted our sins. 22:27 We repent of our sins, right? 22:31 And, my friend, having grown weary with the life of sin 22:35 having recognized that we need a Savior, 22:37 there is a natural desire that 22:39 we want to go another direction in our lives. 22:43 Where we have been in sin, where we've been 22:46 in state of transgression and in disobedience, 22:49 the desire is that we want to be in harmony with Him. 22:54 We want to be in harmony 22:55 with the teachings of His word, right? 22:58 And to be in harmony and so be in obedience. 23:02 And, my friend, that-- again, that is not something 23:04 that comes from us though we have part to corporate, 23:07 but that is coming through the power of Jesus Christ 23:11 and the power of the spirit within us. 23:14 And so obedience is a qualifier to it. 23:17 Years ago, I was helping 23:18 with the series of meetings at Pasco, Washington. 23:20 I wasn't speaker, I was a young pastor, 23:23 but I was helping out with some of the visitation 23:26 and we had a young woman in her mid the late 20s 23:29 that was attending, married. 23:31 I think she had a child as I remember back. 23:33 And a Charismatic Christian, 23:36 a very active in Charismatic Movement. 23:38 But she was coming to the meetings 23:40 and she was processing what she was hearing, 23:44 trying to come-- trying to come to a decision. 23:47 And I remember visiting with her in her home 23:49 and she opened up to me and she said, "You know--" 23:53 She had been in a lot of trouble, this young woman. 23:57 Because married though she was 23:59 she had, had a number of affairs 24:02 already in her mid the late 20s. 24:06 So she had some real struggles, 24:09 but through all of this experience 24:12 she had been very active with the gift of tongues. 24:16 I guess I'm gonna return to that for just a moment. 24:18 My friends, something does it match up there, right? 24:23 Something that is that how the Holy Spirit works 24:26 when we're in a willful state of something that is so 24:30 substitute as what she was going through. 24:32 No. 24:34 Again, willing obedience, a desire to be obedient 24:38 is one of the qualifiers that we'll find in the scriptures. 24:41 And Jesus spoke of it in John 14 and beginning with verse 15 24:47 where He said, "And if you love Me, 24:49 keep My commandments. 24:50 If you love Me, keep My commandments, and--" 24:54 Notice that word of connection. 24:56 It's connecting loving Jesus and keeping His commandments 24:59 to what follows of what follows verse says, 25:02 "And I will pray the Father, 25:05 and He shall give you another Comforter." 25:08 And again, I just love that 25:09 description of the Holy Spirit, right? 25:11 He's a helper. He's the Spirit of Truth. 25:15 He is our Comforter. 25:17 And what's we comfort 25:19 we find through the Spirit of Jesus 25:22 as He inhabits us. 25:24 "And He shall give you another comforter, 25:26 that He may abide with your forever, 25:29 even the Spirit of truth." 25:31 And then we will see it again, don't we? 25:33 The spirit of truth. 25:35 And so notice the connection between loving Jesus 25:38 and keeping His commandments and receiving the Holy Spirit. 25:44 There is direction coloration. 25:46 And I know we've taught-- We've talked. 25:49 I've had several two or three subjects on the matter 25:52 of the commandments of Ten Commandments. 25:55 We've been through those studies. 25:56 But, my friend, here there is again another connection 25:59 as Jesus clearly indicates in this particular passage. 26:03 So willing, willingness to obey is one of the evidences 26:08 that we have received the Holy Spirit, 26:10 one of the evidences that we have been truly born again. 26:16 We must be concern of anyone 26:17 who claims to have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, 26:20 but who holds back from obedience 26:23 to the spirit of truth. 26:26 In John 14:26, again Jesus speaks 26:30 about the matter of the Holy Spirit. 26:31 He says, "And when the Helper comes, 26:33 whom I will send to you from the Father, 26:35 that is the Sprit of truth." 26:37 I think this is the four time 26:38 we've seen the statement, isn't it? 26:40 "The Spirit of truth, He will bear witness of Me." 26:45 Now there is two vital things in this text 26:47 that we want to take note of. 26:50 And the first thing is the last one. 26:52 What is one of the primary functions of the Holy Spirit? 26:55 To bear witness to whom? 26:58 My friend, the spirit is not bearing witness of himself. 27:01 I want you to take note of that. 27:03 He is given to bear witness to Jesus. 27:09 And so, my friend, to make the Holy Spirit, 27:11 the focal point of one's experience is 27:15 missing the point. 27:17 Jesus, our Lord and Savior is the focal point 27:20 of our experience, right? 27:22 We value the Holy Spirit, but we understand that is-- 27:26 It is Jesus Christ that is-- He's our Lord and Savior 27:29 as I just mentioned a moment ago. 27:32 And as I turn back to those phrases of Spirit of truth, 27:35 one of clears evidences of the spirits outpouring-- 27:40 Outpouring is a rich and growing understanding 27:45 an experience in the truth. 27:47 You see, my friend, 27:48 if our hearts are open to the Holy Spirit 27:51 and we have been praying and seeking 27:54 for greater understanding of God's will for us, 27:57 we will by His grace accept all the truth 28:01 that the spirit has led us to. 28:06 And, my friend, let me just say it. 28:08 These six weeks that we have spent together, 28:11 you know, we've had good times together but, 28:14 you know, we are not really playing games. 28:16 We are not really playing games here. 28:18 These-- the things that 28:20 we have been studying are vital issues 28:23 in regards to our relationship to Jesus Christ. 28:25 He is as-- I've been saying night after night 28:28 He is the focal point of it all. 28:30 It is all about the relationship, 28:32 that relationship is transformational. 28:35 And, my friend, it is all about relationship to Jesus Christ 28:38 that we value His word. 28:40 I just really don't believe that one can truly-- 28:43 Well, I'm gonna be careful how we say this but, 28:47 you know, it's like that old song, 28:49 Love and Marriage, Love and Marriage, 28:51 go together like an horse and carriage. 28:53 This I tell you, brother, 28:54 you can't have one without the other. 28:57 And, my friend, on a certain level 28:58 one cannot have a committed relationship with Jesus Christ 29:03 without having a deep and abiding experience 29:07 with Jesus through the teachings of His word. 29:13 They go directly together. 29:16 Again, it's not all about having a warm fuzzy feeling. 29:20 You know, there will be those joy-- 29:22 Those times of tremendous joy that we will have. 29:26 And we ought to have joy. 29:28 But, my friend, it's not all about the fuzzy feeling. 29:31 It is about a committed relationship of that. 29:34 And out of that committed relationship, 29:35 the commitment to the teachings of the word of God. 29:40 And it's the Spirit of truth that bears witness 29:43 to the teachings of the word of God. 29:46 And that's why you find within 29:47 the Seventh-day Adventist Church 29:48 such an emphasis upon the Bible. 29:51 We've been known for a very long time 29:53 those that really know us and some don't really us, 29:57 but we've been known for a long time 29:58 as the people of the book and I happen to write that. 30:02 And particularly when we understand 30:03 as we talk about being a people of book, 30:06 it's talking about people 30:07 that are in a committed relationship with Jesus Christ 30:12 because you can't be committed to the book 30:14 without be committed to the Savior, right? 30:19 You can't act like you can't have one without the other. 30:22 And so again if our hearts are open to the Holy Spirit 30:26 and if indeed we have been praying for the truth, 30:28 we will accept all the truth that the spirit has lead us to. 30:34 So I'm getting into a spiritual process, 30:37 involving the Holy Spirit that first of all we've-- 30:40 One of things we've noted, 30:41 one of the key purposes of the Holy Spirit 30:44 is to bear witness of Jesus that is to bring us to Jesus. 30:49 But another key aspect of the ministry of the Holy Spirit 30:52 is to lead us into the truth 30:56 and that is vital to our spiritual experience 30:59 and to our spiritual growth. 31:01 We don't always maybe right at the moment sets 31:04 how as we are responding as we study the word of God. 31:07 How we are growing in the process. 31:10 We are deepening our commitment to Jesus. 31:14 We're deepening our understanding 31:16 of the spiritual life 31:18 and we're deepening understanding 31:19 of the will of God. 31:22 All of that is a part of it. 31:25 But I want to add this particular text. 31:26 James 4:17 where it says, 31:29 "Therefore, to the one who knows the right thing to do, 31:32 and does not do it, to him it is sin." 31:35 So there is two sides in this particular text. 31:38 "To the one who knows the right thing to do, 31:41 and fails to do it that Bible says, 31:43 it is accounted to that person as sin. 31:46 In another words, we are accountable, 31:49 we become responsible for the true's that-- 31:55 Let's not just about true because it's talking about 31:57 knowing the right thing to do, 31:58 but part of knowing the right thing to do 32:00 is knowing the right things to believe 32:02 and the right things to practice, right? 32:06 Is a part of it. 32:08 And so to understand the right thing 32:11 and to fail to do it, 32:14 it is held against us as sin. 32:17 Now some people are uncomfortable with that, 32:21 accountability and responsibility as Christians. 32:26 But let me tell you, look at all of the tragic lessons we've had 32:31 in the Christian Church and some of the terrible things 32:34 that have come about because of irresponsibility 32:38 and a lack of accountability 32:42 take the Carl's, take Jim Jones and the people's temple 32:46 just one of many illustrations that we could be talking about. 32:50 My friend, we need in love to be held accountable 32:55 and we need to be responsible as Christians 33:00 in our commitment to Jesus Christ. 33:01 Isn't that sensible? 33:03 It does make a lot of sense, but the other side of it is 33:06 we are not held accountable for that 33:08 which we did not know was right. 33:12 When we were in ignorance about the truth, 33:15 God did not hold this accountable, right? 33:19 That's the other side of it. 33:21 And I tell you the law on the land is not even 33:23 that open-minded about it, 33:25 you know, ignorance is no excuse before the law 33:28 which I found out for myself some years ago 33:31 as I was conducting the series of meetings 33:33 in Deer Park, Washington, 33:35 that's just a community, just north of Spokane. 33:39 It was an hours drive from home 33:41 and it was just joy to be able to be at home 33:43 and I found the shortcut through the back roads 33:46 to Deer Park from Spokane Valley where I live. 33:50 And I had driven this many times during the series of meetings. 33:54 I was doing four or five nights a week 33:57 at that period of time. 33:58 So I've been driving him from back country 34:00 coming from the east side of Deer Park in 34:03 and I knew, well you know, the speed limit dropped 34:06 as you came towards this-- Towards the town 34:08 is not really a city, it dropped to 35 34:11 and little further, it dropped to 25. 34:13 This one night I was scheduled to have special music. 34:18 And so I had my tape in the cassette player in my car. 34:21 I was vocalizing, I was going over my song, 34:24 I caught the 35 mile per hour sign, 34:26 but I missed the 25 mile -- 25 mile per hour sign, 34:31 and guess who was sitting there 34:34 just waiting for somebody like me. 34:38 A policeman. 34:40 Now just remember, my Dad was Washington State Patrolman 34:43 and he made it clear to us kids. 34:45 I think it's changed somewhat through the years, 34:47 but back then he said, don't you ever call policeman a cop. 34:49 That is not a term of respect. 34:53 You call him sir or you call him the policeman. 34:56 But anyway, so what-- For whatever that's word so. 34:59 Anyway, he pulls me over and he said, 35:02 do you know that you were-- 35:03 And I said, "Yes, officer, I--" 35:06 You know, I thought if I was honest with him 35:08 that maybe he would have pity upon on him. 35:10 I told him what I was doing. 35:11 I was heading to a meeting, 35:13 you know, and I was practicing, 35:16 I was singing that night and I just missed it. 35:20 Do you think he had mercy upon me? 35:23 Not at all. 35:25 Handed me a big fat ticket. 35:28 I don't know. 35:29 Anyway, he handed me a big fat ticket. 35:32 And so I determined. 35:33 I was gonna show up to court, 35:35 at least make my case before the judge. 35:38 I don't get a lot of tickets by learn that long time ago. 35:41 It pays a show up. 35:43 And so I showed up and I made my case to the judge. 35:47 I was guilty. What could I say? 35:50 You know, I broke the speed limit. 35:51 But there were, you know, there were circumstances. 35:55 And praise the Lord, He cut that. 35:57 I think it was $85 ticket in half. 36:01 And I thought so good, 36:02 but see ignorance was no excuse for the law. 36:05 You know, inside of the law. But, my friend, God is fair. 36:10 He does not hold us accountable 36:12 for that which we didn't know. 36:14 Isn't that wonderful to know that about God? 36:18 But, my friend, again there is accountability 36:21 when we come to know. 36:23 In Acts 17:30, it as, 36:26 "Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance." 36:29 The time in which we were not aware, 36:31 when we didn't really understand some of these important issues 36:35 as we've studied them these last few weeks together. 36:37 "Therefore, having overlooked the times of ignorance, 36:40 God is now declaring the men 36:42 that all everywhere should repent." 36:45 My friend, it is not God's intention for any of us 36:48 and some of us maybe have been Christians for 50 years 36:52 or maybe we've come to it in recent years 36:54 or maybe we're just coming to it 36:55 during the course of these series of meetings. 36:57 It is never God's intention to leave us 37:00 where we are in a state of ignorance. 37:03 I'll tell you a relationship and you know this 37:05 from your own experience about relationships. 37:08 If you are married or you have, 37:10 you know, you have friends and family. 37:12 You know this about relationships. 37:14 Sometimes a subtle, but relationships, 37:16 if they're viable a growing relationships, 37:22 there is growth that's taking place. 37:23 And so it is with our relationship with Jesus. 37:28 There is a growing relationship 37:31 and that is where the Bible becomes quite vital 37:35 in our growing relationship. 37:37 Growing and understanding. 37:40 You see, to understand the truth 37:41 is to understand the truth about Jesus, 37:45 that's the coloration. 37:47 So God doesn't want to leave us in that state. 37:50 Yes, we know there is a final judgment 37:52 in which we will be held accountable. 37:54 But, my friend, we do not need to fear the judgment, 37:57 not in Jesus Christ. 37:59 Apart from Jesus, we have to be thinking about it. 38:03 There is a day of accountability. 38:05 Let me take you onto John 16:13 38:08 another statement that Jesus made about the Holy Spirit 38:11 in the upper room. 38:13 It says, "But when He," 38:14 Jesus said, "But when He, the Spirit of truth comes." 38:17 Let's see, that's fourth or fifth time 38:19 we've seen that phrase, isn't it? 38:20 Notice the intimate relationship 38:23 between the ministry of the Holy Spirit 38:25 and this matter of truth. 38:28 And by the way, again where 38:29 let's be sure we're clear on this. 38:31 I know I've been saying it. 38:32 Where do we find truth? Where do we find it? 38:36 I see Abel holding up his Bible. 38:39 It is in the Bible that we find the truth. 38:42 So, "But when He the Spirit of truth, comes, 38:45 He will guide you into just the New Testament." 38:51 Ah, the New Testament, mine is the Book of Revelation no. 38:54 No. 38:56 It says, "He will guide you into all the truth." 39:00 Does that mean we get it all at once? 39:02 No. No. 39:03 We grow, as we're going in Jesus, 39:06 as we're studying His word, as we come to church 39:09 at Sabbath School, as we study our lessons 39:11 and other opportunities like this that we have. 39:14 We have an opportunity to grow 39:16 in our understanding of the truth, 39:18 but the Spirit has been promised to lead us 39:20 ever deeper in our love for Jesus 39:24 and ever deeper in a knowledge of the truth. 39:28 And we've been experiencing that, haven't we? 39:32 You know, I've learned some things 39:33 during the six weeks. 39:34 You will be surprised. 39:37 Now you just think I'm up here preaching and teaching, 39:39 but I am still learning. 39:41 I'm still in the process of learning. 39:44 So he's promised to guide us into all the truth. 39:46 My friend, that means we want to truth, 39:49 the whole truth and nothing, but the truth will do. 39:53 Not just what is popular? You got that? 39:56 Not just what is popular, not just that which is convenient? 40:04 We want to have knowledge of all of the truth, don't we? 40:07 We really do. 40:09 In Acts 24:25, we find that Paul 40:12 now a prisoner imprisoned for his faith in Jesus, 40:17 standing before the Roman governor Felix. 40:21 This is after the Roman Governor Pilate. 40:24 Pilate's no longer, the governor Felix is. 40:27 And so he is standing before Felix 40:29 I think this is down in Caesarea 40:33 and Caesarea down by the Mediterranean Sea 40:35 which was official residence 40:37 of the governor of Judea, okay. 40:41 So here he is. 40:42 He is a prisoner and he is brought before Felix. 40:45 Felix had this, you know, he was bringing Paul. 40:47 He'd like to listen to Paul. 40:49 And so Paul was preaching away. 40:52 He was bearing witness to Jesus into the truth. 40:54 And notice what we find here 40:56 and He says, "And as he reasoned." Paul." 40:58 And as he reasoned of righteousness, 41:00 temperance and judgment to come." 41:02 Notice He says, Felix trembled. 41:05 My friend, that tells you the Holy Spirit was 41:07 really taking a whole of that man convicting him. 41:11 We just tremble. 41:12 I mean, there was a power going on there in that experience. 41:15 He trembled and answered. 41:17 Notice his response, "Go thy way for this time, 41:21 when I have a convenient season, 41:23 I will call for thee." 41:25 A convenient season. 41:27 My friend, the devil think he'd do it. 41:28 He's gonna make sure it is never convenient. 41:31 And so we can never look at convenience. 41:35 When it comes to the spiritual issues, can we? 41:39 You see some, my friends, 41:40 are unwilling to make the sacrifice. 41:43 It may not seen convenient as with Felix. 41:47 There is the fear of change. 41:49 There is the fear of what family. 41:51 Sometime family members or what friends may think. 41:54 Sometimes there's a fear of, you know, 41:57 what is this mean about my connection to the church 42:00 I've been with for so many years. 42:02 There is fear of change. 42:03 All of that is involved in this. 42:06 But if we are willing, my friend, we gain so much. 42:08 If we are willing, we gain love. 42:10 If we are willing, we gain peace. 42:12 If we willing, we gain acceptance. 42:15 And, my friend, if we are willing, 42:17 we gain a good conscious 42:19 which I tell you is something 42:21 to be valued in this day and age. 42:23 A good conscious before God. 42:26 And so, my friend, we must respond 42:28 to the grace of Jesus. 42:30 When the Sprit is at work in our lives convicting us 42:34 and if we are unresponsive when we are being convicted, 42:38 if at some point we do not 42:42 yield to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, 42:45 it puts us on dangerous ground. 42:50 Clackamas Town Center. 42:51 I don't know if you probably been there, 42:52 haven't you some of you? 42:55 I was pastoring in Canby, Molalla, 42:57 two churches in those two towns. 43:01 They're in Canby. 43:03 This is going-- this going back some years ago 43:05 when they built Clackamas Town Center, 43:08 it was built if I remember right something right 43:11 the biggest shopping center on the west coast. 43:13 I don't know if that was true but, you know, 43:15 they were really building this. 43:16 So I had been there, it was Sunday morning. 43:19 It was before we had children, 43:21 so we had a lot more independent 43:24 to our lives at that point in time. 43:26 And Donna said, "I'm gonna go shopping. 43:28 I'm gonna go to Clackamas Town Center. 43:30 I've got to find a pair of shoes, 43:32 and why don't you come with me?" 43:34 And so I said, "Okay, I will. 43:36 I spend part of the day with you." 43:38 We went to Clackamas Town Center. 43:41 It was something else. 43:43 You're gonna know this about my wife. 43:44 You know, she is of a seamstress so, you know, 43:47 when you are buying-- buying clothing, 43:49 she's is looking at the stitching 43:51 if there is a pattern, 43:52 she is looking at how the patter matches up 43:55 on either side of the stitching. 43:58 And I tell you, I married a, you know, she is very frugal. 44:02 She is practical. She wants-- 44:04 She wants good quality. She's got eye for it. 44:08 And she wants it at a bargain price. 44:12 So here we are, we're on this expedition at, 44:17 what is it Clackamas Town Center. 44:20 Had no idea how many shoes stores there were in this place 44:24 until we visited every last one of them. 44:29 You got to take look at what's available 44:31 that she was sells or, you know, and you got to try them on. 44:34 And I'm so glad most of those shoe stores 44:36 had a place where the guys can sit. 44:39 Well, she went through the racks looking at shoes 44:41 she would, I want to try this one on, 44:44 they would bring them out and she would put them on, 44:47 she wants to know if they are comfortable 44:49 then she would come over by me and she would say, 44:51 "Well, what do you think?" 44:53 And I'll say, "Well l, they look pretty nice." 44:56 And so after two hours-- two hours now 45:00 going from shoes store to shoes store 45:03 she just kind of blows me away when she says, 45:06 "I think I'm gonna go home and think about it." 45:09 Now you see, I got the male mentally. 45:12 It just, you know, it just seems like, 45:14 it's like going hunting or fishing. 45:16 I mean, there is an experience of it, 45:18 but most of us we really like to catch something, you know. 45:21 Most of us, you know, kind of sense when, you know, 45:23 most of us guys feel when you go in shopping, ladies, 45:26 you are to come back with something else 45:28 you kind of wasted your time. 45:30 And so I was reasoning with her. 45:31 I said, "Donna, there is no better time 45:34 to make up your mind about it then when it's fresh. 45:36 You know remember, you know, I was review 45:38 and remember those shoes you saw in that store 45:40 that you like that one. 45:42 And do you think I could persuade her? 45:44 No." 45:47 We went home, but there is a spiritual point. 45:50 You know, there is shopping, there is shopping 45:53 and then there is the spiritual process 45:57 of studying God's word. 45:59 And my friend, what may not be 46:01 really true about shopping is true-- 46:03 Surely true when we studied God's word. 46:06 There is no better time to make up our minds 46:10 that by the grace of Jesus that we're going to follow the truth. 46:13 Then when it is most clear to us? 46:17 When we have seen it clearly? 46:20 I guarantee unless you continue on the process, 46:23 unless you continue to come fellowship here, 46:26 unless you continue in growing a new experience in Jesus, 46:29 this will become a faith memory over time. 46:33 I hate to say that. But it will. 46:38 So there maybe for some of us no better 46:41 opportunity or time than just right now. 46:45 Who knows about tomorrow? 46:46 Who knows about next week? 46:49 Do we have any guarantees? 46:51 Of course, not. 46:52 In 2 Peter 1:21, it says, 46:54 "For no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, 46:58 but men moved but the Holy Spirit 47:00 spoke from God." 47:03 And so the Holy Spirit was the gift 47:07 that was given to these men and women 47:11 who had the prosthetic gift, 47:13 they spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. 47:15 As these revelations of truth came to them 47:18 by means of the Holy Spirit. 47:21 And so, my friend, the spirit presence 47:22 is most distinctly experience in the study of the Bible 47:26 and if we've been born again of the Holy Spirit 47:29 we will have thirsting for the truth. 47:31 Now I want to say it again, 47:33 we've been truly born of the Holy Spirit, 47:34 we will have a thirsting for the truth 47:36 a longing and a desire for the truth. 47:40 Listen to me, the sprit will never influence us 47:44 contrary to the truth, right? 47:49 This spirit will never lead us away 47:52 from the truth of scripture. 47:54 And so if there is a spirit that we're struggling with 47:58 that is leading us away from the truth 48:01 then, my friend, we need to recognize it for what it is. 48:05 It is not the spirit of Jesus. 48:08 For the spirit of Jesus will never lead us from the truth, 48:11 that is a given and then I had individuals on occasion 48:14 tell me, well, I'm gonna see 48:16 the Lord impresses me about it. 48:18 Well, my friend, in the light of the Bible's clear teaching, 48:20 a born again Christian needs no further impressions. 48:25 I tell you, this is a dangerous ground 48:27 to get on this idea that, you know, 48:29 I'm going to look to impressions of conviction. 48:33 My friend, there is a place in our commitment to Jesus Christ 48:37 when we discover the truth to embrace the truth 48:41 whether convicted or impressed or not. 48:45 Are you with me? 48:46 You understand what I am saying? 48:51 It's nice to have convictions 48:53 and we shouldn't be a people of convictions. 48:55 But there is a place by faith to embrace the truth 49:01 even though or may be contrary to the natural 49:04 l or natural inclinations, that's what I'm talking about. 49:08 And I want to say it again, we must never confused 49:10 impressions or feelings 49:13 or emotions apart from the Bible 49:18 for the workings of the Holy Spirit. 49:24 Furthermore, I want to say the spiritual work, 49:26 I'm gonna say it again, will always 49:28 the spirit will always working harmony with the scriptures. 49:31 And if we want hear the spirits speak to us in terms 49:33 that cannot possibly be misunderstood, 49:37 it is to the Bible that we go for, my friend, 49:40 this is the testimony of the Holy Spirit. 49:44 Amen. 49:46 Impressions, convictions of feelings. 49:49 Look at the Christian world. 49:50 Some impressed this way 49:52 and some impressed the very opposite way. 49:54 I mean, you know, it's unreliable. 49:57 This is what's reliable in our commitment to Jesus. 50:03 I love this book, you love this book. 50:06 I know you do. You love studying it. 50:09 And there's gonna be a body of truth 50:11 that we're just gonna embrace us, 50:13 it's gonna rejoice us. 50:14 I mean, remember when we talk about the coming up Jesus 50:17 and all that follows. 50:18 I mean, that is glorious. 50:21 But there are other truths that may not just 50:23 again be in keeping with the natural, 50:26 you know, inclinations of our human hearts, 50:30 unless recognize that we are human. 50:33 And the evil one has a way to getting 50:35 into the mix in those things, 50:36 you know, he likes to die in other issues 50:38 that really are not that vital. 50:41 And so we got to sort all of that out. 50:44 And, my friend, on some level when we reject 50:48 the truth on some level, 50:49 we are rejecting the ministry of the Holy Spirit. 50:55 You know, I want to be very careful 50:57 how I wrote this that there is not mean the spirit 51:00 that the spirit sees us to work with us, 51:03 the sprit still seeks to draws us back. 51:06 Some people will come back years later 51:09 to that which they once were convicted about. 51:13 But on some level at some point when we reject truth, 51:17 we're rejecting the ministry of the Holy Spirit. 51:19 Isaiah 8:20, we have this statement. 51:23 It says, "To the law and the testimony." 51:26 And that's a testimony of the Holy Spirit 51:28 as we have it in the word of God. 51:30 "If they speak not according to this word, 51:32 it is because there is no light in them." 51:38 So there is two standards that we look to. 51:41 First of all is the moral standard 51:43 of the commandments of the law of God. 51:47 It must be in keeping with the teachings 51:49 of the commandments of God 51:50 and it also must be in keeping with the testimony, 51:54 the testimony of the Holy Spirit that is the word of God. 51:59 And if they do not harmonize with the law of God 52:01 in their teaching and with the word of God 52:04 then we know there is no light in it. 52:09 I tell you, that's why so many people make their minds up 52:12 to become apart of this church 52:14 because they want to-- in their love for Jesus, 52:16 they want to get as close to the truth 52:19 as they possibly can. 52:21 And let me tell you, churches do represent something. 52:26 And I know there is many sincere Christians out there. 52:28 I do not deny that. 52:31 And I know there are many good pastors out there. 52:33 But, my friend, it is no substitute 52:36 for a growing deeper experience in Jesus 52:40 that leads us to a desire to willingness, 52:44 in willingness to embrace all of the truth 52:46 and against some of those truths that are not popular. 52:51 So the church stands for something, 52:53 this church stands for the things 52:55 that I have been teaching you from God's word 52:57 as I shared last night. 52:59 Where do you think I got all of this? 53:01 You just think I was born with the Bible in hand 53:03 and I'm just a genius. 53:05 No. 53:06 You know, I've learn this because 53:09 I have the benefit of haven't been a part on this church. 53:13 I was raised, you know, in the Sabbath school church, 53:16 I was in the Christian, Christian education system, 53:21 you know, right on through my two masters programs. 53:24 You know, I have all of that benefit. 53:26 And, my friend, the church provided that. 53:29 And the church the Corvallis Seventh-day Adventist Church 53:33 has provided this opportunity for you in a similar way 53:38 to come into a deeper understanding 53:40 of what the Bible teaches. 53:42 You know, I'm grateful for the Corvallis Church 53:44 that they were willing to have these meetings. 53:47 You know, this church could have been satisfied 53:48 to just be taking care of their own interests, 53:50 doing their own thing, 53:52 but they had some interest in the community. 53:54 You know, when you've got good news, 53:55 when you really got good news you've just got to share it. 54:00 That's what it is about, it selfishness 54:04 to keep the goodness to ourselves, isn't it? 54:07 That's so selfishness. I got to move on. 54:10 I have to I've a few things more to cover before I end. 54:13 Now we could talk about oh, yeah, Genesis 6, 54:16 "My spirit will not always strive with men, 54:18 you know, God does not force the issue. 54:21 John 6:44, Jesus said, "No one can come to Me, 54:24 unless the Father who sent Me draws me, draws him." 54:27 That is the spirit that draws us. 54:29 Isaiah 30:21 says, "And your ears will hear 54:33 a word behind you, this is the way, walk in it, 54:35 whenever you turn to the right or the left." 54:38 My friend, that is again the still 54:40 small voice of the Holy Spirit. 54:42 And if we fail to listen to that still small voice, 54:45 the day will come -- the day will come 54:49 when we were no longer sense 54:51 the convicting power of the Holy Spirit. 54:54 We will no longer hear it. 54:56 It is usually a gradual process because let me assure you 55:01 God is extremely patient. 55:05 But again, He will not force one of us in the end. 55:09 There comes a point. 55:11 He will convict, He will draw, 55:13 He will lead us in the spiritual process, 55:17 but He will not make the decision for us 55:20 that is what we've got to do, that is our part 55:23 and it is an act of faith. 55:26 I mean, Matthew 7 Jesus said, 55:27 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' 55:30 will enter the kingdom of heaven, 55:31 but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven." 55:35 Who is gonna enter heaven? 55:37 Those who make a big profession, 55:40 you know, Lord, Lord who is gonna heaven? 55:43 Who? 55:44 Those who through the grace of Jesus, 55:49 through the grace of Jesus, 55:51 those who do the "will of My Father who is in heaven." 55:55 I said again, it is not just a fuzzy feeling, 55:57 it is not just about conviction, 55:59 it is not just about list of them. 56:01 I believe this, this and this. It is integrating. 56:05 It's integrating all of this into our lives, 56:08 making the part of who we are. 56:11 That's what it's about. 56:12 Many will say to me in that day, 56:14 "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, 56:18 and in Your name cast out demons, 56:20 and in Your name perform many miracles?" 56:22 I mean, they were doing powerful things 56:23 in the name of Jesus and yet He said, 56:25 "And then I will declare to them. ' 56:27 I never knew you, depart from Me, 56:30 you who practice lawlessness." 56:32 So I mean, that's the ultimate state of deception 56:35 to at some point to give oneself over to on believe 56:39 to resists the Spirit of truth. 56:44 And we can resist the Spirit of truth so long 56:46 that we actually feel that we're right 56:47 when we're actually wrong. 56:49 So what did Jesus mean in Matthew 12 56:52 when He talked about the unpardonable sin 56:55 being the, you know, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. 56:58 Let me take you to the context of it. 57:01 Matthew 12 going back in context of verse 22 57:04 and we'll drop down to verse 24. 57:05 This is what was going on. 57:07 It says, "Then a demon-possessed man 57:09 who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, 57:13 and He healed Him. 57:16 He healed Him." 57:17 And verse 24 says, "The Pharisees said, 57:19 "This man casts out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of demons." 57:25 You see, they had to account somehow for the power, 57:29 the evident power that was our work through Jesus Christ 57:31 and they were not willing to admit that this was of God 57:34 for they had set them on a course of unbelief. 57:36 They have rejected consistently every conviction, 57:40 every indicator that this was the Lord, 57:42 the Savior of life. 57:47 And so they had to count for it somehow 57:49 and so they said it's not the power of God, 57:51 it's the power of devil himself of demons that is at work. 57:55 And it is then that Jesus said to the Pharisees, 57:59 you every sin will be forgiven, 58:01 but that a blasphemy against the Holy Spirit 58:03 for they were rejecting the testimony of the Holy Spirit. 58:09 That's what he is talking about. 58:11 And so this spiritual process is a vital one. 58:15 And the question is when are we going to do it, my friend? 58:18 Are we going to having looked, 58:22 having learned, are we going to turn away? 58:26 I believe that Jesus waits for us to give an answer. 58:28 And I believe again that He speaks to us this evening 58:32 saying, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock. 58:37 If anyone hears my voice and opens the door 58:40 I will come into Him. And I will sup with Him. |
Revised 2014-12-17