February 17, 2013

The church gathering to worship is a big deal. God has been gathering his people for the purpose of worshipping him for thousands of years. The church takes center stage in the redemptive plan of God. Almost every week as we gather on the first day of the week, I’m struck by the thought that all over the world there are people doing the same thing. Churches gather in God’s name to do simple yet profound things. Namely, we gather to read the word, pray the word, preach the word, sing the word and see the word through the ordinances. This was the subject of our study yesterday. Below you will find a brief summary of why we do what we do when we gather.

This simple outline certainly isn’t new with me. For years these descriptors have been used to describe what happens and governs the corporate gathering of the church. As DA Carson points out, “there is no single passage in the NT that establishes a paradigm for corporate worship.” (Worship by the Book, 55) When we look at what we do when we gather, we are pulling for a number of different places in the bible.

Read the Word

Our insistence on using the Scripture as our guide stems from our understanding of what the Bible is. We believe the Bible to be God-breathed revelation of himself to humanity. (2 Tim 3.16-17) This word is powerful to save and sanctify. We believe there is power in the Word of God. This is why we read the word each week in our services. There are countless stories of people who have been converted by simply reading a few verses of Scripture. We believe the bible is powerful therefore, we read it in our services.

Pray the Word

God’s house is to be a place of prayer, as Jesus says (Mt 21.13). Paul also commanded Timothy to lead in making petitions for those who are in a leadership capacity (1 Tim 2.1). It’s important to note that Paul didn’t mention their political views, he simply said to pray for them. We pray for our leaders, like them or not. Prayer is one of the greatest untapped powers in the church and the individual Christian. Prayer has a way of softening our hearts and causing us to see our own sin. If we would just take some time to pray intentionally with the Scriptures guiding our thoughts, it would have massive spiritual impact on us.

Preach the Word

We believe the Bible is authoritative and sufficient for ministry. We also believe that for years God has been using the preached word to accomplish his purposes. We also believe that the Bible itself demands that it be preached. Second Timothy 4.2 clearly instructs to “preach the word” and this has to be done in and out of season. In other words, when the culture changes and the biblical message is no longer popular, the preaching of the word must continue. We do not cater to the market.

Sing the Word

Music is a wonderful gift. Music is memorable and moving. I love to sing, though I’m not very good at it. Ephesians 5 makes an interesting point. Verse 19 says that we are to address one another with Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. It’s worthy to note that Paul says this isn’t just a privatized worship that is only between you and God, we need to hear other people sing and hear them confess the truths we believe. We sing songs that are based on truth and draw our hearts and minds to eternal things.

See the Word

Jesus left his church 2 ordinances, baptism and the Lord’s Supper. We believe baptism is a sign of belief and a public profession and identification in the New Covenant. We baptize those who have made a profession of faith in Christ. What a great picture baptism offers of the gospel! One is buried in the watery grave with Christ and raised to walk in newness of life. We also get a visual reminder of the gospel. We are forgetful people and need to be reminded of the substitutionary death of Christ. Through the bread we are reminded that Jesus gave his human body and through the blood we are reminded of the reality of his death and how that fulfills the covenant, making the final sacrifice. We do not need to bring a sacrifice of a bull or a goat today because the final and last sacrifice has been made!

May God be honored as we strive to be a biblical church that has our attention on the truth of God’s Word.

Jan 27 – The People of God
Feb 3 – The Flock of God
Feb 10 – The Body of Christ

Yesterdays message focussed on I Cor 12 where Paul likens the church to a body. He is writing to a group that had serious problems with being divisive (choosing favorite teachers, favorite spiritual gifts, even suing one another over disputes). Paul uses this image of the body to powerfully communicate the unity that can and must exist in the church.

We made note of 3 specific observations:

1. Unity – There’s only ONE body! Believers are a part of this body through the work of Christ (I Cor 12.13)

2. Diversity. Diversity is a necessary and good thing. The body by definition can’t just be a hand, a foot, or a liver. It takes all the parts working together for the body to function properly.

3. Mutuality. The more visible parts of the body aren’t necessarily more important. All the parts are significant! Ever had a paper cut? Even the smallest part of the body that has a problem can have serious impact on the functioning of the body. This is why we must be diligent to care for all the members, not just the ones who are gifted like us (1 Cor 12.18).

I hope to see you next Sunday as we continue our study of the nature of the church!

The Song:

Let us love and sing and wonder, Let us praise the Savior’s Name!
He has hushed the law’s loud thunder; He has quenched Mount Sinai’s flame.
He has washed us with His blood, He has brought us nigh to God.

Let us love the Lord Who bought us, Pitied us when enemies,
Called us by His grace, and taught us, Gave us ears and gave us eyes:
He has washed us with His blood, He presents our souls to God.

Let us sing, though fierce temptation Threaten hard to bear us down!
For the Lord, our strong Salvation, Holds in view the conqueror’s crown:
He Who washed us with His blood Soon will bring us home to God.

Let us wonder; grace and justice Join and point to mercy’s store;
When through grace in Christ our trust is, Justice smiles and asks no more:
He Who washed us with His blood Has secured our way to God.

Let us praise, and join the chorus Of the saints enthroned on high;
Here they trusted Him before us, Now their praises fill the sky:
“Thou hast washed us with Your blood; Thou art worthy, Lamb of God!”

The Author: John Newton (1725-1807) Best known for the song Amazing Grace, Newton was a slave boat captain turned pastor. His hymns reflect his recognition of his sin and the grace of his Savior.

The Theology: Many of the songs on Christian radio today talk about the way someone has changed, or they encourage us to be better in some way. These songs are good for encouragement, but they are not good songs for worship. “Let us Love and Sing and Wonder,” is a great example of a good worship song because it’s focus is purely on boasting in Christ. While it gives encouragement, and talks about our salvation, it’s focus is giving honor and glory to God. It does this in three ways. It first praises God for how he has redeemed us. Then it praises him for sustaining us, and finally it tells of the praise God is already receiving from those who are in heaven with Him.

Praise God for Salvation. In many churches there is a word thrown around pretty callously. This word is “saved.” We talk about being saved and trying to get others saved. Most people have no idea what it means. If you are saved, what are you saved from? If you are saved, there must be something harmful that you are saved from. Scripture is very clear on what we are saved from, and so is this song. It says that the sacrifice of Christ has “hushed the law’s loud thunder, and quenched Mount Sinai’s flame.” We boast in Christ and praise Him because he has saved us from guilt under the law and the punishment that follows. The “law’s loud thunder,” is the proclamation of guilt that is against us. Paul tells us that “no one is righteous, no not one” (Rom 3:10) and it is the law that shows us we are guilty. (Rom 3:20) “Mount Sinai’s flame,” is the wrath of God. With a just God comes just punishment. We see the wrath of God poured out on the world in the book of Revelation. We sing our praises because when Christ died and rose again he took this punishment from us. Paul told the Romans, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” (8:1-2) We have been set free from the guilt we have under the law and from the eternal punishment after death. It is only through Christ we can receive this gift of grace, and for that we give Him the praise and honor!

Praise God for Endurance. In the third verse Newton proclaims that we sing in spite of difficult temptations and things that will weigh us down and burden us. He says that we do this because of the strength of Christ and always keeping in sight the end. The conquerors crown is what Paul focused on throughout his life. He endured great trials throughout his ministry. He was stoned, arrested in nearly every town he went to, shipwrecked three times, and in the end faced martyrdom. Throughout this he constantly boasted in Christ and gave Him the glory. All of his letters to the churches begin with an exaltation of God. Near the end of his life, when he knew that he would be martyred, he wrote a letter to one of his disciples, Timothy. In this letter he encouraged Timothy to keep the faith and to “endure all things for the sake of the elect.” (2 Tim 2:10) He talked about his impending death and encouraged Timothy, and us, by saying “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me, but also to all who have loved his appearing.” (2 Tim 4:6-8) Paul endured and finished the race because he focused on the goal. He constantly reminded believers to keep their focus on Christ because He is their salvation. And now, with death looming, he focuses on the crown that Christ holds out for him. We praise God that he is our strong “salvation,” and when we seek him and the “conquerors crown,” he will give us strength to endure all of the trials of this life.

Praise God with Those Before Us. When we sing praises to God, we are never alone. Even in our quiet places we sing along with the millions who have gone before us and trusted in God for salvation. From Enoch who walked with God, to Abraham, to Peter and Paul, to John Newton and many more, they all are singing praises to the King. The final verse is inspired by a scene in Revelation. In this scene the lamb, who is Christ, is taking the scroll from the Father who sits on high. The lamb is the only one worthy to take the scroll, and when he does, the hosts of heaven cry out, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” (5:9-10). The saints of all ages join together singing the praises of God. What a glorious day it will be when we stand before the throne and together with one voice sing “Thou hast washed us with Your blood; Thou art worthy, Lamb of God!”

As we sing this song, remember the sacrifice of Christ, and the redemption it brings. We were once enemies of God and now we are reconciled to Him. It is not done by us so that we can boast in our own doings, but by God, so that we may boast in Him. Use this song to Boast in Christ, the risen savior.

The Song:

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow
Praise Him, all creatures here below
Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost

Let earth and heavenly saints proclaim
The power and might of His great Name
Let us exalt on bended knee
Praise God, the Holy Trinity

Praise God, praise God, praise God, Who saved my soul
Praise God, praise God, praise God from Whom all blessings flow

Praise to the King, His throne transcends
His crown and Kingdom never end
Now and throughout eternity
I’ll praise the One Who died for me

The Theology: This week I want to approach this from a slightly different angle. Doxologies are found throughout the New Testament. The writers of nearly all of the epistles would burst into praise in the middle, or at the end of their letters in this style. A doxology is simply attributing worth and praise to God fro something that He has done. In the case of this song, we are crying out “Praise God and the trinity because it is from Him that all blessings come.” A doxology can also bring attention to characteristics of God. For example, in the second verse we praise God because of his power and might. Take time this weekend to search the epistles for examples of these doxologies. Praise God for all of the things He has done, and all that He is.

The Song:

“Great is Thy faithfulness,” O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

“Great is Thy faithfulness!” “Great is Thy faithfulness!”
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—
“Great is Thy faithfulness,” Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

The Author: Thomas Chisholm (1866-1960) Chisholm was a Christian poet, and many of his poems were published and put to music.

The Background: This song was sent to William Runyan in 1923 and he composed the music. Chisholm claimed there was no particular event for this song, simply looking back over his life and seeing the faithfulness of God.

The Theology: “Great is thy faithfulness!” This is a great comfort for the believer. God makes many promises throughout scripture, and it is on those promises that we cling to. We trust the promise that Christ has paid the penalty for our sin and when we face the judgment seat we will be counted as righteous. We trust the promise that God will provide for his children all that they need. We trust in every promise that is laid out in Scripture, and we do so because we know that God is faithful. His unchanging character and his everlasting fidelity give us assurance that He will fulfill the promises he makes.

Chisholm declares in the first verse that there is no changing in God. There is no shadow of turning, no change, that God has been and forever will be. Theologians call this characteristic, this unchangingness, immutability. The word comes from mutation. God doesn’t mutate into something else, therefore he is immutable. While some may claim that the Old Testament God is different from the New Testament God, scripture is very clear that his character, his purpose and his promises have never and will never change. James tells us “Every good gift, every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation, or shadow due to change.” (James 1:17) We know that God provides all good gifts and that he will continue to provide them because he never changes. We take great hope in this. He made a promise to Abraham to make him the father of many nations, and because he is unchanging, we can take hope that he will do it. “The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations.” (Psalm 33:11)

Isaiah understood well the unchanging character, and faithfulness of God. Through him, God said:

…for I am God, and there is no other; I am God and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done saying, ‘my counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all of my purpose,’ … I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed and I will do it. (Isaiah 46:9-11)

As the creator and omnipotent God, he has the power to keep his promises. When he says he will do something, it is not empty words, he will do it. He has set the sun and the stars in the sky and keeps them there. “Lift your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number and calls them by name, by the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power, not one is missing.” (Isaiah 40:26) The writer of this hymn understood that even nature declares the faithfulness of God. By his great power, and his unchanging character, the sun rises in the east every morning. It is by his power that the universe is sustained and it is by this power that he keeps his word. We can put our trust in the great promises of God.

Chisholm was reflecting on his own life and how God has been faithful throughout it. Reflect on your own life, How has God been faithful to his promises? As we sing this song this week, remember the promises of God and that He will fulfill them. He will call us home one day and we will worship him in heaven forever!

The Song:

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.

See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

His dying crimson, like a robe,
Spreads o’er His body on the tree;
Then I am dead to all the globe,
And all the globe is dead to me.

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.

[Added by the compilers of Hymns Ancient and Modern]

To Christ, who won for sinners grace
By bitter grief and anguish sore,
Be praise from all the ransomed race
Forever and forevermore.

The Author:  Isaac Watts (1674-1748)                      Isaac Watts is probably the most prolific English hymn writer.  During his life he wrote nearly 600 hymns, including one for each of the 150 psalms.

The Background: Published in Hymns and Spiritual Songs in 1707.  It was one of the first songs to use first person in worship, making it a very controversial song at its beginnings.

The Theology:  As is typical with Isaac Watts hymns, he paraphrases scripture to sing for the honor and glory of God.  In some songs such as “Adore and Tremble,” he paraphrases one scripture, but in this case, he has paraphrased several scriptures to create a unique song that calls us to give our entire lives to Christ.  Paul speaks many times in the new testament about boasting in Christ alone, and here Isaac uses those passages, and others to give us a great picture of why we do.  It is a humble hymn that realizes the bigness of God, the magnitude of the sacrifice of Christ and the honor due to His name.

What is our Boasting?  This hymn starts out by looking towards the cross of Christ and crying out that all else is rubbish.  This is the same thing that Paul tells us in Philippians 3:7.  After listing all of the things that he has done that would earn him praise in this world, he tells the Philippians “..whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of knowing Christ.”  This is the theme of the first two verses.  We cry out that nothing we have, whether it is riches, fame, or any earthly boasting, is worth more than knowing the cross and grace of Christ.  When we sing “I count but loss,” it means that we are willing to give it up in order to follow Christ.  The things that we boast in before knowing Christ are not sufficient to complete our Joy as He is.

The second verse continues this theme by paraphrasing Galatians 6:14.  “But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”  Here Paul is emphasizing what our boasting is in.  We have no strength, no life outside of Christ.  Paul tells the Ephesians not to boast in their works because “it is by grace you have been saved through faith.  And this is not of your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Eph 2:8-9)  When we look to the cross, we see the only thing that saves us from eternal condemnation and all else pales in comparison.  As we explore the rest of the song, examine your heart.  What are you boasting in?  Is it things of the world, or is it the all sufficient sacrifice of Christ that is described in the next two verses?

Sorrow and Love mingled down:  The next two verses describe the cross and the great sacrifice that was made there.  Watts says “Sorrow and Love flow mingled down!  Did e’er such love and sorrow meet?”  The question I want to address here is what exactly does love and sorrow mean?  How do they flow mingling together?  Love is the most obvious of the two terms.  It is the love of Christ for sinners.  Many times Christ was asked why he associated with people who were unclean and sinners.  His response was simply “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.” (Matt 9:12)  He meant that he wanted to give healing to those who were humble in heart and would admit that they were sick (sinners).  Christ had a great love for sinners that kept him on the cross.

The other piece to this verse is sorrow.  This refers to the burden of sin on Jesus.  We can most clearly see this burden just before the cross as Jesus is praying in the garden of Gethsemane.  He prayed so passionately that “his sweat became like great drops of blood falling to the ground.” (Luke 22:44)  The burden that he carried that caused him to pray like this was the sin of all those who would believe.  The sinless man knew that he was about to take the punishment for the sin of the world on his shoulders.  No man could handle this burden, but only the sinless Son of God.  Christ prayed that the cup would pass from him (Luke 22:39-46), but in obedience to the Father and out of love for us, he took our burden on the cross.  This is what we see when we “Survey the wondrous Cross.”  We see the love of Christ for us, and the sorrow of the burden we put on him.  They flowed in the blood that was shed on the cross as a payment for our sins.

What can we give?  What is our response to such a great gift?  Often, especially in American culture, if a gift is given, we feel an obligation to give something back.  When we receive a Birthday gift from someone, we feel obligated to return the favor on that persons birthday.  Though Watts was not American, he recognized this desire in people and says that nothing on earth, not even if we owned the entire world, all of nature, would be enough to repay the debt that we owe to Christ.  So what is our response to this great and merciful gift?  The only thing we can do is to submit, give our lives to the one who gave his life for us.  We give Christ all the honor and glory for the work of salvation completed on the Cross.  As we sing this song, remember the great sacrifice of the cross and all that we owe to Christ because of it.

This Sunday we will be singing Chris Tomlin’s version of Amazing Grace that adds a chorus of “My chains are gone, I’ve been set free.”  Tomlin changed the song so little, that I felt it best to explore the original.

The Song:

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me….
I once was lost but now am found, Was blind, but now, I see.

T’was Grace that taught my heart to fear.  And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear the hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares we have already come.
T’was Grace that brought us safe thus far and Grace will lead us home.

The Lord has promised good to me His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be as long as life endures.

When we’ve been here ten thousand years bright shining as the sun.
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise then when we’ve first begun.

The Author:  John Newton (1725-1807)                  Former slave boat captain turned priest who took over a church in Olny, England.  His ministry there grew and he wrote many hymns to go along with sermons.

The Background: This song is easily the most popular hymn in the English speaking world.  Millions of people have been inspired by its words, and I am sure it’s popularity is far beyond what John Newton could have ever expected.  There have been films and entire books written on the subject of how this song came about, including “Amazing Grace, the Story of America’s Most Beloved Song,” by Steve Turner.  In this book, Mr. Turner gives a biography of the life of John Newton and how it affected the writing of this song.

Turner tells us that Newton wrote this song to accompany a sermon that he wrote for New Year’s Day.  New Years was a special day for Newton as it was a time to reflect on who we are as sinners and try to plan out how we will seek God in the year to come.  On this day, Newton preached on 1 Chronicles 17:16-17.  While I could never hope to recreate his message, thanks to Turner’s research and my own study of the passage, I want attempt to summarize the sermon that so influenced the creation of this incredibly popular song.

The Theology:

Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?  And this was a small thing in your eyes, O God.  You have also spoken of your servant’s house for a great while to com e and have shown me future generations, O Lord God! (1 Chronicles 17:16-17)

As with every passage, it is important to know the context before exploring the meaning of the verse.  Just prior to this prayer by David, the prophet Nathan came to him and shared with him a message from the Lord.  This message was that David would not be permitted to build the temple in Jerusalem, but his son would do it.  While this promise is a very big thing for David, even more is the promise that he would establish his throne forever.  This means that a son of David will always sit on the throne of Israel, the promise that is fulfilled by Jesus Christ.  Hearing this, David goes before the Lord with this humble prayer of praise for the almighty God.  Newton pointed out three things from this passage that we will explore further.  He emphasized, “Who am I,” “You have brought me thus far,” and “this was a small thing in your eyes.”

When David cries out “Who am I,” he is crying out in amazement that a humble shepherd who was the smallest of all of his brothers would be considered so greatly by the Holy and Almighty God.  Newton connected David’s amazement at God’s promise with our amazement at God’s grace.  We are to be amazed that God has given grace to us, sinners, who have no right to be in his presence.  Paul made it very clear that there are none who are worthy to be in the presence of God by their own works.  (Rom 3:9-20) He tells us that it is only by faith in Christ through the grace of God that we can even stand in his presence.  In the Old Testament we see the reaction of those who stand before God.  Isaiah cried out “Woe is me, for I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell among a people of unclean lips.” (Isaiah 6:5).  When faced with the holiness and righteousness of God, we can’t help but recognize that we are a “wretch,” in His presence.  We see that we were lost and blind when we walked in our own ways.  David was amazed that God would consider his line as worthy to be king.  We can be amazed that Christ loved us so much, that while we were sinners, he died for us to give us life and to make us acceptable to God.  It is grace that brings us this relationship with God, and it is through sheer thankfulness for this grace in our daily lives we can shout out “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me!”

The second thing that David recognizes is that it was not his own deeds that carried him thus far, but it was God’s work.  David understood that he could only go so far with his own work.  He knew that there was no way that he could guarantee that one of his descendants would sit on his throne forever.  It is clearly an impossible task that only God could accomplish.  Newton recognized that our salvation is the same.  When we recognize who we are as sinners, it becomes readily apparent that there is no way that we can save ourselves.  Our good works are nothing but filthy rags in the light of the Holy and Righteous God.  If our hearts are to be changed and our attitudes toward sin reversed, it must be done by God.  It is God that has “brought me thus far.”  “It is by grace you have been saved through faith, and it is not of your own doing, it is the gift of God, that no one may boast.”  (Eph 2:8-9)  It is grace that taught us to fear God, convicting us of our sin, and it is also grace that relieves our fears, bringing us salvation.

The final point in Newton’s sermon is that this is such a small thing for God.  This does not mean that David saw the building of the temple by his son, or the promise of his line reigning forever as small things.  These things were tremendously important to David, and though they were impossible for him to accomplish on his own, he recognized they were a small thing for the Almighty God.  Our salvation is a tremendous thing for us, yet it is nothing in comparison to what God has in store.  Newton explores this concept a little bit in the remaining verses of the song.  Coming through the toils and strains, and the promise of good given to us from God are no small things, but when compared to eternity, they are small for God.  In the final verse Newton draws our hearts to eternity with God, proclaiming that no matter how long we’ve been there, praising the glory of God, we will always have more days to come!

Amazing Grace is likely the most recognized hymn in the English language.  While it is sung in many different settings, we must always remember the truth that is the foundation on which it is built.  This song should remind us of the grace we have in Christ and draw us to praise of God out of thankfulness for His love.

We Teach… that the Holy Spirit sovereignly administers spiritual gifts to believers at the moment of regeneration and that these gifts are for the edification of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:4-11; 1 Peter 4:10, 11).

This week in our foundations series we are going to explore the topic of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit, the third person of the trinity is a crucial part of our salvation and our daily lives, yet in the church as a whole, we have neglected teaching of Him.  Francis Chan has written a book called “Forgotten God,” that delves into the ministry of the Holy Spirit and why it is important that we teach what this person of the trinity does.  Today, we are going to stick to who the Holy Spirit, what he does in our lives, and what our proper response to Him should be.

Who is the Spirit?  The Holy Spirit is the third person of the trinity.  He is fully God, and is a part of the triune Godhead.  Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians gives a little insight into how the Spirit relates to the Father.  “For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him?  So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the spirit of God.” (1 Cor 2:11)  The Holy Spirit is the spirit of God and is the only one who knows the thoughts of God, and He has been active in translating those thoughts to mankind throughout history.  Peter tells us that He used the writers of scripture to put the thoughts of God onto paper.  “…no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation.  For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:20-21)  He has inspired the prophets and continues to move people towards salvation today.

What does the Spirit do?  The ministry of the Holy Spirit goes hand in hand with the ministry of Christ.  When Jesus was preparing to leave the disciples he told them that he would send a helper for them and that helper would be the Holy Spirit. (John 14:16-17)  God has sent the Spirit to us to regenerate us and write the law of God on our hearts.  The process of regeneration begins when the Spirit first convicts us of our sins.  Jesus tells us that when the spirit comes “he will convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness and judgment.” (John 16:8)  We are all guilty of sin, but many will hide in their sins, loving the darkness more than the light. (John 3:19)  The Spirit is the light that will penetrate our souls and show us the darkness in our own hearts, convicting us of the wrong we have done.  Once we have been convicted, the Spirit will not leave us to wallow in our guilt; He shows us the work of Christ and gives us the ability to choose righteousness over sinfulness. (Titus 3:5)  He regenerates our hearts, helping us to seek God, not ourselves.  Furthermore, the Spirit continues to live in us, assuring us of our salvation and allowing interaction with God on a daily basis. (Rom 8:9)

How do we respond to the Spirit?  There is one consistent command in the New Testament when it comes to responding to the Holy Spirit, and that is to walk by Him.  This means we are to be obedient to His leading as revealed through scripture and in our lives.  Paul writes extensively on what this means to the Galatians.

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.  For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.  Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these.  I warn you, as I warned you before that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy , peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against these things there is no law.  And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.  Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.” (Gal 5:16-26)

When we walk by the Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit will be evident in our lives.  When we examine our lives we should be looking for the things listed in this passage.  If we see fruits of the flesh then we should be working to crucify them, and if we see fruits of the Spirit, we should be working to enhance them.  Who are you walking with today?

The Song:

Holy, holy, holy!  Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee.
Holy, holy, holy!  Merciful and mighty,
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!

Holy, holy, holy!  All the saints adore thee,
casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
cherubim and seraphim falling down before thee,
which wert, and art, and evermore shalt be.

Holy, holy, holy!  Though the darkness hide thee,
though the eye of sinful man thy glory may not see,
only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,
perfect in power, in love and purity.

Holy, holy, holy!  Lord God Almighty!
All thy works shall praise thy name, in earth and sky and sea.
Holy, holy, holy!  Merciful and mighty,
God in three persons, blessed Trinity.

The Author:  Reginald Heber (1783 – 1826)           Mr. Heber was an Oxford graduate who served at a church in Hodnet, England.  During his time there he wrote several hymns, none of them published while he was alive.

The Background: After his death in 1826, Heber’s wife discovered the hymns among his things.  In 1861, the words of this song were given to John B. Dykes to compose a tune to go with them.  The result is the song that we sing today.

The Theology:  This song is inspired by Revelation 4:8 where the creatures of heaven are crying out “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come.”  The parallels to this passage are quite easy to see, and the reasoning for the song is the same as the reason angels sing.  That is to praise God for His Holiness.  There is one other place where this song appears, and that is in Isaiah chapter six.  In this passage Isaiah sees God on the throne and one seraphim was crying out to another “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.” (Isaiah 6:3)  In both of these passages, the purpose is to show the creatures of heaven honoring the holiness of God.

When it comes to this subject, I find that I cannot put it any better than John Piper did in a 1984 sermon Isaiah 6.  Below is an excerpt from that sermon.

God is holy. “And one called to another, ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts!’ Remember how Reepicheep, the gallant mouse, at the end of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader sailed to the end of the world in his little coracle? Well, the word “holy” is the little boat in which we reach the world’s end in the ocean of language. The possibilities of language to carry the meaning of God eventually run out and spill over the edge of the world into a vast unknown. “Holiness” carries us to the brink, and from there on the experience of God is beyond words.

The reason I say this is that every effort to define the holiness of God ultimately winds up by saying: God is holy means God is God. Let me illustrate. The root meaning of holy is probably to cut or separate. A holy thing is cut off from and separated from common (we would say secular) use. Earthly things and persons are holy as they are distinct from the world and devoted to God. So the Bible speaks of holy ground (Exodus 3:5), holy assemblies (Exodus 12:16), holy sabbaths (Exodus 16:23), a holy nation (Exodus 19:6); holy garments (Exodus 28:2), a holy city (Nehemiah 11:1), holy promises (Psalm 105:42), holy men (2 Peter 1:21) and women (1 Peter 3:5), holy scriptures (2 Timothy 3:15), holy hands (1 Timothy 2:8), a holy kiss (Romans 16:16), and a holy faith (Jude 20). Almost anything can become holy if it is separated from the common and devoted to God.

But notice what happens when this definition is applied to God himself. From what can you separate God to make him holy? The very god-ness of God means that he is separate from all that is not God. There is an infinite qualitative difference between Creator and creature. God is one of a kind. Sui generis. In a class by himself. In that sense he is utterly holy. But then you have said no more than that he is God.

Or if the holiness of a man derives from being separated from the world and devoted to God, to whom is God devoted so as to derive his holiness? To no one but himself. It is blasphemy to say that there is a higher reality than God to which he must conform in order to be holy. God is the absolute reality beyond which is only more of God. When asked for his name in Exodus 3:14, he said, “I am who I am.” His being and his character are utterly undetermined by anything outside himself. He is not holy because he keeps the rules. He wrote the rules! God is not holy because he keeps the law. The law is holy because it reveals God. God is absolute. Everything else is derivative.

What then is his holiness? Listen to three texts. 1 Samuel 2:2, “There is none holy like the Lord, there is none besides thee.” Isaiah 40:25, “To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One.” Hosea 11:9, “I am God and not man, the Holy One in your midst.” In the end God is holy in that he is God and not man. (Compare Leviticus 19:2 and 20:7. Note the parallel structure of Isaiah 5:16.) He is incomparable. His holiness is his utterly unique divine essence. It determines all that he is and does and is determined by no one. His holiness is what he is as God which no one else is or ever will be. Call it his majesty, his divinity, his greatness, his value as the pearl of great price. In the end language runs out. In the word “holy” we have sailed to the world’s end in the utter silence of reverence and wonder and awe. There may yet be more to know of God, but that will be beyond words. “The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him” (Habakkuk 2:20).

By John Piper. ©2012 Desiring God Foundation. Website: desiringGod.org

When we sing this song, we are crying out to the incomparable, Holy Lord.  We must remember that when we cry out to do so reverently and remember, “Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few.” (Eccl 5:2)

We Teach… that salvation consists of the remission of sins and the imputation of Christ’s righteousness, and is the gracious gift of God, based upon the finished redemptive work of Jesus Christ on the cross, and is received by faith alone, apart from works (Acts 4:12; Ephesians 2:8-10; 1 Peter 1:18-19; Titus 3:5)

Jesus Christ is the foundation to the Christian faith and having a right view of who He is and what He did is crucial for understanding what we believe.  Our high view of God and our low view of man leads us to the logical conclusion that there is a need for a savior.  If God is perfect and Holy, he cannot allow sin to go unpunished.  We discovered last week that all men are sinners and are deserving of the wrath of God.  This week we are going to see the gift of God, which is salvation through faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-10).

Who He Is.  Two of the most revealing passages about the person of Jesus Christ are Philippians 2:5-8 and John 1:1 and 14.  These two passages parallel each other in some ways, showing first the deity of Jesus and then the humanity.

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant,being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Phil 2:5-8)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God….And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1,14)

Paul says in the book of Philippians that Jesus “was in the form of God,” and John states it quite clearly that he “was God.”  These claims are not unsupported in scripture.  There are several evidences in the life of Christ that he possessed the characteristics and power of God.  He is unchanging and eternal (Hebrews 13:8), He showed that He was all-knowing (Col 2:2b-3), He was perfectly sinless, and Holy (2 Cor 5:21, Acts 3:14-15).  He displayed his power and sovereignty over the wind and waves (Matt 8:23-27), over sickness (Luke 4:40), over evil spirits (Luke 4:33-36), and even over death (John 11:43-44).  Jesus continually displayed and made claims of His deity to his disciples.  He was and is God, and he took on flesh to become man.  Christ became the God-man when he was born of a virgin as a man.  He humbled himself in love to live among us and guide us back to the Father.  Just as we see the evidence of Jesus being God, we can also see the evidence of his humanity.  Even though he commanded the seas and the winds, he still hungered (Luke 4:2), became weary (John 4:6), and he slept (Mark 4:38).  These may seem like small things, but they show that Christ dealt with the same things that we do.  He had to be fully man, as well as fully God so that he could face the same temptations that we do, yet live without sin.  Knowing this part of who Jesus is, is crucial to understanding what he did.

What He Did.  In Philippians 2:8 we can see that Jesus humbled himself in obedience to the point of death on a cross.  This perfect obedience, death on the cross and later resurrection is the cornerstone of the Christian faith.  Paul shows the Philippians and us that the sacrifice that Jesus made was voluntary.  He did not do it because he had no other choice, but rather submitted himself to the will of the Father (see teaching on Trinity for difference between Son and Father).  We see before His crucifixion that Jesus prayed for the cup of punishment to be removed from him, but he did not follow his own will, but obediently followed the will of His Father (Luke 22:42).  His death was vicarious in that he took on our sins.  It was substitutionary in that he took the punishment in our place.  Jesus could only take on the burden of our sins if he was fully God, yet he could only be our substitute if he was fully man.  Just as one man, Adam brought sin into the world, one man would, through His obedience, break the reign of sin.  This is why it is so important to have a right view of who He is.  Because he was the God-man, he had the power to bear the burden and punishment for all of our sins, and he was still able to be a perfect substitute.  Christ’s work was also propitiatory.  This is not a word that we use in everyday English, but it means to appease or turn away a punishment or wrath.  In this case, Christ satisfied the wrath of God when he took on the punishment for sin.  The full wrath was poured out on Jesus in the few hours that he was on the cross.  It is because Christ bore this wrath that we can stand before the throne and give God the glory he deserves.

Why it Matters.  It matters that Christ took this burden because without his death and resurrection we would have no hope of going to heaven.  Because we are all sinners we are all condemned to eternal punishment in Hell.  However, because God loved the world, he gave his only begotten son that those who would trust in the work that He accomplished would be able to spend eternity in heaven. (John 3:16).  This gift of redemption is not of our own works as that would never be enough.  This is the gift of God and it is through faith in Christ alone that we receive it. (Ephesians 2:8-10).  When we trust in the work of Christ, and repent of our sins, then the perfectly obedient life of Christ is imputed to us.  This means that when we stand before God in judgment, he forgive our iniquities and see us as if we had lived the life of Jesus.