Several NOW WHAT moments in life
- Graduating high school
- Getting married
Where something major has happened but doesn’t always have a clear direction
- Things may still look the same, but nothing is the same
NOW WHAT and EASTER
- We just celebrated the biggest Christian Holiday
The resurrection is the CENTER of the Christian faith
The apostle Paul says it this way…
1 Corinthians 15:14-19
…if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation is in vain, and so is your faith.[a] 15 Moreover, we are found to be false witnesses about God, because we have testified wrongly about God that he raised up Christ—whom he did not raise up, if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. 18 Those, then, who have fallen asleep in Christ have also perished. 19 If we have put our hope in Christ for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone.
So we celebrate Easter….. NOW WHAT?
What does that practically mean for us?
- For our daily lives
- Going to work
- taking your kids to school
- Paying your bills
- Dealing with regular problems
To answer that, we need to see how EASTER (Jesus’ Resurrection) affected those who followed him first
- His disciples and the early church
Let’s think about this practically
- They saw Jesus brutally beaten and crucified
- Saw him put into a tomb
- Reports that he had been raised from the dead
- Seeing him raised from the dead
- Seeing him around for 40 days
- Watching him float up into the sky
- Then GONE!
Here are the last moments of Jesus and his followers together…
Acts 1
9 After he had said this, he was taken up as they were watching, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 While he was going, they were gazing into heaven, and suddenly two men in white clothes stood by them. 11 They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen him going into heaven.”
This has to be the biggest “NOW WHAT?” moment in history
- The greatest thing had happened
- Their lives were never going to be the same
- The world was never going to be the same
Jesus gave them the answer to the question, “Now What” before he left
- in the upper room
- during the last supper
John 16
7 Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth. It is for your benefit that I go away…
because if I don’t go away the Counselor will not come to you. If I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will convict the world about sin, righteousness, and judgment: 9 About sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me; 11 and about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.
12 “I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. For he will not speak on his own, but he will speak whatever he hears. He will also declare to you what is to come. 14 He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. 15 Everything the Father has is mine. This is why I told you that he takes from what is mine and will declare it to you.
Jesus promises that someone else will come fill them will knowledge, wisdom, and power
That someone is — THE HOLY SPIRIT
The one who answers the “NOW WHAT” questions for the Christian believer is the HOLY SPIRIT
1: Who is the HOLY SPIRIT?
The Holy Spirit is the 3rd person of the God-Head or of the Trinity
What is the Trinity?
The Trinity is the Christian Doctrine that God is ONE is ESSENCE but THREE in Person
The trinity can be shown this way…
So we can say that the Holy Spirit IS God
- But is NOT the Father
- NOT the Son
- But a DISTINCT, DIVINE PERSON
The Holy Spirit is NOT…
1: AN IT
- A real person and part of the God-head
Is NOT
2: A SHE
Jesus reveals, “HE will come; HE will teach”
Not a feminine spirit of God
Is NOT
3: A FORCE or POWER
not some new-age mysticism
Not a “power” for Christians
Is NOT
4: Just An OPTION
- To be a Christian believer is the be FILLED with the Holy Spirit
- Can’t “just want Jesus”
- Can’t reject one part of the Trinity
How does all this help us answer the “NOW WHAT” in our lives
That brings us to…
2: The Role of the Holy Spirit
What roles does the Holy Spirit play in the Life of the believer?
The Holy Spirit ILLUMINATES
John 16
13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth.
He illuminates…
- Who God is
- Salvation
- Truth
- The word of God
- Jesus
Do you want to know what to do next?
- Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you
To illuminate:
- God’s will
- The Right Direction
But that’s not all the Holy Spirit Does. He also…
Gives POWER
Acts 1:8
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
What this looks like practically…
Gifting vs Anointing
Gifting is natural born abilities
Anointing is ONLY through the Holy Spirit
He Gives power through the…
Gifts of the Spirit
- Things you cannot do on your own
- He equips us and gifts us the gift we need to BUILD UP THE CHURCH
The Holy Spirit also…
CONVICTS
John 16:8-11
8 When he comes, he will convict the world about sin, righteousness, and judgment: 9 About sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me; 11 and about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.
Have you ever noticed that the sin that made you happy before Jesus isn’t the same after you started following him?
- When you say things you shouldn’t
- Think of things you shouldn’t
- Watch or listen to things you shouldn’t
There is a reason for that
The reason sin we so easily lived in before now grieves our heart is that it grieves the HOLY SPIRIT who is in us
The Holy Spirit is responsible for PRODUCING RIGHTEOUSNESS in our lives
- changing us from the inside out
Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
We are no longer the SAME!
- Holy Spirit is TRANSFORMING US into the likeness of JESUS
Feeling stuck in your walk with Jesus?
- Feeling stuck in life?
- Lifeless
- Void
Holy Spirit wants to bring:
- VITALITY
- ORDER
- to the chaos
The Holy Spirit is offering you the ability to REST in His
- Presence
- Power
- Truth
- LIFE