All Flesh and All the Time
Acts 2:14-24; Joel 2:28-32
One of the questions from this past week is if we can ever lose the Holy Spirit. Does he live in those who submit to the gospel of Jesus Christ forever? The short answer is, the Holy Spirit will permanently be with all those who submit to the gospel of Jesus Christ! Jesus himself says that the Spirit will always be with those who submit to his gospel (John 14.16; Matthew 28.20), even in our moments of weakness (Romans 8.26) since we have been sealed with the Spirit until we see God face to face (Ephesians 1.13-14).
However, this wasn't always the case! During this sermon, I will explain who the Holy Spirit is and how he interacted with humans before Jesus Christ (i.e., the Old Testament). There are significant differences between the Old and New Testaments, which will give us a greater appreciation of how the Holy Spirit is interacting in those of us who now submit to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
I will first go over the similarities between the Old and New Testaments. The Holy Spirit existed before creation. He is God after all. The Spirit is also involved in sustaining life and the universe. Thus, the origin and maintenance of all of the universe are dependent upon the Spirit!
Second, I will talk about some important differences. The Spirit was involved in rescuing, delivering, and rescuing the people of God. He does this among the lives of various judges, kings, prophets, and others. However, his presence in these individuals was not permanent and it was given to only certain people.
This then brings us to one of the most important promises in the Bible, which is recorded in Joel 2.28-32. This promise means that one day, the Holy Spirit will be upon all people. Not just people who seem important, but both men and women, the old and young, and even upon servants/slaves. And not only on all people, but the Spirit's presence will be permanent.
We later learn that this promise has been fulfilled through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Peter quotes the promise of Joel 2 in Acts 2.14-24. This means that the Holy Spirit, who is the creator and sustainer of this universe, now dwells permanently in every single person who submits to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Unlike the Old Testament, this promise is not just for important people and it is not just temporary!
Questions:
1. What is the ultimate reason that we can be assured of the Holy Spirit's permanent presence in all those who submit to the gospel of Jesus Christ?
2. In comparison to the Old Testament, where the Holy Spirit was only upon certain people and for a certain period of time, all those in Christ Jesus are blessed with the permanent presence of the Holy Spirit. Which of these two differences encourages you the most?
3. Take a moment to reflect upon the idea that the Holy Spirit not only created the entire universe, but also sustains it. This Holy Spirit is dwelling in you because of what Christ has done on your behalf! Moreover, this Spirit is a person and is deeply intimate with you. What is one way that you can respond to this truth this week?
