THE MIRACULOUS BIRTH AND DEDICATION: A FULFILLMENT OF REVELATION

LUKE 2:21-35

         

INTRODUCTION

          An obstetrician approached an anxious father in a waiting room of a New York City hospital and said, “I am sorry to inform you that your baby lived but two hours after his birth, though we did everything we could to save his life.”

          As the sympathetic doctor was about to leave, the quick thinking father said, “I read only recently that human eyes are needed on corneal operations. Could my baby’s eyes be used to enable someone to see again?”

          The next day the Red Cross carried an eye each to two different hospitals. In one, a corneal graft restored the sight of a working man with a large family. In the other, sight was given to a mother. A baby, who lived only two hours, gave physical sight to a grateful father and a mother.

          Some 2000 years ago, a Babe came into our sin-darkened world to give spiritual sight to all who will receive it without money and without price. At His coming, “the people that walked in darkness saw a great light.”

I. THE CIRCUMCISION OF THE BABY V. 21

          Jesus was circumcised on the eighth day in accordance with Jewish law (Gen. 17:12). He was born under the law to redeem those who were under the law (Gal. 4:4f.). In view of this, Jesus was subjected to the requirements of the law. Circumcision symbolized the Jews’ separation from Gentiles and their unique relationship with God. The actions that Joseph and Mary take are evident that they are people of faith. As devout Jewish parents, they obey the Mosaic Law by subjecting the baby to the law of circumcision. They also call the baby Jesus a name the angel gave before the conception of the baby even took place.

          The emphasis in this verse is the significance of the name Jesus. While there were other Jews called Jesus, none was born of a virgin. None received the name Jesus from an angel of God; and none was conceived of the Holy Spirit, except Jesus of Nazareth. The name Jesus means Jehovah is Salvation. Jesus’ name corresponds with His mission on earth. He has come to save His people. The divine purpose is seen in the name given to the Son of Mary.

II.THE PRESENTATION OF THE BABY IN THE TEMPLE

VV. 22-24

          Joseph and Mary are law-abiding Jews. They bring their baby to the temple to do the ceremonies required by God’s law. The parents have come to the temple to fulfill three requirements recorded in God’s law (1) The purification of a woman forty days after the birth of a male child (Lev. 12:2-4, 6); (2) The presentation of the first born to God (Ex. 13:2, 12, 16; 34:19; Num. 18:15-16); (3) and the dedication of the first born into the Lord’s service (1 Sam. 1-2). Though this dedication is like many that took place in Israel for centuries, this one is unique because of the call of this child. Prior to the purification, the mother is not free to touch anything sacred or to enter the temple (Lev. 12:1-8). Jesus’ parents bring Him along though that is not necessary. Jewish parents were not bound by any law to bring the child to the temple to observe these ceremonies. The Jewish parents were allowed to go through the ceremonies alone. But in the case of Jesus, they bring Him to the temple. His presence in the temple has a divine and prophetic purpose, but the parents are not aware.

          Joseph and Mary offer a pair of doves or two young pigeons. This offering recalls Leviticus 12:8. Since this offering is the one usually made by the very poor, Jesus is identified with the very poor He reached out to save (1:52; 4:18-19; 6:20; 7:22-23). However, Joseph and Mary do not live in abject poverty, since Joseph is a carpenter (Mk. 6:3). The offering that Joseph and Mary present could be the offering of someone from a middle-class background as well. Regardless of their social status, Luke is making it clear that Jesus parents are not spiritual renegades, but Jews who are faithful and sensitive to the Mosaic Law. This shows that Joseph and Mary have a heritage of devotion to God. While God’s choice of Joseph and Mary was on the basis of grace, the couple was not a dirty vessel, but devoted to God. Jesus is God’s Son, but His earthly parents carry out these ceremonies according to God’s law. Jesus was not born above the law; instead, He fulfilled it perfectly.

III. THE PROPHECY OF SIMEON ABOUT THE BABY VV. 25-35

          When Jesus was born the spiritual condition of the Jews at the time was generally low, but there were some that were genuinely pious and upright, who served God faithfully. These faithful ones were expecting the consolation of Israel—the salvation to come through the Messiah. One of the faithful people in Israel was the devout Simeon.

          As Joseph and Mary proceed, they meet a pious old man, Simeon, in the temple. We are not told of Simeon’s vocation; all we know is that he is righteous and devout (v. 25). Simeon is a commonly used Jewish name, but this Simeon is otherwise unknown. His name appears only here in the entire NT. Yet, he is another witness to Jesus who possesses a vibrant walk with God. In the drama of Jesus’ birth, God includes many people who play important roles. For instance, the shepherds symbolized the average person on the street, while Simeon represents the testimony of a wise elder, who has walked with God. Part of Simeon’s wisdom is that he is looking for the hope of the nation, the consummation of God’s promise. Saints in touch with God’s heart often await expectantly the completion of God’s promises. This revered saint is led to see what the arrival of this child means. The Bible says The Holy Spirit was upon him. This is a continual presence of the Holy Spirit. In the OT times, the Holy Spirit would come upon people on special occasions, but a continuing presence was rare. Simeon’s endowment was something special. The Spirit had indicated to him in some way not specified that he would see the Messiah before his death. This is the way we can distinguish true prophecy from a false one. True prophecy will always be fulfilled no matter how long it tarries. Isaiah prophesied of Jesus’ birth 700 years before it was fulfilled (Is. 9:6-7). Jesus predicted that He would rise again from the dead three days after His death and He did. Jesus promised us that when He ascends to the Father, He will send us the Holy Spirit, and He did on the day of Pentecost. Jesus has promised us of His return. And one of these days He will descend from the clouds and all eyes will see Him.

Simeon, like Zechariah and Mary is expectant that God will deliver Israel. He has not given up believing that God will complete His promise, and his living in light of that hope brings perspective to the present event.

          The Holy Spirit leads an old man to the temple to greet Jesus. The Spirit of God directs this scene because He has revealed to Simeon that death would not come until he has seen the Lord’s Christ. When God promises you something, He will fulfill it. God always directs you to the fulfillment of His promise. He is not a God of confusion or disappointment. Simeon takes the baby Jesus into His arms, and blesses God. Now that this long awaited promise has been fulfilled, Simeon is content to die in peace, because his eyes have seen the salvation of the Lord. This is the fulfillment of the prophecy many of the OT saints and prophets had anticipated. God allows an unknown Simeon to see this splendid prophecy come true. There is something about Simeon that I would like you to notice. It is one thing for the Spirit to come upon a person; it is another to be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Simeon was sensitive to the Holy Spirit as such; he went to the temple as the Holy Spirit directed him. Are you sensitive to the Holy Spirit? Are you in tune with the Holy Spirit? When the Holy Spirit speaks, do you recognize His voice? Do you go where the Holy Spirit leads you? Are you surrounded by all kinds of noises as such when the Holy Spirit speaks, you cannot hear His voice? You and I are to learn to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit so that we can be in the center of God’s will.

          Simeon praises God and says I am now ready to die. He says my work is finished because I have seen the baby Jesus, who has come as the way of salvation. To see Jesus is to see God’ salvation. They are inseparable. To see Jesus is to see God’s light and revelation. There is joy even in the face of death, when you have seen the way of life. Simeon’s work as a sentinel for the Messiah is done. The Lord can take him home. While some run away from death, Simeon welcomes it. While some plead to God for a second chance, Simeon joyfully invites it. While some bargain with God when it comes time for them to die, Simeon is ready to go to be with his maker. This tells you and me that Simeon was a man who was identified with doing God’s will. His willing surrender to the timing of his death shows his commitment to God’s timing. Here is a servant who seeks to do only what God has called him to do. The timing of his life and death are in God’s hands. Furthermore, having seen Jesus and knowing Him, Simeon is at peace. Everything else in his life pales in comparison. Death is not a terror to the child of God.

          The statement that Simeon makes in verse 29 literally means the freeing or releasing of a slave from a long task after the task is completed. The place where Simeon makes his prophecy is significant to Jewish readers. The temple was the most sacred place for the Jews. Perhaps the high priest and other temple workers heard Simeon’s testimony about Jesus. Simeon says that this salvation is for all peoples. Here he is not referring to universalism—a belief that everybody will be saved whether you believe in Jesus or not. Rather, he is saying that God’s plan of salvation is not limited to the Jews; it includes the Gentiles. Jesus is a light of revelation to the Gentiles, which means that He opens the way of salvation to the nations in a way unknown before His coming. If it were not for Jesus, you and I would have not known the way of salvation, and we would have died in the darkness of sin. Jesus is also glory to Israel, for through Him they would perform their service of ministry to the world. All eyes will be drawn to Israel through what the Messiah achieves. Jesus is the magnet that makes Israel great. When the promises of God come, they come through the Promised One of Israel. Jesus did not come exclusively for the Jews; He came for the Gentiles as well.

          Exclaimed little four-year-old Terrie, “He is not!” Startled, the mother asked, “He is not what, Terrie?” Terrie replied: “That man on the radio said he was going to sing ‘Jesus Is Mine,’ and He is not, because Jesus is everybody’s!”

          This four-year-old is right. Nobody has exclusive claim on Jesus. No one race has a corner on Jesus. Jesus came for all peoples, black and white, yellow and red; all are precious in His sight. Jesus came to provide salvation to every person who gives Him room in his/her heart.

          Verse 33 says, “Mary and Joseph were amazed at what Simeon said concerning Jesus.” The parents are amazed that Simeon knows all these things. Moreover, what Simeon says goes beyond the message of the shepherds. Our God is wise because He gets many and different people involved in the drama of Jesus’ event. God does not reveal everything about the birth and mission of Jesus to one person. He involves several persons. For instance, He involves Elizabeth and Zechariah. God involves the shepherds, Simeon and Anna the prophetess. God also involves the Magi, who were not from Israel. This implies that Jesus has come for all people, races and ethnicity, genders, and people of all ages. That is why I have a strong conviction that nobody has a corner on God. God is prepared to use anyone who surrenders completely to Him.

          Joseph and Mary marvel because when the angel Gabriel made the promise of the conception, Simeon was not there. Joseph and Mary marvel for three reasons. (1) Simeon says that Jesus is a gift from God. (2) Simeon recognizes Jesus as the Messiah; and (3) Simeon says that Jesus will be a light to the entire world. The couple is amazed because what Simeon says is a confirmation of what God has revealed to them and others, example, Elizabeth, Zechariah, and the shepherds. But Simeon has not finished with Mary and Joseph. He adds that the baby Jesus is appointed for the rise and fall of many in Israel, and a sign to be opposed. Simeon is saying that Jesus’ life will be a paradox. In other words, Jesus will be the cause of division. The imagery Simeon uses comes from Isaiah 8:14-15 and 28:13-16. Jesus will split the nation in two. Some will see Him as someone to be opposed. Some will fall because of Him, while others will rise (Malachi 4:2). Some will respond to Jesus but other will oppose Him. People will contend for and against Him. With Jesus, there would be no neutral ground. You either joyfully receive Him or totally reject Him.

          The road to promise-fulfillment is not smooth. The whole story of Jesus’ life is not sweetness and light. Salvation will be purchased at a heavy cost, and Simeon somberly records this. In His earthly ministry, Jesus Himself said that I have come to bring division—a father against his son, mother against her daughter. Unless you lose all pride in your own spiritual achievement, there is no place for you in the life, which Jesus brings. Before you can rise, you must first fall and take the lowly place; then you can rise (Micah 7:8). As a parenthetical thought, Simeon adds, and a sword will pierce your own soul—to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed (v. 35).

          The rejection that Jesus will experience from people will be like a sword that will pierce Mary’s soul. Mary will feel a mother’s pain as she watches her Son go His own way and suffer rejection. But the sword also reflects the pain you and I who have identified with Jesus feel as people reject what Jesus has to offer them. Mary’s soul will feel the severest pain when her Son is nailed to the cross. Ladies and gentlemen identifying with Jesus have painful personal consequences. Even when I preach and teach the word of God and nobody responds, it is sometimes painful, because I know in my heart that not everybody who sits under the sound of my voice knows Christ. There are some of you who are not living right yet you are not prepared to rededicate your life to Jesus Christ. What you are saying indirectly is that you are content with your life.

          In effect, Simeon is saying that the suffering of Jesus will not leave Mary untouched. Mary would be grieved by the widespread rejection Jesus would face. This is the first note of sorrow in Luke’s Gospel. All along, the news about Jesus’ birth and mission has been glorious, but now it has a grim element. All the prophecies of Jesus’ birth and mission have been sweet, but now it is sour.

          Ladies and gentlemen, you cannot remain neutral when it comes to Jesus Christ. Jesus is the litmus test of God for where you are. When you see Christ suffer, your reaction shows on which side you are. Since the coming of Christ, the human race has been divided into two; those who believe in Him, and those who do not. My concern is those who go to church but are indifferent to Jesus Christ. There is no neutral ground when it comes to taking a stand for Jesus Christ. Do you sense the need to depend on God and come to Him to walk in the light, or you don’t? Your response to Jesus reveals where you are before God, just as one day Jesus will reveal where everyone’s heart is (Acts 10:42-43). Young people are you going to take a stand for Jesus in school or are you going to join the crowd who uses His name in vain. Adults are you going to identify yourselves with Jesus or you are going to take a back seat as you have always done? Don’t be a chameleon Christian. When you are with other Christians, you behave like one, but when you are with unbelievers, you are one of them. A chameleon changes according to its surroundings. Are you going to share Jesus in the year 2017, or are you going to keep Him to yourself and allow many to die without Christ? Jesus is the great divide between the human races. To receive Him is to have eternal life; to reject Him is to embrace eternal loss and death. The choice is yours to make. Choose Christ and live. And if you have already chosen Him, determine to make Him known to people around you and those you come into contact. Merry Christmas

THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

EPHESIANS 4:7-13

          But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it says, “When He ascended on high, He led captive a host of captives, and He gave gifts to men”. Now this expression, “He ascended,” what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth?

          He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things. And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ (NASB).

INTRODUCTION

          Alexander the Great once gave a magnificent golden cup to one of his lowly servants. The servant was overwhelmed. “Your majesty: he said, “This is too much for me to take.”  Alexander looked at him with a smile and said, “But it is not too much for me to give.”

          Once the wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit is given to us, we understand just how unworthy we are and, what truly sinful people we are. God’s gift is overwhelming. This is the Holy Spirit’s work for us.

          Basically, the Holy Spirit does three things for us as believers. First, the Spirit does work for us. This is the work of salvation. Second, the Spirit also works in us. This is called sanctification. Finally, the Holy Spirit accomplishes His work through us. This is the area of Christian service. This third area is the concern of our message.

1.     THE GIVER OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS VV. 7-9

          According to verse 7, each gift is Christ’s gift to His church. Every Christian at least has one spiritual gift. There are some Christians who have more than one spiritual gift. The question is: “are you using your spiritual gift to serve Christ?” In verse 8, Paul quotes from Psalm 68:18. “When He ascended on high, He led captives a host of captives and He gave gifts to men.” In this Psalm, God is portrayed as a conqueror marching to the gates and taking tribute from the fallen city. Paul used that picture to teach that Christ in His crucifixion and resurrection was victorious over Satan and his demonic host. When Christ ascended to heaven, He gave gifts to His church. In ancient times what conquerors took from their captives in war, they gave away to their people. The spoils were divided and the booty was shared (Gen. 14; Judges 5:30; 1 Sam. 30:26-31; Psalm 68:12).

          Verse 9 has posed problems to many preachers and teachers of the Bible. There are three theories that have been proposed. Let me give them to you and tell you which I prefer. The first theory refers to the lower parts of the earth as the grave. The second theory refers to the lower parts of the earth as Hades (the place of the dead). The third refers to the lower parts of the earth as the earth itself. If you have heard some preachers say that when Jesus died, He went to hell, they base their statement on this verse and 1 Peter 3:19. The problem is that there is no obvious reference to Hades or hell in Ephesians 4:9. This is reading too much into the biblical text. It is a stretch of Scripture to say what is not there. I subscribe to the third theory that refers to the lower parts of the earth as the earth itself. I believe Paul is simply referring to Christ’s incarnation. The incarnation precedes the ascension. In His incarnation, Jesus descended to the depths of humiliation when He came to earth. In His incarnation, Christ divested Himself of insignia of majesty, especially the suffering He endured on the cross (Phil 2:5-11). It is through this renunciation and humiliation of death on the cross that Christ has defeated the principalities and powers in His resurrection. One thing you and I need to guard against is to separate the three persons of the Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Together they are involved in every aspect of the church’s well being.

II. THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT ARE VARIED VV. 10-11

          The incarnate Christ is the same as the ascended and exalted Christ. The Christ who descended in humiliation is the same who ascended in exaltation. Because of His ascension and exaltation, Christ has retained His universal authority and power. And with this exaltation, power and authority, He has dispensed spiritual gifts to His church to bring it to maturity. In verse 11, the Apostle Paul tells us the variety of gifts. Notice the word some. He does not say He gave all. Ladies and gentlemen there are varieties of gifts. It is important to recall this because today many have a restricted view of charismata (spiritual gifts). There are others who are preoccupied, even obsessed with only three of the more spectacular gifts, namely, tongues, prophecy, and healing. The New Testament lists about nineteen to twenty spiritual gifts, and the list is not exhaustive. In this text Paul presents only five of the spiritual gifts. First, Christ gave some to be apostles. The Greek word for apostle means, one sent with a commission. The word apostle has three main meanings in the New Testament. First, the term applies to every Christian. Jesus said, the servant is not greater than his master; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him (John 13:16).

          Therefore, in a general sense every Christian is both a servant and an apostle. The word apostello means to send. All Christians are sent out into the world as Christ ambassadors and witnesses to share the gospel of Christ. The context in Ephesians 4:11, eliminates the first meaning of apostle because Paul says some not all. Second, there were apostles of the churches (2 Cor. 8:23; cf. Phil. 2:25). These were messengers that churches sent out as missionaries or on some errand on behalf of the church. One important distinction of a missionary is this: a missionary is sent on behalf of a local church to plant a church or to serve Christ in a certain capacity. There is nothing like a missionary or apostle who is not affiliated with a local church. There is no “lone ranger” missionary in the New Testament. Third, there were apostles of Christ, a very small and distinct group, consisting of the Twelve, including Matthias, who replaced Judas Iscariot, Paul, James the brother of Jesus, Barnabas, and perhaps one other. These were personally chosen and authorized by Jesus, and had to be eyewitnesses of the risen Lord (Acts 1:21-22; 10:40-41; 1 Cor. 9:1; 15:8-9). The apostle Paul is using the term apostle in the third sense. The apostles were the foundation of the church and the organs of revelation (Eph. 2:20; 3:26). Therefore, without hesitation it is fair to say that there are no apostles today in a narrow and restricted sense. What about prophets? Here again it is important to make a distinction. The English word prophecy derives from a Greek word meaning, public expounder. In the primary sense in which the Bible uses the word, a prophet was a person who stood in the council of God, who heard and even “saw” God’s word, and who in consequence spoke from the mouth of the Lord; and spoke His word faithfully. See Jeremiah 23:16-32. In other words, a prophet was a mouthpiece or spokesman of God, a vehicle of God’s direct revelation. In this sense we must conclude that there are no prophets today. Nobody can presume to claim an inspiration comparable to that of the prophets of the Bible, or use their introductory formula, “thus says the Lord.” If these were possible, we would have to add their words to Scripture and the whole church needs to listen and obey (Deut. 4:2; Prov. 30:6; Rev. 22:18-19).

          If anybody tells you that he/she receives fresh revelation from God that person is a false prophet. Apostles have no successors, any more than prophets have, for the foundation was laid and finished centuries ago. You cannot tamper with the word of God and go scot-free. In fact, church history has revealed many people who claimed to receive fresh and special revelation from God. One of them even claimed that he was the Holy Spirit. Today the New Age Movement is teaching a similar concept (Sherry McCraine). The gift of prophecy was a supernatural gift. And in order to discern between false and true prophets, the Holy Spirit gives the gift of discerning of spirits to other believers. NT believers were not to despise prophesying but they were told to test the spirits (1 Thess. 5:20-21; 1 John 4:1).

          Is there a subsidiary gift of a prophet? The answer is yes. Some see it as a special gift of biblical exposition, an unusual degree of insight into the Word of God so that by the ministry of the Holy Spirit modern prophets hear and receive the Word of God. Notice that this is not a new revelation, but a fresh understanding of the old. The second part of the prophetic office was the edification, instruction, consolation, and exhortation of believers in local congregations (1 Cor. 14:3). In this sense, prophecy was not given to scare an individual or as a form of divination or fortune telling as we see today. Prophecy was given to encourage and build the body of Christ for the purpose of advancing the kingdom of God on earth. There are some who have a sensitive understanding of the contemporary world and can read the signs and times together with the denunciation of social sins by making a perceptive application of Scripture to them (Francis Schaeffer, A. W. Tozer).

          After apostles and prophets Paul mentions evangelists. The word evangelist occurs only three times in the NT (here, Acts 21:8 and 2 Tim. 4:5). The verb form evangelize is used frequently to describe the spreading of the gospel. The term evangelist simply means one who announces good news. It may refer to the gift of evangelistic preaching, or of making the gospel particularly plain and relevant to unbelievers, or of helping timid people to be committed to Christ, or effective personal witnessing. In a sense, every Christian is an evangelist, because in the Great Commission Christ commands us to take the gospel to all the nations of the world. Therefore, evangelism is not limited to professional evangelists (Billy Graham, Louis Palau, Bonke, etc). The gift of evangelism is also given to many lay people (Philip, a deacon). There is a great need for gifted evangelists today who will pioneer new ways of using and developing their gift so as to penetrate the vast unreached people of the world for Christ. There are many millions of people who have not heard the gospel. We need many evangelists to reach these people with the good news that Jesus saves.

          This leads to the gift of pastor. The Bible does not often use the word pastor. In the OT, the term translates the Hebrew word for shepherd. The NT uses the word pastor only once with the root idea of shepherd (v. 11). Pastors are called to tend God’s flock, doing so in particular by feeding them through teaching (John 21:15-17; Acts 20:28; 1 Pet. 5:2). Every Pastor must be a teacher, yet not every Christian teacher is a pastor. Among many Christians the word pastor is one of the most commonly preferred designations for ordained clergy. Its use is consistent with the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ who called Himself the good Shepherd (John 10:11) and the great Shepherd of the sheep (Heb. 13:20). If Jesus is the chief Shepherd, then there must be assistant or under shepherds. Someone has said that evangelists catch the fish and the pastors clean them.

          What about teachers? The word teacher means an instructor. When the message of Christ has resulted in conversion, the new believer must be taught (Matt. 28:18-20). One of the great needs of the church is for more gifted teachers of the Bible. Teaching is simply a Spirit-given ability to build into the lives of Christians the knowledge of God’s word and its application to their thinking and conduct. The goal of teaching is to conform Christians to the likeness of Christ.

III. THE PURPOSE OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS VV. 12-13

          In verse 12, Paul states clearly why Christ gave these gifts to His church. The purposes of the spiritual gifts are both immediate and ultimate. The immediate purpose is to equip the saints for ministry or to equip God’s people for work in His service. The ultimate purpose is for building up the body until we all reach maturity in Christ. The mentality that lay people come to church to sit and hear a sermon and then go home is not from the NT. It was a deviation and a corruption that crept into the church during the medieval times. That is why I don’t believe the pastor doing it all in the church. I don’t like one man or one woman show church. That is not the NT concept of church. Why does the Holy Spirit give spiritual gifts to Christians? Does the Holy Spirit give you a spiritual gift to sit on it? God will one day ask you what you did with the spiritual gift He gave to you. The work of evangelists, pastors, and teachers is to equip, and edify you to develop your spiritual gift for service to Christ. What are you doing with your spiritual gift? It is a human tendency to overestimate what you can do alone and to underestimate what we can accomplish as a team. As a body of Christ, we can accomplish more working together as a team than we would dream possibly working as an individual. Therefore, use your spiritual gifts as a part of the team in building the church as we advance the kingdom of God on earth.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

                            

                                                                                                                                                                   

THE SINS AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT

MATTHEW 12:22-32; EPHESIANS 4:25-32

I. BLASPHEMY AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT: MATTHEW 12:31-32

          Of all the sins humans commit against the Holy Spirit none is worse than that of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. The reason for this is obvious: It is the only sin for which there is no forgiveness.

          Before we consider this passage, I would like to make several observations. First, if you are a true Christian, you cannot commit the sin of the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. A saved person cannot commit the unpardonable sin. Second, Christians commit all other sins against the Holy Spirit. We can repent of them, be forgiven, and make a new start. Third, unbelievers commit the unpardonable sin. Sometimes when some Christians go through emotional distress, they conclude that they have committed the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. However, your distress and concern about it is a positive proof that you have not committed the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Evidently, those who have committed such a sin have no concern or care about it. The blasphemy against the Holy Spirit was committed by enemies of Jesus Christ when they accused Him of casting out demons by the power of Satan.

          Jesus had clearly stated that He cast out the demon by the power of God. What exactly did Jesus mean when He said that there is no forgiveness for the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? In verse 31, Jesus promises that all manner of sin and blasphemy will be forgiven you and me. He says that God will forgive all kinds of sins, some of them quite serious. You and I that are Christians know this is true. For example, David committed many sins, some of them quite serious. He committed adultery with Bathsheba. He murdered her husband Uriah. Pride caused David to organize a census of the nation of Israel and the wrath of God came upon him and the people. But David confessed his sins and God forgave him. Think about Simon Peter who boasted of his devotion and commitment to Jesus, and then denied with curses that he knew the Lord Jesus. But Peter confessed his sin and God forgave him. The Apostle Paul said he was a blasphemer. He was also involved in the persecution and murder of Christians. But Paul repented and God forgave him. You and I can even include our names and sins, but when you and I confessed and repented of our sins, God forgave us.

          But Jesus said there is a sin that a person can commit for which there is no forgiveness. This sin is the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. How can you know that you have not committed the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which is the unpardonable sin? If you continue to be under the disturbing, convicting, and drawing power of the Holy Spirit, you have not committed the unpardonable sin. But if you have continually resisted the Holy Spirit that He no longer strives with you, then there is eternal danger. The unpardonable sin involves the total and irrevocable rejection of Jesus Christ.

          God has three witnesses to the human heart (soul) calling you to salvation. There is the witness of God the Father. The Jews had heard the witness of John the Baptist. This was the Father’s witness to them and they rejected it. Then there is the witness of God the Son. The Lord Jesus came to earth. He walked among us. He lived a perfect life. The Jews saw the witness of the Son but they rejected Him. Now Jesus declares that there is one more witness. The Holy Spirit bears witness. He is God’s final call to the human soul. Therefore, the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the deliberate, defiant, and definite choice to reject God’s offer of salvation. This is often done with the words spoken against the Holy Spirit. Now here is the caution: you and I should not be going around telling people that they have committed the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Neither are we to label anybody as beyond the grace and forgiveness of God. You and I should urge people everywhere to repent and turn to Jesus, since we do not know when the Spirit has stopped dealing with them. The danger this poses for some of you who attend church is this: You may be attending church on regular basis but when the preaching of God’s word convicts you of sin, you deliberately leave the sanctuary as if you are looking for something. There are some of you that you come under the conviction of the Holy Spirit but when the invitation is given you continue to sit down instead of responding to God’s word. You know deep in your heart that you need to respond to the word of God, but you intentionally refuse. If this persists in your life, you are not far from eternal danger. After all, those who accused Jesus of casting out demons with the power of Satan were not “sinners,” prostitutes, murderers, and tax collectors. They were the religious people who had no room in their heart for Jesus and the supernatural. They frequented the Temple and yet they were spiritually bankrupt. Therefore, be careful that you do not resist the conviction of the Holy Spirit in your heart.

II. GRIEVING THE HOLY SPIRIT: EPHESIANS 4:30-32

          We now come to the sins that Christians can commit. The first is the sin of grieving the Holy Spirit. The admonition “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit” is a command from God to Christians. God’s Spirit lives in believers to separate us from the world. As I have said often times, the only difference between Christians and non-Christians is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God’s seal or mark of the believer for the day of redemption. This is what we call sanctification, which means that God has set you and me apart from the lost world. The Holy Spirit wants to make real in your life everything Jesus has done for you. The Christian experience is intended to produce a Christian life. It involves a complete overhaul on the inside. He wants to cleanse and change you. The Holy Spirit comes in with dumpster and begins hauling out the garbage of your old life. Your life begins to show those characteristics, which will produce Christlikeness. However, it is possible to hinder the Spirit’s work in your life. The word of God in Ephesians 4:30 addresses this danger. You can grieve the Holy Spirit to the point that He will not be able to do what He wants to do in making you like Jesus. You may hurt or anger someone who has no affection for you, but you can grieve only a person who loves you.

          God shows us how we grieve the Holy Spirit by our speech (telling lies), emotions (anger), our hands (stealing), and unwholesome speech. Speech is a wonderful gift of God. It is one of our human capacities, which reflects our likeness to God. For our God speaks, and like Him we also speak. Speech distinguishes us from the animal creation. Cows can moo, dogs bark, donkeys bray, pigs grunt, lambs bleat, lions roar, monkeys squeal, and birds sing, but only humans can speak. So the word of God says, “Let no unwholesome speech proceed from your mouth.” The word “unwholesome” (sapros ) is used of rotten trees and rotten fruit. When applied to rotten talk, whether this is dishonest, unkind, or vulgar, you may be sure that in some way it hurts the hearers. When you use your unique gift of speech destructively, you grieve the Holy Spirit. Jesus taught the great significance of speech. He said that our words reveal what is in our hearts, and He said that we have to give account on judgment day of every careless word we have uttered (Matt. 12:33-37). But the grieving of the Holy Spirit is not limited to unwholesome speech. There are many more. What Ephesians 4:30 reveals is that the Holy Spirit is a person, and as such He can be grieved. The word, “grieve” means “to cause sorrow, pain, or distress”, and only persons can feel these things. What grieves the Holy Spirit? Ungodliness grieves the Holy Spirit; disunity grieves the Holy Spirit.

          However, every Spirit-filled believer desires to bring the Holy Spirit pleasure, not pain. When you grieve the Holy Spirit, He withholds His peace, joy, gladness of heart, and illumination of the things of Christ. You begin to experience a spiritual fog in the things of Christ. Job 35:6 ask a poignant question: “If you have sinned what do you accomplish against Him? And if your transgressions are many, what do you do to Him?” Have someone you love dearly done something that hurt you? Remember how it made you feel? When you hurt someone you love, you apologize or ask for forgiveness. Some of you need to say that to the Holy Spirit. Paul lists six things that grieve the Holy Spirit. This is not an exhaustive list. Bitterness, a sour spirit and a sour speech grieve the Holy Spirit. Wrath and anger, passionate rage and settled and sullen hostility grieve the Holy Spirit. Clamor describes people who get excited, raise their voices in a quarrel and start screaming at each other. This grieves the Holy Spirit. Slander is the speaking of evil of others, especially behind their backs to defame and destroy their reputation. The Bible says that this also grieves the Holy Spirit. Slander is the synonym of blasphemy (Blasphemia). Malice is ill will, wishing and probably plotting evil against somebody with the intention to hurt him/her. This also grieves the Holy Spirit. The list is endless. When you grieve the Holy Spirit your daily devotion and prayers are hindered.

III. QUENCHING THE HOLY SPIRIT: 1 THESS. 5:16-19

          The blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is a sin that only an unbeliever can commit. Grieving and quenching the Spirit are sins that believers commit. What does it mean to quench the Spirit? Paul’s terse admonition is this: “Do not quench the Spirit.” The word, “quench means to put out, to stifle, or to smother.” It can be paraphrased, “don’t suppress the Spirit, or stop suppressing the Spirit.” The term quench is pertinent to the Scripture’s reference to the Holy Spirit as fire. When you quench the Spirit, you put the fire out. This does not mean you expel the Holy Spirit from your life, but you extinguish the love and power of the Holy Spirit in such a way that He cannot carry out God’s purpose in and through your life. To put it differently, you suppress the work of the Holy Spirit in your life. In order to serve God better, the Holy Spirit gives us spiritual gifts. The Holy Spirit then provides us with power to serve in these ministries and to exercise these gifts to the glory of God and for the good of others. One beautiful biblical symbol for the Holy Spirit is fire (Matt. 3:11). In the O.T. the prophet Isaiah refers to God’s Spirit as fire burning (Isaiah 4:4). However, you may quench the Spirit in a number of ways. Let me give you two examples by way of warning. First, a fire goes out when the fuel supply is withdrawn. When you don’t use the means of grace, when you fail to pray, witness, and read the Bible, the fire of the Holy Spirit is quenched. A second way to put out fire is to extinguish it by throwing water on it or smothering it with a blanket, or a shovel full of dirt. In a similar way, willful sin quenches the fire. When you criticize, act unkindly, belittle the work of others by careless and unappreciative words, you smother the fire and put it out.

          You can render your service to the Lord Jesus Christ ineffective by suppressing the fire of the Spirit of God. Some believers put wet blanket of indifference and sin on the fire of the Spirit. God may have gifted you with music, as a teacher, or an encourager but you are not putting these gifts to use. Churches need more teachers to teach young boys and girls the truth of God’s Word. Churches need musicians but you are sitting on your gift. You are quenching the Holy Spirit in your life. In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, first it says, “Rejoice always.” Therefore, you quench the Spirit if you fail to rejoice in the Lord, as you should. All of us have burdens, but if you are not careful you can dwell on the burdens and forget the blessings. If you are a prayerless believer, if you do not demonstrate an attitude of gratitude, you are quenching the Spirit. Grieving and quenching the Spirit are what we call the sin of commission and omission.

          A boy left home to work in a city. He promised his mom he would go to church on Sundays. The first Sunday his new friends invited him to go horseback riding. Remembering his promise, he refused at first. But then he relented at their insistence. Sunday morning came. As he began his horseback ride with his new friends, he remembered church back home. He could see his parents heading to the home church and remembered his promise. As he approached the middle of town on horseback, church bell invited him to the services. He continued to ride.

          As he reached the outskirts of town, the bells grew fainter and fainter. He stopped. He said, Guys, I come from a Christian home. I promised my mom I will go to church today. I noticed the bells are getting fainter the farther we go. A little more and I will ride beyond the sound of the bells. Excuse me, but I’m going back while I can still hear the bells.

          The bells of the Holy Spirit are ringing in your ears. Perhaps you heard them in childhood. The bells are ringing. As a young person, you heard the bells ringing—“Come to Jesus, come to Jesus.” Now you are older and wiser. You can still hear the bells, but they are getting weaker. You may be getting close to the point where you will never hear the bells again. Come to Jesus while you can still hear the bells!