The Holy Spirit in the Churches (Matthew 18:15-20)
Gary McManus, 09/04/2022Part of the Holy Spirit series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
September 4, 2022 Matthew 18:15-20
The work of the Holy Spirit in the churches.
The Holy Spirit does not operate alone.
At DCC: elections; the Holy Spirit in nomination and
acceptance of nomination, looks to the Holy Spirit in
the congregation for CONFIRMATION of the Holy
Spirit in nomination and acceptance of nomination.
== the Holy Spirit in many, together/agreement.
Sermons (as Pastor McManus understand)= the Holy Spirit
speaking to and for the Holy Spirit in the congregation.
--prayer before worship
--prayer before the sermon
So we can hear and be servants as the Holy Spirit intends.
Pastor’s website? NO! DCC’s website.
Pastor’s sermons are the Holy Spirit (Acts 4:31, Acts 10:44, 1 Thessalonians 1:5, 2 Timothy 1:14, 1 Peter 1:12 especially) serving you all in the church.
One of the most downloaded sermons:
“The Power of the Holy Spirit.” Is that good?
What kind of power?
The right kind of power is the power to serve
(Matthew 25:31-46).
Do we have eyes to see that?
(Isaiah 43:19, Matthew 13:16ff, Luke 10:23 ff.)
And what happened on the road to Emmaus?
Luke 24:31: the eyes of the disciples were opened.
They were not physically blind. But their eyes and
minds were fleshly until the Holy Spirit helped them
see.
Seeing spiritually may require some practice
and skill—fleshly eyes are not enough to see spiritually.
Why a warning on preaching about the Holy Spirit ?
The Holy Spirit IS power. But the Holy Spirit is a power to serve.
Too many so-called preachers and pastors have wanted power, Holy Spirit power, to elevate themselves.
--Mark Driscoll, former hero Pastor of Pastor McManus
--the late Rev. Ravi Zacharias
--Benny Hinn
--Pastor ? Kenneth Copeland
Pastor McManus does not question the Holy Spirit.
Pastor McManus questions Copeland’s prayers.
Many Christians have wanted Holy Spirit power.
Even the disciples were tempted to use it wrongly:
Luke 9:54, Mark 10:35-41, Matthew 17:4,
(Also mentioned Mark 9:5, Luke 9:33. Not an idea of
the Spirit.)
As powerful as the Holy Spirit is, the Holy Spirit is humble. None of us is greater than another in our Lord’s or the Holy Spirit’s viewpoint.
People, believers, for a time, can think of themselves empowered. And, empowered, they feel elevated/above other believers.
Pastor Bob Beltz of formerly of High Street Church in Santa Cruz California: “Becoming a Man of the Spirit”.
“The Holy Spirit is a person, then one’s relationship with the Holy Spirit is on-going. He wrote being “filled with the Holy
Spirit” describes a QUALITY of relationship with our Lord. This relationship allows Jesus’ Spirit within us to be the DOMINANT influence in the believer’s life.See Galatians 5:17.
Titus 2 and Ephesians 2:10: Jesus has claimed us by faith for the things He intended for you us do.
We are to be a blessing to others.
Flesh and Spirit will wrestle until the end and
final victory. (1 Corinthians 15:57) Amen.
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