The Gift of Holiness

ummary: To glorify God with the people of God is a great honour, and the Holy Spirit equips for that task.  In fulfilling their commission, the early Church discovered a life seemingly beyond our comprehension.  Must it remain so?

Scripture focus: Acts 2:40-47; 13:1-4

Date: Sunday, 4 July 2010 (St John’s Sutherland, 7pm)

How Does the Holy Spirit Enable Living in the Kingdom?

Today marks the final part of a five-part sermon series going by the title, “The Gift of the Holy Spirit”. The intent of this series has been to remind us that, for all of the “issues” we believe we are experiencing here at St John’s, we need to keep in mind that the Holy Spirit is a gift of God to all who believe and ask (Lk 11:13).¹ In this series, we have explored together how,

With the advent and ascension of Jesus, a new age in the revelation of God and the reconciliation of humanity was made possible through the gift of the Holy Spirit.  The same should be true today as it was for the first Christians: The Holy Spirit is God’s power in us for the purposes of salvation, witness and holiness. (series summary)

As individuals and as a community of faith, we believe and have asked for the Spirit to be with and in us.  Therefore, the Spirit is with and in us, end of story!

Keeping this in mind, hopefully we can more easily recapture and/or maintain our hope for this church and community because, frankly, I believe that we really are in a much better position, than some may think, to realise the vision that we have discerned for us through that same Spirit!

Inevitably, when we think of the Holy Spirit we naturally cast our minds to the spiritual gifts that the apostle Paul talked about.  Hopefully, I have convinced you that the Spirit herself is the real gift to which we should be concerned, especially since it is written,

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control [...] Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.  Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. (Galatians 5:22–26)

When we have the Holy Spirit of God in and with us, our lives and personalities will take on this “fruit” —how good is that!  Spiritual gifts are great, but they are given uniquely to each person, for the purposes of providing us the power we need to be Christ’s witnesses in the world (Ac 1:8).  But, as Paul pointed out in this passage from his Letter to the Galatians, the Spirit of God also calls us and helps us to live in community with others.  Paul elsewhere wrote that spiritual gifts are given “for the common good” (1 Cor 12:7).  Thus, spiritual gifts are never really meant for the sole benefit of the individual; God chooses to act in one for the sake of others, gifts one to bless many.  One only benefits as the community benefits (1 Cor 12:14–26; Eph 4:16), and the Kingdom is made ever more fully present as the community operates within and exemplifies that Kingdom to the world.²

then brings us, I believe, to the most important message of this series: To glorify God with the people of God is a great honour, and the Holy Spirit equips us all for that task.  In fulfilling their commission, the early Church discovered a life seemingly beyond our comprehension.  Must it always remain beyond our comprehension and experience?  Can we know that life together even now?

Instruction

To get that life for ourselves, by and with the Holy Spirit, we must look more closely at what those first followers of Christ did together and perhaps try to do it amongst ourselves.

With many other words [Peter] warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation”.  Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.  They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.  (Acts 2:40–42)

Notice here that Peter’s first major sermon —delivered on the day of Pentecost, about which we have been speaking, the day on which the Holy Spirit returned to inaugurate a new age of revelation through the new covenant— won many “converts” to the good news about Jesus Christ.  The first response of those new believers was to devote themselves to instruction and fellowship and worship.  Quite naturally they sought to learn as much about their new faith as they could and to learn it from those experienced and knowledgeable in that faith.

Many people argue that they can be Christians without going to church, but those first converts knew instinctively how wrong and dangerous is that belief.  Someone may be able to be a “Christian” without belonging to a community, but he certainly can’t be a faithful follower of Jesus on their own.

Those first followers of Jesus did not want to go it alone.  They wanted to know God better and to make him better known.  They remained in touch with the apostles and with the growing community of the faithful.  They wanted to learn and to learn from those who knew what they needed to know.  They wanted to share their experience of faith with other like-minded followers.  They wanted to worship God in a community.

Community

Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.  All the believers were together and had everything in common.  They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.  Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.  They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people.  And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:43–47)

There are a number of things that we learn about that first Christian community from this passage.  The first being that, as we would like for ourselves, the power displayed by the apostles got their neighbours attention (Ac 2:43).  That’s to be expected.  As the apostles used their spiritual gifts faithfully, they served faithfully as witnesses for Christ.

Notice also, as I mentioned last week, that those first followers of Christ gave out of the abundance of their material possessions to each other (Ac 2:44) and “to anyone who had need” (Ac 2:45).  The effect of this unusual behaviour also got the attention of their neighbours, such that “the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (Ac 2:47b).

Again, this continuation of the story of those first followers reaffirms that this group continued to meet as a community, they “had everything in common; they sold property and possessions to give to anyone” (Ac 2:44-45).  This group did not just worship together —although they certainly did that (Ac 2:46a)— but they lived together; not in the sense of sharing the same house, but of sharing the same lives and resources: “they broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God” (Ac 2:46b-47a).  It was because of their being a faithful community that they “enjoyed the favour of all the people” (Ac 2:47b).  It is written elsewhere,

All the believers were one in heart and mind [...] (Acts 4:32-36)

Wouldn’t it be great if that were true here amongst us?  I believe that it is already pretty much true, but we still have a way to go.

Before leaving this investigation of that first Christian community, we would do well to notice other aspects of how they operated together:

They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit [...] So the word of God spread. (Acts 6:1-7)

With a growing community, the apostles recognised that they could not do all the work, so invited the community to discern who among them would be best suited to ‘step up’ for leadership.  The followers did so and God blessed them in their choice.

Peter followed [the angel] out of the prison [...] went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. (Acts 12:1-17)

At point, Herod had Peter thrown into prison.  During the night, an angel “struck Peter on the side and woke him up” (Ac 12:7) —I love that!— and led Peter miraculously out of the prison.  It seems to me no small coincidence that the faithful community was gathered in prayer for Peter, praying for his safety and, most definitely, for his release.  Weren’t they surprised when their prayer was answered: “Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer the door.  When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, “Peter is at the door!” (Ac 12:13–14)

Not all among the community was good.  Sin still reared its ugly head.

Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property.  With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet. (Acts 5:1-11)

What a shame.  But the apostles demonstrated just how important was holiness amongst the community that the judgement was swift and fierce: “When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died” (Ac 5:5).  This may seem extreme to us here, but the spiritual gift of Ananias and Sapphira’s wealth was meant to be used for the “common good”; they could have been open with the extent of their gift, but instead chose to be prideful and sought more glory than they deserved.  So, even in their discipline, the power of God was demonstrated.  Yet, while the couple lost their lives that day, the whole community was damaged by their deceit and so to was their witness because, as it is written, “Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events” (Ac 5:11).

Power

The fact remains, however, that within the context of that community, the power of the Holy Spirit was demonstrated:

In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha [...] she was always doing good and helping the poor.  About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room [...] (Acts 9:36–43)

In this story, Peter arrived at the woman’s funeral and resurrected her.

Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy.  They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. “Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people all about this new life.” [...] (Acts 5:17–32)

As the apostles acted faithfully and followed the instructions of the Holy Spirit, they taught the people about Jesus and boldly defended their faith before the leaders of the people.

Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers [...] While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” [...] (Acts 13:1–4)

Out of the experience of that church’s worship, Paul was called to travel the extent of the known world, sharing the good news about Jesus wherever he went.

Paul and his companions travelled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia [...] (Acts 16:6–10)

In this familiar story, the apostles were guided by the Holy Spirit on where to travel to teach the people about Jesus Christ.

Once when we [Luke and Paul] were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future [...] She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” [...] (Acts 16:16–21)

Even in exasperation, the apostles expressed the power of the Holy Spirit and served as witnesses for Jesus.

In these examples, the apostles did not act alone, but in concert with the community of which they were part.  Together, those first followers of Jesus knew great power, because great witnesses, and experienced lives together that was not only glorious and victorious, but it was praiseworthy.

“Their Numbers Grew”

Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.  All the believers were together and had everything in common.  They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.  Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.  They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people.  And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:43–47)

Both naturally and supernaturally, those first followers of Jesus became his witnesses.  Together they realised the free, abundant and eternal life that Jesus promised (Jn 10:10b).  That life and that community was so attractive, and God trusted them because of their faithfulness, that people were drawn to them to learn more about Jesus.  Isn’t that what we want for ourselves?

I know that all of us want to realise the fulness of the Holy Spirit in our lives and in our church.  We yearn for our numbers to grow, that might be shown to have been faithful, that we used our spiritual gifts wisely.  But, the fact is, the gift is the Holy Spirit, the goal is the Holy Spirit, our concern should be the Holy Spirit.  As we live in and with the Holy Spirit, we will naturally learn to live together and will realise together all that God intends for us, and will discern together the way that we should go.

Is our desire, as individuals and as a church, that we live in and with the Holy Spirit?  I am sure that we will all answer, “Yes!”, to that question.  Let us take confidence, then, that we are on the right track together.

Conclusion

So let me recap this series: In the beginning, the Holy Spirit was present with the Father and the Son, “hovering over the waters” (Gen 1:2).  With the Fall, the Holy Spirit acted within human history … but may not have been as readily available as we might expect.  With the Exile of Israel and Judah, it just may be the case that the Holy Spirit was no longer available at all to anybody.

But that was not what God intended for the crowning glory of his creation (Ps 8:5-6): he wanted an intimate friendship with us, to partner with us as we act as stewards of God’s creation and realise the unique and collective potential that he created into us.  That free, abundant and eternal life is only possible by and with the Holy Spirit!

So God promised the Holy Spirit through the prophets and sent her on the day of Pentecost to usher in the new covenant and to guide the Church, being the dynamic representation of his Kingdom, which Jesus proclaimed, in participating in the mission to reconcile the world to its Creator.

That gift of the Holy Spirit is for everyone who will believe and “how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?” (Rom 10:14-15)  Let us, as an expression of Christ’s Church, take pleasure and pride in being God’s people together, and may we learn together how to live by and with the Holy Spirit and be Christ’s witnesses here in Sutherland and even “to the ends of the earth” (Ac 1:8)!

Endnotes

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