.
...are dealing with a very important part in the study of the book of Ephesians in particular.
And so given the importance of this, I decided that it was wise...
...several weeks ago, we studied the first part of verse 19 in which we find the apostle asking that God's people would pray for him as he is preaching.
And we understand and I greatly appreciate the encouragement that I receive and the encouragement that you provide all who come to this place...
...and stand at the front to handle the word of God, that you pray for them and you let them know that.
Last week, Judith and I were part of a wedding in Lynchburg, Virginia.
And then we drove back Sunday morning and we were part of a wedding in Pickerington, Ohio that got rained out.
It's the first outdoor wedding that I have been rained on and it was a very abbreviated ceremony, I can tell you that.
In fact, my wife says that the only part that really came out loudly was at the end where I said,
You may kiss the bride! And I ran for the shelter along with the rest of the herd.
I will tell you that as Judith and I were driving back, that I prayed often for Pastor Saul.
And afterwards, I checked in with him and he said,
You know, one of the encouragements is that there were a number of you that came to him and said,
I was praying for you.
And I am blessed when I hear people encourage those who come to the pulpit by the reminder that they,
in submission to the authority of the word of God,
are praying for the man who God has appointed to stand and deliver the word faithfully and clearly.
So we're going to pay a little bit of attention to the furtherance of this subject.
Look there in the passage, if you will, at Ephesians chapter 6, verse 19.
And Paul says, listen, the larger context is in verse 18, where he says,
Hey, praying at all times in the Spirit.
And 19.
And also for me.
Now stop and realize that when Paul says,
And pray for me.
He immediately goes on forward and lets us know what we ought to be praying for him about.
And it's there.
He says there in verse 19,
That the words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel,
for which I'm an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly as I ought to speak.
And so my heart's desire this morning, and my persistent prayer has been this,
that you will leave here this morning fully persuaded that praying for preaching is essential,
and that your prayer is to be focused on the help of the Holy Spirit.
Now do you follow that?
It is that the Holy Spirit would work in the preaching of the word of God
through the heart and life of the individual,
the man that he places before you to handle the word.
With that being said, let me take up the passage and address the fact that effective preaching depends upon the Holy Spirit.
I'm going to take the majority of our time really studying that small little phrase,
that words may be given.
We will first want to understand just what Paul meant,
and how what he says fits into the larger picture of the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the Bible.
And so when we look at that little part, that little statement,
that words may be given,
it tells us immediately that Paul is asking people to pray about something
that is beyond him and is not dependent or not enabled by his own nature
or his own training or his own expertise.
I remember many years ago when I was considering further studies,
I thought carefully about actually getting a Ph.D. in rhetoric.
I was an English major in my previous life as a young man,
and at one point I thought, you know, rhetoric is an important discipline,
and so I began thinking carefully about the subject and doing a little bit of background research,
and I came to a settled opinion that for me,
the study of rhetoric was not quite as important
as the study of godliness and humility and a continuing pursuit of the Word of God
and a focus in growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus.
Effective preaching ultimately is not a matter of rhetorical discipline,
but as a matter of relying upon the Word of God
to be clear through the enabling of the Spirit of God.
And when Paul says that words would be given,
I want you to understand that he was an exceptionally brilliant man,
and he was very well educated.
However, as we are going to see later in our studies this morning,
Paul was not at all dependent upon his educational expertise,
and I in no way diminish the importance of being a student,
and particularly being a student of the Word of God.
So when you find here Paul saying what he does,
you have to ask yourself the question,
why would Paul, as capable as he was,
pray this way except for the fact that he saw a need in his life
that could not be met on his own,
and he was entirely dependent upon the work of God
and the prayers of God's people.
And so as we think about this subject,
I also want you to understand
that this issue of Paul praying for the enabling of the Spirit
in the preaching of the Word of God
actually fits in the larger context of the book of Ephesians.
God's Word is a practical and logical explanation
of his glory and his truth and his wisdom.
And so as we look at this passage,
we understand that just as the book of Ephesians
lays out the work of God,
in salvation and the work of Christ in redemption,
and the work of the Spirit in progressive sanctification,
so we find a small slice here
in which Paul applies the ministry of the Spirit of God
to the life of the believer,
in particular to the man who stands at the front and preaches.
I want you to understand I'm not up here to share.
I am here to preach.
Preaching is not a little exercise in anecdotal information.
It is a declaring of the glory and the purpose of God,
and it is explicitly tied to the Word of God.
In all the years that I have had the privilege of serving as your shepherd
and as your pastor, when I have come to this pulpit,
I cannot remember a time that I have not brought this book,
and this book has been the preeminent source that we have relied upon,
and when it's all said and done,
and you walk away, you can say,
I heard what God had to say,
and I could follow in my own Bible.
Isn't that nice?
And people will say,
Well, Pastor, I heard...
No, I'm really not that interested in what Tim Kenoyer thinks.
Can I tell you that what I think today is not all that relevant,
but what the Word of God has to say is lasting forever,
settled in the heavens, and absolutely reliable.
And we want to pay attention to the Word of God.
Now, as a side note,
given the culture that we live in
and the increasing hazy,
ill-advised thinking of people
who claim to be Christians,
understand this,
that genuine salvation brings change.
That's the second half of the book of Ephesians.
And in Ephesians chapter 4 through 6 in particular,
this matter of change is explained to us
in relationship to who it is that helps us be different.
You see, salvation changes you,
but then you also enjoy
the enabling of the Spirit of God
who dwells within and helps you be different.
I love being able to tell people,
you don't have to stay the way you used to be.
And the reason you don't have to stay the way you used to be
is not just because you happen to get a little book
that explains all the to-dos and don't-dos,
but you have not only the book,
but you have the enabling of the Spirit of God
who is at work in you,
helping you grow and change.
So if we've learned anything so far
in our study in Ephesians chapter 4 through 6,
it is this,
that effective Christian living
is entirely dependent
upon the work of the Spirit of God.
Do you understand that?
Effective Christian living
is entirely dependent
upon the work of the Spirit of God.
Let me kind of rattle our way through this
so you can see it clearly in your minds
in our study.
And pick up, if you will,
in Ephesians chapter 5,
looking at verse 18.
Chapter 4, chapter 5,
hammer on this issue of the believer
being an individual
who lives a different kind of life.
And that's one of the reasons why
if you're sitting here this morning
and you tell me,
hey, I'm a Christian.
I don't expect everything to have changed
and for you to be in the point
of sinless perfection.
While I wish that doctrine were true,
it's not.
But I have to tell you,
you should be able to see
the evidence of change and growth
and you should be able to say,
I'm not what I used to be
and I'm not what I someday will be.
But I can track the evidence
of God at work in me
and that is the Spirit working in your life.
Now let's follow.
Ephesians chapter 5, verse 18,
and it says,
don't be drunk with wine,
for that's debauchery,
but be filled with the Spirit.
And actually what follows
is an extended passage
in which the apostle helps us understand
what Spirit-filled living looks like.
And there it says in verse 19,
addressing one another in psalms and hymns
and spiritual songs,
singing and making melody
to the Lord with your heart.
So I can tell you,
listen everybody,
I can't tell for sure
that you're Spirit-filled.
But if you're sitting there
with a grumpy look on your face
while we are gathered
for corporate worship,
I don't really have to guess
that the Spirit of God's not working.
Now you can be singing
and being very agitated
or whatever and enthusiastic
and that's not necessarily proof
that the Spirit is at work in your life.
But if you're sitting there
like Mr. Grump,
can I tell you something?
You're not there.
How do I know that?
Ephesians chapter 5,
addressing one another
in psalms and hymns
and spiritual songs,
singing and making melody
to the Lord with your heart.
Giving thanks,
how often?
Always.
Can I tell you
that not every one of us
is born naturally
with the glass all full.
But when the Spirit of God
is at work in us,
the Spirit is the one
that prompts us
to take on life
with a different perspective
and a different view
and as a result,
we who by nature
may be pretty unsettled
and disconsolate,
we are by His Spirit
enabled to be joyful
in the midst
of the circumstances of life.
Follow with me.
There in verse 19,
singing.
Verse 20, joyful.
Verse 21, submissive.
And you look in verse 22 through 24
and you find out
that the godly wife
is submissive to her husband.
You find out
that the godly husband
is loving to his wife.
And then we find
as we work our way through
and we come to this part
in verse 18 of chapter 6,
extended passage,
he says,
and listen,
it's the Spirit
that you really need
to rely upon
to pray effectively.
And so it just follows logically
that if we need
the Holy Spirit
to help us pray,
Paul tags on to that
and he says,
and by the way,
while you're praying,
there are all kinds
of things to pray for,
but while you're praying
in particular,
pray for me,
that I'd get out of prison,
that my health would improve,
that I'd win the lottery,
that my,
no, what's he say?
He says,
I just want you to pray
about one particular thing.
He says,
I want you to pray
that utterance
would be given to me.
And he's referring
to the ministry
of the Spirit of God
as he preaches the word.
And so I want you
to understand this morning
that all effective,
God-honoring,
Christ-exalting
preaching in the Bible
reflects its dependence
upon the Spirit of God.
That's true.
Wherever you go,
what page you turn to,
be clear of this.
Effective,
Christ-exalting,
God-honoring preaching
relies upon the work
of the Spirit of God.
To illustrate that,
let me point out
that first of all,
though Christ was
the second person
of the Trinity,
nevertheless,
in his earthly ministry,
he was entirely dependent
upon the Spirit of God
in what he did
and accomplished.
Christ's preaching
and Christ's life
reflected the enabling
of the Spirit
in every aspect.
Now, having made
a statement like that,
it would be fair
for you sitting out there
to say what?
Well, amen would be
a supposition
that you're fully persuaded.
Probably,
until you're fully persuaded,
what should you be
thinking?
I'm walking out here,
not on water.
What should you be thinking?
Show me.
You got that?
Where is it in the Bible?
You got that?
The thought of God's people
should always be this.
Having heard you say it,
Bubba,
show me where it is.
And that,
we can say amen to, right?
I want you to have the heart
that as a congregation,
whoever stands here,
the thought you always have
is what saith the Scriptures?
Where is it in the Bible?
I made the statement
that Jesus,
the second person
of the Trinity,
helped in His ministry
by the Spirit of God,
and you're out there
thinking,
yeah, well,
show me.
Well,
having said it,
let's give you
a couple passages.
Passages are a good thing.
By the way,
why do we carry our Bibles
as Christians?
Does anybody have an idea?
Do we get extra points
in heaven?
Are extra sins canceled
because you have your Bible
in your hand this morning?
What's the answer?
Not in your life.
Why do we carry our Bible?
So,
so we can look ourselves,
right?
Okay,
turn in your Bibles
to Matthew chapter 12,
verse 18.
What is pastor doing?
He is just showing you
that Jesus in His ministry
was enabled by the Spirit of God.
Matthew chapter 12,
verse 18.
Behold my servant
whom I've chosen.
This is referring to Jesus.
Behold my servant
whom I have chosen,
my beloved
with whom my soul
is well pleased.
I will put my spirit
upon him
and he will proclaim
justice
to the Gentiles.
Do you know what that's saying?
When Jesus ministered,
how did he do it?
He didn't do it
by mere intellectual ability.
He did it through
the enabling
of the Spirit of God.
Let me have you look
at another one
very similar.
You're in Matthew.
Just go to Luke chapter 4,
verse 18.
Luke chapter 4,
verse 18.
I think you'd be
really unnerved
if I said go to
John chapter 5,
verse 18.
And I'm not going to.
But Luke chapter 4,
verse 18.
Here we have.
Now get the scene.
Jesus walks
into the synagogue
and they say to him,
hey,
do you have something
to say?
He takes the scroll
and he reads it
and he unrolls the scroll
and he finds the place
in Isaiah
and here's what he reads.
The Spirit of the Lord
is upon me
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news
to the poor.
He has sent me
to proclaim liberty
to the captives
and the recovering
of sight to the blind
and to set at liberty
those who are oppressed.
As you were singing
this morning,
that last song
that John led us in.
And John,
by the way,
I appreciate your courage
when we don't have it,
call it off, right?
Okay?
I like that.
We can sing another song
and have a great blessing.
But as you were singing,
I wonder
if what you were doing
was kind of cross-referencing
the singing of the word
with passages of Scripture.
Would that be a good thing to do
and what's the answer?
Do it all the time.
Anyway,
here we have,
talks about the fact
that Jesus sent
in the power of the Spirit
and when he preached,
he preached through
the enabling of the Spirit of God.
One theologian has said
there is no place
where Christ did not speak
under the enabling
of the Spirit of God.
He relied upon the Spirit
in his ministry.
It wasn't just Jesus
that did this.
Apostolic preaching
was also dependent
upon the Spirit of God.
Let me start out
by saying this.
If you will look
in Acts chapter 1,
remember Jesus said
you are to go to Jerusalem
and what are you to do?
Hey,
grab your Bibles
and head out into the streets
and start in.
Is that what he said?
He says,
wait there
until you receive
the Holy Spirit.
Once you have
this Holy Spirit
go out and get to work
and that's what they did
and it was through
the enabling of the Spirit
in particular
that New Testament
preaching took place
and I want you to look
at a couple different places
where that is true.
Acts chapter 4,
verse 8.
Acts chapter 4,
Then Peter filled
with the Holy Spirit.
Now why does it tell us
that at the very beginning
of Peter's sermon?
What's it want us to know?
Well, Peter,
when he preached,
didn't rely upon his
grasp of what had taken place
and it was not just
a mere intellectual recitation
of the facts
of what had happened.
It was something
that was enabled
by the Spirit of God.
Look at Acts chapter 6,
verse 10.
Acts chapter 6,
verse 10.
But they could not withstand
the wisdom
and the Spirit
with which he was speaking.
Now who is this talking about?
The first martyr,
right?
Stephen.
And here he is.
Preaching.
And as a result,
the Spirit of God at work,
doing the convicting work
and leading conviction
sometimes leads to faith
in the Lord Jesus Christ.
In other times,
it leads to rejection
of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And I venture to say
that there are some of you
sitting here this morning
that may not know
the Lord Jesus.
And as we are preaching
the Word of God,
your heart may be convicted
to say,
there's something missing.
I don't know.
I don't know the certainty
of my eternal destiny.
And I don't know
that I have complete forgiveness
for all of my sins
because of the finished work
of Christ.
And there may be some of you
here this morning
that under the teaching
and the preaching
of the Word of God,
you are drawn by the Spirit
to realize
you desperately need salvation
and you trust in Him
and you're saved.
But there will be others of you
whose heart
is not turned
and you resist
the Holy Spirit
and you say,
hey, I don't like
what I'm hearing.
I'm uncomfortable
with the idea
that I can't work
my way to heaven
by doing A, B, C, D
and you will resist.
The Spirit's at work.
We look at Acts chapter 7,
verse 55.
But He,
full of the Holy Spirit,
gazed into heaven
and saw the glory of God
and Jesus standing
by the right hand
of the Father
and He said,
behold, I see the heavens
opened and the Son of Man
standing at the right hand
of God
and as Stephen preached
his sermon,
he did so
with the enabling
of the Spirit of God.
Let me have you look
at another passage
and this is from Paul
in 1 Corinthians chapter 2,
1 Corinthians chapter 2,
verse 4.
1 Corinthians chapter 2,
verse 4.
And my speech
and my message
were not in plausible
words of wisdom.
Now what does that mean?
Does that mean
that Paul came
and his preaching
was marked
by stuttering
and incomplete sentences
and by just kind of
kludgy kind of behavior?
What do you think?
No, that's not the point.
But what he is saying
is that my preaching
was not the usual
smooth kind of crafted
presentation that all kind of,
oh, it's a beautiful story
and anecdotal
and you walk out
and you say,
wasn't that a really nice story
about the puppy
that Sally found
on the side of the road
and she was really nice to?
Can I tell you?
I could tell you a story
with the right emotional intonation
and affection
and you would think
that Mary had a little lamb
was really good preaching.
Mary had a little lamb.
Her fleece was white as snow.
Do you follow that?
And everywhere that Mary went,
the lamb was,
you know,
I mean, hey,
sometimes we get mixed up
and Paul says,
I didn't do that.
So what did he do?
Look at it.
Look at it there.
My speech and my message
were not in plausible words
of wisdom
but in demonstration
of the spirit
and power.
Listen to me.
My preaching
was in demonstration
of the spirit
and power.
This is Paul.
Well, I want you to understand
it wasn't just Paul
because if you turn now,
we're going to look at Peter as well
and turn to 1 Peter 1, verse 12
if you would please.
1 Peter 1, verse 12.
Oh, by the way,
why are we tracking
in our Bibles?
Does anybody know?
Why are we tracking
in our Bibles?
Why did you bring your Bible?
Extra points in heaven?
The answer is
no, no, no
just in case you forgot.
We're tracking
in our Bibles
because you want to see
whether or not
what I'm saying is true.
And by the way,
listen to me,
taking notes
helps it stick
in that little brain
you have.
Okay?
You can write it
on your hand.
You can write it
on the bulletin.
You can write it
on the pages
of your wife's Bible.
I don't care
where you write it
but just put it down
so it's there.
I don't try
the wife's Bible
but you know,
okay.
Anyway,
we are looking now
at 1 Peter 1,
verse 12.
Hang on,
hang on,
hang on.
Yeah,
1 Peter 1.
Therefore,
preparing your minds
for action.
I think I have
made a mistake.
No,
I'm,
okay,
there it is,
there it is.
It was revealed
to them
that they were
serving not themselves
but you
in the things
that have now
been announced
to you
through those
who preach
the good news
to you
by,
what?
Say it with me.
The Holy Spirit.
Here's Peter.
Did Peter ever
have a problem
saying something
that didn't need
to be said
and what's the answer?
He was the,
he was the foot
in mouth apostle.
If it probably
didn't need to be said,
Peter took a stab
at it.
But here he is
explaining his preaching
and he says,
hey,
I want you to understand
something about
my preaching.
My preaching
was by
the Holy Spirit.
And so it follows
then that
true gospel preaching
should evidence
the Spirit's
work today
just as
he did
during the time
of the Lord Jesus Christ
and his apostles.
And why do I make
that connection?
Because here is
the apostle praying
and it's instructive
to us,
hey,
pray for me.
That is not
just Paul
but the long
line of succession
of men that
have come
and stood
before the
congregation
of God's people
and said,
I am here
to preach
the word
in accordance
with the word
of God
and enabled
by the Spirit
of God
and you said,
yes,
I want to hear
what the Spirit
has to say
and I'm going to
pray for you.
so,
pray,
Lord Jesus,
Holy Spirit,
work as the
vessel of clay
before us
today preaches
your word.
Do you follow
that?
That's what you
should be doing.
And all of God's
people said,
what?
I got it.
I don't need to say
it out loud
but how,
do you understand?
The point of preaching
is to tell you
what God thinks
and then the follow
up is God's
people say,
what?
I got it.
I understand.
I'm going to do it.
I'm going to do it
whether he's wearing
a tie and a suit
or whether he's
not wearing a tie.
I want to hear
the word
and I'm going to
pray that he
makes it clear.
So,
what does
preaching
through the Holy
Spirit look
like?
The question
is extremely
important.
For there's a
great deal of
ignorance today
and at worst
there's deception
regarding the
ministry of the
Holy Spirit.
The church
has tended
to either
completely tamp
down the
ministry of the
Holy Spirit
because of a
fear of excess
or on the other
hand it just
runs on
unbridled
all over the
place and you
can't tell
what's going
on.
Some have
been so afraid
of excess
that they've
developed a
slavish fear
that has
made them
actually cold
and suppressed
and suspicious
of anything
that is ever
delivered in
any other
tone than a
monotone.
And I have
watched people
who can with
all good conscience
kind of sit on
their hands
while they're
worshipping the
Lord of Glory
and kind of
be a little
frumpy about
the whole
business but
when they go
to the baseball
game for their
own son they
just go ballistic.
Now here's my
point.
Who deserves
more credit
and more glory
and more
enthusiasm?
Surprise.
God.
Right?
Okay.
We're alright
here.
On the other
hand there are
those who have
overplayed the
spirit to the
point of being
offensive to the
Lord of Glory.
I was struck
last week by a
post I saw on
Facebook and I
probably shouldn't
read Facebook as
often as I do
because it
sometimes causes
me to get
exercise but I
like this one.
It said you
don't see faith
healers working
in hospitals for
the same reason
you don't find
psychics winning
lotteries.
And I thought
duh.
That makes
sense.
Do you
follow that?
No.
Okay.
We're talking
about spirit
filled preaching.
The enabling
of the spirit
in preaching
is not
a display
of emotion.
How many
of you realize
that emotions
can be faked?
A couple
weeks ago
I happened
to see a
man walking
past our
window and
he banged
on the
our ladies
were working
on VBS
kind of all
this kind of
thing going
on and I
saw him go
by and we
don't like our
ladies to be
accosted unnecessarily
so I heard
actually one of
them opened the
door and said
the pastor is
down there and
I let him in
and he came
into my office
and he shared
the most his
name was Matt
I think it
was he shared
the most just
the most and
it was challenging
for me you know
me I'm just
kind of bland
and it's just
everything's cool
and I'm this guy
is talking to me
about he he
started out by
saying hey
would you do
the funeral for
my niece?
Of course I
would I mean
funerals are like
drive-by shooting
opportunities for a
pastor I get to
preach the gospel
I love it
and I said sure
I'd be glad to
he says well
what will you
charge?
And you know
what I said?
Nothing!
I said if you
let me say
what's on my
heart I'll
preach it
and then he
started sharing
the sad story
of his niece
that had a
shunt and she
was in
children's hospital
and she two
days before her
surgery she had
died she'd had
a brain
aneurysm and
passed away
and the guy
was crying
and you know
how I was
doing I was
grabbing Kleenex
and giving them
to him and
I'm
and
he said
well this
this funeral is
going to be on
Sheddinger or
West Broad
well I've done
lots of funerals
there
and I said
okay well I'll
call the funeral
director to let
them know that
I'll do it
you know I mean
hey we got a
pastor on board
he'll take care
of it
he'll do the
service
and
I said
what time is
it?
Without
hesitation he said
calling hours are
four to six
and seven to nine
on Thursday
and the funeral
is at 11 o'clock
on Friday
I'll be there
I said but let
me call
because I know
they'll call me
and I'll go ahead
and call them
guys crying
handed off Kleenex
as you know
Connie we need
more in my office
you know it's
like come on
we're bringing
them on
and I'm
caught up in
this
I said well
what was the
name of the
lady that
that you
talked to
and he gave
it to me
and he even
rattled off a
phone number
so I called
it
it was a
construction
company
and so I'm
sitting at my
desk and I
fired up my
computer and
guess what I
did
I googled
Schedinger's
West Broad
and I
I
called
by the way
he had already
gone out to
his car to
find the phone
number and
couldn't find
it and so
we did
second stage
and he says
just a minute
I need to
use the
bathroom
I thought
not a
problem
I'm talking
to people
at Schedinger's
and I
said hey
you have a
funeral scheduled
for Friday
right at
11 o'clock
for a little
girl 10 years
old that died
at children's
high
no we
don't
really
and I
looked out
the window
because I
the car
wasn't there
anymore
he'd gone
hey listen
to me
emotions
are not
a necessary
indicator
of the
spirit of
God
at work
nor is
stomping
and spitting
that reaches
the fourth
pew
do you
follow that
nor is
the exaltation
of the
worm
only one
person gets
to be the
hero
in the
story
when the
spirit of
God
is at
work
and it's
not
the poor
instrument
that God
chooses to
put in the
front
so what
does
spirit
enabled
preaching
look like
and I
want you
to understand
that this
morning I'm
not going
to cover
all aspects
of it
but I do
want to
say this
that for
one
the enabling
of the
spirit of
God
in preaching
brings
first of
all
conviction
and you
have heard me
say over
and over
again that
the purpose
of preaching
is not
to entertain
and for
that one
of the main
reasons that
you don't
hear a lot
of anecdotal
stories the
exception being
the emotional
issue that I
gave this
morning at
the heart
of it it
is the
exaltation
of Christ
that brings
conviction
because it
puts people
on the spot
of saying
yes or
no to
God
and so
conviction
in John
chapter 16
and by the
way should
the Lord
Terry and I
get to
John chapter
16 we
are going
to spend
hello
several weeks
working through
John as
he lays
out in
wonderful
clarity the
ministry of
the spirit
of God
and the
life of
the believer
John chapter
16 verse
8 through
11 explains
that one of
the ministries
of the spirit
how do you
know the
spirit is
working when
you are
sitting there
and the
spirit of
God is
kind of
tapping on
your shoulder
and say
that's got
to change
that's a
spirit
secondly
spiritual
enablement
brings about
understanding and
clarity and I
want you to
turn back in
your Bible
to the
passage in
1st Corinthians
chapter 4
I'm sorry
1st Corinthians
chapter 2
verse 4
through 16
I'm not going
to take all
the passage
and lay it
out for you
but understand
this is an
extended picture
of how the
spirit of God
works in
bringing clarity
to our
understanding
how many of
you like me
grew up in
homes where
you had a
brother or
sister who
just didn't
get it
I don't
understand
I remember
my dad
having faith
I mean
dad worked
like a
he was the
only surgeon
in the hospital
out there
in India
and he
worked his
heart out
but he
would come
home to
have devotions
with us
and sometimes
go back
to work
and I
remember
our family
devotions
were a
robust
issue
he could
eat in
three or
four minutes
I mean
literally
but when
it came
time to
family
devotions
there were
sometimes I
thought they
went on
forever
but I'll
tell you
what
our family
devotions
were a
wonderful
time
ultimately
of convicting
and drawing
me to the
cross
and drawing
two of
my sisters
but I
have a
brother and
a sister
that don't
know Christ
and I
thought
why didn't
you get
it
I want
you to
understand
what we
find in
this passage
pick up
if you
will
in verse
12
now we
have received
not the
spirit of
the world
but the
spirit who
is from
God
that we
might
understand
the things
freely given
us by
God
if you're
sitting here
this morning
and the
truth of
the matter
is is that
the scriptures
are just
going right
over top
of your
head and
you're not
understanding
it might be
that you
do not have
the enabling
of the
spirit of
God
to get
it
now does
that mean
that every
time we
who are
filled with
the spirit
or indwelt
I should
say are
going to be
sitting there
and it's
just all
going to be
clear no
no
because you
can be
sitting there
with unconfessed
sin as a
believer you
can be
quenching
the spirit
but it is
the spirit
and we find
this in this
passage in
12 verse
14 it says
the natural
person does
not accept
the things of
the spirit
of God
for they are
folly to
him and he
is not able
to understand
them because
they are
spiritually
discerned
the spiritual
person judges
all things but
he is himself
to be judged
by no one
for who
has understood
the mind
of the Lord
so as to
instruct him
but we have
the mind
of Christ
so spirit
enabled
preaching
brings about
clarity
and understanding
there's a third
thing that I want
you to pick up
on this morning
as we think
about what
does spirit
filled
and enabled
preaching do
and I want
you to turn
to John
chapter 16
verse 14
I'm going
to give
extra points
for anybody
who as they
read John
16 14
can also
think about
another
illustration
of the
ministry
of the
spirit
in John
the Baptist
are we
doing okay
right now
you're tracking
me
extra points
deacons will
give cookies
to the person
who can get
this one
stop
I'm going
off page
here
but here
we go
John
chapter 16
looking at
verse 14
he will
glorify
me
for he
will take
what is
mine
and declare
it to
you
here's the
characteristic
of spirit
enabled
preaching
it lifts
up the
glory and
the supremacy
of Christ
and causes
us to see
him in all
his radiant
splendor
and to desire
him above
all others
that's
spirit
filled
preaching
I think
about the
psalm
73
by the way
do you know
how the
psalm starts
73
it's the
grumbler's
psalm
did you
follow that
I looked
around at
all the
ungodly
people and
they were
doing really
good
until I
went into
the temple
and there
I understood
their end
and then
it ends
up it
says
who
do I
have
in heaven
but you
and there
is none
that I
desire
beside you
spirit
enabled
preaching
lifts
up
Jesus
and by
the way
when we
lift up
Jesus
what happens
to us
huh
remember I
talked about
John the
Baptist
what did
he say
he said
he must
come on
help me
he must
increase
that's an
imperative
you know
what an
imperative
is
it's got
to be
he has
to be
exalted
and when
you don't
exalt
Christ
you stand
in the
way
of the
imperative
of God
who wants
to make
him
supreme
so
what do
you do
I want
you to
understand
that when
you gather
together as
God's people
to listen to
the preaching
of the word
of God
you are
to pray
for the
man who
will do
it
that he
does it
through the
enabling
of the
spirit
of God
does that
make sense
and all
God's people
said I've
heard what
God has
to say
and this
will be
the characteristic
of my
prayer life
when I
gather
to worship
corporately
from here
until the
day that
God takes
me home
when I hear
the preaching
of the word
of God
my prayer
is going
to be
God you
help that
guy up
there
that he
preaches
through the
power
and the
enabling
of the
spirit
of God
and all
God's
people said
let's close
in prayer
together
You