Mark O'Grady - Born of the Spirit - Class 4 - The Spirit Confirms

Automatically transcribed. Accuracy is good but not perfect, and words are sometimes wrong. Trust the audio over the text.

1. 0:00

   As we saw in our last study, the Lord Jesus Christ was full of the Holy Spirit which assisted him in his 3 1/2 year ministry. So as he preached the Gospel of the Kingdom, there were signs and miracles that attested as a witness to the power of the Gospel message itself. And as we’ve seen, there were particular periods in history where there were spectacular outpourings of the Holy Spirit. And one of these was the 1st century ecclesia when the Lord Jesus Christ preached the gospel. And after that, it’s a time when the Holy Spirit power of God was manifested in a very dramatic way. The Mosaic system was about to be removed. The Jewish people would be dispersed from their land for nearly two millennia.

2. 0:48

   The gospel had to be taken to the Gentiles and and worshiped, established in all these little communities of believers throughout the then known world. And so on that basis, the Holy Spirit power of God was remarkably demonstrated in miraculous ways, not just by the Lord Jesus Christ, but then subsequently by the apostles and then on to further others in ecclesial life. Now once again, it’s helpful to reiterate that the manifestation of the Holy Spirit of God was operating in two very different spheres, and it’s important for us to understand the difference between them.

3. 1:30

   There is the Spirit, which is the spirit power of God, the ability to do things that men and women could otherwise not normally do. It’s a physical thing. Brother Roberts describes it as being a thing of substance. It’s the power and energy out of which all things were created. And then secondly, distinct from that, we have the word spirit being used in relation to the character of God.

4. 1:57

   It’s easy to think of a spiritual way of thinking, but it’s the mind, the values and the character of God, and that’s the Spirit of God that we must have develop within us and be led by. Now it’s vital that we understand the distinction between those two things. The Holy Spirit power of God, the ability to do supernatural things, as opposed to the Spirit of God, which is a spiritual way of thinking. God’s moral values, his character and his mind, a mental and moral outlook.

5. 2:31

   Now, of course, in the 1st century, the work of the Spirit encompassed both of those elements in their day and age. Now our objective from this particular study this morning is to understand the unique circumstances that applied in the 1st century ecclesia and to show that the Holy Spirit power which they were given for particular reasons is quite different from the Holy Spirit in our life today.

6. 3:01

   And in our last study we asked the question, well, why was this Holy Spirit power necessary? And we mentioned the fact that unbeknownst to the disciples, the Lord was about to be removed and the work of preaching the gospel was going to fall squarely upon their shoulders. And the task in front of them was quite extraordinary. A summary of the things that we looked at the other day. They were going to have to go out and preach the gospel of a risen Christ throughout the entire world. They then had to steer the brotherhood through the end of the Mosaic system, the Jewish and Mosaic world, and that was incredibly destabilizing even for Gentile ecclesias who always were able to look back to Jerusalem as the mother ecclesia.

7. 3:46

   Suddenly it was no longer there. They were obviously now to take the gospel to the Gentiles, and I’ve looked it up there separately from preaching through all the world. There’s a concept here, and that is that the truth was going to go not just to Jews but to the Gentiles, with all the complexities that that entail. They then had to establish the operation and structure of ecclesias, distributed ecclesia life, little ecclesias, little groups of believers operating and worshiping in a fundamentally different way from worship under the Mosaic system. And then I also had to complete the Canon of Scripture for use for the next two millennia.

8. 4:25

   So how could the Lord assist them in that work after He was gone? When He says in Matthew 28, verse 20, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world, the end of the Aon, how did He actually do that? In what way was the Lord working with them, even to the end of the world? And the answer is by giving to them from His Father the gift of the power of the Holy Spirit.

9. 4:56

   Now we won’t turn these up, but actually one of the very first descriptions that the Lord gave to the disciples was in the second year of His ministry. It’s the passage we looked at the other day in Matthew 10 when He called the 12 disciples and He sent them out with the Spirit power.

10. 5:13

    In verse 19 and 20 of Matthew 10, He told them to take no thought. What you shall speak, it shall be given you, because it’s not you that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. And that was the first indication that they were going to have this extra power which would enable them to speak with words of inspiration from God. And they didn’t even need to worry about what they were going to say.

11. 5:38

    The words would be just there through the work of the Spirit. That message was repeated to them on another occasion in Luke 12, verses 11:50, when the Lord forewarned them that they would be put on trial by the Jewish leaders and the Holy Spirit would teach them what’s to say. That’s just before the parade ministry. Then on the 3rd occasion, the Olivet prophecy is our Lord sitting on the Mount of Olives just before His in that last week of His life, just before His death, and he’s explaining the words of the Olivet prophecy to His disciples. What’s going to happen to the city and to them? In Mark 13, verse 9, He repeats the message from earlier, but this time he adds one extra element, and that is that this was going to be an international thing. The gospel would go out before all nations and be preached and that they would be brought before rulers and kings. So he’s now broadening out the work of the Holy Spirit. Then later after his death and resurrection, we know that in the time that he spent with them just before his departure, he explained to them in more detail what the Holy Spirit would entail.

12. 6:45

    And we find that recorded in several places that one conversation. It’s recorded in Mark 16 verse 15, in Luke 24, verse 47, and again in Acts chapter 1. And here’s a summary of the things they had been told about the Holy Spirit gifts that they were to be given. It was to going to come upon them.

13. 7:08

    It’s described as them being baptized with the Holy Spirit. That’s in Acts chapter 1. Now just keep that one in memory because we’re going to look at this phrase. Being baptized with the Holy Spirit a bit later. It was a promise from the Father. They would be endured or clothed with power from on high.

14. 7:24

    It would be accompanied by signs that would follow with them confirming the word. The ability to cast out devils, heal people, speak with tongues, not be hurt by venomous or poisonous things, and the ability to heal with sick. That they would have a mouth and wisdom which their adversaries would not be able to gainsay. That the Holy Spirit would speak through them in an hour when it’s needed, when they’re on trial without premeditation or thought.

15. 7:51

    Now look at that list and it’s self-evident that that is not a power that we have today. That’s the power of the Holy Spirit that was going to be given to them. So when people say we have to have the power of the Holy Spirit like the disciples do, understand that it was a specific thing given to them for a specific purpose at a particular point in time. The Holy Spirit was also to be a witness. In fact, the apostles themselves go on to say that so in Acts 5 verse 32, we are His witnesses of these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God hath given to them that obey Him. But the clearest information, and we saw this yesterday that was given to them about the role of the Holy Spirit was in the description of the Comforter.

16. 8:48

    And this is what we looked at yesterday in terms of what the Comforter would actually do. It would strengthen them in Christ’s absence. It would be sent by Christ at the request of God. It would abide with them. And the phrase in the original is forever, but it literally means for the aeon or the period.

17. 9:05

    Now just keep that on the back of your mind because we are going to look at that phrase a little bit later. It was the Spirit of truth. It was the Holy Spirit. It would dwell with them. It would be in them. It would teach them all things. It would bring to their remembrance everything that Christ had taught them in the preceding 3 1/2 years. It would be a witness to Christ.

18. 9:28

    It would guide them to all truth. And it was also involved in reproving the world, sin, righteousness, and judgments to come. All right, well, let’s turn now to Acts chapter 2, the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit actually is received by them. Because in Acts chapter 1, Christ had told them they were going to be baptized by the Holy Spirit, that they were to go back into the city of Jerusalem, and they would wait there until the Holy Spirit was received by them.

19. 9:59

    And so they’re all with 1 accord in the upper room as it’s described in chapter 1. In chapter 2, verse one, when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with 1 accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind.

20. 10:20

    Now we’re quite familiar with the concept of pneuma. Now what is it? The movement of air. So isn’t it appropriate as the sound of a mighty rushing wind is this enormous outpouring of the Holy Spirit is physically demonstrated before they’re sent out to preach. So it’s so appropriate that there’s a rushing mighty wind.

21. 10:43

    And it says in verse three, there appeared unto them cloven tongues of fire, like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues. Just a few things I want to note from this particular record. First of all, on chapter one, verse 5, what was described as being a baptism of the Holy Spirit, You should be baptized with the Holy Spirit.

22. 11:12

    And he says John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit. Not many days hints. That’s Acts 1 and verse 5. So this is one of a very few occasions where there is a direct outpouring from heaven of the Holy Spirit. That’s what’s covered in this phrase, baptized of the Holy Spirit.

23. 11:36

    There are only two other occasions that I can find. Can you think of any of them? By the way, when the Holy Spirit came direct from heaven, two other occasions.

24. 11:51

    Anybody, Brother Daniel, Jesus baptism. Sorry, the baptism of, of Jesus, Yes. So the Lord’s baptism, the Spirit descends like a dove upon him. So that’s another occasion where the Holy Spirit comes down directly and there’s a third occasion. Anybody think what it is? It’s sometimes called the Little Pentecost X11X10 and X11, which is the baptism of Cornelius. We’ll have a look at that shortly actually. But in X11 verse 16, the Holy Spirit coming down on them, Peter says, I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said John indeed baptized with water, that ye should be baptized with the Holy Spirit.

25. 12:38

    So the events in Acts chapter 10 and 11 are actually another baptizing directly of the Holy Spirit. So that phrase, baptism of the Spirit is a it’s a specific reference to a time when the Holy Spirit descends directly upon people. OK, the second thing to note from Acts chapter 2 is this description of cloven tongues of fire sitting on their heads. In fact, John the Baptist had actually told them that would happen.

26. 13:08

    He was told himself, he was told in Matthew 3, Sorry, He said to the others, I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I’m not worthy to bear. He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. So that’s in Matthew 3, verse 11. So John the Baptist had told them they would be baptized with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

27. 13:36

    All right, white tongues. Why cloven and why fire? Well, it’s appropriate that it’s tongues. It’s the word glosser, because they’re immediately filled with the Spirit and they speak in tongues. Same word glosser. So that’s appropriate. But there’s something else appropriate of the shape of a tongue. These are men who were sent to preach the gospel throughout the world.

28. 14:01

    And so it’s so appropriate that it’s a shape of a tongue upon people that are actually sent out to preach the gospel to others. And when it says tongues of fire, it reminds us, doesn’t it, of seven laps of fire burning before the throne in Revelation 4, verse 5, which are the seven spirits of God, which Revelation 4 goes on to say, which are sent forth into all the earth. So the seven lengths of fire, the symbol of God’s divine agents that He sends forth to preach throughout all the world and to do His work through all the world. Well, there are little tongues of fire upon the head of these particular men.

29. 14:49

    The question comes up, well, why cloven? It simply means separated. What’s the point being made by separated tongues of fire? And the suggestion is that actually the fire appeared in one unit and then separated onto all their individual heads. Just imagine how dramatic that would be. In comes this roaring flame into the room, and then it just shatters out, shatters.

30. 15:16

    It divides out into tons of fire that sit upon individual people’s heads. And I think that’s a very appropriate suggestion that the idea of it being divided makes the point that there was one stream of fire which was being separated out into these individual tongues. What’s the point that’s made by that? Well, in first of Corinthians 12 verse 4, Paul says there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit or in verse 13 of that chapter, for by 1 Spirit we are all baptized into one fire.

31. 15:56

    And so we have the spirit coming and then it gets separated out into these individual tongues or diversities. Now it’s really helpful to note that with the Holy Spirit power being poured out here, the effect of it was very visible and demonstrated. And the Holy Spirit gifts in acts are always demonstrably accompanied by these.

32. 16:21

    And I’m going to use the phrase supernatural abilities. And when I say supernatural, again, all I’m meaning is something which is not naturally possible for a human being. Now there were real pragmatic effects and benefits from them being able to suddenly speak out loud in tongues. We know the word tongues as the idea of languages.

33. 16:39

    It’s not gibberish like we often find in Pentecostal churches today. It was the ability to go forth and speak in different languages because they were sent to preach throughout all the world. Another interesting thing here is it would appear that the Holy Spirit gifts here were called out not just upon the 12, but upon the whole group, including the sisters. That’s quite a fool.

34. 17:07

    Now, what in the record would make us think that? Have a look at Acts chapter 2 and see if there’s anything on the record which would indicate that the sisters actually have the Holy Spirit gift here poured out on them as well.

35. 17:24

    Any thoughts? And verse 17, excellent. So when Peter’s, when they’re all speaking in tongues and the Jews come along and think, hey, what’s this? Are these people drunk? And fetus says no, no, no. This is a fulfillment of that which is spoken by Joel the prophet. Now let’s read it, verse 16. This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel.

36. 17:44

    It’ll come to pass in the last days, saith God. I’ll pour out my spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophecy. Your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my spirit, and they shall prophecy. And there are indications also in Corinthians that there were sisters who had certain spirit gifts, though they weren’t the gifts that gave them the roles of leadership, of being apostles or prophets who were to lead and expound. And it was actually in that context that the apostle Paul in Corinthians talks about sisters keeping silence in the ecclesia because the gifts that they had were specific gifts and they were to be used in keeping with the principles of the roles of male and female as set out in Scripture. But it is interesting that actually that some of the gifts were given to some of the sisters. And that of course, is consistent with the Old Testament.

37. 18:47

    We have Holder the prophetess or or Deborah in the days of Deborah and Baywith. OK. So as I mentioned before, the only other occasion where the Holy Spirit comes down directly is in Acts chapter 10 with the calling of Cornelius. And that it was, it was an event. Let’s turn over to it.

38. 19:06

    It was an event which caused very great astonishment, bearing in mind, of course, that the Jews had a very deeply ingrained distrust of the Gentiles, who are described in Scripture as being dogs and unclean. And if you’re not allowed to go in and eat a meal with them, they’re that unclean, why would you share the gospel with them of all people?

39. 19:35

    And the events of Acts chapter 10 were astounding in terms of the message it gave to the believers. And what it was showing them was just as the as the call of the gospel was going to the Jews, so it would also go forth to the Gentiles. And so in Acts chapter 2, the Holy Spirit descends on the Jews.

40. 19:53

    In Acts chapter 10, it actually descends on the Gentiles. So as we’re there, have a look towards the end of the chapter, look at the way it’s described in verse 44. It says the Holy Spirit fell on them. In verse 45 on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit. Verse 47, they received the Holy Spirit. In Chapter 11, verse 15, which is now Peter recounting it back in Jerusalem, the Holy Spirit fell on them. In a Chapter 11, verse 16, they were baptized with the Holy Spirit.

41. 20:32

    So it’s quite a spectacular event and Peter makes a particular point and we see this coming up in his narrative as he explains to the others what actually happened. So in 10 verse 47, he says, can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized which have received the Holy Spirit and not these words as well as we Chapter 11 verse 15.

42. 20:59

    The Holy Spirit fell on them as on us at the beginning, Chapter 11 verse 17. God gave them the light gift as he did unto us. And he’s making the point that the same thing happened to them as happened to us back in Acts chapter 2. And therefore they were baptized with the Holy Spirit. Now this is recognized by those who hear it’s recognized by those who with Peter and observed it and they were astounded and they got the point because there was a particular purpose of this visible demonstration. So in chapter 10, verse 45, they of the circumcision of the circumcision were astonished because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift.

43. 21:52

    On Chapter 11, verse 18, they glorified God, saying then God has also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life. So the point that was being made was that the gospel was going to be extended to the Gentiles and that’s why there is this unique actual outpouring. All right, come back with me to Acts chapter 8 because the work of the Holy Spirit got underway and is actually extended out to the Samaritans in Acts chapter 8. We won’t go through the record in detail, but we know that that Philip went out preaching and he was doing miracles in verse 6. And there is great joy in that city. And in verse 12 they believe Philip and so they are baptized, both men and women.

44. 22:38

    So then they sent and told those in Jerusalem. In verse 14, when the apostles heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John. And when they come in verse 15, they prayed for them so that they might receive the Holy Spirit. And in verse 17, then Peter and John laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.

45. 23:05

    Now this little incident establishes a very important principles or concepts in terms of how the Holy Spirit operated in the 1st century ecclesia. The first thing to note was that the Holy Spirit gifts were given here after they had believed and been baptized. Now that tells us that the imparting of the Holy Spirit power is a gift on people was not designed to let them understand.

46. 23:38

    It was not designed to make them believe. They had heard, believed and been baptized, and after that they received the gift of the Holy Spirit power. Now that same principle is illustrated again in Acts chapter 19. You may remember the record when there were 7 disciples in Ephesus who when Paul spoke to them, they explained they had not so much as even heard about the Holy Spirit. And it turned out that they’ve been baptized by John the Baptist.

47. 24:10

    And Paul explains to them the truth in Christ Jesus. And it says when they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus in verse 5. And then after that in verse 6, Paul lays his hands on them and the Holy Spirit comes upon. Leave a marker here in Acts 8.

48. 24:28

    We’re going to come back to it again, but just come over with me to Ephesians chapter 1. There’s this quite a useful passage here in Ephesians which makes the order of events really, really clear. You hear, you believe, you get baptized, and after that they receive the Holy Spirit. Ephesians one verse 13, verse 12, he speaks about those who trust in Christ, verse 13, in whom ye also trusted.

49. 25:02

    After that you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also after you believed, you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance. And so it makes the point here that the Holy Spirit was not given to enable them to understand or to enable them to have faith.

50. 25:23

    It was after that that they were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. It’s quite a useful passage in terms of of confirming that. OK. The second feature that comes up in Acts chapter 8 is that the the Holy Spirit gifts were given to those in Samaria by the the laying on of hands of the apostles.

51. 25:49

    Now, as we’ve mentioned, there are very few examples in the New Testament of the Holy Spirit being given to anybody other than through the laying on of hands. There’s the baptism of Christ, there’s the day of Pentecost, and there’s the baptism of Spirit of Cornelius and his household. And basically in every other occasion it requires the laying on of hands, particularly by the apostles. So we got this statement in chapter 8, verse 14 that it was actually through the laying on of hands of the apostles that the gift was given.

52. 26:22

    It’s also illustrated Acts 6 verse 7 when the holy when the apostles laid their hands on the on the seven chosen brethren so that they were then full of the Holy Spirit. Acts 19 verse 6 Paul lays his hands on the 12 disciples at Ephesus and they received the Holy Spirit. Second of Timothy one verse 6 Paul speaks about him passing on the Holy Spirit to Timothy by the laying on of his hands.

53. 26:51

    In fact, it would appear that it was the apostles hands specifically that had to be laid on them for the passing on of the Holy Spirit. Now there are a few possible exceptions to this, three only actually that I could find. And I think that every one of those is actually capable of a very good robust explanation as well. 1 is when Ananias lays his hands on the Apostle Paul, another on the other two are references in Timothy, one where it talks about the laying on of hands and it talks about the prophecies that were made before the presbytery or the elders. And the other is when Paul writes to Timothy, he says lay hands suddenly on no man.

54. 27:38

    I actually think if we read those 3 passages very, very carefully, they don’t they’re not actually exceptions to the principle of it being the apostles hands. Timothy himself says the Holy Spirit was in Timothy by the laying on of his hands, actually. And so the minute it’s possible to go through with those exceptions, but but even assuming those exceptions were two or three exceptions, even if that was correct, then it still involves the laying on of hands of people who have the Holy Spirit. What’s important about that?

55. 28:12

    Well, it’s making the point that receiving the Holy Spirit coming down dwelling in US was not something that was happening in their day, let alone ours. And so the concept of the Holy Spirit coming into us and indwelling in US, it’s, it’s utterly foreign to the record of what took place with the Holy Spirit in the 1st century ecclesia.

56. 28:34

    OK, good. The next key point, and this is a really important one for us to remember, is that the giving of the Holy Spirit was not for the personal benefit of the receiver. I’m going to say that again, the giving of the Holy Spirit was not for the personal benefit of the one receiving it. That might seem like a strange point, but it’s actually quite important because when people claim that we have to have the Holy Spirit in us to help us believe or to help us understand or to help us resist sin, it’s always an application in their mind of the Holy Spirit coming in to help me do things as far as I’m concerned.

57. 29:19

    But the focus of the New Testament is always that the Holy Spirit gifts were given to people for the furtherance of the work that they could do in the spreading of the work of the gospel. So let’s have a look at this first of Corinthians 12, verse 7. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit with all. Now at first blush when you read that, you’d think, well, isn’t that something that actually the Spirit’s given so that people can benefit from it themselves?

58. 29:51

    Well, it’s not a very helpful translation. The phrase to prophet with all proto symphorum means literally for the collective good. So the Holy Spirit is given to people for the collective good. So the ESP translates that to each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. And that’s actually the whole point that Paul’s making in that chapter.

59. 30:15

    The whole context of it is that the Spirit gifts needed to be given and used for the benefit of other people, not for the individual. So in verse 25, he speaks about the the members needing to have the same care one for another. He talks about the fact that the gifts were not to cause a schism or a division in the ecclesia, as Brother Graham Pierce wrote in his book, The Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit Gifts.

60. 30:42

    It is abundantly clear the disparate activity was limited to certain people who used it not primarily for themselves, but for the good of others. This is quite different from the idea of every believer receiving the divine effluence for their own use in their own lives. Of course, people benefited from having the Holy Spirit in the same way that we’d benefit from having the Scriptures that helped them understand and learn more about the purpose of God. But the Holy Spirit gifts were not given to people for their own advancement.

61. 31:18

    And that’s the very point that the apostle Paul makes in chapter 12. It would actually seem from the from the Record Acts that initially after this first manifestation with the speaking in tongues that the Holy Spirit miracles were done first by the apostles and the earlier references indicate that. So Acts chapter 5 verse 12, why the hands of the apostles were many signs in wonders, war among the people. And then that work starts to expand out, including the working of miracles.

62. 31:50

    So Acts 6 verse 8 Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people by chapter 8. In verse 6 and verse 13, Philip is doing miracles, including healing and miracles and science. But then as the Spirit gifts started to spread out amongst the Gentiles and the cliches were starting to be set out in different regions of the world, the role of the Holy Spirit gifts actually broadens and a wider distribution of the Holy Spirit gifts becomes apparent. And the diversity of the Holy Spirit gifts starts to become very broad.

63. 32:31

    Wasn’t just miracles and speaking in tongues. And so now it’s not just the spreading of the gospel, but the establishment of these new colleges. And it’s worth stopping again to consider why this might be. And I’d like you to put yourself in a city where the Apostle Paul has come and he’s converted you and, and maybe, I don’t know, 20 or 50 other people in your city. There’s been a substantial response. There’s been many new baptisms.

64. 33:01

    And then after five weeks, the Apostle Paul says, like, I’m sorry, I’ve actually got to go on. There’s, there’s more work to be done in other cities. And he may or may not leave behind one of his supporters, but then he’s gone. So how’s your ecclesia going to function now? How are you going to operate?

65. 33:19

    You’re a Gentile. You don’t have any background in the Old Testament law. Who’s going to explain to you how to read the Jewish scriptures and what they they say about the work of the Lord Jesus Christ? You have no gospels to read yet. There are no epistles. So you know there has to be a breaking of bread.

66. 33:37

    But then what? How are you going to operate as an ecclesia? And you can see why the Holy Spirit gifts were given for a succession of different roles in the ecclesias to enable them to learn how to actually function. So that’s where the Holy Spirit gifts come in. And so new roles actually start to be invented, as it were, and appointed for the work of running these new Ecleses.

67. 34:03

    Look, I’d like you to come with me to 1st of Corinthians chapter 12, where quite shockfully, the apostle Paul lists in order some of these roles, in fact, most of the roles, First of Corinthians chapter 12. Context, of course, in chapter 12, now concerning first one, now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.

68. 34:24

    It appears that they roached to him with a series of questions about the Spirit gifts. So through chapter 12 and 13 and onwards, there’s some very helpful explanations of the role of the Spirit gifts. And in verse 28, he lists these gifts God have set some in the ecclesia, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly, teachers, after that miracles, gifts of healing, helps government’s diversities of tongues. He then talks about those roles and he also talks about interpretation in verse 30.

69. 34:54

    So it would appear, and I’ve put them on the screen, that there were some nine different roles in ecclesial life that the apostle mentions. If we add in a few that are mentioned in Ephesians chapter 4, we also can add in evangelists and shepherds. So there are different roles for which people were appointed in ecclesial life, and you can see how those roles would have played quite a critical role in establishing these new ecclesias.

70. 35:24

    Now, armed with that, it helps us start to see a little bit more about as we read through the New Testament epistles. It helps us appreciate a little more some of the things that we actually read, because of course we read the epistles and we take spiritual lessons from them, and that’s great and that’s appropriate. So we should but never forget that these were letters written in a particular context to people who are facing particular circumstances.

71. 35:53

    And as we start to think about the work of the Holy Spirit setting up these eccleses, we start to see why specific things are actually said by the apostles. Take the second role on that list, prophets. Now it would appear that the role of being a prophet was really important. As he said, God set forth first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, and then it carries on down the list. So the role of prophet was obviously quite an important one in the 1st century ecclesia.

72. 36:28

    Of course, we know the role of a prophet is not just foretelling the future. They were people who taught us how to behave, teach people how to behave. They expound and expand things to the listeners. And so the role of prophecy became very important in this time when the eccleses were in their infancy.

73. 36:49

    Now, once we understand that, it gives us a different insight into certain passages of Scripture. Come with me to Ephesians chapter 2 and have a look at this little phrase in Ephesians 2. It’s one we’ll be familiar with, Ephesians chapter 2.

74. 37:11

    It speaks about us all having access in Christ. We’re no more verse 19, strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens. We’re really familiar with. These concepts, verse 20, were built upon the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the first cornerstone, the chief cornerstone. So who are those prophets? Have you ashamed, as I always had, that that was a reference to the Old Testament prophets because we’re very familiar with that concept.

75. 37:42

    The Old Testament prophets, Bear in mind, prophets was a specific role, a spirit guided role in the New Testament eccleses. And actually I believe what’s being referred to here was the role of those prophets. Now, why did we say that? We’ll just look on a few verses in chapter chapter 4 and verse 5. Now verse four, he talks about the mystery of Christ, which in other ages was not not made known to the sons of men as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit that the Gentiles will be fellow eats. So he’s talking about a revelation that was happening in their day to the apostles and the prophets. Now he says it’s an explanation of this previous secret that the Gentiles would actually become heirs. And so we say, OK, what that suggests to us is the role of prophets is actually a much more central concept in the 1st century ecclesia than perhaps we’ve given credit to before. All right, well, what about the let’s move on to the gifts. So these roles were spirit appointed and they were given specific spirit gifts.

76. 39:11

    And there are 9 manifestations of the spirit gifts described in first of Corinthians chapter 12, and those are recorded for us in verses 7 through 10. The Word of Wisdom, the Word of knowledge, faith, the gifts of healing, the in working of powers, prophecy, discerning of spirits, kinds of tongues, the interpretations of tongues. Now some of these, by the way, we’re actually not familiar with and we, we struggle a little to work out what they might be. But this is a list of the spirit gifts which were given to the 1st century ecclesias.

77. 39:47

    Look at the first two, wisdom and knowledge, a gift of wisdom. Wouldn’t you think that wisdom and knowledge is something that that all of us have to attain to? But notice how it’s described. It’s the Word of Wisdom and it’s the Word of knowledge. So this was Spirit, gifted ability to share and preach wisdom and knowledge to the 1st century. Clear.

78. 40:14

    It’s inspired teaching. OK, what about #3 honest, the gift of faith. Because people who like to suggest we have to possess the Holy Spirit power like they did grab hold of #3 on the list and they say, ah, without faith, it’s impossible to please God. And faith is a gift of the Holy Spirit. It says so in First Corinthians chapter 12. So we have to have the Holy Spirit or us, we can’t have faith.

79. 40:51

    So how would we actually answer that? We say, well, first of all, the apostle Paul tells us in Romans that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. So actually it’s not something that’s injected into us as a supernatural ability. It’s something that comes from listening to God’s word. Then when we think about it, when we say actually faith’s not something that’s put into you.

80. 41:16

    Faith is a response. Faith is actually God said something and we believe it. So faith is a response of belief to what God has actually told us. But there’s actually a very compelling answer. Have a look at First Corinthians chapter 12. Of course, I hadn’t gone here. Let’s go back first of Corinthians chapter 12 just to have a look at the phrase that’s actually used because this is this actually makes it very clear. First Corinthians chapter 12 he says in verse 7 the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man for the common good.

81. 41:55

    To 1 is given by the Spirit, the word of wisdom to another, the word of knowledge by the same spirit to another faith by the same Spirit. So the point that’s being made is different gifts were given to different people. If this is a description of the general faith which all people have to have to be saved, it’s a bit unfair that only only some people had that gift given to them, whereas other people didn’t get faith, they only had wisdom.

82. 42:24

    So it’s impossible for them to please God. So this is actually talking about a specific gift of faith. There’s a reference in the next chapter though. You have faith to move mountains, which is a reference to those words of the Lord Jesus Christ. Matthew 21 verse 21. He says, verily, I say to you, if you have faith and doubt not, you shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if he shall say to this mountain, be thou removed and be thou cast into the city, it shall be done. So whatever it was, it was an extraordinary gift of faith. It’s not a reference to the the belief without which it’s impossible to please God.

83. 43:06

    OK, these Holy Spirit gifts were so extraordinary, they’re described as being an earnest or a down payment of a future inheritance of glory. And Ephesians 1, verses 13 to 14, and they’re described in Hebrews 6 verse 4 as being a foretaste of the heavenly gift and the powers of the world to come. So the apostles were making the point there to them that this was an extraordinary thing which they had been given. It’s like a little piece of evidence of these extraordinary things that await us all in the Kingdom, a little full taste, he said, of the powers of the world to come. In fact, there’s a hint in the record there in Hebrews 6 that the privilege of being granted some of these Holy Spirit powers and the ability to to witness with them actually gave some added accountability.

84. 44:03

    Because if you had a Holy Spirit gift as a witness of the truth of the gospel and then turned your back on it, you really are to be held accountable after you, after you’re seeing those demonstrable extraordinary things. Because. And what this shows us actually is that actually the Holy Spirit gifts didn’t make people righteous. The Holy Spirit gifts didn’t make people perfect. The miracle we talked before about these two very different applications of the concept of the Holy Spirit. We have the Holy Spirit power versus the Holy Spirit character or the mind of God.

85. 44:44

    Now the 1st century ecclesia was one where both of those were given. So the Holy Spirit power was given. But the giving of the Holy Spirit power as a gift did not make people more righteous in themselves. It was a material thing which enabled them to do tasks they otherwise could not, and it was not a guarantee that they would develop a spiritual way of thinking. It didn’t make that automatic.

86. 45:11

    Now that’s quite helpful when it helps us when it comes to understanding the nature of the gift of the Holy Spirit power of God that was visible in the 1st century. Now let’s have a look, step back and look at Scripture and think, well, actually that’s pretty obvious. The granting of special power from God to do things miraculously through history was no guarantee of them being spiritually appropriate in the way they actually thought.

87. 45:39

    I mean, think for example of the 70 elders, the Spirit was taken from Moses, given to the 70 elders, and they will prophesied and it says that they’re carcasses. Also, they were part of the generation whose carcasses perished in the wilderness because of a lack of faith. What about Samson? Did Samson have the Holy Spirit?

88. 45:59

    Absolutely. Did it make him a really righteous person all his life? I asked the young people for examples this morning and they came up with some and others. King Saul. Saul prophesied, says God removed the Spirit from But one of the young girls in the class came up with a cracker example, Judas Iscariot.

89. 46:23

    Judas was one of the 12 who was given the Holy Spirit and sent out earlier in the book of Matthew. And yet he betrayed us all. And that’s a really stark example I hadn’t thought of that shows that actually the granting of the Holy Spirit power did not make people righteous in themselves. Come with me to Galatians chapter 3 and we’ll see this rather powerfully demonstrated in these New Testament writings. Galatians, chapter 3.

90. 47:03

    So I’m too far. Let me go back a bit, Galatians Chapter 3 and we’ll pick up the records. First of all, in verse 5, He therefore that ministreth to you the Spirit and works miracles among you, doeth He yet? By the works of the law or by the hearing of faith. So it’s very clear in context. We’re talking here about those that have the Holy Spirit gifts and the ability to work miracles because God administered the Holy Spirit to them.

91. 47:34

    And he starts off in verse one. O foolish Galatians, who’s bewitched you, but you should not obey the truth. Well, that’s an interesting combination of things. These are people who have received the Holy Spirit earlier, he says in the epistle they’ve gone and followed another gospel, which is an accursed perversion of the gospel of Christ. Or what about the Corinthians?

92. 47:59

    Well, the Corinthians were a very sad illustration of the same thing. It’s very obvious that they have the Holy Spirit gifts because Paul writes about them at some length. But he also says there was open fornication among them. We also find they were suing one another before unbelievers, Paul says. I speak this to your shame. And extraordinarily, even the Spirit gifts themselves had become in themselves a point of contention for them in the ecclesia through the selfish use and indeed misuse of the Holy Spirit gifts, particularly around the dramatic gift of the tongue.

93. 48:40

    Because in that block through from chapter 12, chapter 13 and chapter 14, the apostle Paul actually rebukes their obsession with tongues. And he encourages them rather to the gift of prophecy, which edifies or builds up. He said if there’s not another interpreter there in chapter 14, verse 28, then keep silence. And he also says in chapter 14, verse 32, that they need to exercise responsible care over how they use the gifts. When he says the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets, what he’s actually telling them is to exercise responsibility and control over how they actually used these particular gifts.

94. 49:29

    So it’s very clear that these gifts were given for particular purposes to be able to extend the work of the truth, but it wasn’t something which made the possessor thereof actually a righteous particular person. They were given for specific objectives for a specific period, and then when those objectives were fulfilled, the Holy Spirit gifts were actually withdrawn. Now let’s spend a few minutes looking at this because it’s a very critical element of understanding the Holy Spirit gifts in the New Testament.

95. 50:03

    First of all, it’s logical if the Holy Spirit gifts required the laying on of the apostles hands, take the apostles out of it and what’s going to happen? Well, it’s logical the passing on of the Holy Spirit gifts itself would dry out. Secondly, the gifts were given initially for the preaching campaigns to help this initial preaching campaign.

96. 50:25

    And note this, that preaching campaign was for a defined period of time. So Christ sees them going into all the world, preach the gospel to every creature. These signs will follow them casting out devils, speaking with new tongues, so it says they went forth, they preached everywhere and note these words, the Lord working with them and confirming the word with signs follow.

97. 50:50

    So the Lord said I will work with you, I’ll be there on the journey with you and I’ll confirm this with the signs, the working of the Holy Spirit. That’s fine, But then he puts a time period on it. Matthew 28, verse 20. He said that he’s going to be with them. He said, no, I am with you always, even to the end of the world to the end of the pay on interesting phrase Matthew 24, verse 14. This gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come. And we’re finding this quite an emphasis here on the fact that actually was going to be this particular period of preaching when this work would actually be extended. This phrase, the end of the world, Sontelia aeon, means literally the end or the consummation of the age. And that phrase is used in Scripture of the end of the Mosaic era of things.

98. 51:50

    So Christ has appeared at the end of the world, says Paul in Hebrews 9 verse 26, exactly the same expression. So it’s talking about this period of time, which is the drawing to close of the Mosaic end of things. And so in verse 14 he says once the gospel is preached, then the end of that age is actually going to come.

99. 52:14

    And so it did. And by that stage the gospel had been preached through all the world. Romans 10/17 I say, have they not heard? Yes, verily, their sound went into all the earth and their words unto the end of the world. Careful, the word world there is like many, not Aon. But you get the impression here that actually this preaching has happened by Acts 17 verse 6.

100. 52:38

     They’ve turned the world upside down by Colossians. One verse 13, he talks about the gospel which was preached to every creature under heaven, which is exactly what Christ said he would work with them to do in Mark chapter 16 and verse 5, that they would go and preach to every creature and he would work with them for that to be actually accomplished.

101. 53:01

     And so it’s clear that these signs and these gifts were given to enable that work of preaching for a particular time. But the statements in Scripture about the withdrawing of the gifts were actually even more explicit than that.

102. 53:17

     And I’m just conscious of time. So I’m going to try and paraphrase here. We’re going to look at First of Corinthians 1312 and 13 when they were told the gifts would be withdrawn. But before we go there, I just want to talk about the analogy of the body because the preaching of the Gospel and the building of the of the worldwide ecclesial body is described as being the body of Christ.

103. 53:43

     We know that it’s often used in relation to the establishment of the 1st century brotherhood. There’s a process of birth, then there’s a development and there’s a maturing until a process of adulthood. And that process took just out of interest 3 score years and 10. There was actually a 70 year period from the beginning of the gospels right through until the Apocalypse.

104. 54:06

     And in that time period the establishment of this new gospel was actually completed. 3 score using 10 Psalm 90 verse 10 is the lifespan of a man. Now this same analogy of the development of the body is used by by the apostle Paul in the epistles, in Corinthians and in Ephesians in relation to the Spirit gifts. And once the ecclesial body had reached a stage of maturity, then the Spirit gifts were to be withdrawn. So let’s look at a couple of these quite carefully. First of Corinthians chapter 12.

105. 54:45

     You know how in first of Corinthians chapter 12. Well in first of Corinthians generally we have the apostles speaking about the different parts of the body. First Corinthians 12, he speaks in verse 18 about the different members of the body. And we go on and we use these passages to talk about how everybody’s really important in ecclesia life. You can’t say because I’m not the hand, I’m not part of the body, because I’m not the eye, I’m not part of the body. So every member of the ecclesia is really important. Well, that’s a great principle and no doubt we can derive that lesson from it.

106. 55:20

     But you know what he’s actually talking about in context. He’s talking about the diversity of spirit gifts. This person has that gift. This person has this gift, this person has these gifts, and you actually need the composite of all the parts for the body to work together as a whole. That’s actually in context what he’s talking about when he talks about the individual body. So he’s encouraging them to understand that the purpose of the gifts was to build up and to edify the body as a whole. So he says there are diversities of gifts, but it’s the same spirit in verse 4.

107. 55:58

     So he then speaks about this body in verses 13 through to 27, and he’s talking about the different roles in ecclesial life for which the Spirit had been given. And then he elevates the discussion away from them, squabbling about which gifts were most important. And he tells them two extraordinary and astonishing things. The first is actually the gifts aren’t the most important thing in ecclesial life.

108. 56:26

     There’s something which is much more important, and that is faith, hope and love. And so he says in verse 31, look, desire the best gifts, those are those that build up the ecclesia. But actually I’m going to show you something better. There is a more excellent way. And in chapter 13, he says that actually all of these other gifts, if you don’t have love, then they’re a complete waste of time. And he completes it in verse 13 by saying now by its faith, hope and love, these three.

109. 56:58

     But the greatest of these is love. And so the apostles telling them that the gifts are not actually what it’s all about. And then the 2nd and truly astounding thing that he tells them is that actually the gifts are going to be taken away anyway. Don’t get too hung up on speaking in tongues.

110. 57:15

     They’re all actually going to be removed. So in 13, verse 8, he says very explicitly that they are going to be removed. He speaks of of prophecies of tongues and the gift of knowledge. He says they’re going to fail, they’re going to cease, they’re going to vanish away. And then he says in verse 10 or verse 9, we know in part, we prophecy in part.

111. 57:45

     Here’s the idea of of individuals. We’ve got little individuals with this. We’ve got little individuals with that gift we’ve got. We’ve got all these different little parts, he said. But that’s all, all part of building up the one body. Verse 10. When that which is perfect, mature or complete has come, then that which is in part will be done away. He then uses the analogy of a child in verse 11 through and speaks about when he was a child. He spakers and thought as a child. When I become a man, I put away childish things and you see what he’s doing.

112. 58:20

     He’s talking about the growth of a body from its infancy as it matures and when it gets to maturity the childish things are no longer needed. And so he says you needed the spirit gifts when you were young. But now that the occlusional body is established and that which is perfect or mature as it literally means complete or mature has come, then those other parts will be left behind because they are not the most important.

113. 58:48

     Then people say, oh, but hang on a moment, that can’t be the case because that which is perfect has not yet come and won’t be to the Kingdom, and therefore we must keep them. So you’re sure they’ll be removed, but that which is perfect hasn’t come yet, so we must still have the Holy Spirit gifts. Well, there’s a couple of fundamental problems with that. Number one, that would mean that speaking in tongues and miracles must still be here, and I haven’t seen them recently. I don’t know if you have.

114. 59:18

     And secondly, it would be saying that all of those miracles will be there until the Kingdom, and then they’ll all stop. Well, that’s, that’s just not logical. In the Kingdom age, the spirit gifts will be poured out in a way that we’ve never comprehended before. So in context here, he’s actually saying that when the ecclesial body was established, those things would actually be withdrawn. Now, I’d just like to pop up a slide there that has on it a number of features that he’s talking about in First Corinthians 12.

115. 59:50

     Now there’s another place in the epistles where he speaks at length about the growing together of a body into a mature man. Where is it? Anyone know? Ephesians? Now we look at that and we say that’s the building of the body of Christ, in fact, down through the ages until we all come together in the fullness of the one man in Christ.

116. 1:00:12

     And that’s not incorrect. But the focus of Ephesians chapter 4 is on the Holy Spirit gifts explicitly. It talks about the gifts that they’re given, the roles of apostles and prophets. It speaks about Christ ascending and receiving gifts for it to be given out to men. And so actually, the context of Ephesians 4 is actually the building of the body of Christ in their day.

117. 1:00:38

     Whoops. And what we find is Ephesians 4 and 1st Corinthians 12 match with all those same elements of the maturing of this body. So what that shows us is that in context, what’s being talked about here is the giving of the Holy Spirit gifts for a particular purpose, and they were removed when the completion of that process was actually brought about, the completion of the perfect man.

118. 1:01:08

     But least you think, well, hey, hang on a moment. You’ve just shattered all the value of Ephesians 4. No, actually what happens is they work on two different applications and two different levels because there will be another outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the future. And actually what we’ve got is these themes of the building of the body of Christ works both in its context in the 1st century ecclesia, but also in its context of the body of Christ over the ages. So we have the building of the temple as another analogy analogy that’s used, the building of a temple. Well, ultimately the temple will be complete when Christ returns, when the way into the most holy is made available for all of the Saints of all ages.

119. 1:01:58

     And so we find that these are operating on two different applications or levels. And of course, not surprisingly, Brother Thomas in Faith in the Last Days has a beautiful and succinct little summary. The body of Christ, whether considered to be under the figure of a man or a house, belongs to two states. There’s that before the resurrection. That’s the resurrection which we all participate in, and to that after the resurrection.

120. 1:02:27

     In the former state, the ecclesia world had its infancy and its manhood. In the days of the apostles. The institution was in its infancy, childhood, In the days of John’s old age and exile manhood being 70 years old. There was a manhood when the baptismal gifts ceased. There shall be a manhood when we will know experimentally, even as we know theoretically. That’s the post resurrectional maturity of the perfect man or the body of Christ.

121. 1:02:55

     Then every member will see face to face that which is perfect will have come in the full sense. So it’s actually when we see that suddenly these passages just open up and we can see the way in which the divine mind actually works. And so the work of the setting up of the Eccleses was complete. The Gospel’s been breached, the new paradigm of ecclesial life’s been established, the whole Canon of Scripture has been written.

122. 1:03:28

     And so the work of the apostles ceased and they were laid in the grave. The tongue of divine guidance was still and fell silent. The pen of inspiration was laid down, and then one of the most extraordinary eras in the history of the world came to a close. And from that time till now, through the rest of the times of the Gentiles, as God’s called out a people for His name, the work of the Holy Spirit has continued on, embedded in the word, which they actually completed in the development of the Spirit of God in the hearts and minds of the believers.

123. 1:04:06

     That’s God willing, We’ll look at tomorrow.