Sermon Central
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Empowered To Build - Kingdom Builders
Contributed by Tyrone Garay on Dec 18, 2000 (message contributor)
Summary: The empowerment of the 2nd generation Christian in contrast with the first generation Christians. today we enjoy the onipresence of the Holy Spirit for empowerment.
Empowered to build – Kingdom Builders
Text: 1 John 1:1-4
1That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—
2the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us—
3that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.
4And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.
John opens here in his general epistle with the joy and the revealing privilege of experiencing the Son of God with his physical senses. We have seen Him with our own eyes, We have touched him with our own hands…
What a privilege of 1 generation believers. To handle the Word of Life in such manner.
But as for the 2nd generation believers! We too can experience the Son of God in an intimate way, through the fellowship of the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit enables us to have fellowship with the Son.
The Holy Spirit enables us to have intimate contact with the our heavenly father. One of the great advantages that the ascension of Christ has produced is that every believer can enjoy fellowship with the Son all over the World at all times.
When Jesus walked among the 1st generation disciples He was limited from going to all houses at once, some even blamed death on Him , because he did not seem to make it in time. (Lazarus) But today we enjoy His presence, His Power, His Comfort and direction through the Holy Spirit.
26"But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.
27And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.
These disciples would not have to start all over in a new relationship, because The Holy Spirit will bear witness. It’s like meeting a Christian for the first time and feeling like you knew them all along.
Not only is the Holy Spirit a powerful presence, but He is accomplishing a powerful program…
"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father
7Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
Def: of Expedient -
There are so many great advantages of being empowered by the Holy Spirit. When we try to serve God in our own strength we are merely bound by religion.
Right before the major transition, before the ascension of Christ In the books of Acts, the Kingdom of God was still on the disciples mind, in a physical way.
6Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?"
7And He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.
8But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
Jesus, makes it clear that what His agenda is and what is not to be ours, but He points us to the supernatural enabler that will build the Kingdom of God, rather than the Kingdom of Israel.
We have to be careful, as much as the disciples that we do not desire the building of the wrong Kingdom. We are not saved and filled with this Holy Ghost empowerment to build our little kingdoms, but we are empowered to build the Kingdom of God.
Def: of the Kingdom of God
The Kingdom of God today is not a physical realm as much as spiritual realm. It is not a city or a country that we are trying to establish by force. Although one day it will be an establishment, as we know that the Earth belongs to the Lord. The primary concept of the Kingdom of God is God’s rule.
Maybe this is our question today…
18Then He said, "What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it?
19It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches."
