Sermon Central
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Foundational Truth 3 (Wk. 4) Series
Contributed by Dan Cormie on Nov 3, 2008 (message contributor)
Summary: A look at the foundational truths of the Christian faith which must be wholly understood before believers can move on to maturity in Christ. This one focuses on "Holy Spirit baptism".
Dakota Community Church
November 2, 2008
Foundational Truth 3
(Week 4)
Introduction and review:
To date in this series we have covered:
Christians are to grow up spiritually.
Repentance from acts that lead to death.
Faith in God.
Water baptism
Let’s resume our study of foundational truth by reading Hebrews 5:11 – 6:3
We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so.
This week we are going to focus on gaining a solid understanding of:
Baptism in the Holy Spirit
The infilling at salvation and the baptism are not the same thing.
Christians are supposed to be filled with the Spirit.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
Trees do not work at producing fruit and a man cannot crucify himself. You keep in step with the Spirit by faith in Christ.
The fruit is not for the tree to enjoy, the fruit is for the benefit of others
I have always been puzzled by the fruit of self-control; it doesn’t make sense for it to be called fruit if it is a self issue.
I need more self control, I need to eat healthier, I need to exercise more; but these would be fruit that benefits me. The fruit of the Spirit of self control is for my neighbor… and I am not working at producing it. On the day when I stand before God I will find out when others benefitted from the fruit of the Spirit in my life.
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
"Then the King will say to those on his right, ’Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
"Then the righteous will answer him, ’Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
"The King will reply, ’I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’
"Then he will say to those on his left, ’Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
"They also will answer, ’Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
"He will reply, ’I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
