Pastor Dave Martin     Cross Creek Community Church       May 30, 2010

Memorial Day weekend… Remember, “Freedom isn’t Free”…

How can we forget? As we observe the Memorial Day holiday each year, I am reminded of the price that was paid and the sacrifices that were made for the freedoms we enjoy, and of the legacy that calls us to liberty and justice for all… Is America dying within?  What’s happening to our individual freedoms???   

Thomas Jefferson said, “When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; but when the government fears the people, there is liberty”. We the people must be heard… In America today we must renew our commitment, to stand and be engaged in the political process… or we may soon wake up to Socialism rather than liberty… Thank God for those who have served protecting our Freedoms… George Orwell said, “Good people sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.”  The cost of Freedom is enormous; we must not allow our freedoms and liberty to slip away because of complacency with inept politicians…

This Memorial Day pause to pray for America and her leaders and to remember those who have served and who have given their lives for our freedoms…

Through the years, Cathy and I walked around many battlefields and military cemeteries…  Great Civil War, between the North and the South, the battle of Antietam… It was very moving, near Sharpsburg we walked down an old country lane… called sunken lane between some sprawling fields where on September 17, 1862, when Gen. Robert E. Lee's first invasion of the North resulted in more than 23,000 men dead, wounded or missing.   The battle of Antietam became known as the single bloodiest day in our nation's military history.  For that old country lane witnessed human devastation… with blood of thousands of soldiers running down a road that would later become known as “Bloody Lane” from the 4 hour battle…

I can never hope to imagine the courage of nearly 156,000 men who stormed the beaches of Normandy as enemy artillery fire cruelly bore down on them on that fateful day - June 6, 1944.  When the D-Day invasion had concluded, the Allied Forces had sustained nearly 10,000 casualties, with more than 4,000 men dead.  However, because of the incomprehensible gallantry and sacrifice of the Allied Forces, the German Nazi stronghold in France had been ruptured… Allied forces went on to victory defeating Nazi Germany…

We could speak of the Korean War, Vietnam, Somalia, Bosnia, Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom, Afghanistan… Today’s ongoing “new kind of War” on radical Muslim Terrorism (not enemy combatants/insurgents)… a false satanic ideology/religion that seeks to kill every Jew and Christian in their Jihadist (un)holy war… Can we fight terrorist with rhetoric, apologies or empty sounding words… I think not… Ronald Regan’s “peace through strength - not weakness”… America stands in need of prayer like no other time in history

The sacrifice of so many, fighting the enemy abroad… now we must fight in the ballot box… May God bless America, May God bless those who gave their very lives for the freedoms we enjoy… Freedom isn’t Free…

At this time I would like to remember those who served this great land…

No matter what branch of service you have served in… Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Reserves, Nat’l Guard… Would you please stand… thank you! 

Let’s all stand with them as we pledge allegiance to the flag… America

Beyond Conversion

“The Wonderful Spirit Filled Life”  Part 5

2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

• Let me begin by saying, the Holy Spirit is God. He is not an "it." He is not a divine influence.
• He is not a fleecy white cloud. He is not a ghost nor is He a concept. He is a person possessing a will, intellect and emotions. He is God - with all the attributes of deity. He is the third person of the Trinity – He is co-equal with God the Father and God the Son.
• There is only one God, but He manifests Himself in three persons, whom we call the Trinity.

The Holy Spirit…   

Spiritually Converts Our Soul… The Greatest Freedom

John 3:6-8 ⁶ Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. ⁷ You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' ⁸ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."

Saturates Every Aspect of Our Lives… The Spirit Filled Life

John 15:5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

• He convicts/convinces of sin (Tugs/pricks the heart till knows he is guilty… convinced the fact is true)

 John 16:8 ⁸ And when he (Holy Spirit) comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. nlt

John 16:8-11 ⁸ And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. ⁹ The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me. ¹⁰ Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. ¹¹ Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged.

• He produces Salvation through faith (not know how wind works… but see the effects of His working)

John 3:8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."

• He sets us free from sin and death (power of God’s Spirit… not judged as a sinner, safe/secure forever)

Romans 8:1-2 ¹ Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, ² because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.

• He baptizes us into the body of Christ (all who believe at the moment of salvation spiritually baptized)

1 Corinthians 12:13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

• He (God the Holy Spirit) Indwells every Believer (He lives/tabernacles in you - Jn 1:14, body is temple)

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ¹⁹ Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; ²⁰ you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.  

Romans 8:9 You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.

•  He secures us eternally (Permanent - for absolutely EVERY believer FOREVER… pleads our case…)

John 14:16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor (Holy Spirit) to be with you forever—

• He teaches and guides into all truth (Truth is Jesus… Spirit leads people to Jesus… author of scripture)

John 16:13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come 

John 14:26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

• He brings glory to Christ, not Himself (Jesus glorified the Father, Spirit glorifies only Jesus…)

John 16:14 He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.

• He assures us of the reality of our salvation (The fact that we are His “born ones” by the new birth)

Romans 8:16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. (heirs/co-heirs…)

• He adopts us into God’s family (We are “placed as a son”, adopted -  same privilege as natural born)

Romans 8:15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."

Romans 8:23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

• He helps us to pray (Not tongues/prayer language… a continual help… inward groaning/heavy load)

Romans 8:26-27 ²⁶ In the same way, the Spirit helps (us in – not in Gk) our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. ²⁷ And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.

• He Imparts Spiritual Gifts (wisdom, faith. Teaching, helps, administration, evangelism, serving, giving…)

1 Corinthians 12:11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them (gifts) to each one, just as he determines.

• He produces spiritual fruit (We must abide in the Vine… in ourselves it’s impossible, do nothing “0”)

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

• He seals us and guarantee’s our future (this is a big deal, whether you are aware or not)

Identification, I’m a saint, a child of God

Protection, I’m God’s property don’t mess with me (Rom 13:12 “Put on the armor of light”)

Confirmation, what God begins He will complete, a down payment which obligates the payer to make further payments – redemption/heavenly home)

2 Corinthians 1:22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.  

Ephesians 1:13-14 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴ who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory.     

• He empowers us to make an eternal difference (Lives changed forever, eternal destiny… abide in Him)

Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

• He warns of danger & leads us (God’s providential guidance through life… speaks with still small voice)

Acts 20:22-23 ²² "And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. ²³ I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me.

• He restrains wickedness and evil (Through Christians in who He indwells… being salt/light in the world)

2 Thessalonians 2:7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he (Holy Spirit/church raptured) is taken out of the way.

• He emboldens us to stand strong for God (Gives us words to speak with His authority… teaching, etc)

Acts 6:10 but they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.

Acts 9:31 Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.

• He graces us with skill, ability & knowledge (are you using your God given talents and abilities?)

Exodus 31:3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts—

• He opens our access to the Father (admission, approach… Jew or Gentile, we can approach Holy God)

Ephesians 2:18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

• There is so much more… I pray our hearts become more sensitive to the Holy Spirit of God…
• Knowing and understanding the Holy Spirit’s ministry working in every believer is vital…
• Blows away our excuses not to serve or refusal to “get involved” teaching children or nursery…

Sadly He Can Be…

• Resisted – Opposition to God’s perfect plan (deliberately oppose, actively struggle/fight against God

Acts 7:51 "You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit!

• Grieved – Occupation with sin and the world (To pain, offend, sadden Him… impure thots/things…)

Ephesians 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

• Quenched – Oppressed with resistance and disobedience (Stifle, snuff out… neglect, procrast, self)

1 Thessalonians 5:19 Do not put out the Spirit's fire;

God’s Remedy… Be Broken, Surrendered and Clean

Isaiah 66:2 “…This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.” (Ps 51:10; Rom 12:1; Jn 17:17; Isa 57:15; etc…)

• People up in Springville (above Tunkhannock)… sitting on largest producing natural gas well in world!
• All of heavens resources is waiting for you to begin living the wonderful Spirit filled life

This Memorial Day, Remember!    Let’s Pray