"Behold, I lay in Zion
A chief cornerstone, elect, precious,
And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.
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Lesson 19: Building the Temple of God Part 3:
The Doctrine of Baptisms Part 2: Baptism in the Spirit
Review
1. The disciple is an apprentice to Jesus, learning the principles of fruitful ministry, being corrected and trained to receive the right attitudes of mind and heart that will produce fruits of righteousness. The Father's object in training us is to bring us to spiritual maturity. (See Hebrews 5:12-14)
2. The first principle we must lay down in our lives, is to turn away from doing dead works and to direct our faith toward the Father who will reveal the daily walk with Him that is His plan for us. (See Jeremiah 29:11-13)
3. Walking with Him in new birth is separating from the world, demonstrated in the act of baptism in water. This is the symbol of the believer's union with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection. (See Romans 6:3-5)
In this lesson, we will see...
1. That the Lord promised another baptism, the baptism with the Holy Spirit;
2. That the Holy Spirit came in power at Pentecost;
3. The purposes of the baptism in the Holy Spirit;
4. The requirements for receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Our objective is...
to create the desire for intimacy with the Father through His Spirit so that we do nothing without Him.
Introduction
Hebrews 6:1-3 "Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits."
A. Promised before Pentecost
Matthew 3:11 "(John the Baptist) I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."
John foresaw the Baptism that Jesus would accomplish for the believer.
Acts 1:4-5 "And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."
The Baptism in the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost just as the disciples were released for service and ministry.
B. Fulfilled at Pentecost.
Acts 2:1-4 "When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."#
Pentecost is the Feast of the Lord called the Feast of Weeks (or, Shavuot, in Hebrew).
C. Signs of the Spirit's presence.
2 Corinthians 1:21, 22 "Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee."
Ephesians 1:13-14 "In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory."
The presence of the Spirit of God in the heart.
Matthew 12:34 "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks."
Acts 2:4 "And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."
A new way of speaking (in tongues) from the mouth.
D. Receiving the Holy Spirit
Acts 8:12-17 "But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done. Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit."
People of Samaria believed but had not received the Spirit of the Lord.
Acts 19:1-6 "And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" So they said to him, "We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit." And he said to them, "Into what then were you baptized?" So they said, "Into John's baptism." Then Paul said, "John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus." When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied."
People of Ephesus had responded to Apollos@ ministry but had not received the Holy Spirir.
E. The purpose of the baptism.
Acts 1:8 "But 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."
Empowerment from the Lord to be His witnesses.
Romans 15:18-19 "For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, to make the Gentiles obedient; in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ."
Effective ministry is accomplished through the power of the indwelling Spirit.
1 Corinthians 2:1-5 "And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God."
Paul's experience.
1 Corinthians 12:12-14 "For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body; whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free; and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many."
The Spirit will work differently in each believer who is open to Him.
F. Eight requirements for receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit
Acts 2:38 "Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
Repentance from the old life.
John 7:37-38 "On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."
Thirst for the Spirit.
Luke 11:13 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"
Ask for the Spirit.
Acts 8:14-15 "Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit."
Pray for the Spirit.
John 7:37 "On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink."
Drink, spiritually speaking.
Romans 6:13 "And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive God."
Present your body as a vessel for Him.
Malcolm Vine, Cornerstone Ministries. September 2004.
To contact the Bible School email: bibleschool@cornerstoneministries.org.uk
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