Acts 3:1-10 – I Spy – Bible study

II. My observations: A. We need the Holy Ghost of God. 1. I do not mean to be disrespectful, but salvation was not all that was needed to empower these men. a. I know salvation is all that is needed for heaven, for forgiveness, and for fellowship with God. b. But these men could not do what they are doing when Jesus left. (1) They had been with Jesus 3 1/2 years. (2) They had seen and heard Jesus. (3) They had believed and trusted in Jesus. (4) But they still were not equipped to do this kind of service for God when Jesus left. 2. In fact, Jesus told them as much. Acts 1:4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. 3. We need to remember that there are three Members of the Godhead and they have divided their responsibilities among them. a. God is the Architect and Planner. b. Jesus is the Lamb, the High Priest, and the Judge. c. The Holy Ghost is the Connection between God and man and the Power of the Christian. (1) Without the presence and the filling of the Holy Ghost, we are missing what we need to do the service of God. (2) I do not necessarily think we need the laying on of hands to have the filling of the Holy Ghost. (a) They did not have the laying on of hands in either Acts 2 or 10. (b) But I do think we need to empty ourselves of Satan, sin, and self. (c) And I dont see it would hurt us any to ask Him to come and fill us. 4. Considering the shape the Christian, the church, and the country is in today, I believe we need the Holy Spirit of God! B. I believe the Holy Ghosts ministry is a ministry of helps. 1. The Holy Ghost helps the lost to be saved. a. Jesus has paid the price for our sins but people are not rushing to Him for salvation, are they? b. Why? Because the Holy Spirit has a work to do. (1) The Holy Spirit gives conviction. (2) The Holy Spirit gives understanding. (3) The Holy Spirit gives faith. (4) The Holy Spirit gives repentance. c. I am thinking He does those things not only for the lost person but for the saved as well. (1) They are not coming but then neither are we knocking the door down going. (2) If the Holy Spirit does not do a work on us, we will not go. (3) What work? It is the same work. (a) He must convict us. (b) He must give us understanding. (c) He must give us the faith to go. (d He must give us repentance or we wont go. 2. The Holy Ghost helps the sick to be healed. a. Some people wonder that I, a Baptist, believe in healing. Friend, what is the point in praying for the sick if I do not believe God is going to heal them? b. Understand that I do not believe in contemporary faith healers. (1) I do believe the Holy Ghost will give some people the gift of praying for healing. (2) I believe there are some in this church that are far more effective at praying for the sick than I. (3) But I do not believe that faith healing works like the faith healers on TV indicate. (a) It should be on the streets not in a church. (b) It should be everyone not just a few. (c) It has nothing to do with the faith of the sick, but the faith of the person praying. (d) There should be a few dead raised and a few hospitals emptied. c. Buy I do believe the Holy Ghost heals people today. In fact, if you are healed supernaturally by God, it will not be the person of Jesus Christ or the Father who does it, but it will be the Person of the Holy Ghost. Thats His role in this age. 3. The Holy Ghost helps the sad to rejoice. \#8\ a. It wouldnt hurt for the Holy Ghost to show up here. b. I dont think dentures will crack or filling will pop out if some people got a little happy in Holy Ghost. 4. The Holy Ghost helps the saved to find their purpose. a. Our purpose is to serve. b. How much better it would be if the preachers, the teachers, the prayer warriors, and helpers had a little bit more of the Holy Ghost of God. 5. The Holy Ghost helps the doubters to believe. a. \#10-11\ says the people gathered in wonder. b. Dont you know that after Peter and John healed that man, some doubters turned to Jesus Christ? C. This is the time of the Holy Ghosts ministry. 1. I know that the Bible says some gifts which are manifestations of the Holy Ghost will cease. 1Cor 13:8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 2. The Bible says some things will stop when the "perfect" thing comes. a. Three gifts are mentioned here as stopping. (1) tongues (2) prophesying (3) knowledge b. I believe these gifts have stopped because it seems to me that they did stop. c. That makes me think the perfect thing was the Word of God. 3. I cannot prove my views on these things, but whether I am correct about this or not, under no circumstances do I believe the Holy Ghost has resigned His work and stopped! a. If the Holy Ghost is going to stop empowering us, then Id have to believe that Jesus has stopped interceding for us. b. If the Holy Ghost is going to stop empowering us, then Id have to believe that the Father is going to quit working for us. 4. No friend, even if some of the manifestations of the Spirit have stopped, the work of the Holy Ghost continues on! D. The Holy Ghosts ministry in this age in primarily THROUGH the believer. 1. The Holy Ghost works as the devil has worked, cloaked and camouflaged. 3. Neither of them desire to draw attention to themselves, but they both work though human beings. a. If you look around, you will see the devil through the people he uses. b. And if you will look around, you should be able to see the Holy Ghost through the people He uses. I repeat, considering the condition of Christians, the church, and this country, we NEED the Holy Ghost! The title of the message is I Spy. One question. Are you seeing the Holy Ghost use you?