Humanity Redeemed | Week 1

Week One – The Upper Room

"When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me, and you have been with Me from the beginning." John 15:26-27

Jesus warned His followers that they would be persecuted, cast out of the synagogues, and even put to death as a service to God.

“He gives them a reason why he alarmed them thus with the expectation of trouble: These things have I spoken unto you, that you should not be offended, or scandalized, v. 1. 1. The disciples of Christ are apt to be offended at the cross; and the offence of the cross is a dangerous temptation, even to good men, to turn back from the ways of God, or turn aside out of them, or drive on heavily in them; to quit either their integrity or their comfort” (Matthew Henry’s Commentary).

“They were big with hopes of their Master’s external kingdom and glory, and that they should shine and reign with him: and now, instead of that, to hear of nothing but bonds and afflictions, this filled them with sorrow. Nothing is a greater prejudice to our joy in God than the love of the world; and the sorrow of the world, the consequence of it”(Matthew Henry’s Commentary).

I. Holy Spirit – The Third Person of the Godhead

• Genesis 1: 2 – Creation
• John 1:28-34 – Jesus’ Baptism
• Matthew 28:19 – The Great Commission
• 2 Corinthian 13:14 – The Trinity

II. Holy Spirit – Helper

Paracletos – “legal assistant, advocate; one who helps by consoling, encouraging or mediating on behalf of”

“The divine is first known by faith, as we continue to believe, we will feel and see as well” (Andrew Murray, The Indwelling Spirit, p. 76).

III. Holy Spirit - Giver of Gifts

• Romans 12:6-8
• 1 Corinthians 12:8-11

IV. God’s Command – Be filled with the Spirit

• Ephesians 5:18-19
• 2 Thessalonians 1:19
• Ephesians 4:29-32

“A living obedience is indispensable to the full experience of the indwelling: the full experience of the indwelling is what a loving obedience may claim” (Andrew Murray, The Indwelling Spirit, p. 68).

V. Bear the Fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5:22-23

VI. The Spirit-filled Life – The Crucified Life

Galatians 2:20
We are a trichotomy – Spirit, Soul and Body.

Strange to say, many are still treasuring the alabaster box, thinking that its value exceeds that of the ointment. Many think that their outward man is more precious than their inward man...However, we are not antique collectors; we are not vase admirers; we are those who desire to smell only the fragrance of the ointment. Without the breaking of the outward, the inward will not come forth. Thus, individually we have no flowing out, but also the church does not have a living way. Why then should we hold ourselves as so precious, if our outward contains instead of releases the fragrance? So the Treasure is in the earthen vessel, but if the earthen vessel is not broken, who can see the Treasure within? (Watchman Nee, The Release of the Spirit, p. 12-13).

1 Thessalonians 5:23 – Spirit, Soul and Body preserved complete

"Trust and obey, for there’s no other way, To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey."