"That Day Is Today."

This sermon, "Jesus and the Holy Spirit," was one that came right in the middle of our Haiti response, but it's a key one you shouldn't miss. Preached out of Luke 4:14-21, it's the fifteenth part to our Luke sermon series (which we'll resume in January of the new year), and we re-released it this week on the podcast as part of our Best of mini-series. Here's Pastor Mark's closing exhortation and prayer from that sermon. Jesus was a world-class, Spirit-filled preacher of Scripture. At the beginning of his ministry, he traveled throughout the Galilean region, preaching in synagogues. When he preached in his hometown of Nazareth, he unrolled and read from the scroll of Isaiah; Jesus taught that he is the fulfillment of Scripture. He takes care of the poor, the captives, the blind, and the oppressed. Jesus is our riches, freedom, sight, and liberation. Two things I would say. Number one, if you are a Christian or become one, you have the Holy Spirit. So far we have seen that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit, that he was baptized in the Holy Spirit, that he was filled by the Holy Spirit, that he was led by the Holy Spirit. In this section we read that he was empowered by the Holy Spirit and here we say, Isaiah 61 has come true. The prophecy has been fulfilled, that the Spirit of the Lord is on him. That he is the second member of the Trinity empowered by the third member of the Trinity for the glory of the first member of the Trinity. And that if you are in Christ, you enjoy the same presence and power of God the Holy Spirit.

Today.

Number two, one of the words that just continually rang in my ears as I was preparing for this sermon is this: "today." Isn’t that amazing? The first word of Jesus’ sermon, "today." It’s not that you give your sins to Jesus someday. You give Jesus your sins today. You don’t commit yourself to regularly gathering with people in church "someday"—today. You don’t commit yourself to reading the scriptures as Jesus did "someday"—today. You don’t determine that "at some point in your future" you will overcome your addiction and your sin and your pride and your slavery and identity issues related to your sin or sins committed against you—that day is today. You don’t confess the deep dark secrets of your heart and your mind and your life someday—that day is today. And the Bible says, if today, this day, today, you hear his voice, please, for your soul, for your salvation, for your Joy, do not harden your heart. Do not harden your heart. Father God, I pray that we would seize today, that there would be a sense of urgency about us individually and corporately, that the Holy Spirit would stir and awaken in us a sense of sanctified discomfort.

We want to know more. We want to be more. We want to do more.

And so, Holy Spirit, we are confessing sin and unbelief and laziness.

For some of us, it is not studying. And for some of us, it is not serving. And for some of us, it is not caring. And for some of us, it is not trying. And for some of us, it is self-imposed slavery; we have picked gods other than you to rule over us. And for some of us, it is idolatry that has oppressed us and now we are in a terrible situation or at least we see it coming.

For some of us, it is poverty, not just righteous poverty, but we have been horrible stewards. We’ve not given to your cause. We’ve not helped those in need. We see images rolling in from Haiti and all of a sudden we realize who Jesus is talking about when he’s talking about the poor. He’s not talking about those of us who have to drive a used car and struggle with a slow internet connection. He’s talking about those of us who can’t find clean water and a place to sleep. We are blessed and spoiled and I pray, Lord God, that through the Holy Spirit this year we would become a more passionate, generous people. God, for some of us it is self-selected blindness.

You are right in front of us. Your Word is right in front of us. Your people are right in front of us. New life is right in front of us, and we close our eyes. And we’re not just blind; we’re foolish.

So, God, I pray that today would be a great day. I pray that today we would love Jesus. That today those who have been suffering but growing would be encouraged to continue. And those who have never met you would begin a whole new life and relationship with you. Holy Spirit we can do nothing; you can do anything. So we invite you to have your way with us, in Jesus’ good name, Amen.