Sunday July 22, 2007

The Refining Work of the Holy Spirit
Matthew 3:1-6, 11-12

I. Introduction

Last week we began to look at different symbols that are associated with the Holy Spirit.

God has done this to give us a better understanding of who He is as He manifests Himself through the Holy Spirit.

The first symbol we looked at was:

A. Water

“On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, 38 and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, 'Out of the believer's heart shall flow rivers of living water.'’ 39 Now he said this about the Spirit, which believers in him were to receive; for as yet there was no Spirit, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” (John 7:37-39, NRSV)

What is so significant about water?

1. Water is essential to life.

2. Water transforms whatever it touches.

David Yarborough tells the story from one of Max Lucado’s books of a lady who had a small house on the seashore of Ireland at the turn of the century who was quite wealthy but also quite frugal. The people were surprised, then, when she decided to be among the first to have electricity in her home.

Several weeks after the installation, a meter reader appeared at her door. He asked if her electricity was working well, and she assured him it was. "I’m wondering if you can explain something to me," he said. "Your meter shows scarcely any usage. Are you using your power?" "Certainly," she answered. "Each evening when the sun sets, I turn on my lights just long enough to light my candles; then I turn them off."

Yarborough goes on to say, “She tapped into the power but did not use it. Her house is connected but not altered. Don’t we make the same mistake? We, too - with our souls saved but our hearts unchanged - are connected but not altered. Trusting Christ for salvation but resisting transformation. We occasionally flip the switch, but most of the time we settle for shadows.

3. Water cleanses.

4. Water is essential to fruitfulness.

II. Symbols of the Spirit

B. Fire

“I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not
worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Matthew 3:11, NRSV)

Baptism with the Holy Spirit is not one thing and baptism with fire another, but the former is the reality of which the latter
is the symbol.

Biblical literature, especially poetry, is filled with instances where “and” does not symbolize two distinct thoughts, but ties together two similar thoughts. Often the second phrase is used to emphasize the first phrase.

“The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.” (Psalm 19:1, NRSV)

Listen to Acts 2:

“On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. 2 Suddenly, there was a sound
from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. 3 Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. 4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.”
(Acts 2:1-4, NLT)

The Holy Spirit comes like fire!

However, A U.S. Lutheran bishop tells of visiting a parish church in California and finding a stirring red and orange banner on the wall. “Come Holy Spirit. Hallelujah!” it declared in words printed under a picture of a fire burning. The bishop was also interested in the sign directly underneath the banner which said: “Fire extinguisher.”

Fire can be a fearful thing and we are sorely tempted to put out the fire of God.

We may feel that things are getting out of control, or we are feeling the heat and it is getting to hot!

Whether we are comfortable with this or not, the reality is that “Our God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:29)

But fire is not just scary – p it can be a great source of comfort – providing light when it is dark or warmth when it is cold.

What is the significance of fire?

1. Fire purifies.

“For he will be like a blazing fire that refines metal, or like a strong soap that bleaches clothes. 3 He will sit like
a refiner of silver, burning away the dross. He will purify the Levites, refining them like gold and silver, so that they may once again offer acceptable sacrifices to the Lord.” (Malachi 3:2-3, NLT)

When a precious metal is being purified, how is that done? It is heated up to the point where it melts. When it melts, the dross or slag – the impurities, rise to the top and are skimmed off leaving a more pure form of the metal. It is allowed to cool and then the process happens again.

Isaiah expresses this idea when he speaks on behalf of the Lord saying:

“I will melt you down and skim off your slag. I will remove all your impurities. 26 Then I will give you good
judges again and wise counselors like you used to have. Then Jerusalem will again be called the Home of Justice and the Faithful City.” (Isaiah 1:25-26, NLT)

But remember God is doing this BECAUSE you are precious in His sight! You are that precious metal.

“And I will…refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on my name, and I
will answer them. I will say, ‘They are my people;’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.’”
(Zechariah 13:9, NRSV)

The Spirit produces holiness in heart and character.

You have a decision – you can be baptized in fire or you can be consumed by it.

“This is the second death, the lake of fire; 15 and anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:14-15, NRSV)

2. Fire helps us to see.

“The Lord went in front of them in a pillar of cloud by day, to lead them along the way, and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light, so that they might travel by day and by night.” (Exodus 13:21, NRSV)

This may not be a direct reference to the Holy Spirit (although it could be), but it does speak clearly of the role of fire as
an illuminator.

When I am camping it becomes utterly dark – do you know what gives me great comfort at night in the wilderness? A campfire.

Light pushes back the darkness and helps us to see more clearly.

Do you need guidance or wisdom? Are you uncertain of things? Then begin to ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes and help you to see.

“…these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:10-11, NRSV)

The primary tool of revelation that the Holy Spirit uses is the Word of God as expressed in the Bible.

And what does the psalmist say?

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105, NRSV)

But to truly understand the Word so that it provides light and guidance, you need the Holy Spirit. Turn in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians 2:12-16.

“Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand
the gifts bestowed on us by God. 13 And we speak of these things in words not taught by human wisdom but
taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual things to those who are spiritual. Those who are unspiritual do not receive the gifts of God's Spirit, for they are foolishness to them, and they are unable to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 15 Those who are spiritual discern all things, and they are themselves subject to no one else's scrutiny. 16 ‘For who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?’ But we have the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:12-16, NRSV)

3. Fire provides warmth.

Fire gives warmth. It comes to kindle in our souls a blaze of enthusiastic love for God, melting all the icy hardness of the heart.

I have spent many evenings out camping or backpacking and one of the joys of being out in the wilderness is the campfire.

There is nothing like getting up on a cold crisp morning in the mountains and getting the fire started.

There have been times when I am out with the Boys Scouts of Troop 49 that I will get up and build a fire.

Where do you think those boys go when they decide to crawl out of their tents? They come and gather around the fire.

A heart that has grown cold toward God is a heart that has moved away from the warming influence of the Holy Spirit.

But I also believe this warming of our hearts will attract others who are suffering from the coldness of this world to be drawn to the fire that is burning in our hearts.

Another thing about a campfire is that you have to keep adding fuel to the fire or it will go out.

I see two applications here: First, for us personally. What is the fuel that we add to keep the fire of the Spirit burning in
our hearts?

The Word, prayer, fellowship, worship, outreach, service, etc.

Second, as a group, I believe that if we do not continually add new people to the congregation we will eventually burn
out and die.

You see, my desire as your pastor and my hope for the leaders of the church is that we would be that white hot center
of the fire – we would be burning so hot for the Lord that when new pieces of wood come near the fire they too would
be ignited and set aflame for God.

Eventually, the white hot wood turns into ashes, and it is the new wood that burns bright hot and is at the center of the fire.

But I have watched even the hottest fire burn itself out and eventually go out completely when no new wood is added.

Many a church door has closed because no new wood was added to the fire.

III. Application

The poet William Blake wrote a poem about Pentecost. Part of the poem says: Unless the eye catch fire, God will not be seen. Unless the ear catch fire, God will not be heard. Unless the tongue catch fire, God will not be named. Unless the
heart catch fire, God will not be loved. Unless the mind catch fire, God will not be known.
We need the fire of the Holy Spirit!

Do you need to experience the cleansing, refining work of the Spirit?

Do you need guidance or to see God more clearly?

Does your heart need to be warmed anew by the Spirit?

Come and receive all that the Holy Spirit has for you today.