God speaks to the local church by means of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The action does not stop here. God speaks not only to the corporate body as it is assembled, but to the individual members of the body who minister to one another, and eventually to those outside the church through the same method. God speaks to, and through the local church by means of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The total exciting diagram looks like this:
God speaks to, and through, the local church by means of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
We have too long avoided the specifics of the ministry of the Holy Spirit. We have dwelt on the fringe and majored in generalities. We all know that Christians are supposed to be “filled with” the Spirit, but our vague understanding has left us with an important frustration.
Most Christians live with defeat because they have not realized that at conversion the Holy Spirit comes to live within them. It is no wonder that the powerful impact of this truth has been overlooked, since in so few of our evangelistic efforts is the ministry of the Holy Spirit adequately emphasized.
I continually hear messages on conversion where the Holy Spirit is not even mentioned! This preaching implies that God is interested only in for giving the past so that the convert is fit for Heaven, while the present and the future are left in his own insufficient human hands. I have heard it said from pulpits that the single reason God allows us to remain on earth is to help other people experience the same awareness of forgiveness and assurance of eternity. This is a great perversion! Does God have no desire that man now experience, in and through His own Spirit, life that is truly filled with meaning and beauty?
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You can learn how to develop highly relevant Sunday sermons that grab the attention of your congregation and help your listeners respond effectively to the deep truths of God’s Word. David Mains and Mainstay Ministries have a whole range of helpful solutions. Do you need to prepare a Topical Sermon, an Advent Sermon, a Christmas Sermon, an Easter Sermon, a Sermon Series, or any other Sunday Sermon? You can find help on how to create better Bible Sermons and how to turn Sermon Ideas into Sermon Outlines, and then into effective, meaningful Sunday Sermons. Just click here to visit David Mains’ website.
For so many of us, the Christmas celebration can be a mile wide and an inch deep. We tire ourselves with an ever-growing list of gifts to buy, activities to complete, and traditions to uphold. And through a maze of cards and calls, outreach and entertainment, we struggle to connect with others in meaningful ways. Our intentions are sincere, but often trivial. When we look back on the season, we’re often left feeling like our holidays somehow lost the Christ in Christmas, and only touched the surface.
Every pastor needs resources to help him or her find appropriate Sermons for Advent and Sermons for Christmas. With Christmas Sermon resources from Mainstay Ministries, you can help your congregation season their Christmas traditions with the flavor of Christ. More than simply helping them to remember that “Jesus is the reason for the season,” you can encourage people to focus on Christ in the very traditions that have become part of our celebration of Christmas: decorating our homes, conveying Christmas greetings, giving and receiving gifts, gathering with family and friends, entering the new year with goals. Click here to see a list of special Christmas Sermon Packages available.
Looking forward to Christmas? Looking for key Sermon Ideas? Wondering what to preach throughout the Christmas Season? Searching for help in preparing for your Sermons on Christmas Day? In addition to the above special offer, Mainstay Ministries has many valuable resources filled with Christmas Sermon Ideas to help you plan for your Christmas preaching and for such Sunday Sermons, including resources for the following: Advent Celebrations, Advent Sermon, Advent Sermon Series, Advent Sunday Sermons, Christmas Advent Sermons, Christmas Sermon, and Christmas Sermon Series. Connect with us on-line by clicking here.
