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Transcript

Good morning, brethren.

It’s wonderful to see you all on this day of Pentecost, this high day. Today is an answered prayer. Today, you could say, the most important prayer that was ever given was answered. Let’s go to John seventeen. Often, we go here to John seventeen during the Passover service. We study it beforehand. We reviewed it during the service. But here Christ is praying to the Father. He is praying on the evening or the night before He’s crucified. You could make a case it is the most important prayer that Christ ever prayed.

The most important words that he ever uttered to the Father, to the Creator. We’re going to be in verse twenty. We’ll read to verse twenty-two. “Neither pray I these... for these alone...” referring to the disciples, “... but for them also which shall receive on me through their word.” So, all the others down through the ages, you can say in that verse alone, down through the ages, down to you and I today. Christ wasn’t just praying for the disciples; he was praying for you and me.

Verse twenty-one, “That they all may be one; as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that you have sent me.”

Verse twenty-two, “And the glory which you have given me...” so the glory that the Father gave Christ, “... I have given them,” Christ gives to us, “... that they may be one, even as we are.” So here, a prayer of Christ just before he was crucified. He prays that we are one with Christ as Christ is with the Father. We are one with each other as Christ and God are one with one another.

How was this prayer answered or began to be answered on the day of Pentecost? How was that prayer, that request, begun to be fulfilled? Let’s go to Acts two. We’re all familiar with Acts two being the day of Pentecost, the first, the start of the Church and the New Testament era. Let’s begin reading. We’ll read... we won’t read the entire chapter, but just to get a sense of the chapter, sense of the day, a sense of we’re beginning to answer a question. How was that prayer answered? And it’ll develop further than just that alone.

But here in Acts two and verse one, “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord and in one place.” We’ll come back to that scripture and how it ties into our topic here. “And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as a rushing and mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues, like as a fire, and sat upon each of them. And they were filled with the Holy Ghost...” the Holy Spirit, “... and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

One of the things that I try and want to relate to you to try, let’s try and put ourselves there. Let’s try and put ourselves in that room. Or, if you read further on, imagine we are one of the Jews that is coming that day to the Temple Mount, that is coming that day to give their offering as they would on the day of Pentecost, and they have traveled from all over. Imagine you’re one from Athens, from Greece, maybe you’re one from Rome, or another from Egypt. Put yourself there. Make the picture come alive, make the day come alive.

Imagine you were one of those pilgrims and you heard the disciples speaking and the disciples speaking in your tongue. Imagine seeing that miracle. How would that move you? How is... how does that move you today? As you put your mind and throughout the rest of this chapter, try and put yourself there. What would that have been like? How exciting it would have been there as a Jew, as what you may have been taught, keeping the Sabbath as best you can, as they did. You’d be wondering what’s been going on. You’d be wondering what is happening on this day.

What is God going to do? What is God about to do? We’re talking about God is about to begin to answer a prayer of Christ’s. Let’s go to verse twenty-one. We’ll get to a point here. “And it shall come to pass, that whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” And that is in the middle of Peter’s sermon. And he goes through a few other things. And I want to jump down to verse thirty-six at the end of his sermon. So, he explains what is happening. He explains what is happening that day and what has happened recently with Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection.

And in verse thirty-six, “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God has made that same Jesus, whom you have crucified, both Lord and Christ.” That’s the conclusion of his sermon. And in my Bible, have mentioned to me many years ago, to scratch out you, put your name there. So, when you read this on your own time, you read it today, imagine your name being said there. “Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly...” we are the spiritual house of Israel, “... that God has made that same Jesus, whom you...” my name, Ryan Denee, “... have crucified.”

Put your name there. How that, going into the next verse, “Now when they heard this...” all those that were there, all those that heard it in their own mother tongue, heard that miracle, heard the truth, they were cut to the quick. They weren’t just pricked, as it is translated. They were... It wasn’t just a little needle to their heart. They were cut to the quick. They were cut to the bone. They were cut to the heart. “... and they said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, men and brethren, what shall we do?

And then Peter said unto them, repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” So here, the beginning of the answering of Christ’s prayer is the receiving of the Holy Spirit. Being... repenting, being baptized, and receiving the Holy Spirit. “For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are far off.” I’m going to read this verse, because it’s all that are far off. All that are far off in the future from that point in time, that’s you and I. The promises to us.

And as many as the Lord shall call, that we can repent, be baptized, receive the Holy Spirit. And we’re going to learn today, we’re going to be reminded today that by receiving the Holy Spirit and that happening on the day of Pentecost, allowed for Christ’s prayer, for us to be one with Christ and one with the Father, to begin to be fulfilled. The importance, we’ll learn the importance of being one; of being in unity as Christ and the Father are, as we are, and we should be in the Church. And how we must strive to have unity and be one in our lives. and how it applies to the future, and how it will happen in the future.

Let’s learn a little bit more, be reminded a little bit more about God and Christ and how they are one. They set the standard. They set the bar, as you could say. They put the goal in front of us of what we all want to attain among ourselves, and most importantly, with our elder brother and with the father. Let’s go to John ten and verse thirty. A simple verse, simple set of words, John ten and verse thirty. Just six words. Christ is stating here, he’s being challenged by the Jews, this regularly happened, “I and my Father are one.” Simple. God, Christ, they’re one.

What is that one? How can that one be defined? They’re one in essence, they’re one in nature, and not just in agreement. They’re unified in purpose and in nature and will. They are so one in some ways, it’s hard to know who’s who unless God’s word shows us. They are one and the same. Let’s go to John six and verse thirty-eight. Just what was Christ doing when he was on the earth? Two beings, two God beings. Two God beings that have the same capacity, the same abilities. Yes, one is the Father, and one is the Son. Yes, two different roles, but they have the same will.

They do everything in agreement and together. They have the same purpose. John six and verse thirty-eight, “For I come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the will that the Father has sent me, that which He has given me I should lose nothing, but should raise them up in the last day. But this is the will the Father has sent me, to do the Father’s will.” The two of them are one in all that they do, in all purpose. Let’s go to John fourteen. Can you imagine what that would be like? It’s interesting.

We were in John seventeen, and here we tie into a related point of a prayer being answered. But God... Christ still had to ask God in prayer for the Holy Spirit, for us to be one as they are. They’re two beings that are perfectly one together. You could imagine, why would they... why would Christ have to ask God to do something if their will is already perfectly together? Of course, there’s communication. There is back and forward between the two, between those two amazing beings. They talk to each other. There’s requests to one another.

They’re not so one that they’re... In a sense, they don’t need to. Of course, they do. But here in John fourteen, start in verse twenty, “At that day you shall know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you.” At that day. Just want to stretch a little bit, maybe speculate, was Christ referring to at that day here? This is the day of Pentecost. It can refer to other days as well. But, “At that day you shall know that I am the Father, and you in me, and I in you.” So, for all of us to be one together, and why do I say that? Let’s go up to verse sixteen.

Here, another prayer answered. This prayer wasn’t necessarily recorded. The request was. And in another sense, we’re reading God’s word, reading God’s Bible. You could say you see prophecy being fulfilled here, as in verse sixteen. And this is what I mean, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter...” he’s referring to the Holy Spirit, “... that he may... that he or it may abide with you forever.” That the Holy Spirit may be with you forever. And in verse twenty, “And at that day you shall know that I am in the Father, you in me, and I in you.”

We know from Acts that we read, and so we receive the Holy Spirit, and we’ll learn. Having the Holy Spirit will help us to be one with God. Christ requested the Holy Spirit be sent. That was days, many days, before Pentecost being fulfilled. In a sense, Christ was looking to the future. Christ was prophesying that that would happen, and it happened. It, in a sense, also proves, not the point of the message at all, but it’s interesting, it proves the authority of the Bible that we read as we see Christ’s words, Christ’s requests being fulfilled at a future time.

All of us who are baptized and have God’s Holy Spirit we’re part of that fulfillment. We’re part of a fulfillment of seeing the Bible come alive in our lives today. On this day, you can say, it may be a little bit of a stretch of mind, but “At that day...” on that day of Pentecost, “... you will see that I am in the Father, and you in me, and I in you.” To see that fulfilled and to be a part of that today. The point, more here, to see how close together God and the... God and Christ are. They’re one, in one purpose, in one nature, in one, in completeness.

Now, let’s learn and review the Church is unified in one body. God and Christ are one, and we are in the Church. It’s important to know how Christ’s requests and Christ’s prayer of all of us to be one, how does that relate to the Church? How does it relate to us? How... What can we learn from that and apply? Let’s go to Acts two and verse one. I mentioned we’d come back here, come back to this chapter a few times. But Acts two and verse one. As Christ’s prayer was that we are to be one, how did the day start? How did Pentecost start? I know we just read it, but let’s read it again.

“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord and in one place.” So, all of God’s disciples, at that time, they started the day out in the same place together. One accord, in agreement, doing things together, fellowshipping together, waiting at that point, just at the beginning of the chapter, the beginning of the day, waiting for the Holy Spirit to be given on Pentecost. They were there together. Now let’s go to verse forty-six. Just the day the Church started. How did the day end? Actually, let’s begin reading in verse forty-four.

So, they started in one accord in one place, the Church, the disciples that were gathered together, the few that were still there waiting and believing on God’s Word to be fulfilled that day. And in verse forty-four, “And all that believed were together, and had all things in common.” So, they were together. All that believed. At the end of that day, after the three thousand were baptized, all that believed, they were together. They were one. “And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, and every man as every man had need.”

Verse forty-six, “And they, continued... continuing daily with one accord in the temple, breaking bread from house to house, to eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the Church such as should be saved.” Really, verse forty-six, again, they end the day breaking bread in one accord together. Setting the example for us, setting the example that we do follow every time we’re together, breaking bread, fellowshipping, enjoying one another’s company, and growing together, most importantly.

Let’s learn... let’s go to Galatians three and verse twenty-eight so we paint a picture of the Church being unified and in one body. Galatians three and verse twenty-eight. I have a little bit of fun with this verse. In verse twenty-eight of Galatians three, “There’s neither Jew nor Greek, there’s neither bond nor free, there’s neither male nor female: for you all are one in Christ Jesus.” So again, explaining what the Church is like, what the Church should be, there’s neither Jew nor Greek. So, take a little, maybe, a freer translation, a more modern translation, just in the day and the age that we live in.

It strikes me what this verse says, but what would we say today? How would we write the verse if we were writing the verse to explain what the Church is like, what you and I are like, what you and I should strive to be? We’re no Republican, no Democrat, no liberal, no conservative, no MAGA, no Progressive. How long would the list be? All of that we leave behind. All of that we leave out. All of that we put away. There’s no Greek. There’s no Jew. There’s no bond. There’s no free. There’s no male. There’s no female. For you’re all one in Jesus Christ.

We’re all one in the Church. All those things are set aside. In the age, in the society we live in, all those things can so easily creep into our minds, creep into our thoughts. But this is how God wants us to be one, and one in the body. Having a little fun with the words, and how maybe a free modern translation might read it as. Let’s go to First Corinthians Twelve. First Corinthians twelve, and we’ll begin reading in verse twelve in Pentecost. It pictures the start of the Church. It’s like the anniversary of when the Church began, when the Holy Spirit was given.

Sometimes, I think some do, and this is not at all; bad practice at all. When it comes to a country’s anniversary, or July Fourth, people will think of or think about the Constitution. I was studying this chapter, it reminded me a little bit, it’s kind of reading about the Constitution of the Church. How are we constituted? How are we put together? The entirety of the chapter. We’ll read parts of it or most of it, but it is, Pentecost truly is the anniversary of God’s Church. And how is God’s Church put together? How are we all one body and unified in the Church?

Unified ultimately in God and Christ. Verse twelve of First Corinthians twelve, verse twelve. “And for as the one... the body is one, and has many members, and all members of that one body, being many, our one body: also... so also in Christ.” In Christ and in the Father. “For by one Spirit...” the Spirit that was given on this day, “... are we all baptized into one body...” So, without that one Spirit, without that one Spirit being given on the day of Pentecost, we cannot be baptized all into one body. How that prayer was answered.

“Whether we are... be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free...” no matter where we’re from, no matter where we come from, “... and all have been made to drink into the one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many.” Let’s actually continue reading. “If the foot shall say, because I am not the hand, I am not of the body...” he’s giving the example here. We’re all different. We all have different roles. We all have different places in the body. We all have different responsibilities. But here, Paul, inspired by God, gives this analogy. Analogy that we all closely understand.

Parts of our body all have very important duties and roles, and without it, we wouldn’t function very well ourselves. See how this applies to us, and applies to how the Church is, and how it is constituted. “... it is therefore not of the body?” At the end of verse fifteen, “And if the ear shall say, because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; it is therefore not of the body?” Can you just imagine, just for a moment, that your ears said, “I don’t want to hear anymore. I want to be an eye”? Just imagine, how would that work?

How would that work if the nerves in your head got confused and said, “You know what? No, the ear is now going to see, and the eye is going to hear?” Like, we would not function very, very well. Just apply that to all of us, where we are. It is a great blessing that we’re called into God’s Church. It is an unbelievable blessing, but we’re in a particular spot. God, Christ, placed us there. And we should be amazed at the place that God puts us. Verse seventeen, “If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole body were the hearing, where is the smelling?

But now has God set the members, every one of them…” set the members, set you and I, every one of them, “... in the body, as it has pleased him.” As it has pleased God. As it pleased God, the Father and Christ, that’s where we’re placed. “And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, but yet but one body.” We’re many members, we’re many members in this room, we’re many members around the world. All around the world, brethren are keeping the day of Pentecost today. And they’re keeping it as one body, as one purpose.

“And I cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of you: nor again can the head to the feet, I have no need of you.” Again, just painting the picture of what we are. “Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body, which we think be less honorable, upon those we should bestow more abundant honor; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God has tempered the body... has... for God.”

No matter what the parts are, no matter what our roles are, no matter who we are, where we’ve come from, or our abilities, our capabilities, no matter what, how great they are, how small they are, God says, for... but God has tempered the body together. He’s put the body together. He has placed the body together. Tempered, I think of tempering steel, welding steel. Putting steel out together, getting the impurities out. God put us that closely together. “Having given more abundant honor to the... to that part which lacked: that there should be no schism in the body; but the members should have the same care one for another.”

So, there’s no gap in the body, there’s no gap between us. Again, we’re talking about this morning, how the Church should be one, as God and Christ are one. There’s no gap between us; there’s no gap between any one of us. “And whether one member suffer, all members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all members rejoice with it.” And don’t we see that together? This is a truly heartwarming verse because we see this in practice. When one of us suffers, we all suffer together. We all pray together. We all support one another together.

We all be in contact with one another to hold each other’s hands up. And, of course, we also, when one is honored, we all rejoice together. When we see growth, when we see blessings, we see that in some ways regularly and daily, both sides of that. That’s who we are. “Now you are the body of Christ, and members in particular. And God has set some...” I’m just going through the structure, reading in a sense, reading the constitution of the Church, “... God has set some in the Church, first apostles, secondary prophets, thirdly teachers, and after that miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.”

And then it just goes, “Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?” No, not everyone does everything. We all have our particular place. “But covet earnestly the best gifts: yet show unto you a more excellent way.” What is interesting, just to list in verse twenty-eight, it starts, of course, first apostles. But it has a little word there, helps. How big can a help be? A little thing, a little benefit for one of us when we are to help one another. How small can those things be?

Yet they’re listed here, amongst other things, amongst the apostles, the prophets, the teachers, the miracles, healings, helps. How small can a help be? How little can that be? All the parts of the body. And as we read, “Now we are members of the body of Christ,” in verse twenty-seven. What a picture that shows us. Shows us how we all are to be. How the expansion of Christ’s requests with us, with God, with God the Father and him, and how we are to be.

Let’s go to Ephesians four to see a little bit more, and more of the purpose. We ended First Corinthians twelve with a list of the duties, the list of the offices of the Church. What is that government for? What are those offices for? What are we to do in the Church? What are we to be a part of? We read that, we read this here. You could say, in a sense, going on the same thing... theme of the Constitution. A different element of it. Let’s begin reading again, verse eleven.

We read through some of the offices again, but we’re going to read, what’s the purpose, and how that sets the body together, how that keeps the body together. Verse eleven. “And he gave some apostles; some prophets; some evangelists; some pastors, and teachers...” And here in verse twelve, “For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” So, all that is there for... I’ve listed three things. For perfecting the saints, for the work of the ministry, and for edifying the body of Christ. That’s what they’re there.

They’re there for you and I to be edified, for you and I to be perfected, to be helped, to be ultimately... to be one in a way we cannot be until we’re in the God family. Let’s read verse thirteen. “Till we all come in the unity of the faith...” till we all come in the oneness of the faith, “... and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” The fullness of Christ is how he was one with God, how him and God are one together.

That’s the unity, that’s the oneness that we all strive and attain to and are helped by the ministry and God’s government. “That we henceforth be no more children.” A benefit of it. A reminder here in verse fourteen, “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the slight of men, and the cunning craftiness, whereby they lie and wait to deceive.” Because of where we are and where we’re placed and being in the body, in the Church, and being one, we’re not tossed by... to and fro, carried about by every wind of doctrine, every wind of teaching.

We could, and I don’t recommend it, and actually don’t, every wind of doctrine. I wonder if you went to AI and you searched and said, “AI, give me every wind of doctrine on this particular teaching in the Bible,” how long would it take to research that, and how long would that list come back? Every wind of doctrine. We could ignore the answer because we don’t need to read it, but more importantly, because of the verse, because of where we are. It’s commanded to ignore it all. Every single thing. But imagine how long that list would be.

In this day and age, every wind of doctrine, in every Church, in every organization that is out there. And what a blessing it is for you and I to be in the one true Church, led by the ministry, led by God’s apostle. How that grounds us, grounds us in the truth. And verse fifteen, I wanted to read a little further, “But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.

For whom the whole body fitly joined together...” here again showing how we are, how we are to be one, “... fitly joined together, compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working and the measure of every part, making increase of the body into the edifying of itself in love.” So, ultimately, true... we are unified in truth and in love through God’s Holy Spirit. And just how closely together we are to be one, fitly joined together, compacted by that with every joint supplies. So close that there is no gap between us.

No gap at all. It paints such an amazing picture of what the Church is, of what the unified Church in the body of Christ is, reading both First Corinthians and Ephesians four. So, I’ll turn to what I’m sure is one of our favorite verses, Psalm one thirty-three, one. Let’s go back to the Old Testament for a moment. The effect of it all. The effect of all that we just covered, of what the Church is and what the body is and what we are all a part of, the members, led by the Holy Spirit. And the effect and the fruit of it will be and is. And we see it often amongst all of us.

Psalm one thirty-three and verse one, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for the brethren to dwell together in unity!” And how beautiful that is. “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” How God wants us to be and how, in John seventeen, Christ prayed for us to be. But what about us? We’ve talked about the Church, talked about God and Christ, and how one they are, but what do we need to do? What can we do? What are we personally able to do to be one?

To be one with each other, to be one with God, what do we have to do? Well, let’s go to Acts two and verse thirty-eight. A reminder, we were here earlier, just want to read it again. What do we have to do? If Christ prayed that we are to be one with him and God together, what do we have to do? Acts two and verse thirty-eight. Again, just we know this verse well. “Then Peter said unto them, repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

It’s simple. It’s a reminder. For those that aren’t baptized, it’s an instruction. It’s something you all want to do, because you can’t be there without it. And what I’m saying is we all know we must repent, we must be baptized, and then we receive the Holy Spirit. And with all of us that have the Holy Spirit, what a reminder it is of where we need to be and continue to be so we can be one. Let’s go to First John four and verse thirteen. This is the receiving of this Holy Spirit that all of us have in us. First John four and verse thirteen.

First John four and verse thirteen doesn’t necessarily use the word one or unity here, but it does explain, after receiving the Holy Spirit upon baptism, who we are, what we are, what is in us. Verse thirteen, “Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he has given us his Spirit.” It’s Christ or God. So, we know that he dwells in us, and we in him, because he has given us his Spirit. It’s the only way to be one is by receiving that Spirit. “And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.”

Verse fifteen. “Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God...” and you only can do that through the Holy Spirit, “... God dwells in him, and he in God.” But ultimately, it’s not only that scripture alone. There’s more to that statement, and we can see that, that God has given us His Spirit. Back to Acts thirty-eight, yes, repentance and baptism. You can’t just... The world will take it at times. All you got to do is just confess, confess Jesus, and you’re saved. That’s it. No. No, it’s not. It’s not it. There’s much, much more to it, and we can see that easily.

Let’s go to John fifteen. So, we have the Holy Spirit. We’ve repented, we’ve been baptized, received the Holy Spirit. We see that it is in us, and being in us, allows Christ and the Father to be in us and us in him, in them. First John fifteen and verse fourteen. Oh, pardon me. John fifteen verse four. John fifteen and verse four, I’m getting there. So, if we’re...we have received... repented, baptized, received the Holy Spirit, and we’ve read that it is in us, and we in them, that’s the beginning of being one, and here, just an important verse.

An important verse to be reminded of, “Abide in me, and I in you.” So, another description of being one. If Christ is in us, and we are in him, and his thoughts and his Spirit is in us, we are together. We are one. “As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no one can... no more can you, expect you abide in me.” So, we cannot bear fruit, we cannot grow, we cannot overcome, we cannot continue on our path if we do not stay attached to the vine, if we do not stay one with Christ and with God.

Let’s go to Romans eight. So, we have the Spirit in us, God’s Spirit, the Holy Spirit. Let’s go to Romans eight. Describe more about how it leads us, how it’s a part of us, how it should lead our thoughts, and, in a sense, direct our steps. Romans eight and verse nine. “But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” So just simply, just backing up the prior statements. If the Spirit of Christ, the Holy Spirit, is not in us, we are none of his.

We cannot be one. We cannot be one with God and Christ. “And if Christ be in you...” Let’s read verse ten. May read it... Let’s just read all the way down to verse fourteen, the point I want to get to. “And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.” The old body is dead, is gone, but the Spirit of life... So, the Spirit of life is life. So, the Spirit we receive to be one with God brings us life, gives us life.

“And if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by a Spirit that dwells in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if we live after the flesh, you shall die: but if you through the body, do mortify the deeds of the body, you shall live.” Just a reminder. Helps us to see our calling and where we are, and the importance of being led by the Spirit.

Verse fourteen, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God, who received the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. And those that are led by that Spirit, they are the sons of God.” What an encouraging verse. A verse that should not be read quickly or read lightly or read without pausing and thinking what that means. “For as many are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” That’s you and I. Each and every one of us today, with the Holy Spirit inside of us, God calls us already the sons of God.

He calls it as if it already is, as if it shall be, as what it shall be. How encouraging that is. Every one of us is a son, is a child of God. Keep that. We all need to always keep that in our minds. But or continuing, what does that Spirit lead us to? What is that Spirit? Let’s go to First John four and verse six. More descriptions of it. More descriptions of the answered prayer on the day of Pentecost. First John four and verse six.

And here we are reading, breaking into the context a little bit. Repeats a little bit of what we just read in Romans. “We are of God: he that knows God hears us.” So, we who are of God, he that knows God hears us. So, if you’re led by the Holy Spirit, he that knows God hears us. Hears what is being taught, hears the messages, understands the messages, is moved by the messages that are given by God’s ministry. Again, expanding it in God’s Church. “He that is not of God hears not us.” So here, one is not led by the Spirit, one can’t hear us.

“Hereby we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.” What we want to focus on is the spirit of truth. The Holy Spirit is the spirit of truth, leads us into all truth, guides us into all truth. So, in Romans, if you’re led by the Spirit, what does the Spirit ultimately lead us to? Through the ministry, through the messages, through what we’re taught, it leads us into all truth. A step that takes us to being one with God and Christ. Let’s go to First John three and verse twenty-four. It might be on the same page in some of your Bibles. First John three and verse twenty-four.

We have the Spirit. It is leading us. It leads us into truth. What does it lead us to do? What does it lead us to apply? What does it lead us to keep? These are all things that we must be doing so the prayer of Christ can be fulfilled. “And he that keeps his commandment dwells in him, and he in him.” So, again, the words, the wording that we’ve seen before. So, he that keeps his commandments, God’s commandments, dwells in God and God dwells in him. So, if you keep God’s commandments, you are one with God.

“And we hereby know that he abides in us, by the Spirit which he has given us.” Backing up to the point again, that without the Spirit, without the Spirit being given on this day, without that happening on the very first Pentecost, we wouldn’t be here today. We wouldn’t be able to keep his commandments and dwell in God and God in us. So, to be led by the Holy Spirit, we must keep his commandments, and all that that entails. We must seek God’s will. Let’s go to Psalm forty and verse eight.

Some review to expand this point a little bit, as we have a little bit of time. Psalm forty and verse eight. But what do we need to do? So, we are one with Christ, of course, baptized, receive the Holy Spirit, led by the Spirit into all truth, keep his commandments. And now Psalm forty and verse eight. Just a frame of mind that we should have. I believe this is a psalm of David’s or a prayer, or a song of David. “I delight to do thy will...” I delight to do your will, God’s will, “...O my God: yes, your law is within my heart.”

So, we just learned about... we just read about the commandments. You keep the commandments; you are in him and he in you. And here is King David’s psalm, “I delight to do your will, O my God: yes, your law is within my heart.” His law is within his heart, God’s law is within King David’s heart, and the only way is through the Holy Spirit. So, we must seek to do God’s will. We must have that attitude, that I delight to do God’s will.

And the opposite of that would be doing self-will, removing that, and only delighting... not delighting to do what you want to do, what you and I want to do, what we want to do ourselves, but delighting to do what God wants done. We read earlier about what Christ did. He delighted in doing God’s will. That was his sole purpose when he came to earth is to do God’s will and all that that entailed. Let’s just go to Galatians five, which is a good review and reminder of the fruits of the Spirit, the fruits of the flesh, beginning of the Church, the receiving of the Holy Spirit.

All that we are called to do in the Church, all that we’re called to do in our lives, and we are to be one. One list needs to be actively worked on and removed. One list needs to be actively expanded and built and grown within our minds and within our way of life and living, building... ultimately building God’s character. Let’s just read it all to set the picture. Set the picture of where, of how you and I to be one with God. Starting in verse nineteen.

“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanliness, lasciviousness...” Now read every one of those as things that block us from being one with God, being one with our Creator, being one with our elder brother, with our Savior. Every one of those things block us from the ability to be at one with them. Let’s continue reading, “... idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murderers, drunkenness, reveling, and such like.” The list continues.

The list could continue. “Of the which I tell you before, as I’ve also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom.” So, ultimately, those that do such things will not inherit the kingdom, will not be one with God. But the important one, the one we want to focus on, the one we want to be part of our lives and expanding in our lives, “But the fruit of the Spirit...” the Spirit that we’ve seen that was given on the day of Pentecost, “... is love, joy...”

The more of these, the more you have this in your life, the closer you are to God, the more at one you are with your Creator. The more love you have, the more joy, the more peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance,” the verse closes, “against such there is no law.” But all those things, as they expand in our lives, as we allow the Spirit to lead us, to guide these elements in our lives, to remove the others but expand these, the closer we become to our Creator, the closer we become to our elder brother, the more at one we can be with both of them.

And we have seen what we need to do. We have seen what has been given to us, but we, in a sense, we’re preparing for the future. We’re preparing for times to come. The Pentecost and the giving of the Holy Spirit and the receiving of the Holy Spirit was just a step to ultimately many greater and bigger things. We know in the future, all will become one. Everyone that has ever lived, that is who God wants to be one with. Every one of his children who have ever walked on this earth. That is God’s ultimate goal.

That is the ultimate answer to the prayer in John seventeen. Let’s go to John ten, verse sixteen. We’ll focus on the end of this verse, this particular verse. It can be applied in various ways, but just the frame of mind that Christ has here and ultimately that God has here. And it’s forward-looking, it’s future looking. It’s what both their desires are, both their purposes. We’ll read the whole verse, verse sixteen. “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice.”

That’s applied in different ways than maybe we’re talking specifically about here. But I want to look at the last part. “And there shall be one-fold and one shepherd.” In the future, in times to come, Christ, God wants there to be one-fold, one shepherd. And we know in the kingdom, ultimately, the plan of God. We’ve seen it, we’ve heard it. That is God’s will. That’s what God wants. God wants with all of mankind, one-fold, one shepherd. Let’s go to Ephesians one and verse ten.

So, no matter where we’ve come, no matter where we’ve been, and all those who’ve gone before us and lived before us on this earth, yes, we have the great privilege of having God’s Holy Spirit given to us today. And that is a great responsibility and gives us a great opportunity as God’s plan continues to expand. Ultimately, God’s goal and hope is that all of us are one together. Everyone. The amazing God we serve.

Ephesians one and verse ten, “That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, but which are in heaven... both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him.” So, in the dispensation in the fullness of times, say the fullness of times, at the end of times, and it was all when all things come together, he might gather together in one all things in Christ. Take all as all. Take all as everyone who has ever lived. Gather us all together in Christ.

Now, not now, not in this age, not the world, not everyone that is alive today has that opportunity. We do. But God will have everyone have that opportunity. That’s his purpose. And again, that relates to the prayer and the start of the Church in Pentecost, what God wants done with all of mankind. Let’s go to Jeremiah thirty-two and verse thirty-nine. I’ll read a couple verses from the prophets. And here, yes, the particular circumstances in prophecy, particular points in God’s plan.

But what I want to focus on is the wording, the intent, where, you know, in a sense, you know, where’s God’s heart in the matter? What is God’s will in the matter? Why did Christ have that prayer? Why do we have the day of Pentecost? Why was the Holy Spirit given to all of us? What is the ultimate end of it? Jeremiah thirty-two and verse thirty-nine. “And I will give them one heart, and one way.” God wants us to be one. God wants all of mankind to be one. “And they will be my people, and I will be their God.”

Yes, it may be talking specifically about Israel. It can also be applied to all of mankind, and truly does apply to all of mankind, and they shall be my... just verse thirty-eight. “And they shall be my people, and I will be their God: And I will give them one heart, and one way, and that they may fear me forever, for the good of them, and of their children after them.” But here, look at it. Take apart a little bit, look at it a little bit. “One heart, one way.” That’s what God wants all people. That they may fear me forever.

That they may be one with me forever. That’s what God wants. That’s what the Father and Christ want. Let’s go to Zephaniah three and verse nine. The importance of being one is throughout the Bible. These are ultimately only some of the verses that can be read. Zephaniah three and verse nine. Again, forward-looking, future-looking in God’s plan and God’s kingdom. We know how long the kingdom will be how many thousands of years.

“For then,’ verse nine, Zephaniah three, verse nine. “...for then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent.” With one mind, with one agreement. That all shall call upon the name of the Lord, all shall call upon God, and shall serve him together to serve him with one consent. What God looks forward to that time in the future, and what he had started on this day. Let’s go to Ezekiel thirty-seven and verse twenty-two.

It is helpful to see that, yes, on the day of Pentecost, it was the start of the Church, it was the receiving of the Holy Spirit and the giving of the Holy Spirit, but to what end? Where will it all lead? And we’ve just read just a handful, and there’s many others. A handful of verses that were God wants all of creation to go, all of his children to be. Where were we going? Ezekiel thirty-seven and verse twenty-two. My handwriting is so clear, I almost went to Ecclesiastes. And there is no Ecclesiastes thirty-seven. I’m pretty sure of that one.

All right, twenty-two. Ezekiel thirty-seven, twenty-two. “And I will make them one nation, one people, in the land and the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall no more be two nations.” Of course, Israel and Judah being reunited here. But the heart and intent of God is that they will be one nation, and ultimately all people will be one people under God. That is the ultimate end of what was started on Pentecost. When God began to answer Christ’s prayer in John seventeen, twenty-one and twenty-two.

Where God began to pour out his Holy Spirit on anyone who called for it, and anyone He called to it. And the whole point, ultimately, is to be one. So now, we have that opportunity, as we have been called and been given God’s Holy Spirit. We have that opportunity now to be one with God. To be one in the sense and the goal in that we strive to be as God and Christ are one. We’ve learned that this morning. The importance of it and how they are. One purpose. Unity in everything. And that is our bar, our standard, our goal.

And in the Church, no matter our backgrounds, no matter where we’re from, no matter who we were before we were called, we are to be united as one in God’s Church, led by his government and his ministry, ultimately to the goal to be in the family of God. But no matter where we’re from, no matter where we’re placed, and we learn that God places us, where he pleases us to be, where it brings him joy, where we are in his Church. How much joy it is every year. Yes, the kingdom will come, and we expect the kingdom to come shortly, but think for a moment, too.

Every year a Pentecost comes, how much joy there is in heaven over those that have been added to the body, those that have grown in the body, and those that have drawn more closely to God. Think on that as well. And we have learned to strive in our lives to be led by the Holy Spirit so we can be there and be one with God. Let’s go to Philippians one and verse twenty-seven. Philippians one and verse twenty-seven. We’ve read a fair bit of verses from Paul, but ultimately inspired by God, but here in Philippians one and verse twenty-seven.

The importance that we’ve seen this morning, the importance of being one with God and Christ, and the way we are, the ability that we’re given to be that through the Holy Spirit. Philippians one and verse twenty-seven. Only let your conversation be as it becomes the gospel of Christ. That whether I come to see you or else I be absent, is Paul’s letter to the Philippians, the point we’ll get to. “...and I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit.” So, we are all to stand fast in, it’s an instruction to us.

We read it today. Stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel. For the faith of our calling. For the purpose of our calling. Striving together to fulfill through God’s Holy Spirit. Christ’s prayer in John seventeen. Let’s go to Second Corinthians thirteen and verse eleven. At the end of the letters to the Corinthians, Paul is giving some closing comments, some closing instructions. So, we’ll closing instructions that apply to you and I today as well. Second Corinthians thirteen and verse eleven. “Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of comfort, be of one mind.

Live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.” So be of one mind. Those are Paul’s last words to the Corinthians. We have learned how important it is for us to be of one mind. To be of one mind in the Church together, as members in the body of Christ, and to be of one mind as God and Christ are one. Let’s go back to John seventeen and verse twenty-one. Go back to where we started. John seventeen, yes, let’s read where we began in verse twenty.

“Neither pray I thee for these alone,” just a reminder, where did we start this morning? Where did the message start? Christ is praying. And he’s praying not for only those, those that are there with them then or around them then, “but for those also which shall believe in me through their word.” We’ve believed on Christ ultimately through those disciples’ words down through the ages. Christ is praying for all of us, for each and every one of us, that they all may be one. That they.

That you and I all may be one; as you, father are in me, and I in you,” so we will to be one as God the Father and Jesus Christ are. “That they also may be one in us. So we may be that we you and I also may be one in us, that the world may believe that you have sent me.” Ultimately, the world will see that. We’ll see that in you and I. In all of us, as God’s plan unfolds. “And the glory which you gave me, I have given them.”

The glory that God gave Christ, he has given us, that they may be one even as we are one. Brethren, on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was given. Given to those then, in Jerusalem, and given to us now. So, we can be one with God and Christ, and ultimately, so all who have ever lived can also be one with God and Christ. When the day of Pentecost what started will finally be completed.