Tenth Sunday After Pentecost
Tenth Sunday After Pentecost
Light of Christ Anglican Church
The Rev. Michael Moffitt August 17th, 2025
Sermon: The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit- Week 7
Over the past 6 weeks we’ve focused on the Person and work of the Holy Spirit in both the Old and the New Testaments. We began with seeing the role of the Holy Spirit in His work as the third member of the Trinity- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We began the first week by considering the Spirit’s involvement in the beginning of our world in creation. In Genesis 1:2, “The earth was without form and void, the darkness was over the face of the deep and the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”
So from the beginning the word of God reveals the Holy Spirits work as co-creator alongside of God the Father and God the Son. We’ve read in the very beginning of the Bible the Holy Spirits active role in creation, both in the initial formation of the universe and His ongoing sustaining of life. It was the Spirit who brought order out of chaos making way for life to flourish. We read Psalm 104:30, “When you send forth your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground.”
In Genesis 1:2 and Psalm 104:30 the word for Spirit is the same, ruach, and it means breath, to breathe into. So the Spirit can be understood as the breath of God that animates life.
Right from the very beginning God’s Word teaches us that each member of the Trinity are God, yet each is distinct in their roles in creation. The Father is the ultimate source and originator of creation, the Son is the agent though whom creation came into being, and the Holy Spirit is involved in the process of creation.
They each have distinct roles both in creation and redemption, yet each are fully God and united in purpose.
It was the Holy Spirit who moved upon Moses to write of the creation account in Genesis 1:3-4, “And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.”
Have you ever wondered what it was like for Moses to write under the anointing of the Spirit about things he had never known before?
In the New Testament we find an expansion of the work of the Holy Spirit in “new creation” through Christ. In John 3:3-5 Jesus tells Nicodemus, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” Nicademus, a Pharisee, called the teacher of Israel, was hearing for the first time truths he had never known though they were written in Torah.
In the Gospel of Luke the Angel came to Mary, a virgin to tell her that she would have a child who would be the promised Messiah. She couldn’t understand how that could happen because she was a virgin. Luke 1:35, “And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.” A young girl probably 12-13 years old was having her whole world radically changed through the work of the Holy Spirit.
Throughout the Word of God, we see examples of the members of the Trinity moving to accomplish the will of the Father, through the Son, and through the moving of the Holy Spirit. We are never alone but we’re always on His mind. Listen to Psalm 139:1-5,
“O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.
You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.”
This was one of the Psalms of David. Have ever wondered what led him to write about such an intimate relationship with God. Listen to 1 Samuel 16:15, “Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward.”
Whenever or wherever the Holy Spirit enters into the heart and life of a person nothing is ever the same, even for those who never come to saving faith. More on that later.
The Holy Spirit is the revealer of truth and the one who empowers us to follow the Word of God and to reveal the Gospel to those who are blinded to the truth. Our Gospel reading from John 14:26, which we have used most every week in this series. “But the helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”
As we’ve seen in this series the Scripture is highly covenantal. It’s the product of the Holy Spirit inspiring and superintending his representatives to deliver his covenant message to his covenant people. And if we’re faithful to that message, we’ll enjoy his blessings forever. I think it’s difficult for human beings to think in terms of forever or eternity. If you’re like me there have been periods of time in my life where the idea of living forever sounded like a real burden. That’s because we have no concept of what it will be like to live in the presence of God engulfed in His glory.
In this series we’ve considered the Holy Spirit as our teacher and revealer. He goes before us leading into a way of life where God is our focus and the Spirit is our guide, comforter, peace, and the anointer of God’s gifts to us.
This morning’s Old Testament reading from Exodus 35 recounts the story of Bezalel who the Lord filled with the Spirit of God. He was given the ability to work far beyond his own gifts and talents. Why? Because he and all who worked with him were given the tasks of building a tabernacle, actually a movable tabernacle that was a perfect replica of the throne room of God. Can you imagine that? How could they possibly know what the throne room of God looked like? The word doesn’t suggest that the artisans were treated to a weekend get-a-way to the throne room of God. We have to assume that within the anointing of the Holy Spirit they were able to see and understand what they were building and for whom.
The name tabernacle, also known as the “tent of meeting” was a portable sanctuary that served as the dwelling place of God among the Israelites during their journey through the wilderness. It was an example of God’s desire to dwell with man and provide a glimpse of the Indwelling of His Spirit which would be offered at the coming of the Messiah.
For every skill set whether it be working with stone, gold, silver, bronze, wood, weaving and embroidering or anything else, God anointed them with His Holy Spirit to perfectly accomplish all that God commanded. No one would be able to say, “I don’t know how.”
Listen to Exodus 36:1-2, “Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whom the Lord has put skill and intelligence to know how to do any work in the construction of the sanctuary shall work in accordance with all that the Lord has commanded.” And Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whose mind the Lord had put skill, everyone whose heart stirred him up to come to do the work.”
Now that we’ve looked at the Holy Spirit’s providential work in the church with regard to his covenant grace and his provision of Scripture, we’re ready to address our last major topic: the spiritual gifts he grants to his covenant community. This will be in 2 parts, one today and then next week.
When we speak of spiritual gifts or “gifts of the Spirit” we have in mind those manifestations of the Holy Spirit’s power that produce or enhance abilities in human beings, especially to benefit the church.
Some spiritual gifts can resemble natural abilities and talents, so that it’s not always obvious who has them and who doesn’t. This could have been the case with Bezalel and Oholiab and all those who would assist them in the work on the tabernacle.
Sometimes it’s easy to understand how a person might find themselves with gifts and talents that enable them to effectively work and minister in a given area. One person might naturally be a good teacher, but another might only teach well because the Holy Spirit empowers him. Other gifts are spectacular in nature, such as performing what can only be supernaturally explained, so it’s obvious these are spiritual gifts and not just natural abilities. But in all cases, a gift of the Spirit entails the Holy Spirit working through an individual to accomplish a powerful work of providence.
Our discussion of spiritual gifts will divide into three parts. Today, we’ll define their purpose. Then we’ll survey their history in the Old Testament Scripture. Next week we’ll explore some evangelical approaches to their present use. Let’s look first at their purpose.
When we defined spiritual gifts a moment ago, we said that they “produce or enhance abilities in human beings, especially to benefit the church.” This is an important distinction to make. Spiritual gifts are not provided mainly for the purpose of enhancing an individual’s relationship with God.
It’s certainly true that, as the Spirit works through us, we benefit personally. But if an apparent gift doesn’t benefit the church, then it’s likely that it’s being misused, or that it isn’t a spiritual gift at all. In fact, this is one of Paul's main points in 1 Corinthians 12–14, where we find Scripture’s most extensive teaching on the gifts of the Spirit. This morning our Epistle reading was from 1 Corinthians 12:1-7. Listen again to verses 4-7.
“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”
Now, it’s sometimes thought that Paul distinguished between gifts that are intended to build up the church, such as prophecy, and gifts that are intended to be used privately, such as tongues, when used as a personal prayer language.
Initially, Paul’s words might seem to indicate that some gifts aren’t intended to build up the church, and are given only to build up the person that receives them. But in the broader context of this verse, Paul meant that even gifts that have personal applications should also be used publicly to benefit the church.
For instance, in 1 Corinthians 14:22, he said that tongues could rightly be used in the church as a sign for unbelievers. And in verses 27, 28, he added that if anyone spoke in a tongue during a church meeting, that tongue had to be interpreted to be of value to the church. Now, different theological traditions understand prophecy and tongues in different ways, as they do a number of the gifts. But we should all be able to agree that the primary purpose of all spiritual gifts is to build up the church. Again more on the specifics of spiritual next week.
Now that we’ve defined the purpose of spiritual gifts, let’s address their history in Scripture.
Spiritual gifts first appeared during the days of the Old Testament. Genesis 41 indicates that the Spirit enabled Joseph to interpret dreams. And Daniel 4 says the same thing about Daniel. And of course, the Old Testament mentions many prophets that God appointed and empowered to speak to his people. We can also find examples of Old Testament figures performing miracles and healings, such as curing leprosy and raising the dead. And even though the Old Testament doesn’t always mention the Spirit of God in these cases, the New Testament makes it clear that these were spiritual gifts. (Romans 12:6; and 1 Corinthians 12:28, 29),
They reveal that prophecy and healings and miracles are all gifts of the Spirit. Our earlier example from Exodus 35 is a wonderful example of the anointing of the Holy Spirit changing those who were indwelt by the Spirit but were of great benefit to the covenant community.
The Holy Spirit also gifted kings with special talents that enabled them to rule and administer their kingdoms. For instance, King Saul received power from the Holy Spirit to accomplish his work in 1 Samuel 10:10, and 11:6. And in 1 Samuel 16:13, 14, we learn that when David was anointed to the office of king, God removed Saul’s spiritual gifting, and gifted David instead. This is why in Psalm 51:11, after David’s sin with Bathsheba, he prayed that God would not remove the Holy Spirit from him. David knew that God had removed this gifting from Saul because Saul had sinned. And David hoped that through his repentance, God would allow him to keep the spiritual gifts he had received.
But despite these examples of Old Testament spiritual gifts, it’s important to recognize that these gifts were relatively rare. They were reserved to those whom God had called to special service on his behalf — people like prophets and kings. Even so, the Old Testament looked forward to a day when everyone in God’s covenant community would be gifted by the Spirit. In Joel 2:28-29, the prophet Joel wrote: “Afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.”
When Joel said that these things would happen “afterward,” he meant they would occur in “the last days” or in “the end times.” At that time, when God brought his heavenly kingdom to earth, his people would widely receive spiritual gifts.
The Spirit’s gifts wouldn’t just be limited to people like kings and prophets. Instead, God would pour out his Spirit on the whole covenant community. And this is exactly what happened when Jesus inaugurated the kingdom during his earthly ministry.
Acts 2 records that on the day of Pentecost, shortly after Jesus ascended into heaven, the Holy Spirit was poured out on the entire church. What appeared to be “tongues of fire” descended on them and, as a result, they all began to speak in other languages. Then, in Acts 2:16-18, the apostle Peter explicitly declared that this happened in fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy about the last days.
Many misunderstand that the last days began with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. From that day forward, spiritual gifts have been available to everyone in the church.
Now, the Bible never attempts to compile a comprehensive list of gifts, and it never says that the only valid gifts are those that have already appeared. Furthermore, there are differences between the lists of gifts in places like Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, and Ephesians 4. This implies that the lists only provide examples of what the Spirit has done and was doing at the time. They aren’t intended to put boundaries around what the Spirit can do.
Actually many of the gifts mentioned are general in nature, so that their original manifestations are impossible to determine with any precision. As a result, it’s reasonable to think that the Holy Spirit has the divine freedom to produce or enhance any ability he wants in human beings.
Whether we think that the Holy Spirit can give any gift at all, or that he limits his gifts to those mentioned in Scripture, we should all agree that he grants gifts according to his own purpose and will. They are manifestations of his grace. He’s not obligated to distribute them in any particular way. Paul made this explicit in 1 Corinthians 12:11, where he wrote: “All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.”
Most theologians interpret the New Testament to teach that the Holy Spirit is committed to giving every believer at least one spiritual gift. This idea seems to be supported not only by Joel 2:28, 29, but also we find this further clarified in Ephesians 4:4-7, “There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.”(also Romans 12:6; and 1 Corinthians 12:7, 11).
But what sometimes surprises Christians is that even unbelievers in the church can receive spiritual gifts. This was certainly true of the prophet Balaam in Numbers 22–24. Balaam tried to curse God’s people but was forced by God to bless them instead, and it’s true in the New Testament church, too. For instance, in Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus spoke of the ultimate destruction of many that had prophesied, cast out demons, and worked miracles in his name.
They may have been faithful church attenders but didn’t invite Christ to be their Savior and Lord. Matthew 7:22-23, “ On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
And listen to this warning in Hebrews 6:4-6: It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance.”
Here, the author said that those who fall away may have “tasted the heavenly gift,” “shared in the Holy Spirit,” and “tasted … the powers of the coming age.” These are references not to salvation, but to experiencing the blessings of spiritual gifts.
Whether the recipient is a believer or even an unbeliever, the purpose of spiritual gifts is the same. Their highest purpose is to glorify God and benefit His church. The best use of our spiritual gifts isn’t to enhance our spiritual lives, or to lift us up emotionally, or to distinguish us from others in the church. On the contrary, the Holy Spirit grants us gifts so that we can serve others. And we should serve them with humility, knowing that he’s the only reason we’re able to do what we do. Let’s pray.
