"WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT"
(Jhn 16:7-15)

INTRODUCTION: 
We want to follow up on this morning's Bible Study lesson and talk about the "Work of the 
Holy Spirit" today in our lives and his work during the first century. The Bible has a lot to 
say about the Holy Spirit in that he had a specific purpose to complete.  Look at (Jhn 16:8).
Three distinct functions he was to complete ... First of all  .. what is the definition of 
reprove?  Webster's New World Dictionary says that reprove means ... "to rebuke or express 
disapproval of." So basically, the Holy Spirit came to express disapproval of sin .. to 
rebuke false ideas of righteousness and to proclaim the coming judgment. Most people 
misunderstand the purpose of the Holy Spirit and his work and as a result have evaded to 
false truths and the purpose of the coming of the Holy Spirit. Let's begin with a simple 
explanation why Jesus came.

I. The Coming Of Christ.

   A. The story of Zacchaeus is an excellent example of why Jesus came. (Luk 19:1-10)
      1. Jesus came to save the lost of the world. .. He said to Zacchaeus .. "This day is 
         salvation come to this house ..." ... Zacchaeus was a very rich Jew .. a tax
         collector .. and a sinner.
      2. Look what Peter had to say in ...(Acts 3:25,26) .. It was fitting that Jesus go to 
         the home of this sinner ... the crowd did not understand.

II.Jesus Came To Do A Great Work .. But He Could Not Do It Alone.

   A. Jesus chose very carefully .. twelve men .. to be His disciples .. He chose them and 
      he taught them .. Then sent them out on limited duty .. telling them to ".. go to the 
      lost sheep of the house of Israel." (Mat 10:6)
      1. Their primary work  .. there purpose .. would come after his death .. after his 
         resurrection.
      2. Jesus promised his disciples that he would send to them the Comforter. (Jhn 16:7-15)

III.Only After The Death Of Jesus Christ .. His Resurrection .. Did The Holy Spirit Come As 
    Promised.

    A. In the book of Isaiah we find the prophecy of the coming of the Holy Spirit. 
       (Isa 2:2,3)
       1. The Holy Spirit would come to reprove the world of sin. .. The Holy Spirit convicts
          the heart of man .. reveals righteousness through the truth of the gospel.
    B. The Holy Spirit came on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4) .. There were the twelve 
       disciples assembled together .. Matthias had just been numbered with the eleven 
       (Acts 1:26).
       1. When the Spirit came .. he brought with him miraculous gifts that were given only 
          to those twelve.
          a. This is where many sincere hearts have been led astray .. they have been taught
             error!
       2. The disciples were given the ability to speak with other tongues .. a language that
          they did not learn .. as the Spirit gave them to speak
          a. This was for the purpose of teaching (Jews) from other nations in their own 
             language. (Acts 2:6-8)
   C. The work of the Holy Spirit included .. To guide the apostles in all truth ... To 
      confirm the word of the Lord .. and to guide men in the writing of the New Covenant 
      (N.T.)
      1. In doing this .. the fulfillment of the Lord's promise in (Jhn 16:8) would be 
         complete.
   D. With the coming of the Holy Spirit .. Great Mysteries were revealed.
      1. Mystery of the new birth (Jhn 3:8) .. the mystery of the future when all will be 
         changed (1 Cor 15:51) .. the mystery of Christ and His church (Eph 5:32) .. the
         mystery of Christ in His Godliness .. (1 Tim 3:16) .. and the mystery of sufferings
         to come and the fruit of righteousness (Heb 12:11).

IV.When The Spirit Came It Was Not For Everyone At First.

   A. Remember the Spirit only fell upon the 12  .. Later (Acts 10:44,45) we find the Holy 
      Spirit fell on Cornelius and his kinsmen .. and they were astonished!
      1. They began to speak in "strange tongues" and magnify the Lord. (Acts 10:46)
   B. The work of the Lord began to spread and there was need for others to teach as well.
      1. The Apostles laid their hands upon others so that they might have the power to help
         teach as well. (There will be more on this tonight.)
      2. The apostles laid there hands on Stephen .. Philip .. Prochorus .. Nicanor .. 
         Parmenas .. and Nicholas (Acts 6:6) .. In (Acts 19:7) .. Paul laid hands on twelve.
      3. Timothy was cautioned not to neglect the gift he received by the laying on of hands
         (1 Tim 4:14) .. He was told not to lay hands on those by partiality and to keep 
         himself pure (1 Tim 5:21,22).
      4. This was not a work to be done by popularity .. They were to choose wisely and only
         those of good report. .. Those who accept the truth .. obey the truth .. and are 
         determined to spread the truth where ever they are!
   C. What about the gift of the Holy Spirit today?
      1. All who obey the gospel in baptism .. receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
         (Acts 2:38)
      2. They do not receive the miraculous gifts that were evident in the first century. 
         (Again .. we will speak on this in more detail tonight.)

V. With The Coming Of The N. T. .. The Need For The Direct Guidance Of The Holy Spirit Was 
   No Longer Needed.

   A. The N. T. would do what the Holy Spirit had been doing. (Jhn 20:30,31)
      1. With the death of the Apostles and those they laid hands on .. miraculous deeds 
         ended.
      2. For one to claim to have the miraculous gifts today ..including "speaking in 
         tongues" .. they would have had to been alive during the early days of the church.
      3. The Bible clearly teaches that for those to have the miraculous gifts .. they had to
         be chosen and hands laid upon them.
      4. All other teaching is false teaching without any Biblical Authority to support it.

VI.The Holy Spirits Work Was Specific And Instrumental In Establishing The Lord's Church.

   A. This is a very simple subject if we accept the Bible's teaching ... 
      1. Man in his wisdom in trying to make a simple subject more difficult .. has led many
         honest and sincere souls astray.
      2. Yes .. there was a gift of tongues and miraculous miracles for the apostles first ..
         then others .. for the purpose of teaching and performing signs and wonders of 
         Christ's teaching.
      3. They ceased when the need for demonstration of powers was no longer needed. .. We 
         now have the N. T. in its fullness to teach us.
      4. Yes .. the apostles were able to heal the sick ...
         a. Yes .. they were able to raise the dead ...
         b. Yes .. they were able to make the blind to see ... lame to walk ... speak in 
            "strange tongues."
      5. Each and every time a miracle was performed was for the purpose of giving Jesus 
         Christ all honor and praise. ... There is no record of miracle just for the sake of
         performing miracles.
      6. Take note of this .. please:  Just because miracles are not being performed today ..
         that does NOT limit God.
      7. This is God's way ... He has the world in his control ... He created all things for
         good.

VII.We Need To Put Our Trust In The Word Of God .. Not Man.

   A. When we take our eyes off of the things of Christ.. we are treading in areas on our own
      1. When this happens ... we will be disappointed with the final results.
   B. The Holy Spirit Has Done His Work Well ...
      1. He has given to us all we will need to see our souls to a crown of righteousness and
         our "hope" for eternity in heaven.
   C. The Holy Spirit .. the third person of the God-head .. equal to God in deity .. is 
      alive and well.