Bailey Methodist Church
6/8/2025
  • I Thank God
  • Say So
  • Sanctuary
  • Revelation Song
  • Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow!
  • Romans 8:14–17 ESV
    14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
    John 14:8–17 ESV
    8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves. 12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. 15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
    John 14:25–27 ESV
    25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 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. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
    Today is Pentecost Sunday—a day when we remember the powerful moment described in Acts 2, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the followers of Jesus, accompanied by the sound of rushing wind and tongues of fire. However, Pentecost is not just about miraculous signs. It is about God's presence coming to dwell permanently with His people through the Holy Spirit.
    In John 14, on the night before His crucifixion, Jesus gives His disciples a powerful promise. He assures them that even though He is going away, they will not be left alone. God will send the Holy Spirit—the Helper, the Spirit of Truth—who will be with them and in them forever.
    Let’s explore three key truths from Jesus’ teaching about the Holy Spirit and what they mean for us on this Pentecost Sunday.

    1. The Spirit Reveals the Presence of God (vv. 8–11, 16–17)

    “Philip said, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.’ Jesus answered, ‘Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.’” (vv. 8–9)
    Philip's question resonates with many of us: “God, if you would just show yourself, then we could believe.” We often yearn for something tangible and visible. However, Jesus responds to Philip with an astounding truth: “If you’ve seen me, you’ve seen the Father.”
    Jesus is the visible image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15). He then reveals another dimension, stating that after He departs, another Helper will come—the Spirit of truth—who will not only be with them but also in them (verse 17).
    What does it mean for us to have the presence of God within us? When the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples at Pentecost, they experienced immense power. Luke writes in Acts 2:4, “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.” This signifies that the Spirit was in them. This is the promise of Pentecost: that God would come not only near but also within us. The Spirit is not a lesser form of God or a distant force; He is the very presence of God in every believer. The term "Helper" refers to one who is called alongside to help, comfort, and strengthen.
    On Pentecost, God fulfilled this promise. The Spirit came to dwell within the people of God, making every believer a temple of the living God. Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20: “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” This serves as a call to obedience. If the Spirit resides in us, He provides the strength to walk with Christ. The Holy Spirit enables us to obey and empowers us in prayer.
    In moments of fear, uncertainty, or grief, we may feel abandoned. However, Pentecost reassures us that we are not alone. The Holy Spirit is the very presence of God, dwelling with and within us. When the Spirit leads us, we become sons and daughters of God. We have received a spirit of adoption, making us heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ. This is all possible because the Holy Spirit dwells within us, ensuring that we are never alone.

    2. The Spirit Teaches and Reminds Us of Jesus’ Words (vv. 25–26)

    “The Holy Spirit… will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” (v. 26)
    As Jesus prepared to leave, He anticipated that His disciples would experience confusion, opposition, and forgetfulness. To support them, He promised a Helper who would teach them everything and remind them of His words.
    This promise was fulfilled at Pentecost. Peter, who had previously denied Christ out of fear, boldly proclaimed the gospel, interpreting Scripture with clarity and confidence. The same Spirit who empowered Peter now teaches us, guiding us into all truth. As Peter preached after the coming of the Spirit, he referenced Joel 2:28-29: “And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female servants in those days, I will pour out my Spirit.” The Holy Spirit clarified Joel's prophecy. Just as Jesus taught His disciples during the forty days between His resurrection and ascension, the Holy Spirit continues to instruct the apostles and reveal truths to us. These insights are not new revelations that contradict Scripture but rather understandings that we may not have noticed before.
    The Spirit not only teaches but also reminds us. When we sincerely study Scripture, the Holy Spirit brings God's truths to our minds. To benefit from this, we must engage with God’s Word daily and maintain a genuine relationship with the Lord. In Ezekiel 2:9-3:3, when God calls the prophet Ezekiel, he experiences a powerful vision. A scroll containing God's message for His people is presented to him, and Ezekiel is commanded to take the scroll and eat it. He describes the Word of God as tasting sweet like honey. When God’s Word is deeply ingrained within us, the Holy Spirit reminds us of various truths when we need them most.
    This is great news for forgetful hearts. How often do we hear the truths of God’s Word and still forget them during our daily struggles? The Spirit brings Jesus’ words back to our minds—sometimes whispered, other times with intensity. John tells us in John 2:22, “When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.” The Spirit continues the work of sanctification by illuminating the Scriptures and convicting our hearts. This is how the apostles later wrote the New Testament—through the Spirit’s work of remembrance and inspiration.
    Are you seeking wisdom? Are you struggling to understand Scripture or discern God’s will? Ask the Holy Spirit to teach and remind you. Open the Word and request that the Spirit make it come alive.

    3. The Spirit Brings the Peace of Christ (v. 27)

    “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
    The disciples were troubled. Jesus had just told them He would be going away. The future was uncertain, opposition was growing, and their Lord was speaking of betrayal and death. Into that storm, Jesus spoke peace—His peace.
    This peace is not fragile or dependent on circumstances. It is not the world’s peace, which relies on favorable conditions. Instead, it is Christ’s own peace, flowing from His perfect communion with the Father. In John 16:33, Jesus tells His disciples, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” As we read through the final discourse that Jesus has with His disciples before His arrest in chapter 18, we see the tension and anxiety that continue to build among them. Jesus warns that the world will bring tribulation against His followers, yet we are encouraged because Jesus has overcome the world. When we trust in Christ alone for salvation, He guides us towards a self-giving and sacrificial discipleship where obedience to Him may lead to persecution. However, even when hope seems elusive, we can still find peace in Christ.
    This peace comes through the Spirit. Romans 14:17 tells us that “the kingdom of God is... righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Galatians 5:22 lists peace as a fruit of the Spirit. When the Holy Spirit dwells within us, we are called to cultivate and produce the characteristics of Christ. The Christian’s journey involves being transformed into the image of Christ as we grow in sanctification, and part of that process includes producing the peace of Christ. It is by resting in Christ through the power of the Spirit that we can experience true peace.
    Some interpret the order of the fruit of the Spirit as a pattern where one characteristic flows into the next. Following this logic, peace is rooted in love and joy, supernatural characteristics that can only manifest when we know Christ and allow His Spirit to dwell within us.
    At Pentecost, we often focus on power—and rightly so. But we should not overlook the gift of peace. The disciples, once fearful and hiding behind locked doors, were filled with courage, clarity, and calm because the Spirit of peace was with them.
    Are you feeling anxious today? Do life’s storms burden you? Let the Spirit fill you with Christ’s peace—a peace that surpasses understanding and steadies your soul even in the fire.
    Conclusion:
    The Spirit of Pentecost is not just for a single event; He is the fulfillment of Jesus' promise to be with us always. Today, He continues to:
    - Reveal God’s presence within us
    - Teach and remind us of Jesus' truth
    - Bring peace amidst life’s trials
    On this Pentecost Sunday, let us open our hearts once again to the Holy Spirit. Let us seek Him, welcome Him, and walk in step with Him.
    As the Apostle Paul said, “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16)
    Let us live as Spirit-filled people—courageous, joyful, and peaceful—for the Spirit who dwells within us is the living God.
    Amen.

      • John 14:8–17ESV

      • John 14:25–27ESV

      • Acts 2:4ESV

      • John 2:22ESV

      • John 16:33ESV

  • Spirit Song
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