THE COMFORTER   (Part 2)        

 

Bible Passage: Acts 1:1-9.

Memory Verse: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8. NIV).

 

LESSON FOCUS

We shall in this lesson focus on the ministry of the Comforter

 

LESSON INTRODUCTION

The Comforter still works today. One of His functions is that He gives us “power” to “witness”. In other words, the ability to bear strong and convincing testimony to the Lord by our lips, and confirmed by our lives, results from the power the Holy Spirit gives to us. 

                                      

LESSON OUTLINE 1: THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE COMFORTER

1.       Acts 2:1-47 records the events on the day of Pentecost. Acts 4:1-20 also records an interview Peter and John had with the Jewish religious authorities a few days after the day of Pentecost.

What evidence can you find in these passages that confirm the Holy Spirit gives us the power to speak effectively and convincingly for the Lord Jesus? Was this restricted to just around the day of Pentecost? I Cor. 2:4.

2.       Another significant role of the Holy Spirit in our lives is that of a consuming fire. See Matth. 3: 11-12.

Look at what Moses had to say about Him in Deut. 4:21-24, and the strong message we have in Hebr. 12:14-29. Note how the last verse in each of these verses describes Him.

What warnings do we derive from the fact that the Spirit of God within us is in fact the consuming fire of God?

3.       Wind (breath or air) is essential for life. The plant and animal worlds cannot exist without it. The same goes for the Holy Spirit and the Christian. “No Holy Spirit, no Christian life”. See Roms. 8:9b and compare and contrast that with the state of the dry bones in Ezek. 37:1-10 that had put on flesh all right but were still lacking the infusion of the breath of God.

How does He help us as workers in the Lord’s vineyard?  Luke 4:16-19.

 

LESSON OUTLINE 2: THE MINISTRY OF THE COMFORTER

1.       Rom. 8:11 tells us the Holy Spirit gives life to our mortal bodies.                   What sort of difference does His coming into us make to our mortal bodies? Don’t just quote 2 Cor. 5:17 – we want specifics. Consider what difference He makes to our lives and the way we live in a “perverse generation”.

2.       John 16:12-15 tells us He will guide us into all truth – and that is with respect to the past, present and future. V.14 tells us He will bring glory to the Lord Jesus as He leads us into the truth. See also John 15:26.                                                                                  How does He do this in reality in our day-to-day lives?                                  What is the reference He uses, or how can we be sure we are not just indulging in our imagination?

3.       We said under the last point that the Holy Spirit also guides into the truth concerning the future. But what He has to say may not always be what we would naturally like to hear. See Acts 21:3-4; 10-12.                                         Why did Paul persist in making the trip to Jerusalem in spite of these clear warnings and confirmations of impending troubles? See Acts 20:22-23.             Did God have a higher purpose than Paul’s immediate comfort?  Think of the way the world was governed in those days and the subsequent development of world history. What benefits have accrued to the Church as a result of Paul’s eventual imprisonments in Rome?                                                                                                 And why did God allow Stephen to be martyred in Acts 7?                               Did He have a higher purpose? See Acts 8:1,4.                                                      Did God take care of these men in their hour of need?

4.       He reminds the believer of relevant scriptures in times of need. Matth. 4:1-11.   But can you be reminded of what you never knew to begin with?                How then do we prepare against the “rainy day”?  Psalm 119: 11. Remember unbelief is sin.

5.       He convicts or exposes the guilt of the world. John 16:7-11.                          What is the purpose of His doing that? See John 3:16, 36.

6.       He is the giver of the Gifts of the Spirit. 1 Cor. 12:4-11.                                        Is it proper that we desire these gifts?                                                          How can we be sure He will respond to our asking? See 1 Cor. 12:27-31; Luke 11:11-13.

        

SUMMARY:  The ministry of the Holy Spirit is for all true believers. He gives us the power to serve the Lord effectively, and also burns up all the evil or dross in our lives, making us truly holy, vessels fit for the Master’s use.