The one leading truth that seems to create some complications in understanding the Trinity is we have God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Spirit and there are one God in three persons and yet over and over again people sometimes speak of the Holy Spirit as a non-person. He's a power. He's a force. He's an it.
It's not true. He's a person. There is one God manifested, expressed, demonstrated in three persons. And so we come to probably a very sacred portion of scripture when we believe as we look into the work and the expression of God through His Spirit is that one thing is it brings us to a place where holiness and sacredness beats unholy vessels.
As the Holy Spirit does His work as He begins to manifest Himself and express Himself. We're not looking for a power. We're looking for a person that will allow us to become the people that God intended us to be. The Gospel John chapter 13 as we open up and read these scriptures.
We need to sort of replay where we were at last week and we look at the person of Jesus Christ. We see God in the person of Christ. We need to look at His humanity a little bit more because you and I are human. And in order to experience the expression of God, Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit is we need to realize that our beginning to face is that we come as a person humbly to the person of God to begin to do His work in us.
Gospel of John chapter 13, I'll begin looking at verses 30 through 38 to begin to start this. John chapter 13 starting with verse 30. As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out and it was night. Verse 31, when he was gone, Jesus said, Now the Son of Man, now is the Son of Man glorified.
And God is glorified in Him. If God is glorified in Him, God will glorify the Son in Himself and will glorify Him at once, my children. I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me.
And just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now where I am going, you cannot come. A new command I give you. Love one another as I've loved you so that you must love one another. By this old man will know that you are my disciples.
If you love one another, Simon Peter asked in Lord, Where are you going? Jesus replied, Where I am going, you cannot follow. But you will follow later Peter, Ash Lord. Why can't I follow you now?
I will lay down my life for you. Then Jesus answered, Will you really lay down your life for me? I tell you the truth. Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.
Father, we are humbled by the reality that we not only need your guidance and your truth, but we need your Holy Spirit to enable us to experience victory. We need your Holy Spirit so that we are not so much filled with ourselves, but we are full of the present. Oh God, that our intentions might be great, our desires might be lofty, but without your presence, we will fail. Oh, because of your power expressed through your Spirit, we can have a strength that comes within.
We trust Holy Spirit that you would gift us with your presence, but enable us to begin the journey of entering into a road. Spirit, we are transforming, reshape and redirect and reinstil or impart within us. But Lord, we want to be entrusted with your promises and your blessing in Jesus name. In verse 30, we read that Judas is now gone.
Jesus now clarifies that the way of following God is to follow him. Verse 31 goes on to say, When he was gone, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified and God is glorified in him. Note verse 36 and 37, Simon, Peter asked Lord, Where are you going? Jesus replied, Where I am going, you cannot follow, but you will follow later.
Peter asked Lord, Why can't I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you. It becomes clear that the way in which Jesus had taught his disciples and the way that the word of God has given direction and the way that the Holy Spirit works in our life is to guide us into what is called truth. And that place called truth or this world of truth or these ideas of truth, Jesus made it clear, He is the truth.
He is the way, the truth and the life. And so we recognize that the beauty of God's spirit is to bring us to a place where we continue to follow the one who is no longer visibly in front of us, but He is clearly inside of us. We need the Spirit of God to do that guiding and that leading and that directing. The only way that we will begin to get close to the idea of what Christianity is about is not only that Christ lives in us, but the Spirit of Christ is renewing and regenerating us from the Holy Spirit.
Look at chapter 14, John 14 verses 4 through 6. You know the way to the place where I am going. Thomas said to him, Lord, we don't know where you're going. How can we know the way?
Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to me except through me. No one comes to the Father except through me. Let's turn back to John chapter 12 as we try to network together the beauty of the tapestry of all that Jesus intended to teach and lay the groundwork so that when the breath of God begins to breathe upon His people, when the Spirit of God has begin to be poured into the air, when the Spirit of God has begin to be poured out and His presence comes that we will understand the truths that the Spirit guides us into.
And that's important to understand that because there is one God expressed in three persons, God the Father's purpose plan for life is begun to be revealed to us through the person of Jesus Christ, but the way in which it happens in your life is mine is the same Spirit of the Father and the Spirit of the Christ. And the Holy Spirit are all talking the same length, the same game plan, the same truths, the same intent is to bring us to a place where there's one God manifested Himself in our hearts and lives. We need to be careful that just as we divide the Godhead into three parts, we might get movements that are all about God the Father and we have movements that are all about Jesus and we have movements that are all about the Holy Spirit and the movements are not on the same page, they're not on the same motivation, they're not following the same plans. It's important, there is one voice that speaks for it and they all supplement and affirm and confirm and speak the same exact language.
That's the sacredness of the Trinity is we have the three persons of the Godhead working together to accomplish the same thing and that's how you and I know that we are people that are in the face on the right road or in the right direction is because all the pieces of the puzzle, they all fit and make one beautiful plan that you and I are part of that plan. And so we're not looking for someone other than the father or the son, we are looking someone who is manifesting himself in a different way or means but accomplishing the same purpose. John chapter 12 verses 23 through 28. Jesus replied, the hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified, glorified.
He's going to be crucified. It's important to understand that the glory we find in Christ, we mentioned last week is not the strength of His miracles, it's the strength of His humiliation. The real strength of Jesus is not demonstrated in the things that He could do, it's who He became, the strength, the power, comes in Him submitting completely entirely to a plan that He says is the Father's plan. Jesus is God, He had the capability of doing His own thing, He certainly could have chosen to His own will, but His driving motive, His character quality, the real strength He had was in submitting it all to the plan of His Father to lay down His life for you and for me.
We read on in John chapter 12, 23 and 24, I tell you the truth that unless a kernel of the weak falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed, but if it dies, it produces many seeds. That is the example of taking a kernel or a grain that has a hard shell on it in seed form. And when that is put into the ground, the warmth of the ground and the moisture of the ground and the soil itself breaks that outer shell and that seed begins to take root and begin to grow so that it can produce many more seeds. He says that to illustrate that the breaking process of Jesus is a secret to a new life in Christ.
And that same breaking process is something that works itself in your life and mine as well. The man who loves his life is going to lose it, but while the man who hates his life, or that is to love the life that God wants in comparison, will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me. We notice again the emphasis that we are following the way to the cross.
We are following the person whose glory was in his humiliation, not in his elevation. Later on we learn after the death of Christ, the burial and resurrection, then we glory in his resurrection, but for now he is fully man yielding himself completely to the will of his father. Whoever serves me must follow me where I am. My servants also will be.
My father will honor the one who serves me. Look at John chapter 15 verses 13 and 14. The Gospel of John chapter 15 we look at verses 13 and 14. Greater love has no longer this that he laid down his life for his friends, and you are my friends if you do what I command.
The purpose that Jesus is teaching throughout the Gospels over and over again is this life that comes to a place where you and I understand the plan or purpose of God is that which you and I step into that as our purpose for ourselves. The way that we connect in relationship to Christ is foundationally and fundamentally a life that says it's no longer me that I please. It's the Father. Jesus demonstrated this clearly throughout his life is that he is choosing to follow and the way that he has called us to walk upon.
In the past he has called us to trot upon is the way that leads to a life of surrender and submission to all that he was. The Father is glorified by means of Jesus surrendering his will to the Father. It's not my will but will be done. As a matter of fact, as you and I think about this, we need to attempt to humbly consider that this becomes the means in which God accomplishes his work is when you and I have this attitude, this purpose, this motive, this desire is to no longer please me, but it's to please the Father ahead.
Let's look at some more scriptures too. Once again reaffirm this thought process or this truth. Jesus comes declaring truth. He comes as the one manifesting, the message of life.
He comes proclaiming the New Testament. And that's something you and I need to humbly consider is that the New Testament is not an add-on to the Old Testament. It's not a supplement in some sense to the Old Testament. It's simply the scriptures come alive, drive-oams come alive.
It becomes that expressed in the New Covenant. It's not that plan A didn't work and so God comes up with plan B. It is the same plan, same purpose, same agenda, and that fulfillment is in Jesus Christ who did it all so that you and I can go back and live it all completely under submission to the big plan. Look at John chapter 6 verse 38.
We want to look at some scriptures because we need to pick up that the Spirit of Christ is a life of submission to the Father's plan. The Spirit that will ultimately be poured out in our lives is the same Spirit that brings us to a place of truth, surrender and sacredness to the Lordship of Almighty God himself. Look at John chapter 6 and we look at verse 38. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my will, but to do the will of Him who sent me.
Chapter 7 verse 16. Jesus answered, my teaching is not my own. It comes from Him who sent me. Chapter 8 verse 28.
I really think you should underline these in your Bible. So Jesus said, when you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the one I claim to be and that I do nothing on my own, but speak just what the Father has taught me. Chapter 14 verse 24. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching.
These words you hear are not my own. They belong to the Father who sent me. Jesus made it very clear that my Father and I are one. Again, we come to the mystery of the Trinity.
It has to do with His identity as the fact that He is God in flesh. But He said, the way you'll know I'm the real deal and not the Antichrist is I am going to give my life to die for the world. The real validating work of Jesus Christ is not His miracles. The Antichrist, when He returns, He's coming with the same miracles potentially.
He's coming with the ability to manifest Himself and express Himself and show how great He is. But He will not lay down His life for the sins of humanity and He will not give Himself for any cause. It's all about if you're truly the Son of God, take those stones and command them to become bread. His style is approach is to capitalize on what could be done rather than what Jesus, only Jesus, would ever dare do.
And the evidence of the quality of our lives is not so much what we seemingly are able to demonstrate to prove it is the surrendered life that manifests the true spirit of Jesus Christ. And that's what we need to begin to look at because the Holy Spirit is intended to teach us how to be transformed from the inside out and the cross as a significant component in that process. Obviously, Jesus is God, yet it's even much clearer to see that Jesus is fully man who is fully surrendered to the Father's plan. And that's the message that is all the way through the Gospels and that's what got him nailed to the cross.
He's more concerned about the glory of the Father than His own gain, His own reputation, His own glory. They challenged Him in the moment and the hour of His death, come down from the cross and we will believe in you. He saved others, but He cannot save Himself. Where's the power?
The power is, watch me. And He gave up His life upon the cross. This is the mystery of one God and three persons, the word that Jesus spoke were not His own. They were talked by the Father, the works, the miracles, Jesus performed were not His own.
They were what His Father was doing. Everything that Jesus spoke about and taught about, He watched what His Father was doing and He joined Him in the work. Everything that Jesus said, everything He did was accomplished in accordance with the fulfillment of the Scriptures. Let's turn to Gospel of John chapter 19 as we try to pull this together and allow in Jesus to set the tone of the stage.
The true Spirit of Christ is within the demeanor of who He was and who He proclaimed to be, but most importantly, who He truly manifested Himself as the one who came to give it all. John chapter 19 verses 28 through 30. John chapter 19 verses 28 down through 30. Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said as He's on the cross, I am thirsty.
A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssoplant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips. When He received the drink, Jesus said, it is finished. Everything has been accomplished. The purpose and why I came has been fulfilled.
And then the next verse goes on to say, He bowed His head and He gave up His Spirit. I trust that we recognize the true Jesus. That's what He's about. The anti-Jesus or the anti-Christ has another agenda, has a different course, has a different demeanor, a different attitude, a different approach, different objectives, and that is the purpose of understanding the sacredness of the Holy Trinity.
It's because when the sacredness of the Trinity is diminished, you end up with differing ideas about the person of Christ and His identity. One extreme would say, there is no fleshly Christ who literally laid His life down for your sins, oh my, it's some spirit, it's some manifestation of some type of other extreme, is that He certainly is not God. He only said interesting things, that people would draw conclusions. You and I need to realize, if He's not God and He's not man, He cannot put His shoulder on the hand of the Almighty.
At the same time He puts His hand on the shoulder of humanity and say, Your sins are forgiven. It's important to know that His identity has to be extremely clear, or you end up with different results and different consequences, and different dynamics happening. It is just as true that we begin to understand the spirit of God, there's not some force or some power that cannot be measured, it cannot be evaluated, it cannot be weighed. We live in a world that you don't dare say anything about what the government says you can and cannot do.
We are also moving into a world in which Christianity is no longer allowed to be evaluated. In other words, whatever goes, whatever goes, it happens in all aspects, because the anti-Christ wants us to be in a place that we no longer can know when there's a lie and when there's a truth, Jesus came to give truth and He sent His Spirit to be the measuring device of truth itself. And that's important that you and I realize the way that we end up beginning to move in a direction that's pleasing and appropriate and right to God is to be a truth. And that truth not only is in written form, it's in your heart, it's the Spirit of truth that's working our lives.
He is able to bring us to a place of oneness and unity, and single-mindedness and devotion that begins with, are we looking to the Savior? It begins by humbly considering the person of Jesus Christ and how that begins to express itself in your life and mind. Let's go back to John 12. We begin by looking at verse 23 and move down to verse 26.
I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground that dies and remains only a single seed, but if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it. The man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am my servant also will be.
My Father will honor the one who serves me. Verse 27, now my heart is troubled. What shall I say? Father, save me from this hour?
No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name. Ultimately, that it's our invitation to Jesus Christ. Our invitation is what we allow ourselves to not love this world, but to love the things of God.
Shall we step into the world in which my life is committed to pleasing the Father, or do I want to hold on to living what I want to live? Well, how do we really know whether that's important? Because this is dangerous territory right away. I realize that I could be clearly accused of changing the gospel.
I could be clearly accused of moving beyond. For God loved the world so much that he gave his only begotten son, that who sort of believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. How many times have you heard people clearly say, all you have to do is, and what is it? Believe.
And nowhere in the Bible says all you have to do. What it does say is believing is part of the equation. But it also says it's important that you and I understand that the way that Jesus traveled, the road that he led us on to, the one that we as sheep are following this shepherd is a direction in life. It has a purpose in life, it has a plan to life, it has a goal in life, and you and I are to be followers of Jesus Christ.
I realize it might seem difficult, but when you look at the Trinity, the mystery of the beauty of the oneness is what allows our salvation experience to become whole and complete. Some people don't like the Old Testament, God. Well, guess what? He's still on the throne.
Some people would just simply choose only the Jesus in the New Testament. Well, he also is on the throne, and some might say one thing or another. But the important thing is we see the blend and the beauty of truth, because truth is a completion of all the pieces together. Jesus said it this way.
Let's turn to Matthew, chapter 7, and look at this concept of not my Wilba Dine. Matthew, chapter 7, we want to look at verses 21 through 23. Now, as we look at these scriptures, they might bring up more questions than they bring answers. The important thing is we understand that Jesus made it very clear that the people that are his followers, the people that are living for him, they have this need or commitment to the will of God.
They have committed themselves, like Jesus, that my life is not about my will. It's about thy will be done. Notice how it says it in Matthew, chapter 7, verse 21, 23. Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven.
But only he who does, what does it say? The will of my Father who is in heaven. You need to underline that one. That's a powerful one, because it gives us something to stand upon.
It gives us something to give reference to. Our identity is that you and I are people that are concerned about the Father's plan. It's not what Jesus said. Jesus said over and over and over again that his life is not about him.
His words are not about him. If anybody could pull off his own teaching ministry and pull off on the side and create a whole new movement or a whole new identity, Jesus could have pulled it off. But he makes it clear that what he is teaching is Old Testament truths. He has simply brought light to them.
And that's what we see later on in some of his teachings, even on the road to Emmaus. These people are confused about what's going on. He says he simply opened their eyes so they could see and explain to them everything that Moses taught, the Psalms taught and the prophets taught. They're all about the person of Jesus Christ.
I realize this takes us into a lot of mysteries about what is that unique purpose of that Old Testament plan of God. It's important to know that Jesus didn't come up with a whole new agenda and startle over again. He simply illuminates these Old Testament Scriptures. He brought life to them again.
He breathed on them like drive-ons. And they become living words that are communicated through his spirit. Now we mentioned the will of God. Now we ought to read the rest of the section.
Many in verse 22 will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive-out demons and perform many miracles, then I will tell them plainly. I never knew you. Away from me, you evil doers. I mean, obviously all kinds of questions come up.
How in the world could someone have demonstrated such powers? Well, the answer is kind of clear. He's not going to tell you. What he's going to tell you is what matters is the will of God.
So there's a chance there's a possibility, there's a high probability that this isn't the first time that someone was weighing power in the wrong place. You and I need to understand the power is when you and I are free in Christ to live in accordance with the will of God. Many of us are well aware that sin isn't an easy thing to just shake off. It's not easy to change the nature, quality, or bent of our lives.
It's not easy to step forward and are passed no longer controls us. But because of the tomb that's empty, you and I can walk in a victory that comes through the word of God. Jesus has come to call us to be a people that it's not my will, but thine be done. How we come to the place because I encourage us all to humbly consider whether or not we're allowing the will of God to be formed and framed in our lives.
As you and I begin to move in that direction, that is the beauty of this life being shaped and formed in this. Let's look at Matthew 6. Maybe Jesus just had a bad day when he said that one. Matthew 6 and verse 10.
We'll read verses 9 and 10. This is how you should pray. Our Father with you, heaven, hallow would be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
He teaches us that part of the key aspect of prayer is that you and I are crying out to be able to be the Lord. And I are crying out to God for his will, his purpose, his agenda to not only be manifested out there, but particularly right inside here. Matthew 12 and we want to read verses 48 through 50. Matthew 12, 48 through 50.
He replied to them, who is my mother and who are my brothers? Pointing to his disciples, he said, here are my mother and my brothers for whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother. I trust that we don't try to overkill this, but I certainly trust that we do not minimize that obviously it makes sense why you and I need the power of the Holy Spirit. Because no matter where we are or where we come from or what our background is, you and I don't have what it takes to live in accordance with the will of God consistently and perfectly.
But the Holy Spirit knows that. And so the beginning of the teachings, the bottom line foundation of the Spirit of God is that you and I might be holy sold out for Jesus Christ. And that needs to an essence be our fundamental resolve to follow Jesus Christ is that by his grace and by his strength and I trust by his power, you and I might understand the beauty of a life that is committed to the cross of Jesus Christ. It's committed to the lifestyle that allows that powerful change to take place in us.
If we simply tell ourselves, but all I have to do, that's probably all you'll get. What you and I must recognize is this is the heartbeat of Jesus. This was his spirit, his drive, his motivation to empty himself so that the Father gets to the glory and you and I are encouraged to walk in the light of the Holy Spirit. I'm encouraged to walk in that same path.
Some might say how? Let's look at John chapter 7. We'll go back to John's Gospel chapter 7. Some of the ways that we may challenge ourselves.
We might be moved to say, okay, I'm in. I'm going to start living for God. I want to begin this life of journey and understanding the will of God and how to get there. There are certain things that I'm not necessarily convinced there's a proper order in them, but they're certainly important pieces in allowing ourselves to be a people that is no longer about me, but it is a life that is set on pleasing the Father.
Let's look again at John chapter 7 and look at verses 17 through 18. And this is where Jesus is being questioned, but he starts to move in including you and I into the end results. Jesus in verse 16, I'll read that one first, Jesus answers those that were challenging him. My teaching is not my own.
It comes from him who sent me. And here's the powerful statement comes as a promise. It comes as a challenge. If anyone chooses to do, God's will.
He will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. How does that work? Many of us. We want to find out the terms, the conditions.
We want to find out the promises. We want to know what are the benefits, what are we going to get out of this deal? And quite often the Gospel is presented. Well, you really don't want to go to hell do you?
Therefore choose Plan A, which is believe in Jesus Christ and then you don't go to hell. You get to go to heaven. Of course everybody's going to say, I do. Either to get rid of you or to simply say, that was close.
That's not exactly what Jesus taught. And it's important that you and I understand that. Because he didn't come teaching his own thing. He came to teach the plan of God from the beginning all the way to its conclusion.
He said, by the way, to step into this life and to humbly come the place where your will is now being moved in the direction of the Father's will. The way you'll really be able to weigh truth is, in fact, is it a place in which I have come to commit myself to God's will. Then you'll know when someone else is not teaching that particular way. One of the indicators that happened is, you know, you come to a place where you really want to live for Jesus.
And somebody starts telling you about your freedom in Christ. We've been there, right? And some of us tell that freedom and you know that that freedom circle is really big. You know that your parents wouldn't approve of those things and you know that God wouldn't approve of those things.
But somehow that freedom feels good as long as you're on the wrong side of the freedom. But when you're moving into truth and you know that genuinely sincerely, honestly, I want to live for God, there's a check in your heart that says, who do you think you're full of? That is not freedom. That's slavery.
How do you know? Try it once or twice and you'll be addicted. It's important to recognize that Jesus taught a way of living that has its own validating system within it. And this is how he goes on to explain it further in verse 18.
He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself. But he who works for the honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth. There's nothing false about him. The beginning stage of a commitment to God and the will of God is at number one.
We settle one fundamental decision. Am I going to live for God or do I want to live for me and call it spiritual? Do I want to come to the place where the boundary lines are established, not because I think they're comfortable here, but have I come to a place where I want to know God's will? I want to live that way.
I want to walk that way because I not only know it's the right way, but it is the way in which truth becomes the foundation of my life. Jesus doesn't argue when he's being questioned. He simply says there's a Father's will and the ones that pursue the will are on the right road and those that speak or communicate a will other than the Father's plan, they are the anti-truths. They are the anti-Christ.
They are the ones that you and I must be careful about. If they speak upon their own, they come up with their own teachings, their own ideas, everything else that takes away from the truth. The second thing that is the desire is connected with connecting or identifying with Jesus because I follow Jesus, I'm following his will, his attitude, his modus, his agenda. The second thing that is pointed out in the first letter of John towards the back of our Bible is not only the desire, but look at 1 John 2.
This was a key component that Jesus came and some of us might wonder when the Bible talks about Jesus became obedient to death, even death upon a cross. Some might say obedience. What kind of law was he following? He was submitting to the will of the Father.
He was taking the truth and walking in fulfillment of every scripture. He was obedient towards that cross. Obedience is equivalent to the will of the Father. So you and I recognize that as John writes he's communicating to second generation Christians who began to understand, okay, we believe in the Jesus guy, but somehow the obedience factor was, starting to shift.
You with me? You understand? When another generation rises up, well, we seemingly have the passion to believe in the Jesus without the purity to follow Jesus. John writes his letter and says, we got to address this.
First John chapter 2, and we're going to look at verses 3 through 6. First John chapter 2, 3 through 6. Notice how he begins the statement by saying, we know, we know, how do we know? Because Jesus himself sent us into all the world to go and make disciples baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I've commanded.
We know the great commission has obedience as a key significant factor and that obedience factor is clearly a demonstration of our love for God because we are to love God with all our hearts, soul, mind and strength. The evidence of that love is obedience. First John chapter 2, verse 3, we know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, I know him, but does not do what he commands as a liar and the truth is not in him, but if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him.
This is how we know that we are in him. Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did. Wright away, we say, whoa whoa pastor, you're talking about an obedience that you probably are fallen short of with a first one to confess. It's not your performance gets you to heaven, but your attitude about your performance is definitely a crucial factor.
And it's important to know why he sent his Spirit is so that you and I are enabled or empowered to walk in obedience. You and I must recognize why he is sending a helper, why he is sending a comforter counselor, why he is sending someone, technically it is one who's come who's called to pull up side of you and help you in the midst of crises. The Navy has a ship, it's called a submarine tender. It's also a submarine or a destroyer tender.
It is a Navy ship that is designed specifically to come up alongside of a disabled vessel and do work surgery repairs on the spot out in the middle of the ocean. Sometimes they'll drag the ship in to bring it to a safe place to do that work and it's called a tender. It is a comforter. It is a counselor.
It's one sent alongside created specifically to give you an eye victory in life. And so the Holy Spirit, when we talk about the quality of the Holy Spirit and enabling us to be holy, his primary purpose, his first purpose is to enable you and I to see truth so that the truth can set you free and you and I can allow the Spirit of God to cleanse us from the inside out. You and I are called a holy people, not because we've got it all together, it's because the holy one now lives in Xylas. The Spirit of Christ is calm and we're going to pick up a sense and people certainly ought to recognize we've been with the Jesus guy, not because we've got bad breaths or not because we smell like him, it's not because we run around with robes and sandals, they could tell we've been with Jesus because that character quality, that integrity of our lives, that purity that begins to define the Christian faith and gives us a real vibrancy is beginning to manifest itself in you.
Okay, so we begin. We talk about the will of God. We understand that there's a purpose or intent I choose, I desire to walk in the will of God, then you'll know that my teachings are truly the truth. The second thing we talked about is that obedience thing.
It's interesting in Acts 5 verse 32 that the Holy Spirit is promised to those who, anybody know, somebody look up, I'll go to the next one. Acts 5, 32. Romans 12 verse 2, thank you, it's promised to those who obey. Romans 12 and verse 2, we talk about the will of God.
The will of God is a very important thing in the life of Jesus Christ and it's a very expressive quality of focus in our lives as we journey on following Jesus Christ. Romans 12 and verse 2, do not conform any longer to the pattern in this world, be transferred by the renewing of your mind, then you'll be able to test and approve what God's will is his good, his pleasing and perfect will. The important thing to emphasize is the will of God is highlighted, highlighted, highlighted, highlighted and the spirit of Christ is what gives you that desire. I trust we've come to peace and attorney with the Lord that we truly want to live in accordance with the will of God.
That's the security, it's the assurance of our salvation. I realize I'm not minimizing what Jesus Christ has done for us and inviting us to believe in him, but the things we believe are not simply that I'm exempt, what I'm believing is God who began a good work in me, he's going to finish it. He's going to complete in me that precious and sacred work. There are many other things we could touch upon the will of God and I'm not going to do that because I realize we're well into overtime.
The important thing is as we adventure to look into the unique beauty of the Trinity, God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. What God has said in the past and what Jesus revealed in flesh, the Holy Spirit simply brings all that to a place where you and I are either going to be convicted or you and I are going to make a mockery of Jesus Christ. The work of the Holy Spirit is what divides, it begins to separate those who want to truly live for God and those that do not. And so you see examples all through the scriptures where there's this dividing line takes place.
He's going to cut our hearts in half and he's going to get really personal, he's going to get really deep within our lives. The Spirit of God is intended to bring us to a place where truth is truthful, it's expressed in truth. He and I are truly transformed by the truth in which he speaks into our lives. Father help us as we journey through life to remember the sacredness and the beauty of your personal work by means of your Holy Spirit.
We pray, God, that we might recognize the real power is not in what we could go and leave and do or perform but the real power isn't how we're changed from the bottom inside out. We thank you, God, that you're able to use us in so many different ways but we pray and we would come to the place where we offer ourselves our lives to you in Jesus name. God bless you.