Who Is The Holy Spirit Bill Hall 1 of 4

Sermon 1 of 4: Sermon 021614 AM – Bill Hall – Who Is the Holy Spirit? February 2, 2014 Presented by Bill Hall at the Eastside Church of Christ 110 French Way, Athens, AL 35611 LINK TO LISTEN ON AUDIO.COM https://audio.com/eutychus/audio/who-is-the-holy-spirit-bill-hall-1-of-4 LINK TO ORIGINAL SOURCE ON EASTSIDE’S SITE https://www.eastside-church.com/media/uploads/sermons/2014/02/Sermon_021614_am_Bill_Hall_Who_Is_the_Holy_Spirit.mp3 VIEW ON YOUTUBE https://www.youtube.com/live/6MAJb--SwF0?si=f8OnXGpKmzfEGxMq&t=2372 SUMMARY: In this first lesson of a four-part series, Bill Hall clearly explains who the Holy Spirit is and His primary work in man’s redemption. Preached at Eastside Church of Christ in Athens, Alabama on February 2, 2014, the sermon shows the Holy Spirit as a divine person — not a force — who revealed all truth to the apostles and confirmed it with miracles. Hall stresses that we now possess the complete, confirmed word of God. A strong invitation from Acts 2:38 concludes this foundational Bible lesson. Abbreviated Outline: Who Is the Holy Spirit? Bill Hall – Sermon 1 of 4 I. Introduction Focus of the assembly is worship of God, not the speaker. First lesson: The primary purpose of the Holy Spirit in man’s redemption — the revelation and confirmation of truth. II. General Facts About the Holy Spirit A. The Holy Spirit Is a Personal Being The Holy Spirit is a real being (not a force or gaseous substance). He can hear, speak, guide, teach, and bring to remembrance. John 14:26 – “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 things that I said to you.” John 14:26 (Bible Hub Parallel) Use “He” and “Him” when referring to the Holy Spirit. He is one of the three persons who make up the Godhead. B. The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament Active in creation. Genesis 1:2 – “And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” Genesis 1:2 (Bible Hub Parallel) Guided the building of the tabernacle. Exodus 35:30-35 Exodus 35:30 (Bible Hub Parallel) Inspired Old Testament prophets. 2 Peter 1:20-21 – “…holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” 2 Peter 1:20 (Bible Hub Parallel) III. Primary Role of the Holy Spirit: Revelation and Confirmation of Truth A. The Holy Spirit Reveals Truth Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would teach and remind the apostles. John 14:25-26 John 14:25 (Bible Hub Parallel) He would guide the apostles into all truth. John 16:12-13 – “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth…” John 16:12 (Bible Hub Parallel) The hidden wisdom of God was revealed through the Spirit. 1 Corinthians 2:6-13 1 Corinthians 2:6 (Bible Hub Parallel) Revealed to the holy apostles and prophets and then written down. Ephesians 3:1-5 Ephesians 3:1 (Bible Hub Parallel) B. The Holy Spirit Confirms the Truth Miracles confirmed the revealed message (signs, wonders, tongues, healings). Mark 16:15-20 – “…the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.” Mark 16:15 (Bible Hub Parallel) Hebrews 2:2-4 – “…God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit…” Hebrews 2:2 (Bible Hub Parallel) Illustration: The man of God in 1 Kings had both revelation and confirmation but was deceived when he ignored God’s clear word. 1 Kings 13:1-5, 18 1 Kings 13:1 (Bible Hub Parallel) Conclusion: The Bible is the fully revealed and confirmed truth of God. Any new revelation, vision, or feeling that contradicts it must be rejected. IV. Conclusion and Invitation What must a sinner do to be saved according to the confirmed word? Acts 2:38 – “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38 (Bible Hub Parallel) Invitation to respond by repenting, confessing faith, and being baptized into Christ. Detailed Outline of the Lesson I. Introduction and Personal Remarks Opening focus on worship rather than the preacher (referencing a prior song about focusing on God). Speaker’s first responsibility is to worship the Lord; the audience is present to worship Him. Gratitude for being present; personal connection to the congregation (first meeting 50 years ago). Mention of family members (Charlotte, concern for Saul, relationship with Steve and others). Appreciation for the Eastside Church. II. Purpose of the Series on the Holy Spirit Assigned topic: Lessons on the Holy Spirit. Goal: Confirm long-held conclusions and help those struggling with questions. Not seeking anything new or fantastic. First lesson centers on the primary purpose of the Holy Spirit in man’s redemption: the revelation and confirmation of truth. III. General Facts About the Holy Spirit A. The Holy Spirit Is a Personal Being The Holy Spirit is a being, just as God the Father and the Lord Jesus are beings. Not a gaseous substance or impersonal force. Evidence of personality: He can hear, speak, guide, bring to remembrance, and glorify. John 14:26 – John 14:26 (Bible Hub Parallel) “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 things that I said to you.” Use masculine pronouns (He/Him) when referring to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is one of the Godhead (one of the three who make up deity). B. The Holy Spirit’s Activity in the Old Testament Active in creation. Genesis 1:1-2 – Genesis 1:1-2 (Bible Hub Parallel) “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” Guided the construction of the tabernacle, its furnishings, and the priests’ garments. Exodus 35:30-35 – Exodus 35:30 (Bible Hub Parallel) (full context in chapter). Inspired the writing of Old Testament Scripture. 2 Peter 1:20-21 – 2 Peter 1:20 (Bible Hub Parallel) (full context in chapter). “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” Clarification: The verse addresses the origin of prophecy (writers moved by the Holy Spirit), not the reader’s interpretation. IV. Primary Role of the Holy Spirit in Man’s Redemption: Revelation and Confirmation of Truth A. The Importance of This Role Without the Holy Spirit, humanity would not know: Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection, and ascension. What to do to be saved. How to live as a Christian. The nature of the church, heaven, or hell. This role is vitally important. B. The Holy Spirit Reveals Truth Jesus spoke to the apostles (not directly to modern believers). John 14:25-26 – John 14:25 (Bible Hub Parallel) Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would teach the apostles all things and bring His words to their remembrance. John 16:12-13 – John 16:12 (Bible Hub Parallel) “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth…” The revelation was complete (“all truth”), not partial. 1 Corinthians 2:6-13 – 1 Corinthians 2:6 (Bible Hub Parallel) The wisdom of God (formerly a mystery) was revealed through the Spirit; apostles spoke in words taught by the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 3:1-5 – Ephesians 3:1 (Bible Hub Parallel) The mystery was revealed by the Spirit to the holy apostles and prophets, then written down for us. C. The Holy Spirit Confirms the Revealed Truth Miracles authenticated the message (tongues, healing, raising dead, etc.). Even non-apostles like Philip performed confirming miracles distinguishable from sorcery (Acts 8). Mark 16:15-20 – Mark 16:15 (Bible Hub Parallel) The Lord confirmed the word through accompanying signs. Hebrews 2:2-4 – Hebrews 2:2 (Bible Hub Parallel) God bore witness with signs, wonders, miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit. Miracles confirmed new revelation at the time, not prior Old Testament truth. Since the apostles were guided into all truth, no further revelation or confirming miracles are needed today. Any new claim (vision, feeling, angel, or different teaching) must be rejected if it contradicts the revealed and confirmed word. D. Illustration: The Man of God in 1 Kings 13 1 Kings 13:1-5, 18 – 1 Kings 13:1 (Bible Hub Parallel) The man of God received revealed and confirmed truth (prophecy + signs: altar splitting, hand restored). He was deceived by a lying prophet claiming an angel’s message and suffered consequences. Lesson: The revealed and confirmed word is the only reliable source of truth. Changes to God’s instructions would come with equal divine authority, not through secondary claims. Application: Reject feelings, visions, angelic appearances, or charismatic teachings that contradict Scripture. What we hold is the revealed and confirmed truth of God, given by the Holy Spirit. V. Conclusion and Invitation Afternoon session will address the enabling power of the Holy Spirit for the apostles’ work. Invitation based on the revealed word: Acts 2:38 – Acts 2:38 (Bible Hub Parallel) “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Call to respond by repenting, confessing faith, and being baptized into Christ. FULL TRANSCRIPT Introduction I'd like to turn in your Bibles to John chapter 14, just noticing not this last song, but the song before. And I don't remember the exact words, but forget the channel and focus on God of Heaven. And that's what we're here for this morning. My first responsibility this morning is not to preach the gospel. My first responsibility is to worship the Lord. And you're not here to hear a guest speaker. You're here to worship the Lord. And I'm thankful to be a channel, and I hope I'll be an effective channel. But I hope that our focus will be upon His word and upon Him and our Lord who authorized this word. But having said that, let me just say I surely am glad to be here. I got to thinking this morning, my first meeting at Eastside was 50 years ago. Some of you sure have aged since then. I understand that. There's just not many places where you go where you've been holding meetings for 50 years. But that is the case. Sam Binkley was here, and some of you were here. And what a joy to be back with you. I'm glad Charlotte can be with me. I appreciate the concern you've expressed about Saul. And, of course, we're concerned about that. We just hope it's a bump in the road. Not a big bump, but I hope it's just a bump in the road. And right back into his work again. I will tell you this. Yesterday I talked to him, and he said, well, I guess I've done pretty well. He said, last time I spent a night in the hospital, I was a baby just born. Now, I wonder about that because he did have some surgery sometime back, and he may have forgotten. But he may have gone home. I don't know for sure. Glad to be Steve and his family there. Always a joy. We have such a great relationship. And that's true of so many of you who are here. I appreciate the Eastside Church and always enjoy being with you. Main Theme: Lessons on the Holy Spirit Well, I've been assigned to preach some lessons on the Holy Spirit, and I'm glad to do that. Don't expect anything particularly new, but I do hope that we can confirm conclusions maybe we came to many years ago, and also maybe to help some who may be struggling with some of these questions. But it's not my purpose to somehow come up with something fantastic and new, and I don't think you want me to do that. So we're going to do our best to present lessons that will help us on the Holy Spirit. And let me just start out by saying that our first lesson will center upon the primary purpose of the Holy Spirit in man's redemption. And that's the revelation and confirmation of truth. But before we start there, we need some general facts about the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit Is a Being First of all, we need to think of the Holy Spirit as a being. Just as God the Father is a being, and our Lord is a being, so the Holy Spirit is that. He is not just some gaseous substance floating around in the air. I went to a funeral sometime back, and the man speaking said, well, obviously, his concept of the Holy Spirit was of some kind of gaseous substance and just floating out here and doing mysterious things to people. No, he's a being. He can hear, he can speak, he can guide, he can bring to remembrance, he can glorify. That's why I had you return to John chapter 14, verse 26. Look at verse 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 things that I said to you." Here is activity. He will bring to your remembrance these things. He will teach you these things. So let's remember always that the Holy Spirit is a being, and when we speak of the Holy Spirit, we should use pronouns like he and him, not it. And if somehow I ever in these four lessons say anything about the Holy Spirit and refer to him as it, I will have made a terrible slip of the tongue. And I hope you'll be forgiving if I do that. So, the Holy Spirit is, keep in mind, a being. And never let that slip. He's one of the Godhead, or we sometimes say one of the three who make up deity. That's who the Holy Spirit is. Let's just be sure we remember that. The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament Let me point out that the Holy Spirit was active in Old Testament days. Turn to Genesis chapter 1. He had a part in creation. Verse 2 of Genesis 1: "The earth was without form and void and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters." The Spirit of God. So he was there in creation. And the second thing I want us to see, and we're not going to cover much of this because this is not our main purpose. But the Holy Spirit guided those who erected the tabernacle and the various furnishings of the tabernacle and the making of the priest's garments. Turn to Exodus chapter 35. Look at verse 30 of Exodus 35: "And Moses said to the children of Israel, 'See, the LORD has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; and He has filled him with the Spirit of God...'" (context of verses 30–35). And he had the Spirit of God to help him in that work. And I'm turning to 2 Peter chapter 1. Surely it's no new thing to us that the Holy Spirit was the one who gave the message when Old Testament scriptures were written. 2 Peter chapter 1, look at verse 20: "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation." Let me pause to say that's a verse that's been badly misunderstood. People will say, see we're not to give interpretation of the Scriptures. The Scripture is not of any private interpretation. But the reference here is not the interpretation of the reader. It's the interpretation of the writer. What he's saying is, when Isaiah wrote and David wrote and Jeremiah wrote, they were not writing their own interpretation of things. Well if they were not writing their own interpretation of things, where did they get that message? Verse 21: "For prophecy never came by the will of man, but the holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit." Was the Holy Spirit active then in Old Testament times? And we've just touched the surface a little bit. Yes. But our primary interest is in the Holy Spirit's work in the Gospel age. And that's where we're going to place our primary focus as we study these lessons. Primary Role of the Holy Spirit: Revelation and Confirmation of Truth And as we've already said, the primary role of the Holy Spirit in man's redemption was to reveal and confirm the truth of God. Let me put it this way. You would not know today that Jesus died for your sins. That he was buried. That he rose from the dead. That he ascended to heaven. You would not know what to do to be saved. You would not know how to live as a Christian. You wouldn't know anything about the church. You wouldn't know about the hope of heaven or the dangers of hell. Had it not been for the Holy Spirit. Now let me ask you. Is the Holy Spirit's role in our redemption an important role? 1. The Holy Spirit Reveals Truth Let's look first at the fact that the Holy Spirit's work was to reveal truth. And let's go right back to John chapter 14. Jesus is speaking to his apostles. May I emphasize that? He is speaking to his apostles. He's not speaking to me. And you'll see that if you look at verse 25 of John 14. Jesus says, "These things I have spoken to you while being present with you." Now that's not me. That's the apostle. I've spoken these things while I've been present with you. Now verse 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 things that I said to you." So Jesus had already told the apostles many of the things that they were going to be out teaching. But he didn't trust their memory. I'm glad of that. Aren't you glad of that? Do your memories ever fail you? Mine do. Getting more and more common in fact. Yes, our memories fail us. Jesus didn't trust their memory. He said, I'm going to send the Holy Spirit who will bring to your remembrance all those things that I've taught you. But let's go on to chapter 16. Look at verse 12: "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now." A good teacher teaches people as they're able to absorb what he's teaching them. And Jesus understood that. And he said, I have many things to tell you, but you cannot absorb it now, if I may use that term. Look at verse 13: "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come." I have many things to tell you. You can't bear them now. But the Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth. What did we say was the primary role of the Holy Spirit in our redemption? The revealing of truth. But let me emphasize that what truth was revealed to them was not partial truth. It was all. Now, to 1 Corinthians chapter 2. You may remember that in the first chapter of 1 Corinthians, Paul deals with the fact that we don't have our faith standing in man's wisdom. That man's wisdom will fail. But that doesn't mean that Paul has not preached wisdom. Look at verse 6 of 1 Corinthians 2: "However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory..." And he continues through verse 13, explaining how God revealed these things through His Spirit, and they spoke in words taught by the Holy Spirit. Now, let's go to Ephesians. I want to go to chapter 3. Ephesians chapter 3, beginning with verse 1: "For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles... how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery... Which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets." Now let's pull all that together. What was hidden in God's mind, the mystery, was revealed to certain ones. And now we know the holy apostles and prophets. They spoke that message in their generation. They wrote it down so it could be preserved for us. And they spoke and wrote not in words of their own choosing, but words given to them by the Holy Spirit. So what's the first primary role? The revealing of truth. 2. The Holy Spirit Confirms the Truth But how would anybody know it was the truth? Couldn't they just have made up this message and gone out to try to sell the world on this message that they've come up with? How would anybody know it was the truth? And so the Holy Spirit, who was revealing this message to them, also gave them the power to perform great miracles. They spoke in tongues. They healed the sick. On a few occasions, they even raised the dead. I remember one occasion when Paul struck a man with temporary blindness. And through these miracles, people would know these men are speaking the truth. And those miracles, even though Philip was not an apostle, the miracles that Philip performed were so different to those that were seen in the old sorcerer. Do you remember that in Acts 8? That anybody could distinguish between the truth and the false. So they went forth with the revealed word of God and confirmed it with the miracles that they performed. Turn to the book of Mark. Look at chapter 16. And let's begin with verse 15: "And He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.' So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs." The Lord confirmed the word through the accompanying signs, through the miracles that they performed. And I might take you one more along this line. Go to Hebrews. I want to go to chapter 2. Hebrews 2. Let's start with verse 2: "For if the word spoken through angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?" What I hold in my hand is the revealed and confirmed truth of the Lord. That's the most precious possession that you own. Revealed and confirmed by the Holy Spirit. And let me make this little point with you. When the Holy Spirit gave them power to perform those miracles, it was not to confirm what Moses had spoken 1,500 years earlier. That's already confirmed. Those miracles that were given to them were performed to confirm revelation being given to them at the time. Now, if God were giving to us some new revelation over here, I guess we would need miracles. Are you with me? But since they were guided into all truth, there's no more truth to be given to us, so what we have is the final. And it will be revealed through the Holy Spirit and confirmed by the miracles that he performed. And that's the basis of truth. It doesn't matter what vision you may think you've seen. It doesn't matter what some preacher tells you. It doesn't matter what seems right to you or to me. Even if an angel appears to you, if it results in anything other than what you can read in the revealed and confirmed truth of God, it's always a lie. This is truth. All that's beautifully illustrated. Go to 1 Kings chapter 13. While you're turning to it, I might remind you that we are the angel from heaven. Do you remember that? "Preach any other gospel to me than that which we preach to you, let it be a curse, even an angel from heaven." In 1 Kings chapter 13, the kingdom of Israel has divided. If I were to ask you what were the two southern tribes? You'd say, well, that's the kingdom of Judah. But what about the ten northern tribes? Well, that's the kingdom of Israel. Jeroboam is their king. And to keep the people from going to Jerusalem, in his mind, God had told him, if you'll follow my commands, I'll establish your kingdom like that of David. If you'll just... Jeroboam lost his faith. Told the people, don't go down to Jerusalem. He built two calves of gold. Put one of them in Bethel and one in Dan and built altars. And in chapter 13 of 1 Kings, we see a man of God coming out of Judah to curse that altar that Jeroboam has built in Bethel. Start with verse 1 of 1 Kings 13: "And behold, a man of God went from Judah to Bethel by the word of the Lord. And Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense. Then he cried out against the altar by the word of the Lord and said, 'O altar, altar, thus says the Lord: Behold, a child, Josiah by name, shall be born to the house of David; and on you he shall sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense on you, and men's bones shall be burned on you.'" Did you notice, "by the word of the Lord" three times. He came by the word of the Lord, he spoke by the word of the Lord and he cursed that altar by the word of the Lord. What do we have? We've got a man with revealed truth. Besides that, it was confirmed that it was revealed truth. Look at verse 3: "And he gave a sign on the same day, saying, 'This is the sign which the Lord has spoken: Surely the altar shall split apart and the ashes on it shall be poured out.'" Look at verse 5. The altar also was split apart and the ashes poured out from the altar according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the Lord. And besides that, Jeroboam reached out his hand and said, arrest him. What he did is, he couldn't draw it back. And he said to the man of God, pray to God that he'll restore my hand. He prayed to God. And his hand was restored. What does this man have? He has the truth of God revealed and confirmed. Confirmed twice by the ashes pouring out of that altar and by the healing of Jeroboam's hand. He's got the revealed and confirmed truth of God. Jeroboam said, go home with me. That'd be a temptation. I expect he'd never eaten as good a meal as he would have eaten at the king's house. I like this man so far. No, he said, I can't go home with you. The Lord who sent me told me not to eat bread or drink water and to go home a different way from the way I came. And he headed home. Never ruled properly. Heard about all this. Give him a donkey race. He goes after the man of God. He tells him to come back and eat with him. The man of God, again, tells him the instructions of the Lord. The Lord who sent me told me not to eat bread nor drink water in this place and to return another way from the way I came. That's it. Oh, but an angel. Look at verse 18. He said to him, I too am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the Lord, saying, bring him back with you to your house, that he may eat bread and drink water. He was lying to him. The man of God went back, ate, and the old prophet did speak and said, you will not be buried in the sepulchers with me. I used to feel sorry for him. I do still to some degree. But he's without excuse. What did he have? He had the revealed and confirmed word of God. And you can be sure if God's instructions to him were ever going to change, they would have been reversed with the same strength with which they were originally given. It wouldn't be by some old man saying an angel. Are you getting this? What do I hold in my hand? The revealed and confirmed truth of God. I used to say, this is the strongest appeal. No, it's the only appeal. It's the only source of truth. Revealed and confirmed by whom? The Holy Spirit. Perfect. If we allow somebody to come along and say, well, but I just have this wonderful feeling. Or somebody comes along and says, yes, but I've seen a vision. Or somebody comes along and says, yes, but an angel appeared to me. Or some charismatic preacher begins to tell us something different from what you read here. If you accept that, you're without excuse. This is truth. The revealed and confirmed truth of God. What was the Holy Spirit's primary role in our salvation? To reveal and confirm the message, the truth of God. Conclusion and Invitation Now, this afternoon, we're going to talk about the apostles and the fact that the apostles were unable to do their work. They could not have done their work without the enabling power of the Holy Spirit. And that's what we'll be looking at at three o'clock this afternoon. We're just going to try to lay a foundation and then draw some conclusions that I hope will help us wonderfully on Tuesday night. And I hope you can be present for all those services. Thank you for listening this morning. You have listened well. Now, one question that we need to ask. What does the revealed and confirmed word of God tell a sinner to do in order to be saved? Well, in Acts chapter 2, we hear Peter and the other apostles preaching. The people are convicted. They've come to the conclusion that the one whom they crucified is Lord and Christ. They're piercing their hearts. They say, men and brethren, what shall we do? Listen to the revealed and confirmed truth of God: "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." I have no doubt in my mind right behind me of water there would be garments here. And if you want to be a Christian, then instead of listening to what men say or some tract you've picked up somewhere, come repenting, confessing your faith, and be baptized into Christ. We would love to see you respond this morning to this invitation. Scriptures Used in the Lesson John 14:25-26 “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. 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 things that I said to you.” John 14:25-26 (Bible Hub Parallel) John 14:26 (quoted above; see full context in John 14) John 14 (Bible Hub Parallel) John 16:12-13 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.” John 16:12-13 (Bible Hub Parallel) Genesis 1:1-2 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Genesis 1:1-2 (Bible Hub Parallel) Exodus 35:30-35 (relevant verses for context of Bezalel filled with the Spirit of God) And Moses said to the children of Israel, “See, the Lord has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; and He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom and understanding, in knowledge and all manner of workmanship, to design artistic works, to work in gold and silver and bronze, in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of artistic workmanship. And He has put in his heart the ability to teach, in him and Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan.” Exodus 35:30-35 (Bible Hub Parallel) 2 Peter 1:20-21 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:20-21 (Bible Hub Parallel) 1 Corinthians 2:6-13 (key section on wisdom revealed by the Spirit) However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 1 Corinthians 2:6-13 (Bible Hub Parallel) Ephesians 3:1-5 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles—if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets. Ephesians 3:1-5 (Bible Hub Parallel) Mark 16:15-20 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Mark 16:15-20 (Bible Hub Parallel) Hebrews 2:2-4 For if the word spoken through angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will? Hebrews 2:2-4 (Bible Hub Parallel) 1 Kings 13:1-5, 18 (relevant verses for the man of God and the confirming sign) And behold, a man of God went from Judah to Bethel by the word of the Lord, and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense. Then he cried out against the altar by the word of the Lord, and said, “O altar, altar! Thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, a child, Josiah by name, shall be born to the house of David; and on you he shall sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense on you, and men’s bones shall be burned on you.’” And he gave a sign the same day, saying, “This is the sign which the Lord has spoken: Surely the altar shall split apart, and the ashes on it shall be poured out.” So the altar was split apart, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the Lord. ... He said to him, “I too am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the Lord, saying, ‘Bring him back with you to your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.’” (He was lying to him.) 1 Kings 13:1-5, 18 (Bible Hub Parallel) Acts 2:38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38 (Bible Hub Parallel) ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURES THAT MAY BE HELPFUL Matthew 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19 (Bible Hub Parallel) John 14:16-17 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. John 14:16-17 (Bible Hub Parallel) John 15:26 But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. John 15:26 (Bible Hub Parallel) John 16:7-8 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. John 16:7-8 (Bible Hub Parallel) Acts 5:3-4 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” Acts 5:3-4 (Bible Hub Parallel) Acts 8:29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and overtake this chariot.” Acts 8:29 (Bible Hub Parallel) Acts 13:2 As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Acts 13:2 (Bible Hub Parallel) Acts 15:28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things. Acts 15:28 (Bible Hub Parallel) Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. Romans 8:14 (Bible Hub Parallel) Romans 8:26-27 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. Romans 8:26-27 (Bible Hub Parallel) 1 Corinthians 12:11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. 1 Corinthians 12:11 (Bible Hub Parallel) 2 Corinthians 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13:14 (Bible Hub Parallel) Ephesians 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30 (Bible Hub Parallel) 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (Bible Hub Parallel) Psalm 104:30 You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; And You renew the face of the earth. Psalm 104:30 (Bible Hub Parallel) Job 33:4 The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life. Job 33:4 (Bible Hub Parallel) Exodus 31:3 And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship. Exodus 31:3 (Bible Hub Parallel) Numbers 11:25 Then the Lord came down in the cloud, and spoke to him, and took of the Spirit that was upon him, and placed the same upon the seventy elders; and it happened, when the Spirit rested upon them, that they prophesied, although they never did so again. Numbers 11:25 (Bible Hub Parallel) Isaiah 11:2 The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. Isaiah 11:2 (Bible Hub Parallel) Romans 15:19 in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. Romans 15:19 (Bible Hub Parallel) 1 Corinthians 2:4-5 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. 1 Corinthians 2:4-5 (Bible Hub Parallel) Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 (Bible Hub Parallel) SUGGESTED ALTERNATIVE TITLES Straightforward and Descriptive Titles The Holy Spirit: A Divine Person and Revealer of Truth Who Is the Holy Spirit? His Person and Primary Work in Revelation The Holy Spirit’s Role in Revealing and Confirming God’s Truth The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit: Revelation and Confirmation The Holy Spirit: Revealer and Confirmer of Divine Truth Emphasis on the Core Theme The Holy Spirit and the Revealed, Confirmed Word of God How the Holy Spirit Revealed and Confirmed the Gospel The Holy Spirit’s Foundational Work: Revealing All Truth Revelation and Confirmation: The Holy Spirit’s Primary Role in Redemption The Holy Spirit — Revealer of All Truth and Confirmer of the Word Classic Sermon-Style Titles The Holy Spirit: Who He Is and What He Has Done for Us Understanding the Holy Spirit: Person, Presence, and Purpose The Great Revealer: The Holy Spirit in God’s Plan of Redemption The Holy Spirit and the Inspired, Confirmed Scriptures No Truth Without the Holy Spirit: His Work in Revelation and Confirmation Series-Friendly Titles (since this is Sermon 1 of 4) Lesson 1: Who Is the Holy Spirit? — The Revealer and Confirmer of Truth The Holy Spirit Series – Part 1: His Person and the Revelation of Truth Foundations of the Holy Spirit: Being, Old Testament Work, and Revelation The Holy Spirit: From Creation to the Confirmed Gospel SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION SUGGESTIONS . Here’s a curated list of effective words, phrases, and search terms to make this sermon easy to find on search engines (Google, Bing, etc.). These are optimized for SEO, incorporating the speaker, location, date, key themes, and common search patterns people use when looking for Church of Christ sermons on the Holy Spirit. Top Recommended Title & File Name Phrases (use these as the main title or filename) “Who Is the Holy Spirit” Bill Hall Bill Hall “Who Is the Holy Spirit” Eastside Church of Christ Bill Hall Holy Spirit Sermon 2014 Eastside Athens AL The Holy Spirit Revelation and Confirmation Bill Hall Bill Hall Holy Spirit Series Lesson 1 Key Search Phrases (copy and paste these directly) Bill Hall Holy Spirit Eastside Church of Christ Athens Alabama Bill Hall “Who Is the Holy Spirit” February 2014 sermon Holy Spirit as a being Bill Hall sermon Holy Spirit revelation and confirmation of truth Bill Hall Bill Hall Eastside Athens “Holy Spirit” 02/02/2014 OR 02/16/2014 The Holy Spirit revealed and confirmed word of God sermon Bill Hall “Helper the Holy Spirit” John 14 sermon Helpful Individual Keywords & Combinations Speaker + Location: Bill Hall preacher, Bill Hall Athens AL, Eastside Church of Christ Athens AL, Eastside Athens Bill Hall Topic-Focused: Holy Spirit is a being, Holy Spirit person not force, Holy Spirit revealer of truth, Holy Spirit confirmation miracles, Holy Spirit guided into all truth, Holy Spirit Old Testament creation tabernacle, Holy Spirit inspiration Scripture Sermon-Specific Elements: 1 of 4 Holy Spirit series, Bill Hall Holy Spirit lesson 1, John 14:26 Holy Spirit Bill Hall, Mark 16 signs confirm word sermon, 1 Kings 13 man of God altar sermon, Acts 2:38 Holy Spirit gift Bill Hall Date & Series Variations: 2014 Holy Spirit sermon Bill Hall, February 2014 Eastside Church of Christ sermon, Holy Spirit series Bill Hall 2014 Long-Tail Search Phrases (great for blog posts, YouTube titles, or descriptions) “Who Is the Holy Spirit” sermon by Bill Hall Eastside Church of Christ Bill Hall sermon on the person and work of the Holy Spirit How the Holy Spirit revealed and confirmed the truth sermon Church of Christ sermon Holy Spirit revelation confirmation Bill Hall Bill Hall Athens Alabama Holy Spirit being not gaseous substance Tips for Best Results Use the exact speaker name “Bill Hall” combined with “Eastside Church of Christ” and “Athens AL” — these are highly specific and reduce irrelevant results. Include scripture references like John 14:26, John 16:13, or Mark 16 signs for people searching by Bible text. For audio/transcript files: Name the file something like Bill-Hall-Who-Is-the-Holy-Spirit-Eastside-Athens-2014.mp3 or .docx. In descriptions or metadata, repeat natural combinations such as “Bill Hall Holy Spirit sermon Eastside Church of Christ Athens Alabama February 2014”. SUGGESTED “TAGS” holy spirit bill hall holy spirit sermon who is the holy spirit revelation and confirmation church of christ holy spirit person acts 2:38 john 14:26 holy spirit series bill hall sermon revealed truth confirmed word holy spirit revelation holy spirit confirmation bible sermon holy spirit being helper holy spirit mark 16 signs gospel age holy spirit How to use them on Audio.com: holy spirit, bill hall, holy spirit sermon, who is the holy spirit, revelation and confirmation, church of christ, holy spirit person, acts 2:38, john 14:26, holy spirit series, bill hall sermon, revealed truth, confirmed word, holy spirit revelation, holy spirit confirmation, bible sermon, holy spirit being, helper holy spirit, mark 16 signs, gospel age holy spirit SUGGESTIONS FOR METADATA : Metadata Tags (copy & paste) holy spirit, bill hall, holy spirit sermon, who is the holy spirit, revelation and confirmation, church of christ, holy spirit person, acts 2:38, john 14:26, holy spirit series, bill hall sermon, revealed truth, confirmed word, holy spirit revelation, holy spirit confirmation, bible sermon, holy spirit being, helper holy spirit, mark 16 signs, gospel age, 1 corinthians 2, ephesians 3, john 16:13, inspiration of scripture, miracles confirm word Alternative Shorter Version (if the platform limits the number of tags) holy spirit, bill hall, holy spirit sermon, who is the holy spirit, revelation and confirmation, church of christ, acts 2:38, john 14:26, holy spirit series, revealed truth, confirmed word, bible sermon Suggested Metadata Fields: Title: Who Is the Holy Spirit? – Bill Hall (Lesson 1 of 4) Artist / Speaker: Bill Hall Album / Series: The Holy Spirit Series Genre: Religion & Spirituality / Christian Sermon Description (use the 462-character summary from earlier): In this first lesson of a four-part series, Bill Hall clearly explains who the Holy Spirit is and His primary work in man’s redemption. The sermon shows the Holy Spirit as a divine person — not a force — who revealed all truth to the apostles and confirmed it with miracles. Hall stresses that we now possess the complete, confirmed word of God. A strong invitation from Acts 2:38 concludes this foundational Bible lesson.