Pentecost - One Bapstism... Many Fillings - July 7, 2024

Riverbluff Church Sermons

I pray your celebration of being blessed to live in a nation filled with so many freedoms was filled with joy this Fourth of July. Our national freedom is a remarkable thing to be deeply treasured! So too, is our “Freedom in Christ”! Luke 22 records several discussions Jesus had with His disciples. In verse 35, we read Jesus asking them an interesting question. He told them to think back to the times He sent them out to towns and villages to proclaim the Good News, and He asked them, “Did you lack anything?” to which they replied “No!” The Apostle Paul opens his letter to Christ-followers in Ephesus with these words in Ephesians 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing…” In Acts 1:8, just before ascending back to Heaven, Jesus tells His followers, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses...” Not only do we have “Freedom in Christ”, but along with that “Freedom”, He gave us “Power” by putting His SPIRIT, the HOLY SPIRIT, in us! While the HOLY SPIRIT plays many roles in our lives, according to JESUS the primary role of the Holy Spirit is to witness to Christ and to equip us, the church, to witness for Christ, so “that in everything HE might have preeminence” (see Colossians 1:18). In fact, when we came to put our trust in JESUS, in that moment we were given, “everything we need to live and to serve God” (2 Peter 1:3 NCV). In this message, we'll explore the great debate surrounding “the Baptism in the HOLY SPIRIT”; growing more confident that we already have all we need in JESUS. Pastor Joe Still