Sermon 07 Oct 2018
Spirit and Truth
John 4:24 Jesus worshippers must worship in Spirit and Truth.
Eph 4:11-13
Jesus desire is for the whole church to grow up into the fullness of maturity.
• Jesus does not want us to continually stumble over the same things nor find ourselves captive to the ways of the world/flesh and eventually stagnate in our faith.
• Rather, like an infant, Jesus desire is that we would grow up into the fullness of who He has created us to be (Eph 4:14)
• Like a child, the growing process is never clean cut or mess free.
Thus, He has equipped the church with that which is necessary for it to grow up.
God’s word
2 Tim 3:16-17
Scripture builds up the church for every good work so that we might be complete.
1) Apart from scripture we cannot know God personally or intimately.
2) Scripture also leads us in the way everlasting
• It is a lamp unto our feet (Ps 119)
• God has given us His word that we might know fullness of joy and fullness of life.
As a community of God’s people, we have to ensure that we embed God’s word in everything we do.
God’s Spirit
God has equipped the church with his Spirit so that we might be built up into the fullness of maturity.
The church at Corinth was a ‘messy’ church, there were many moral failings, divisions and conflicts. However,
despite this, God also dwelt and worked powerfully in them by his Spirit.
• In writing his letter to the church at Corinth, Paul corrects and disciplines them in various ways, but he never
discourages their pursuit of the Spirit.
• His encouragement is to continue to pursue the Spirit in a way that builds up and strengths the church.
1 Cor 12:7 (Common good)
1 Cor 14: 12 (Excel at building up)
1 Cor 14:26 (Strengthen the community)
We must pursue Spirit and Truth in a balanced and equal way if we are to become mature.
We each tend to prioritise one over the other and in doing so we can separate out that which God intended to be
held together.
• Often that which we read, listen to and are involved in reinforces what we already believe and if left
unchecked we can become unbalanced.
In our desire to be faithful to God’s word (or Spirit) we can become unfaithful to his Spirit (or Word)
A critical error that we can make is to judge that which we gravitate away from by the extreme’s that we have seen
in that movement.
• False prophecy, fraudulent healings, immoral leaders (Spirit side)
• Dry, godless religion, heavy handed control. (Word side)
The errors in the extreme can cause us to retreat back into our comfortable corner.
When Spirit and Truth are equally prioritised, there is:
Fullness (Maturity and Health)
• Eph 4:1-13
Freedom
• John 8:32
• 2 Cor 3:17
Fruitfulness
• Gal 5:22-23
• Luke 4:13-20
Small Group Study
Jesus said that we must hold Spirit and Truth together as his followers.
• Why does the church so often want to divide these two things?
In trying to be faithful to Spirit or Truth have you found yourself prioritising one over the other?
Have you found yourself stagnating in your faith?
• Is part of the reason because you have become unbalanced in either Spirit or Truth?
How can you hold Spirit and Truth together in your life?
• What does this look like?
How are you pursuing God’s Spirit in your life?
How are you pursuing God’s word in your life?
How can we as a church hold these two things together well?