The presence of the Holy Spirit is a defining and distinguishing characteristic of the people of God.
The presence of the helper amongst us is compared to Jesus among us. He does the things Jesus does – but (unlike Jesus) does not draw attention to himself. Instead he draws attention to Jesus.
As the presence of God among us, the Holy Spirit anticipates a greater time of fulfilment when God’s presence will be universally known. In this era he actually comes upon us to press us into the ends of the earth (and our city). This creates a tension for us. The Spirit of mission (if we misunderstand him) will keep us from our mission.
There is an attractive ‘missiology’ that sees the church exclusively living for seasons of unusual manifestation – which will solve all our problems. (i.e. revival is when God takes over…). But New Testament missiology is a little different. The Holy Spirit is a missionary: always driving us onwards to the regions and the neighbourhoods beyond. Learning cultures, engaging those cultures and being ready for things to change accordingly.
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Jonah 3:1 is beautiful. God heals us by sending us again. When we thought we were unsendable (and if you have not come to that point you are certainly unsendable).
Have you heard God’s word to you for Brighton? It’s ringing in our ears.
HE HAS SENT CCK TO BRIGHTON – AND HE IS SENDING US AGAIN…
Why has he sent us? It is (3.3 Hebrew) ‘a great city to God’. He is jealous to have a dwelling – a house – here in this ‘pagan’ place.
Our message, like Jonah’s, is one of warning – and has to be. In Jonah’s case it came with terseness. But God’s mercy can only roll down to wicked cities because of one who came to the city of his rightful throne, knowing it would utterly reject him – and still sobbed out his warnings without relent for their sakes and not for his own.
God will turn people. Some will be within our ‘reach’ and some will surprise us. Kings are destined to shut their mouths because of him (Isaiah 52:1-12). Some big pillars of the temples of our city will become pillars of the church. God has many in this city – in spite of how weak we are as messengers.
How did they respond to God? Be sure to give your heart in repentance and prayer – they ‘called out mightily to God’
You can watch or listen to this sermon here
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