24-1201a Transcript

Preacher: Mike Mathis

(0:42) Greetings to everyone that is present here at the building, (0:49) and those that are on the conference line, (0:56) all that there are, those that are feeling under the weather, (1:06) and with colds, and other things that are going on.

(1:18) We wish to have them in our prayers and our thoughts, (1:27) that those that are sick would be well, (1:31) and those that are caring for their loved ones to be relieved of their anxieties, (1:44) as they take care of those who they care for. (1:55) This lesson that I will present is entitled, (2:03) Being Filled, if you haven’t already gained from the scripture readings that were read in your hearing. (2:21) And I thank those that have read the scriptures that were selected.

(2:33) In Luke 1, verse 15, the angel of the Lord appears to Zacharias (2:43) to announce that his wife Elizabeth would bear a son. (2:51) What is notable about this is that both were well stricken in years. (2:59) They had no child, for Elizabeth was barren.

(3:08) Now as Zacharias was tending to his priestly duties, (3:15) an angel of the Lord told him he and his wife would have a son. (3:23) His name would be called John. (3:27) He would be great in the sight of the Lord.

(3:32) He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. (3:41) I chose this topic because there is a lot of confusion (3:51) concerning being filled with the Holy Spirit (3:55) and the baptism of the Holy Spirit that prevails in the religious world. (4:05) But there are other things that can be filled with besides the Holy Spirit, (4:15) such as Matthew 5, 6, which was read in your hearing.

(4:22) Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, (4:29) for they shall be filled. (4:34) Jesus promised that those who hunger and thirst would be blessed. (4:44) But if you would just listen to what that says, (4:50) those that are hungry and thirsty, (4:54) they need to have their hunger and thirst satisfied.

(5:02) And so if they are hungry and thirsty, (5:09) what satisfaction is hungry and thirsty? (5:15) Well, the next phrase is, (5:20) for they shall be filled. (5:26) We see this hunger and thirst after righteousness. (5:33) We learn in Psalms 119, verse 172, (5:42) all your commandments speaking to God, (5:48) all your commandments are righteousness.

(5:55) And the psalmist is saying, before he said that, (6:00) that he would speak or praise with his mouth the Word of God (6:08) in which commandments are found. (6:13) God has commandments. (6:17) And these commandments are said to be righteousness, all of them.

(6:25) But then how are we filled? (6:31) We have the Word. (6:34) In 2 Timothy 2, 15, we have, according to the King James, (6:43) it says, study to show thyself approved, (6:48) a workman that needs not to be ashamed, (6:53) rightly dividing the word of truth. (6:57) And the new King James, instead of saying study, (7:02) it says give diligence.

(7:05) And giving diligence, studying is giving diligence. (7:12) And we need to give diligence to the Word. (7:18) And we need to learn how to handle or write the Word of God.

(7:25) I don’t have these scriptures in my notes, (7:34) but 1 Peter 2, verse 2 says, (7:42) As newborn babes desire the young milk of the Word, (7:51) that you may grow thereby. (7:55) That’s 2 Peter 2, verse 2 in the new King James version. (8:02) And in Hebrews 5, verses 12-14, (8:15) the Hebrew writer is getting on to the Hebrews, (8:23) because he says, (8:26) For though by this time you ought to be teachers, (8:30) you need someone to teach you again (8:33) the first principles of the oracles of God.

(8:38) And you have come to need milk and not solid food. (8:45) For everyone who protects only of milk (8:48) is unskilled in the word of righteousness, (8:53) for he is a babe. (8:57) A solid food belongs to those who are of full age, (9:01) that is, those who by reason of use (9:07) have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

(9:15) So we need to be filled with the Word of God. (9:20) We need to fill ourselves with the Word of God. (9:24) And if you notice in these verses, (9:29) the Word is spiritual food.

(9:34) And that is how we can be filled spiritually, (9:40) filling ourselves with the Word. (9:45) And that is how we can be pleasing to God. (9:52) Let’s look at Colossians 1, verses 9 and 10.

(10:02) Colossians 1, verses 9 and 10. (10:18) Paul says, (10:19) For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, (10:26) do not cease to pray for you, (10:30) to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will (10:36) in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, (10:42) that you may walk worthy of the Lord, (10:47) fully pleasing him, (10:49) being fruitful in every good work, (10:53) and increasing in the knowledge of God. (10:59) Thus we learn that not only should we be filled (11:05) with the knowledge of his Word, of his will, (11:14) in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, (11:19) we should be fruitful.

(11:24) Fruitful means that we would do work. (11:29) We are fruitful in every good work. (11:33) For those that teach against works, (11:40) like we are teaching that works merit salvation, (11:52) and it takes away grace.

(11:55) We are saved by grace. (11:57) When we obey what God wants us to, (12:04) we are doing what he says. (12:09) We’re not earning our salvation.

(12:13) We still have grace given to us. (12:19) Yet we are to walk worthy of the Lord, (12:26) fully pleasing him, (12:29) being fruitful in every good work, (12:32) and increasing in the knowledge of God. (12:36) We’re supposed to know God.

(12:39) Not only know about him, but know him. (12:46) We can be filled with the fruits of righteousness, (12:55) according to Philippians 1, verses 9-11. (13:34) …​and without offense till the day of Christ.

(13:40) Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, (13:44) which are by Jesus Christ, (13:48) through the glory and praise of God. (13:54) Being filled with the fruits of righteousness. (13:59) We have in Ephesians, or is it Ephesians or Galatians? (14:08) It is in Galatians 5. (14:11) We have mention of the fruit of the Holy Spirit, (14:19) and the list that is given of the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

(14:26) Now here it is, the fruits of righteousness. (14:31) Again, right doing. (14:36) Righteousness is right doing.

(14:41) And we are filled with the works of righteousness. (14:48) And fruits are produced. (14:52) It’s what is produced by our righteousness.

(14:57) Or by the working of righteousness that comes from God. (15:07) And he says that we are filled with the fruits of righteousness. (15:16) And then in Ephesians 3, in verse 14-19, (15:28) Paul says, (15:30) For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, (15:37) from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, (15:44) that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, (15:50) to be strengthened with might through his Spirit to the inner man, (15:56) that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, (16:02) that you, being rooted and grounded in love, (16:07) may be able to comprehend with all the saints (16:12) what is the width and the length and the depth and the height, (16:17) to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, (16:24) that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

(16:32) And you know, we have in the religious world (16:37) those who will try to say that God is one being, (16:51) but we’re going to see that in this we’ve got members of the Godhead, (17:04) that is, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, (17:12) who is Son of God, who is a second member of the Godhead, (17:20) and in verse 19, or verse 16, (17:30) we have the Spirit being in the inner man. (17:39) We’ve got the Spirit. (17:43) We have the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

(17:50) And Paul prayed for the Ephesian brethren. (17:54) As a matter of fact, he prayed for all the churches. (17:59) When he wrote to them, he gave thanks for them (18:04) and prayed for them that they would continue in the truth.

(18:08) He continued. (18:11) He prayed for the fact that they would know the truth (18:17) and where they are erring, that they would correct those errors. (18:27) But he referred to them, and he prayed for them.

(18:36) He prayed for the Ephesians. (18:39) He prayed that God would grant them according to his riches in glory. (18:48) And before we get to that, he said, (18:54) "…​from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named." (18:59) Now, that’s the family here, the singular church for which Christ died for, (19:11) and it is in Christ.

(19:15) It is the family of God. (19:18) It is the family of our Lord Jesus Christ. (19:24) And it is singular.

(19:27) And it should be named after Christ. (19:34) It should be his, after his name. (19:40) We are Christians.

(19:43) We have Christ first in that name, Christian. (19:51) And this is the name that is spoken of in the prophets (19:59) that would say that God would give his people a new name. (20:07) In Acts 13, the people, those in the church, the believers, (20:22) are first called Christians.

(20:24) They weren’t the first Christians, but they were first called Christians in Antioch. (20:31) And that’s after. (20:36) And then King Agrippa asked Paul, (20:44) and Paul gave his defense before him.

(20:48) He says, (20:49) "…​almost you persuade me to be a Christian." (20:55) And then in Peter, he says that we should glory in the name Christian. (21:02) So Christian is the name that we should bear. (21:10) He says, (21:11) "…​he prayed that God would grant them according to his riches of his glory, (21:24) that they would be strengthened with might through his Spirit in the inner man." (21:31) You know, I can make a sermon out of that.

(21:34) We could do that. (21:36) But let’s stick to being filled. (21:44) "…​he prayed that Christ may dwell in their hearts through faith." (21:56) That is how we can come to Christ, through faith.

(22:04) It is amazing that I heard a well-known evangelist, (22:10) he’s passed on now, (22:15) say on TV that even if people did not believe in Christ, (22:28) they could be saved. (22:33) But Jesus did not think so. (22:36) For he told those Jews that he was speaking to, (22:41) "…​except you believe that I am he, you shall die in your sins." (22:50) That does not sound like salvation, even though you don’t believe.

(22:59) But we must believe that Jesus is. (23:03) We must believe that he is the Son of God, (23:08) that he is a member of the Godhead. (23:11) He is deity.

(23:13) He is God. (23:17) And you know the love of Christ in verse 19, (23:25) which passes knowledge that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. (23:34) And in John 17, verses 20-23, (23:49) Jesus here praying is praying for the people (23:57) that would come after his apostles.

(24:05) Beginning in verse 20, (24:08) "…​I do not pray for these alone, (24:12) but also for those who will believe in me through their word, (24:19) that they all may be one, (24:23) as you, Father, are in me, (24:27) and I in you, (24:30) that they also may be one in us, (24:38) that the world may believe that you sent me. (24:44) And the glory which you gave me I have given them, (24:49) that they may be one just as we are one, (24:54) I in them and you in me, (24:58) that they may be made perfect in one, (25:03) that the world may know that you have sent me, (25:07) and have loved them as you have loved me." (25:13) Notice that. (25:16) We can’t have just one being (25:21) if Jesus prays, (25:24) "…​you, Father, are in me, (25:31) and I in you, (25:37) and they also may be one in us." (25:45) That’s two beings there you’ve got.

(25:48) We also saw in Ephesians, (25:58) the third chapter here, (26:01) that we have the three in the Godhead, (26:07) the Father, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Spirit. (26:12) We have these three, (26:16) and so he says that those who believe (26:26) may be also one in us. (26:34) So we’ve got the Father and the Son (26:39) and the Holy Spirit.

(26:42) We’ve got the Godhead then. (26:46) The three are mentioned (26:49) and are in the Godhead. (26:53) And then in Ephesians 5, verse 18, (26:59) "…​we are to be filled with the Holy Spirit." (27:10) This is the second reading that was read, (27:16) and we want to then read, (27:28) "…​and do not be drunk with wine, (27:32) which is dissipation." (27:38) We are not to be drunk with wine.

(27:42) Now, sometimes when people refer (27:46) to the alcoholic drinks, (27:50) they may refer to these drinks as spirits. (27:55) But we’re not to be drunk with these. (28:00) He said especially with wine.

(28:04) This would be the intoxicating wine. (28:08) This would be what you would get drunk on, (28:15) which is dissipation. (28:18) Now, what in the world is dissipation? (28:22) According to Webster’s English Dictionary, (28:28) it is to squander in pursuit of pleasure.

(28:31) That’s what people want to have (28:34) when they are drinking (28:36) and they get drunk with wine. (28:39) They have pleasure. (28:42) It is righteous living waste.

(28:49) Remember the prodigal son. (28:54) I think some believe that prodigal means return, (29:01) but prodigal means waste. (29:04) That’s what the son did when he left home.

(29:07) He wasted what was given to him, (29:14) and he didn’t have anything. (29:20) So he resolved then, (29:23) when he really got to his lowers, (29:27) working in the pig’s pen, (29:29) desiring the food the pigs were eating, (29:36) and then he woke up (29:39) and made the resolve (29:42) that he was going back home (29:46) after he had wasted everything (29:51) on righteous living, (29:54) as it’s described. (29:59) So that is what dissipation means.

(30:03) So we shouldn’t be drunk with wine, (30:07) but we should be filled with the Spirit. (30:12) These are things that we ought to be filled with. (30:18) We ought to be…​ (30:20) We’ve seen that we should be filled with these.

(30:27) Knowledge of God’s will, (30:32) being filled with fruits of knowledge, (30:37) the fullness of God, (30:40) and being filled with the Holy Spirit. (30:44) I’m going to give the invitation. (30:48) I have the second part of this tonight, (30:54) of being filled.

(30:56) I would enjoy your company to be here (31:01) and to listen to the second part of this lesson, (31:08) because it is going to concern ourselves (31:12) with being filled with the Holy Spirit. (31:18) Now, if there is anyone (31:19) that is subject to the gospel invitation (31:22) and needs to put Christ on through faith (31:28) and being baptized to be saved, (31:32) to have forgiveness of sins, (31:35) we would urge you to do so. (31:38) Or if you want to be restored, (31:42) why not do so now? (31:45) If there is any other thing (31:47) that you have on your mind (31:48) that you wish to make known to the church, (31:53) they would pray for you (31:54) that whatever it is, (31:57) you would be relieved of it.

(32:00) Why not come forward as we stand and as we sing?