July 25, 2010 - SpiritFire

We will have two different messages, one for Daybreak and one for Refresh, both concentrating on the Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

Daybreak Message: Sherwin Grottis

Access Granted

Matthew 3:13-17
This is an intriguing passage that begs the question - why would a sinless Jesus need to undergo John’s baptism of repentance?  Jesus explains His reason for doing this as to “fulfill all righteousness” (Vs. 15). Understand that Jesus was not baptized to just check a religious formality off His ministry list.  No - His baptism was to identify Himself with sinners - He who had no sin took His place among those who had no righteousness. His ministry began that way. How fitting. He didn't come just to teach. He didn't come just to set an example. He didn't come just to be a moralist. He didn't come to be a revolutionary. He came to identify with sinners, and He was numbered with the transgressors (Isa. 53:12); and there in His baptism He identified with sinners. In the same way, when we are baptized into Jesus we identify with Him, we identify with and take on His righteousness in the same way as He took on our sin. When Jesus was baptized “the heavens were opened” – He was the only one that could open what Adam had closed – our access to the Father has been granted though His Son Jesus Christ.

Supporting Scriptures

• 2 Corinthians 5:21
• 1 Corinthians 15:45-47
• Luke 1:41
• Isaiah 53
• Hebrews 4:16

Refresh Message: Mark Phillips

The Holy Spirit in the Word and in the Life of the Believer

A logical extension of the lesson last week is to look at the role of the Spirit in the written word and in the life of the believer. At least one piece of this is going to focus on the believer and the book. I feel like something profound happens when the Spirit in the book is able to speak to the Spirit in the believer and I'd like to spend a chunk of this lesson on that.