Sunday Morning 1st Service | The Friend You've Been Missing #1| Pastor Rob Thomas

Jun 08, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Three Persons Hovering Over Life’s Chaos

The Holy Spirit brings order where confusion reigns, just as He hovered over formless waters at creation. Like a master sculptor shaping clay, He takes the Father’s vision and makes it tangible. This same Spirit works in believers today, transforming personal chaos into divine purpose. His presence isn’t distant or abstract—He actively bridges heaven’s will to earth’s reality. When life feels disordered, He hovers close, ready to breathe structure into our mess. [01:05:18]

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:1-2, ESV)

Reflection: Where does your life feel formless or void? How might the Holy Spirit be inviting you to partner with Him in bringing order and purpose there?

Day 2: Immersed in the Trinity’s Embrace

Three baptisms mark a believer’s journey: into the Father’s family, the Son’s resurrection power, and the Spirit’s fiery presence. These immersions aren’t rituals but encounters—each Person of the Godhead claiming and empowering. Like a triple-layered safety net, they catch believers in every dimension of need. The Spirit’s baptism isn’t reserved for the elite but offered to all who hunger for more of God. [01:17:25]

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19, ESV)

Reflection: Which of the three immersions feels most alive in your walk? Which might God be inviting you to explore more deeply?

Day 3: The Tug That Won’t Let Go

Long before a sinner bows, the Spirit woos. He’s the persistent whisper during late-night doubts, the unexplained pull driving someone to church. Like a shepherd’s crook gently redirecting sheep, His conviction guides without condemnation. Even now, He’s drawing someone through this devotional—planting holy discontent, making hearts homesick for a Father they’ve yet to meet. [01:24:28]

No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. (John 6:44, ESV)

Reflection: When did you first sense the Spirit’s tug toward Jesus? Who in your life might He be drawing through your story?

Day 4: Not a Force, But a Friend

The Holy Spirit isn’t cosmic energy but a Person—He grieves over sin, rejoices in obedience, and counsels through confusion. He prefers quiet conversations to dramatic displays, working through Scripture’s pages and life’s ordinary moments. His presence in believers isn’t earned but given, a permanent resident transforming temples of flesh into carriers of divine fruit. [01:32:21]

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. (John 14:16-17, ESV)

Reflection: How have you related to the Holy Spirit—as a force or a friend? What practical step could deepen your relationship today?

Day 5: Fruit Before Fireworks

The Spirit’s first priority isn’t flashy gifts but lasting fruit—love that serves, patience that endures, joy that persists. These qualities outlast ecstatic experiences, proving His work in secret places. Like tree roots stabilizing before branches grow, character precedes power. When fruit flourishes, even ordinary lives become supernatural signposts pointing to Christ. [01:34:08]

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23, ESV)

Reflection: Which fruit feels most ripe in your life? Which needs cultivation? How might tending to fruit open doors for spiritual gifts?

Sermon Summary

God the Triune Creator stands at the center. Genesis shows the Father willing and designing, the Spirit “hovering” and mediating order out of chaos, and the Son executing the Father’s word so that “without him was not anything made that was made.” John names the Son as the eternal Word who was with God and was God and then became flesh. The picture is simple and beautiful: the Father has the plan, the Son carries it out, and the Spirit connects the plan to creation, then and now.

The Holy Spirit shows up not as an “it,” a ghost, or some vague energy, but as a person with mind, will, and emotions. He is not weird; people are. Jesus names him “another Helper,” the Spirit of truth who dwells with and in believers. From salvation onward, he seals believers as God’s own, then invites them to be immersed in his presence and power for bold, fruitful witness.

Matthew’s Trinitarian command to “baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” gets worked out across the New Testament as three immersions. First, the Father’s baptism is salvation, where a sinner is brought into God’s family through repentance and faith in Christ. Second, the Son’s baptism is water immersion, publicly identifying with Jesus’s death, burial, and resurrection. Third, the Spirit’s baptism is empowerment, a distinct grace from indwelling, enabling believers to walk in the Spirit’s fruit and gifts with courage and clarity. None of this saves except the first; all of this belongs in God’s good plan.

The Spirit’s primary present work in the world is drawing people to the Father through Jesus. Jesus says no one comes unless the Father draws, and that drawing is the Spirit’s gentle, persistent pursuit. He convicts of sin, righteousness, and judgment, not to shame but to open blind eyes so that head knowledge becomes heart revelation. That same Spirit then bears unmistakable evidence inside believers: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Fruit comes first. When character roots run deep, the gifts become safe, beautiful, and life-giving, pointing people to Jesus instead of to personalities. The Friend many have been missing has been right there all along, ready to counsel, comfort, guide, teach, correct, and fill ordinary days with the presence of God.

Key Takeaways

1. One God in three persons The Bible’s first pages already name the pattern: the Father wills, the Word creates, and the Spirit hovers and mediates order. John then makes it explicit that the Word is the Son made flesh. Trinitarian unity is not a puzzle to solve but a rhythm to receive, where distinct persons act in perfect oneness. [63:18]
2. Three immersions shape Christian life Salvation immerses a sinner into the Father’s family, water baptism immerses a believer into the Son’s death and resurrection, and Spirit baptism immerses a disciple into power for witness. Only the first saves, but all three belong in a healthy, biblical life with God. The pattern keeps conversion central, obedience visible, and empowerment available. [82:36]
3. The Spirit draws and convicts His conviction is not humiliation but invitation, turning restlessness and crisis into a doorway home. He personalizes the gospel until Jesus is no longer theory but Savior, shifting a person from information to revelation. That is how dead hearts wake up and real repentance begins. [86:38]
4. Fruit grounds gifts and power Character is the safety net for charisma, and the Spirit’s first evidence is fruit, not fireworks. When love, joy, and self-control lead, gifts stop being a stage and become a service. Power without fruit warps into spectacle; fruit before gifts turns power into life. [94:36]
5. The Helper indwells and empowers From the moment of faith, the Spirit lives within as seal and Friend, teaching, guiding, and correcting. Spirit baptism then clothes believers with boldness to carry Jesus’s mission with clarity and courage. Indwelling secures identity; empowering fuels assignment. [91:19]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[57:18] - Gathering and mission
[59:02] - The Friend You’ve Been Missing
[60:14] - Not chasing weirdness, just Scripture
[62:27] - One God in three persons
[63:18] - Creation shows the Godhead
[66:11] - The Word made flesh
[68:01] - The Spirit is not a ghost
[70:28] - Three immersions explained
[79:27] - Baptism in the Holy Spirit
[83:40] - The Spirit draws to the Father
[86:38] - Conviction unto life
[93:24] - Fruit is the first evidence
[96:22] - The Friend for everyday life
[103:38] - Call to repentance and faith

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
- Genesis 1:1-2 (ESV): "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters."
- John 1:1-3, 14 (ESV): "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made... And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us..."
- Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV): "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."

Observation Questions

In Genesis 1:1-2 and John 1:1-3, how do the distinct roles of the Father, Son (the Word), and Holy Spirit work together in creation?
What three "immersions" are described as part of a believer’s journey, and how do they differ in purpose? [10:28]
According to Galatians 5:22-23, what is the primary evidence of the Holy Spirit’s presence in a person’s life? How does this contrast with common misconceptions about spiritual power? [33:24]
How does Jesus describe the Holy Spirit in John 14:16-17, and what does this reveal about His nature? [30:00]

Interpretation Questions

Why is it significant that the Holy Spirit is described as a person with a mind, will, and emotions rather than an impersonal force? How does this shape our relationship with Him? [08:34]
The sermon emphasizes that "fruit grounds gifts and power." Why might spiritual gifts become harmful or divisive if they aren’t rooted in the fruit of the Spirit? [34:36]
How does the Holy Spirit’s role in drawing people to God (John 6:44) differ from human efforts to persuade others about faith? [24:08]
What does it mean that the Holy Spirit “seals” believers (Ephesians 1:13-14), and how does this relate to the idea of being “immersed” into God’s family? [32:48]

Application Questions

When have you sensed the Holy Spirit gently drawing you toward repentance or a deeper relationship with God? How did you respond? [26:38]
Reflect on the "fruit of the Spirit" in Galatians 5:22-23. Which of these qualities do you see growing in your life? Which one do you need to intentionally cultivate with the Spirit’s help?
The sermon mentions three immersions: salvation, water baptism, and Spirit baptism. Have you experienced all three? If not, what step could you take this week to pursue what’s missing? [19:27]
How might your daily decisions change if you consciously relied on the Holy Spirit as a Friend who guides, comforts, and corrects you? [36:22]
Are there areas where you’ve prioritized spiritual gifts or experiences over the fruit of character? How can you reorient your focus to let fruit lead the way? [34:36]
Who in your life is the Holy Spirit prompting you to pray for or share the gospel with? How will you act on that conviction? [28:12]

Sermon Clips

40s

#FruitOfTheSpirit

“So, what is the clearest evidence that the Holy Spirit is residing in somebody's life? Is it weird, strange behavior? Is it even necessarily some weird drum some odd big dramatic experience? No. Not necessarily. The clearest evidence is the fruit of the spirit in your life. And that's what Galatians five twenty two tells us. The fruit of the spirit, which if you're a follower of Jesus is within you, the fruit that he's within you that comes forth from your life is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.”

36s

#ScriptureNotWeirdness

“Guys, let me tell you first and foremost, god is not weird. Man is weird. God's not weird. We're the ones who make things awkward of the time. So I wanna reassure you right from the beginning of this that we are not gonna chase weirdness. We're not gonna chase emotionalism. We are going to simply look at what is clearly said in scripture. Is that alright? Yes. We're gonna look at what god says as we open the bible, and we're gonna let him speak clearly and practically into our lives.”

28s

#HolySpiritIsPerson

“K? He is not Casper the Friendly Ghost floating around in your house. Your house is not haunted with the Holy Ghost. K? He is not the force like in Star Wars. He is not some impersonal energy or power that's floating around the universe. The Bible tells us clearly that the Holy Spirit is a person, and just like the other two parts of the Godhead, he has a mind, he has a will, and he has emotions.”

27s

#SpiritAlwaysWithYou

“Jesus would hit the end of the day and he'd be zonked and he would have to go to sleep. He could only minister to to a person or two at a time. He could only touch one person at a time. He could only speak to one crowd at a time. Because why? He was wearing human flesh. Right? So he did all he could do as a human being, but now he said, now I'm gonna send you another helper, and he's never gonna leave you. He's available 247.”

31s

#BaptismOfSpiritDistinct

“Do we see this as a separate experience? Again, I wanna say this like I said at the last one, baptism of the Holy Spirit does not save you. K? It's not a prerequisite. Jesus even told the disciples. He said, you'll be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days from now. They had experienced the baptism in the father. They they they'd received Jesus as their lord and savior, their messiah, and and I'm sure they had been baptized in water. But not yet the baptism in the Holy Spirit.”

32s

#GentleSpiritInvitation

“And for others of us, it may have been those quiet moments when you're laying asleep at night. It might have been during a walk but you came to this moment that for some of you, it it drove you to run up to an altar. Some of you, it drove you to your knees. Some of you, it drove you to say a quiet prayer. Whatever it was, the reality is that tug on your heart, that was the Holy Spirit drawing you. That is his function. That is his role. He had been at work at you for a long time, and you finally said yes.”

31s

#WaterBaptismIdentifies

“How many of you would know this is the main thing? How many you know it's important to make the main thing the main thing? Right. Okay. So that would call that the baptism of the father. Number two would be the baptism in the son. Baptism in the name of the lord Jesus. This is what we call water baptism. This is the outward act of obedience where believers are now immersed in water. Again, just simply means immersion. The water baptism, it identifies us with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.”

29s

#GenesisRevealsSpirit

“So the best place we're talking about the holy spirit primarily, but we we've gotta get a grasp on this. But the best play best way to understand the holy spirit is to go all the way back to the beginning, all the way back to the story of creation. Because right there in the opening verses of the bible, we see something remarkable. We see all three persons of the godhead, they are not only present, but they are at work in creation right from the very beginning, right from Genesis chapter one, right from beginning.”

33s

#SpiritMediator

“And then in this too, we see the Holy Spirit. Now it said, the Holy Spirit of God, it was hovering over the face of the waters. So guys, the spirit was was right there and was actively involved from verse two. We see this. He the Holy Spirit, he is he is you'll see all through scripture and we'll talk about it. He is the mediator. He is the go between. Even at creation, he is moving. He's he's bringing order out of chaos, and he's connecting the father's will to what is being created.”

20s

#NotAGhost

“When we think of ghosts in our culture today, we think of something weird and different. I I I think I I don't think I've seen it, but the in there a show on TV called ghost hunters? And people are searching for ghosts. They're using instruments like the Ghostbusters and going around and and and checking places and, oh, I'm getting chills. I think maybe there's a ghost present, you know? Guys, this is not a description of the Holy Spirit.”

37s

#SpiritBaptismExplained

“Alright, guys. I'm wrapping up. So here's the deal. Here's what I want you to understand. The Holy Spirit wants a real daily relationship with you. Guys, he's not just for Sunday mornings. He wants to be involved in your everyday life. Guys, he wants to help you make wise decisions. How many of you could use a wise counselor to help you make good decisions? He wants to comfort you when you're hurting or anxious. How many of you have needed the holy spirit in some moments in your life when you were hurting and anxious?”

28s

#SpiritAsSeal

“He wants to guide you when you don't know what to do. Tell me that's not a big help right there. He wants to teach you as you read the Bible. You may have before you're a believer, you may have read the Bible and be like, had to struggle with the Bible so bad. It's just that it's just all seem to be like gibberish and nonsense to me. The Holy Spirit is the one who brings revelation as we read God's word. He wants to fill you with joy and peace even in difficult seasons. How many of y'all say that's a pretty good benefit as well?”

33s

#SpiritDwellsInBelievers

“On the cross, in that moment, he becomes a disciple and then he's dead. Jesus said, you'll be with me in paradise. Water baptism was not a prerequisite for him to make it. So, should you be water baptized? Is it important? Yes. Should it be priority? If you die before it can happen, are you gonna be separated from the father and be in hell? No. I don't believe that. Okay. So, third third thing we want need to talk about right here real quick is baptism in the holy spirit.”

42s

#TriuneImageOfGod

“And so the Holy Spirit is that helper for us, and he never leaves us. He lives in us, he lives with us, and he lives in us. Listen, from the moment of our salvation. So, if you have experienced salvation, which is what I've been calling kind of the first baptism into the father, into the into his kingdom, into his family, then the bible tells us the holy spirit lives in you. You don't have to beg him to come. He's already present. So does this mean I'm automatically baptized in the Holy Spirit? It doesn't. He's in you.”

30s

#SpiritPursuesToFather

“Number one, there is one god in three persons, the trinity. Now, guys, I know this is sometimes hard to wrap your mind around, and I I I don't think that we were necessarily meant to completely understand this and wrap our heads around it. But let me tell you this, we were created in the image of God, and we are a triune being as well. Right? We have a spirit, we have a soul, and we have a body. Each plays a specific role in our lives.”

29s

#EmpowermentBySpirit

“How have you would say, that's a person. He is fully god and he has a specific role in the godhead and he has a specific role in your life and in the life of every person in humanity. So, if we go to Matthew 28, many of you know this, in Matthew twenty eight nineteen, Jesus, it says, he said to them I'm I'm sorry, go therefore I'm getting confused back there. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.”

36s

#BaptizedWithSpiritPromise

“And maybe why you're sitting in this service today. It might be why you're watching online today. He's been pursuing you. Why? Because the father loves you desperately. Jesus died for you and the Holy Spirit wants to bring you home. this is one of the most comforting, faith filled, spirit filled truths of the Holy Spirit. He is actively at work in the lives of the people around us every single day. He's drawing them to the father through Jesus, and he wants to draw us even closer, which brings us to our last point number three.”

30s

#ThreeImmersions

“Okay. So we need to talk about this for a minute because because we've been talking about how the the baptism of the Holy Spirit is something different than the baptism of the father or the baptism in Jesus. And right here it says that he dwells with you and will be with you. So notice firstly that Jesus calls him another helper. Right? Just as Jesus was a helper and a friend to his disciples while he was on the Earth, you know, that was great and all but how you know,”

28s

#Acts19Encounter

“I want to spend a few minutes on this, and if you've been a part of the church for more than a couple of years, you've heard me talk about this before. Many people, if not most believers today, they read this verse and they assume that in the last part, when Jesus commands them to go baptize in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit, they assume that they're talking about water baptism here. And guys, here's the thing.”

31s

#FatherTheGrandArchitect

“So, another powerful example of this is found in Acts chapter 19. In Acts chapter 19, Paul's walking the road and it says he comes upon a couple of disciples. Everybody say disciples. Now, these weren't part of the 12 or I guess 11 then. This wasn't part of Jesus', you know, original disciples. These are now followers of Jesus. They have heard the gospel. They've believed. They've put their hope and trust in Jesus, and Paul encounters them on the road.”

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