Trusting the Holy Spirit in Preaching and Conversion
Summary
In our gathering today, we reflected on the profound responsibility and challenges faced by those who preach the Word of God. We began by acknowledging the importance of focusing on the message rather than ourselves, emphasizing the need to avoid distractions that can detract from the core purpose of preaching. This led us to consider the role of music and other elements in our services. While music can enhance worship, it should never overshadow the message or manipulate emotions to create a false sense of spirituality. The preacher must maintain control over these elements to ensure they serve the message rather than detract from it.
We also delved into the controversial topic of altar calls and appeals for immediate decisions at the end of sermons. Historically, this practice gained prominence in the 19th century, particularly through figures like Charles Finney. However, we must be cautious of placing undue pressure on individuals to make decisions, as this can lead to superficial conversions. True conversion is the work of the Holy Spirit, and it is not something that can be manufactured through human effort or emotional manipulation.
The essence of our discussion is a call to trust in the power and work of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit's work is thorough and lasting, and it is not dependent on human methods or techniques. As preachers, our role is to present the truth clearly and allow the Spirit to work in the hearts of individuals. We must resist the temptation to measure success by immediate results or numbers, recognizing that true spiritual growth and transformation are often gradual and unseen.
Key Takeaways:
- The preacher's focus should be on the message, not on themselves or external elements like music. Music should support, not overshadow, the message, and should not be used to manipulate emotions. [02:50]
- Altar calls and appeals for immediate decisions can lead to superficial conversions. True conversion is the work of the Holy Spirit, not something that can be manufactured through human effort. [14:13]
- The work of the Holy Spirit is thorough and lasting. It is not dependent on human methods or techniques, and true spiritual growth often occurs gradually and unseen. [37:12]
- We must trust in the power of the Holy Spirit and resist the temptation to measure success by immediate results or numbers. True spiritual transformation is often a slow and unseen process. [51:33]
- The preacher should make themselves available for those seeking spiritual guidance, but should not force decisions or manipulate emotions. The Spirit's work is infallible and should be trusted. [50:34]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:14] - Opening Prayer
[02:13] - Avoiding Distractions in Preaching
[02:50] - The Role of Music in Worship
[04:17] - Evaluating Music and Worship Practices
[06:19] - The Danger of Organist and Choir Tyranny
[08:21] - Entertainment vs. Spirituality
[09:33] - Questioning Worship Traditions
[10:58] - The Problem with Conditioning the Audience
[13:53] - The Issue of Altar Calls
[16:52] - Historical Context of Altar Calls
[19:32] - Theological Concerns with Altar Calls
[22:29] - The Dangers of Emotional Manipulation
[27:53] - Preaching and Decision-Making
[30:19] - The Role of the Holy Spirit in Conversion
[37:12] - Trusting the Spirit's Work
[50:34] - Making Yourself Available for Spiritual Guidance
[51:55] - Closing Remarks and Resources
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Romans 6:17 - "But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance."
2. Acts 2:37 - "When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, 'Brothers, what shall we do?'"
3. John 3:8 - "The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."
Observation Questions:
1. What role does music play in worship according to the sermon, and how should it be managed to support the message? [12:28]
2. How did the practice of altar calls originate, and who was a key figure in its development? [17:12]
3. What is the preacher's responsibility in ensuring the message is not overshadowed by external elements like music or emotional appeals? [10:08]
4. How does the sermon describe the work of the Holy Spirit in conversion and spiritual growth? [37:48]
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does Romans 6:17 illustrate the process of conversion as described in the sermon? What does it mean to "obey from the heart"? [20:36]
2. In Acts 2:37, the people were "cut to the heart" and asked what they should do. How does this relate to the sermon’s view on the role of the Holy Spirit in prompting genuine conversion? [38:06]
3. The sermon suggests that true spiritual growth is often gradual and unseen. How does John 3:8 support this idea? [37:48]
4. What are the potential dangers of relying on human methods or techniques for conversion, as discussed in the sermon? [26:54]
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your own experiences with music in worship. Have you ever felt that music overshadowed the message? How can you ensure that music enhances rather than detracts from your worship experience? [12:28]
2. Have you ever felt pressured to make a spiritual decision in a church setting? How did that experience affect your faith journey? [15:08]
3. Consider a time when you witnessed or experienced a genuine work of the Holy Spirit. How did it differ from human-led efforts? [39:53]
4. How can you cultivate patience and trust in the gradual work of the Holy Spirit in your life and the lives of others? [37:48]
5. What steps can you take to focus more on the message of a sermon rather than the external elements of a service? [10:08]
6. How can you make yourself available to others seeking spiritual guidance without imposing or manipulating their decisions? [50:34]
7. Identify one area in your spiritual life where you might be relying too much on human effort. How can you shift your focus to trust more in the Holy Spirit's work? [36:31]
Devotional
Day 1: The Message Over the Messenger
The responsibility of preaching the Word of God is profound, requiring a focus on the message rather than the messenger. Preachers must avoid distractions that can detract from the core purpose of their role. Music and other elements in worship services should enhance the message, not overshadow it or manipulate emotions to create a false sense of spirituality. The preacher must maintain control over these elements to ensure they serve the message rather than detract from it. This focus ensures that the congregation receives the truth of the Word without interference. [02:50]
1 Corinthians 2:1-2 (ESV): "And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified."
Reflection: Consider the elements in your worship experience that might distract from the message. How can you focus more on the message of Christ in your personal worship this week?
Day 2: The Caution of Altar Calls
Altar calls and appeals for immediate decisions at the end of sermons can lead to superficial conversions. Historically, this practice gained prominence in the 19th century, but it is important to be cautious of placing undue pressure on individuals to make decisions. True conversion is the work of the Holy Spirit, not something that can be manufactured through human effort or emotional manipulation. Preachers should be mindful of this and allow space for the Spirit to work in His timing. [14:13]
John 6:44 (ESV): "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day."
Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt pressured to make a spiritual decision. How can you create space for the Holy Spirit to work in your life without feeling rushed or pressured?
Day 3: Trusting the Spirit's Work
The work of the Holy Spirit is thorough and lasting, not dependent on human methods or techniques. True spiritual growth often occurs gradually and unseen, and it is important to trust in the power and work of the Holy Spirit. As preachers and believers, the role is to present the truth clearly and allow the Spirit to work in the hearts of individuals. Success should not be measured by immediate results or numbers, but by the lasting transformation that the Spirit brings. [37:12]
Zechariah 4:6 (ESV): "Then he said to me, 'This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.'"
Reflection: In what areas of your life are you relying on your own strength rather than trusting the Holy Spirit? How can you begin to trust the Spirit's work more fully today?
Day 4: Measuring Success in Ministry
It is tempting to measure success by immediate results or numbers, but true spiritual transformation is often a slow and unseen process. The essence of ministry is to trust in the power of the Holy Spirit and resist the temptation to focus on visible outcomes. Preachers and believers alike should focus on faithfulness to the message and trust that the Spirit's work is infallible and will bear fruit in due time. [51:33]
Galatians 6:9 (ESV): "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."
Reflection: How do you define success in your spiritual life? What steps can you take to align your definition of success with the gradual and unseen work of the Holy Spirit?
Day 5: Availability for Spiritual Guidance
Preachers should make themselves available for those seeking spiritual guidance, but should not force decisions or manipulate emotions. The Spirit's work is infallible and should be trusted. This approach respects the individual's journey and the Spirit's timing, allowing for genuine and lasting transformation. Being available for guidance means offering support and wisdom without imposing one's own agenda, trusting that the Spirit will lead individuals to truth. [50:34]
Proverbs 11:14 (ESV): "Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety."
Reflection: Who in your life might be seeking spiritual guidance? How can you make yourself available to them in a way that respects their journey and the Spirit's work?
Quotes
I think we can lay it down as a fairly general rule that the greater the amount of attention that has been paid to this aspect of worship namely the type of building and the ceremonial and the singing and the music the greater the emphasis on that generally speaking, the less spirituality have you had a lower spiritual temperature and spiritual understanding and desire. [00:08:21]
The deliberate attempts at conditioning the people are surely thoroughly bad. I'm going to deal with this in my next section but I'll just put it like this now that this attempt to condition the people to soften them as it were surely something that militates against the true preaching of the gospel. [00:10:58]
The first is that it is wrong surely to put direct pressure on the grille oh let me expand that men consists of his Monde his affections and his will and my contention is that you shouldn't put direct pressure on the will that the will should always be approached through the mind the intellect and then the affections and that the will is determined by the other two. [00:19:32]
The preaching of the word and the call for decision should not be separated in our thinking now I want to explain what I mean yeah you know that great Protestant principle which came in in the 16th century the writings of scripturally that the sacraments should never be separated from the word. [00:27:53]
The sinner is completely impotent he can do nothing he has not got any power of decision or of self conversion or I'll put it in another way in the fifth point there is an implication surely hear that the Evangelist somehow is in a position to manipulate the Holy Spirit and is well. [00:30:19]
This method tends to produce a very superficial conviction of sin if any at all the reasons that people respond are often that they have got the impression that by doing this they're going to receive certain benefits. I remember the gathering of a man who was regarded as one of the well he was referred to as the star convert of a campaign. [00:37:12]
The work of conviction of sin and of regeneration the giving of the gift of faith and new life is surely the work of the Holy Spirit and as it is his work it is always a thorough work and it is always a work that will show itself I don't hesitate to make this as these assertions it always has done. [00:37:12]
The appeal must be in the truth itself and in the message as you go along with your sermon you're applying it all along the line and especially of course at the end when you come to a special application into a kind of climax but the appeal is a part of the message it should be inevitable. [00:49:33]
I believe that the minister should always make an announcement in some shape or form that he is available to talk to anybody wants to talk to him about the soul and its eternal destiny you can put it on a card in every seat as we used to do or you can do it in any other way make yourself available. [00:50:34]
This is the work of the Holy Spirit of God his work is a thorough work it's a lasting work and so we must not yield to this over anxiety about results I'm not saying it's dishonest I'm saying it is mistaken we must learn to trust the Spirit and to rely upon his infallible work. [00:51:33]
I find people coming to tell me that they'd been converted while listening to a sermon of mine I knew nothing at all about 50 years ago I was actually in the induction service other men just about 18 months ago and he was there giving a bit of an account of his life and to my utter amazement I never known it. [00:51:33]
My point is that as the Spirit does the work it is a real work it's a solid work and it will declare itself all I'll go on and put it like this tea was 1/10 pint no sinner really ever decides for Christ that's a very long and a very false term I've often heard people use a phrase like this. [00:51:33]
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