Sermon Outline: The Gift of the Holy Spirit
Introduction Last week, we studied the Holy Spirit and His work.
Today, we focus on a specific aspect: the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Although the term isn’t used frequently in the New Testament, it
represents an important principle that has been the subject of
debate and discussion among faithful Christians for many years. It
is important to clarify that this is not a salvation issue; the gift
of the Spirit is a promise, not a command. Understanding this gift
helps us better comprehend the Spirit’s work and His blessings in
the first-century church, as well as today.
I. The Significance of the One Gift of the Holy Spirit Paul
declares there is only one gift of the Spirit for Christians today.
This aligns with the Great Commission given by Jesus—found in
Matthew 28:19-20 and Mark 16:16—where He commands His followers to
baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
This singular gift was a divine mandate for all nations and all
times, uniting believers in the body of Christ.
II. The Meaning of Baptizo and Its Implications The Greek
word baptizo means to dip, plunge, or fully immerse. It is used in
everyday language—such as ships sinking or objects being
submerged—indicating complete immersion rather than sprinkling or
pouring. Because of its meaning, biblical baptism involves full
immersion in water, symbolizing death, burial, and resurrection with
Christ.
III. The Baptism of John: Preparation, Not Salvation John’s
baptism, described in Mark 1:2-5, was a baptism of repentance to
prepare people’s hearts for the coming of the Messiah. It was not
performed in Jesus’ name and was temporary, fulfilled when Jesus
completed His sacrifice (Acts 19:1-5). It served as a preparatory
act rather than a means of salvation.
IV. Transition to the One True Baptism After Jesus’ death and
resurrection, the practice of John’s baptism was phased out. Paul
instructs believers in Acts 19:2-5 to be baptized in the name of
Jesus Christ. Water baptism is the only biblical act that places
believers into Christ (Romans 6:3-4; Galatians 3:27), uniting them
with His death and resurrection.
V. The Holy Spirit’s Miraculous Baptism in the First Century
The Spirit did perform miraculous signs at Pentecost (Acts 2) and
elsewhere, such as speaking in tongues and healing (Acts 10). These
signs confirmed divine authority and were temporary, intended to
authenticate the first message of the Gospel. This miraculous Spirit
baptism is not something believers seek today; it was fulfilled by
the end of the first century.
VI. The Completion of Miraculous Gifts The early church
needed miracles because the full and complete New Testament had not
yet been revealed. 1 Corinthians 13:8-10 explains that once “that
which is perfect” comes, miraculous signs will cease. Miracles
served as scaffolding—necessary during the initial growth of the
church but unnecessary once the Bible was completed.
VII. The Purpose of Miraculous Powers in the First Century
Miracles confirmed the message of Christ, guided early believers,
and helped them discern true doctrine from false (1 John 4:1). The
gifts were distributed by the Holy Spirit through the apostles and
some early Christians (1 Corinthians 12:7-11). They served as a
divine scaffolding, helping the church to stand firm until the full
revelation of God’s Word was available.
VIII. The Outpouring of the Spirit in Acts 2 On Pentecost,
the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles, enabling them to speak in
various languages—a miraculous sign to help listeners from many
nations understand the Gospel. Acts 2:16-21 quotes Joel’s prophecy,
emphasizing this miraculous outpouring as a divine event meant to
confirm the message of salvation and begin the last days.
IX. Conditions for Salvation in Acts 2 Peter’s response:
Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the
forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). The promise of the Spirit's gift
was to all who obeyed. The miraculous signs accompanying the
outpouring served to confirm divine authority and facilitate the
growth of the church.
X. The Purpose of Miraculous Gifts and Their Temporary Nature
The miraculous powers were temporary and served as scaffolding until
the full and final revelation—the complete New Testament—came. Once
that “which is perfect” (the fully revealed Word of God) arrived,
these miraculous signs ceased (1 Corinthians 13:8-10). This divine
scaffolding was essential during the infancy of the church to
confirm the message and guide believers, but it was never intended
to be a permanent method of divine communication.
XI. The Need for Miraculous Powers in the First Century
During the early days of the church, the complete Bible was not yet
available. People had to rely on miracles for guidance, confirmation
of divine truth, and to establish authority. For example, in Acts
chapter 2, the apostles’ ability to speak in foreign languages
helped spread the Gospel to many nations. Similarly, Paul and other
apostles performed healings, and the gifts of prophecy and
discernment were vital for maintaining doctrinal purity. These signs
eliminated confusion and proved divine endorsement during this
formative period.
XII. The End of Miraculous Powers As the New Testament was
completed, the need for miracles disappeared. Paul taught the church
at Corinth that these miraculous gifts would cease once the
perfection—the fully inspired Scriptures—was come (1 Corinthians
13:10). Today, believers have access to the complete, inspired Word
of God. There is no need for miracles, signs, or miraculous powers
to confirm doctrine because the Bible is sufficient and sufficient
alone (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
XIII. The Parallel with Mark 16 Jesus, in Mark 16:16-18,
links belief and baptism with salvation and mentions that signs will
follow believers, including casting out demons and speaking in
tongues. These signs miraculously confirmed the message during the
first century. With the completion of the Bible, those signs are no
longer necessary. Believers today obey God's Word—believing,
repenting, confessing Christ, and being baptized—not seeking signs
or miraculous displays.
XIV. The Final Message The key takeaway is that the
miraculous gifts were temporary and serving a specific purpose in
the early church. Today's salvation and spiritual growth are based
on the fully revealed, complete Word of God. The Spirit continues to
work by inspiring and guiding us through Scripture, which is
sufficient for every spiritual need.
Conclusion
There is only one true, divine gift of the Holy Spirit available to
us today—obedient faith and baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for
the forgiveness of sins. The miraculous gifts served their purpose
during the infancy of the church, but since the Bible is now
complete, they are no longer needed or in operation. Our trust must
be in the inspired Word, through which the Holy Spirit continues His
work—guiding, convicting, and empowering us today.
Invitation
If you are ready to obey the Gospel, believe in Jesus Christ, repent
of your sins, confess Him as Lord, and be baptized for the
forgiveness of sins, we invite you to respond now. The Holy Spirit’s
work continues today through the Word—faith comes by hearing, and
hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17).
Sermon Narrative:
The Gift of the Holy Spirit
Today, we are considering an important aspect of the Holy Spirit’s
work—the gift of the Spirit. Though the term “gift of the Holy
Spirit” is not used frequently in the New Testament, it is a concept
that embodies a crucial truth about the Spirit’s role in the early
church and in our lives today. Over the years, faithful students of
the Bible have varied in their understanding of what this gift
entails, but it is essential to remember that this understanding is
not a salvation issue. The Bible describes it as a promise from God,
not a command to be obeyed. Our purpose today is to explore what the
Spirit gives and how His work was manifested during the first
century—even as we acknowledge the clear guidance Scripture
provides.
In Ephesians 4:4-6, Paul emphasizes the unity of believers, stating
there is “one Spirit” that ties us all together. This one Spirit is
integral to our faith. Many interpretations exist about what the
gift involves, and some have changed their views over time—including
my own. I used to believe that the gift of the Spirit referred to
all blessings that come when someone becomes a Christian—such as
forgiveness, salvation, and being adopted into God's family. I still
believe those blessings are beneath the promise, but I’ve come to
understand more fully that the Spirit’s activity includes miraculous
signs and divine powers that God employed during the foundational
days of the church.
What does the Bible say about the meaning of baptizo, the Greek word
often translated “to baptize”? It means to dip, plunge, or fully
immerse. It is used frequently in the secular language of the
time—such as describing ships sinking or objects being completely
submerged in water. It cannot mean sprinkling or pouring because the
original word implies full immersion. Baptism, then, involves total
submersion, symbolizing the believer’s death to sin, burial with
Christ, and resurrection to new life.
In the early days of Christianity, John the Baptist’s baptism was a
preparatory act. Mark 1:2-5 describes it as a baptism of repentance
designed to prepare hearts for the coming Messiah. Importantly, this
baptism was not in the name of Jesus because Jesus had not yet
sacrificed Himself. It was a temporary baptism—fulfilled when Jesus
completed His atoning work, as indicated in Acts 19:1-5. After
Jesus’ death and resurrection, that baptism was replaced by the
baptism in the name of Jesus Christ, which places believers into
Christ (Romans 6:3-4; Galatians 3:27). This is the only baptism
commanded by God today for salvation.
Now, regarding the miraculous activities of the Spirit—they were
prominent during the first century. Acts 2 records the Spirit
descending on the apostles at Pentecost, enabling them to speak in
tongues and perform miracles. These signs confirmed divine authority
and helped spread the Gospel to many nations, ensuring the message
was understood in various languages. Similar miracles were performed
in Acts 10 and elsewhere, and they served a specific purpose: to
authenticate divine messages until the full Bible was revealed.
This brings us to an important biblical truth highlighted in 1
Corinthians 13:8-10: miraculous signs and gifts would cease once
“that which is perfect”—the complete, inspired Word of God—came.
During the infancy of the church, believers lacked the complete
Scriptures and relied on signs, miracles, and divine powers to
confirm and to teach. These gifts fulfilled their purpose during
that time but became unnecessary once the inspired Bible was fully
written and preserved.
Furthermore, Acts 2:39 emphasizes that the promise of the Spirit was
to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off—including
Gentiles—as many as the Lord our God shall call. This divine
outpouring was a miraculous event for that era—not something
believers today seek or need. The purpose was to confirm the divine
message and help establish the church. As the full canon of
Scripture was completed, the gifts of the Spirit ceased—no longer
necessary for divine confirmation or guidance.
The analogy of scaffolding in construction helps illustrate this
truth: scaffolding is necessary when building a house but is removed
once the structure is complete. Similarly, the miraculous signs,
gifts of prophecy, healing, and speaking in tongues were necessary
during the early days of the church—serving as divine scaffolding to
confirm the message and guide the believers. However, once the full
and complete Bible was written, these signs became unnecessary and
ceased, because God's revealed Word now provides all the guidance
and authority needed for salvation and Christian living.
This is confirmed by scriptures such as 1 Corinthians 13:8-10, which
states that when “that which is perfect” has come, the miraculous
gifts will cease. The “perfection” refers to the full, inspired Word
of God—the completed New Testament—that contains all truth, all
instruction necessary for our salvation, worship, and conduct.
The early church desperately needed these miraculous signs because
the Bible was not yet fully written. For example, in Acts 2, those
first converts heard the Gospel through the miraculous gift of
speaking in tongues—so they could understand the message in their
own languages. Without those signs, many would have remained in
ignorance, unable to hear or believe the Gospel. Similarly, gifts of
healing, prophecy, and discernment functioned to affirm divine
authority, preventing false teachings, and helping establish the
church.
But when the full Bible was revealed and preserved—the canon of
Scripture was completed—the need for signs and miracles dropped
away. As 1 Corinthians 13:10 explains, when “that which is perfect”
is come, when believers have access to the complete, inspired Word,
there is no longer any need for miraculous signs. They fade away,
leaving us with the fully revealed and sufficient Scriptures that
guide our faith and practice.
In contrast, many in the world today believe that miracles continue
or that the Spirit reveals divine truths directly and miraculously
to individuals. However, the Bible clearly shows that these
miraculous workings were limited to the first century and served a
specific purpose in establishing the authority of the Apostles and
the foundation of the church. The Spirit’s work today is through the
inspired Scriptures—guiding believers as they read, study, and obey
God’s Word.
In summary, the gift of the Spirit in the first century was
miraculous and temporary. It served its purpose during the infancy
of the church—confirming divine authority and helping believers
learn how to worship and live. Since the full, inspired Word of God
is now accessible to all, there is no need for miraculous powers,
signs, or private revelations to guide us. The Spirit continues to
work—not through signs, but through His Word—drawing us closer to
Christ and guiding us through the complete Scripture.
If you’re ready to respond to God’s command, you can do so
confidently, knowing you are following His divine plan, as revealed
in the inspired Word—the completed gift of the Holy Spirit.
Believing, repenting, confessing Christ, and being baptized are
steps that align us with God’s truth and bring us into His family.
The
church of Christ
