June 22, 2008 by PastorHarv.

I hear if often: “I’m so busy!” Have you noticed that the important things have to be scheduled in order to get them done? Next to the Bible, the most important book I carry is a Day Timer. My schedule is important to me. But schedules require prioritizing. That means “first things first.” You have made a good choice to be here this morning to worship the Lord. The Bible encourages us to “not neglect the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is” (Hebrews 10:25). When we think of what we receive from the Lord while here, we are amazed at the love and mercy of our Lord. It’s worth our time. We welcome you!

Pastor Harv Meppelink

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November 1, 2007 by PastorHarv.

JESUS CHRIST, THE BAPTIZER IN THE HOLY SPIRIT, by Pastor Harv Meppelink

“There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John….The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.’ Then John gave this testimony: ‘I saw The Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me, the man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit. I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God’” (John 1:6, 29, 32-34).

Every one of the four Gospels spells out John’s declaration, “I indeed baptize you with water, he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” John became known as John the Baptist. His ministry was to baptize with water. He became known for what he did, not by what he said or prophesied. Yet we know that he was both prophet and baptizer.

I find that very few Christians have ever heard that Christ is the baptizer in the Holy Spirit. They know Him as the Lamb of God, as Savior; and as the Son of God, our Lord; but they are unfamiliar with the fact that He was announced to the world as the One to whom the Father gave the ministry of baptizing with the Holy Ghost.

“The one who sent me, the man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.” Jesus Christ is both Savior and Baptizer. We have no doubt that He is as much the Savior today as when He died on Calvary’s cross as the Lamb of God. Even so, He is still the Baptizer in the Holy Spirit as much as He was when He commenced this ministry on the Day of Pentecost, for He is the “same, yesterday, today and forever.”

I was a young pastor in Connecticut when I met the man who introduced this truth to me, taken from John chapter one and affirmed by all the Gospels. His name was David duPlessis, a man God used to introduce Jesus as the Baptizer to all church denominations. I listened to this man for five nights in a row, and he revealed the truth of the Scripture as the Holy Spirit revealed it to him, always staying in the Scripture.

The first intimation in history that a baptism with the Sprit was a possible event in the life of a human being came from John the Baptist. However, he did not announce the experience but rather announced that the Baptizer was coming. He clearly states that God had told him that Christ would be the Baptizer with the Holy Ghost. He also assures us that the image for this act of Christ was his own act of baptizing in the river. From the very beginning, therefore, all John’s converts fully expected an experience that would be as overwhelming as their baptism in the river. These converts had an encounter with the Baptizer and not with water or even the river. What they were to expect was an encounter with the Baptizer in the Holy Spirit. The baptism in the Holy Spirit is an encounter with Christ, the Baptizer.

This is just the “opener” to this great subject. Jesus is standing by today ready to baptize in the Holy Spirit those believers who ask Him.

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August 19, 2007 by PastorHarv.

The Anointing, Sunday 08-19-2007, Pastor Harv Meppelink

Text: 1 John 2:20-27

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April 15, 2007 by PastorHarv.

After Resurrection, Then What?, Sunday, 04-15-2007

I BEGIN WITH A STORY…

This is a true account as recorded in the Police Log in Sarasota, Florida.

An elderly Florida lady did her shopping and, upon returning to her car, found four males in the act of leaving with her vehicle. She dropped her shopping bags and drew her handgun, proceeding to scream at the top of her voice, “I have a gun, and I know how to use it! Get out of the car!”

The four men didn’t wait for a second invitation. They got out and ran like mad.

The lady, somewhat shaken, then proceeded to load her shopping bags into the back of the car and got into the driver’s seat. She was so shaken that she could not get her key into the ignition. She tried and tried, and then it dawned on her why….for the same reason she did not understand why there was a football, a Frisbee and two 12 packs of beer in the front seat!

A few minutes later, she found her own car parked four or five spaces farther down. She loaded her bags into the car and drove to the police station to report her mistake.

The sergeant to whom she told the story couldn’t stop laughing. He pointed to the other end of the counter, where four pale men were reporting a car jacking by a mad, elderly woman described as white, less than five feet tall, glasses, curly white hair, and carrying a large handgun.

No charges were filed.

If you’re going to have a Senior Moment, make it a memorable one!!!!!

The title given to this message is After the resurrection, then what? Go with me to a study of two of the most prominent disciples of Jesus, Peter and John, and let’s examine them before the resurrection and after the resurrection, especially when the Savior admonished them to stay in Jerusalem until what he had promised would be sent to them.

INTRODUCTION:

The disciples were in a time of crises. Peter, Philip, James, James, Bartholomew, Thaddaeus, John, Matthew, Simon the Zealot, Andrew, Thomas, and Judas Iscariot, the one who dropped out after turning Jesus over to the those men who would later crucify Him.

Twelve men—Jesus main focus of instruction. These men became disciples of Jesus and were selected to let the world know of God’s love, that God sent Jesus to redeem the world. In a time of prayer, recorded in John 17:23, Jesus prayed, “I in them and you in me, that they may be one as we are one. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” They were instructed to be a tight group, stand together, and get set for a fantastic experience.

Jesus was put to death on the cross. He was laid in the tomb. One day passed. Second day passed. The death of Jesus was beginning to tear them up! And then the news: the grave is empty! Two women went to the tomb to place another application of spices, colognes, but HE IS NOT THERE. AN ANGEL TOLD US!

I. HE AROSE FROM THE DEAD

“What is this?” I imagine the disciples said. “Oh, this is what He meant when He taught us!”

Paul writes to the Corinthians, “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile, you are still in your sins!”

(Also read I Cor. 15:35.) The resurrection is the climax to the price Jesus paid with His death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven.

TRANSITION

INCLUDED in the list of the disciples are two men I want us to focus upon, not to sit in critical judgment of them by citing all the things they did wrong, and “If only they would have done this or that, things would have been different for them, but rather to see what is evident with Peter and John before the death and resurrection of Christ, and what they were like following the resurrection and subsequent out pouring of t he Holy Spirit.

II. A STUDY OF PENTECOST

Before we look at the temperament of Peter and John, let’s say a word about Pentecost. Technically, Pentecost means “fiftieth” and it was so called because on the fiftieth day after the waving of the sheaf of first fruits in the OT, they waved two loaves for first fruits. It was an annual time to celebrate the harvest with exhilaration and rejoicing. It was a landmark day to assist the Jews to remember God’s blessing upon them.

Acts 2 describes the Day of Pentecost just after the resurrection of Jesus. “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.” The disciples and others numbering 120 were waiting together in prayer and fasting as commanded by Jesus before His death and resurrection.

“Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”

The Heavenly Father chose the Day of Pentecost to fulfill the promise of Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witness in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

It is interesting t o observe that when Jesus was on earth, he was in a human body and could only be in one place at a time. He promised the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, to His disciples and audiences, who is able to be everywhere at once.

This is an experience subsequent to the experience of salvation available to all who have accepted Christ’s offer of salvation.

III. A LOOK AT PETER’S TEMPERAMENT

The disciple called Peter is an interesting study of humanity. He was born in Bethsaida. (John 1:42-44) He lived in Capernaum. ( Matthew 8:5-14) His livelihood: Commercial fisherman. He had one brother, also a disciple, named Andrew, and his fishing partners were James and John. He was married. Matthew 8:14.

His personality and character are as follows:

1. Impulsive Matthew 14:28, yet cowardly. Matthew 14:30. (Story of walking on water) He is the kind of person who always buys candy or a magazine while waiting in line at the grocery store.
2. Hot tempered, yet tenderhearted. John 18:10. (He cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant with his sword at the time of Jesus’ arrest just prior to crucifixion. Jesus rebuked him, commanding him to put his sword back, and don’t interfere with what the Heavenly Father had in store for Jesus. But it was later recorded where he denied that he even knew Jesus when confronted by a servant girl who accused him.
3. Insightful, Matthew 16:16; yet dense. Matthew 16:21-23. He as insightful when he responded to the question, “Who do men say that I am?” and Peter said, “You are the Christ, t he Son of the Living God.” He was dense when Jesus was sharing what he must go through…the cross, etc. And Peter responded, “This shall never happen to you.” Peter could not see the big picture—the purpose of the cross as a remedy for our sin. Jesus again rebuked him, “Get thee behind me, Satan. You are a stumbling block to me, you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”

What kind of a preacher/teacher will Peter make? What kind of a fellow is he? How can God use him in the ministry for the spread of the Gospel? I look at this man and say, “Do I love this men? Yes, I do.”

Jesus loved Peter. All this is before Pentecost. This is an interlude in Peter’s life.

Then came Pentecost. Peter was there when the promise of “but ye shall receive power” was fulfilled! Let’s go see what Peter was like after receiving the Holy Spirit baptism, which was marked by speaking in tongues.

Turn to Acts 2:14, “Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd…” This is the picture of a fisherman on fire—not a fire that is natural, but a fire in his soul, which is now filled with the Holy Spirit. God used a blunt, rough, strong fisherman, and turned him into a preacher! He was changed radically from the inside out. Of the disciples, some of whom were more refined, Peter stood up and brought a sermon that is a part of the Bible! (read the opening)

Acts 3;1 Peter prayed for the crippled beggar, and began preaching again. He was doing what the Bible says one would do after being filled with the Holy Spirit, “But ye shall receive power…” Peter was courageous and solid after Pentecost. Acts 5:27-30

IV. A LOOK AT JOHN’S TEMPERAMENT

The disciple John was a man of peace and was beloved by Jesus. It is recorded that he was the disciple that Jesus loved.

He, like Peter, was a fisherman with his father and brother, James. Though a strong man, he was more gentle in spirit than was Peter. He was made one of the pillars in the Jerusalem church (Galatians 2:9)

His temperament had these features:

1. He was vengeful and fiery. Luke 9:54. The story is that Jesus and his disciples set out for Jerusalem, and had to pass through Samaria. Jesus sent messengers on ahead, who “went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; but the people there did not welcome him, because he was headed for Jerusalem.” James evidently couldn’t take rejection, and when they saw this, they asked Jesus if He wanted them to call down fire from heaven to destroy them. Now this was before Pentecost. Jesus in turn rebuked them and they went on to another village.
2. He was judgmental. (Mark 9:38) “Teacher, said John, we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us. 39. Do not stop him, Jesus said, No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whosoever is not against us is for us.”
3. He was selfish. He asked the Lord if he could sit at his right hand when Jesus would come in his own kingdom.

But after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, John was changed. He became bold, loving and compassionate after he was filled personally with the Holy Spirit.

He was one of the three disciples in the core group of disciples. He was known as the EVANGELIST!

He wrote the Book of Revelation, a book of eschatology, where he wrote prophetically about the conditions on earth prior and during the return of Jesus to this earth, at which time we shall rise to be with Jesus!

V. IS THE HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM GOOD FOR TODAY?

1. What Jesus promised here was a filling. It was a pouring out of the Spirit as Joel prophesied, (2:17, 18, 33); a receiving of a gift, (2:38); a falling upon (8:16); a pouring out of a gift (10:45), and a coming upon.
2. Since the Holy Spirit is a Person, we are talking about an experience that brings a relationship. Each term brings out some aspect of the Pentecostal experience for today.
3. And, since they were together and in one accord, it is saying all 120 were filled. Later, after Peter’s sermon about what was happening, it is suggested the Holy Spirit filled 3000 who believed.
4. As soon as they were filled, the 120 began to speak (and continued speaking) with other tongues (languages). Began to speak is significant in that it shows, as in Acts 1:1, that what was begun was continued on other occasions, thus indicating that tongues were the normal accompaniment of the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
5. They used their tongues, their muscles, but spoke the words that did not come from their minds or thinking. The Spirit gave them the utterance, which they expressed boldly, loudly, and with obvious anointing and power. This is one sign of the baptism in the Spirit that is repeated.
6. There is no evidence that any believer spoke as if forced to do so. They retained their senses and spoke in willing cooperation with the Holy Spirit.
7. The “tongues” mentioned in I Corinthians 14, are one and the same. In Corinthians, Paul indicated that tongues are a sign to unbelievers. They were used of God to draw people together, as well as to edify the believers. In all his writings, Paul did not rule them out, they are still good today.

Acts 5:29

“Peter and the other apostles replied: `We must obey God rather than men!’”

One of the greatest evidences is given us in the change that came over the disciples after they were filled with the Holy Spirit. Before Pentecost they were unsure, unsteady, and unfaithful. In Matthew the Lord Jesus is arrested and sentenced to dying on the Cross, and where were the disciples? They deserted and fled.

But after Pentecost, they were brave as lions, and were willing to die for the Christ they served, as is related here and in the epistles. They were persecuted, beaten, imprisoned, and scorned for preaching the Gospel, and they kept right on preaching!

Acts 1:8

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

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