You Are a Spirit-filled Coworker with God, Jesus Christ, and the Church

Glad he appeared again. Now to give us our sermon, Pastor Mr. D.

In the Offertory, we're talking about how the Spirit of God moves. Certainly, in our Offertory music and in our special music, we saw the Spirit of God moving with our two ladies up here singing and playing so wondrously. Adding very much, as Alex made mention, to the beauty of this day. So again, there are just so many ways God's Spirit can be utilized in our lives. Now today, I've used the preacher's outline and sermon Bible commentary, Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, and the New Unger's Bible Dictionary in preparation of this sermon. Every one of us in this room, our heart cries out to having a life that is full of purpose, having a life that's full of meaning, having a life that is full of significance. All over the world, people are asking those questions and thinking those thoughts. They're asking the question, what am I living for? What is the sense of all that's happening on this planet or in my life? And am I making a difference? Brethren, can you make a difference? If so, how can you make a difference? You and I are relatively humble people. Nobody in this room is famous. Nobody in this room, to my understanding, is rich. How do we make a difference in this world? Far too often in life, people feel a sense of emptiness. They feel a sense of loneliness. They feel a sense of helplessness, disappointment, depression, despair, hopelessness. You and I realize that that's why we've got some of those helping professions, like people who work in psychology, psychotherapy, various types of other therapists. Tragically, too many people will go to their graves.

And people will wonder, they probably will wonder themselves as they were on their deathbed, well, what would my life really accomplish? What have I really done? Now, for you and I as Christians, we have a great deal of hope. We can have a great deal of purpose in our life, a great deal of meaning. You and I can be significant in this world. It's not because of our flesh and our blood. It's because of what this day represents. This day represents a time when God gave His law to a bunch of people thousands of years ago, the Israelites. And a little more recently, 2,000 years ago, God gave His Holy Spirit to His church. The combination of God's righteous and holy law and God's Holy Spirit helping us understand that law and keeping that law makes you and I people who could have a great impact on those around us. You and I can have a deep sense of satisfaction, a deep sense of completion in what we accomplish in our life, a sense of purpose and meaning and significance. Right now, our nation and the whole world faces a crisis of leadership. We don't have statesmen in this country like we once did. We don't have statesmen in the world like there once were. On the other hand, we've got you and I. We've got people who have the Holy Spirit of God in us. What can we do? What can we do? As I was preparing my thoughts today, I was thinking about there are three basic types of people in the world. There are those who watch things happen, the spectators. There are those who make things happen, the movers and shakers. And there are those people who wonder what just happened. Those are the clueless. You and I are not the clueless, and hopefully you and I aren't the spectators. Hopefully you and I are part of that group that is known as the movers and the shakers. Why? Because of God's Holy Spirit. God has called each and every one of us to make a difference, to make a courageous stand in this world of darkness. Points of light. We've been called to make things happen. Not be spectators, not be passive, but to make things happen, to be a light, to be a witness, to do the work of God. Now again, you and I realize we can't do that on our own. We don't have the wisdom for that. We don't have the capability for that. Except through God's Holy Spirit. Who are we to make such a bold claim? Let's take a look at 1 Peter 2. 1 Peter 2.

1 Peter 2 verses 9 and 10.

1 Peter 2.9. But you are a chosen generation. God specifically chose you. We'll talk more about that in the next few minutes. He specifically chose you. You are a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people. You're not just the royal... Even though we are humble in so many ways, God says, I've got a special calling for you. I've got a special commission for you. And that commission is that you might proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Who once were not a people, back when we were in the world, but now are the people of God, who have not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. So, brethren, I ask that question again. Who are you? What are you? What can you and I do? Are we going to be just spectators? Are we going to be the clueless?

The phrase I want to use today, and you might want to put this across the top of your paper if you're taking notes. Here's my thing. You are a spirit-filled co-worker with God, Jesus Christ, and the Church. You are a spirit-filled co-worker with God, Jesus Christ, and the Church. You're not just the nobody. Yes, we are humble. Yes, God calls the weak of the world, but as we're going to see, we take a look at the lives of some of the people God's called and used, God will work through us richly so we can accomplish the tasks He wants you to accomplish and me to accomplish in our lives. Brother, God knows all about you. Think about it for a moment. In some ways, I guess this could be kind of heady stuff. But you and I know enough about ourselves to realize we're not going to be overcome with pride. There's enough to keep us humble. We understand that. But as I said earlier, God has understood who you are from a time you were just a couple of cells in your mother's womb. Have you ever thought why it is when you take a look at a mom and a dad and you take a look at their kids, where one kid will have a certain kind of a personality and another kid coming from the same two parents will have a totally different kind of personality? One will have some talents, another will have a different set of talents. Some have talents the same. Why is that? Could it be because when God saw you in your mother's womb, God looked upon each and every one of us and said, you know, I'm going to gift this one and he knew your name. I'm going to gift this one with these abilities. I'm going to gift this one with this kind of personality. I'm going to give this person these physical attributes. And then you grew and you were born. We're going to talk about how God uses what we have as we go through the course of the sermon. But I want you to think very carefully about what I've said. I said earlier during the offer tour, we can't hide from God. We don't want to hide from God. God is the one who has worked in our lives, worked in our personalities, gifted us with the beautiful gifts He's given to us, as we saw just a few moments ago. That was God's Holy Spirit at work. Nobody here was preaching a sermon. But it was very moving, wasn't it? It made this day special, didn't it? And the things that you do, the things that you can accomplish in your life, can be used by God in a great way. In a very great way. I've got a number of points here for you. This is my custom. Number one. Number one. God always knows where to find His workers. He knows where you are. You and I, we can't hide. Again, we don't want to hide. God always knows where to find His workers. And for you ladies out there, you know, over the years I've heard some of our women say, well, you know, Mr. De La Sandro, we can't preach in a church. What can we women do? Well, I've kind of kept that thought in mind. I'm not going to be looking at only women today in my sermon. But we're going to see a number of ladies that God has used in a very powerful way. What can we do? Let's take a look at some of the people that God has used. Men and women.

When Israel was crossing over into the Promised Land, or Israel was about to cross over to the Promised Land, they looked across the river, and perhaps one of the oldest cities on the face of the earth stood. Historians and archaeologists think that Jericho may well be one of the oldest cities on the face of the earth at that particular time.

Jericho was going to be the point where the children of Israel was going to cross over the Jordan into the Promised Land, but Jericho was a formidable stronghold. Thick walls, walls so thick people had their homes up on top of the walls. It was a gateway to Palestine. It was a gateway to the Holy Land. It commanded that portion of the area where Israel wanted to move into the Holy Land. Jericho had to be taken.

And so, as any good general would do, Joshua sent out spies. He wanted to get some reconnaissance. He wanted to find out what was happening in the area where he was going to send his people. All of Israel, but also his troops. What could he expect? So he sent some spies out, and the way God worked it, God brought them into town. They met Rahab, a prostitute.

Met Rahab, a prostitute. And she had heard what Israel had already been doing as Israel had come out of Egypt. God was working with her mind. She left her profession of prostitution. God brought her, just as God brought you to the church, God brought her to those two spies. And she said, you know, I understand who your God is, and I want to serve your God. And they said, well, you've got to help us out here. You help us out, we'll help you out. And so in faith, here she was in this tremendous stronghold. The battle hadn't occurred yet. By faith, she left her old way of life. By faith, she decided she was going to help these men out, and she did. And you know the story. The children of Israel came into the land, they circled the city seven times, the walls fell down. But not where she lived. Her family, she and her family were saved. She and her family were saved. Now here's a woman from, look at the profession she was a part of. Now she not only was a prostitute, but she probably was some sort of a seamstress from which we can gather from the story. But she believed God. She had faith upon God. She called upon God. And let's take a look now at Hebrews 11. The Hall of Fame of Faith, and who do we see?

Hebrews 11, verse 30 and 31. For by faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe when she had received the spies with peace. She became a believer. Now why do I quote this story?

In many ways all of us realize that we have a checkered past. Here's not a person sitting in this room who's sinless. We all have a checkered past. We've all got things that we've done that we're not proud of. We're ashamed of our conduct in many areas of our life. But we have a sacrifice in Jesus Christ. And we've accepted that sacrifice. We've had faith in that sacrifice just as Rahab has. Rahab is an example of somebody who had a horrible past. And yet because of her faith coming to God, God was able to use her to help Israel enter the Promised Land. A tremendous way that God used His Spirit in her life. So I don't know how humble you think you are or how great a sinner you think you are, but if you and I, if we go to God, we ask God to help us, to help Him do His work. Look at the door He opened for Rahab. But there's a postscript to her story. According to rabbinic tradition, Rahab was one of the most beautiful women who lived. And according to rabbinic tradition, she was ancestor of eight prophets, including Jeremiah.

Rahab also, from her came Boaz. From Boaz came one called Jesus of Nazareth.

How great is that? She was one of four women mentioned in Matthew 1. Only four women in Matthew's genealogy of Jesus Christ. All four women were foreigners. You had Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba.

So you talk about God's Spirit moving in His people and, ladies, moving in you. Great service! She served a whole nation of people. She helped a whole nation of people enter the Promised Land. She had her part to play. You can have your part to play. Here's another story I want to relate. Again, you know the story so very well. We looked at the woman who, once upon a time, was a prostitute. This next woman was a Jewish orphan girl.

Again, in that society, that was tough. You're an orphan and you're a girl. That's really tough. Her name was Esther. You know the story.

King Hasselwareus, who we think was Xerxes I, one day asked his queen, Vashti. The king was drunk. He had a party. He was drunk. He wasn't in his right mind. His wife, Vashti, the queen, was a beautiful woman. He said, you know, Vashti, I want you to come out here and show yourself to all my guests.

Most scholars tend to think what he was asking for was for her to come out with no clothes on.

She wouldn't do it. He gets rid of the queen. He has a search throughout the whole of the kingdom, asking for all the versions of the land to come and seek to be the next queen. I don't know where is this little orphan Jewish girl by the name of Esther. And she comes, and the king loves her. Wants her to be queen. There is also, in this same story, a man by the name of Haman. A very pompous man. Wherever he walked, he wanted people to bow down before him.

But Esther's relative, we don't know whether he was a cousin or an uncle. Different scholars think differently about that, but he was a blood relative. Mordecai would not bow down before Haman. When Haman saw that he was so enraged, he said, you know, we are going to kill every Jew in this whole land. Every Jew in the kingdom. Every Jew in the empire.

And of course, all the Jewish people throughout the empire were very much afraid. Mordecai went to young Esther and said, hey, look, don't think that just because you're in the king's palace, you're going to be saved. And as you read the story of the Book of Esther, you see how that young woman, who was so brave, stood up to the king. She could have been killed for doing so. She came into his presence, and she wasn't called to come into his presence. And anybody who did that could lose their life, because they might be a person trying to assassinate the king. But she appeared before the king, uncalled for, and the king let her come and talk. And the bottom line was, the king allowed the Jewish people to defend themselves, and God blessed the Jewish people. They defended themselves valiantly, and the whole plot was foiled. Haman himself was killed on a device that he wanted to kill Mordecai on. Today the Jews celebrate this with the Feast of Purim. But I want to turn to just one scripture here, Esther 4.

Esther 4 and verse 14.

Esther 4, 14.

For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place. But you and your father's house will perish. Yet who knows whether you've come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

To all of us in this room, I would quote Esther 4 and verse 14. What's happening in your life? Who can you affect in your life? Here we see the brilliance of a young woman, a courageous young woman, who saved a whole nation of people.

The Jewish people. And yet this phrase has always struck my mind. Who knows whether you've come to the kingdom for such a time as this? Brother, who knows that God has now put you in as circumstances you are in right now for such a time as you have?

For such a time as you have right now? We have an Esther for both women who face total annihilation. They, their families, everyone they knew. But both looked to God, both were spared in addition, both saved a nation or helped a nation. God always knows where to find His workers. You're one of those workers. He knows you. He developed you. He gave you your gifts. He gave you your personality. He put you in a setting you're now in. He knows there's work for you to do in a setting you are now in. And God has given you the use of His Holy Spirit so He can do just that. Brother, let's take that calling. Let's take that opportunity. Let's, you know, carpe diem. Let's seize the moment and use God's Spirit in the powerful way God wants us to use His Spirit. So point number one, God always knows where to find His workers. Point number two, God calls by name those He would appoint to special service. God calls by name those He would appoint to special service.

Let's go to Exodus 31. I've quoted this to you a number of times. We want to take a closer look at a different aspect of this than I think I've ever discussed with you. Exodus 31.

Now, to set the stage here, God had just finished giving Moses the blueprint, the pattern for the tabernacle design.

The tabernacle's blueprints were waiting for the construction superintendent to be appointed for work to begin. But we needed somebody to take control of the task. We needed a man to manage the whole operation. We needed a site project manager.

Exodus 31. Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, See, I have called by name Bezalel, the son of Uri, the son of Her, of the tribe of Judah. I have called him by name. I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, in all manner of workmanship. Now, notice, He's not being called to be a minister, or a priest, or a prophet. Notice what God is giving him the Spirit to do. Verse 4. To design artistic works, as we saw in our Offertorian special music today. To design artistic works, to work in gold and silver and bronze, and cutting jewels and carving wood to work in all manner of workmanship. Going beyond that, we have a song leader, using the Spirit of God to lead songs. We've got a pianist, who was playing piano for us today, and is playing piano, and they are leading songs. With the use of God's Holy Spirit to serve God's people. But here, and I've discussed this so many times in the past, when I'm anointing people, so many times I'll go to this section of Scripture. And I will ask God, that when you're going to a doctor, if you are going to a doctor, that the doctor, the nurses, whatever medical staff you're consulting, that the doctor and nurses would be filled with the Spirit of God in understanding and knowledge and workmanship. So they do a right work by you. They give you proper counsel. They have the wit to know what's happening in your life. They can diagnose things. They will order the right kinds of tests. If you have to have an operation, they'll do it skillfully. I'm not a bashed in asking God to have His Spirit helping those doctors and nurses help you.

But here we see in verse 2, that this man was called by name. I have called by name Bezalel. Who was Bezalel? He was a slave. He was a person who grew up in bondage. He didn't go to Harvard or something like that. He wasn't a man of letters. He was born into slavery. He toiled probably day and night, long days, into the night, probably to the point of utter exhaustion. But also, here's a man that took it upon himself to learn all he can learn. All that he can learn, where he was at. He just soaked up every little bit of knowledge he could in the various tasks that were given to him. And God was allowing him to go to different places in his life to learn various tasks. God was training him. He perhaps didn't understand that. God right now is training you in your lives. I don't always understand why God is doing what he's doing in our lives. But he's giving us a very rigorous training schedule. Because he's got you in mind for something. God had a work in mind for this man. When he was 15 years old, he wasn't ready to oversee the work of the tabernacle. But as he began to grow and develop, and God gave him various opportunities, he was able to see and realize and understand and grow with those talents as God gave them to him. It's interesting what his name is. In the Scriptures, his name means, under the shadow of God. Under the shadow of God. God made sure that Bezalel was protected from serious harm. I'm not saying he didn't have his aches and pains and scrapes and bruises, maybe a broken arm here and there. But nothing took his life. God guided him. God prepared him. God helped him to be the person he was. So God can use him in his service. And he did it by name. God knows your name. There's a very special place God wants to use you in his service. Take a look at John 10.

Notice here in my Bible, it's a red letter. In this particular verse, it's all red letters. The words of Christ. John 10. 3 John 10. 3 To him the doorkeeper opens and the sheep hear his voice. And he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. He calls his sheep by name. Brother, you're not a cog in some great eternal piece of machinery. God knows your name. He wants that personal relationship with you. We discussed that yesterday in a sermon. About loving our God with all of our strength and all of our heart and all of our mind. All of our soul. He is our God and he knows us and he calls us by name. Let's take a look at Psalm 147. I bring up this point to show you the beauty of the fact that we walk through life hand in hand with a very large father. An older brother. Who are just delighted to have us in the family. And are working very hard to make sure we are properly trained to do the job they want us to do. They are delighted to delegate things for us to do. For you to do. For me to do. Psalm 147 verse 1. Praise the Lord for it is good to sing praises to our God. For it is pleasant and praise is beautiful. The Lord builds up Jerusalem. He gathers together the outcasts of Israel. Brother, at one point all of us in this room were outcasts of Israel. We are sinners. We like sheep. We want to stray. But then God had to call us by name to Him. He heals the brokenhearted. Bines up their wounds. Why does He do that? So that we can be of service to Him. Verse 4. He counts the number of the stars. He calls them all by name. How many different articles have you read or maybe documentaries you've seen on TV? They say, you know, we just simply can't count the number of stars in the universe. We have no idea how big the universe is. We think it's limitless, and it probably is. And yet God knows every star, every comet, every body in the heavens. He calls them by name. And the Scripture says He knows every hair on your head. And He calls you by name. Revelation chapter 4. Revelation chapter 4. Why did God put Revelation chapter 4 in the Bible? Why is it here? To me, it's one of the more inspiring sections of the book of Revelation. And it's not filled with all sorts of prophecies, and this is going to happen when, and so on and so forth. But it does show us something that to me is very inspirational. Revelation chapter 4 shows the throne room of God Himself. Chapter 4, verse 1.

And He was sat there with a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance. And there was a rainbow around the throne. Jasper and sardius were stones. The high priest had twelve stones on that breastplate. This is the first and last stones, representing the Church of God. A rainbow represents life. So here we see that there's somebody sitting on this throne, who the Church is very, you know, when you wear the Church around your chest, the Church means something to you.

And life is also present there symbolically. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the throne they saw twenty-four elders sitting clothed with white robes. Now pause for a moment and think that when God called you individually by name, your name came up in this setting. In this setting, God the Father, Jesus Christ, brought up your name.

They discussed when to call you. Maybe they threw it out to the twenty-four elders. And there was a really interesting and intriguing discussion. I want to see a tape of that. I want to see a replay of that. Okay, bring up De La Sandro's name. Was it unanimous? But God called every one of us by name, and this is the setting in which it was done. Brother, you're not nobody. You are somebody in God's sight. God has given you His Holy Spirit, or His Holy Spirit is working with you to accomplish powerful things in your life. Ray, I've never thought it was going to happen in her life.

Esther probably never thought it was going to happen in her life. A prostitute, a Jewish orphan, a Bezalil, a slave. And look what God did in their lives. Look what God did in their lives. What can God do in our lives? Point number three. Point number two is that God calls by name those who would appoint to special service, and He's called you for special service. Point number three. God calls for special service. God calls for special service. Might be either in a secular or spiritual field.

You might serve either physically or spiritually. But either one is beautiful. Both are needed. When God wanted a man to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt, He needed a spiritual leader. He called Moses. But when God wanted a beautiful tabernacle to worship the great God, that God Himself would dwell in. A physical work. God called it Bezalil. Both were important.

Both were necessary. One more spiritual, one more physical, but each important in its own way. There was a couple that became a great help to the Apostle Paul in his ministry. Their names were Aquila and Priscilla. Husband and wife team. Had they thought about their situation in life, they may have thought, well, what's happening and why?

The Emperor Claudius commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. Just get out of here. We don't want you. And so Aquila and Priscilla had to flee their home. And put yourself in that setting. What if something happened right now where the governor of the state of Michigan or the governor of the state of Ohio said, We want you out of here. Soon as possible, get. If you're not out of here by thus and such a time, you're dead.

You're gone. So I don't know what Priscilla and Aquila could have taken with them, but they left. They probably felt, they may have felt despondent. Yet, God inspired them to move to Corinth. In Corinth, they met a man by the name of Paul.

Paul just happened to be of the same profession. Now, you think all this is coincidence? Or you think God has got this beautiful plan? Not only for them, but for you. What's happening in your life right now? Doesn't God have some kind of plan for each and every one of us? We know there's an overall plan of God, the plan of salvation, but doesn't God have a plan in each of our lives? Isn't there something because He loves you so that He wants to accomplish in your life? Hasn't He been moving you along certain lines to fulfill that commission in your personal life?

The way Priscilla and Aquila help Paul is legendary. But notice something else. I want to turn to a different example using the same couple, Acts 18.

Acts 18.

Acts 18, starting in verse 24. Now, a certain Jew named Apollos, born in Alexandria, an elgoth man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. And this man had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and talked accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John. Now, at this point, Priscilla and Aquila had moved out of Corinth. They're over here in Ephesus. So he began to speak boldly in a synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.

Notice it doesn't say just Aquila did this. It wasn't just the guy. It wasn't just the man and the Mary. It wasn't just the man and the team. It was the husband and the wife. Now, Apollos was, as it says here, he was an elegant man, mighty in the Scriptures. He could have been vain. He could have been pompous. But he wasn't. He was a mighty man in the Scriptures because he realized this thing called humility. And when not only a man came to him, but the wife came to him and began to explain the things that Paul had explained to them as a couple, he would say, well, hey, you're just a woman. What do you know? Didn't do that. He had the courage and humility to realize spirituality knows no sex. Spirituality knows no sex. And he learned from Aquila and Priscilla. He was the kind of man who was humble enough to take it in. He was a humble enough man to learn from it and use it.

Notice what it says here in verse 27. And when he desired to cross unto Achaia, the brethren rode exhorting the disciples to receive him. And when he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace, for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.

Why was he able to vigorously refute from the Scriptures that Christ was Christ? Jesus was the Christ. In part, again, as we're highlighting to some degree our ladies today, in part because of what a woman had taught him. Spiritually. Spiritually.

He was able to do a great work. So, ladies, again, spirituality knows no sex. I've learned an awful lot from the ladies of the church all through my ministry. I've learned a lot from Mary. She teaches me a great deal. You know how to pronounce biscotti.

And as an Italian, I should know better. Shame on me, you know? Shame on me. Where are some of those genes when you need them?

Now, here they're performing a spiritual service to God's ministry. But take a look at Romans chapter 16. Same couple. It's Romans chapter 16. It's not like we either serve physically or spiritually. We can do both. When God opens the door, we need to walk through that door.

God believes in multitasking. Some of us are better than that than others. But notice here in Romans chapter 16, verse 3, In Greek, priscilla anacula, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus. Now, brief note, who's listed first? The woman. Why? Because when you thought of that couple, you thought of her first. Why? Because maybe she was the stronger Christian of the two. We're not trying to cast aspersions on Aquila. He was a very strong man. But in the team, it appeared maybe she was the one you tended to think of first. And there are reasons for that. Greet Priscilla an Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risks their own next for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also the churches of the Gentiles. Likewise, read the church that is in their house.

The church that is in their house.

Some of us in this room have practiced a great deal of hospitality over the years. Some in this room are relatively famous for that. It's a physical service, but it's one that's well appreciated. Mary's folks, they're in Rochester, Minnesota. Rochester, Minnesota, home of the Mayo Clinic. Over the years, the Nelsons have lost track of people who have needed to come into the Mayo Clinic. They're people in the church. They needed a place to stay. They stay with the Nelson family. They are relatively famous for that. They're famous for other things. If you have noticed the recent copy of the United News, both of them have prominent pictures.

Mary's mom is doing her routine with a hula hoop. So if you wonder why Mary is such a wild and crazy lady, she gets it from her mom. Then on the next page you've got her stepdad, Lloyd, singing songs with, I think, a niece or something like that. But just fine people. Here we've got a situation where Priscilla and Aquila were hospitable and advanced the Church of God.

I can look at this audience, and I see various ones. I don't want to name names because I forget people. I wouldn't quite notice somebody. There are a number of you in this room who have been very generous with your home. You've invited people over. You've had meals. You've had Bible studies. You've had any number of things, counseling sessions, whatever.

And you don't have to have some big fancy place to have people over. But when you have the people of God over, you're doing a tremendous spiritual work. A tremendous spiritual work. There's another example here over in Acts 9. Another lady. Acts 9.

You know, if God's Spirit doesn't move me along, I'm not going to finish this, sir.

Acts 9, verse 36.

At Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds, which she did. But it happened in those days she became sick and died. They washed her and they set her in an upper room. And since Lydia was near Joppa, the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them. When Peter arose and went with them, when he had come, they brought him to the upper room. And all the widows stood by him weeping, showing the tunics and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them. Here's a lady, you know, she crocheted, she knitted, she sewed. The women in the area loved her. It appears that she would make these things and just give them away to people. She was very skilled in the home arts. So much so that she was relatively famous in her own little area. And she died. And the people said, we don't want her to be dead. We want her to live. They said, men, guys, go! Give Peter. He'll do something.

Peter comes. Verse 40, Peter put them all out and knelt down and prayed and turned into the body and said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes and when she saw Peter, she sat up. Then he gave her his hand and lifted her up. When he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive. And it became known throughout all of Japa and many believed on the Lord. So here's a woman who was known for her home arts.

And she had to be saved. Alive. And God did that. And what did that accomplish? It says here, and this became known throughout all of Japa and many believed as a result of what this woman was able to accomplish in her life. She never would have thought this, but you know, you may not think about how God can use you in your life. You may not see a connection, but God can connect the dots. God can connect the dots.

So God may call you either to a physical service or a spiritual service or both. Be prepared for either or both. Now certainly, point number four, those who God calls, He equips with His Holy Spirit. God calls us, He equips us with His Holy Spirit. Let's go back there to that story in Exodus 31.

Now here's the man being called to do a physical work, but notice. Exodus 31, verse 3.

Bezalel was equipped with God's Spirit. Whatever God's going to ask you to do, He's going to give you the tools to do it. He's not going to call you and leave you with an inability to perform the task God's called you to do. And the greatest tool that we have in our tool chest is the Holy Spirit of God. This Spirit gave Him special skills, special abilities, special wisdom, special...specialties in His crafts. And notice, verse 4 and 5. There was a multitude of things that God's Spirit allowed Him to do, to design artistic works. He was a designer. He worked in gold, silver, and bronze. He was a metal worker. Of precious metals. Cutting jewels.

Able to work with fine jewelry. Cutting jewels. Carving wood. All manner of workmanship.

When God has called you by name, God gives you His Holy Spirit to do a task. To me, that's encouraging. To me, that's so encouraging to realize that's what God has done. Let's go to Matthew 25. I was alluding to this earlier in the sermon, but let's look at this here in Matthew 25. We're not just alluding, talking about it. Matthew 25. Matthew 25, verse 15. And to one He gave five talents to another two and to another one, to each according to His own ability. To each according to His own ability. Who gave them the ability? God did. Who gave them the talents? God did.

Who gave them the Holy Spirit? God does.

He gives us the abilities, the talents. He gives us everything we need to do the job. He allows His grace to work powerfully in us.

So point number four.

Whom God calls, He equips with His Holy Spirit. Number five and lastly. Number five and lastly. God never uses lone workers.

This is not the Church of the lone wolf. God never calls just an individual to be out by himself. God is a team. God is a family. God's not just a single by himself. He's a part of a family. And our single's out here. You as a single, you're a part of our family. Very much a part of our family. And you're part of a team. We go back to Exodus 31, one final time. Exodus 31.

We've read the first five verses, but let's read a little bit beyond that. We've talked about Bezalel. But verse 6. Exodus 31 verse 6. And I, indeed, I have appointed with Him a Loyiyab, the son of the Hishmok, the tribe of Dan. And I put wisdom in the hearts of all the gifted artisans, that they may make all that I've commanded you.

God's Holy Spirit was not just for Bezalel, but these other men. Here He's got a major assistant who's named by name. And then there's a whole crew of people who will be given special use of God's Holy Spirit. Verse 7, 8, 9, 10. Talk about all the various things they're able to work on and to do.

Verse 11, And the anointing oil and the sweet incense for the Holy Place, according to all that I've commanded you, they shall do. God gave inspiration. God gave direction. But God gave these people His Spirit to accomplish the task. God didn't do it for them. All the people we've got up here on this stage, who come before us, you know, Paula and Anna and Paige. All these people do the wonderful music that we do. All of our, you know, all our other people, you know, who do our music for us in both Detroit and Ann Arbor. They didn't just one day wake up and know how to play the piano. God has gifted them with tremendous gifts. But they have got to practice, and they've got to work with the gift God has given them. And bless their hearts, they do such a great job, and we appreciate it. The same thing's true for all of us. God has given us gifts, but we need to work with that. We need to perfect it. We need to hone our skills. As Bezalel did, as he was growing up in slavery in Egypt.

Romans chapter 8. Last scripture for the day. Romans chapter 8. Romans chapter 8 and verse 14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.

Brethren, how is God leading you today? How will He lead you tomorrow? He's called you. He's called you by name. He's equipped you with His Holy Spirit. Let's you and I go forward. From this day of Pentecost, this day is so very meaningful to each and every one of us. Let us all go forward. We know why we're living. We know what the sense of all this is. We see the plan of God. We know, just like a former prostitute, a Jewish orphan girl, a slave, a person who knitted and crocheted into the home arts, we can make a difference. Regardless of how humble we are, we can make a difference. Today I asked a question, who are you? And today I've answered that question, at least in part. You are a Spirit-filled co-worker with God, Jesus Christ, and the Church.