Agent and Instrument
D.L. Moody's sermon highlights the critical role of the Holy Spirit in preaching and the necessity of divine power for spiritual revival.
D.L. Moody emphasizes the vital role of the Holy Spirit in the proclamation of the Gospel, asserting that without the Spirit's power, preaching is ineffective. He illustrates that human eloquence is meaningless without the Spirit, comparing it to preaching to dry bones without the breath of life. Moody points out that just as Christ was raised by the Spirit, so too can our dead souls be quickened by the same divine power. He urges believers to rely solely on the Holy Spirit for the transformation of lives, rather than depending on human efforts or ministers. Ultimately, honoring the Spirit is essential for witnessing true spiritual revival.
Text
The Holy Spirit is closely identified with the words of the Lord Jesus. "It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing, the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life." The Gospel proclamation can not be divorced from the Holy Spirit. Unless He attend the word in power, vain will be the attempt in preaching it. Human eloquence or persuasiveness of speech are the mere trappings of the dead, if the living Spirit be absent; the prophet may preach to the bones in the valley, but it must be the breath from Heaven which will cause the slain to live.
In the third chapter of the First Epistle of Peter, it reads, "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit"
Here we see that Christ was raised up from the grave by this same Spirit, and the power exercised to raise Christ's dead body must raise our dead souls and quicken them. No other power on earth can quicken a dead soul, but the same power that raised the body of Jesus Christ out of Joseph's sepulcher. And if we want that power to quicken our friends who are dead in sin, we must look to God, and not be looking to man to do it.
If we look alone to ministers, if we look alone to Christ's disciples to do this work, we shall be disappointed; but if we look to the Spirit of God and expect it to come from Him and Him alone, then we shall honor the Spirit, and the Spirit will do His work.
Sermon Outline
- I points: - The role of the Holy Spirit in preaching - The necessity of the Spirit's presence - Comparison of human eloquence vs. divine power
- II points: - The resurrection of Christ as a demonstration of the Spirit's power - The connection between Christ's resurrection and our spiritual awakening - The uniqueness of the Spirit's ability to quicken souls
- III points: - The importance of looking to God for spiritual revival - The dangers of relying solely on human efforts - Honoring the Spirit in our expectations and actions
Key Quotes
“It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing.” — D.L. Moody
“No other power on earth can quicken a dead soul, but the same power that raised the body of Jesus Christ.” — D.L. Moody
“If we look to the Spirit of God and expect it to come from Him and Him alone, then we shall honor the Spirit.” — D.L. Moody
Application Points
- Seek the Holy Spirit's presence in all aspects of ministry and life.
- Recognize that true spiritual awakening comes from God, not human efforts.
- Honor the work of the Holy Spirit by expecting His power in our lives and the lives of others.