Thank you for listening to Servants for Christ. And all that we do and all that we say, we want to give glory and honor to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Thank you for tuning us in as we get into the wonderful Word of God. For the next few minutes, let's take the beautiful Word of God and share it with each and every one of you as we have a sense of anticipation to take the Word of God and to listen to its truth for each and every one. Thank you for tuning in with us as we continue on in our series, The Eternal Foundation. Here we'll be talking about the living cement as we look back and try to imagine a world where the future could be predicted with absolute certainty. with equations and when we look at all of the human intellect that can map out the trajectory of time itself like some kind of a Hollywood sci-fi film. But the concept is that Really, all about that, the knowledge, the logic could secure the future, but those are things in the movies. What if I told you there is a foundation for the future that goes beyond all of that thinking of algorithms and calculations? A foundation that offers not just predictability, but certainty. An eternal foundation laid by God himself. And so, when we look back In our first series, Beyond Prediction, mankind seek to understand the future, but God has already secured it, and his word provides that certainty where human foresight fails. The second series, The Cornerstone of Hope, Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone upon which salvation is built, and without him, there's no lasting security. The third series, The Blueprint of Eternity, talked about God's divine plan is not random. He's crafted an eternal purpose for humanity, and he's revealed through his word. Well, with the living cement, this fourth series, our faith must be bound together by Christ, just as cement holds a structure firm. Without him, we crumble. And so, when we look into the future, We see a foundation that needs more than just a cornerstone and a blueprint. It needs something to hold it all together, something to give it strength and stability. And for our eternal foundation series, that is the Holy Spirit, the living cement. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. God Himself, dwelling within us, and when we place our faith in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to live in our hearts, empowering us to live according to God's Word and strengthening our connection to the Father and the Son. He's the living cement that binds us to the foundation and to each other. In Ephesians chapter 2 verse 22, if you turn your Bibles over there, it describes it beautifully. It says, in whom ye also are built together for habitation of God through the Spirit. You see, through the Holy Spirit, we become part of God's eternal dwelling. I wonder if you're relying on the power of the Holy Spirit in your life. He's the one that enables us to live out our faith and to stand firm on the foundation of Christ. And so, in our fourth message, this sermon, as we look at the living cement, I hope that you'll receive the understanding about the eternal foundation as we get into that wonderful Holy Spirit that it represents. Pray with us, will you? Heavenly Father, we acknowledge your presence in our lives through the gift of your Holy Spirit and your word in 1 Corinthians 6.19 asked what? Know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which you have of God and you are not your own? Lord, we pray for a very deeper understanding of the role of the Holy Spirit in solidifying our foundation in Jesus Christ, providing us with strength and guiding us in your truth. Forgive us for the times that we've neglected or ignored the presence and the power of your spirit. Fill us anew, we pray, that we may be strengthened and directed by you. In Jesus's marvelous mighty name we pray, amen. This past week, I was reading about a construction of a massive dam, and the engineers carefully laid the concrete foundation, but they knew that the strength of the dam would just come from the concrete itself. They needed a binding agent, a powerful cement to hold everything together and to withstand the immense pressure of the water. And so they used a special type of cement that not only bonded the concrete, but also allowed for flexibility and movement, ensuring the dam's long-term stability and resilience against the powerful forces that it would face. We've learned that Jesus Christ is that unshakable foundation and the cornerstone of our hope and that God's word is the enduring blueprint. But in today's message, the living cement, the Holy Spirit, our strength in God, we look at the crucial role of the Holy Spirit in our lives, how he binds us to the foundation of Christ, strengthens our faith, guides us in our daily walk. You know, if Jesus is the foundation and the Bible is the blueprint, what is the essential element that binds everything together, providing strength and guidance for us to live a life built on Christ? You see, I said it just a few minutes ago. Listen to what I'm fixing to say. the binding power of the Holy Spirit. Just as cement binds together the materials in a building, the Holy Spirit unites us to Christ and to one another in the body of Christ. And so, the binding power of the Holy Spirit, the first thing we see is the seal of our salvation. Ephesians chapter 1 verses 13 and 14. in whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth the gospel of your salvation in whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with that holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession under the praise of his glory And so the Holy Spirit is that seal signifying ownership and security and the earnest, meaning a down payment, a guarantee of our future inheritance. The Greek word sealed. meaning marked with a seal as a sign of ownership and security. And so we see a pledge, we see a down payment guaranteeing the full amount. Think of a signed and sealed legal document that guarantees ownership. The Holy Spirit is God's seal upon our lives, guaranteeing our salvation and future inheritance in Christ. And so we see the binding power of the Holy Spirit, the seal of our salvation through Ephesians 1, verses 13 and 14. But secondly, we see the spirit of unity. In 1 Corinthians 12, verse 13, the word of God says, for by one spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one spirit. I'm glad that through the Spirit, believers from all backgrounds are brought together into one body, the church. And so, I'm glad that 1 Corinthians 12, verse 13 says, for by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, signifying the immersion, the identification, because it speaks of our spiritual immersion into the body of Christ through the Spirit. Imagine different ingredients being mixed together to form a unified whole. And the Holy Spirit is that unifying agent that brings diverse believers together as one in Christ. Boy, I'm glad my mother taught me how to make cornbread and homemade scratch biscuits when I was little. I'm glad that I was the last one growing up in the kitchen watching my mom put all the ingredients in the bowl, never to forget it. And so I'm glad that Dietrich Bonhoeffer once said, Christian community means community through Jesus Christ and in Jesus Christ. You see, this unity is made possible by the Holy Spirit. And so the binding power of the Holy Spirit that we see this and the seal of our salvation of Ephesians 1, 13 and 14, the spirit of unity in 1 Corinthians 12, verse 13, but also the indwelling and empowering presence of Romans 8, 9 that says, but ye are not in the flesh, but in the spirit. If so be that the spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. You see, I'm glad that the indwelling nature of the Holy Spirit in all believers today is what we were reading about with Paul's writing. His presence is what distinguishes those who belong to Christ. And I'm glad that we see that he said, dwell. I'm glad, as we read Romans 8, 9, but ye that are in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you, Now, if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And so we dwell, we reside, we inhabit, we make one's home. And so the Holy Spirit makes his home within us. Think of a power source within a machine. The Holy Spirit is that divine power source. And within believers, enabling us to live a godly life and to serve God effectively. Wow. You know, beyond the foundational rock and the guiding blueprint lies a dynamic, invisible force, the very essence of cohesion and strength, more binding of an agent than any other. It's a living, breathing present that permeates the very fabric of our being, uniting us to the source of all truth, to the fellowship of those who share His divine connection. It's the spiritual cement that not only holds the structure together, but imbues it with resilience and the capacity for enduring growth. And so we see the binding power of the Holy Spirit. So if Jesus is the foundation and the Bible is the blueprint, what is the essential element that binds everything together providing strength and guidance for us to live a life built on Christ? Again, Secondly, the Holy Spirit, our source of strength. The Holy Spirit is not just a binding agent. He's also the very source of our strength to live a life that honors God and stands firm on the foundation of Christ. And so the Holy Spirit, our source of strength, we see a powerful witnessing. Acts chapter one, verse eight, but you shall receive power. After that, the Holy Ghost has come upon you and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and under the uttermost part of the earth. You know what? This verse teaches about the empowering work of the Holy Spirit for evangelism. And it gives us the ability and the boldness to share the good news of Jesus Christ. Because he says in Acts 1-8, but you shall receive power. And the root word for dynamite is what that is, signifying the explosive and the inherent power. And think of someone who is suddenly finding the courage to speak boldly about their faith. The power of the Holy Spirit at work. Every one of us, when we look and we realize that seeing here, that when we look and realize what God is doing, the Holy Spirit, our source of strength, powerful witnessing according to Acts 1A. But secondly, strength for spiritual warfare. In Ephesians 6.10 says, finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Man, I thank God. Here, the need for spiritual strength in our battle against sin and the forces of darkness is always needed. This strength comes from the Lord through his spirit. And I'm glad that finally, my brethren, he says, be strong in the Lord, the strength for that spiritual warfare, meaning to be strengthened, to be made powerful. Imagine a soldier going into battle equipped with a powerful armor and weapons. more powerful than anything anyone has ever witnessed. And the Holy Spirit equips us for that spiritual warfare, giving us the strength to resist temptation, to stand firm in our faith. Corrie ten Boom always said, the Bible is the weapon which enables us to fight. Listen, to fight. And I'm glad, the good fight. I'm glad the Holy Spirit empowers us to wield that weapon effectively. And so, we see that throughout all of this, when we look for the Holy Spirit, our source of strength, the powerful witnessing of Acts 1A. the strength for spiritual warfare in Ephesians 6.10. Thirdly, the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5, verses 22 and 23. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, and against such there's no law. You see, every one of us, the Holy Spirit produces godly character within us. These fruits are evidence of the presence and the power that's in our lives. The Greek word for fruit is karpos, referring to the product, the result of something. These qualities are the result of the Holy Spirit's work in our hearts. Think of a healthy tree bearing good fruit. The Holy Spirit dwelling within us produces these godly characteristics in our lives. Maybe sometimes the fruit of the Spirit looks more like a bruised apple than a ripe, juicy one. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit is constantly working on us all the time. And within that intricate framework, of the eternal foundation flows a divine energy, a wellspring of inner fortitude that transcends all human capability. And it's not a static force. It's a dynamic power that equips us for the battles we face, empowers us to live lives that reflect the very nature of God, the source of our courage, the strength behind our convictions, and the catalyst for the blossoming of godly character within our souls. And so, the binding power of the Holy Spirit when we look at the living sea men. The Holy Spirit, our source of strength. But thirdly, If Jesus is the foundation and the Bible is the blueprint, what is the essential element that binds everything together, providing strength and guidance for us to live a life built on Christ? Thirdly and closing, again, I say the Holy Spirit, our faithful guide. The Holy Spirit not only strengthens us, but also faithfully guides us into truth and helps us navigate the path God has for us. And so, the Holy Spirit, our faithful God, first of all, is leading into truth. In John 16, 13, the Bible says, how about when he, the spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth, for he shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak, and he will shew you things to come. You know what? The scripture of John 16, 13 emphasizes the Holy Spirit's role as the spirit of truth, leading believers into a deeper understanding of God's Word and His will. And so, when we see that He says He will guide you into all truth in John 16, 13, that word guide, meaning to lead, to direct the way for all of us. And so, the Holy Spirit, our faithful God, leading into truth of John 16, 13. But secondly, comfort and counsel according to John 14, 26. But the comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you. Imagine how the Holy Spirit as our comforter and as our counselor provides solace in times of trouble and reminding us of Jesus's teachings Hmm. He's the comforter He's called alongside us to help to advocate to be a counselor And so when we face challenges and grief and difficult decisions the Holy Spirit is there to comfort us to provide wise counsel And so, the Holy Spirit, our faithful God, leading in the truth of John 16, 13, the comfort and counsel of John 14, 26, and lastly, revealing God's will of 1 Corinthians 2, verses 10 and 11 that says, but God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit, for the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God, for what man knoweth the things of a man. save the spirit of man which is in him, even so the things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God. You see, the Holy Spirit knows the mind of God, and it reveals His will to those who are in Christ, the revealed, meaning to uncover, to disclose, to make known. And so, as I close out about the living semen, of this series, The Eternal Foundation. The Holy Spirit is that living cement that binds us to the foundation of Jesus Christ. And he empowers us with strength to live for God and guides us into truth and understanding. He's the seal of our salvation, the spirit of unity, the indwelling presence of God in our lives. And so, Let us embrace His presence and rely on His strength and follow His guidance and we build our lives on that eternal foundation. Are you consciously aware of the Holy Spirit's presence and power that's in your life? I wonder what way you can be more intentional about seeking His guidance every day. spend more time in prayer, ask for his guidance in situations that are sensitive to his promptings. And so I wonder what area of your life do you need the Holy Spirit's strength the most right now? Because if you ask him for that specific strength, I believe when we resist temptation, overcoming fear, having courage to share our faith, we can pray specifically for that strength and trust that He will provide it. Is there anyone who's listening, who desires a deeper and filling of the Holy Spirit? Perhaps you've been distant, perhaps you've been disconnected. Listen, spiritually, you could come forward now as we pray and ask God to fill you anew, fresh with His Spirit. and his strength and guide him. I hope and pray that you would make that choice as we close out. I hope and pray that you will let the Holy Spirit do what it does best, and that is be the living cement that holds everything together. Heavenly Father, we thank you for the incredible gift of your Spirit. Our living cement, our strength, our guide. And we pray for each person that's listening to this message that we would experience the fullness of that spirit in our lives. And for those who spiritually came forward, Lord, We ask for a fresh in feeling, empowering them for your service and guiding them in your truth. Forgive us for the times that we've tried to live in our own strength and help us to rely fully on the power of your Holy Spirit as we build our lives on eternal foundation of Jesus Christ. We pray all of this in his mighty name, Jesus Christ. you