January 4, 2026
Filled with God
- Matt Nickoson
Sermon Notes
Q: What is “The Church”?
John 2:16 NIV
To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!”
Luke 19:45-46 NIV
When Jesus entered the temple courts, he began to drive out those who were selling. “It is written,” he said to them, “My house will be a house of prayer’; but you have made it ‘a den of robbers.”
Prayer Room: Coming - relentless-pursuit.org
John 14:1-4 NIV
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”
John 14:23 NIV
Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.”
The different Greek words used here for “house” and “home” all find a great equivalent in the English word “abode” (like the place we go to dwell); which has an English verb equivalent of “abide”.
John 15:7-10 NASB1995
“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.”
Q: What is “The Church”?
A: It’s the place where God dwells with His people. (Remember: Already & Not Yet)
Revelation 21:3 NIV
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.
John 17:24-26 NIV
“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they (the Disciples) know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”
That’s why there are NO neutral encounters with God’s people. This is the gathering of the people in whom God dwells!
Acts 2:1 NIV
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
Acts 2:2 NIV
Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.
Genesis 1:2 NIV
Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God (ruach: Spirit/Breath/Wind) was hovering over the waters.
When the Holy Spirit comes there will be a New Creation present!
2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
1 Kings 19:11-12 NIV
The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.
When the Holy Spirit comes there will be a gentle whisper to guide you!
Isaiah 30:21 NIV
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”
Acts 2:3 NIV
They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.
Many times in the Old Testament we see God’s presence and fire from Heaven connected (like Exodus 19 with Moses and 2 Chronicles 7 with Solomon).
2 Chronicles 7:1-2 NIV
When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. The priests could not enter the temple of the Lord because the glory of the Lord filled it.
When the Holy Spirit comes you are now the place where God abides.
Acts 2:4a NIV
All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit…
The Church is meant to be the place where the glory of God is on display in the heart, soul, mind, and strength of those who call Jesus Christ “Lord”.
John 17:20-21 NIV
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”