Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Week 2: The Power of the Spirit: Jesus' Ascension and The Holy Spirit
John 16:12-15 (New International Version)
12"I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. 15All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.
------------The disciples had gotten used to the luxury of having Jesus around. When they had a question, they could simply ask him. But what would happen after his ascension? Jesus told them the
Spirit would continue to speak to them and help them understand everything they needed to know. Far from being silent, the Holy Spirit would be their constant guide to point them to truth. Now we can have the same privilege the disciples had and talk to God whenever we want. The spirit isn't just for full-time church staff; he dwells in every believer. So if you've become a Christian, then this privilege is for you. The question for us is this: Are we listening?Have you ever listened for the voice of the Holy Spirit in your life? How did you know it was the Spirit?
Ask the Father to make the voice of the Holy Spirit very clear in you life.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Week 2: The Power of the Spirit: Jesus' Ascension and The Holy Spirit
John 16:5-11 (New International Version)
The Work of the Holy Spirit
5"Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?' 6Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. 7But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt[a] in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; 10in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.
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Jesus knew how the disciples would feel without him around. So he explained to them how the Spirit would work in their lives. Even though Jesus wouldn't be around physically, the Spirit would continue to do all the things Jesus had done. And because the Spirit would be inside all believers, that ministry took on a much larger scale. Jesus would still be doing his Father's work; he'd just do it through the Holy Spirit. Even now Jesus is doing the Father's work through the Holy Spirit inside you. So in effect, Jesus didn't leave. Jesus placed his Spirit in us, not just the first-century disciples, so we can all join him in his work.
Do you believe God can use you to accomplish his will? Do you believe he will?
Ask God to use you to advance the kingdom today.
Week 2: The Power of the Spirit: Jesus' Ascension and The Holy Spirit
Acts 1:4-14 (New International Version)
4On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5For John baptized witha]">[a] water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
6So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"
7He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8But 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."
9After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
10They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11"Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."
Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas
12Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day's walkb]">[b] from the city. 13When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.----------
I don't like to wait, and I'm sure the disciples didn't either. Can you imagine waiting for this promise to be fulfilled? I wonder what they expected. Whatever they thought was coming, one thing they knew for sure: It would be powerful.
When the Holy Spirit came upon them, the disciples had power to accomplish whatever God asked of them. This is important for us to remember, too. God isn't asking us to just give him our best shot at ministering to others. God sends his Spirit to help us accomplish every task God assigns. Our job is to rely on God for all of our needs and stop trying to accomplish life on our own. It's hard to give up control, but the results will prove that it's well worth it.
Do you truly believe God will empower you through the Spirit to accomplish anything?
How are you relying on God's Spirit to live the Christian life today?
Week 2: The Power of the Spirit: Jesus' Ascension and The Holy Spirit
" ' 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.' " (Acts 1:8)
Introduction
Graduation Day! Can you imagine how great it's going to feel to be done will school, be more in charge of your own schedule, and be allowed to enjoy your freedom? But then again, it's kind of comfortable where you are. You have a schedule, life is predictable, you know everyone, and you know where everything is. Do you really have to leave all that behind?
In Acts 1:4-14 the disciples were struggling to make that same kind of transition. They'd gotten used to having Jesus around, and they were probably thrilled about this promised Holy Spirit. But I'll bet they secretly wished things could just stay the same. Couldn't Jesus hang around a little longer? But in order to achieve his plan for the spread of the gospel. Jesus had to leave his friends. He wanted them to experience the fullness of a relationship with him and to have the power to spread the Word throughout the region and the world. for that they'd need the Holy Spirit.
This week we're going to look at what Jesus had to say about the Holy Spirit and how he works in our lives. He's our intimate link to the Father, and everything we need is found in him. The Holy Spirit that was promised to the disciples is the same Holy Spirit that lives in each of us, so it's important that we know how to live in him.
Get read, because the Spirit may be more than you bargained for.
"The Cause" Convention
My C4 peeps!
Friday, May 1, 2009
God's Army: What is the Church?
Ephesians 5:25-32 (New International Version)
25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— 30for we are members of his body. 31"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." 32This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.
You may be married or may not be married, but follow me on this one. Paul is trying to show us what being the Church is like, and he uses marriage as the example. Jesus is the groom and the Church is the bride. Notice that you alone aren't the bride, but all Christians together. God is preparing all of us that we might be God's spotless bride. Reread the passage and look at how Jesus cares for his Church. God cares tremendously about the health of your church.
Your church may be experiencing some problems, but God is in the process of making all of us pure, holy, and unified. How is Jesus doing this in the life of your church?
How should we as the Church respond to Christ as the groom?
If this is how God cares for his Church, then how should we treat the other members of our local church?