At Northwest, we're heading into a conversation series looking at the Spirit of God, often called the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost. It's been fun for me to do some reading on this subject. I confess that I haven't put much focus on him...I've done more writing and thinking about Jesus or the Father. But the Spirit is just as much God as Jesus and the Father are...not sure why I've "neglected" him, but...
Tomorrow, during our gathering, we're going to unpack Acts 2 a bit. I should probably take a few weeks on this one passage, but we won't. There is so much there. Some pieces that came together for me are:
1. Pentecost was a Jewish festival to remember the giving of the Law to Moses on Mt. Sanai. Interesting...on the Acts 2 Pentecost, God gave out the mark of his New Covenant...the Spirit. And it wasn't to just one person up on a mountain, it was to many people right in the heart of heavily populated city.
2. Pentecost is 50 days after the last Sunday or Passover. Never stopped to ask where the name came from...pente...fifty...seems simple.
3. "Last days" as Peter talks about (quoting Joel, the OT prophet), isn't about the end of time, it's about the event that took place with the coming of the Spirit. The sun to darkness and moon to blood...those are images of a monsterous event...the historical shake-up of power.
Before this time, God revealed himself to only the Jews...they were the religious power. No longer. Now God is for everyone.
Before this time, Satan exercised his power in this world. We see Jesus coming against that power throughout his life on earth. Now, through the power of the Spirit, all Christ-followers have the ability to come against the power of Satan...he no longer rules unopposed. Much to flesh out on this one, but it's huge...
So what? What does this mean for me?
That's the Spirit that's in me! I am a part of God's plan for this world. I have the gift of God in me...through his Spirit. I don't contain all of the God, but I have the fullness of God in me. I am not Him; He resides within me. I have the fullness of God...in me...
Yet I so often choose to live within my own strength. It's my wisdom. It's my strength of character (yeah, right...). It's my intelligence. I lean into these things. And though God made me who I am, I find rich, meaningful, powerful life only when I tap into the power within me. His wisdom. His character. His knowledge. His strength. Then I have life...
I'm excited about this series on the weekends. The Spirit is God's gift to us. I hope to grow in what it means to live in that reality.
Peace,
M@
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2 comments:
I'll be interested in your blog after your return this was a great post
Thoroughly enjoyed this post. I have no idea what our pastor will speak about today, but I feel like this was a mini-introduction for a great day of worship today. Thanks!
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