Wednesday, May 18, 2005
John 20:21 "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you."
THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT
Do you have Christ's peace through the forgiveness of sins? Then you also have been sent by your Savior; sent out to share the Word of peace with dying sinners. Does this seem like to big of a job for you? Remember what the LORD did immediately after He spoke these words.
And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."
Since we also are sent by the Savior, to us also is given the promise of the Holy Spirit's abiding presence, His power at work in our lives.
To understand better just what that means, let us return to that Pentecost in the year 30.
When . . . a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind filled the whole house where they were sitting" (Acts 2:2).
The Spirit's power is like the power of the wind . . . an unseen force whose effects we see.
As the wind brings the weather patterns that bring life from the soil
so the Spirit brings and nurtures the Christian life
for He is the Creator and Sustainer of faith in Jesus.
"Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them" (Acts 2:3).
The Spirit is like fire also.
He brings light to heart and mind, so we see Jesus' saving work for us.
He warms our hearts toward God and neighbor.
He purifies us through Christ's forgiveness for He works that faith by which it becomes our own.
And, just as the application of fire and heat often changes the properties of things, even so the Spirit works in us continual life-changes through the Word of Christ.
