Sunday 05/18/14
Topic: Review: The Spirit within / the Spirit upon II
Series – The Ministry of the Holy Spirit XIII.mp3
Click here to watch the video.
Key Texts:
Mark 1:4-8; Acts 1:1; Acts 8:5-24; James 4; Acts 10:44; Acts 11:7; Acts 19:1-7
The Spirit within / the Spirit upon
The ministry of the Holy Spirit which He began in the life and person of Christ is still going on today through His church.
“I wrote the first narrative, Theophilus, about all that Jesus BEGAN to do and teach…” ~ Acts 1:1
Though the specifics of Jesus’ calling were unique to Him as Messiah, the work He was doing was teaching and preaching the Kingdom of God. This is the same calling we all have as believers, and the Holy Spirit is the One Who enables us to fulfill the will of our Father in heaven even as He did for Jesus.
Jesus’ primary goal was to be found well pleasing to the Father – to always do those things which please Him. We too are to follow His example! Jesus was obedient even unto death, which is the same obedience we are called to –
“My goal is to know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,”
~ Php 3:10
This is illustrated by Christ at the end of His like. Jesus repeatedly spoke metaphorically about the cup He was going to drink from – indicating the death He was going to have to die in order to fulfill the will of His Father.
“Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons approached Him with her sons. She knelt down to ask Him for something. “What do you want?” He asked her. “Promise,” she said to Him, “that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right and the other on Your left, in Your kingdom.” But Jesus answered, “You don’t know what you’re asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” “We are able,” they said to Him. He told them, “You will indeed drink My cup. But to sit at My right and left is not Mine to give; instead, it belongs to those for whom it has been prepared by My Father.” ~ Mat 20:20-23
“Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks, He gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood that establishes the covenant; it is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins.” ~ Mat 26:27-28
And He said, “Abba, Father! All things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me. Nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.” ~ Mark 14:36
At that, Jesus said to Peter, “Sheathe your sword! Am I not to drink the cup the Father has given Me?” ~ John 18:11
We spent the greatest portion of our time going over scriptures about the Holy Spirit “falling upon” people.
Most people love the story of the Prodigal Son, and one of the highlights of that story was when the father saw his some from a great distance…ran to him and “fell on him”. The word, “fell” is ἐπιπίπτω (epipiptō) pronounced ep-ee-pip’-to
It means to embrace (with affection) or seize (with more or less violence; literally or figuratively): – fall into (on, upon), lie on, press upon.
A modern term we use which is comparable to this word epipipto is “bear-hug”. Now that is a warm home coming!
I have to believe Jesus’ parable was predictive of the event when the Holy Spirit would be able to “fall on” people subsequent to salvation. It is the exact same word. So every time you see the phrase, “the Holy Spirit fell on them” it means, the Holy Spirit gave them a bear hug – a long, hardy & warm embrace! The reason this is SO important is because God CHOSE to use this word to describe what happens – making it very clear that the Holy Spirit coming upon a person is very, very relational and intimate to it’s core. It is important that we understand the heart of God for us, because it enables us to better co-operate with the Holy Spirit in His workings in and through us.
I hope you will enjoy the rest of this teaching and as a result be better equipped to co-partner with the Spirit in the work of the ministry!
We encourage you…give it a listen!