Bewildered, Amazed and Perplexed.

December 8, 2017December 8, 2017 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

⁵Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. ⁶And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. ⁷And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? ⁸And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? ⁹Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, ¹¹both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” ¹²And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” ¹³But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.” – Acts 2:5-13 ESV

The Feast of Pentecost took place 50 days after Passover, and Jews from all over the known world of that day would have made their way to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover. But they would have stayed in town to participate in the Feast of Pentecost, also known as the Festival of Harvest. This was one of the three times during the year that all male Jews were required by law to make the journey to Jerusalem.

²²“You must celebrate the Festival of Harvest with the first crop of the wheat harvest, and celebrate the Festival of the Final Harvest at the end of the harvest season. ²³Three times each year every man in Israel must appear before the Sovereign, the Lord, the God of Israel. – Exodus 34:22-23 NLT

As is evident from the text, there were Jews present in Jerusalem from all over the Roman empire.

⁹Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, ¹¹both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians… – Acts 2:9-11 ESV

And many of these very same people had been drawn by the sound of the mighty wind that had filled the room where the disciples had been gathered. Evidently, that roaring sound had been loud enough to be heard in the streets, and at some point, the disciples had made their way down from the upper room and into the crowds that had gathered. And Luke tells us that those in the crowd were “bewildered” by what they heard. Each of the, regardless of their nation of origin, was hearing the disciples speak in his own language. Luke uses the Greek word, sygcheō, which can mean “to be in an uproar.” So, in essence, Luke is saying that at the sound of the uproar from the upper room, the Jews were in an uproar. They were confounded and confused. They had never seen or heard anything like this before. And Luke makes it clear that what they heard was the disciples “telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God” (Acts 2:11 ESV). Luke gives us no indication of what it was the disciples were saying. But it is likely that they were telling of Jesus’ death, resurrection and His appearances to them over that 40-day period before He ascended back to heaven. Whatever it was that they were saying, we can safely assume that it was under the inspiration and power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Jesus had told the disciples that the day would come when they have the Holy Spirit to help them speak. In fact, He would speak for them.

“…do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.” – Mark 13:11 ESV

We can only imagine the excitement and enthusiasm of the disciples as they got caught up in the moment, realizing that they were able to speak in languages they didn’t know or understand. Whether they were speaking Aramaic and the words were coming out of their mouths in a different language, we don’t know. But the whole affair must have been amazing to watch and even more remarkable to be a part of. Two separate times in these verses Luke describes the audience as “amazed and astonished” and “amazed and perplexed”. The word “amazed” in the Greek is existēmi and it conveys the idea of slack-jawed wonder. They couldn’t believe their ears or eyes. What they were witnessing was extraordinary and bewildering. And it left them “astonished” or in a state of wonder as they marveled over what was taking place right in front of them. But in verse 11, Luke describes the crowd as “perplexed” or diaporeō, a Greek word that can be translated as “at a loss.” They were amazed, but also confused over what was going on. They couldn’t figure out the meaning behind what they were witnessing. It made no sense to them. And some asked, “What does this mean?” They were hearing the wonders of God spoken in their own languages. But why? What was the purpose? And why these Galilean disciples?

It’s important to remember that these people were in Jerusalem for Passover and the Feast of Harvest. They were there on a religious pilgrimage, but they most likely had not expected anything like this to happen. The normal aspects associated with their annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem, the holy city, had been suddenly rocked by these unexpected and inexplicable events. What they had just witnessed was out of the ordinary and out of their comfort zone. While Passover was meant to commemorate and celebrate God’s miraculous deliverance of the people of Israel from their captivity in Egypt, the Jews who had gathered in Jerusalem that day were not expecting anything miraculous to happen in their midst. They had not come to town expecting to hear or see the wonders of God. But that’s exactly what had happened. And sadly, some simply concluded that the scene they had just witnessed was the result of drunkenness. Using human reason and logic in an attempt to explain the miraculous, they simply wrote off what they had seen as nothing more than the result of a handful of inebriated Galileans. “But others in the crowd ridiculed them, saying, ‘They’re just drunk, that’s all!’” (Acts 2:13 NLT). It reminds me of Paul’s warning to the Ephesian believers: “Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18 NLT). The 120 disciples had been filled with the Spirit of God and, as a result, had been completely under His influence. They were speaking in languages they didn’t know. There were declaring the wonders of God to all those who could hear them. They had been transformed from timid followers sequestered in that upper room into bold witnesses for Christ, shouting the glories of God out in the streets of Jerusalem.

Any thoughts about the religious leadership looking for them, or fear that they could suffer the same fate as Jesus had, were gone. The Spirit had come and they were no longer the same, and everyone, including them, were bewildered, amazed and perplexed. Astonishment and wonder accompanied the Holy Spirit’s arrival. His coming was anything but pedestrian in nature. The “devout” Jews who had gathered in the holy city to celebrate the Passover and Pentecost suddenly found their regular religious rituals turned upside down by the Spirit of God. They had come to Jerusalem to celebrate God, but had not expected to encounter Him. They had arrived in town fully expecting to honor Him for all He had done in the past, but never dreamed He would show up in the present. For them, the power of God was past tense. Any deliverance by God was the stuff of ancient history, not current events. They were devout and willing to keep the rules established by their God, but they were doubtful that their God was ever going to keep the promises He had made to them. The practice of religious rituals had long ago replaced any expectation that their God was present and powerful. The centuries they had waited for the Messiah to show up had caused their faith to fade and their hope of deliverance to become little more than wishful thinking illustrated by a religion that had become little more than rote rituals and habitual practices devoid of heart.

But they were in for a surprise. God was not done yet. The Holy Spirit was not finished and the disciples had far more to say. For those who were wondering what it all meant, the answer was just minutes away.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Not What They Expected.

December 7, 2017 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

¹When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. ²And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. ³And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. ⁴And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. – Acts 2:1-4 ESV

The disciples had been waiting in that upper room, eagerly anticipating the arrival of the Holy Spirit. Jesus had commanded them to return to Jerusalem and to await the Spirit’s coming.

⁴And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; ⁵for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”– Acts 1:4-5 ESV

This reference by Jesus to John’s baptism ties the coming of the Holy Spirit back to those days when John was baptizing in the Judean wilderness. His had been a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins (Luke 3:3). He had been a precursor and herald of the coming Messiah, announcing that the Kingdom of God was at hand. And his offer to the Jews in his audience to submit to baptism had been a call to turn from their sins and prepare for the coming of the Kingdom. John the Baptist called on them to change their ways. He demanded that their behavior be different than before.

¹⁰And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?” ¹¹And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” ¹²Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” ¹³And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.” ¹⁴Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.”– Luke 3:10-14 ESV

The people didn’t know what to make of John the Baptist, Some even wondered whether he was the long-awaited Messiah. But he told the people, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Luke 3:16 ESV). A direct reference to what was about to happen in the upper room on the day of Pentecost. Jesus was going to usher in a new era, and provide a new means by which men and women could live radically different lives. John had told the people to change their behavior, but Jesus was going to provide the means to make it possible.

Luke records in his gospel the baptism of Jesus.

²¹Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, ²²and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”– Luke 3:21-22 ESV

The very same Spirit who would appear to and rest upon the disciples at Pentecost, had descended upon Jesus, empowering Him for His earthly ministry. While Jesus was the Son of God and had all the power of deity available to Him, He conducted His earthly ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit. He lived as a man, submitting Himself to the direction and empowerment of the Spirit of God. He was led by the Spirit. He was ministered to by the Spirit. He was given power by the Spirit to perform miracles. And, after His death, He was raised back to life by the Spirit. And that very same Spirit that had descended upon Him at His baptism, was about to fall on those who were obediently waiting in that upper room.

Luke describes what happened:

²Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. ³Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. – Acts 2:2-3 NLT

This time, the Spirit didn’t descend as a dove, He was accompanied by sounds and signs that were unmistakable and impossible to miss. There was the sound of a rushing wind. It was a roar, not a gentle breeze. There was something powerfully significant about to happen. And it recalls the conversation Jesus had with Nichodemus, the Pharisee, regarding being born again. Jesus told him:

⁵ “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. ⁶Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. ⁷So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ ⁸The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.” – John 3:5-8 NLT

The wind, the Spirit, is uncontrollable and unpredictable. He does as He wishes. He is inexplicably powerful, unseen to the human eye, and able to accomplish the impossible. It’s interesting to note a conversation Jesus had with the disciples right after His resurrection. He appeared to them quite suddenly and unexpectedly as they were gathered together behind locked doors in the upper room.

¹⁹That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said. ²⁰As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord! ²¹Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” ²²Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” – John 20:19-23 NLT

He breathed on them. He literally blew on them with His breath. What a radically different image than the one that took place in that same upper room on the day of Pentecost. I believe Jesus was giving the disciples a subtle foretaste of what was to come. His breath, limited by the restraints of His human body, would turn into a mighty wind when He returned to His rightful place at the Father’s side. He glorification would allow Him to blow the wind of the Spirit in unlimited power and accompanied by unmistakable signs of God’s presence.

The sound of the rushing wind was accompanied by the visual manifestation of flames of fire – just as John the Baptist had said would happen. “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire” (Luke 3:16 NLT). The disciples were being baptized with the Spirit and with fire. All throughout the Old Testament, fire represented the presence of God. He led them through the wilderness in the form of a pillar of fire. He appeared to Moses in the form of a burning bush. Every time He spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, His presence was illustrated by smoke. The author of Hebrews describes God in terms of fire.

²⁸Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. ²⁹For our God is a devouring fire. – Hebrews 12:28-29 NLT

What appeared as a single flame separated and “settled on each of them” (Acts 2:4 NLT). Every single individual in the room received the filling of the Holy Spirit. They each had a tongue of flame hovering over their heads, and each one was able to see this visible manifestation. So, it was not just the original 11 disciples who received the Spirit, but every single individual who was gathered in the room that day. The Spirit was non-discriminatory. And what these people received was power from on high. They were indwelt with the very power of God, the same power that had raised Jesus from the dead. And what is significant about this is that the 120 disciples gathered in the upper room received the divine power that would allow them to live out what John the Baptist had said to the Jews whom he had baptized.

“Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones.” – Luke 3:8 NLT

The Jews who experienced the water baptism of John were incapable of pulling off what he told them to do. They lacked the power. They were limited by their sinful dispositions. But when the Holy Spirit came, it was a game-changer. Suddenly, those 120 disciples were equipped with a power they had never known before. And it was going to become immediately evident that their lives had been radically transformed and their capacity to live godly live had been dramatically improved. What happened next was a visible and audible demonstration of the Spirit’s power and their newfound potential as God’s instruments of reconciliation.

And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. – Acts 2:4 NLT

Again, notice that Luke says, “everyone”, not some. There was no mistake that every single individual had been filled with the Spirit. If the tongues of flame hadn’t proved it, the audible tongues did. They were suddenly able to speak in languages they didn’t know. Each one was speaking a different language. Can you imagine what this scene must have looked and felt like to all those present. There is no indication the sound of the rushing wind had stopped. The tongues of flame were probably still floating above each person’s head. There was a cacophony of noise as the various languages mingled with one another and the 120 disciples experienced the awe and wonder of what has happening to them and around them.

None of this would have made sense. Not one of the disciples would have understood what the others in the room were saying. They would not have understood the words coming out of their own mouths. The sound in the room would have been deafening. The flames of fire would have been frightening. And the whole experience would have been a bit confusing. None of it would have been what they had expected. But it was exactly what Jesus had promised. And it’s significance was about to spill out of the room and into the streets of Jerusalem and the lives of the lost. The Spirit had come and the world would never be the same again.

Watch and Pray.

December 5, 2017 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

¹²Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. ¹³And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. ¹⁴All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. – Acts 1:12-14 ESV

Just before His ascension, Jesus had instructed the disciples to return to Jerusalem and to wait the arrival of the Holy Spirit.

“And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” – Luke 24:49 ESV

And that is exactly what Luke says they did. They traveled back from Olivet, located just outside the eastern city walls of Jerusalem, passing through the Kidron Valley and returning to the upper room where they had been staying. In the listing provided by Luke, we are given the names of the 11 remaining disciples. Missing is Judas, the one who had betrayed Jesus and who had taken his own life as a result. Matthew records in his gospel the final hours of Judas’ life.

³When Judas, who had betrayed him, realized that Jesus had been condemned to die, he was filled with remorse. So he took the thirty pieces of silver back to the leading priests and the elders. ⁴“I have sinned,” he declared, “for I have betrayed an innocent man.”

“What do we care?” they retorted. “That’s your problem.”

⁵Then Judas threw the silver coins down in the Temple and went out and hanged himself.

⁶The leading priests picked up the coins. “It wouldn’t be right to put this money in the Temple treasury,” they said, “since it was payment for murder.” ⁷After some discussion they finally decided to buy the potter’s field, and they made it into a cemetery for foreigners. ⁸That is why the field is still called the Field of Blood. ⁹This fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah that says,

“They took the thirty pieces of silver—
the price at which he was valued by the people of Israel,
¹⁰and purchased the potter’s field,
as the Lord directed.” – Matthew 27:3-10 NLT

It seems that Judas had second thoughts about his betrayal of Jesus and had attempted to absolve himself of any guilt by returning the silver paid to him by the Jewish religious leadership. He had not anticipated the intense ramifications of his decision. He never intended for Jesus to be killed. Perhaps he had simply been trying to force Jesus’ hand and get him to inaugurate His kingdom. But it was too late. The deed was done. The die had been cast and Jesus had been crucified. So, in a state of despair, Judas had killed himself.

But his betrayal had not derailed the ministry of Jesus. Had he waited, he would have learned that Jesus was far from dead. The kiss he had delivered to the cheek of Jesus that fateful night in the garden had been a death sentence, but it had not put an end to the plan of God for the redemption of mankind. Jesus rose again, and He appeared to the 11 remaining disciples. He had given them instructions and now there gathered in that upper room waiting for the arrival of the Holy Spirit.

And Luke tells us they were not alone. There in the room with them were others who had followed Jesus and supported His ministry, including the four half-brothers of Jesus: James, Joses, Judas and Simon (Mark 6:3). Mary, the mother of Jesus, was also there, along with other women who had been His faithful followers. And Peter tells us that “All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer” (Acts 1:14 ESV). They were waiting, but they were busy. In spite of Jesus’ assurance that the Comforter would come, they had no idea what to expect. This was all unexplored territory for them. Jesus was gone and they were on their own, facing the continuing hostility of the Jewish religious authorities. They knew something was going to happen, but they had no concept of what it would entail. So, they prayed and they waited. No doubt, they talked and reminisced about the days when Jesus walked and ministered among them. They probably took turns telling stories that recalled the three years they had spent with Him. They most likely discussed His resurrection and the unexpected joy of finding Him alive. These must have been confusing and exciting days, as this small remnant of faithful followers huddled together in the close confines of that upper room. There must have been an eager air of anticipation mixed with a healthy dose of fear and anxiety.

They must have recalled and discussed the words of Jesus, spoken just before His death.

¹⁸“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. ¹⁹If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. ²⁰Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.” – John 15:18-20 ESV

Were they going to suffer the same fate as He did? Would their waiting end up in persecution or possible execution? They had no way of knowing. They had seen how Jesus’ life had ended. Would theirs end the same way? They had plenty of reasons to think this way, because Jesus had inferred it.

¹“I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. ²They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. ³And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. ⁴But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you. – John 16:1-4 ESV

Was this the hour to which Jesus had been referring? Were they going to face death? Would the coming of the Holy Spirit be accompanied by their own martyrdoms? They had not way of knowing. All they could do is wait and pray. But what were they praying for? Luke doesn’t tell us. But we can assume that they prayed for God’s comfort, strength, mercy, protection and peace. And that last thing would have been significant because it is exactly what Jesus desired for them to have.

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33 ESV

The days ahead were filled with the unknown. They were about to receive the promised gift of the Holy Spirit, but had no idea what that would entail. Jesus had told them the world would hate them. He warned them that the world would persecute them. But He had also promised to send the Holy Spirit to comfort, guide, assist and empower them.

^{13 “}When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. ¹⁴He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” – John 16:13-14 ESV

As I think about the disciples sitting in that upper room waiting and praying, I can’t help but recall that night in the garden when Jesus had asked the disciples to watch and pray as He went alone to talk with the Father.

³⁶Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” ³⁷And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. ³⁸Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” – Matthew 26:36-38 NLT

But when Jesus returned, he found them Peter, James and John all asleep, and He said to them, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:40-41 NLT). Two additional times, Jesus returned to find the three disciples sound asleep. The final time, He said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand” (Matthew 26:45-46 NLT).

But as the disciples sat in the upper room, they were wide awake and alert. They had learned to expect the unexpected. They had discovered the secret that following Christ was never quite what you thought it would be. They had no idea what was coming, but they were far from sleepy. Their minds were on high alert, eagerly anticipating the next phase of this incredible journey of faith as followers of Jesus. And isn’t that exactly how it should be? Outside the doors of that upper room there was a world who hated them. There were Jewish religious leaders who had it out for them. Death was a distinct possibility for them. But Jesus had told the, “take heart; I have overcome the world.”

The Promise.

December 3, 2017 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

¹In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, ²until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. ³He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

It is widely accepted that this book was written by the same individual who wrote the gospel of Luke. It is believed that Luke was a Gentile, possibly a Greek, who had come to know and become the friend, traveling companion and personal physician of the apostle Paul. We know Luke was a physician from Paul’s brief description of him from his letter to the Colossians. “Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas” (Colossians 4:14 ESV). Luke is also the author of the longest of the four gospels, the one that bears his name. In his prologue to that gospel, Luke opens up with an explanation as to why he had chosen to write it.

¹Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us. ²They used the eyewitness reports circulating among us from the early disciples. ³Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write an accurate account for you, most honorable Theophilus, ⁴so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught. – Luke 1:1-4 NLT

Luke was well-acquainted with the ministry of Jesus and must have been an early follower of this rabbi from Nazareth. While his name in only mentioned three times in the New Testament, Luke would play a significant, Spirit-inspired role in the creation of the New Testament Scriptures by writing more than any other New Testament writer, including Paul. It seems from the two books he penned, that Luke was not only a physician, but an amateur historian. As we can see in his prologue to the gospel of Luke, he “carefully investigated” and then chose “to write an accurate account”. With his penchant for detail, he was used by the Holy Spirit to chronicle the birth, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus, but then follow that up with the birth and spread of the church. The two books he wrote, Luke and Acts, are considered companion books and provide us with an ongoing narrative that includes Jesus’ departure, the Holy Spirit’s arrival, and the gospel’s meteoric spread throughout the known world of that day. Traditionally called “The Acts of the Apostles”, it is better seen as the continuation of the acts of Jesus, carried on by His followers in the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus had told His disciples, “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father” (John 14:12 NLT), and we see that promise being fulfilled throughout the pages of the book of Acts.

Luke even opens this book with the words: “In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up” (Acts 1:1-12 NLT). Clearly referencing his gospel, Luke says that he wrote it in order to provide an accurate history of all that Jesus began to do and teach. In other words, in Luke’s mind, Jesus had not stopped His ministry just because He had ascended back up into heaven. He was still actively at work in the world, but He was ministering through those He had left behind and to whom He had given His Spirit. Luke mentions that Jesus “had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen” (Acts 1:2 ESV). The last thing Jesus had told His disciples before He ascended into heaven was “now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven” (Luke 24:49 NLT). Luke is unapologetic in his belief that Jesus rose from the dead and repeatedly appeared to His followers over the span of 40 days.

He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. – Acts 1:3 ESV

And Luke reiterated what he had recorded in his gospel, that Jesus had commanded His disciples to remain in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit came.

⁴…he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; ⁵for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” – Acts 1:4-5 ESV

In the following verses, which we will look at in detail tomorrow, Luke will provide additional insight into that final conversation Jesus had with His disciples before His return to His Father’s side. Luke references the words of John the Baptist, who had been the herald of Jesus’ coming. It was he who had said: “I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire” (Matthew 3:11 NLT). And Luke is preparing to tell his friend, Theolphilus, and us, just what John was talking about. This obscure reference by John to the baptism of the Holy Spirit would have meant little or nothing to the disciples. And even though Jesus had told them that the Holy Spirit was coming, they had no way of knowing the significance of that promise. They had no real experience with or understanding of the Holy Spirit’s role. But they were about to find out, in a big way. Jesus had promised to send them the Holy Spirit, and He had made it clear that the Holy Spirit’s arrival would be critical to the success of their future mission.

²⁶“But I will send you the Advocate—the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me. ²⁷And you must also testify about me because you have been with me from the beginning of my ministry.” – John 15;26-27 NLT

It is important to keep in mind that the disciples had all been witness to Jesus’ gruesome death on the cross. They had seen Him die and then buried in a tomb. There had been a finality to His last days on earth. His mission had ended in defeat. He was dead and they were at a loss as to what was going to happen next. Then He had suddenly reappeared to them. He talked with them and ate with them. And in that 40-day period He had reiterated His promise of the coming of the Holy Spirit. Then, when He had left them for the last time, He had given them instructions to return to Jerusalem and wait. And Luke records the dramatic change that had come over them as a result of having seen Jesus alive.

⁵²So they worshiped him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy. ⁵³And they spent all of their time in the Temple, praising God. – Luke 24:52;53 NLT

What happens next would change these people forever. They would never be the same and neither would the world be. What Luke is about to describe is the single-most important event to happen in the history of mankind, short of the coming of Jesus as recorded in his gospel. And Luke wants us to know that this is not fantasy or the byproduct of man’s vivid imagination. What we will be reading on the pages of Luke’s account are actual events, an historical record of what really happened. And the world is a radically different place because of these events. What Jesus had promised would happen, did happen. The Holy Spirit came. The promise was fulfilled. And the gospel has spread throughout the world, changing lives with the hope of salvation through Jesus Christ.

The Message (MSG)

Agents of Change.

April 24, 2017April 25, 2017 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” – Matthew 5:13-16 ESV

Here, having completed His discussion of the beatitudes, Jesus begins to use the personal pronoun “you” for the very first time. But to whom is He addressing it? Is He talking to the four disciples: Simon, Andrew, James and John? Is He speaking to the more serious-minded followers within His crowd? Is He specifically addressing Jews as the chosen people of God? It would seem that Jesus is speaking to the “blessed”, those who will be approved by God and experience His kingdom life. Jesus has been explaining what the life of the blessed will look like, now He addresses what the goal of that life will be: To influence and impact the world. But in a radical and revolutionary way that is focused on the kingdom of heaven, not earthly kings and physical realms.

In a world in which selfishness and self-centeredness reign, Jesus brings a message that promotes a selfless lifestyle, where emphasis on “me” gives way to a passion for “Him”. The goal becomes God’s kingdom and the message of His Son. The mindset of those who are approved by God moves from a me-centered, inward focus to an outward, other-oriented one where to mercy received from God is shared with all those around them. In other words, the kingdom life of which Jesus is speaking becomes about giving and influencing the world around you, rather than trying to see what you can get out of it. The kingdom life, the life of the blessed, is not individualistic and isolated, but designed to witness to the world around it. It is intended to make an impact.

To make His point, Jesus uses two metaphors: Salt and light.

“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.” – Matthew 5:13 ESV

Is Jesus saying the four disciples are already salt? Is this His expectation of the Jews in His audience?

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” – Matthew 5:14-16 ESV

Is Jesus saying they are already light? Do they already have the light of Christ within them? It would appear that Jesus is speaking prophetically, referring to those whom God would give Him as His followers. The apostle John would later recall the words Jesus prayed in the garden on the night He would be betrayed.

“I have revealed you to the ones you gave me from this world. They were always yours. You gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything I have is a gift from you, for I have passed on to them the message you gave me. They accepted it and know that I came from you, and they believe you sent me.

“My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you. All who are mine belong to you, and you have given them to me, so they bring me glory. Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are.” – John 17:6-11 NLT

There would be some who followed Jesus who believed in who He claimed to be. But there number was small. The vast majority of those who were in the crowd the day Jesus gave His message on the hillside would later leave Him. They would refuse to accept Him as their Messiah. They would deny their need for Him as their Savior. But there would be those who truly believed Him to be “the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16 ESV). They would be the ones who had the unique pleasure and thrill of seeing Him appear in their midst in His resurrected form. They would be the ones He told to return to the upper room and wait for the arrival of the Holy Spirit. This small group of men and women would be transformed into salt and light, agents of change, who would powerfully and radically influence the world around them. The kingdom life, the life of spiritual poverty, meekness, mourning, mercy, purity and peacemaking, will set them apart from the world around them.

Two kingdoms:

The salt (the Church)                        The earth (the world)
Preserves                                             Prone to decay
Seasons                                      Spiritually bland
Disinfects                                             Diseased
Influential                                           Infectious

The light (the Church)                     The world (sinful man)
Exposes sin                                 Loves darkness
Reflects the light of Christ               Marked by darkness
Lights the way to Christ                   Blinded by darkness

Jesus is describing the church age, the era that will follow His death, burial and resurrection, and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. This is the period in which we find ourselves living. When the Holy Spirit came, the church was born. The disciples were empowered from on high, just as Jesus had told them. They were transformed into salt and light, agents of change in a world filled with decay and darkness. They spoke with power. They began to preach the message of salvation found through faith in Christ alone. And later on, the apostle Paul would take that same message to the Gentiles, revealing the truth that Jesus came to redeem men from every tribe, nation and tongue.

Salt was a staple in that day. It was essential for life. It preserved meat. It prevented decay. If added flavor to what would have otherwise been bland and tasteless. Jesus is saying that the blessed will have influence in the world. But He warns against losing your saltiness. But can salt really become un-salty? No. But it can become diluted and contaminated. It can lose its effectiveness. And the apostle John tells us how.

Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. – 1 John 2:15 NLT

Our distinctiveness as followers of Christ can be diluted and diminished by this world. We can allow our love for the things of this world to overwhelm our saltiness. We can lose our influence and find ourselves trampled down or overcome by the ways of this world.

What about light? It is intended to illuminate the darkness that surrounds it. Light exposes what is invisible to the eye in the dark. That is why Paul later wrote:

Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, for the light makes everything visible. – Ephesians 5:11-14 NLT

The lives of those approved by God will impact others. And the result will be conviction. That conviction will lead some to salvation, while others will respond in anger and resentment, resulting in persecution, reviling and slander, just as Jesus warns. We are not to hide our light, in an effort to escape suffering. We are not to prefer darkness to the light, by hiding our light under a basket. We are to set it out for all to see. The apostle Paul tells us:

For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.

We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.– 2 Cotinthians 4:6-7 NLT

The unique thing about light is that it cannot be overcome by darkness. Darkness is nothing more than an absence of light. Jesus came to bring light into a dark world, and we are to be His agents, His representatives, allowing His light to flow from us into the darkness that surrounds us. Once again, the apostle Paul gives us some powerful words of exhortation:

Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. – Philippians 2:15-16 NLT

We are to be salt and light. We are to be agents of change, forces for good in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Our beliefs should change our behavior. The presence of the Spirit of God within us should make a lasting impact on the world around us. But has our saltiness become diluted? Have we allowed our light to become hidden and ineffective? The kingdom life is meant to be a radically different life. It is meant to make an impact and leave a mark on the world around it. You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world. If you have been approved by God because you have placed your faith in His Son, you are a citizen of His kingdom and a child in His family. You are to live like a child of that kingdom while you find yourself temporarily having to exist in this one.

Edification, Not Emotion.

September 2, 2016September 3, 2016 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also. Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say “Amen” to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying? For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up. I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue. – 1 Corinthians 14:13-19 ESV

Once again, Paul emphasizes the importance of the spiritual gifts as tools given by God for the mutual edification of the body of Christ. He indicates that a person who prays during worship using an unknown language may be giving thanks to God, but the rest of the congregation will not be built up. They will not understand what is being said, so they will be unable to join in thanksgiving. In fact, Paul says that someone praying in a tongue has no idea what they are saying as well. “For if I pray in tongues, my spirit is praying, but I don’t understand what I am saying” (1 Corinthians 14:14 NLT). That’s why Paul encourages those who say they have the gift of tongues to pray that they might also be given the ability to interpret what they are saying. The spiritual part of a believer’s life was not to be viewed as separate or distinct from their intellectual or cognitive capacities. God puts a high priority on knowledge. He wants us to know Him. He desires for us to know truth. He wants us to “know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:19 ESV). Even Paul said, “I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death” (Philippians 3:10 NLT).

Earlier in this same letter, Paul spoke of the Spirit’s role in helping believers understand and comprehend the mind of God.

For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. – 1 Corinthians 2:10-13 NLT

The Spirit of God exists to make God known. He helps us understand those things given to us by God. Without the Spirit living within us, we would still be natural and not spiritual. And the “natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14 ESV).

So the Spirit within us is there to help us understand. And when the Spirit speaks through us by means of our gift, others should be able to understand as well. They should be drawn closer to God. But Paul indicates that the gift of tongues, without interpretation, is of no use to anyone. It may make the one speaking feel spiritual, but there is no benefit to their understanding. Underlying all of this is Paul’s emphasis on the content of the message. What is being said is far more important than the means or the method of delivery. That’s why he makes the very bold statement: “But in a church meeting I would rather speak five understandable words to help others than ten thousand words in an unknown language” (1 Corinthians 14:19 NLT). He is discounting the validity of tongues as a gift, but he is elevating the priority of communication and edification.

One of the more difficult portions of this passage to understand is Paul’s claim, “I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you” (1 Corinthians 14:18 ESV). Many in the charismatic movement who view tongues as ecstatic utterances and not actual languages, use this verse as proof that Paul used the gift of tongues in secret. But in every case where tongues is mentioned in the New Testament, it is in a corporate context. And it always involves unbelievers, such as on the day of Pentecost. Paul will even go on to clarify that “tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers” (1 Corinthians 14:22 ESV). So what does Paul mean when he says that he speaks in tongues more than any of them. I think Paul is using sarcasm. He is actually saying that what they are claiming to be the gift of tongues is not tongues at all. Paul had evidently spoken in tongues before. And more than likely he did so in keeping with the New Testament criteria that it be done for the benefit of non-believers. More than likely Paul was given the use of tongues when he spoke in the synagogues in the towns he visited. There would have been non-Jews present who had become followers of Yahweh. They would have spoken other languages and it is likely that it was on those occasions that Paul spoke in tongues, using languages that would be understood by those present.

But the bottom line for Paul was using the gifts properly and in keeping with God’s design for them. If they did not benefit others, either the lost or other believers, they were being misused, even abused. Paul will go on to use an absurd example intended to show the danger of the Corinthian’s improper view of gifts. If one Sunday the entire congregation broke out in the gift of tongues and an unbeliever walked in the door, they would probably conclude that everyone had lost their minds. The disciples of Jesus got a similar response when they spoke in tongues at Pentecost. Some were amazed, others were perplexed, and then there were those who just accused them of being drunk. But Peter used the opportunity to share the gospel. The gift of tongues had a divine purpose. Any gift that does not edify is being misused. Any view of the gifts that emphasizes the emotions over spiritual edification is misguided and dangerous. There must be a benefit to the entire congregation. Which is why Paul said, “if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching?” (1 Corinthians 14:6 ESV). When we are operating in the power of the Spirit, it is for the benefit of all. It is for the building up of the body of Christ, not the individual.

Pursue Love.

August 31, 2016 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up. Now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching? – 1 Corinthians 13:13-14:1-6 ESV

Now Paul begins to differentiate between the gifts. He is not necessarily making one more important or more spiritual than another, but he is prioritizing them in terms of their particular benefit to the Body of Christ. Remember, he has just spent an entire chapter emphasizing the importance of love. Love is selfless and sacrificial. Those who practice godly love put the needs of others ahead of themselves. And the same should be true when they use their spiritual gift. Now, it seems that the Corinthians had so elevated the gift of tongues that it had become a problem within the church. And their practice of the gift was not in keeping with Paul’s admonition that love be the motivating factor behind all the gifts. For the Corinthians, the gift of tongues had become more desirable than all the other gifts. Evidently, they viewed that particular gift as more spiritual and therefore, more preferable. It was flashy and flamboyant. To be able to speak in an unknown tongue was sure to be an attention-getter. But that was a big part of the problem associated with their pursuit of the gift of tongues. Those who practiced it seemed to do so with the focus on self, rather than on the building up of the Body of Christ.

So while Paul encourages them to earnestly seek the spiritual gifts, he promotes prophecy over tongues. His explanation is simple and direct:

For if you have the ability to speak in tongues, you will be talking only to God, since people won’t be able to understand you. You will be speaking by the power of the Spirit, but it will all be mysterious. – 1 Corinthians 14:2 NLT

If no one is there who understands what you are saying, no one gets any benefit from your use of the gift. It will all be a mystery, known only to God. And while you may be speaking in the power of the Spirit of God, it will do nothing to build up those around you.

But one who prophesies strengthens others, encourages them, and comforts them. – 1 Corinthians 14:3 NLT

To prophesy meant to reveal truth from God that had not yet been revealed. It was a word from God intended for the benefit of the entire congregation. This gift was evident and necessary in the early days of the church before the canon of Scripture was complete. Those who had been given the gift of prophecy were to speak through the power of the Spirit of God for the benefit of the people of God. But tongues, at least as practiced by the Corinthians, was a more self-centered gift.

A person who speaks in tongues is strengthened personally, but one who speaks a word of prophecy strengthens the entire church. – 1 Corinthians 14:4 NLT

The one who speaks in an unknown tongue may receive a blessing from knowing that they are being used as an instrument of God, but if no one can understand what they are saying, the Body of Christ receives no benefit from it. But when someone prophesies, everyone gains from the experience. Remember what Paul said in the previous chapter? “If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:1-2 NLT). None of the gifts were of benefit if they were practiced without love. But tongues, because it involved speaking in an unknown language, was particularly troublesome. If you recall, the first time the gift of tongues was manifested in the church was at Pentecost.

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

The purpose behind this manifestation of the Spirit of God was the communication and comprehension of the gospel. The disciples spoke in languages they did not know, but for the benefit of the thousands of people who were there from other countries. There was no need for interpretation, because the hearers fully understood what was being said. In Corinth, the use of tongues had become self-centered and self-edifying. There were missing the point. At Pentecost, the people who heard the disciples speak in tongues, or foreign languages, were amazed. They said, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?” (Acts 2:7-8 NLT). But look closely and you will see that it was the substance of their message that got their attention, not the style. The very same people reacted, “‘we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.’ And all were amazed and perplexed” (Acts 2:11-12 NLT).

It was the content that was important, not the means by which it was delivered. For Paul, the bottom line was the spiritual edification of the church. The question to ask is, “how will I benefit you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching” (1 Corinthians 14:6 ESV). Speaking in a foreign tongue was of no benefit to anyone unless the message it contained was understandable and from God. We tend to think of the gifts of the Spirit as personal in nature. We seem to believe that our gift was given to us alone. But the gifts are given to individuals for the benefit of the community. My gift is for you. Your gift is for me. The one who received the gift is simply a conduit through whom God pours His blessings on others. As Paul told the Romans, when we practice our gifts in love, all will benefit.

In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. – Romans 12:6-10 NLT

Life-Time Guarantee.

April 29, 2016April 29, 2016 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. – Ephesians 1:11-14 ESV

In these verses, it is essential that we pay close attention to the personal pronouns that Paul uses. For the first time, he begins to use the references, “we” and “you.” He is referring to believers, but to two different groups of believers. This will be important to understanding the text. His use of “we” indicates that he is speaking to the converted Jews in Ephesus. He is one of them. When he refers to “you”, he is speaking to the Gentile believers in the church, the non-Jews. So when Paul writes, “In him we have obtained an inheritance,” he is talking about the Jewish people. Jesus was born a Jew. He brought His message of the Kingdom to the Jewish people first and the initial converts to Christianity were Jews. In a sermon Peter gave right after the events of Pentecost, he said to the Jewish crowd, “God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness” (Acts 3:20 ESV). The Jewish disciples chosen by Jesus would be the very first converts. According to Paul, this was all predestined by God according to the counsel of His divine will. God had intended all along for the message of salvation to go to the Jews first, “so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:12 ESV). But God had not left out the Gentiles.

He continues his letter by saying, “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 1:13 ESV). God had planned all along for the good news of Jesus Christ to begin with the Jews and then spread to the who world (the Gentiles). Jesus’ commission to His disciples, given just prior to His ascension into heaven, made it clear.

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. – Matthew 28:18-20 ESV

Just prior to that occasion, Jesus had appeared to the disciples in His resurrected form and had told them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:46-49 ESV).

Luke records in the book of Acts that Jesus gave His disciples one last command before He left them. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8 ESV). And that is exactly what happened. They went to Jerusalem and they waited. And on the day of the Feast of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came, just as Jesus had promised. One of the end results of that amazing event was that the disciples were suddenly endowed with the miraculous ability to speak in languages they did not know. As a result, they were able to witness to the tens of thousands of people from all over the world who had gathered for the feast. Luke records for us exactly what happened:

Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” – Acts 2:5-12 ESV

Peter preached a sermon and 3,000 individuals came to Christ that day. The church age had begun. And the message of Jesus Christ would spread all throughout the known world as these new converts returned to their home towns at the end of the celebration of Pentecost.

Luke records that after Peter had finished his sermon that day, the people “were cut to the heart” and asked, “Brothers, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37 ESV). Peter told them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself” (Acts 2:38-39 ESV). By accepting Jesus Christ as their Savior, they would receive forgiveness of their sins and be made right with God. They would also receive the Holy Spirit, just as the disciples had. This was not tied to their baptism. Baptism was simply a part of their commitment to express to the world that they were aligning themselves with the cause of Christ. It was to be an outward expression of their internal transformation. But the key was that they would receive the same Holy Spirit the disciples had just received.

And Paul told the Gentile believers in Ephesus that they had been sealed by the very same Holy Spirit when they had believed. And, as a result, they could be assured of their future inheritance, just like Paul and the believing Jews in their congregation. Because the Holy Spirit “is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:14 ESV). The Holy Spirit is literally a “down payment” made by God to remind us that the promises He has made to us regarding our eternity are real and reliable. God’s Spirit never leaves us. He will also never let us go. His presence within us assures us of our eternal security. He will reside within us until the day that Christ comes to get us or God calls us home. Our inheritance is assured.

Gone, But Not Forgotten.

September 10, 2015 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, “I am going away, and I will come to you.” If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. – John 14:25-28 ESV

As the time for His crucifixion drew near, Jesus began to ramp up the intensity of His teaching to the disciples. In an attempt to prepare them for all that was about to happen, He inundated them with increasingly more detailed specifics regarding the events surrounding His arrest, trials, death and resurrection. He broke the news to Peter he would end up denying Him. He told them He was going to prepare a place for them and would one day return for them. He claimed to be the way, the truth and the life; and the only way of access to the Father. Then He dropped a bombshell by telling them “whoever believes in my will also do the words that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father” (John 14:12 ESV). That pieces of news had to have left the disciples’ heads spinning. And that was followed up by the promise of “another Helper” – the Holy Spirit – who would live in them. Taking in all of this information had to have been like drinking from a fire hose for the disciples. It was information overload. And in the midst of it all, Jesus told them, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me” (John 14:1 ESV).

Their belief in God was to be focused on His promise of the Messiah. They needed to believe that Jesus was the One for whom they had long been waiting. But they also needed to believe Jesus and take Him at His word when He promised to be with them, even though He was leaving them. They needed to believe that Jesus was going back to the Father and would be preparing a place for them, and that the Father would send another Helper to not only be with them, but live within them. It was essential that they believe the reality of the coming Holy Spirit and understand His function. Jesus said, “he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26 ESV). Jesus would be gone, but far from forgotten because the Holy Spirit would provide the disciples with a perfect recall of all of His teachings from the last three years. But not only would they remember all that Jesus said, they would understand, probably for the first time. When we read the gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, it would be easy to wonder how they could have recalled so well what Jesus had said. I doubt very seriously that they were taking copious notes during their time with Jesus. But Jesus’ promise that the Holy Spirit would supernaturally energize their memories explains a lot. They would be given a Spirit-empowered capacity to recall the teachings of Jesus and to understand them. The result of this would be peace. Jesus said, “Peace I have with you; my peace I give to you” (John 14:27 ESV). Their ability to enjoy peace in the midst of all that would take place in the days after Jesus’ death and resurrection would be the direct result of the Spirit’s presence and His instruction regarding the words of Jesus. Paul reminds us that the fruit of the Spirit are “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23 ESV). These are the characteristics of Jesus. As the Spirit teaches us about Jesus, we see His character produces in our lives. He is gone, but far from forgotten. He is absent physically, but with us spiritually. Jesus said, “In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you” (John 14:20 ESV). When the Holy Spirit came, the disciples realized that the very Spirit of God had taken up residence within them. Not only did they have the Holy Spirit present with then, they had the indwelling presence of the entire Godhead – Father, Son and Spirit. Jesus clearly said, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him” (John 14:23 ESV).

Jesus left. He returned to the Father. But He did not leave us alone. The very Spirit God Himself lives within us. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit have made their home with us. Paul tells us, “You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him” (Romans 8:9 ESV). The Godhead, in all its triune glory, lives within each and every believer. Can I explain it? No. But I believe it. We have the full essence of God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – living within us. And that formidable presence allows us to understand the Word and the will of God, as well as the commandments of Jesus. And not only do we have the capacity to understand them, we have the Spirit-empowered strength to obey them. So that we can increase in our knowledge of God (Colossians 1:10) and grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18).

Better Off Without Him.

September 6, 2015September 6, 2015 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. – John 16:7 ESV

Author J. D. Greear draws an interesting and potentially life-altering conclusion from the verse above. Jesus had been dropping bomb shells of information on His disciples as He attempted to prepare them for His death. He told them that the world was going to hate them, just as it hated Him. He broke the news that they would soon find themselves thrown out of the synagogues and even killed for claiming to serve Him. Then He told them, “it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you” (John 16:7 ESV). This is where J. D. Greear concludes: “…something was so important about the Holy Spirit that Jesus told his disciples it was to their advantage that he go away – if his departure meant the Spirit came. The Spirit’s presence inside them, he said, would be better than himself beside them” (J. D. Greear, Jesus, Continued…). The New Living Translation puts it verse seven this way: “it is best for you that I go away.”

Think about what Jesus is saying. Consider the impact it had on His disciples. They had spent more than three years of their lives with Jesus, looking on Him as their Messiah, master, Rabbi, Lord and friend. He had been their mentor. Now they were having to listen to Him say that they would be better off without Him. How could that be? That didn’t even make sense to them at the time. The concept of no Jesus was unacceptable to them. Without Him, they would have no hope. It’s the reason they all went into hiding and mourning after He was crucified. The two who were walking along the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus put words to their pain. “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel” (Luke 24:19-21 ESV).

Yet here was Jesus telling His followers that they would be better off without Him. It would be to their advantage that He leave them. How? Why? Because Jesus was going to send His Spirit, the one He described as the Helper. “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me” (John 15:26 ESV). When Jesus left, He was going to send the Spirit, who would act as their helper. And the major difference would be that the Spirit of God would indwell them, not just dwell with them. They had enjoyed the companionship of Jesus, but they would experience an even more intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit. Rather than having the Messiah walk among them, they would have the Spirit of God residing within them. That amazing thought was not fully comprehend by the disciples until they were filled with the Spirit on the day of Pentecost. When the Spirit came and took up residence in them, they were immediately transformed from fearful, timid, hopeless, former followers of Jesus Christ into bold, passionate, fearless messengers of the good news regarding Jesus and His resurrection.

Jesus had told His disciples, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father” (John 14:12 ESV). When Jesus was on this earth, He was limited because of His humanity. He could only be one place at one time. He grew tired. He was restricted to a 24-hour day just like the rest of us. He could perform only so many miracles in a given day. He could travel only so far during a 24-hour period. But when He died and ascended back to the side of His Father in heaven, He sent the Spirit. He didn’t send the JV or the B-team. He sent the third person of the Trinity, the Spirit of God. And the Spirit came to dwell within each and every believer, providing them with a power they had never known before. He imparted to them an intimacy with God that no one except Jesus had ever known before. Jesus was called Immanuel, which means “God with us”, but the Spirit would be God IN us. Even in the Old Testament, God dwelt among the people, but He didn’t take up residence within them. Occasionally, men like David would be filled with the Spirit, but it was not a permanent condition. But with Jesus’ departure, the Spirit became a permanent part of the life of every single one of His followers. That includes you, if you have accepted Jesus as your Savior. You have the Spirit of God living within you. And according to Jesus, you are better off with the Spirit inside you, than if the Messiah was walking beside you. The disciples of Jesus spent most of their time watching Jesus do miracles. They were spectators of God’s power. But once the Spirit came they went from observing to doing. Rather than watching the power of God displayed in the life of Jesus, they were experiencing that power as it flowed out of their own lives. And we have that very same power available to us as followers of Jesus Christ. God isn’t some ethereal force existing somewhere in the universe. He is living right inside of us in the form of His own Spirit. We have the power of God residing in us and available to us – 24/7. And we need to take Jesus at His word when He tells us that we are better off without Him. Not because He is gone, but because His Spirit has come – and is here to stay – providing us with everything we need to live powerful, bold, hopeful, joyful, content and godly lives.

Devotionary

The Bible Made Accessible and Applicable

Pentecost