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Spirit-Filled

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Acts 2:42-47 And they steadfastly persevered, devoting themselves constantly to the instruction and fellowship of the apostles, to the breaking of bread [including the Lord’s Supper] and prayers.43 And a sense of awe (reverential fear) came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were performed through the apostles (the special messengers).44 And all who believed (who adhered to and trusted in and relied on Jesus Christ) were united and [together] they had everything in common;45 And they sold their possessions (both their landed property and their movable goods) and distributed the price among all, according as any had need.46 And day after day they regularly assembled in the temple with united purpose, and in their homes they broke bread [including the Lord’s Supper]. They partook of their food with gladness and simplicity and generous hearts,47 Constantly praising God and being in favor and goodwill with all the people; and the Lord kept adding [to their number] daily those who were being saved [from spiritual death].

I was on a plane returning home from Africa and had a lengthy discussion with a retired pastor from a fundamental denominational persuasion. During our discussion I was often flabbergasted at his misinterpretation of Scripture, not to mention his self-assured, arrogant ignorance. Not only did he believe the supernatural manifestation of the gifts of the Spirit were limited to the 12 disciples, (and ceased to exist after their death) but he believed the church was birthed during the ministry of Jesus. What he failed to realize is that the church couldn’t be the Church, the Body of Christ, apart from the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus. The other glaring truth, often ignored by modern Christians, he failed to recognize is that the church ceases to be the church apart from the Holy Spirit (Who birthed the Church in the Book of Acts). Let that sink in deep. You can’t be the church apart from the Spirit. You can’t be born-again apart from the Spirit. You can’t know Jesus apart from the Spirit. You can’t know the Word apart from the Spirit. You can’t get into Heaven apart from the Spirit. You can’t worship the way God the Father wants you to worship apart from the Spirit. Individual Christian or so-called Churches can do nothing of eternal significance apart from the Spirit. Is this why so many buildings with Church lettered on the outside have so little of God’s Presence on the inside? And is this the key to why so many church attenders believe church attendance is optional? Why so many believe devotion to the Word (the Apostles teaching), fellowship, communion, praise and worship, prayer, giving, gathering in each other’s homes – is optional? Because Baptism, and the infilling of the Holy Spirit has been ignored and dismissed?

Years ago I mistakenly learned that the sign someone had been baptized in the Spirit was speaking in tongues. I say mistakenly because it’s only – A Sign – one sign, of the Baptism but not the only sign. The other signs of a Spirit-filled life are listed above. This is what made the gathering of the believers more than a day at the country club, or gathering around a table playing bridge. All these “signs” – devotion to the Word (the Apostles teaching), fellowship, communion, praise and worship, prayer, giving, gathering in each other’s homes – were Filled, Baptized, and Immersed in the Presence of the Holy Spirit. And it’s these signs that accompany, and follow those who are Baptized, Immersed, and Filled with the Spirit. Now many questions arise: Are you baptized in the Spirit? Is our church? Is your church? Can you call a church a church that has left Jesus and the Spirit outside of its “services?” And who are the services for? For that matter can you really claim to be a follower of Jesus divorced from communion with the indwelling, and infilling of the Spirit?

Bullet Trains

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Mark 1:34 And He cured many who were afflicted with various diseases; and He drove out many demons, but would not allow the demons to talk because they knew Him [intuitively]. Reading chapter one of the Gospel of Mark feels like you are riding along the bullet train A bullet train is a high speed train in Japan that reaches speeds of over 200 mph. Yet, in this one chapter Mark records that Jesus was baptized, He was led in the wilderness to fast and pray for forty days and nights, called and chose His 12 disciples, visited the synagogue, cast out demons in the synagogue, healed Simon Peter’s mother-in-law, healed the sick and cast out demons. I’m exhausted just reading it. But how? How did Jesus do all of these things? Mark one offers two clues: Mark 1:10 And when He came up out of the water, at once he [John] saw the heavens torn open and the [Holy] Spirit like a dove coming down [to enter] into Him. Mark 1:35 And in the morning, long before daylight, He got up and went out to a deserted place, and there He prayed. Did you catch it? He was filled with the Spirit and He took time to pray – first thing, early in the morning.

Bullet Trains achieve their fast speeds primarily through dedicated tracks, electric motors, and electro-magnetic levitation. Everything, but the dedicated tracks are invisible. What really makes them accelerate is what is unseen. It’s unfortunate that when it comes to looking at the things Jesus accomplished that we dismiss the impact of it all by saying, He was God. When our focus dismisses His humanity we fail to see the miracle achieved and modeled. Yes, He was, and is still – God. BUT, He was also human. If you dismiss His humanity you’ve missed the fact that He modeled His life as an example for us all. When we dismiss His humanity we dismiss the fact that He needed to be filled with the Spirit. He needed to pray. He needed to go to synagogue. He needed to read, study, and memorize the Word. He needed thanksgiving and worship. He needed to gather with like-minded believers to share Who God was to them and what He was doing in their lives. When we dismiss His humanity we dismiss His suffering through to the Fathers’ will in the Garden of Gethsemane – a struggle that was so intense He sweat drops of blood. We dismiss His suffering on the cross. We dismiss His being tempted in every way we are tempted. This was what the Apostle Paul was conveying to us: 1 Cor. 2:2 For I resolved to know nothing (to be acquainted with nothing, to make a display of the knowledge of nothing, and to be conscious of nothing) among you except Jesus Christ (the Messiah) and Him crucified. If we focus on Jesus simply being God we miss the fact that He lived a crucified life. The crucified life prepared Him for the crucifixion. Everyday of His life was a crucifixion. Everyday he hauled His soul – mind, will, emotions, and personality – onto His Fathers’ will bringing it into submission. But this only happened as a result of His surrender to the “dedicated tracks” the Lord placed before Him.

A few of us are preparing to travel to Kenya for ten days of dedicated service to the people of Mlolongo. Part of our preparation involves reading the Book of Acts. Today our reading was in Acts 24 and one verse stood out to me: Therefore I always exercise and discipline myself [mortifying my body, deadening my carnal affections, bodily appetites, and worldly desires, endeavoring in all respects] to have a clear (unshaken, blameless) conscience, void of offense toward God and toward men. (Acts 24:16) Why did he live this life of dedication? He believed in the Resurrection of Jesus and because of this hope he believed Jesus would raise his body to new life. Now Acts 24:15 states that Jesus is going to raise the righteous and unrighteous to life. Righteous means, rightly related to God and to man. When that day happens do you want to be known as one who traveled the same dedicated tracks as Jesus or one who ran off the tracks? Do you want to rise up to, Well done? Or do you want to rise up to everlasting shame? I don’t know about you but I want to be a bullet train like Jesus.