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Tick Tock

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Acts 1:4-8 And while being in their company and eating with them, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for what the Father had promised, Of which [He said] you have heard Me speak.5 For John baptized with water, but not many days from now you shall be baptized with (placed in, introduced into) the Holy Spirit.6 So when they were assembled, they asked Him, Lord, is this the time when You will reestablish the kingdom and restore it to Israel?7 He said to them, It is not for you to become acquainted with and know what time brings [the things and events of time and their definite periods] or fixed years and seasons (their critical niche in time), which the Father has appointed (fixed and reserved) by His own choice and authority and personal power.8 But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth.

Human nature is confoundingly interesting, and pathetic, simultaneously. In this setting, Jesus had recently emerged from a horrific crucifixion, and resurrection from the dead. Presently, He is about to ascend to His Father to be seated on His throne. For all appearances it would seem, to any casual observer, the eleven disciples would have had enough sense to keep their mouths shut, and listen attentively to every syllable that poured from His lips. In fact the word transfixed comes to mind as what would appear to be the only adequate response to Jesus’ Presence. But what did these disciples inquire about? Time. What was of the utmost importance to Jesus? The Baptism of the Spirit. Specifically there being baptized in the Holy Spirit. Time versus being Baptized in the Spirit. Let that profound statement sink in deep. One more time: time versus being baptized in the Spirit! Guess what? Nothing’s changed. Yet, we are no different than the disciples with their preoccupation with time. In fact, instead of our being transfixed with Jesus we remain, stuck, fixed and focused on time. Man’s agenda versus God’s agenda. Self-centered versus God-centered. I have heard it said, that we are too preoccupied with the gifts of the Giver rather than the Giver, Himself. Since that is emphatically true, what are we doing with His Gift of Time? Have we become too occupied with the gift rather than the Giver? Have we learned the value of being baptized, and immersed in the Spirit?

What does it mean to be immersed in the Spirit? Ephesians 5:18 states: Do not get drunk on wine which leads to debauchery. Instead be filled with the Spirit. The Greek version of this text literally states, Be, being continually filled with the Spirit. The comparison is obvious. Being filled with the Spirit is comparable to being drunk. Drunk’s aren’t concerned about time. Everything is centered around the alcohol. Everything that they are is controlled by the “spirit’s” influence. Their speech, muscle movements, thoughts, and emotions are all controlled by the alcohol which has consumed them. The analogy is clear and obvious. Those who are drunk with the Spirit are consumed by the Spirit. Things on fire tend to be consumed. Fortunately for Spirit-filled followers of Jesus we become burning bushes for those who take the time to turn aside to look and see, What is the meaning of this? Question is, Who or what is consuming you? Are you a sign and wonder to those wandering in their spiritual wasteland?

Never is defined as, at no time in the past or the future. In J.M. Barries fictional work, Peter Pan, Captain Hook is stricken with fear of the crocodile who has swallowed a clock. Whenever the crocodile is near the sound of the ticking clock grows louder and louder. Mankind is fearful of the crocodile of time that comes for all men ready to devour all in its abysmal jaws. The good news is we have been given an invitation to Never Land which begins in salvation, and its manifestation of reality exists in the Spirit-filled, spirit-yielded life. Now the question becomes are you controlled by the Croc of Time or by the boundless, expanses of the Spirit-filled life? Is the Spirit-filled, spirit-controlled life your preoccupation or are you running from time simultaneously grasping for more of it?

The Black Spot

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In the book written by Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island, pirates are presented with a “black spot” to officially pronounce a guilty verdict. The black spot consisted of a circular piece of paper, with one side blackened while the other side bore the message into the hand of the accused. It was a source of great fear because it meant the pirate was to be deposed as leader, by force or else killed. In the book, Treasure Island, Long John Silver receives the black spot, torn from a page in the Bible and taken from Revelation 22:15: “Without are dogs and murderers.” On describing the “black spot” Stevenson adds the following: The printed side had been blackened with wood ash, which already began to come off and soil my fingers; on the blank side had been written with the same material the one word “Depposed”.

Which brings to mind another interesting detail that’s often overlooked when we read or hear the story of Christ’s birth, and the facts which surround it. Luke 2:7-8 records: And she gave birth to her Son, her Firstborn; and she wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room or place for them in the inn.8 And in that vicinity there were shepherds living [out under the open sky] in the field, watching [in shifts] over their flock by night.

These two verses alert us to a small detail often ignored, swaddling clothes. Why was this detail significant? Luke 2:12 records the message of the angel: And this will be a sign for you [by which you will recognize Him]: you will find after searching] a Baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.

Why was a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes a sign? The researchers for One Path Research state the following: These shepherds weren’t ordinary shepherds…they had a special task that was critical to the temple and the sacrifices made to God. You see, when people came to the temple and made a sacrifice you were to bring a lamb without a spot or any blemish. If you did not have such a sacrifice, you could purchase one from the temple which the shepherds would provide.

Their task was simple. When a lamb was being born, the shepherds assisted with the birth as the lamb could not touch the ground until they were cleaned and examined thoroughly.  If they found that it had a “spot”, or physical defect, they would then put it on the ground so it could mix with the other lambs. It would not be suitable for a sacrifice as only the best could be offered to God.  If the lamb was spotless, or physically perfect, then it was their job to ensure that it did not get hurt in any way and possibly get a “blemish”, which is a small cut, wound, bruise, or any other small flaw from the time it was born to the time it was sacrificed. To make sure that the spotless lamb’s feet didn’t get cut on the rocks, they would wrap the lambs’ feet with clean “swaddling clothes” that were already there for that purpose. Only after the lamb’s feet were wrapped up would they place the lamb on the ground to walk. 

When the shepherds came….where Jesus was laid in the manger, they saw Him wrapped in the same swaddling strips used to cover the spotless lambs to prevent them from getting a blemish and they understood immediately that Jesus was indeed the “Lamb of God” (John 1:29) who came to be sacrificed at Passover, and hence providing a means by which the relationship between us and God can be reestablished for those that accept His gift of salvation and continuously be led by the Holy Spirit as we serve the Lord.

Why is this detail significant for you and me? We are all called by Scripture to “examine” Jesus for spot or blemish. Luke 2:15 states: “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” Even Pilate, in the Gospels of Luke and John, declares: I find no fault in Him. Yet when it comes to examining the claims of Jesus for ourselves we often take someone else’s word for it and forsake the examination. But when it comes to finding fault, examining others as if they were Jesus, we can do nothing but find fault. In fact it seems this is our predisposition. If you are one who is prone to make New Years resolutions, remind yourself that Jesus was and still is examined – in order that you and I could pass the cross examination and receive the “not guilty” verdict from our Holy and Righteous Father. And add to your New Years resolutions: Extend grace and mercy – not looking for the black spots in others lives.