2017-08-11
Good Morning Dear Ones,
As promised, I will share the Scriptures that let us know exactly Who Jesus is. Let’s begin by looking at AC 2 from Peter’s speech to the people of Israel at Pentecost. AC 2: 30b-36, “God had made a vow [in 2 SAM 7: 13] that He would make One of David’s descendants a King. That is why David saw into the future and referred to the resurrection of the Messiah when He said, in PS 16: 10, ‘He was not abandoned in the world of the dead; His body did not rot in the grave.’ God raised this very Jesus from death, and we are all witnesses to this facet. He has been raised to the right side of God, His Father, and has received from Him the Holy Spirit, as He [God] had promised. What you now see and hear is His gift that He has poured on us. For it was not David who went up into heaven; rather He said (in PS 110: 1), ‘The Lord said to my Lord; sit here at My right side until I put Your enemies as a footstool under Your feet.’ All of the people of Israel, then, are to know for sure that this Jesus, Whom you crucified, is the One that God has made Lord and Messiah.”
Having said all of this, Peter then turned to the crux of his message that day. AC 2: 38-40a, “Each one of you must turn away from your sins and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins will be forgiven, and you will receive God’s gift, the Holy Spirit. For God’s promise was made to you and your children and to all who are far away—all whom the Lord our God calls to Himself…Save yourselves from the punishment coming on this wicked people!”
Being doubters, there needed to be further proof of the reality of Christ’s resurrection. So, once again, I feel led to cite 1 COR 15: 4-8 which are Paul’s testimony of those who actually witnessed it. “…That He [Christ] was buried, and He was raised to life three days later, that He appeared to Peter and then, to all the twelve apostles. Then, He appeared to more than 500 of His followers at once, most of whom are still alive… Then, he appeared to James and afterward to all the apostles. Last of all he appeared also to me [Paul]—even though I am like someone whose birth was abnormal.” This last phrase was meant to say that Paul became an apostle right after his conversion and is a reference to his former way of life [AC 9: 1-3]. Interesting enough, AC 10: 43 tells us, “All the prophets spoke about Him [Christ], saying all who believe in Him will have their sins forgiven through the power of His name.” In a discussion of Gentile believers, Paul mentions they will receive the Holy Spirit when they are baptized in the name of Christ, in AC 10: 48. These same gifts are given to anyone with genuine faith in Christ and who are baptized. Baptism with water is not all we need; we also need to have gone through the inner transition to true faith in Jesus Christ, so that we receive baptism with the Holy Spirit. And as for the church, it is the subset of all humanity who believe in Christ.
All Scriptures cited here are ones that give us a foundation for who Jesus is and why we should believe and be baptized with water and the Holy Spirit. Only genuine faith in the Lord Jesus can give us salvation, eternal forgiveness, and justification. Each of those three are crucial to us looking forward to eternal life and never fearing spiritual death. As a church, these beliefs are foundational. They bring us together, just as they have from the church’s inception in Paul’s day, in a way no other entity can. We become brothers and sisters in Christ, responsible to each other and loving toward our fellow mankind.
PRAYER: O Lord, the more we read and understand Your word, the more it is evident to us that it is both entirely consistent in its teaching and useful to furthering our spiritual maturity [2 TIM 3: 16-17]. We are grateful to You and always will be for sharing Your wisdom, so useful in our times of weakness and so powerful in moving us forward in our ethics and spiritual life. You give us forgiveness, when it is hard for us to forgive ourselves. You patiently allow us to discover our sins and give us the opportunity to be open and honest with you about them in prayer. Your generosity and love is unmatched. Our Lord Jesus, using the kindness, goodness, wisdom, and leadership He gives us, is a constant Presence in our lives. We never are alone or abandoned. We praise You, Dearest Father, for all You are and all You do for us. We offer You our love and devotion, as individuals and as members of Your church. Continue to intervene in our lives at times when You know it’s necessary, and share both our sorrows and our victories with us. You are the One and only God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We appeal to You to continue granting us Your most precious grace, in the holy/mighty name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
NEXT WEEK: The Holy Spirit directs me to comment on COL 1: 18-29 as this passage relates to the church. Things like the fullness of God, reconciling us to Himself, God’s mystery, and an honest evaluation of the church’s relationship to Christ are likely to come up.
We are told not to brag about ourselves, but that it’s perfectly right to boast about God. This is a way of saying that when we focus on God’s interaction with ourselves and what God is and does, we can act humbly. Please believe that I personally am humbled by the enormity of what God has done in my own life. He has taken me from an emotionally needy, arrogant, often foolish person, who was intensely self-centered, and He has made a true believer in Christ in me. I am filled with joy and peace by dedicating my service to God. When I see others approving of my expression of my beliefs or something I have done for them, it is a reminder to me that God has forgiven me for my past misbehavior. But that’s my personal self; I also have membership in His church. No matter where I have gone in my life, there have been others who share my faith and welcome me in their midst. I find myself doing things as a member of His church that bring faith and pleasure to others. It’s not that I’m so good, but it’s because God is so good! Programs like my Bible study group, Knit and Crochet Together –my group that makes prayer shawls and hats for people in crisis, and Via de Cristo [Way of the Cross]-a 4-day spiritual retreat program-uplift and help grow my faith. They wouldn’t have been available to me had it not been for His church. God is all over these things and much more that brings goodness to mankind. For how much more could any of us ask?
Praise and thanks be to Him!
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn
JS 24: 15
© Lynn Johnson 2017. All Rights Reserved.
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