Article for May 19, 2024
John 15:26–27 26[Jesus said:] “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. 27And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning. . .
Maybe we have been with Jesus from the very beginning. Jeremiah 1:5 says God knew Jeremiah before he was born. So, we know that God new us before we were born. Either way, we have the helper with us even today. The Holy Spirit is in us before during and after our baptism. But being baptized as the Apostles were with a flame of fire upon their head…is another question.
We know from last weeks readings that the Jews and the Gentiles received the Holy Spirit before they were baptized. This would certainly tell us that God is the one in control, and His will, will be done. So not all receive the same gifts but the one gift we all receive is the Helper, the Comforter, the counselor, the Holy Spirit who leads us through God’s word.
You may not need the Holy Spirit to read the Holy Scriptures, but you do need the Holy Spirit to understand the Holy Scriptures. This is the Spirit of Truth; you might even say this is the Spirit of Jesus Christ who is the truth that sets us free. Jesus is the Word, and we know through Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16, Romans 15:4, 2 Peter 1:20-21) the word is breathed from God. If we do not believe this than we make God out to be a liar.
Acts 2:16–18 16But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: 17“‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; 18even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.
Ok, prophecy will come again, but beware, there will be many false prophets. But rest assured you can use the Word of God and the Holy Spirit to decern whether you are hearing the truth or a lie. When this prophesying happens and many people start to prophecy that is the time to go to God’s Word and cling to every word that was written for our knowledge, understanding and good.
The prophets will not come from a class of people, given only to priests and pastors, but will be given to whom God choses. I believe if God choses you, you will know it. But be careful not to choose yourself as some have already chosen themselves for their own edification and not for God’s.
We are living in a more dangerous world today than at any other time in mankind’s history. Our enemy is living amongst us, and we do not know what this enemy looks like. They will show themselves and then you will know. Until our enemy shows who they are, be prepared through the word of God, His promises to all believers, and the Holy Gospel that gives us sure hope. Because God’s angels protect us from the evil one.
Acts 2:19–20 19And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; 20the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.
There, unfortunately for the unbeliever, will be other signs than that of prophecy. There will be physical signs as our sun will turn dark, the moon will turn blood red, the land will catch fire, and many will choke in its vapor and smoke. And yet still other signs will be seen as you can find in other parts of God’s Holy Scripture.
Remember, I said that the unbeliever will feel the sorrow of these times. Not so for the believer, for our sorrow will be wiped away as we look to the clouds and see a magnificent sight. That magnificent sight will be our Lord’s second coming to collect all believers and we will be caught up into the clouds to be taken to heaven, life everlasting, and an eternal relationship with our God Lord Jesus Christ. Remember Jesus did not die in vain, but to give us the promise of God’s forgiveness, grace, and mercy, eternal life. We have much to thank God for and give Him praise as He has given us an eternal relationship with Him.
Acts 2:21 21And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’”
We call upon our resurrected Lord, our living God who calls us to live with Him forever and ever. Amen.
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