Christian Faith Essentials Episode 142
Have you packed your Christian faith essentials away, or do you have them on hand when you fight the enemy? How do we explain the way our lives have changed over the course of the last few months of shelter at home and fear of getting sick from a virus? In this episode, we look at Acts 2 and how the essentials of faith have been laid out in the Bible.
Thanks to our sponsor Media Angels, Inc. and the featured books, A Few Minutes with God and One More Child.
If you have listened to A Few Minutes with God I end each session with a prayer, usually, I summarize what we’ve discussed and I ask the Lord for a blessing on the listeners as well as a time for prayer for our special intentions. But I had an aha moment while listening to a sermon on television. And it answered a nagging question I had about the disciples. Why couldn’t they understand the Lord’s teachings, why did they find his message too difficult and many turned away. And the answer was because they did not yet have an infilling of the Holy Spirit–the Lord was still with them and after he rose and left for heaven He would send down the Holy Spirit to dwell among them! And then another aha moment – we should begin each episode with prayer! So, here we go…
Dear Lord, I ask that you send your Holy Spirit so that you give me the words you want me to use as well as my listeners a heart to hear what you want them to hear — Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and enkindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And you shall renew the face of the earth. Oh God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant us in the same Spirit to be truly wise and ever rejoice in His consolation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
We learn that after Jesus rose from the dead there were fifty days of celebration, and Jesus is the only person in recorded history who rose from the dead. He, in turn, brought other people back from the dead, Lazurus is the one that everyone who knows Scripture recalls, but no one has come back to life, with eyewitnesses except for Christ. The story of salvation is the greatest story ever told and we are the recipient of this gift. If we look at Acts 2 we will see that the Lord did not leave us without the most wonderful gift of all, the Holy Spirit.
The word “Trinity” does not appear in Scripture but Christians define this as one God, three persons. God the Father, God the Son (Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit. As I said earlier, Jesus gave these amazing teachings to the disciples and I always wondered why they didn’t get it but they did when they received His Holy Spirit! (Many times we do not understand the fullness of the Scriptures but I feel sometimes it is like an onion with layers being removed one by one as God touches our hearts and the teachings are applicable to us in our current state of understanding or need.) The Holy Spirit opens our hearts and our minds to a greater awareness and understanding.
He promises to send his disciples the Holy Spirit… in John 14:15-31 and I’ll read an expert for you but please, look this up in your Bibles and meditate on these words. What beautiful words! I am going away and I am coming back to you! Do we think about the Holy Spirit? I have two podcasts on the Topic the first is on The Holy Spirit and the other Gifts of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit seems to be misunderstood by some, but when we read Acts 2 we see a complete picture of the power of God. We have the entirety of the Bible and we are blessed. We see the power of God the Father in the creation of the world, and the Son was with the Father as was the Spirit during the beginning of time as we know it. We see the power of the justice of God in the expelling of our first parents in the Garden of Eden, sin must have a punishment and restitution. And we see it happen again and again through our salvation history. God promises us salvation. We see it in the sacrifice of Abraham tested in faith as he offers up his son Isaac but God intervenes. We see God’s intervention against the slavery of the Hebrew nation under the Egyptians. We read that God heard the cries of his people and sends Moses. We watch as Moses leads the people to freedom as they cross the Red Sea (a foreshadowing – and signifying Christian baptism). But, what happens? The people forget their God and are forced to wander around for 40 years!
God sent the Holy Spirit – we read in Acts 2
Coming of the Holy Spirit Acts 2:1-4
“When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
So, what happened? Did they stay in the safety of the house? Were they still scared? No! They were given Divine grace to begin speaking in other languages, and the knowledge to understand the teachings and the foundation that the Lord gave them for the three years they walked with Him. We too need to study, to seek and to pray for the infilling of the Spirit so we can proclaim the good news.
The people who heard them were amazed and they realized something was miraculous – Acts 2:1:12. “So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “Whatever could this mean?”
But, Peter – who is considered the first Pope stood up with the eleven, and explained because He was filled with the Spirit and given wisdom and understanding – so much so that he was able to show that Jesus was a fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecy.
Peter went on to attest that Jesus of Nazareth performed miracles, wonders, and signs – and while he was crucified and put to death, God raised Him – he then went on to explain by the words of David, again in the Scriptures what was said, prophetically about Christ. He also explained that while David who was revered and acclaimed was still dead, and buried while Christ has risen and they were the eye-witnesses.
Read all of Acts 2 – pray and meditate on these words, they are truly essential to the Christian faith! And especially in times of stress or when we feel deserted or oppressed, we must remember that the Lord is with us until the end of times.
Let’s pray –
My God your works and splendor continue to astound me, and the infilling and power of the Holy Spirit is something I crave in my life. Help me oh, Lord to decrease so that you can increase in my life. Allow me to be an open book, to be used, and to be transformed. Let the old fall away and let the new reflect You, your light, and your goodness. Continue to enrich me Lord and bring me to a deeper understanding of your goodness and will in my life. Dear Lord, I come before you humbly with the following prayers and petitions… I praise you ahead of time for all that you have done in my life and I pray this in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
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