Zachery was a our first grandchild. He was one amazing blessing. When he was beginning to walk and talk my son and his wife arrived in town for a surprize visit. They decided to send Zachery to the door. He rang the bell and when I opened the door he said "PA PA!" It was the first time I had ever heard it. Grandchildren! You will not experience this until one arrives but when he or she does arrive you will feel it. I have told a number of people who are waiting for their first grandchild that they are about to experience a feeling that they have never had for anyone else. There is SOMETHING about a granddaughter or grandson which is wholly enigmatic, puzzling and inscrutable. It is a feeling that goes beyond the feeling for a spouse or children or parents. It is not better or more ...just different. It remains inexplicable. A mystery of the emotions. It is "enigmatic"...look it up.
Like this mysterious grandchild feeling consider the work of the Spirit as Jesus is about to come into the world. Consider the mystery: Jesus is both with God and is God (John 1:1). HE leaves the heavenlies where he has always been (but not as "Jesus"), empties himself and becomes human (Philippians 2:6-8)and experiences the world as we experience it (Hebrews 4:15-16). As the entrance of Jesus takes place the Holy Spirit is hard at work and as we read about his work we find out it remains enigmatic, puzzling and inscrutable.
Take a ride through Luke 1:1-4:18, Mark 1:1-3:9;Matthew 1:1-4:1 and watch for the Spirit's involvement in the arrival of Jesus. Look for the mystery, the unexplainable. The Spirit FILLS John the baptist in the womb (Luke 1:15), Jesus' mother Elizabeth (1:41) and John the Baptist's father Zechariah (1:67). The Spirit "came upon,""moved" and "revealed" things to Simon (2:25-27). Later when the ministry of Jesus was about to begin the Spirit "led" and "returned" Jesus from the wilderness where he was tempted (4:1,14). So how do you explain HOW the Spirit fills or leads or reveals or moves anyone? Is there a shadow or a cloud or a voice from beyond? Is there a physical sensation or some event in nature which lets you know it is happening?
Now consider the most awesome Spiritual activity of all...the Spirit "OVERSHADOWED" Mary and she became pregrant with the one who would be called Jesus (Luke 1:35; MAtthew 1:21). So Jesus who is God and was with God from eternity enters the world when the Spirit OVERSHADOWED Mary...AND she remains a virgin. Quite a mystery? Enigmatic enough? Just how does HE, the Spirit accomplish these activities? God doesn't say.
There is no chapter in the bible where God lays out the Spirit's moves and tells us HOW it is done. The work of the Spirit is and will remain inexplicable. It must then be a matter of faith. Even with you when you were baptized you recieved the "gift" (Acts 2:38). Now just HOW did that happen? Tell me if you know? Explain the mechanics of Spiritual activity. It cannot be done.
So it begins. The Holy Spirit is introduced with mystery. A grandchild says "PA PA" for the first time and you feel it but can't explain it. So it is with the Spirit. We just know but it will remain ENIGMATIC. Foree
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Monday, March 19, 2012
The Spirit and Acts 2:38
The Spirit and Acts 2:38
At the age of 13 I had sins which needed forgiving and I was aware. I was sitting at a downtown drug store counter eating a flat enchilada and drinking a coke – the cost was 50 cents. There was a man two stools away who had had the same lunch but had finished and left his 50 cent piece on the counter under his empty plate. That 50cent piece meant I could have a free lunch. I reached over, stole the coin, slipped it under the edge of my plate, got up and left the store with my 50 cent piece still in my pocket a free lunch but no free conscience. I was tormented all the way back to school…that 50 cent piece was burning a hole in my pocket but not because I wanted to spend it.
There were other sins of course but when I was baptized I knew this one for sure was “remitted.” I knew it because of Acts 2:38. I had heard it almost every Sunday every time I went to church (and Grove family went to church every Sunday and Wednesday). If there was a hanging at church, Ray Grove, wife and kids were present.
I was baptized in June 1963 at the Lubbock Christian College student lectureship by a student named Bruce Simmer. I remember that evening like it was yesterday. It was the day my sins were forgiven. I knew that God had promised me the “remission of sins.” This promise was stated in Acts 2:38 and was T H E passage about baptism in the little church in which I grew up in Northern New Mexico. If someone wanted me to talk to them about baptism I would begin at Acts 2:38. Of course I was aware of other passages but 2:38 was where I would begin and end.
So baptism was based on Acts2:38 and in my mind, at 13, was about walking away from sins. I was glad to do it and glad God had promised it could be done. I also knew that since my sins were forgiven God expected me to try not to commit them anymore. I had learned from passages like Romans 6 that baptism was a burial to an old life and a resurrection to a new one. I knew that if I were to live faithfully there could not be anymore stolen lunches, stealing cigarettes from the laundry lady next door, cussing up a storm with my friends , telling lies, looking at dirty magazines etc. I knew as a Christian, God expected more of me than that and believe me the preachers and bible class teachers at the Raton Church of Christ had made that abundantly clear. Sinning was not allowed in Northern New Mexico and living for God meant you did your best not to sin and especially after you were baptized. How unappreciative would it be to receive the remission of sins and then just start sinning all over again?
As I would learn later there is more to Acts 2:38 than the remission of sins. That is only one of the promises God makes in that verse. The other one is “…and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Now the preachers and teachers in Raton did not spend a lot of time on that part of the verse. They may have read the verse and even quoted it at baptisms but in the services I attended and the classes I received there was not much commentary on the subject of the Holy Spirit. Maybe I missed it, ignored it or just was not able to understand it. But I do not think so. For probably explainable reasons the church in which I grew up just did not spend much time talking about the Spirit. The only time we mentioned “IT” was to talk about the “holy rollers” on First Avenue trying to perform miracles or speak in tongues. Outside of that “IT” was never mentioned.
So, why would I want to study the Holy Spirit? Because of Acts 2:38. And now as I have learned, God has given me the Spirit to help keep me from stealing lunch. There is power from HIM that reminds me, leads me, instructs me and convicts me. He is God’s instrument to put good things like love, joy, peace, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control into my heart (Galatians 5). He is the reason believers can disagree and still have unity. He took Jesus’ place on earth after Jesus left. He is the functionary of the New Covenant. Not only are these good reasons to study about “HIM” they are the reasons I want to study about him. All of that and because of Acts2:38
Foree
At the age of 13 I had sins which needed forgiving and I was aware. I was sitting at a downtown drug store counter eating a flat enchilada and drinking a coke – the cost was 50 cents. There was a man two stools away who had had the same lunch but had finished and left his 50 cent piece on the counter under his empty plate. That 50cent piece meant I could have a free lunch. I reached over, stole the coin, slipped it under the edge of my plate, got up and left the store with my 50 cent piece still in my pocket a free lunch but no free conscience. I was tormented all the way back to school…that 50 cent piece was burning a hole in my pocket but not because I wanted to spend it.
There were other sins of course but when I was baptized I knew this one for sure was “remitted.” I knew it because of Acts 2:38. I had heard it almost every Sunday every time I went to church (and Grove family went to church every Sunday and Wednesday). If there was a hanging at church, Ray Grove, wife and kids were present.
I was baptized in June 1963 at the Lubbock Christian College student lectureship by a student named Bruce Simmer. I remember that evening like it was yesterday. It was the day my sins were forgiven. I knew that God had promised me the “remission of sins.” This promise was stated in Acts 2:38 and was T H E passage about baptism in the little church in which I grew up in Northern New Mexico. If someone wanted me to talk to them about baptism I would begin at Acts 2:38. Of course I was aware of other passages but 2:38 was where I would begin and end.
So baptism was based on Acts2:38 and in my mind, at 13, was about walking away from sins. I was glad to do it and glad God had promised it could be done. I also knew that since my sins were forgiven God expected me to try not to commit them anymore. I had learned from passages like Romans 6 that baptism was a burial to an old life and a resurrection to a new one. I knew that if I were to live faithfully there could not be anymore stolen lunches, stealing cigarettes from the laundry lady next door, cussing up a storm with my friends , telling lies, looking at dirty magazines etc. I knew as a Christian, God expected more of me than that and believe me the preachers and bible class teachers at the Raton Church of Christ had made that abundantly clear. Sinning was not allowed in Northern New Mexico and living for God meant you did your best not to sin and especially after you were baptized. How unappreciative would it be to receive the remission of sins and then just start sinning all over again?
As I would learn later there is more to Acts 2:38 than the remission of sins. That is only one of the promises God makes in that verse. The other one is “…and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Now the preachers and teachers in Raton did not spend a lot of time on that part of the verse. They may have read the verse and even quoted it at baptisms but in the services I attended and the classes I received there was not much commentary on the subject of the Holy Spirit. Maybe I missed it, ignored it or just was not able to understand it. But I do not think so. For probably explainable reasons the church in which I grew up just did not spend much time talking about the Spirit. The only time we mentioned “IT” was to talk about the “holy rollers” on First Avenue trying to perform miracles or speak in tongues. Outside of that “IT” was never mentioned.
So, why would I want to study the Holy Spirit? Because of Acts 2:38. And now as I have learned, God has given me the Spirit to help keep me from stealing lunch. There is power from HIM that reminds me, leads me, instructs me and convicts me. He is God’s instrument to put good things like love, joy, peace, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control into my heart (Galatians 5). He is the reason believers can disagree and still have unity. He took Jesus’ place on earth after Jesus left. He is the functionary of the New Covenant. Not only are these good reasons to study about “HIM” they are the reasons I want to study about him. All of that and because of Acts2:38
Foree
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit was not a subject I heard much about in the small New Mexico church in which I was raised. The only time "IT" was mentioned was when comments were made about "Holy Rollers" who, it was said, beat themselves with cactus and rolled around on the floor. There were also ideas shared that people who believed in the Holy Spirit were primarily looking for miracles and the ones they found were not anything like the immediate indisputable ones that Jesus performed. The Spirit was not a subject which aroused much interest in my world.
As time went by, in my College years (68-72), the Spirit began to be talked about more often. Mostly the subject came up in the context of the miraculous. During this time I had a discussion with a "Pentocostal" who said he could heal and I just happened to have a sprained ankle which was covered by my "bell bottom" pants (it was 1973). He prayed over me and I can honestly say I prayed too. My ankle remained sprained.
So the Holy Spirit, His purpose and His work,remained to me a mystery and honestly I avoided conversations about the subject. In about 1985- I had been preaching for 13 years - I decided my fears about the Spirit needed to be addressed. I began my own study of the topic. I decided not to read any books written by others and to begin in Matthew and read through the New Testament writing down everything the Book had to say about the Spirit. Needless to say my mind was opened - as open I suppose any human's mind can be - and I was happy to learn about the Spirit and to and see how He had worked and was working in my life.
For the next few (or many) BLOGS I will seek to share what I have learned. I hope it is beneficial for those who might choose to read. I solicite comments and even argument although my purpose is not to turn this space or my time into an arena for a debate.
Please know that I am on a spiritual journey and since I have been called to preach I try and share what I have learned with others. My only desire is to know the Father, the Incarnate Word and the Spirit left by Jesus when he left this earth. Foree
As time went by, in my College years (68-72), the Spirit began to be talked about more often. Mostly the subject came up in the context of the miraculous. During this time I had a discussion with a "Pentocostal" who said he could heal and I just happened to have a sprained ankle which was covered by my "bell bottom" pants (it was 1973). He prayed over me and I can honestly say I prayed too. My ankle remained sprained.
So the Holy Spirit, His purpose and His work,remained to me a mystery and honestly I avoided conversations about the subject. In about 1985- I had been preaching for 13 years - I decided my fears about the Spirit needed to be addressed. I began my own study of the topic. I decided not to read any books written by others and to begin in Matthew and read through the New Testament writing down everything the Book had to say about the Spirit. Needless to say my mind was opened - as open I suppose any human's mind can be - and I was happy to learn about the Spirit and to and see how He had worked and was working in my life.
For the next few (or many) BLOGS I will seek to share what I have learned. I hope it is beneficial for those who might choose to read. I solicite comments and even argument although my purpose is not to turn this space or my time into an arena for a debate.
Please know that I am on a spiritual journey and since I have been called to preach I try and share what I have learned with others. My only desire is to know the Father, the Incarnate Word and the Spirit left by Jesus when he left this earth. Foree
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
ASSEMBLY
Take a walk through the New Testament and in truth you will not come across many scriptures which have to do with Christian ASSEMBLY (church). When you do come across them (1 Corr. 11-14; Heb. 10:23-25) you find that the focus of assembly time was primarily HORIZONTAL - that is person to person. The believers gathered and their time was spent trying to encourage and strengthen one another. WORSHIP in the NT is really about the life we live and so worshipers gathered together to encourage one another to "hang in there" the rest of the time. They studied and prayed and communed and all of it was done because they needed it. Paul in 1 Corinthians, told the Corinthians over and over again to do what they did in assembly for the benefit of others. He even told them to wait on each other before they communed. In 1 Cor. 14he tells them to take turns, listen when another is speaking and do everything in an orderly manner so that all who attend can understand and be edified. Christian assembly is really much more horizontally directed than vertically. It was meant to be the support group for believers to give them the courage to live for Jesus every day. Foree
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Lead us not into temptation.
This is a troublesome request to me. I know the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted. HE did not do the tempting but he took Jesus there. I assume Jesus needed that experience in his walk here. Maybe that had to take place so that he would be tempted like us yet without sin. It happened before his ministry began. He was in the wilderness to learn to trust God. It brought him closer to the Father as he began his journey to the cross.
The Father allows us to be tempted - look at Adam and Eve - but he never tempts James says. So we ask us not to take us there knowing, as Jesus did, it would come. Hence, "deliver us from the evil one." The Father who brings us will carry is through. The whole dance is about faith in Him.
I have no doubt temptation will come in many ways. I have no doubt it will be a struggle. AND I have no doubt the Father and the Spirit and the Word and Jesus himself will help me through....this is our faith. Also it is part of our journey.
The Father allows us to be tempted - look at Adam and Eve - but he never tempts James says. So we ask us not to take us there knowing, as Jesus did, it would come. Hence, "deliver us from the evil one." The Father who brings us will carry is through. The whole dance is about faith in Him.
I have no doubt temptation will come in many ways. I have no doubt it will be a struggle. AND I have no doubt the Father and the Spirit and the Word and Jesus himself will help me through....this is our faith. Also it is part of our journey.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Forgive and Being Forgiven
Some clsoing words frm Jesus which connect our forgiveness from Him with our ability to forgive. This is perhaps our greatest calling from the lord. It is like His demand that we love our enemies and poray for those who are against us. These are indeed hard sayings for those who follow.
It is rather easy to accept forgiveness from God. Who wants to hang on to sins committed, reliving them over and over again??? God says he forgives and it is done. It is true that we sometimes have a hard time forgicing ourselves but generally we get the job done.
Now, on to more difficult issues - forgiving others. It is so easy to hold a grudge or become bitter and hang on to offenses from others. IT is rather painless to withdraw from someone who has offended and just ignore their presence and act as if they do not exist.
Jesus disallows such behavior. Our forgiveness is tied to our abilty to forgive. If I cannot forgive what does that say about my relationship with God? Foree
It is rather easy to accept forgiveness from God. Who wants to hang on to sins committed, reliving them over and over again??? God says he forgives and it is done. It is true that we sometimes have a hard time forgicing ourselves but generally we get the job done.
Now, on to more difficult issues - forgiving others. It is so easy to hold a grudge or become bitter and hang on to offenses from others. IT is rather painless to withdraw from someone who has offended and just ignore their presence and act as if they do not exist.
Jesus disallows such behavior. Our forgiveness is tied to our abilty to forgive. If I cannot forgive what does that say about my relationship with God? Foree
Friday, March 5, 2010
Give Us Our Daily Bread - A Double Edged Sword
God is the one who sustains us. Regardless of our ability to earn, that ability comes from God. Help me Father to not become focused on human achievement. Thank you for giving humanity the abilities we have to work and accumulate things and enjoy this world you made. Help me to realize and embrace the truth that while human ability and achievement is a blessing from you it is a double edged sword. The gift to earn and acquire can become the idol of my life. The friends you bring to me can replace your presence if I am not careful. The human spirit with all of its advantages can become a spirit of pride and arrogance. My thinking capacity, a blessing from you, can be so complex that I decide faith is no longer needed. Thank you Father for giving me the necessities of life. Help those gifts not to become my god.
Read the story of Babel in Genesis 11. God endowed people with the creative ability to build and achieve. That same ability drove them to "make a name for themselves." Their God given talent crowded God out. They forgot their bread came from Him. Foree
Read the story of Babel in Genesis 11. God endowed people with the creative ability to build and achieve. That same ability drove them to "make a name for themselves." Their God given talent crowded God out. They forgot their bread came from Him. Foree
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