MAKE COMPLETE

Can I pray for you in any way?

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

Acts 8:14-17

This ends today’s reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

“You also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of His glory.” Ephesians 1:13-14

The scriptures are clear how one receives the Holy Spirit. It’s all about when you heard the Gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ and believed the message of truth. When a person does this, and only when they do this, they are marked in Jesus and sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit. It is only then that a Christian is made complete, receiving the deposit that guarantees an everlasting heavenly kingdom inheritance at the Lord’s appointed time.

Note here that simply being baptized does not bring a person salvation. Neither does partaking in the Lord’s Supper/Communion in and of itself. A person could go through these sacramental rituals and appear to be in and of Jesus but inside they have refused to believe in Him as Savior.

In regard to the Samaritans who had listened to Philip speak and watched him perform signs and wonders in their midst, they had been baptized but their salvation was not yet accomplished fully. We know this because upon hearing of what was happening in Samaria, the apostles who were still in Jerusalem, dispatched Peter and John to the people who accepted the word of God so to make them complete and fully Christian.

Upon arriving, the scriptures tell us that Peter and John wasted little time going to work and carrying out Jesus’ call to make new disciples. Notice what they did first.

They prayed for the new believers to receive the Holy Spirit.

I can’t emphasize enough how critical this is for those who are actively going about Jesus’ call to share the Gospel. Why would we do anything else except join together with the person seeking Christ and enter into communion with our Lord? Is there any better way to connect the prospective believer’s heart to the true Author of their salvation so that they may in turn receive His gift of the Holy Spirit?

As we are following in the footsteps of Peter and John, let us always remember to pray first with those who are expressing a desire to become Christians.

After praying, we read where Peter and John placed their hands on the new believers and imparted the power of the Holy Spirit upon them.

Think about this for a moment.

These were two ordinary men, men that had no extraordinary abilities when Jesus called them. They were fishermen who lived their life and gained their living from the sea, catching the fish that would frequent the Sea of Galilee.

And then Jesus came along and promised them that they could be so much more. They could fish for people and a little more than three years later, after spending so much time with Jesus on the ministry road, they now were fulfilling their discipleship potential, the potential their Master saw in them before they saw it in themselves.            

The end result was that the people who believed in Jesus received the Holy Spirit and were immediately marked with His seal of redemption, gaining their piece of inheritance in the glorious heavenly kingdom of our Lord. Their salvation was made complete through the power of the Savior they believed in as He worked through His two fishers of men, Peter and John.

Today, we all have the same chance to be fishers of men (and women) ourselves, the help other complete their salvation transformation. Jesus has called us to this work and He ready to empower us to first pray with others and then facilitate the Holy Spirit coming upon them so that they may seal their place in glory by becoming heirs to the very kingdom of God.

Perhaps there is no greater work we can undertake in life and there is no argument that there isn’t any more important work we can do than to work for the cause of Christ or Savior.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
Send any prayer requests to Gods4all@aol.com