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In Christ, Mark
In Christ, Mark
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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
“Here is My servant, whom I uphold,
My chosen one in whom I delight; I will put My Spirit on Him.
Isaiah 42:1
This ends this
reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Yesterday, in the first of this
eleven part series on Jesus, God’s Son and perfect Servant, we saw where God delighted
in His Son who He had chosen to serve and save the world and all His people in
it. God professed as such on at least two occasions as He referred to Jesus as
the One who He was well pleased with. You may recall that the only way that we,
God’s chosen servants here on earth, can live a life that is likewise pleasing
to God, a life that is ever in His favor, is to live as His Son did, the One
who was the only perfect servant.
But how do we do that exactly? How can
we ensure that we can serve as Jesus served, modeling His life of selfless
sacrifice unto others?
The answer is through the Holy
Spirit, the Holy Spirit that God provided through Jesus, the perfect servant,
the Holy Spirit that God the Father placed on Him (Isaiah 42:1).
The first disciples had a
first-hand look at how Jesus lived. After all, He had chosen them and they
accompanied Him during His ministry journeys. They listened to His many
teachings, some in the presence of others, sometimes in privacy with Jesus.
They witnessed His many miraculous works whether it was healings or ridding
people of evil spirits or feeding thousands with just a little or calming
stormy seas with just a wave of His hands and a command. And they even received
a portion of the power Jesus had as He delegated some of His authority so they
could go out and heal others and drive out demons (Matthew 10:1).
Yes, when Jesus walked the earth,
He served with power and passed some of that power to His chosen followers to
aid Him. But Jesus didn’t remain a man in this world forever. Sadly, His time
here came to an end but not before He set things in place so that His work
could continue and do so in His power and name.
How did He do it?
He did it through the Holy Spirit
who God imparted on His believers after He ascended to sit at His Father’s right
hand where He would reign and rule with full authority over all creation as the
King of kings and Lord of lords. Look at these passages:
“I baptize you with
water for repentance. But after me comes One who is more powerful than I, whose
sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and
fire.” Matthew 3:11
“All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the
Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things
and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” John 14:25-26
On one occasion, while He was eating with them, He gave them this
command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised,
which you have heard Me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few
days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
Then they gathered around Him and asked Him, “Lord, are you at this
time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the
Father has set by His own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy
Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all
Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
After He said this, He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud
hid Him from their sight. Acts 1:4-9
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly
a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the
whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire
that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with
the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:1-4a
The Holy Spirit came to this world
and has been here ever since, guiding the thoughts, words, and actions of all
who would place their faith, hope, and trust in Jesus; in other words,
Christians, or those who are to be committed to live as Jesus lived, making His
thoughts their thoughts, His words their words, and His actions their actions.
We simply cannot live a genuine life that reflects the one our Savior lived
without the Advocate God sent to illuminate His word, way, and will while
directing us to that end, the Advocate that allows us to authentically live and
love and serve in Jesus’ precious and holy name.
Friends, we need to reflect an
attitude of consistent praise and thanksgiving for the Holy Spirit, the One who
keeps us connected to Jesus, the One who brings His words and ways to life
within us so that we can model and mimic them in the way we serve others. I
know these devotions could never happen without the words the Spirit gives me
to type, words meant to inspire and instruct us to live as better servants who
seek to make a difference in the name of Christ.
Amen.
In
Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com
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