At some point most of us have realized after a meeting or presentation that we left something out—like there was an important point to make, and it slipped your mind. I felt like that as soon as I sat down after Sunday’s sermon! Here’s what I wish I realized at the time, and why it’s so important to remember:
I mentioned how in Luke the disciples have a hard time grasping what Jesus taught them about wealth and status (as we all do). However, in Acts we see a huge shift. Suddenly they’re selling their possessions and pouring their lives out as the church grows. What changed? As I said Sunday, they had seen their Lord humble himself all the way to death, and they had seen him rise from the dead and ascend to heaven. In other words, they saw Jesus live out what he taught, and they realized that the reward the risen Jesus offered them was greater than anything they could get in this life. That’s all true, but here’s something crucial that I left out…
Pentecost. Yes, the disciples saw Jesus suffer, die, rise, and ascend. They had Jesus’ example, and the promises of his return, but they didn’t have the power to actually follow him until the Holy Spirit was poured out. You can think of Pentecost as the birth of the church—when God breathes Jesus’ resurrection life into the lives of Jesus’ followers. The results in Acts 2:42-47 were immediate—thousands of people heard the gospel and believed, and these new Christians were growing in knowledge and love. One of the chief evidences of this growth was their care for the poor, and their willingness to part with their worldly goods to help anyone in need.
Our experience of the Holy Spirit may not be as spectacular as Pentecost, but his presence and power in us is just as real. That’s part of the beauty of Jesus’ parable in Luke 17:5-10. There’s no reward to chase after, because everything has already been given. Our Lord became a servant to bring us to the master’s table as sons and daughters, and he sent us out to follow him as servants in the world. He also poured out his Spirit so we could be empowered for that calling, and so we ourselves could be transformed into the image of our Lord. If that’s true, then we are free to love, give, and serve without worrying about what we might lose. The gift we have received cannot be taken away from us, and it makes all the wealth, status, and power in the world seem like nothing in comparison. Praise God for the gift of the Spirit. May he who fills us with Christ’s life plant this truth deep in our hearts.
Justin+