You Don’t Have to Have an Apostle
Note from Jesus Dear Disciple, I appointed My apostles as My emissaries to the world. I commissioned them to take My message everywhere to everyone. The original apostles, except for Judas, of course, had all seen Me alive after My resurrection. They knew with certainty that the Father had raised Me from the dead. I entrusted them with authority to lead My early church. They mentored others to speak My message. They did signs and wonders to confirm their message about Me. My apostles were a special group. That being said, I want you to realize something that is very significant to your faith. You don’t have to have a living apostle personally teach you for you to have received the truth. Living thousands of years after My resurrection and after the death of the last of My apostles, I know there are times when you long to be able to witness Me do miracles and teach the crowds. I know you would love to know an eyewitness and an apostle personally. But, dear child of the Father, you need to be confident that you have received and believed the truth. The apostle Paul made clear what this message of truth is when he wrote the Corinthians: Let me remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news that I preached to you when we first met. It’s the essential message that you have taken to heart, the central story you now base your life on; and through this gospel, you are liberated — unless, of course, your faith has come to nothing. For I passed down to you the crux of it all which I had also received from others, that the Anointed One, the Liberating King, died for our sins and was buried and raised from the dead on the third day. All this happened to fulfill the Scriptures; it was the perfect climax to God’s covenant story. Afterward He appeared alive to Cephas (you may know him as Simon Peter), then to the rest of the twelve. If that were not amazing enough, on one occasion, He appeared to more than 500 believers at one time. Many of those brothers and sisters are still around to tell the story, though some have fallen asleep in Jesus. Soon He appeared to James, His brother and the leader of the Jerusalem church, and then to all the rest of the emissaries He Himself commissioned. Last of all, He appeared to me… (1 Corinthians 15:1-8) Paul reiterated these same basic principles when writing to the Christians in Rome about the gospel and baptism: Did someone forget to tell you that when we were initiated into Jesus the Anointed through baptism’s… washing, we entered into His death? Therefore, we were buried with Him through this baptism into death so that just as God the Father, in all His glory, resurrected the Anointed One [Jesus Christ], we, too, might walk confidently out of the grave into a new life. To put it another way: if we have been united with Him to share in a death like His, don’t you understand that we will also share in His resurrection? We know this: whatever we used to be with our old sinful ways has been nailed to His cross. So our entire record of sin has been canceled, and we no longer have to bow down to sin’s power. A dead man, you see, cannot be bound by sin. But if we have died with the Anointed One, we believe that we shall also live together with Him. So we stand firm in the conviction that death holds no power over God’s Anointed because He was resurrected from the dead never to face death again. When He died, He died to whatever power sin had, once and for all, and now He lives completely to God. So here is how to picture yourself now that you have been initiated into Jesus the Anointed: you are dead to sin’s power and influence, but you are alive to God’s rule. (Romans 6:3-11) Paul emphasized that this message, this good news, should not be compromised by anyone. This simple message is still the gospel that you must believe in your day. It does not need some special new novel knowledge, fresh revelation, or deep philosophical additions to make it true, relevant, and effective. What makes My message trustworthy in every generation is the content of the message. However, people in the first century struggled with this gospel being so simple and clear, just as some struggle to accept it in your day. This struggling was a problem for the people in My church in Colossae. Paul had not preached the gospel there. They heard the message from one of their own, a man named Epaphras. Since he was one of them, he was no one special in their minds. Some false teachers inserted themselves into My church in Colossae. They taught certain forms of asceticism (denying the body and only eating certain foods), celebration of some days as more special than others, and worshiping angels, and they claimed to have secret wisdom that was necessary to be a spiritual person. Since the Colossians had not received their message from an apostle, they thought maybe they hadn’t heard the whole gospel. They were being persuaded away from the gospel Epaphras had taught them. Paul specifically addressed the problem this way: Make sure no predator makes you his prey through some misleading philosophy and empty deception based on traditions fabricated by mere mortals. These are sourced in the elementary principles originating in this world and not in the Anointed One (so don’t let their talks capture you). (Colossians 2:8) I want to warn you about the same kind of danger. There is a dangerous hunger in the fallen human appetite for something new and secret. Satan and his false teaching partners prey on people using this fallen appetite. Don’t be misled by the faddish practices endorsed by
Today’s Verse – Romans 8:13-14
For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. —Romans 8:13-14 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Living a life of purity is a daily battle, an ongoing war between our flesh and the Spirit of God working to re-create us to be like Christ. Without the power of the Spirit, our willpower eventually fails. But because of the Spirit’s power at work within us, we can overcome our failures in the flesh and progress toward our goal of Christlikeness (Colossians 1:28-29), which the Holy Spirit assures (2 Corinthians 3:17-18). We choose to live by the power of the Holy Spirit as the children of God and those destined to share in his glory because of his grace to us in Jesus and Jesus pouring the Holy Spirit out on us and into us (Titus 3:3-7)! My Prayer… Forgive me, Father, for the times when I’ve willingly let my flesh win out over the call of your Spirit. Thank you for cleansing me with the Spirit’s holy fire and drawing me onward to be more like my Savior. Today, I intentionally offer you my heart for the Holy Spirit to empower me past sin as the Spirit molds me to be more and more like Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Bedrock Belief
Note from Jesus Dear Disciple, All religions, in fact, all worldviews including those couched in the language of unbelief, are built on a belief in something. This something may be an idea, a theory, an ideology, an explanation, a feeling, a skepticism, a method, or other things. However, I want you to realize two truths that Paul reveals in the verses that you are to read today: The basic Christian faith, the good news about Me, is very straightforward and easy to understand. Believing that good news might be hard, but understanding what you must believe is very clear. Christian faith hinges on My resurrection from the dead. My resurrection was an event in history that was investigated and verified. It emboldened fearful and confused disciples to become powerful witnesses. They had no expectation of My resurrection, but then they met Me alive from the dead. They boldly confirmed My resurrection before the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council that had condemned Me to death. They then risked their lives to verify My resurrection to others all over the world, some ultimately becoming martyrs for what they proclaimed. Paul summarized this bedrock Christian faith with four truths, all culminating in My verified resurrection: I died for your sins as the Scriptures had prophesied. I was buried in a tomb. On the third day, I was raised from the dead just as the Scriptures had said. After My resurrection, I appeared to those who knew Me and thought I was still dead. Paul mentions some of these people by name and points out that some of them were still alive as witnesses to My resurrection. I also appeared to Paul, who was one of My fiercest opponents. Those appearances changed all of their lives forever. Paul made very clear to the Corinthians that these truths form the bedrock Christian gospel that is necessary for salvation. Notice the words below in bold to see how emphatically he makes this point. Paul’s summary sentence at the end of these verses adds emphasis to this claim of bedrock belief: In the end, it doesn’t matter whether it was I [Paul] or the other witnesses who brought you the message. What matters is that we keep preaching and that you have faith in this message. A few verses later he also made the unequivocal observation that “if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless…” (1 Corinthians 15:17 NLT). You must build your life of faith on the bedrock historical truth of My resurrection if you are going to be My disciple. Verses to Live Some people try to make faith depend on an elaborate set of principles that are difficult to understand. Paul reminded the Corinthians, and I am reminding you, that the bedrock truths of your faith are not difficult to understand. The challenge is found in believing these four truths and building your daily life upon them. Let me remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news that I [Paul] preached to you when we first met. It’s the essential message that you have taken to heart, the central story you now base your life on; and through this gospel, you are liberated [saved] — unless, of course, your faith has come to nothing. For I passed down to you the crux of it all which I had also received from others, that [Christ] the Anointed One, the Liberating King, died for our sins and was buried and raised from the dead on the third day. All this happened to fulfill the Scriptures; it was the perfect climax to God’s covenant story. Afterward He appeared alive to Cephas (you may know him as Simon Peter), then to the rest of the twelve. If that were not amazing enough, on one occasion, He appeared to more than 500 believers at one time. Many of those brothers and sisters are still around to tell the story, though some have fallen asleep in Jesus. Soon He appeared to James, His brother and the leader of the Jerusalem church, and then to all the rest of the emissaries He Himself commissioned. Last of all, He appeared to me; I was like a child snatched from his mother’s womb. You see, I am the least of all His emissaries, not fit to be called His emissary because I hunted down and persecuted God’s church. Today I am who I am because of God’s grace, and I have made sure that the grace He offered me has not been wasted. I have worked harder, longer, and smarter than all the rest; but I realize it is not me — it is God’s grace with me that has made the difference. In the end, it doesn’t matter whether it was I or the other witnesses who brought you the message. What matters is that we keep preaching and that you have faith in this message. (1 Corinthians 15:1-11) Response in Prayer Father, forgive me. Forgive me for getting distracted when I pursue theological tangents. Forgive me when I become distracted from what is important and make essential Christian doctrine so much more complicated than it has to be. Thank You for loving Me enough to have Jesus pay the price for My sins. Thank You that Jesus faced death and the realities of human frailty and mortality so that I can trust Him to help me when I face such difficult times. Thank You for raising Jesus from the dead and verifying His resurrection with human witnesses who were not expecting His resurrection and who first hid in fear when He died. I am emboldened to believe when I see how their fear turned into fearlessness because of their experience with the resurrected Jesus, in Whose name I pray. Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2024, Heartlight, Inc. ‘A Year with Jesus‘ is part of the Heartlight Network.All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Voice™. © 2008 by
Today’s Verse – John 8:12
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” —John 8:12 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… After stumbling around in the dark as I watered my yard recently, I decided it wasn’t worth the risk, so I found a flashlight so I wouldn’t meet any unexpected “critters” as I walked through old dead leaves, stepped in mulch-filled flower beds, and reached through the shrubbery to turn my faucets on and off. (I live in a wooded area with venomous snakes!) However, my joy over a flashlight to light my way at night is nothing compared to finding Jesus. Jesus, “the Light of the world,” is also my Light! He illuminates my heart on my darkest nights, my future with his coming glory, my path with his words of truth, and my hope with the dawning of each Sunday and its weekly reminder of Jesus’ triumph over the grave. Jesus is my “Light of life”: How about you? My Prayer… Father, dear precious and holy God, how can I ever thank you for the Light of my life? Until my face reflects the light of your glory from being in your eternal presence, Jesus will light my way through this dark world. Thank you for sending your Light so I could find your life! I praise and thank you in the name of Jesus, the Light of the world. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Build Up Each Other!
Note from Jesus Dear Beloved, I love those times when you lose yourself in worshipful praise as you are filled with the Holy Spirit. To see your heart moved in love to praise the Father for what I have done to save you is precious. You can worship Me and praise Me anywhere you are. You can be in your car, at a park, on a hike, at a coffee shop, in town walking, or at home getting ready to begin or end the day. Because of the Holy Spirit within you, you can always have access to the Father. Because of the Holy Spirit’s presence, you can passionately worship Me in any place or at any time. Because of the Holy Spirit’s dwelling within you, you can be blessed personally by your time of worship no matter where you are. However, I want you to hear Paul’s warning about being so focused on your own fulfillment in worship that you forget an essential purpose of coming together with other “believers” in shared worship. There are things you can do in your personal worship that bless you and connect you to Me that you should not do when assembled with others. Something the Spirit may lead you to do in personal worship may not bless others because they don’t understand it. Remember, you are assembling with “believers,” “unbelievers,” and “inquirers” who are all together in the worship gathering with different needs to know Me. They need to understand the Father’s grace and see you display My character and compassion in the way you treat them in that assembly and also in how you live your lives each day. In today’s verses, Paul makes clear that one of the primary purposes of “believers” gathering together in worship is to “build up” other “believers.” Notice “edify,” “strengthen,” and “build up” are keywords used in the translation below. In addition, what you do should lead non-believers to understand the message of truth and fall down with you in reverent worship offered to the Father. Notice these two statements of Paul in the verses below: Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church. … But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!” The Corinthian Christians had become so focused on speaking in tongues that their worship gatherings had become chaotic. Each person focused on his or her private experience and forgot about other worshipers and their needs. Paul twice emphasized that God is a God of order, and things must be done in an orderly way. Seven times Paul emphasized the need to “build up” and “edify” each other as disciples come together in worship. (See the words in bold in the verses below.) Paul even made a special point to emphasize objectives that are related to three different groups of people and that need to be considered in these worship gatherings: He reminds the Corinthians that “believers” should be built up. He emphasizes that “inquirers” should be able to understand what is said. He says that even “unbelievers” should be able to hear, understand, and be convicted so that they can join in the worship. Paul then gave several key guidelines for them to use. These guidelines are equally relevant today: Strive to do what is not only filled with the Spirit but also understandable and intelligible to others. If folks can’t understand what you are doing, then you should enjoy that kind of worship in private between you and Us — Father, Son, and Spirit — or do so privately and to yourself in your worship gatherings. Focus on the needs of others when you are gathered together as “believers” and there are “unbelievers” and “inquirers” present. Help those who are present and worshiping with you to understand the good news found in Me, to turn their lives around and worship Me, and to be blessed and built up to live for Me. Eagerly desire spiritual gifts, but recognize that your gifts should be used to build up all who are present or should be practiced privately and celebrated between you and Us. Remember the most important principle of all. As Paul said it: “Follow the way of love…” Verses to Live Before focusing on Paul’s words to the Corinthians, I wanted to share a special passage that reminds you of an essential focus of the Christian assembly: considering others and inspiring each other to love and good deeds! Let us consider how to inspire each other to greater love and to righteous deeds, not forgetting to gather as a community, as some have forgotten, but encouraging each other, especially as the day of His return approaches. (Hebrews 10:24-25) Paul’s words to the Corinthians provide a great example of applying these principles: Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy. For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit. But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort. Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church. I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be edified. Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction? Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the
Today’s Verse – Romans 8:11
And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. —Romans 8:11 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… The Holy Spirit doesn’t just empower us now (Ephesians 3:14-21) — for sure, he does provide us power and strength, insight and guidance — but the Holy Spirit’s work is not just powerful now, giving life to our “mortal bodies”. The Spirit is also our guarantee for our future (2 Corinthians 1:22; 5:5) and our assurance that we will see God face to face (1 John 3:1-2) and share in his glory (Colossians 3:1-4). The Spirit is alive in us “as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies,” and promises us life that never will end in the presence of the Father, and with the Son, because of the Holy Spirit. My Prayer… O God and Father of all nations and races, thank you for your Spirit who is my guarantee that you will raise me from the dead and empowers me right now. As I look forward to that great day, I know I will join Jesus in your presence forever. So, dear Father, I praise you in Jesus’ name, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, I thank you as I anticipate that great day and live for you today. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
A More Excellent Way!
Note from Jesus Dear Precious One, Some words are simply more important than others. In the human vocabulary that We — Father, Son, and Spirit — use, one word stands above all others: love. Our nature is love — as John beautifully stated: [A]nyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love — not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us. (1 John 4:8-12 NLT) I came to earth to walk among you and share your mortality because of Our love. We came to your world to save you from what is broken and dying so we can redeem both you and your world (John 3:16-17; 1 John 3:16-18; Romans 8:22-25). While I lived among you, I taught you that the whole law could be summed up in two love commands: Love God with all that you are and love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:36-40). I demonstrated love with what I did in My life (John 13:1-5) and in My death (Romans 5:6-11; 1 John 3:16). I called on you, again and again, to love each other showing the fruit of the Father’s loving grace in your own dealings with each other (John 15:9-13). Our example of love is the basis of what the apostle Paul told new Christians in Thessalonica: Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. And in fact, you do love all of God’s family… Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more,… (1 Thessalonians 4:9-10 NIV) The last verses below from the apostle Paul — chapter 13 of 1 Corinthians — are some of his most famous and celebrated words. Many people call these words the love chapter of the Bible. However, I want you to realize that these words were written to a church where spiritual gifts were being misused because of pride and rivalry. Notice the words Paul uses to set up his teaching, which he points out is “a more excellent way” and leads to “the greater gifts”: Are all members gifted as emissaries [apostles]? Are all gifted with prophetic utterance? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Or are all gifted in healing arts? Do all speak or interpret unknown languages? Of course not. Pursue the greater gifts, and let me tell you of a more excellent way — love. (1 Corinthians 12:29-31) Paul is making clear that no matter how talented, rich, smart, generous, spiritual, or gifted in other ways you are, without doing what you do in love, your giftedness means nothing. People fuss, fight, and divide My body, the church, over things that are temporary. And the result is they end up neglecting the things that really matter — faith, hope, and love — and especially the one thing that matters most: LOVE! Verses to Live What Paul says here is not only true, but it also is essential for you as My disciple. You must be loving. But also remember that you cannot love others fully and sacrificially on your own power. Loving others must be your commitment, but you can also turn to Us and ask for Our help to live this way of love. We will supply you with the power to love! So I give you this promise, through the words of Paul: When our characters are refined, we learn what it means to hope and anticipate God’s goodness. And hope will never fail to satisfy our deepest need because the Holy Spirit that was given to us has flooded our hearts with God’s love. (Romans 5:4-5) Now carefully read, consider, and commit to applying this beautiful teaching from the apostle Paul! What if I speak in the most elegant languages of people or in the exotic languages of the heavenly messengers, but I live without love? Well then, anything I say is like the clanging of brass or a crashing cymbal. What if I have the gift of prophecy, am blessed with knowledge and insight to all the mysteries, or what if my faith is strong enough to scoop a mountain from its bedrock, yet I live without love? If so, I am nothing. I could give all that I have to feed the poor, I could surrender my body to be burned as a martyr, but if I do not live in love, I gain nothing by my selfless acts. Love is patient; love is kind. Love isn’t envious, doesn’t boast, brag, or strut about. There’s no arrogance in love; it’s never rude, crude, or indecent — it’s not self-absorbed. Love isn’t easily upset. Love doesn’t tally wrongs or celebrate injustice; but truth — yes, truth — is love’s delight! Love puts up with anything and everything that comes along; it trusts, hopes, and endures no matter what. Love will never become obsolete. Now as for the prophetic gifts, they will not last; unknown languages will become silent, and the gift of knowledge will no longer be needed. Gifts of knowledge and prophecy are partial at best, at least for now, but when the perfection and fullness of God’s kingdom arrive, all the parts will end. When I was a child, I spoke, thought, and reasoned in childlike ways as we all do. But when I became a man, I left my childish ways behind. For now, we can only see a dim and blurry picture of
Today’s Verse – John 8:10-11
Jesus straightened up and asked [the woman caught in the act of adultery], “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” —John 8:10-11 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Forgiveness is wonderful when it leads to a life change that honors the LORD. Jesus came to call us from sin and into his presence. When we turn our back on our previous sins and let him remove our shame and condemnation, he is greatly pleased and we are wonderfully blessed. He gave us grace to not only be forgiven of our past sins but also to call us away from that sin and into a life of productive service, service which he planned for us and designed us to do (Ephesians 2:1-10). We are not just saved FROM something horrible; we are saved FOR something wonderful! My Prayer… O LORD my God, you are holy and gracious in all your ways. So, dear Father, please transform my heart and life so I can live in your divine will. Please give me the assurance of forgiveness, confidence in my deliverance from shame, and courage in my future with you so I can leave my sin behind and embrace the life of productive service you have prepared for me to do. In Jesus’ name, I ask you for your gracious and unlimited power to mold my heart and shape my life into a clearer reflection of Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Gifted by the Spirit
Note from Jesus Dear Precious Believer, You became a child of the Father when you turned your heart and life to follow Me, called on Me in faith to be your Savior, confessed Me as your Lord, and shared in My death, burial, and resurrection through baptism (Romans 10:9-13; Acts 2:21; Acts 2:36-41; Acts 16:25-34; Galatians 3:26-29). I poured out the Holy Spirit upon you as you were born into a new life with Me — a life filled and led by the Spirit (Acts 2:38-39; Titus 3:3-7; Romans 8:9-10). As a beloved child of your Father in heaven, you are a gifted child. The Holy Spirit is alive in you. We — Father, Son, and Spirit — have given you spiritual gifts to use to bless other believers, to touch the lost and needy, and to bring Us glory. Today, your verses come from 1 Corinthians where Paul talks to the Corinthians about their spiritual gifts. So I wanted to share several insights with you about spiritual gifts and what the New Testament teaches you about these gifts. Numerous passages in your New Testament talk about your having received these gifts. Each passage has a little bit of a different emphasis: Each of you is given gifts to use as part of My body, so use them without arrogance and with gracious commitment (Romans 12:3-8) Each of you has at least one spiritual gift, but don’t use your gift pridefully. Instead, recognize that each gift is important to the function of My body, the church, so use your gift in love to build up the church and to bless others. If your gift is to be used in your worship assemblies, use it in an orderly way to build up and bless others (1 Corinthians 12:1-30; 1 Corinthians 14:1-40). I gave gifts to help the church function as My bodily presence, so use your gifts — use equipping gifts to help others minister and use serving gifts to bring My grace to others. When you each use your gifts appropriately, then My church is matured more and more into My likeness to bring My grace to those around you (Ephesians 4:7-16). There are speaking gifts and serving gifts. Use your speaking gifts to speak My message and use your serving gifts and the strength that I supply to bless others as I would bless them (1 Peter 4:10-11). Doctor Luke, Paul’s sometimes companion, wrote two books in your New Testament, Luke’s gospel and Acts. His gospel emphasized how the Holy Spirit was at work in My earthly ministry so that you can see the connection between My ministry and your ministry — both are empowered by the Holy Spirit. Before I ascended into clouds and returned to the Father, I made this promise: [Y]ou [the apostles] will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere — in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8 NLT) In Peter’s sermon on Pentecost, a similar promise was made to all disciples: Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away — all who have been called by the Lord our God.” (Acts 2:38-39 NLT) Throughout the book of Acts, Luke emphasized how the Holy Spirit helped My disciples take My good news to all the world, beginning from Jerusalem, going throughout Judea, reaching out to Samaria, and then reaching to the ends of the earth. Not only did the Holy Spirit empower My disciples to share My story, but the Spirit also confirmed that different groups had been accepted into My family. The Spirit’s presence demonstrated that these different groups should be included in the fellowship of My disciples. This imparting of the Spirit happened first with Jews at Pentecost when the Spirit came to the apostles in a very demonstrable way. The Spirit’s coming also showed that I was alive from the dead and had authorized what occurred that day. The apostles’ preaching promised that forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit were available to everyone who answered My call to believe that I AM both Lord and Christ and to be baptized in My name (Acts 2:32-41). My disciples were a little slow to realize that when I commissioned them to go to all nations (Matthew 28:16-20), I meant it. At first, they were taking My message just to Jewish people. So I sent a disciple named Philip to Samaria to go to people that Jews didn’t appreciate: Samaritans (Acts 8:4-8). However, when these precious Samaritans were baptized, they didn’t receive the Spirit until a group of apostles came from Jerusalem and laid hands on them. Then, I sent the Holy Spirit in a clearly recognizable way to these Samaritan believers to show My apostles, along with the rest of My Jewish disciples, that Samaritan believers must be included in My family of grace. The Spirit’s coming showed the Jewish disciples that they must accept these Samaritan believers as brothers and sisters (Acts 8:14-17; Acts 8:25). Still, most of the world, especially the non-Jewish world, had not heard My message and had not been included in My family. To help My apostles and the Jewish people in Jerusalem realize that all people should be included in My Family, I sent a vision to the apostle Peter to show him that he should share My grace with Gentiles (Acts 10:1-43). To show Peter that these Gentile believers should be included in My family by faith and that he must baptize them, I sent the Holy Spirit to the household of Cornelius in a way that Peter recognized — Cornelius and his household received the Spirit
Today’s Verse – Romans 8:9
You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. —Romans 8:9 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… We show who is in control of our lives by how we live. Do we live as children of God? Then we show we are submitting to the leadership of the Holy Spirit! We show our relationship as children of the Father by living with his character in our world. We trust the Holy Spirit to help us become transformed (2 Corinthians 3:18) to be more like Jesus, our older brother (Romans 8:14-17; Hebrews 2:14-18) as we display the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). So, let’s live under the control of the Spirit — obeying the Spirit’s inspired Word in the Scriptures and following the Spirit’s lead in our daily lives. In this way, we can show and share Jesus in all we say and do! Video Commentary… ToGather Worship Guide | More ToGather Videos My Prayer… Dear Father, please help me display Jesus’ beauty, grace, and holiness in my life. May I demonstrate the Holy Spirit’s leading, power, and fruit in all I do each day? I ask for this grace as I pray in Jesus’ name and under his authority. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.