2023-05-28 A Powerless Saviour

A while ago I wanted to make some toast. I put the toaster on the counter, put a couple of pieces of bread in and pushed down the lever. Up it popped. I tried a few times and couldn’t get it to stay down. I thought, “Oh brother, now our toaster is shot, and we’ll have to buy a new one.” Then, I noticed I hadn’t plugged it in. Turns out it worked fine when it was plugged in! Problem solved. Believe it or not, a toaster needs electrical power in order to work! No electrical power, no toast.

When Jesus was here on earth, he displayed enormous power. We know he healed lepers, blind men, deaf people, a woman whose menstruation never stopped, multiple invalids and countless other people. He delivered people from demons many times, casting them out with a simple word, including a man with a legion of them. He turned water into wine, calmed the storm on the sea of Galilee, turned a few loaves and fish into enough food for over 5000 people, walked on water and raised Lazarus from the dead. Clearly, Jesus displayed incredible power, never mind his ability to know what other people were thinking. How did Jesus heal, cast out demons and perform nature miracles? Where did he get his power from?

I don’t know about you, but I’ve always just assumed it was simple, that he did these things because he was the Son of God, that it was because he was divine. As Christians, we certainly do believe that Jesus is divine, that he is and was God in in the flesh. We celebrate this every year at Christmas. But there are two aspects to what we celebrate at Christmas. One is that Jesus came down, he left heaven and came to us. But the second part, the unexplainable part is that we believe that he became human. This is stated clearly in Philippians 2:6-8. (read) (blank) Scholars believe that Paul didn’t write vv6-11. They believe Paul is simply quoting an early Christian hymn from memory. What it states clearly is that Jesus, being God, “made himself nothing by taking on the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” What does this mean? None of us have the power to calm storms. None of us can lay our hands on people and heal them. None of us can, in our own power, cast out demons. We are powerless. Did Jesus lay aside his own power in order to become a human? And if so, what does that mean for us?

Baptism of the Spirit

When did Jesus begin to do his miracles? It came at a very specific time in his life. Luke 2:21-22 says, “When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.’” It is only after this infilling of the Holy Spirit that Jesus began his ministry. Before his baptism, Jesus didn’t heal anyone, cast out any demons or do any nature miracles. None. I don’t know for certain if he couldn’t but chose not to, or what the case is. I do know that he didn’t until the Holy Spirit descended on him. During his first 30 years he saw plenty of people who were sick, many he knew personally, and he will have seen many who were demon possessed. He didn’t heal them or cast out their demons. It sure appears that the coming of the Spirit made a big difference in Jesus’ life. Even though he was a perfect man and had never sinned, he didn’t do any miraculous things until the Sprit came. As far as anyone around him knew, he was just an ordinary man. Interesting.

There are two other aspects of Jesus words and life that I want to draw attention to. It seems to me that both of them had a bearing on his miracle working.

Time With His Father

The first is Jesus’ pattern going to lonely places to pray. This began immediately after his baptism. Luke 4:1,2 says, “Jesus full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days and at the end of them he was hungry.”

There are a few things I want to point out. Jesus was noticeably full of the Holy Spirit and the Spirit let him into the wilderness. The purpose was for Jesus to overcome the temptation of Satan. No mention is made of prayer. But, in Jewish circles and integral part of fasting was prayer, so it’s a pretty safe assumption that he did. What comes right after the 40-day fast? The temptations of Satan. Satan came to him when he was at his weakest. But he also came when he was at his strongest. Why do I say strongest? He had just spent 40 days with his Father in prayer. After the temptation we read this, V14 – “Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside.” He was noticeably different after spending 40 days praying and fasting. Everyone knew he was empowered by the Spirit.

All through Jesus’ ministry years, right up until the night before he died, Jesus would get off by himself to pray. Why did he pray? Two reasons, to spend time with his Father and to gain his leading. Mark 1:35 says, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” The next few verses tell us that everyone was looking for Jesus, but after his time in prayer he told his disciples that it was time for them to move on to another village. Later, in Luke 6:12-16 we read this. (read) (blank) Jesus needed the wisdom of his Father in choosing the twelve disciples.

To catch how much of a pattern this was for Jesus, look at Luke 5:15, 16. Jesus had just healed a man with leprosy, despite Jesus’ plea that his miracles be kept secret “the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” Everyone wanted a piece of him. He needed time with his Father in order to have enough to give everyone. The only way that Jesus could keep up his frenetic pace of ministry was to spend time with his Father in fellowship and prayer. This lines completely up with what Jesus said repeatedly in John.

In John 5:19 he healed the invalid at the Pool of Siloam in Jerusalem on the Sabbath and gave this answer to the Jewish leaders, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” Then in v17 “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does, the Son also does.”

Later, in John 5:30 he said, “By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.”

And in John 8:28-29 he said, “‘When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me, The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.’”

In John 14:8-11 Jesus said, “I am in the Father and the Father is in me.”

Why could the man, Jesus, do the miracles he did? It’s because he was empowered with the Holy Spirit, fully submitted himself to the Father, and pursued a deep relationship with him.

And guess what, Jesus promised the same thing for us.

Empowered for Ministry

In John 14:12-14 Jesus says, “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” (blank)

Did you catch what Jesus said? “whoever believes in me”. He wasn’t just talking about the initial 12 or the 72 that he sent out and gave power over demonic spirits. Whoever believes in Jesus will do the works of Jesus! That’s us! What did Jesus do? He taught, he healed, he cast out demons and he had power over nature. What did the disciples do after Jesus died, rose again and ascended to his Father? They spoke in tongues, taught, healed the sick, cast out demons and even raised the dead like Jesus! What enabled them to do these things? The same thing that enabled Jesus to do these things.

Filled With the Spirit

They were filled with the Spirit of God, and they took time to remain connected to Jesus, their vine. Today is Pentecost, the Jewish festival of weeks that comes 50 days after Passover/Easter in our case. We read about it in Acts 2. It was read for scripture reading earlier. It’s an amazing passage. I won’t read all of it again, but I will read v17-18 again, part of the prophesy of Joel. (read) (blank) Guess which days we’re in? The last days. I have never spoken in tongues, I have asked God to give me that gift if he so wished, it hasn’t happened. Yet. But I have been filled with the Spirit, many times over the years and in a powerful way a month ago.

(Tell story of emptiness in Fall, going to the Soul Care conference – April 13-15.)

The filling of the Spirit is something that Paul commands. In Ephesians 5:18 he says, “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.” In other words, arrange your life in such a way so that the Spirit can fill you.

Requirements to be Filled

The first requirement is to submit to God. The Spirit cannot totally fill you unless you submit your entire life to him. Don’t hold anything back. This takes radical faith. If he says go, go. If he says stay, stay. Obedience is hard. Jesus of course is our supreme example. He always perfectly obeyed his Father. He always did what the Father asked him to do. None of us are like that. That’s why we need to also do the second requirement. (blank)

The second that enabled them to do the things Jesus did is to keep short accounts. Forgive those who have sinned against you. “Confess your sins one to another so that you can be healed.” We cannot be filled with the Spirit if we are bitter, or we have unconfessed sin. King Saul, the first king of Israel sinned against God by not obeying his command and 1 Samuel 16:14 says “the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul.” Remember when David committed adultery and arranged for Uriah to be killed in battle. After the prophet Nathan confronted him, David repented and wrote Psalm 51. Verse 10 says, “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast Spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” (blank)

This week I sinned against Corrina and God by looking at images online I shouldn’t have. I did not obey the Spirit’s leading. I knew what I should do and did the opposite. As it always is, it was depressing to fall and deeply discouraging. But there is a way out and I want to be restored to God and for his Spirit to not leave me, so I repented, confessed my sin to Corrina and to God. Believe me, once you have a taste of the Spirit you want more, not less. It’s like a river of the water of life welling up inside you. But you cannot experience the continual filling of the Spirit unless you repent of your sin and forgive those who have sinned against you.

The third requirement is to pursue him for his sake. That’s what I began to do last Fall. Remember what John 15:5 says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” Hold up your hands palm up. What’s in your hands? Nothing. That’s what you can do apart from Jesus. Jesus says we need to remain in him. What does that look like? Spend time with him. Fast and pray. I’m still pretty poor at it, but I am growing. Since the beginning of Lent in late February I have fasted breakfast and lunch one day most weeks. I think I’m drawing closer to God as a result. Certainly, when I fast, I sense God’s presence more. I’m pursuing him.

Dr. Reimer says you can have as much of Jesus as you want if you’re willing to pay the price. Without God’s presence in our lives, we can do nothing of value. (blank)

Conclusion

Jesus was our supreme example. He was filled with the Spirit at his baptism kept in constant fellowship with his Father. He took the time in his crazy busy schedule to connect with the Father and to hear his Father’s direction. He was the branch, and the Father was his vine. As long as he remained connected to his Father, the Spirit could empower him to do all the ministry that he did.

Jesus said, “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” The disciples kept right on doing the things Jesus did after they were filled with the Spirit. Instead of one person doing these things, it was hundreds. Today, instead of hundred’s it’s hundred’s of millions of Christians doing the things Jesus did. Jesus was right, we are doing greater things than he did.

Do you want to do the things Jesus did? He promised you that you could. He has given you his Spirit to lead and guide you and would love to give you a greater experience of being filled with the Spirit. Jesus invites you to remain in him, to take time to hang out with him, to pursue him through reading his word, fellowship with other believers and fasting and prayer. Pursue him with your whole heart.