Power in the Spirit

Introduction

Have you ever run a marathon? Neither have I, but I have spent some time running. When I was in college I was a part of the ROTC. And we would have to run two miles every semester for our physical fitness test. The problem was I really didn’t run much. Actually I really didn’t run at all. And on top of that I smoked. So when I had to run two miles in 18 minutes it took at lot out of me. I mean my energy was gone. I had no power. I was completely weak. Have you ever felt like that? Have you ever felt that you had no energy at all?

This was what Jesus’ disciples were feeling as they sat in the upper room in Jerusalem. They had just been on a three year sprint. They had followed Jesus on a marathon mission journey throughout Palestine. They had been with him on his last days on earth. They had seen him arrested. He was tortured and crucified. They were there when he rose from the grave and had walked with him for 40 days. Then they watched him ascend to heaven. To say they were tired was an understatement.

In fact as they sat in that upper room they were completely exhausted. They didn’t have the energy to join their fellow Jews in celebrating the feast of first harvest, Pentecost. Much less to go in the streets and spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. They sat there exhausted and waiting.

Then something happened. Something that was un expected. Suddenly a rushing wind came upon them in that room where they were huddled. We read that it came upon them like tongues of fire. And suddenly they were given the power. They were given the power to spread the Gospel in ways that they could only imagine. And the same power that was offered to the disciples when they were completely spent is the power that is offered to us when we embrace our weakness. But what exactly did the Spirit give to the disciples and how does that power enliven us?

The Spirit helps us Love Christ

We are by nature selfish creatures

It is possible to love others without Christ but not in a deep sacrificial way

We love people because what they give to us or how they make us feel

Jesus’s disciples were selfish

Peter wanted to share in Christs glory

James and John wanted a seat at the right hand

Judas wanted the money that accompanied him

Jesus’s disciples made idols out of many things

The only way to fully love Christ is through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit

On Pentecost the Spirit gave them the power to love Christ

They no longer thought of themselves but of Christ and his mission.

The Spirit helps us Keep Christ’s Commandments

We are by nature sinful creatures

No matter how much we try to be good we always slip up

Might not be in a big way

It could be something small like a little white lie

It could be stealing something small

It could be unintentionally hurting someone

Or it could making an idol out of something

Out nature makes us slip up

Jesus promises that he will send another to “help” us.

The word that we translate as helper or advocate is actually a legal term

It is used for one who will help us in court

either to speak for us or to keep us straight.

Jesus promising the Spirit is a promise to send one who will not only speak for us but help us to stay on the straight and narrow.

The Spirit is the one who guides us to follow God’s directions.

It is the Spirit that transforms us.

The Spirit helps us Spread Christ’s Message

Before Pentecost the disciples couldn’t spread Jesus’ message

They were afraid

they saw their leader crucified as a revolutionary

They did not have the ability

they were not orators

They only spoke two languages Aramaic and bad Aramaic

many were outcasts

They did not have the understanding

When Jesus taught they were often slow to understand his message - Luke 18:34

Luke 18:34 NIV

The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about.

The Holy Spirit changed that on Pentecost

The Spirit made them bold

The Spirit gave them the ability

Gave them the ability to speak

Gave them the language

The Spirit gave them the understanding

Conclusion

We learn from the disciples example that living a life fully devoted to God is only possible through the power of the Holy Spirit. It is through the Spirit that we are given the power to fully love Christ. To put him first above all else. It was through the power of the Holy Spirit that they were able to follow Christ completely, to keep God’s direction in their lives. And it was through the power of the Spirit that they were able to live out Christ’s mission for their lives. To spread the good news. When they surrendered to the Spirit they were able to speak so everyone would understand and they were able to speak so eloquently that 3000 were added to their numbers that day.

We can only hope to do any of these things through the power of the Holy Spirit. But first we must be willing to surrender ourselves to his work. If we are willing to surrender ourselves to the Holy Spirit then we will be able to fully live the life that God intends for us, spreading his Good News, obeying his commandments, and loving him fully. Let us pray.