46AD. That was the year, according to biblical scholars, Paul and Barnabas began their first missionary journey (Acts 13). Because of that fact we need to get a feel for what the early church was like. We are talking 'early' here. This is just a bit over a decade from the Cross, the Resurrection, the Ascension and Pentecost. In that incredibly short period of time the Body of Christ shot up like a rocket in a spiritual atmosphere heretofore dominated by the devil. The launch of the Son of…

Priority, priority, priority! Thinking spiritually, trusting spiritually and acting spiritually---spirituality is the base for true living, for facing reality and being a person. Our very existence is dependent on how we focus spiritually. There is not one human activity that is free from spiritual consideration. Name any human involvement and its foundation is based on some invisible concept, motivation and inspiration. Spirituality is invisible, unseen, beyond physical measurement. So is…

I'm sure you're asking if this is all about the gift of the Holy Spirit why is it still in an Easter named series? I'm glad you asked. Obviously the Holy Spirit is God the Spirit finally and openly revealed during the Jewish celebration of the annual corn harvest which was celebrated fifty days after Passover. It was known as Pentecost (Gk. 'fiftieth day). Also known as the Feast of First Fruits it is another example of how Jesus came to open the whole spiritual dimension for us to…

The Holy Spirit has three objectives, internal, external and functional. The internal is establish and grow a living relationship with Jesus and His family. The external is to be Jesus' disciple in order to grow Jesus' family and make disciples. The functional is to make the Scriptures, the Lord's growth manual, come alive in the minds and hearts of disciples. All three work together simultaneously under the Lord's personal direction. Through worship, prayer, shared study and ministry in the…

“A promise is a promise” is what we usually say to someone when we want to make sure they will do what they promise because of the importance of the outcome. Hopefully you'll get a response like, “You've got my word on it.” That is precisely what Jesus did. He made promises and He fulfilled them based on His Word. Like the Great Promise coming out of His Resurrection, Him living in us, and then the second part of that promise, to send the Holy Spirit who will enable Jesus to live in us. This…

"Promise dictates how we pray, how we think, how we feel and what we do." The Great Promise is loaded with implications. If Jesus has promised He will live in us always (Jn.14:20), that means the whole Jesus; mind, heart and Spirit, can be defined for us, each of us, specifically. That is why He has given us His Word. It's spiritual, personal and relational in an eternal context. Listen to these words from an old love ballad by Ira Gershwin and think of them spiritually. Be willing to leave…

Easter 20 The Great Promise

When Jesus gave the Great Commission He also gave within it the Great Promise, “And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age (Matt.28:20).” Three things stand out about this promise.

First, the Greek word for 'surely' is 'idou.' Actually it is a very strong word in Greek. It is more than 'surely.' In the old English it was 'behold' and 'lo.' In our day Jesus might have said it differently. It has the flavor of "I want you to pay real…

Easter 19 Resurrection, Realization and Reality---”I am in you!”

Continuing our look at the way the Resurrection affects how we think we need to look at one of the “Greats” not usually described in that way. There's the Great Commission to go and make disciples (Matt. 28:19-20), the Greatest Comandment to love God with all our mind, heart and strength (Matt.22:37) and the Great one just like it to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matt.22:39). What we have here in John 14:19-20 is the…

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another (John 13:34-35).”

This is a pivotal moment in Jesus' teaching. But first, consider the occasion, its context, the atmosphere, both in the world and the hearts of His disciples.

It takes place on a very special occasion. Jesus brings His disciples to an upper room to share the Passover meal with Him. What…