Easter 24 The Great Promise Part 4

[HKHaugan]

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 understand. Thus the symbolism of the first fruits of the earth helps us to see the first fruits, spiritual fruits, produced by the Holy Spirit, the revelation of the One and only God and Father, His Son Jesus, His creation, the history and heritage of God's people, the giving of Scripture, the promise of the Messiah, personal salvation by faith in the Son and all of it fulfilled in the coming of God the Holy Spirit. This is what James was saying that elevates our position in Christ, “He chose to give us birth through the Word of Truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all He created (1:18).”

It was the first Easter, the Resurrection, that made the statement of the power that would come to every person through faith in the risen Jesus and the Holy Spirit who would make it possible (Rom.8:11). We are living in the Resurrection event every moment of our lives on this earth. The Resurrection was and is and will be the context in which we live our lives. That is the work of the Holy Spirit since our personal Easter awaits us. In one sense our rebirth in Jesus is the first part of our personal Easter, our Resurrection. Paul says this very thing, “Since, then, if you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things. For you died and you life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory (Col.3:1-4).” This is the work of the Holy Spirit fulfilling the Great Promise.

But let's return to the idea of believers being “first fruits of all He created.” Note that this has a deeper meaning than probably any of us gave it when we first read it. From that phrase comes some very important implications.

First, the whole of Creation points to the spiritual relationship of the created with the Creator. We, His organic creatures, have been given an inorganic environment in which to live and build a relationship with Him. That is the personal lives in the physical.

Second, everything in the inorganic from the air we breathe to the vast interstellar space is filled with spiritual meaning. It all points to God the Father whose will desired it, to God the Son through whom it came into being and God the Holy Spirit who makes it function.

Third, it is about being humble not proud and superior. Rather than setting us above those who just 'don't get it' we need to be humble before God and never cease our prayer for and outreach to them. We need to be humble before God toward them recognizing that their very existence is as intended by Him as was ours. Jesus died “that all who believe in Him” should have eternal life. The Cross was the ultimate expression of God's humility . That includes every human being born into this world.

Fourth, this means every one born has been elected for salvation which is why we want to humbly share Jesus with them. This is the attitude Jesus had and the one the Holy Spirit alone can bring into our heart. Jesus was humble before His Father toward everyone He met. This showed that His ministry was the ministry of the Holy Spirit now available to all who believe in Jesus because of His death and Resurrection.

But let's get right down to what it means for each of us personally. Jesus spoke directly when He used the parable of the good and bad fruit and ended by saying, “By their fruit you shall recognize them (Mt.7:15-20).” But first fruit is new fruit, spiritual fruit, from the spiritual vine of Jesus fulfilling prophetic messianic promises (Is.11:1, 32:17, Hosea 10:12---”the fruit of unfailing love”). It is brand spanking new (using the reference to the old practice of a new born being 'spanked' immediately at birth) for each person accepting Jesus. His love is different than any previous use that word conveys. It is breathing a new kind of experience, a spiritual experience. That is the Holy Spirit bringing the love of God into the mind and heart. Starting with belief, trust and faith, each of us becomes new fruit that in turn bears new fruit motivated by the Holy Spirit whose fruit is “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal.5:22-23).”

While all this has been the work of the Spirit we want to make one thing really clear here. The fruit is always new and remains new. That is because every person who is born spiritually is new and unique. This simply repeats what has been said many times before. There never has been or will there ever again be another you or me. We are one time individuals in eternity. If you are reading this you are reading it and processing it as only you can do it. No one else will ever do it the same way. How you are motivated to think and act as a result will be done only as you can do it. This is God's plan which is His eternal plan to make unique images of Himself that can individually enjoy Him, love Him and serve Him in our own unique way.

You might quote to me that Scripture that says “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again. There is nothing new under the sun (Eccl.1:9).” How very true. However, what is over the sun, the Lord God and His Kingdom, is always bringing newness and uniqueness as each person is born into the physical world to become spiritually born by faith. New fruit to bear fruit newly bringing the freshness of the Spirit to every heart. This is why we continue to call our theme an Easter theme. We are an Easter people born anew to bear new fruit by the everlasting truth that Jesus' death and resurrection made Him the Tree of newness for each of us forever. The first Pentecost was the Holy Spirit making all this real, new and relationally personal. Praise and thank the Holy Spirit. He has made us first fruit to bear first fruit in every next moment. Something to ponder, pray and profess.

“So I say, live by the Spirit (Gal.5:16)...and...”keep in step with the Spirit (Gal.5:25).”