The Spirit Fills The Church With Life and Power
Taken from a Red Rock News Article (May 17, 2024)
Rev. Dona Johnson | May 19, 2024
On the fiftieth day after Jesus’ victory over sin and death—the Day of Pentecost, from his throne on high, Jesus sends the Holy Spirit to mark, claim and indwell the people of God, all of those who expressed allegiance to Jesus (Acts 2). And this underscores the one demarcation of every Christian who believes in the one true and living God who has given them his Spirit—the Holy Spirit.
We are told on that day that all the Apostles were gathered in one place and a violent rush of wind from heaven swept over them and tongues of fire landed on each of them. Now the Jews in Jerusalem were to a large extent pilgrims from many regions attending the Feast of Pentecost. Suddenly the Apostle’s began to speak in many indigenous languages and dialects and many in the crowd who had gathered heard these new spiritual utterances in their own language and were amazed at the exuberant and joyful praise. Those who were gathered knew without a doubt, that something strangely new had entered the world—the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit. The same Spirit Jesus had promised to send his disciples in John 14:26.
In The Acts of The Apostles, author R. B. Rackham states, “Every new beginning in thought or life is inevitably accompanied by disturbance. There is the struggle with the old, and the re adjustment to the new, environment.” And eventually, this new beginning wore itself a deep channel in the spiritual life of the church. The “gospel” of Acts is the gift of the Spirit. And this is the distinguishing mark of every Christian. The Spirit is given to individuals, indwells in them and is their very life. There is one Spirit, and all who receive the Spirit become one spiritual body, the
church. The fruit of the Spirit is unity and fellowship which replaces individualism. It fills the church with life, power and starts it on its course. It also carries forth the proclamation of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, through making disciples and baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit—the Trinity.
Prior to the Day of Pentecost, the twelve apostles were basically the church and the repositories of all authority. But they alone were unequal to the task of teaching, preaching and reaching all nations. Due to the Spirit, now other men and women were raised up with new ideas, insights and prophetic discernments, and the early church, once regarded as a nucleus of twelve apostles expands its leadership and begins to grow.
By the end of the first century, scholars estimate there were approximately 7,000 Christians. After Jesus’ death and resurrection in 30 A.D., those who believed this truth gathered together in clusters of house churches. The Spirit created a new energy and excitement causing these new believers to give their lives to the apostle’s teaching. They worshiped, communed and prayed together. They were of one heart and mind and had meals together. Some of the members of this new movement sold their possessions and property and generously gave to one another when a need arose. And Scripture tells us that the Holy Spirit added to their numbers daily—thousands (Acts 2:42-45; 4:30-37).
For those of us who live in Sedona, seeking the spiritual is our claim to fame: astral planes, quantum consciousness, exploring the mystical with drugs and of course crystals charged with vortex energy (see Sedona Chamber of Commerce). Yes, people come here seeking these things because they are spiritually hungry. And it was really no different in Jesus’ day or when the churched was birthed on the Day of Pentecost. As Christians, we know by faith that the supernatural power that is given to us is not found in a vortex or a crystal but is found in the third person of the Trinity—the Holy Spirit. It is one the “true” spiritual power (the tour de force) in all the world. Nothing else compares to its power. And so we praise Jesus, who sends us the Holy Spirit to multiply our efforts, sustain our lives and ministry on earth until Jesus, our Savior and Redeemer returns! Amen.