Category: Living in the Spirit

Requirements Fulfilled

Re:Verse passage – Romans 8:1-4 (day two) He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us vs. 3b-4a

In my collegiate experience I had the wonderful opportunity to pursue my academic studies through three degrees at three different institutions. One of the things that made each experience unique was the stage of life I was in at the time. During my undergraduate degree there was very little sense of urgency or responsibility to get through. My Master’s was different because I had rent to pay and other bills that were new to me. During my doctorate I entered with a family and had to give up my teaching career to begin my studies, therefore no income.

This shift in life also changed how I viewed the requirements that were needed to complete my degrees. During my doctorate, in particular, I was always aware of how every class would fulfill what needed to be done. I always knew how many more classes I would need to fulfill the requirement and thus earn the degree.

God gave us the law so that we could always know the requirements needed to honor him fully, but there was a catch. We could never, on our own, meet the minimum. Our fallen state brings us up short every. Over the years sacrifices, rituals, and ceremonies were instituted to fill the gap. And then came Jesus. He, and He alone, had the necessary ability to fulfill the requirement once and for all. He has done it for you. Have you thanked him for what He has done; for all those requirements that He has fulfilled that you never could have done on your own? Why not thank him now.

Monday Re:Verse Blog Post – 6/29/2020

Re:Verse passage – Romans 8:1-4 (day one)

Join us as Senior Pastor Chris Johnson, Associate Pastor Aaron Hufty and Associate Pastor Bryan Richardson walk us through Romans 8:1-4  in our New Summer Sermon Series: “Living in the Spirit” a study of the Holy Spirit.

Gone

Re:Verse passage – Acts 1:8 (day six)

“And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.” Acts 1:9

What a miraculous moment this must have been! Imagine all the emotions flowing through the disciples’ minds: Astonishment at the ascension. Confusion as to when the Messianic Kingdom will be established. Fear of the unknown. Excitement of the promise Jesus has given them. Frustration that Jesus has left them again. Peace that this was what Jesus said would happen all along.

“Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.” ‭‭John‬ ‭16:7‬ ‭

Jesus’ ascension wasn’t the end of this story. It was only just beginning.

Superhuman

Re:Verse passage – Acts 1:8 (day six)  

We are superhuman. More than we were, decrypted, left-for-dead; Jesus came just at the right time, rescuing us from our god-loathing, self-righteous, self-indulgent ways. His holy-Father loving, righteous living became our own when he crushed sin’s hold, and gave us His life instead. So that we might become the righteousness of God.

It wasn’t enough for us to look the part, so He made us superhuman; He put the Holy Spirit in us. The very same that hovered over the deep in creation. Or gave Samson his strength. Or Isaiah his words to speak. And through and through the Spirit empowers us to live and love like the Son. So, when He commands us to “Go, fill the earth with my glory; be my witnesses,” it is as good as done.

Superhuman.

Power

Re:Verse passage – Acts 1:8 (day five)  

What do you suppose the attitudes and mindsets of disciples were like as they waited for the Holy Spirit?  Frightened? Anxious? Hesitant? Sad?  Luke tells us in chapter 24 of his gospel that in fact, they were filled with joy, faithfully worshipping and praising God. Yet, God was sending something through the Holy Spirit. What was it?  They were doing pretty well. They were comfortable and in a good place spiritually. God sends them “power” through the Holy Spirit. This power looked like conviction- they would be convinced and passionate they needed to testify about Jesus to anyone and everyone. This power looked like courage- they would be ok, being unpopular (Jerusalem/Judea), unwelcome (Samaria), and in unfamiliar places (remotest part of the earth).

Seems like these days, we are in a spiritually complacent and comfortable nation. May God send us power through the Holy Spirit, to be His witnesses that we might risk being unpopular, unwelcome, and eager to serve in unfamiliar places for Glory of God and the spread of the Gospel!

To the Ends

Re:Verse passage – Acts 1:8 (day four)

Looking at our passage this week in context, the disciples were still looking for a political leader to deliver Israel from their enemies.  Rather than turning inward to focus on their own nation alone, Jesus expanded their mission to reach the whole world.  It was a radical plan and without the power of the Holy Spirit, would have been impossible to accomplish.

In John 14:26, Jesus told the disciples that the Holy Spirit would teach them all things and will remind them of everything He had said to them.  Only the Spirit could change their narrow, nationalistic beliefs and give them a heart for the nations.

Has the Holy Spirit changed your heart and given you a heart for the nations?  Have you moved beyond your narrow perspective of restoring your own nation to sharing the Gospel with the remotest parts of the world?  God’s plan is still at work through the power of the Holy Spirit!

World

Re:Verse passage – Acts 1:8 (day three)

“…to the remotest part of the earth.”
The Spirit that will empower a worldwide revelation has been drawing close to the world since the beginning. “Now the earth was formless and empty…and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” As the accretion disk spun around the sun, as molten rock coalesced into a rocky sphere, as icy comets plunged into the young sky delivering water that gathered into seas, was the hovering Spirit contemplating that future time when the humans God made would see a new light and turn back to their Creator? The Spirit has been at this work a long, long time. He who moved across those ancient oceans will not stop until the earth “be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.”

You WILL Receive

Re:Verse passage – Acts 1:8 (day two) 8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

Do you ever feel that you’ve been given an assignment that you are not equipped to complete? That is not the picture that this scripture paints for us. The promise is that you will receive power from the Holy Spirit. Our assignment includes a power that does not come from our own device. We cannot manufacture the work of the Spirit, but we are also powerless if we act without it. Take great comfort from this promise. I am indeed unequal to this Kingdom-sized task that the Lord has put before me, but we have been promised a comforter, and advocate, a Spirit that empowers Kingdom-sized results.

Monday Re:Verse Blog Post – 6/22/2020

Re:Verse passage – Acts 1:8 (day one)

Join us as Senior Pastor Chris Johnson, Associate Pastor Aaron Hufty and Associate Pastor Bryan Richardson walk us through Acts 1:8 in our New Summer Sermon Series: “Living in the Spirit” a study of the Holy Spirit.

Constant Variable

Re:Verse passage – John 1:29-34 (day six)

“John testified saying, ‘I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him.’” Vs 32

The Holy Spirit was not a new concept to the first century Christians. A glance through the Old Testament will show us that the Holy Spirit was active from creation onward. All through the Old Testament, men and women of God would be filled with the Spirit to complete extraordinary tasks. Many judges, kings, and prophets had encounters with the Spirit of the Lord, but it was always temporary. Here John tells us that the Spirit remained on Jesus. This is a game changer. The unity of the Godhead and humanity in this instant insinuates a constant variable that will become the driving force for our Christian faith; the Omnipresence of the Holy Spirit. Jesus’ righteousness allows the Spirit to abide in Him, and through the cross and resurrection, we are covered in the same righteousness allowing the Spirit to abide in us as well.