Acts 2 the Spirit Shows Up!

Today as I take some time to enjoy some of Acts chapter 2, I am reminded of something very important, sure it is obvious but often mis-taught and mis-understood.  The Holy spirit shows up in Acts 2.  That right a "baptist" talking about the Holy Spirit in Acts 2.  The Spirit shows up and grants the Apostles great abilities and gifts to proclaim the Gospel.  Often at this point there is a great discussion about things like tongues and other miraculous gifts.  Yet these things are the wrong focus, tongues of fire and the variety of languages heard are descriptive in nature about what was happening.  But the real theme of importance here is this, when the Holy Spirit shows up the Gospel is preached.  Stick with me here, this is really important.

When we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit (become a Christian) it is not really for our benefit.  This is often the focus of a lot of poor teaching, that the Holy Spirit and the gifts are for us and to benefit us and our lives.  But when you read Acts, you will see that the Holy Spirit and the Gifts God gives are for His purposes and His glory.  The gifts and power of the Spirit are always used to put forth the message of the Gospel.  This is what we would call "normative", so our expectation should be that the work of the Holy Spirit is to be about us sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ more effectively.

So the challenge for us today is to be a repentant people firstly.  Maybe like me in the past you have had times where you sought certain gifts or works of the Holy Spirit because it would help you or make you "feel" better etc...  This is really not appropriate for us as Christians.  Sure we are to pray and ask God for the desires of our hearts and to lay our burdens down asking the Lord to help us with them.  But rarely have I heard of the Christian that seeks out the working of the Spirit with a purely Gospel driven focus.  Yet I believe this should be our focus when it comes to the Spirit.

The Spirit indwells us to be our comforter, we need to be thankful today that Jesus sent us this great gift of comfort.  The Spirit empowers us to do the work of the Kingdom of God which is to go and make disciples.  So today as we pray, we need to ask that by the power of the Holy Spirit we would be more effective with this mission.  We need to ask that God would use us and empower us for the work of the Gospel, this is the primary focus of the gifts that the Spirit brings.  You see the Spirit came to Glorify the Father and the Son, the primary way that happens is by the Church being empowered to effectively share the gospel and for people to humbly repent of their sin and accept the generous Grace of God though the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Today my desire is to have the Spirit work in me to keep my  focus on the greater purpose of my faith.  Thank you Lord Jesus for your patience with me and Heavenly Father for the forgiveness You grant to me for all the times I am dis-obedient.  I know that the Holy Spirit is in me, help me today to get out of the way so that the Spirit would work in me, through me and beyond me.  All to the Glory of God - Amen.

Preacherman