I’ve been reading a commentary preparing for the next men’s
bible study focusing on the Acts of the Apostle. Tonight I was reading on the power of the
Holy Spirit and the conditions that existed on the day of Pentecost that may have been conducive to
inviting the Spirit to come and move among men.
First they were told
He was coming. Second, they were all
waiting on the Spirit: expecting Him. Third, they were all of one accord: in agreement with one another. And fourth, they all had the common experience
of a personal encounter with Jesus.
The commentator describes these conditions as an invitation
for the Spirit to come and do miracles among flesh and matter. He describes the Spirit as, “. . . free not
bound; flexible, not fixed; creative, not cruel; personal not impersonal.”
The commentator goes on to say,
“. . . it is the particular task of
the church to present opportunities for the Spirit to break through. If a church ties itself up with great wealth,
becomes involved in vested interests so that it must compromise its principles,
we know that the Spirit will never break through that church. We know that the Spirit cannot break through
the flesh that has been perpetually indulged and pampered. Neither can it break through traditions that
have become so fixed they are like a coat of mail encasing a body. Nor can it break through the church that has
become comfortable, settled in its own beautiful building, forgetting the heart
rendering needs of the world, well fed and unconcerned.”
Yes, some churches focus on their buildings; some on
placating their benefactors and keeping their members “happy”; some on
attracting newcomers with a consumer mentality.
They are selling themselves out to worldly values and risking offending
the Holy Spirit.
Some churches can be so structured and steeped in order and
tradition. While it’s a comfort to some people
to have these things, citing that it brings them closer to God, it is in some
respect man’s way of making sure that no surprises can break through the moment. They are not expecting or waiting on the
Spirit, they are instead practicing predictable ritual. It’s comfortable. It’s governable.
Back to the Commentary.
The author goes on to cite an illustration of a plane preparing to land
at an airport; they receive instruction to fly past the airport because it is
hemmed in by dense fog.
“How many churches are there today
(this was written about 60 years ago) over which the ground fog is so dense
that the Spirit of God can never make a landing there? That is a solemn charge to all church
members. On Pentecost we should ask ourselves
this questions: In a world in which it
is possible for the Spirit to work in such mighty acts, what is preventing it
now? What is there in us that is
blocking it?
That’ll preach! How amazing that the Holy Spirt is still
willing and able to come and work among us so abundantly and yet these same
questions posed 60 years ago are so relevant to churches today. )
Is your faith community in a fog or is it expecting the Spirit, waiting on the Spirit, of one heart and knows Jesus personally?
(Quotes from P. 41 of Vol 9 the Interpreters Bible copyright 1954
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