Dana's Christian Journey

Who likes to be told to wait? And is it not torture when the waiting goes longer than expected? Jesus said to his apostles, “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 1:4-5)

Leviticus instructs that the Feast of Weeks, or Pentecost, was to begin fifty days after the day following the Sabbath of the Passover. Of course this was the Sunday Jesus rose from the dead during his last Passover. Jesus then appeared to different people on earth over the span of forty days. Before ascending, He gave his ‘waiting’ instructions and the disciples went to Jerusalem.

What do you think they did while they waited? I’ll bet they prayed. Maybe they fasted. They probably often recounted Jesus’ instructions and tried to figure out the meaning of “a few.”  I imagine they got really frustrated and you would guess there were more than a few arguments. As the days stretched out, the less comfortable they became and the more they fretted. But God is not bothered too much by our discomforts. He had a plan.

Ten days after Jesus left the earth; seven weeks and one day after his resurrection from the grave, a huge crowd gathered in the city for the feast. The Holy Spirit came Sunday, the Day of Pentecost. The waiting was worth it!

So now we wait for the return of the King. We wonder what the Father wants to take place on earth before the end. We know we are set apart to live holy lives of faith and give glory to God. But will He allow his power to be seen as it was in the days of the early church? The ‘acts’ of the apostles (and others) were the ‘acts’ of the Holy Spirit; does God plan more action? Are not the lives of believers today also to be marked by the Holy Spirit?

Surely we should pray big prayers. When the gospel is proclaimed in every tongue, and the sick are healed and evil is defeated, the Kingdom is seen. Let us seek… and knock… and ask… and wait.

“Your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” Matthew 6:10

“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Luke 11:9-13

Many of Jesus’ disciples had listened first to John the Baptist, the preacher in the wilderness. We can assume they were baptized, as John baptized “with water for repentance.” But the prophet spoke of One more powerful than he, who would “baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

We know Jesus approached his cousin and was baptized in the Jordan, and the Spirit of God descended like a dove upon the Holy One. The Spirit then led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After forty days of fasting and resisting his enemy, Christ returned, preaching of repentance and the Kingdom of Heaven. He walked and lived in the power of the Spirit and fulfilled everything his Father desired.

Jesus often talked to his friends about the Promise of the New Covenant. He even made hard-to-believe statements such as: “It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you.” (Jn 16:7) The apostles did not fully understand these teachings of Jesus, but when He died and rose from the grave, everything changed.

On one occasion after the resurrection, John records that Jesus “breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’” (Jn 20:22) But there were further instructions. Before He ascended, Jesus told his disciples to wait in Jerusalem. “You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” (Lk 24:48-49)

We know that on the Day of Pentecost God came in power. The disciples were empowered to be witnesses for Christ and thousands put their faith in the Risen One. So what do these ancient stories have to do with us? Is there a pattern we are to follow? We too are to be baptized in water. Jesus offers forgiveness and we all must repent. When we put our faith in Christ we declare that we are no longer trusting ourselves… in fact, we are dead. We are buried in the water and raised to live new lives.

But we must be careful not to simply participate in a baptism like John’s. We want to be baptized by the One who died for us and rose again. We need him to breathe on us and say, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” When we are ‘born again’ we are given new life, and this life is to be marked by the Spirit of God and all of the fruit of Jesus. By faith we hold these promises true and we praise God for his grace and mercy.

But what about Pentecost? Jesus knew his disciples needed power from above to be effective witnesses on earth; do we? I do. The disciples were simply told to wait. We don’t control the timing of God, but I believe He does want us to anticipate his activity. Is this world not in desperate need? Are not the children of God to be effective witnesses today? Surely we should pray: “Come Holy Spirit! Have your way with us. Use us on this earth to bring glory to God.”

“Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 1:4-5

According to Jesus, we can try to love God with all our hearts and we can try to love our neighbor as ourselves; but unless a miracle takes place, we will find ourselves lacking. Nicodemus concluded that Jesus had to be a man of God, but when he approached the Rabbi at night to ask a few questions, he was confused. Nicodemus was a leader in the community, a scholar of the Scriptures, a descendant of Abraham… but being “born again” made no sense.

“I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again… I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.” (John 3:3-6)

Another expert in the law once questioned Jesus about eternal life. The Lord asked him what the Law said, and the man answered correctly by giving the top two commandments: “Love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself.” “Good,” Jesus replied,”do this and you will live.” God’s purpose of the Law is for us to come face to face with the truth that we don’t “do this.” But so often, when we see our shortcomings, we try to justify ourselves. This is what the lawyer did.

“But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’” The parable of the good Samaritan that followed expanded all definitions of ‘neighbor,’ but also pointed to our hope.

We are the beaten and wounded traveler. The lawyer was; Nicodemus was; you are; I am. We are beaten down by life, we are unable to save ourselves, and we are in desperate need. A priest comes by, but religion will not solve our problem. A Levite comes by, but the Law is not adequate to save. Then a humble Man from a distant place approaches on his donkey. Though most of the world despises him, He kindly bandages our wounds, “pouring on oil and wine.” He takes the rescued man to an inn and gives the innkeeper money with a promise to return. (See Luke 10:25-37)

The Good Neighbor is our Savior. He offers the oil of his Spirit and the wine of his Blood. He washes us in pure water and gives us eyes to see. We just need to realize we need him and humbly ask for help.

“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Of if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Luke 11:11-13