January 4, 2023 -- Acts 2:22-24 -- Acts of the Apostles: The Spirit's Focus on Christ

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power:
   Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.

Acts 2:22-24 ESV

Take the time to read Acts 2. The whole chapter. If you read it slowly and out-loud to yourself it will take about 6 minutes. That is a really good way to spend your time.

When the Spirit of God was poured out on that Pentecost Day the disciples understood what Jesus taught them. If you recall, Jesus spent forty days, after His resurrection and before His ascension into heaven, teaching His disciples. The Spirit shaped the disciples’ knowledge and added to it holy understanding so that they had the wisdom which comes from the fear of the LORD. The teachings of Jesus made sense because of the Spirit’s presence—exactly as Jesus had foretold (John 16:12-15).

Where did such Spirit-fueled wisdom lead them? To a razor sharp focus on Jesus Christ Himself. The newly Spirit-filled people did not laugh, bark, or fall slain in the Spirit, or see gold dust shooting from the vents. The focus was not on their feelings or on their new power. When the Spirit of God took hold of the disciples, they knew Jesus, once despised (as He was called ‘of Nazareth’) now comprehended Him to be the Son of God in power. The Father’s love communicated through the grace of Jesus’ sacrifice transformed their attitude, minds, hearts and purpose. They were born from above. Peter, who used to be impulsive and always seem half-informed, immediately by the Spirit’s power had the insight to know Jesus. He then understood what had previously been mystery. Peter recognized by the insight of the Spirit that the crowd of people standing before him from those fifteen nations and territories needed to know Jesus Christ. Believers filled with the Spirit long for others to know their sins are forgiveness and the grip of death can be broken and based on this, intimately know the Father’s great love shown so gloriously in Jesus Christ.

O God the Holy Spirit,
That which I know not, teach thou me,
Keep me a humble disciple in the school of Christ,
learning daily there what I am in myself, a fallen sinful creature,
justly deserving everlasting destruction;
O let me never lose sight of my need of a Saviour,
or forget that apart from him I am nothing,
and can do nothing.
Open my understanding to know the Holy Scriptures;
Reveal to my soul the counsels and works of the blessed Trinity;
Instill into my dark mind the saving knowledge of Jesus;
Make me acquainted with his covenant undertakings
and his perfect fulfilment of them,
that by resting on his finished work
I may find the Father’s love in the Son,
His Father, my Father,
and may be brought through thy influence
to have fellowship with the Three in One.
O lead me into all truth, thou Spirit of wisdom and revelation,
that I may know the things that belong unto my peace,
and through thee be made anew.
Make practical upon my heart the Father’s love
as thou hast revealed it in the Scriptures;
Apply to my soul the blood of Christ,
effectually, continually, and help me to believe,
with conscience comforted,
that it cleanseth from all sin;
Lead me from faith to faith,
that I may at all times have freedom to come to a reconciled Father,
and may be able to maintain peace with him against doubts,
fears, corruptions, temptations.
Thy office is to teach me to draw near to Christ with a pure heart,
steadfastly persuaded of his love,
in the full assurance of faith.
Let me never falter in this way.
Valley of Vision: Puritan Prayers and Devotions "The Holy Spirit as a Teacher"

https://youtu.be/n9XFILsrt20
Margaret Clarkson "For Your Gift of God the Spirit"

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