The Missionary Spirit

What a six weeks the disciples must have gone through - first the despair of the crucifixion, then the disbelief and slow-dawning joy of the resurrection. Now notice how in anticipation of His 2nd leaving (ascension), Jesus turns the disciples vision outward with the command to "Go into all the world", to "Feed His sheep". Not only that, but Jesus promised an abiding "comforter" through His Holy Spirit, as well as the source of power and drive to fulfill the "command".

How appropriate then that our Missions Month spans this same period, drawing to a climax on Pentecost Sunday. For surely attempts at missioning without the power of the Holy Spirit is an exercise in futility, and a life "filled with the spirit" without a mission is a contradiction, for it is the Holy Spirit that gives drive and direction.

---===X===---
Acts 2 "On the day of Pentecost...they were filled with the Holy Spirit...they spoke as the spirit gave utterance... every man heard in their own language...Peter stood up and preached...this is the prophecy of Joel...witnessed to Jesus’ resurrected...they were pricked to their heart...they gladly received his word, repented, were baptised and received the Holy Spirit...about three thousand were added".
Lk.24:49 "The promise of the Father...wait in the city to be clothed with power from on high"
Jn.21:15 "...feed my sheep..."
Acts 20:28 "Care for the flock over which the Holy Spirit has made you overseer"
Acts 1:8 "You will receive power by the Holy Spirit...you will be witnesses"
Mk.16:15 "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole world"

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Faith is a Oneway Ticket

1995 Back in '95, my younger brother developed a brain tumor. One day in his last weeks, his wife was beside his bed in Wesley Hospital in Brisbane. A girl friend arrived to visit and comfort my sister-in-law. At the end of the evening visiting hours, my sister-in-law said to her friend, " I'm afraid I'm not up to driving home. Would you mind driving? " " Of course dear. " said her friend. " I only bought a one-way train ticket ". At home, after a cup of tea, my sister-in-law, almost in tears, said to her friend, " I don't think I can bear being alone in this house to night. Would you mind staying over? ". " Of course! " said her friend. " I've got  nightie and toothbrush in my handbag! ".  Even angels sometimes travel by train (one way). 1939 In the 1930's a Chelsea church conducted a tent mission on the foreshore at Frankston, about 10km south, on the eastern coast of Port Philip Bay. From that missio
Read more

Pentecost - from “Why?” to “Why not?”

One of the greatest inhibitors to personal and church growth is the FUD factor (Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt). After the horror of Christ’s crucifixion, the incredulity then ecstasy of His resurrection and His times of sharing with His disciples, Jesus ascended to heaven. What did the disciples feel then? I’m sure they must have felt very “flat” after their mountain-top experiences, and probably uncertainty and doubts crept in - “ What do we do now?” , “ Why has He left us like this?” . In many ways, these phases in the birth of The Church mirror the phases in the birth and growth of our children. The teenage years are times of much questioning, of moving out from under the sheltering presence of parents, to discover one’s directions and goals in the ‘real’ world - these are the “Why?” years. Then the young adult blossoms, the world is at their feet and they are prepared to take on anything, with courage and determination. Just as parents must hold back in order to release their childre
Read more

MORE

The more you give, the more you get, The more you laugh, the less you fret, The more you do unselfishly, The more you live abundantly. The more of everything you share, The more you'll always have to spare. The more you love, the more you'll find, That life is good and friends are kind, For only in what we give away Enriches us from day to day. (Source unknown)
Read more