14 Pentecost

14 Pentecost - Sunday B

First Posted September 6, 2009

Joshua 24:1-2a, 14-18 -- Renewing the Covenant

Psalm 34:15-22 -- The Reward of Faith

Ephesians 5:21-31 -- Following Jesus

John 6:60-69 -- Faithful Disciples

Joshua had led Israel into the Promised Land and they had driven out the Canaanites and had secured the land. Now, at the end of Joshua’s life, he summoned the leaders and the people to recommit to the Covenant with the Lord established at Mt. Sinai (Exodus 19:1-20:20). Israel had experienced the fulfillment of the promises of the Covenant, and Joshua called them to choose definitely whether to trust and obey God’s Word, or not. If they chose to serve the Lord they must no longer live according to their former lives in Egypt, and were no longer to serve idols, neither the idols of Egypt nor the idols of the Amorites, the native inhabitants of the Promised Land.

The Psalmist, David, the great shepherd-king of Israel, personally experienced the Lord’s mercy and faithfulness, and testified that the Lord blesses, protects and delivers the righteous, those who live according to God’s Word, but opposes and thwarts those who do what is evil and wicked according to God’s Word. Those who practice evil will be destroyed by it, but the prayer of the righteous for deliverance is heard and answered. The Lord favors the poor, the brokenhearted, and oppressed.

The Psalmist’s prophetic statement that the Lord keeps all the bones of the righteous unbroken (Psalm 34:20; compare John 19:36), and redeems the life of his servants (Psalm 34:22) was fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the example of perfect righteousness and obedience to God’s Word. Although Jesus was mocked and treated shamefully at his Crucifixion, his trust in God’s Word was vindicated in his resurrection from physical death.

Paul was “discipling” the Ephesians, in fulfillment of Jesus’ Great Commission which he gave to his disciples who, after they had been “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8; Luke 24:49; Acts 1 4-5, 8), were to go into all the world and make disciples of Jesus Christ, teaching them to obey all Jesus’ teachings (Matthew 28_19-20). Paul was teaching the Ephesian Christians to follow the example and teaching of Jesus in their daily lives, in their marriage relationships and with members of the Church. The Church and its members are to be “sanctified;” purified for God’s use through baptism of repentance by the cleansing of water in faith (obedient trust) in God’s Word, and by the infilling of the Holy Spirit which is the ultimate “baptism” (“anointing”) and fulfillment of God’s Word in us, personally and individually.

Jesus had declared that he was the living bread from heaven, and that we must partake of his flesh and blood in order to have eternal life. In that time, his followers would have understood that Jesus was describing a sacrificial feast. Many of his followers were offended by this idea (consider Mark 8:31-33). Jesus asked them, if they found that statement offensive, how would they respond to seeing Jesus ascending into heaven?

Jesus declared that flesh is not eternal; it is the (Holy) Spirit who gives life. Jesus was telling them spiritual truths which give eternal life. But Jesus knew some did not believe Jesus, and some would betray him. Faith is what God accomplishes in us as we submit to him.

Many of Jesus’ followers stopped following him after this. Jesus asked the Twelve if they would also fall away, and Peter responded, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life; and we have believed and have come to know that you are the Holy One (the Messiah) of God” (John 6:69).

In a sense America and the Church (at least in America) are each the New Promised Land, the New Israel, in the political and religious senses. We have gotten where we are by the blessing and providence of the Lord. Now is the time for us to decide whether or not we are going to trust and obey God’s Word, remembering what the Lord has done for us.

In too many instances we think that we can be people of God and live in the Promised Land while disobeying God’s Word and serving “idols.” Examples of modern “idols” are power, money, success, pleasure, career, home, family, possessions, and self. The Lord calls us this day to make a decision; we must choose to trust and obey the Lord, or to live like the “Egyptians” and ‘pagans.”

The Psalmist, David, testifies that the Lord blesses and prospers those who trust and obey him, but punishes those who reject and disobey God’s Word.

Paul taught Christians to trust and obey God’s Word and to apply it in their daily lives.

The followers of Jesus took offense at Jesus’ claim to be the “bread of life” because they were not seeking God’s will but their own. They wanted Jesus to provide free physical bread. They wanted Jesus to be a political ruler rather than a spiritual leader. Those who follow Jesus and trust and obey his word will learn and come to know with certainty that Jesus’ word is spiritual truth and life (John 14:6).

Is Jesus your Lord? Are you Jesus’ disciple? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

14 Pentecost - Monday B

First Posted September 7, 2009

Psalm 15

Who will dwell in the house of the Lord? Those who do what is right in God’s judgment and live according to God’s Word. God’s people are to speak what is true and sincere. We are to avoid slandering or criticizing others. We will honor those who fear the Lord, and not associate with or condone those who do what is contrary to God’s Word. We are to keep our promises even when changing circumstances make keeping them disadvantageous to us. We are to be charitable and help those in need without seeking to profit from it. We are not to pervert justice by giving, accepting or condoning bribes.

Commentary:

Church membership is not like having season tickets to “religious entertainment,” or membership in a spiritual “country-club.” The Church must require discipleship of its members. The Church must require its members to conform to biblical standards of a Christian lifestyle. It is not those who call themselves “Christians” but those who are disciples of Jesus Christ and do what Jesus commands who are members of Christ’s body, the Church (Matthew 7:21-24; Luke 6:46).

The Lord has given us his Word, the Bible, so that we can learn to live according to it and glorify and please the Lord. The Church is the house of the Lord, his holy hill, on earth, and foreshadows his eternal kingdom in heaven. Members of the Church are to be “discipled” by “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8) disciples, learning to know and live according to the Word of God, taught and exemplified by Jesus Christ, until the new disciples are “born-again” by the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-5, 8), and then the newly “born-again” disciples are to repeat the process (2 Timothy 2:2).

Only Jesus gives the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit (John 1:31-34) only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). It is possible for one to know with certainty for oneself whether one has received the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Acts 19:2). The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16).

14 Pentecost - Tuesday B

First Posted September 8, 2009

Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8 -- Appeal for Obedience

As Israel was about to enter the Promised Land to take possession of it, Moses reviewed the history of God’s deliverance and providence. Moses warned them that obedience to God’s Word was the requirement for life in the Promised Land. They were warned not to add to or take away anything from the Word of God.

Obedience of God’s people to his Word was to be an example and testimony to the Gentiles around them of the righteousness of God’s Word, and that the God of Israel was near to the Israelites and powerful and faithful to help Israel when they called upon him.

Obedience is still the requirement to live in the “Promised Land” of God’s eternal kingdom, which begins in our lifetime in the Church on earth. That doesn’t mean that we have to become “Jews” and keep the laws of the “Old Covenant,” like circumcision, or the dietary laws, or the sacrificial system. The Old Covenant ended at Jesus’ crucifixion; Jesus initiated the “New Covenant” of Grace (unmerited favor; free gift) on the night of his betrayal. Jesus became the one and only sacrifice acceptable to God for our forgiveness and salvation from eternal condemnation. We receive that forgiveness and salvation through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus Christ.

Those who trust and obey Jesus receive the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit which only Jesus gives (John 1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). The Holy Spirit makes it possible for us to desire and do what Jesus commands, and those who are obedient to the guidance of the Holy Spirit are freed from the obligation to keep the Law. We will do what the Law requires without the threat of eternal punishment.

The Jews were never able to keep the entire Law. Sacrifices were constantly required to atone for sin (disobedience of God’s Word, the Law). If we attempt to be righteous by keeping the Law of Moses, we will fail and be condemned for eternity (Galatians 2:16; 5:4).

Christians need to read and know the entire Bible, but we have to understand the Old Testament from the perspective of the New Testament and Jesus’ teaching. The Apostle Paul (Saul of Tarsus) had been a Pharisee, a devout Jew and keeper of the Law of Moses. But after his conversion and “rebirth” (Acts 9:1-21; John 3:3, 5-8), he vigorously resisted the “circumcision party,” a faction of Jewish Christians who insisted that Gentiles must be circumcised and obey Jewish Laws (Acts 15:1-29). Paul also vigorously opposed the other, opposite, false teaching that salvation was by grace (free gift) without the requirement of discipleship and obedience (for example 1 Corinthians 5:1-6:20).*

The New Covenant is the Law of Love rather than the Law of Fear. If we know and believe who Jesus is and what he has done for us, we will love Jesus. If we love Jesus, we will keep his commandments (John 14:21).

Obedient trust in God’s Word is still the requirement for life in God’s eternal kingdom. God’s Word is still true and righteous. God’s people are still called to trust and obey God’s Word so that worldly people will see that God’s Word is good. God’s people are to live “near” to the Lord, in a personal daily fellowship, through the indwelling Holy Spirit, so that worldly people will see that God is near, and that he responds when we call (see Conditions for Answered Prayer, sidebar, top right).

*”Cheap Grace;” See: The Cost of Discipleship, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Collier Books, Macmillan Publishing Co., NY 1963 ISBN 0-02-083850-6

14 Pentecost - Wednesday B

First Posted September 9, 2009

Ephesians 6:10-20 -- The Whole Armor of God

Paul urged Christians to be strong in the Lord and to be strengthened by the Lord’s power (within them), because the ministry of the Gospel is opposed by Satan and his demons. The ministry of the Gospel is a spiritual battle against supernatural forces. Satan is the present world ruler behind worldly leaders. Christians need to be equipped with the full armor of God so that we can withstand and prevail against the forces of evil.

We must first gird ourselves with divine truth, the truth of God, by which the world was created and is sustained. Over that we put on the breastplate of righteousness which is only in Jesus Christ. Our shoes are the Gospel of peace; our shield is faith (obedient trust) by which we are protected from the lies of Satan. Our helmet is eternal salvation and our weapon is the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God.

Christians are to pray constantly in the Spirit (Romans 8:26-27). We need to be constantly alert and to persevere in prayer for all the “Saints;” believers; “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8) Christian disciples. Paul asked Christians to pray for him, that Paul would be given what to say by the indwelling Holy Spirit as he opened his mouth boldly to proclaim the “mystery” of the Gospel, God’s Plan of Salvation, which has been revealed to his disciples by Jesus Christ and the indwelling Holy Spirit, and the revelation that the Gospel of Salvation is for Gentiles as well as Jews. Paul is the example of an “ambassador” of the Gospel, even though imprisoned for preaching the Gospel.

This life is a spiritual struggle between good and evil. Jesus Christ has already won the battle at his crucifixion and his resurrection testifies to that victory. But Satan is still in control until Jesus returns on the Day of Judgment.

Jesus came to bring the Gospel (“good news”) of peace between God and humans. We have all sinned (disobeyed God’s Word; Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8-10) and God’s Word declares that the penalty for sin is (eternal) death (Romans 6:23). Jesus is God’s only provision for the forgiveness of our sins and salvation from eternal condemnation (Acts 4:12; John 14:6). Jesus came to restore the peace and fellowship with God which is broken by sin (See God’s Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right).

Christians are to carry on the mission of the Gospel which Jesus began, but in order to do that we must put on the whole armor of God. We must first know divine truth, which is only in Jesus Christ (John 14:6), as opposed to what the world falsely calls “truth” (1 Corinthians 1:17-25; 2:1-8). We must have a personal relationship with Jesus, which is only through the gift of the Holy Spirit, which only Jesus gives (John 1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). We must be “born-again” first (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-5, 8), and then we are to go into the world and make “born-again” disciples, teaching them to trust and obey Jesus (Matthew 28:18-20).

We must put on the breastplate of righteousness which is only available through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus (Philippians 3:9). The shield of faith is what the Lord gives us when we submit to him in obedient trust. As we trust and obey Jesus, he will cause our “mustard seed” (Matthew 17:20) of faith to grow so that we can defend our souls from the lies of Satan. The assurance of Salvation is our helmet which preserves our eternal life.

Our weapon is the Word of God. Christians must know the Bible better than Satan does (Matthew 4:1-11). The Word of God protects us against Satan’s lies, false teachers and false prophets. And the Word of God is the tool we need to be ambassadors and builders of God’s eternal kingdom.

We don’t have to be formally educated in the Bible; we just need to have read it and to read it daily (see Bible Study Tools, sidebar, top right). If we have read the Bible the Holy Spirit can call to our minds the Word of God as we need it to keep ourselves from sin, and to proclaim the Gospel. Paul asked the Ephesian disciples to pray for that very ability, which Jesus promised to his disciples and which Paul demonstrated (Mark 13:11).

Every aspect of the armor of God is dependent upon the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit. We cannot accomplish Christ’s mission in our own human ability. We cannot testify to a personal relationship which we do not have. The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16).

14 Pentecost - Thursday B

First Posted September 10, 2009

Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 -- Ritual or Relationship?

Pharisees (a strict legalistic faction of Jewish religious leaders) and scribes (teachers of the Law; the scripture) from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and his disciples in Gennesaret (on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee), and they noticed that some of Jesus’ disciples ate with unwashed hands. The Jews had many ritualistic “traditions of the elders” which they followed, regarding purification of themselves and their eating and cooking utensils.

The Pharisees and scribes asked Jesus why his disciples didn’t follow the traditions of the elders, and Jesus replied that the Pharisees and scribes were fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah in 29:13, that they talked about honoring God, but did not do so within their hearts and in their deeds. Their worship is in vain, and they teach the doctrines of men (rather than the Word of God). Jesus declared that they had turned from the Word of God in order to preserve the tradition of men.

Jesus addressed the crowd, saying that it is not what enters a person through his mouth which defiles a person; instead, it is what comes out of the heart and mouth of a person which defiles him. Food passes through a person’s body (Jesus thus declaring that all food was ritualistically clean); It is what comes out of a person, his words and deeds, which defile him, because it is the hearts of men (and women) which desire and do evil thoughts, fornication, theft, murder, adultery, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. “All these evil things come from within” and defile a person (Mark 7:23).

Judaism had become a “religion” of mankind, a ritual and a tradition, rather than a relationship with God. The religious leaders and teachers were using their position in the religion for their own benefit; religion had become their “business,” their “careers,” their “empires.” Judaism had become a way to get God to do their will, rather than seeking to know and do God’s will.

In many instances, the “nominal” Church (as distinct from the true Church of Jesus’ disciples) is in the same situation today. Genuine Christianity is discipleship and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ by obedient trust and the gift of his indwelling Holy Spirit. Are we following leaders who are “born-again,” Spirit-filled,” disciples and apostles (messengers; of the Gospel), or are we following those for whom “ministry” is a career-choice, and “church” is a “business?”

Are we listening to preachers who preach the full Word of God, “in season and out of season” (2 Timothy 4:2), or are we listening to those who “tickle our ears” (2 Timothy 4:3-4), teaching the doctrines and traditions of humans? Have we read the Bible so that we can distinguish the difference between Biblical, Apostolic doctrine and the false doctrines and traditions of mankind? Are we seeking to know and do God’s will, or are we trying to manipulate God to do our will? Do we think that religious ritual will save us from God’s eternal condemnation?

Religious ritual won’t save us. Baptism won’t save us. Church “membership” won’t save us. Only a personal relationship with the risen Jesus Christ will save us, and that is only possible through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus (Acts 4:12; John 14:6; Ephesians 2:8-9; see God’s Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right). Only Jesus gives the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit (John 1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). Jesus said that you must be “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8). The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16). Anyone who does not have the indwelling Spirit of Christ does not belong to Christ (Romans 8:9b).

It is possible for one to know for oneself whether one has been born again. It is not a matter of being born-again if you “believe” hard enough; faith is not like “wishing on a star.” We don’t get whatever we believe if we believe “hard enough,” and it’s not sufficient that your pastor or some theologian tells you you’ve been born-again. Saving faith is trusting and obeying Jesus’ word so that we can receive what he promises.

14 Pentecost - Friday B

First Posted September 11, 2009

Proverbs 4:10-23 -- Righteousness versus Wickedness

Galatians 5:16-24 -- Spirit versus Flesh

Proverbs:

The Teacher of Proverbs advises his hearers to accept his word so that the hearers may have long life. The Teacher teaches true wisdom and uprightness. Those who follow it will not stumble or be hindered. Hold on to instruction and guard what you have learned, for (divine) instruction is life for you.

Do not follow the example of the wicked and do not do evil. Avoid wickedness, turn away, and pass it by. Wickedness is habit-forming, like a drug. Once begun it takes over its doers' life, so that they have no rest unless they have wronged someone or made them stumble. The evildoers “eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence” (Proverbs 4:17).

The life of the righteous is like a path in the dawn. As they go, their way becomes brighter and brighter until they reach full day; but the wicked stumble in deep darkness, and don’t know what they stumble over.

Be attentive to the words of the teacher as a son or daughter. Don’t forget; keep them in your heart, for they are life and healing to those who find and keep them. “Keep your heart with all vigilance; for from it flow the springs of life” (Proverbs 4:23 RSV).

Galatians:

Paul was “discipling” the Galatian Christians. He urged them to walk by the indwelling Holy Spirit, rather than gratifying “the desires of the flesh.” Physical desires are in opposition to the desires of the Spirit. The Spirit opposes the desires of the flesh to prevent us from doing what is wrong. “But if you are led by the Spirit you are not under the Law” (Galatians 5:18).

The works of the flesh are obvious: immorality, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, “party spirit” (i.e. factionalism; divisiveness), envy, drunkenness, carousing and similar things. Those who do such things will not inherit eternal life in God’s heavenly kingdom.

The things of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. No law is necessary against such things.

Those who are in Christ Jesus have “crucified” the flesh with its lusts. If we have life by the Spirit, we must also walk in obedience to the Spirit. We must not be conceited; we must not provoke others, nor envy one another.

Commentary:

The wisdom collected in Proverbs is divine wisdom, by which God created and ordered the world; not what the world falsely calls “wisdom” (1 Corinthians 1:17-25; 2:1-8). God is the giver of divine wisdom (James 1:5; 1 Kings 3:5, 9-14). The Word of God is divine wisdom, fulfilled, embodied and exemplified in Jesus Christ (John 1:1-5, 14; Luke 11:31).

Participation in the bread and wine of wickedness and fleshly indulgence leads to spiritual death, but the participation in Jesus’ self-denial in the bread and wine of Jesus’ body and blood sacrificed on the cross, leads to eternal life.

God has given us his Word, the Bible, and in Jesus Christ, so that we can learn and know divine wisdom and divine truth. As we apply God’s Word in our daily lives, we will come to understand who Jesus is. Jesus’ words and example are the Word of God manifested in human flesh. As we trust and obey Jesus, he will give us the gift of his indwelling Holy Spirit (John 14:15-17). The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16).

Christians are disciples of Jesus Christ (Acts 11:26c) who trust and obey Jesus, who have been “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8) by the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit which only Jesus gives (John 1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17).

Paul (Saul of Tarsus) is the prototype and example of a modern “post-resurrection,” “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8) disciple and apostle (messenger; of the Gospel) of Jesus Christ (Acts 9:1-22). Paul was fulfilling Jesus’ Great Commission to his disciples, after they had been “born-again” by the infilling of the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-5, 8; 2:1-13), to go and make disciples of Jesus Christ, teaching them to obey Jesus (Matthew 28:19-20). Paul was a “born-again” disciple making “born-again” disciples, teaching the Galatians to trust and obey God’s Word in their daily lives, to seek and receive the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit and to learn to live in obedience to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a spring of water in our hearts welling up to eternal life (John 4:14; 7:38-39).

Christians must learn to deny what we desire and think we want in order to do what the Lord wants. What our flesh causes us to desire and what we think we want doesn’t lead to satisfaction and life; it leads to disappointment and eternal death. The Lord wants to give us his indwelling Holy Spirit so that we can desire and do what God intends for us, which is eternal life and joy in his new heavenly kingdom. The Lord wants us to discover for ourselves that the Lord’s will is “good, acceptable (desirable) and perfect” (Romans 12:2), the fulfillment of what we were created to be; children of God.

14 Pentecost - Saturday B

First Posted September 12, 2009

Luke 17:11-19 -- Ten Lepers

At the time of Jesus, Samaria lay between Judah in the south and Galilee in the north. The Samaritans were of mixed race and religion, resulting from the fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel to the Assyrians, and were not regarded by the Jews as Jewish in either the religious or racial sense. Jesus and his disciples were traveling through Samaria on their way to Galilee.

They entered a village and ten lepers called to him from a distance), asking Jesus to have mercy on them. (Leprosy is contagious and by the Law of Moses, lepers were not permitted to have normal contact with healthy people.) Jesus told them to go and show themselves to the priests. (When one had been healed of leprosy he had to go to the priest and be “certified” as disease-free in order to rejoin the community.) “And as they went, they were cleansed.” (Luke 17:14c)

One of them, a Samaritan, saw that he had been cleansed and he returned and gave thanks and praise to God and to Jesus for healing him. Jesus asked where the other nine were; was the “foreigner” the only one who was grateful to God for his healing? Jesus told the Samaritan to return to his daily life, and declared that the Samaritan’s faith had healed him.

The ten lepers were healed as they trusted and obeyed Jesus’ word. Unless they believed, despite physical evidence in their own flesh, that they would be healed, it would have been pointless to go to the priests in the condition in which they started to obey Jesus. Presumably the others were Jews, because the distinction was made regarding the Samaritan. The Samaritan, who was regarded as impure racially and religiously, was more grateful to God and Jesus than the (nominal) people of God.

The ten were all lepers, but they were also all spiritually terminally ill, as are we all, apart from Jesus. The nine were healed of their leprosy, but they missed the chance to be spiritually “re-born” (John 3:3, 5-8) to eternal life.

Jesus was the Messiah (Christ), the Savior promised to the Jews in God’s Word. He was not just the Savior of the Jews but of all people who trust and obey Jesus, but the Jews had the Word of God and the presence of God in Israel and in the Temple. It should have been easier for the Jews to recognize Jesus as the Messiah.

The meaning and purpose of our lifetime in this world is to give us the opportunity to seek and come to know the Lord personally (Acts 17:26-27). We are separated by sin (disobedience of God’s Word) from fellowship with God, like those lepers were separated from the congregation of God’s people and from participation in Temple worship.

Jesus is God’s only provision for the spiritual healing we need to restore us to spiritual, eternal life, and fellowship with the Lord in his eternal kingdom (Acts 4:12; John 14:6; see God’s Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right). That fellowship begins now, in this world, through the indwelling Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of God (Romans 8:9), which is only through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9). Only Jesus gives the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit (John 1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16).

America and the Church, particularly in America, are in a similar position today as that of the Jews at the time of Jesus’ first coming. We think we’re God’s people. We think we know a lot about God, but do we know him personally? Do we recognize his presence among us? Are we seeking what he can do for us spiritually, or only what he can do for us physically? Are we interested in thanking, glorifying, and pleasing him, or do we just want him to bless and please us?