A few weeks ago my wife made Kool-Aid while I was at work. When I got home, I saw the Kool-Aid in the fridge and immediately it sounded good to me. I poured a glass, salivated at the thought of the cool, tangy drink and turned the glass up to gulp it down, and...
It was tangy all right! In fact, Rebecca had not put any sugar in it. She was adding sugar as she gave it to the kids so that they would not be hyper.
I have really thought long and hard about Christianity in the history of the west and in America and compared it to things that I have read in the book of Acts. The Book of Acts is titled "Acts of the Apostles" but in reality, it should be called "Acts of the Holy Spirit." The Holy Spirit is the central character in the book of Acts. In its prequel, the disciples were scared, dull and slow to understand Jesus, who was right there with him. Though they witnessed his power to change lives through miracles and teaching, they were unable to do those things themselves, accept when Jesus allowed them to. However, in Acts, following Jesus resurrection and ascension, the disciples received the Spirit on the day of Pentecost.
And, they were changed. Peter, an ordinary, though bold, member of the Twelve, preached the first Christian sermon at the Temple as he unpacked Israel's narrartive and re-interpreted it in light of what God was doing in Jesus Christ. He proclaimed the resurrection as Jesus' confirmation that he was both Lord and Christ. Then, as the Apostles scattered, along with their followers, they began to do things that they had seen Jesus do in His ministry. They were empowered and endwelled by the same Spirit who empowered and endwelled Jesus on His mission to save the world. Their works and lives gave evidence of a life-changing encounter with the Holy Spirit.
When I think of the sugarless Kool Aid, and how sour it was, I think about how sour a faith that neglects the Spirit's presence and power must be to God who gave us His Spirit and to a world who so desperately needs to see God at work today.
1 comment:
And in trying so hard to not be confused with Pentecostals, do Baptists sometimes cause others' faces to screw up in that same sour expression you made? Not only is our faith soured by neglecting the Holy Spirit, but our negligent faith can sour the faith of those who are outside looking in!
Good post.
Hope all is well!
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