THE STORY OF JESUS: Acts 1:1-5
“John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 1:5)
The prophet Joel predicted a coming day of judgment, the ‘day of the Lord’.
The narrow meaning of the Greek word ‘baptizo’ is to immerse, dip or wash something,
The figurative meaning is to take over, overwhelm, or radically change something.
It involves more than the immediate experience, it involves transformation.
For example, to wash a a cup by immersing it in dishwater is to make it clean.
Israel was baptized by the Red Sea (1 Corinthians 10:1-2).
The Jews were confirmed in the covenant with sprinkled blood (Exodus 24:1-8).
The power of baptism does not lie in the symbol, but in the reality it represents.
The water of baptism – whether sprinkled, dipped or immersed – is not what matters.
It is to be taken over, overwhelmed and radically changed by the Spirit of God.
The disciples had been with Jesus for 3 years, they had learned lots with Him.
But they were still not ready, they needed one more thing, one essential thing.
What exactly is the baptism of the Spirit, and how do I know if I have had it?
My sense is that the baptism of the Spirit has already happened, on the day of Pentecost.
The wind of the Spirit is blowing all around us, and even in us.
We are like sailboats on the water, with the wind blowing all around us.
We don’t need more wind, we need to put up our sail to catch the wind.
We don’t need to wait in Jerusalem for the gift anymore, we just need to receive the gift.
The Spirit IS connecting me to God, the Spirit IS helping me become more like Jesus.
And the Spirit is willing and ready to demonstrate God’s love and power through us.
We have the Spirit… but does the Spirit have us?
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, I already have Your Spirit. My problem is that I am not embracing this wonderful gift – Your presence, Your power, Your promise. Your Spirit will move me, if I put up my sail!