Jesus in the Old Testament

Jesus said that he was written about in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms, the Old Testament described in three divisions (Luke 24:44). Over 300 distinct prophecies plus many analogies and stories point to Jesus. There is a prophecy of his virgin birth (Isaiah 7:14), his place of birth in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), his identity as God's Son (Psalms 2:7-8), his anointing by God's Spirit (Isaiah 11:1-2), his death by crucifixion (Psalms 22:16), his resurrection from the dead (Psalms 16:10) and hundreds more. Before the New Testament was completed the church preached Christ from the Old Testament as well as their own direct experience. According to one source there are “343 Old Testament quotations in the New Testament, as well as no fewer than 2,309 allusions and verbal parallels.”

Baptized with the Holy Spirit

An oft disputed phrase is found once in each of the Gospels (Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33) and twice in Acts (1:5; 11:16). Exaggerated teaching about baptism of the Holy Spirit emphasizes things like speaking in tongues or miraculous powers. However, the phrase actually means something a whole lot simpler than that. An examination of the Greek word for baptism is a good place to start. It literally means to dip, or submerge, but it goes way beyond a simplistic literal meaning. It also means a cleansing or washing (ablution) and that gets us a little closer to a logical answer. The Holy Spirit cleans us up spiritually as water cleans us physically. It also means “to imbue richly with the Holy Spirit” and power from on high (Luke 24:49).

Visible and Invisible Presence

Jesus has gone to be with the Father in heaven (Luke 24:51). His visible presence is no longer with us, but his invisible presence is still with us. He is present with us in the coming of the Holy Spirit. He is present with us in the sacrament of communion. He and the Father have made their home with us (John 14:23). The world has spiritual Alzheimer's disease. They don’t know where they are going or why they are here. The invisible presence of the Holy Spirit gives us power to witness of the world’s most important and greatest enterprise. Jesus is no longer visibly present, but we see him in the “breaking of bread” and in the visible church which bears witness to his invisible presence (Acts 1:8). Christ still lives and his kingdom work continues.

Good News—Power from on High

God promised power from on high (Luke 24:49), his power (Matthew 6:13), power to the weak (Isaiah 40:29). Micah (3:8) was filled with power, to declare, by God’s Spirit (Zechariah 4:6). God’s power (Matthew 22:29) is greater power than the grave (Hosea 13:14). The apostles were promised power (Acts 1:8) to be witnesses (martyrs) and were given the power of hope (Romans 15:13) from the Holy Spirit, power of the cross (1 Corinthians 1:18), power that is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9), and is at work within us (Ephesians 3:20). It is the power of the resurrection (Philippians 3:10), power for endurance and patience (Colossians 1:11), power in the Gospel (1 Thessalonians 1:5), power for a godly life (2 Peter 1:3).

Comfort in Loss

A soldier in Afghanistan stands guard as a little girl plays with a rock in her hand, or is it a grenade? She gets ready to throw it at a passing Humvee. A split second decision has to be made. Do I lose another group of soldiers to a grenade attack or am I shooting a little girl playing with a rock? The moral dilemma affects all sides making people feel abandoned by the world. The loss of innocence, of youth, a parent, a child, a job, or a marriage make us feel abandoned. In John 14:18 Jesus promises not to abandon his disciples like orphans, but send the Comforter. What have we lost? Is the Holy Spirit teaching us how we should act? Ought we come alongside one another without judgment, giving words of comfort, help and healing?

Advocate for Whom

When we read translations of John 14:16 where the Paraclete is translated as Advocate, we might ask the question for whom is he an Advocate? In court the Advocate helps the accused. We are accused of sin and corruption. The accuser is the devil (Revelation 12:10). Who is the judge? It is Jesus (2 Timothy 4:1) who will judge on that day (Revelation 20:11-12). Is the Spirit pleading our case before a harsh God just begging for his mercy? Or is it the opposite? Has not God already shown his mercy and love for us by the death and resurrection of Jesus? Is not the Holy Spirit an Advocate who is also pleading God’s case to us, that we do not need to face death if we accept the truth of God’s love demonstrated in Easter?

Good News—a Helper

In John 14:16-17 Jesus promised another Helper, a Paraclete. The word Paraclete means a helper in court, a legal advocate who stands up in court and pleads our case before a judge, a comforter, an adviser-helper. This helper is also the Spirit of Truth. He communicates truth. He will reveal the truth about all our sins but also the truth about the penalty which has already been paid by Christ. He is not the spirit of lies and our world is filled with lies. The world cannot accept the truth. The world does not see the truth nor know it. It takes the help of the Holy Spirit living with us and in us to see and know the truth, to face our sins and to acknowledge that we have no other hope of justification before God than Jesus.

Love is a Verb

In John 14:15 when Jesus states that if you love me keep my commandments, the word for love [agapaté] is a verb, not a noun. Such love is doing something not just a warm feeling inside. In fact if we love Jesus it is obvious by our doing, our keeping of his commandments. It is a mistake to think that means the Old Testament commandments. Many times Jesus said things like you have heard that it was said of old, but I say to you and he gave a new instruction. For instance, the woman caught in adultery was not stoned, but shown mercy. Jesus also did not contradict the Father in these things, but said that these new instructions were from the Father. We are to keep, watch over or hold firmly to these new commandments of Jesus.

Lame Ducks

Missionary Methods

Every pastor or missionary eventually becomes a lame duck. The person who worked among the people of God moves on. The book Missionary Methods Saint Paul’s or Ours, (Roland Allen, Eerdmans, 1962) is a masterpiece on missionary work. In a sense, every pastorate is a missionary endeavor. The author challenges missionaries to get in, get on and for the sake of the developing flock to get out. Leaving is one of the best gifts a missionary or pastor can give a church. Only then will leadership develop to its fullest potential. It is with that thought in mind that a pastor leaves a much loved flock behind. Jesus said that he would not leave his disciples orphaned (John 14:15-21). And so it is as a missionary or pastor departs. The Holy Spirit remains behind to complete a maturing work.

You the Orphan

Vinegar Boy

Every one of us will become an orphan, unless we die before our parents. I remember fondly the daily conversations with my mother after school. In later years my father and I delighted in lengthy conversations about life. His wisdom was always gentle but firm in the grace that he had taken a lifetime to learn. He had grown to become very much like my grandmother, emphasizing not being critical of others, but realizing that we all make mistakes and are obligated to show others grace. Many of us can relate to the hole that the absence of such conversations leaves. When Jesus left for heaven, his disciples felt abandoned. Yet he said that he would not leave his disciples orphaned (John 14:15-21). He will return. Therein also lies the best hope of seeing our dearly departed ones again.