The Messiah’s Secret Revealed - Easter Reflection

I give thanks and praise that the Messiah's Secret Revealed identifies Jesus who he is 'the Christ' and  by accepting him in faith transforms the soul which enables me to follow his teachings empowered by the Holy Spirit to walk in grace.                          

On the cross Jesus forgave those who had sinned against him, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”  Luke 23: 34                                                                          

The Messiah's secret -the Jewish people were not aware  that God had planned the Messiah’s death and resurrection. 

The Jews had been taught from the law that when the Christ came he would remain forever; they were not taught that the Christ would come and die. The scriptures concerning his death were hidden by God and were revealed to the disciples on the evening of his resurrection. Luke 24: 44-48.         

“So the crowd answered him, "We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?"  John 12: 34   

The crowd wondered who this Son of man was that would be lifted up and draw all men to himself.  (Jesus said he would be lifted up to show what death he was to die verse 33).                                                                                                      

God allowed their ignorance and gave Caiaphas a prophecy that would determine that Jesus died at the hands of the Romans.

God had given to Caiaphas who was chief priest, the main man of the Sanhedrin, a prophecy: “That one man should die for the people and that the whole nation should not perish” so when the council gathered to plot against Jesus, Caiaphas told them the prophecy, they believed that Jesus was’ the man’ and that it was God’s will for him to die.  

They had acted in ignorance when they handed Jesus over to be tried for blasphemy before Pilate, “They began to accuse him saying, ”We found this man perverting the nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ a king.” Pilate said that found no crime in this man, He sent him to Herod, and Herod too found no fault, nothing deserving death.  Luke 23: 2, 7.

Pilate consulted the crowd outside the Praetorium, ”Whom shall I release Barabbas or Jesus?  They shouted for Barabbas to be released from prison and Jesus to be crucified. The Pharisees, scribes and others shouted to him, "He saved others but he cannot save himself, come down from the cross and we will believe in you." Mark 15: 15, 31, 32.
They did not expect the Messiah to come and die.

Jesus was condemned to death by the crowd that was made up of both Jews and Gentiles.

Acts 4: 27 “For truly in this city there were gathered together against thy holy servant Jesus, whom thou didst anoint, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever they hand and thy plan had predestined to take place.”

Caiaphas’ prophecy had a double meaning: “That one man should die for the people and that the whole nation should not perish.” Jesus, died to save not just the Israelites but for the whole of humanity. “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3: 16.

Shortly after Pentecost Peter and John were going up to the temple to pray. As they came to the ‘Gate Beautiful’ the crowd gathered Peter gave testimony to the resurrection of Jesus and announced that they and their rulers had crucified Jesus in ignorance. If they would repent, the Lord would bring in the times of refreshing and send Jesus the appointed Messiah.  Jesus would have returned and the crowd who heard him say that they would see the Son of man come with the holy angels and the Kingdom of God come in with power would have witnessed it.   Acts 3: 17 – 21. Mark 8: 38. 9: 1.

This was the Messiah’s Secret Revealed that the Messiah, or Greek translation ‘ the Christ ‘ had to die and be resurrected and ascended into heaven before he could be received by the leaders of the whole of Israel as their Messiah, Christ the King. 
Paul wrote, "The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognise Jesus, yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath." Acts 13: 27 
The Messiah’s call was to the nation and from them they would take the ‘Good news’ to the world. The time for the nation to receive Jesus Christ was at and after Pentecost and not before his death as I was taught. Lord, thank you for forgiving my ignorance.                                                          

Jesus in his humanity, in his dying moments in faith he commended his spirit into his Father’s hands. In obedient faith Jesus handed his whole being into his Father’s hands, making sure that there was no contention over his body like that of Moses. Moses had fallen into sin and therefore did not enter into the Promised Land, but Jesus was free from sin in his obedience in doing the will of his Father, his body was raised  from the dead by God. Jude verse 9.

Jesus died and to make sure so there is no doubt a soldier pierced his heart with his sword.

Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus went to Pilate and asked if they could take his body down from the cross and place it in a tomb. Pilate gave permission and put a seal on the tomb with soldiers to guard it.

On the third day when the disciples were told by the women at the house that someone had stolen his body they must have been so distraught. John raced to the tomb and Peter followed, John stood back to allow Peter to go in before him. Only the linen strips and the napkin were there.

As that day progressed Jesus appeared to Mary, Peter, the two disciples on the road to Emmaus and those gathered in the house. Jesus had been raised up from the dead, raised up by God the Father.

“Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by death he might destroy him who holds the power of death-that is the devil.” Hebrews 2: 14.

“But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honour because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.” Hebrews 2: 9.

Jesus’ victory over the devil was complete, The perishable has been clothed with the imperishable  and the mortal with immortality. “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” Isaiah 25: 8 1 Corinthians 15: 54, 55.

Sadducee Caiaphas and the majority of the Sanhedrin failed to see what God was doing in the involvement of the Gentiles in Jesus’ death through crucifixion, Jesus being the final atonement sacrifice for all sin and its causes and sadly King David’s prophecy of the resurrection of the Messiah failed to register with the Sadducee's who did not believe in the resurrection.

John wrote of what he had observed, He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God.”

John's words are true for today to receive Jesus is to have faith in him. The Holy Spirit is given to us to empower our faith and enlightens our understanding of God who is our Father, so therefore, we are Children of God.

To the sceptic history records through the historian Josephus who was not a Christian recorded Jesus’ existence, his ministry and resurrection

Antiquities of the Jews - Book XVIII  First Century Historian Josephus

Chapter 3

3. Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man; for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was [the] Christ.

 And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, (9) those that loved him at the first did not forsake him; for he appeared to them alive again the third day; (10) as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. And the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day.”

Psalm 24 what a welcome he received in heaven

“Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.8 Who is this King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle! 9 Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.10 Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory!” Psalm 24: 7-10

The  Messiah’s Secret Revealed – Jesus at Bethany

(The visual aid I set up on Saturday ready for the Sunday morning service.)

I explained to the congregation - The desert on the right has no water so things don’t grow  on the other side things grow really well because there is plenty of water.  (picture on right showing water rising up)

So how do seeds grow?

3 children held up pictures: sun, soil and water

I’ve put some soil in the cups, ready to sow some seeds.

what do they need now? Sun and water.

I planted seeds in the compost in the cup three weeks ago and they have grown. 

When we hear or read about Jesus, and take the words to heart, they begin to grow within us and we become like Jesus.

                                                                       Prayer Focal Point

In a similar way, words about Jesus are seeds of faith, in every seed is complete, it contains the wholeness of Jesus, especially his love revealed to us in laying down his life for the forgiveness of our sins. When we listen to those words they planted into our heart. The Father's Holy Spirit waters the seed and they begin to grow within us. And we become followers of Jesus.                                       

Isaiah 43: 16-21. John 12: 1-8  
Jesus spent 40 days alone in the wilderness where he was tempted to sin unlike the Israelites in the wilderness who sinned and as a result wandered in the desert, for forty years, but Jesus resisted the devil’s temptations.                                                                                        

During the season of Lent the church encourages us to spend time examining our walk in Christ. For some Christians who maybe who have gone or going through a difficult time they can relate to Mary and Martha they had gone through a wilderness experience when Lazarus was seriously ill and later died. 

They had expected Jesus to turn up straight away after they had sent word to him that Lazarus was seriously ill. But he did not come.                                                  

Last Sunday evening  

Revd Chris Casey spoke about the different reactions between the sisters, When Jesus arrived later, Martha had a calm conversation with Jesus, she believed that he would have healed Lazarus had he come before he died and ‘even now’ she said, God will give you whatever you ask.”                                                                                                                  

Mary was silent, her emotions caused her to go weeping to Jesus”   

Both reactions found fulfilment when Jesus wept with Mary and when Jesus, said to Martha “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me will live, even though he dies.” 

God's greater plan for Lazarus
Jesus did not respond straight away to Mary and Martha’s plea because he had a greater plan – Lazarus’ resurrection.  

God’s greater plan for Jesus:  Annie Johnson Flint wrote: “If the Christ who died had stopped at the cross, his work had been incomplete. 
If the Christ who was buried had stayed in the tomb, he had only known defeat. 
But the way of the cross never stops at the cross and the way of the tomb leads on, to victorious grace in the heavenly place where the risen Christ has gone."  

God’s greater plan for us.
So for us, like Mary and Martha  we learn to put our trust in the Lord for he has a plan for us. 

John draws our attention to the fact that the resurrected Lazarus was sat at the table.   
When Lazarus had been 4 days in the tomb his body was like the desert, nothing could bring back life to his body. But Jesus was able to bring new life into his body like the spring its water bringing life to the desert. As we can imagine people were amazed when they heard of this fantastic miracle that Jesus performed. John wrote later they waved the Palm branches and shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David.!” John 11: 17,18                                  

Mary came and knelt at Jesus’ feet and began to wipe them with her hair, mingled with ointment and her tears of joy, the perfume filled the room.

Mary wanted to show her love, honour and gratitude to Jesus, for what he had done by raising her brother Lazarus from the dead and we notice that she had planned before hand to anoint Jesus regardless of what under Law would not allow a woman to do.                                                                                                              

God in Jesus was doing a new thing, “He will not break a bruised reed or quench a smouldering wick.”  A change to the law, the law penalised a person for breaking the law. Under grace God looks at the motivation coming from the heart.  

Jesus healed on the Sabbath Day which was forbidden. When questioned he said that it was right to do good on the Sabbath Day.

The Messiah's Secret Revealed The Pharisees added extra laws to those given by God to Moses because they earned their righteousness by keeping the rules of the law."                                 .

Judas annoyed by Mary’s liberty tried to quench her spirit by saying the money she had spent could have been given to the poor. Having an appearance of concern for the poor, but John pointed out he was not sincere.  
Jesus upheld, did not quench Mary’s motivation and actions when he said, “Let her alone, let her keep it for the day of my burial.” The anointing was in connection with his burial.                                                                                     
Anointing in the Old Testament was to give the gifts of Holy Spirit to the person for a particular service. 

Mary anointed Jesus for his burial, his ministry in death. 
In the Common Prayer Book in the Creed we say ‘He descended into hell.’ Peter in his letter wrote, ”He was put to death in the body, but made alive by the Spirit, through whom he went and preached to the spirits in prison.” during the time he was in the tomb he went and preached to those who had been held there, since before the flood. In God’s justice he gave all those who had lived in unbelief in God the opportunity to accept Jesus as their Saviour. 1 Peter 3: 18-22.                                                                                                              .                                                    

In our reading Jesus said, ‘The poor you will always have with you.” We know therefore, there will always be a ministry to the poor.

Christians Against Poverty 

Christians Against Poverty CAP based at Bradford is where there is an outpouring of the Holy Spirit and it is beginning to gain momentum it’s like a spring in the desert, the start of a river flowing turning desert into fertile soil.                                

They are helping people in various practical ways through managing debt, finding a job, release groups and learning life skills and more importantly showing them God’s love. People are becoming Christians and the Lord is turning there lives around.

Jesus in his love is weeping with those who find themselves poor in their circumstances.

We have a CAP Job Club Course that will start at the end of March, please pray that the people who come on the course will ask for a drink the life-giving water and through accepting Jesus into their heart, he will be their rock and hope for now and for eternity.

The  Messiah’s Secret – Jesus  our  Shield and Refuge

Genesis 15:  1-12. 17, 18. Luke 13: 31-35.

Visual Aid

The lollipop lady holding up their badge of authority step out in faith, believing that the drivers will stop their cars in both directions. She stands between the cars and the children, Shielding them from the dangers of crossing the road. 

Jesus is our shield he protects us and makes a way for us to follow. We have his badge of authority, 'his name'. When we pray we ask in the name of Jesus.

In Genesis 15 the word came to Abram from God in a vision. He heard the words, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”

God was Abram’s shield when he had risked his life to rescue Lot. In the previous chapter we read when Abram heard that Lot had been taken captive during the regional war that took place near the Dead Sea:

(Araphel, Arioch, Kedorlamer and the king Tidal who had waged war against five kings: Bera king of Sodom, Birsha King of Gomorrah, and kings Shinab Shember, and Zoar king of Bela and defeated them.

The four kings took Lot and his possession as he was living in Sodom. One of Lot’s servants escaped and went and told Abram that Lot had been captured.

Abram out of love for his nephew took a small army and defeated four kings and rescued Lot, his relatives and his possessions.

On his return, Melchizedek high priest of God greeted Abram in the King’s Valley with a peace offering of bread and wine, praising God for shielding him and winning a great victory.

The writer of Hebrew states that Melchizedek was the high priest of God, who had no father or mother, no genealogy without beginning of days or end of life and he resembled the Son of God. Hebrews 7: 1,3.                                                                                                

Jewish tradition suggests that Adam was the first high priest of God, having no father or mother in the flesh, therefore no genealogy, God himself his creator, before he fell into sin. “Hebrew for Christians” John J Parsons

Melchizedek resembled the Son of God in that he offered bread and wine as a peace offering, pointing to the greater peace offering of  Jesus the Son and high priest of God offered the bread and wine, his life, his body and blood for the forgiveness of sin, that we receive through faith, as a peace offering between God and man. At the communion the bread and the wine are tokens of his body and blood we eat and drink in remembrance of Jesus laying down  his life for us.  Hebrews 6: 20. “He has become a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.”  
Jesus the second Adam  Romans 5: 12-21. 1 Corinthians 15: 22, 45-49.                                                                                       

Abram was not afraid of the four kings, just as Jesus was not afraid of Herod, Jesus was not going to take heed of the Pharisees words to him, “Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you.” Jesus was not afraid of Herod.

We read Jesus in his reply likened Herod to a fox, a fox is sly and cunning, he gave them a message for Herod, “Go and tell that fox, ‘I will drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow and on the third day I will reach my goal.’” The Pharisees and Herodians came to Jesus and asked should they pay their taxes to Caesar or not. Jesus asked to look at the coin and he advised them to pay the taxes to the one whose head was on the coin. Mark 12:13. A cunning strategy they wanted to be able to accuse Jesus of rebellion against the Romans.

Jesus continued to heal people of their mental and physical ailments before he went to Jerusalem.  There he would complete his task, fulfilling his goal which was to rescue the whole of humanity and creation from the power of the devil.

 Hebrews 2: 14. “Jesus too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death that is the devil.”

It is by faith believing in the heart and accepting what Jesus has done for us on the cross that we enter into the family of God.

Through our faith in Jesus, we  are rewarded like Abraham with a covenant an agreement:  Abraham would have an heir and would be a father of a great nation.

Whereas, the new covenant that Jesus established is better, we are joint heirs with Christ, there is no genealogy, no descendants, we are all in Christ. 

Jesus born into humanity his mother Mary giving him his flesh and genealogy through King David, Jacob, Isaac and Abraham. Matthew 1: 1-17 
God was Jesus' Father, Luke 3: 23-38  traced Jesus' genealogy back through adoption by Joseph going back to Adam who had no father or mother. Jesus in his Divinity is part of the Trinity he looked to his heavenly home in his prayer John 17: 14, 16 where he was before the foundation of the world. We are in Christ before the foundation of the earth. Ephesians 1: 4 The Jewish nation are from the foundation of the earth. Hebrews 9: 26.                              

When the lollipop person steps off the pavement into the busy road and holding their badge of authority the cars will stop.  They step out in faith.

Someone locally who recently stepped out in faith Kath she started a group called ‘Embrace’ her story was in the December Crux. She wrote, “For about three years, I had been thinking about setting up some sort of ministry to support people with addiction problems. I approached Revd D Brae and he said, ‘Just go and do it!’ And she says that now ‘Embrace’ is thriving in Bacup.”    

The lollipop person opens up a pathway so that the children and adults pass over the road.  Kath found out God opened up a way when she stepped out in faith. We need not fear, he is our shield and our refuge is in him.  

Kath is sharing the Bible with them to find Jesus. And for those who go to ‘Embrace’, they are coming to know Jesus in a personal way.  

The  lollipop is a badge of authority is like us praying in Jesus’ name, his name is our badge of authority, we are shielded and protected by his name because we are one with him.                                                                                                                                              

We can move mountains of problems through faith in his name and here in Mark’s 11:22-24 he says, “Whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have already received.

Jesus is in the fabric of our being in Spirit and in truth and while we live on earth we are walking in his victory over all principalities and powers and because we are in Christ, we are in a safe place.

Added afterwards:

Paul wrote Ephesians 6: 16 by daily take hold of the shield of faith, we are able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.     

We have an example when Jesus visited his home town, In Nazareth Jesus upset the people in the synagogue by what he said, he pointed to their unbelief, He didn’t do many miracles there because of their unbelief. So in their fiery words they threatened to throw him over the cliff, but he walked straight through the crowd, he was shielded by God he had taken refuge in God. Luke 4: 24-28.

It’s like the astronauts they are totally shielded by the heat shield on their space craft when they re-enter the earth’s atmosphere. So when we find our faith being challenged we have the assurance of the Lord shielding us and our refuge is in Christ.                             

The  Messiah’s Secret – Numbered with the Transgressors

Coming from within the Bible: clock, Garden of Gethsemane, sword, the cross.

Luke 22: 35 – 62.

Faith in Jesus

When we send an email we rely on the connection between our computer and the server Yahoo, BT internet, Gmail, hotmail etc. The server connects us to the persons email address server and they connect the email to their computer.

Faith works by our connection to Jesus in prayer to throne of God’s grace where prayers are answered.

What the computer cannot do is prophecy events that relate to the future, whereas God has planned appointments (prophesies) for people written down in his book the Bible.

Prophecy fulfilled  

“Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
    and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
    and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
    and made intercession for the transgressors.” 
Isaiah 53: 12.

Jesus quoted from this verse, “And he was reckoned with transgressors;” he went on to say, “For what is written about me has its fulfilment.” Jesus identified himself as being numbered with the sinners and the fulfilment of God’s plan of salvation..

The Clock

Shortly before entering the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus said to his disciples, “When I sent you out with no purse or bag or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “Nothing.” He said to them, “But now, let him who has a purse take it, and likewise a bag. And let him who has no sword sell his mantle and buy one. For I tell you this scripture must be fulfilled in me, ‘And he was reckoned with transgressors; for what is written about me has its fulfilment.” And they said, “Look, Lord, here are two swords.” And he said to them, “It is enough.”  or “It is sufficient.” 

The clock was ticking a change of attitude coming from the people, instead of welcoming Jesus and his disciples, the opposite: disbelief and aggression coming against them. The hour of darkness approaching and Peter being sifted like wheat.                                 

The Garden of Gethsemane (pop up - the white is a fountain)

Luke continued connecting these words with what followed in the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus said to his disciples, “Pray, that you may not enter into temptation.” Peter and the others fell asleep we don’t know if they realised what Jesus was saying. Jesus prayed to resist the temptation of not going to the cross. “Father, if thou art willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.”  

The sound of voices coming into the Garden of Gethsemane changed the atmosphere as Judas came up to Jesus and kissed him. 

Jesus said to him, “Would you betray the Son of man with a kiss?”                                                                    

Judas greeted Jesus with a superficial kiss, the hour had begun.  “But this is your hour and the powers of darkness.” Verse 53

The Sword

The rest of the disciples would now have been aware that there was something going on and sensed the danger. Why would Jesus say these words to Judas? The tension grew as the aggression in the voices of the crowd stirred Peter who was carrying a sword, with it he struck the high priest’s slave Malchus cutting off his right ear.  When Jesus saw what Peter had done, he stepped in between them saying “No more of this!” Jesus touched Malchus’ ear and healed him.                       

Jesus filled with remorse for what Peter had done stepped in to heal the wounded Malchus.

The disciple Peter acted in response to the aggression coming from the crowd, but he was wrong in doing what he did. Jesus felt responsible by association for his actions, even though Jesus had done nothing wrong he had not incited Peter to use his sword. When Jesus healed Malchus’ ear, he was full of remorse, sorry for Peter’s actions.

Peters Remorse

After Jesus was arrested, Peter followed them to the high priest’s courtyard, there he stood by the fire, someone asked him did he know Jesus? He said he didn’t know him and left. Outside the courtyard remorse filled his heart. Was it for both his words and actions that he felt remorse as he wept bitterly? Matthew 26: 75. John 18: 26, 27

The Cross

When a person feels a deep sense of remorse for sin against God Jesus steps in between God and the person, bringing healing. Jesus bore sin and the causes of sin on the cross where in his innocence he took the punishment for sin resulting in his death. God raised Jesus from the dead and in his resurrection he has justly disarmed principalities and powers, and restored our broken relationship with God.

The Messiah’s Secret Revealed.

Jesus’ resurrection changed the disciples situation the hour of darkness was past.

In the house at Jerusalem, Jesus breathed on his disciples the Holy Spirit. He opened their minds to understand the scriptures that spoke of his suffering and resurrection.

At Pentecost Peter filled with the Holy Spirit said, “Let all the household of Israel know assuredly that God has made him both Lord and Christ. Jesus, who you crucified.” Acts 2: 36.

God made Jesus the Saviour of the world, after his death, resurrection and ascension. Jesus was born a King and Messiah, to become the Saviour he had to die and be resurrected from the dead. The Centurion speared Jesus’ heart blood and water was reported issuing from his heart.

Continuing verse 37, “Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?”  

Fifty days later those responding to his words about Jesus were full of remorse, most of them would not have been there at the trial of Jesus shouting for him to be crucified. But by association they responded to Peter in verse 38 “Repent, and be baptised everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” 3,000 people that day came to faith in Christ.

Today the feeling of remorse by association for the actions of others.                       

Maybe we can identify with Peter or with Jesus when we have fallen into temptation and caused other Christians to feel the pain of remorse or we have cared enough like Jesus to stand in the gap and feel remorse to bring forgiveness and healing.. Whatever our situation we are able in prayer to lift the broken hearted, the burden of it, and the remorse on to the cross.

Jesus understands through what he suffered, all our circumstances that we face, having gone through them himself. By his love he goes through our situations with us and through grace in suffering blesses us his children.

The  Messiah’s Secret – The difference between John and Jesus’ Baptisms

Isaiah 43: 1-7. Luke 3: 15-17, 21, 22.

Birds in the Bible Quiz  John had ten scriptures each scripture pointing to a bird. The pictures of the birds on  power point.

Luke 3: 22  The Holy Spirit in the form of this bird  alighted on Jesus’ head. - - - - 

British Astronaut Tim Peake stepped outside the Space Station to do some repairs on the Station’s power box along with fellow Astronaut Tim Kopra. The view of the round earth from the cameras on board was awesome. Isaiah wrote, “It is he (God) who sits above the circle of the earth and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers.” Isaiah 40: 22.                                                                      

The writer of Genesis described in Genesis 1: 2. “The Spirit hovered over the waters of the earth,” ‘hovers’ like a bird.  

The 19^th Century Jewish philosopher Martin Burber wrote, “The Spirit of God hovering like a bird with outstretched wings manifested in the Spirit of the Messiah who will come.”  

This is what we believe happened when John the Baptist saw heaven open and coming from heaven the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove, alighted upon Jesus and filled his whole being with the Spirit of God. 

Burber continues, “The Holy One, blessed be He! Will spread His wings and bestow His grace ‘upon Israel,’ owing to Israel’s repentance, symbolised by the water in accordance with Lamentations 2: 19 “Pour out your heart like water before the presence of the Lord.” 

This Jewish expectation that Burber wrote about was apparent many centuries before when the Jews asked John if he was the Messiah. It's quite probable that they were looking for both a water and spirit baptism from John.  John the Baptist in his response indicated that they would only receive from him his baptism of repentance, “I baptise you with water, but he who will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” 

John separated water and spirit baptism. It is recorded in the book of Acts, Apollos and twelve others had only received John‘s baptism.   

“While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?" "John's baptism," they replied. Paul said, "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus." On hearing this, they were baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus. Acts 18: 25. 19: 1- 5.  

Lamentations 2: 19 “Pour out your heart like water before the presence of the Lord.”This is Jesus’ water baptism symbolising the pouring out of the heart in repentance, before the presence of the Lord, then entering by faith into his death and resurrection, being raised up into newness of life.                                                                                  

So the difference between John’s baptism of repentance and Jesus’ baptism of repentance after Pentecost was the Spirit of God coming into a person’s life. Acts 2: 38 “Repent and be baptised every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.                                                                                                                 

Visual Aid- Orange juice and fizzy orange juice. Taste the difference, both have all the goodness of the orange but one has a fizz about it, something extra.

John’s prophecy was fulfilled when Jesus breathed on his disciples the Holy Spirit on the evening of the day of his resurrection. The Holy Spirit stemming from Jesus. At Pentecost the second part of the prophecy was fulfilled, the Holy Spirit manifested himself as tongues of fire sitting on top of the disciples' heads.                                                                 

A fire produces power – steam, electricity Jesus said, “You shall receive power after the Holy Spirit comes upon you.”  The ‘Power of God’ is in our walk in faith, hope and love the greatest being love. God is love, his Spirit is love. Luke 24: 49. 1 John 4: 8, 12, 13.

“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have faith that can move mountains, but do not have love. I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but do not have love, I gain nothing. 13. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love."     
1 Corinthians 13: 1-3, 13. 

A fire gives off comforting heat, the comforting healing power of the Holy Spirit.  

In  Isaiah 43 reading God reminded Israel that they crossed over the Red Sea, the water had overwhelmed their enemies as God was with them. 

And for us Christians in our relationship with God whatever situation might arise where we need God’s help and strength he is there for us, it won't overwhelm us, especially in sickness. 

Literal fire - Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to worship Nebuchadnezzar’s statue, so he put them into the fiery furnace, to his amazement he saw a fourth man with them, the Lord. The three men were not touched by the flames. Daniel 3: 22-30.         

The Holy Spirit takes the fire out of a situation when a Christian faces opposition of some kind. The Lord will go before us taking the tension, the contentious words and defusing them, bringing in his peace. 

A fire gives light in the darkness, Jesus the light that shines in the darkness. God has shed his light on us to make Christ known to others.

God gave assurance to Israel of his love for them and that he would always be with them, at a distance, but always in his sight.                                               

We have a greater promise as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit come and make their home within us, a permanent presence.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we are sorry for failings, where we have grieved your Holy Spirit. humbly we ask to be filled afresh today with your life giving comforting presence and the power of your Holy Spirit to witness our love, faith and hope in Jesus. Amen.