Jesus Devotional - Day 40
Day Forty
Jesus: Real, Relevant, Raw and Radical!
Tag, You’re It!
Matthew 28:18-20(NLT) Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Mark 16:15-20(NLT) And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.”
Luke 24:49-53(NLT) “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.” 50 Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven. 52 So they worshiped him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy. 53 And they spent all of their time in the Temple, praising God.
Acts 1:8-11(NLT) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 9 After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. 10 As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”
The Word became flesh and dwelled among men. Jesus, the Son of God, the Son of man, stripped Himself. Although He was God, He did not cling to His position. He gave up His divine privileges and became the humble, suffering Servant. Deity clothed in humanity. In obedience to the Father’s will, Jesus died like a criminal on the cross. He was raised on the third day and exalted to the highest place of honor. His name is above every other name. His name will cause every knee, whether in heaven, on earth, or under the earth, to bow. Every tongue will declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Jesus did what the Father purposed for Him to do. His work is complete. Hebrews 10:12-13(NLT) “But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 13 There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet.”
When your work is done, you sit down. Jesus is seated at the Father’s right hand because His work is done. Jesus’ work is done, but there is still work to be done. Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He spent forty days after the resurrection teaching the disciples about the Kingdom of God. Jesus chose the disciples and prepared them for what the future would hold. He prepared them to understand that He would die for their salvation and that they would die for their devotion to Him. What is remarkable about the disciples is that they went from ignorant, unbelieving spectators to active, passionate martyrs for Christ. The Word of God shows us that they did not get it at first, but that they did eventually get it and took the message to the ends of the earth. The message that transformed them is the same message that empowered them and helped transform the lives of others.
His promise is that He would build His church, that the gates of Hell would not prevail against it, and that the good news of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection would be carried to the very ends of the earth. How was it possible that these mostly uneducated, common folk were able to proclaim the good news with boldness? They ran when they should’ve stayed. They slept when they should’ve prayed. They denied when they should’ve confessed. They doubted when they should’ve believed. They jockeyed for position when they should’ve served. They argued about bread when they should’ve trusted. They sank when they should’ve walked. They saw ghosts when they should’ve seen Jesus. You get the point.
When Jesus ascended into Heaven, they were staring into the heavens. They stared so long that two angels had to come and remind them that Jesus will return. They needed to wait to be empowered by the promise of the Father. The gospel message cannot be carried throughout the earth simply by human ingenuity or even human effort. This gospel of the Kingdom demands that all who preach and proclaim it be filled. We see the results of these fumbling, afraid-of-their-own-shadow disciples, change the known world. Jesus tagged them and said, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.”
How does a man who denies Jesus before a few and insists that he does not know Him end up preaching to thousands with great boldness? These men and women were transformed by the promise the Father sent. John 14:25-26(NLT) “I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. 26 But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.” The good news, for them and for us, is that Jesus does not ask you to do something unless He empowers you to do it. Jesus made a statement to them that must have sounded absurd when He said it. He told them: John 16:7(NLT) “But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you.” Peter had Jesus with him and yet denied Him. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would fill them and empower them to proclaim the message of Christ. The mandate they received is the same mandate we have received. This gospel of the Kingdom must be preached to the ends of the world. It cannot be preached with human energy and intellect alone; we need to be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, as the Apostle Paul wrote, 1 Corinthians 2:3-5 (NLT) “I came to you in weakness—timid and trembling. 4 And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. 5 I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.”
The Holy Spirit must be our Senior Partner. He provides the supernatural resources we need to accomplish God's will. Without His divine enablement, ministry and life will feel nothing short of burdensome, even drudgery. The Holy Spirit makes life full. As Jesus said, “I have come that you may have life and life in full.” The full life is not possible without the Holy Spirit's active and full leading.
Burnout happens when we do life and ministry without the Holy Spirit's divine help. Ask daily for His help, and frequently evaluate whether He is leading and you are following. The greatest evidence of the Holy Spirit's leading is supernatural, mind-stilling, unexplainable peace. When the Holy Spirit leads, peace is not just possible; it is overwhelmingly evident, even in the absence of perfect circumstances. If the Holy Spirit leads, the outcome is in God's hands, and the ability to do God's will comes from being empowered by the One who determines the outcome.
Where am I failing to let the Holy Spirit lead? The answer, then, should be the places where I have no peace! Notice, the Holy Spirit did not come to give me perfect circumstances; He came to give me perfect peace in spite of my circumstances. The Holy Spirit gives me the capacity to bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit, and that fruit helps me not only on a spiritual level but also on an emotional level. Power to do and power to be are drawn from an understanding of the Holy Spirit's work in and through our lives. Power to do God's work and Word, and power to be the salt and light in a tasteless and dark world, are both drawn from a relationship with the Holy Spirit. He also gives us the power to be who we are in Christ, according to His gifts within us. We also receive the power to be people of godly character to those around us.
The Holy Spirit is not a nice idea; He is God, and without Him, victorious living is neither attainable nor even faintly possible!
Invite the Holy Spirit to take the role He is meant to play, which is to be the One who calls the shots. Invite Him to be in charge and allow Him to lead. We limit ourselves by limiting the Holy Spirit's leadership in our lives. The Holy Spirit will prompt, but He will not push. The Holy Spirit will tug, but He will not pull. The Holy Spirit will prick, but He will not pierce. The Holy Spirit will speak, but He will not force. Life is better, richer, fuller, more joyful and peaceful when we allow the Holy Spirit to lead. How do we do that? By simply asking and inviting, by saying, “Holy Spirit, be the One who leads my life. I give you the keys to the vehicle of my life. Please determine what direction my heart takes. In every decision, you are my first Guide and my last Gauge.”
Jesus says, “Tag, you’re it.” Will we allow the Holy Spirit to use us to proclaim the greatest news to all mankind? Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, has come. It is our turn. How will we be remembered when we stand before His throne to represent this generation? This is our time!
Prayer:
Jesus: Real, Relevant, Raw and Radical!
Tag, You’re It!
Matthew 28:18-20(NLT) Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Mark 16:15-20(NLT) And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.”
Luke 24:49-53(NLT) “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.” 50 Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven. 52 So they worshiped him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy. 53 And they spent all of their time in the Temple, praising God.
Acts 1:8-11(NLT) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 9 After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. 10 As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”
The Word became flesh and dwelled among men. Jesus, the Son of God, the Son of man, stripped Himself. Although He was God, He did not cling to His position. He gave up His divine privileges and became the humble, suffering Servant. Deity clothed in humanity. In obedience to the Father’s will, Jesus died like a criminal on the cross. He was raised on the third day and exalted to the highest place of honor. His name is above every other name. His name will cause every knee, whether in heaven, on earth, or under the earth, to bow. Every tongue will declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Jesus did what the Father purposed for Him to do. His work is complete. Hebrews 10:12-13(NLT) “But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 13 There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet.”
When your work is done, you sit down. Jesus is seated at the Father’s right hand because His work is done. Jesus’ work is done, but there is still work to be done. Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He spent forty days after the resurrection teaching the disciples about the Kingdom of God. Jesus chose the disciples and prepared them for what the future would hold. He prepared them to understand that He would die for their salvation and that they would die for their devotion to Him. What is remarkable about the disciples is that they went from ignorant, unbelieving spectators to active, passionate martyrs for Christ. The Word of God shows us that they did not get it at first, but that they did eventually get it and took the message to the ends of the earth. The message that transformed them is the same message that empowered them and helped transform the lives of others.
His promise is that He would build His church, that the gates of Hell would not prevail against it, and that the good news of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection would be carried to the very ends of the earth. How was it possible that these mostly uneducated, common folk were able to proclaim the good news with boldness? They ran when they should’ve stayed. They slept when they should’ve prayed. They denied when they should’ve confessed. They doubted when they should’ve believed. They jockeyed for position when they should’ve served. They argued about bread when they should’ve trusted. They sank when they should’ve walked. They saw ghosts when they should’ve seen Jesus. You get the point.
When Jesus ascended into Heaven, they were staring into the heavens. They stared so long that two angels had to come and remind them that Jesus will return. They needed to wait to be empowered by the promise of the Father. The gospel message cannot be carried throughout the earth simply by human ingenuity or even human effort. This gospel of the Kingdom demands that all who preach and proclaim it be filled. We see the results of these fumbling, afraid-of-their-own-shadow disciples, change the known world. Jesus tagged them and said, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.”
How does a man who denies Jesus before a few and insists that he does not know Him end up preaching to thousands with great boldness? These men and women were transformed by the promise the Father sent. John 14:25-26(NLT) “I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. 26 But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.” The good news, for them and for us, is that Jesus does not ask you to do something unless He empowers you to do it. Jesus made a statement to them that must have sounded absurd when He said it. He told them: John 16:7(NLT) “But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you.” Peter had Jesus with him and yet denied Him. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would fill them and empower them to proclaim the message of Christ. The mandate they received is the same mandate we have received. This gospel of the Kingdom must be preached to the ends of the world. It cannot be preached with human energy and intellect alone; we need to be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, as the Apostle Paul wrote, 1 Corinthians 2:3-5 (NLT) “I came to you in weakness—timid and trembling. 4 And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. 5 I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.”
The Holy Spirit must be our Senior Partner. He provides the supernatural resources we need to accomplish God's will. Without His divine enablement, ministry and life will feel nothing short of burdensome, even drudgery. The Holy Spirit makes life full. As Jesus said, “I have come that you may have life and life in full.” The full life is not possible without the Holy Spirit's active and full leading.
Burnout happens when we do life and ministry without the Holy Spirit's divine help. Ask daily for His help, and frequently evaluate whether He is leading and you are following. The greatest evidence of the Holy Spirit's leading is supernatural, mind-stilling, unexplainable peace. When the Holy Spirit leads, peace is not just possible; it is overwhelmingly evident, even in the absence of perfect circumstances. If the Holy Spirit leads, the outcome is in God's hands, and the ability to do God's will comes from being empowered by the One who determines the outcome.
Where am I failing to let the Holy Spirit lead? The answer, then, should be the places where I have no peace! Notice, the Holy Spirit did not come to give me perfect circumstances; He came to give me perfect peace in spite of my circumstances. The Holy Spirit gives me the capacity to bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit, and that fruit helps me not only on a spiritual level but also on an emotional level. Power to do and power to be are drawn from an understanding of the Holy Spirit's work in and through our lives. Power to do God's work and Word, and power to be the salt and light in a tasteless and dark world, are both drawn from a relationship with the Holy Spirit. He also gives us the power to be who we are in Christ, according to His gifts within us. We also receive the power to be people of godly character to those around us.
The Holy Spirit is not a nice idea; He is God, and without Him, victorious living is neither attainable nor even faintly possible!
Invite the Holy Spirit to take the role He is meant to play, which is to be the One who calls the shots. Invite Him to be in charge and allow Him to lead. We limit ourselves by limiting the Holy Spirit's leadership in our lives. The Holy Spirit will prompt, but He will not push. The Holy Spirit will tug, but He will not pull. The Holy Spirit will prick, but He will not pierce. The Holy Spirit will speak, but He will not force. Life is better, richer, fuller, more joyful and peaceful when we allow the Holy Spirit to lead. How do we do that? By simply asking and inviting, by saying, “Holy Spirit, be the One who leads my life. I give you the keys to the vehicle of my life. Please determine what direction my heart takes. In every decision, you are my first Guide and my last Gauge.”
Jesus says, “Tag, you’re it.” Will we allow the Holy Spirit to use us to proclaim the greatest news to all mankind? Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, has come. It is our turn. How will we be remembered when we stand before His throne to represent this generation? This is our time!
Prayer:
- Ask the Holy Spirit to be the Senior Partner in your relationship with Jesus.
- Pray to be filled afresh with the Holy Spirit.
- Ask the Lord for opportunities to share His love.
- Pray that the Gospel of the Kingdom be preached throughout the earth.
Posted in Jesus Devotional