Thank you to John for this week’s MWB
Jesus and the Holy Spirit
The three recent Mid-week messages have been about the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament. Now we start a series of three about Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
Today’s title is “Jesus: led by the Holy Spirit”.
Luke’s gospel, especially in the early chapters, emphasises the activity of God the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:15,35,41; 2:25-27). Luke describes the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan and tells us that “the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove” (3:22). That sounds wonderful, but the next reference to the Holy Spirit comes as a shock.
“Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil” (Luke 4:1-2). Shocking? Yes! But that time of testing reveals Jesus as God the Son, who fulfils Scripture and trusts and obeys God’s word.
Luke then tells us that “Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside” (Luke 4:14). In the synagogue at Nazareth, his home town, Jesus stood and read from the Isaiah scroll “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor….” (Luke 4:18). Then Jesus sat down and made the extraordinary claim “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (4:21).
Us: led by the Holy Spirit?
Can we be led by the Holy Spirit? What will that mean?
The apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome “All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry “Abba, Father”. The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” (Romans 8:14-17).
Being led by the Spirit of God is a mark of God’s children. That will mean knowing God as our loving Father. It will mean that, following Jesus’ example, we trust and obey God’s word. It will mean sharing in Jesus’ sufferings now, and looking forward to sharing in his glory.