Pour Out Your Spirit Lord!
One of the phrases most used to describe how the Holy Spirit is activated is seen twice in today's readings. In both Isaiah 44 and the fulfillment of that prophesy in Acts 2, these passages say, "I will pour out my Spirit". In the quotation from Joel, we see that the Spirit will be poured out on all people young and old, men and women. On the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit was poured out on Jesus' disciples, just as Jesus had promised.
And in both cases the pouring out of the Spirit causes great growth to occur. In the Isaiah passage the pouring out of the Spirit is likened to streams of water being poured out on dry ground. And grass will grow in the meadows and poplar trees by the flowing streams. In Acts, after the Spirit is poured out, the people will see dreams and visions and prophesy in the name of The Lord. And wonders will happen in the heavens above and signs on the earth below.
The bottom line is the Spirit is the means by which the power of God comes on earth as it is in heaven. When we look at the change in the disciples before and after the receiving of the Holy Spirit, the pouring out of the Spirit is the only way to explain it. The disciples go from bumbling around and being afraid to be associated with Jesus, to men who are used by God to start the Church by the Spirit's power working through them.
As we look for the church today to have an effect on the society around us, we too need to renewed by the Holy Spirit. When we try to do ministry in our own strength and power, we see little fruit or growth. When we rely only on ourselves, whatever fruit we see is manmade and has little effect in the kingdom. But the Good News is that those who believe in Jesus have been given the power of the Spirit. I think the problem is we realize so little of the Spirit's power and wonder why our ministries are showing little or no growth.
As we rely on the Spirit, we are really relying God, because there is one God expressed in Father, Son and Holy Spirit. And the work we do is the same that Jesus did, as it is also the Spirit of Jesus. We see the Trinity at work here. The Father creates us. The Son redeems us. The Spirit sustains us and empowers us, but it is all the work of and the same God.
So how do we realize the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives and ministry. I think the first thing is to be aware of and recognize the Spirit. When we are given discernment, we are gifted to see what is of God and what God is doing. Also we can pray the words the early church when it prayed, "Come Holy Spirit!" By recognizing and realizing the power of the Holy Spirit it consciously moves us to dependence on God, even in our weaknesses. And as we pray it is the Spirit who intercedes with sighs and groaning that are only understood by God.
As we begin each day and remember to pray with the Spirit's power and then walk by the Spirit's power we too can be like that water poured on the dry river bed, that leads to trees flourishing by the flowing streams. And we will realize as that it is "not by might or power but by my Spirit says The Lord. Amen.
Isaiah 44 Israel the Chosen
44 “But now listen, Jacob, my servant,
Israel, whom I have chosen.
2 This is what the Lord says—
he who made you, who formed you in the womb,
and who will help you:
Do not be afraid, Jacob, my servant,
Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.
3 For I will pour water on the thirsty land,
and streams on the dry ground;
I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring,
and my blessing on your descendants.
4 They will spring up like grass in a meadow,
like poplar trees by flowing streams.
5 Some will say, ‘I belong to the Lord’;
others will call themselves by the name of Jacob;
still others will write on their hand, ‘The Lord’s,’
and will take the name Israel.
Acts 2:14-24
Peter Addresses the Crowd
14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 “‘In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
18 Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
19 I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
21 And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.’[a]
And in both cases the pouring out of the Spirit causes great growth to occur. In the Isaiah passage the pouring out of the Spirit is likened to streams of water being poured out on dry ground. And grass will grow in the meadows and poplar trees by the flowing streams. In Acts, after the Spirit is poured out, the people will see dreams and visions and prophesy in the name of The Lord. And wonders will happen in the heavens above and signs on the earth below.
The bottom line is the Spirit is the means by which the power of God comes on earth as it is in heaven. When we look at the change in the disciples before and after the receiving of the Holy Spirit, the pouring out of the Spirit is the only way to explain it. The disciples go from bumbling around and being afraid to be associated with Jesus, to men who are used by God to start the Church by the Spirit's power working through them.
As we look for the church today to have an effect on the society around us, we too need to renewed by the Holy Spirit. When we try to do ministry in our own strength and power, we see little fruit or growth. When we rely only on ourselves, whatever fruit we see is manmade and has little effect in the kingdom. But the Good News is that those who believe in Jesus have been given the power of the Spirit. I think the problem is we realize so little of the Spirit's power and wonder why our ministries are showing little or no growth.
As we rely on the Spirit, we are really relying God, because there is one God expressed in Father, Son and Holy Spirit. And the work we do is the same that Jesus did, as it is also the Spirit of Jesus. We see the Trinity at work here. The Father creates us. The Son redeems us. The Spirit sustains us and empowers us, but it is all the work of and the same God.
So how do we realize the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives and ministry. I think the first thing is to be aware of and recognize the Spirit. When we are given discernment, we are gifted to see what is of God and what God is doing. Also we can pray the words the early church when it prayed, "Come Holy Spirit!" By recognizing and realizing the power of the Holy Spirit it consciously moves us to dependence on God, even in our weaknesses. And as we pray it is the Spirit who intercedes with sighs and groaning that are only understood by God.
As we begin each day and remember to pray with the Spirit's power and then walk by the Spirit's power we too can be like that water poured on the dry river bed, that leads to trees flourishing by the flowing streams. And we will realize as that it is "not by might or power but by my Spirit says The Lord. Amen.
Isaiah 44 Israel the Chosen
44 “But now listen, Jacob, my servant,
Israel, whom I have chosen.
2 This is what the Lord says—
he who made you, who formed you in the womb,
and who will help you:
Do not be afraid, Jacob, my servant,
Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.
3 For I will pour water on the thirsty land,
and streams on the dry ground;
I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring,
and my blessing on your descendants.
4 They will spring up like grass in a meadow,
like poplar trees by flowing streams.
5 Some will say, ‘I belong to the Lord’;
others will call themselves by the name of Jacob;
still others will write on their hand, ‘The Lord’s,’
and will take the name Israel.
Acts 2:14-24
Peter Addresses the Crowd
14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 “‘In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
18 Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
19 I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
21 And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.’[a]
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