"He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire." (Luke 3:16)
The, "fire," here is not what so many have propagated over the generations. It is not shouting, dancing, blaring instruments, fiery preaching. It is the, "For our God is a consuming fire," of which Hebrews 12 speaks. The context tells us, "He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire."
Now there are other aspects of our text which one could point out, but this reality should delight the heart of everyone on Planet Earth. Enslaved by the "filth" of sin, Jesus comes to us in the Holy Spirit and, "....will thoroughly clean.., and gather the wheat into His barn", or we can say into, "the household of faith," the Church, the Family of God. The Bible teaches us that in God's House there is no place for sin, rebellion, disobedience; therefore, in order for you and I to, "dwell in the secret place of the Most High....He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire."
The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is subsequent to the New Birth; the Book of Acts teaches this. Jesus, in His infinite mercy and grace, receives us when we receive and surrender our lives to Him. Then the "working" of Romans 6 begins, "....that we should no longer be slaves to sin....For sin shall no longer be your master"; hence, "His winnowing fan is in His hand....The chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire." Yes, we Praise the Blessed Trinity that in the Holy Spirit we have a new "prayer language." In the Holy Spirit the gifts and fruit of the Godhead now work in us. And, along with all that which most have taught, written books about, and preached about, in our text we have a call to, as the book title of so long ago states, A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life.
Father, in Jesus' Name, help me to have a new and greater appreciation of, "....and fire." Amen.
The, "fire," here is not what so many have propagated over the generations. It is not shouting, dancing, blaring instruments, fiery preaching. It is the, "For our God is a consuming fire," of which Hebrews 12 speaks. The context tells us, "He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire."
Now there are other aspects of our text which one could point out, but this reality should delight the heart of everyone on Planet Earth. Enslaved by the "filth" of sin, Jesus comes to us in the Holy Spirit and, "....will thoroughly clean.., and gather the wheat into His barn", or we can say into, "the household of faith," the Church, the Family of God. The Bible teaches us that in God's House there is no place for sin, rebellion, disobedience; therefore, in order for you and I to, "dwell in the secret place of the Most High....He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire."
The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is subsequent to the New Birth; the Book of Acts teaches this. Jesus, in His infinite mercy and grace, receives us when we receive and surrender our lives to Him. Then the "working" of Romans 6 begins, "....that we should no longer be slaves to sin....For sin shall no longer be your master"; hence, "His winnowing fan is in His hand....The chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire." Yes, we Praise the Blessed Trinity that in the Holy Spirit we have a new "prayer language." In the Holy Spirit the gifts and fruit of the Godhead now work in us. And, along with all that which most have taught, written books about, and preached about, in our text we have a call to, as the book title of so long ago states, A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life.
Father, in Jesus' Name, help me to have a new and greater appreciation of, "....and fire." Amen.
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
