Recently I was in the Yorkdale Mall in Toronto, and they have a Tesla car dealership there. You may have heard of Tesla. It's the car company of investor/entrepreneur Elon Musk. There's a good chance that one of your future cars could be an electric car. Although Elon Musk is in the car business, I've heard it said that really, he's in the battery business. Because that is the main thing that holds the electric car industry back. How far can you drive on one battery charge. They are certainly making huge advancements in battery capacity. In fact, Mr. Musk recently announced a battery for your home called the Powerwall which some have said could launch a revolution in green energy. One of the obstacles to the adoption of "green" energy in the home (solar & wind power) which this high capacity battery tries to solve is the fact that sometimes the sun doesn't shine and the wind doesn't blow when you need it. Therefore, you need to store it in a battery. Chrissy and I use electricity most in the evening, when the sun isn't shining its brightest (or at all) and the wind is very sporadic. Perhaps one day we'll have a Powerwall in our home with as much power as we need on demand.
The day of Pentecost was a day of power. The disciples must have been excited and a bit unsure about the future. They had just witnessed the crucifixion, resurrection and ascension of Jesus (Acts 1). Jesus said to them just before he ascended, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8, NIV). And as you continue to read in the book of Acts about the Holy Spirit's arrival, it was indeed a day of power. The Holy Spirit came to live in His people. The power of heaven wasn't just available to believers, it lived in them.
In the Bible, and in the church, we talk about the Holy Spirit coming and filling us (Ephesians 5:18). That we are the Holy Spirit's temple (1 Corinthians 3:16). He leads us (John 16:13) and produces spiritual fruit in us (Galatians 5:22). But sometimes I think we lose the point of Pentecost. We make it all about us. Even in the verse above from Acts 1:8, it says that after the early church received the Holy Spirit, it would be immediately turned outward. It was about being His witnesses. I like the application of this verse that says the early church was empowered to testify about Christ to first Jerusalem (their city), then Judea (their region), then Samaria (cross culturally), then the whole world. God wants to use you to be His witness, but not just by yourself. He wants to give you the power to do it.
The power to live for Christ. This brings us back to my reference to Tesla. What happens when you run out of juice in an electric car? Well...you stop. You have to wait to be charged back up. Especially if you're using "green" energy, if the sun isn't shining, or the wind isn't blowing, power isn't available. If your spiritual life's battery gets low, we go looking for a power up somewhere. A conference, Sunday worship, the prayer of a friend. Those are good. But I wonder if looking at our life like a battery is the wrong image. We can have a direct connection to the power plant. When you need power, you've got a direct line. If your life's battery is low, seek the Holy Spirit's empowerment. Is it any wonder that He came like a "violent wind...from heaven" (Acts. 2:3). We don't control the Holy Spirit any more than we control the wind. But what a privilege to have Him blow into our lives with power. Are you feeling weak? There's power when you need it. Just ask.
How have you experienced the Holy Spirit's power at work in your life?
The day of Pentecost was a day of power. The disciples must have been excited and a bit unsure about the future. They had just witnessed the crucifixion, resurrection and ascension of Jesus (Acts 1). Jesus said to them just before he ascended, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8, NIV). And as you continue to read in the book of Acts about the Holy Spirit's arrival, it was indeed a day of power. The Holy Spirit came to live in His people. The power of heaven wasn't just available to believers, it lived in them.
In the Bible, and in the church, we talk about the Holy Spirit coming and filling us (Ephesians 5:18). That we are the Holy Spirit's temple (1 Corinthians 3:16). He leads us (John 16:13) and produces spiritual fruit in us (Galatians 5:22). But sometimes I think we lose the point of Pentecost. We make it all about us. Even in the verse above from Acts 1:8, it says that after the early church received the Holy Spirit, it would be immediately turned outward. It was about being His witnesses. I like the application of this verse that says the early church was empowered to testify about Christ to first Jerusalem (their city), then Judea (their region), then Samaria (cross culturally), then the whole world. God wants to use you to be His witness, but not just by yourself. He wants to give you the power to do it.
The power to live for Christ. This brings us back to my reference to Tesla. What happens when you run out of juice in an electric car? Well...you stop. You have to wait to be charged back up. Especially if you're using "green" energy, if the sun isn't shining, or the wind isn't blowing, power isn't available. If your spiritual life's battery gets low, we go looking for a power up somewhere. A conference, Sunday worship, the prayer of a friend. Those are good. But I wonder if looking at our life like a battery is the wrong image. We can have a direct connection to the power plant. When you need power, you've got a direct line. If your life's battery is low, seek the Holy Spirit's empowerment. Is it any wonder that He came like a "violent wind...from heaven" (Acts. 2:3). We don't control the Holy Spirit any more than we control the wind. But what a privilege to have Him blow into our lives with power. Are you feeling weak? There's power when you need it. Just ask.
How have you experienced the Holy Spirit's power at work in your life?
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