25 May 2014 - life in the spirit

25 May 2014 - life in the spirit

For Christ also suffered for sins once,
the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous,
that he might lead you to God.
Put to death in the flesh,
he was brought to life in the Spirit.

We die with Christ in baptism (cf. Rom. 6:3).  And as we die with him we too are brought to life in the Spirit.  With Pentecost approaching we are challenged to begin to live this life of the Spirit in the here and now.  It is only perfected in heaven but we begin to experience it in this life.

If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also, through his Spirit that dwells in you (cf. Rom 8:11).

In the absence of his physical presence Jesus promises the Holy Spirit to us.  He tells us that he will be the Advocate for us, opposing the Accuser (cf. Rev 12:9), and that he will be with us always.  Without the Holy Spirit Jesus is at best a concept or a historical figure.  We can know all about him.  We can even try to live in accordance with his teachings.  But we can't know him.  And we find that we aren't strong enough to live the Christian life.  We can't have the relationship to which Peter calls us this morning:

Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts.

When we know Jesus like this we are more compelling when we invite others to know him.  To know Jesus in this way we need more of the Holy Spirit. Unlike the Samarians most of us have also been confirmed.  The Holy Spirit falls upon us when the apostles descendents, the bishops, lay hands on us.  We have received him, yes.  But do we allow him the freedom to move in us?  The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth who guides us into all truth.  But he does not guide us back to concepts and history.  He unites us with the One who is Truth himself.  It is by the Holy Spirit in an individual that Jesus "will love him and reveal" himself to him.

Sometimes the Holy Spirit makes this revelation drastic.  Even if we don't always experience this it should not surprise us nor be beyond our expectations for how he may choose to work.  We need expectations big enough for anything he might choose to do.

For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice,
came out of many possessed people,
and many paralyzed or crippled people were cured.

The Holy Spirit wants people to pay attention to Jesus with "one accord" and he will do whatever it takes to reveal him.  He wants "great joy" not just "in that city" but in our city.  His desire is expressed by the psalmist:

Shout joyfully to God, all the earth,
sing praise to the glory of his name;
proclaim his glorious praise.
Say to God, “How tremendous are your deeds!”

As we approach Pentecost let us pray that the Holy Spirit falls afresh on us, fills us, and sets us on fire for Jesus.  He delights to answer prays like this.  Even if it seems like there is a vast sea between us and him he can change that sea into dry land.

He has changed the sea into dry land;
through the river they passed on foot;
therefore let us rejoice in him.
He rules by his might forever.

Let us cry out to him with joy!