Receive the Holy Spirit John 20 22 1

‘Receive the Holy Spirit John 20: 22 1

Paul’s corresponsdence to the Corinthians in 1 Cor 2: 2, 5, 11, 12, 14 and 16 ‘For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you excepte Jesus Christ and Him crucified’ 2

Solus Christus – by Christ alone • 1 Cor 2 v 2 – echoes Paul’s words in Phil 1: 21 - for the me to live is Christ and to die is gain Is it Christ alone for you? • So that, according to 1 Cor 2 v 5 we do not become reliant on the wisdom of men that take our guidance from the wisdom of God 3

To understand everything by the Spirit of God • 1 Cor 2 v 12 –’We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us’ • Gifts and provisions cannot be understood or accepted it the natural or human way. God is spirit and we can only understand God and the things of God in a spiritual way. • We hear the echo of Jesus’ words to the Samaritan woman and the well in John 4: ‘ God is spirit and must be worshipped in spirit and in truth’ 4

How can we understand things spiritually? • 1 Cor 2 v 14 – things that come from the Spirit can only be spiritually discerned • How? • ‘because we have the mind of Christ’ 1 Cor 2 v 16 • We have received the Spirit of God which confirms we are the childer of God (Ro 8: 14 -16) • As children of God, we are in Christ when everything, every gift of God is made available to us through Christ. 5

Receive the Holy Spirit • John 20: 22 He (Jesus) breathed on them and said ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’ • Luke records in Act 1: 8 Jesus is saying: ‘But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you and you will be my witness in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. ’ 6

Receive the Holy Spirit • Without the Holy Spirit we cannot understand the spiritual things of God • But with the Holy Spirit we can begin to grasp and accept all the gifts and provision that God the Father has made available to us and fulfilled in Christ Jesus • With the Holy Spirit we are empowered to live our Christian lives and fulfil the ONE great commission or task He has given us – to bear witness of Him in this world. 7

Prayer Lord Jesus, we lift our hearts and spirits to You, breathe upon us as You breathed upon Your disciples that we too may receive Your Holy Spirit. Enable us by Your Spirit to understand the mysterious and spiritual things of God, and empower us by Your Holy Spirit to be Your witnesses. Amen. 8