Gtcotr/ss052712
John 1
1 In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning
with God.
3 All things were made
through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
4 In Him was life, and the
life was the light of men.
The
Word, referred to as “He”, is Jesus, the Son of God, the embodiment of God’s
Word. He was with God from in the beginning … This Living Word was life and
“the life” of Christ is the light of men. This is confirmed in:
Psalms 119:105 Thy word is a
lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
The
Word of God was given as a light to show us the way of life.
Allow
me to share an explanation of some terms we will use today:
·
Shavuot – Weeks
o Feast of Weeks (Shavuot)
o The Feast of Shavuot
began last night, May 26, at sundown
o 7 Weeks after Passover
·
Pentecost – Shavuot
o Feast of Weeks =
Feast of Pentecost
o 50th Day
after Passover
·
Torah – The Word of God
o The Word of God is represented
by the first 5 Books of the Bible – Genesis; Exodus; Leviticus; Numbers; &
Deuteronomy
o Torah was given to
show the way of life – as teacher/guide
o Torah was given on
Mt Sinai on the First Feast of Shavuot
§ Given 50 days after
the First Passover at Pentecost
§ Exodus 19-23
§ Torah Includes the
10 Commandments
The
Word of God was given to the Children of God on the first Pentecost in the wilderness of Sinai, written by the finger
of God on two tables of stone. The Apostle Paul later referred to the law a
Shadow of Christ. Fast forward about 1400 years, give or take a few, and we
witness another feast of Pentecost … the first Pentecost after the Last Passover.
The Story of Acts 2
and Pentecost …
I
will write my laws in your hearts and in your minds
Hebrews 10:16 "This is
the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the LORD: I will
put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,"
You
need not that any man teach you for the Holy Spirit
1 John 2:27 But the
anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need
that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all
things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will
abide in Him.
I
am with you but I shall be in you
John 14:17 "the
Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor
knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
This
anointing of the Spirit of Truth grants Power to be a witness
Passover
frees us from spiritual bondage while Pentecost teaches us how to live the
victorious life – and empowers us to be a witness …
God
wants each and every one of us to experience a “Personal Passover”, whereby the
blood of the Lamb of God is applied to each life and covers the eternal stain
of sin.
As
well, God desires for every one of His Children to receive the Living Word of
God in power by embracing a “Personal Pentecost”.
There
are three simple, yet powerful steps to receiving your “Personal Pentecost”.
1. We must be “Born Again”!
John 3:7 Do not marvel
that I said to you, ’You must be born again.’
2. We must be willing to follow God.
Acts 5:32 "And we
are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit
whom God has given to those who obey Him."
3. We must ask …
Luke 11:13 "If you
then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more
will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask
Him!"
What
are the benefits to embracing a “Personal Pentecost”?
The
Light of God’s Word comes fresh from heaven upon you and empowers you to live
the witness of the Word.
Salvation
frees us from spiritual bondage but it is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit which empowers
us to live the victorious life – victorious in our situations of life and
victorious over our situations of life.
Acts 1:8 "But you shall
receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be
witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of
the earth."
Light
your lamp today with the powerful light of God’s Living Word! Experience the
feast of Shavuot by first giving your life to Jesus, then committing to obey
His Word and asking God to fill you with His Holy Spirit.
From
the very beginning until now, Jesus has always been the Light of the world …
let Him light your life today! You can find Him in prayer …
