WOMEN OF THE GARDEN AND THE TOMB

Jesus and the Holy Spirit

Unity of Purpose

“Joy of the Holy Spirit”

Breaking the Barriers

What is it about the burdens of life that can destroy our peace?  What is it about the unknown that can drive us to despair?  What is it about the “unknown” that can cause us worry, fear, anxiousness, etc.?  It can be very difficult to hear, to engage the Word of God when we are so oppressed by afflictions.

In response to this significant problem, Christians need to work towards a greater level maturity.  That is right I said “work towards.”  I do not mean works of salvation.  I am speaking directly to works of faith!  We need to learn to trust more in God.  There is an effort on our part that is necessary, and that effort is to arrest our panic, seize our fears and focus on God.  I want us to live by the words of the prophet Zephaniah:

Zeph. 3:17

17 The Lord your God is with you,

He is mighty to save.

He will take great delight in you,

He will quiet you with his love,

He will rejoice over you with singing."

NIV

I am struck over and over again by the phrase “He will quiet you with his love…”  In God-inspired quietness I can hear, I can learn, and I can serve!  So, how did we start this conversation again? Were we talking about burdens, despair, worry, fear, anxiousness; is this how our conversation started?  Is this how it should end?

Prayer of Preparation:

God, let me begin by declaring “You are my God”, let me state “You are with me!”  Father, I know you are my salvation, yet I need to experience salvation in so many different ways.  Do not let my despair blind me to your path of salvation; open the eyes of my heart so I see you and not my fear.  You delight in me? You rejoice over me…with singing?  Quiet me with your love that I might hear your song this morning!

Joy of the Holy Spirit

Luke 10:21  At that same time Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and he said, "O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way. "NLT

Here is another classic of example of how we miss the influence of the Holy Spirit on Jesus.  The verse has been preached forever with emphasis on everything but the influence of the Holy Spirit on Jesus.  It is almost as we do not want to see Jesus as happy person.  And, knowing the type of joy addressed in this particular verse, we really do not want to see Jesus rejoice.  Why is every portrait of Jesus somber, serious, and stoic?  Why do we only want to see Jesus as a “dead man walking?”  I am not being disrespectful!

Jesus came to teach more than just about His death on the cross.  He came to teach us about life, abundant life.  We have such a “death-watch” mentality in Christianity that we cannot rejoice when a person receives Christ as Savior, when a believer is baptized there is little rejoice.  Have you ever noticed when an altar call is given, and people come down for prayer, that they walk alone?  Why is there no spontaneous outbreak of joy, of applause, of positive response to the work of the Holy Spirit and the exercise of faith?

This passage is significant when examined in light of its full context.  This passage is at the end of the mission of the Seventy-two.  Jesus had sent 72 of his disciples into the world to perform.  At the beginning of this chapter Jesus gives very specific instructions to the 72.  I encourage you to read this on your own.  I do want to highlight the seriousness of this mission.  Jesus stated:

·         Luke 10:3 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.

·         Luke 10: 4 Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way.

·         Luke 10:9 And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

The 72 disciples experienced great success on their mission journey.  Pay attention to the conversation between the disciples and Jesus:

Luke 10:17-20 17 When the seventy-two came back, they were very happy and said, "Lord, even the demons obeyed us when we used your name!"  18 Jesus said, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Listen, I have given you power to walk on snakes and scorpions, power that is greater than the enemy has. So nothing will hurt you. 20 But you should not be happy because the spirits obey you but because your names are written in heaven." NCV

Amazing Declarations:

·         “even demons obeyed”

·         “power to walk on snakes and scorpions”

·         “power…greater than the enemy has”

·         “nothing will hurt you”

·         “be happy because your names are written in heaven.”

 The Dance of the Lord

Luke 10:21 “At that same time Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit…”

At the same time the 72 are giving their report, at the same time Jesus responding to their report, Jesus is “filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit…” First, let us acknowledge Jesus is filled with the Holy Spirit; the Holy Spirit is the inspiration for the joy that Jesus experience as he learned of the work of 72, seeing Satan fall from the heavens like lighting, and reminding the disciples their names were written in heaven.  Jesus is rejoicing over all this…but what kind of rejoicing, what kind of joy did the Holy Spirit pour into Jesus?

This question causes fear and trepidation among many Christians.  We do not want to acknowledge the fullness of Jesus’ joy expressed in this verse.  Jesus did not just smile, pat them on the head and say “well done, good and faithful servant.”  In the Greek, there are two words for joy.  The first word speaks to “delight.”  The second word speaks to exuberant joy, exceeding joy, joy of exaltation.    The second word is the word used in this passage.  You cannot be Jewish and express exuberant joy, exceeding joy, the joy of exaltation through pious behavior.  It is not Jewish at all unless there is song and dancing!  This was some serious “high-five” stuff going on here at this scene.  I am not being disrespectful.  This was a huge moment in Jesus’s earthly ministry.  These disciples were receiving things from God that others had waited for but were not privileged to see or hear about!

Luke 10:23-24 23 Then Jesus turned to his followers and said privately, "You are blessed to see what you now see. 24 I tell you, many prophets and kings wanted to see what you now see, but they did not, and they wanted to hear what you now hear, but they did not."  NCV

Do You Dance?

When was the last time you danced before the Lord?  When was the last time you were filled exuberant joy?  Have you experienced your toes tapping, raising your hands in praise to the Lord?  Have you allowed the Holy Spirit to fill you with joy?  Jesus is our model.  Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit, there is no deny the amazing impact of the Holy Spirit in the life and ministry of Jesus, yet why do we deny the Holy Spirit access to impact in our lives with joy?

I wonder if it is our pride, our personalities, maybe it is cultural?  But are those adequate reasons to deny the Holy Spirit’s joy in our lives.  Could it be our fears, despair, anxiousness have caused us to lose confidence in God.  What did Zephaniah say? 

“He will rejoice over you with singing."

In the Hebrew “rejoicing” is spontaneous emotion, extreme happiness expressed in a visible and external manner.  It is never just a state of “well-being or feeling.”  It is always an emotional expression!  God is emotionally involved with you, God is rejoicing, singing over you.  We are all being invited to dance, sing, to be filled with the Joy of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus was, how about you?

by Grace Alone!