Partakers Christian Podcasts

God Gets His Hands Dirty 01

God Gets His Hands Dirty

01. Introduction

The birth of Jesus Christ is the most celebrated around the world. These celebrations are diverse and transcend cultures, peoples, and languages. Of course, most people stop with Jesus being a baby and continue no further with Him. Jesus Christ is the most unique person in history. Jesus Christ is also the most divisive person to be found at anytime and anywhere.

Almost everyone has an opinion about Him, even if that opinion is based on ignorance, silence or misinformation. Christians believe that Jesus’ birth was the culmination of thousands of years of God telling the world that He was coming. From the time of the Fall when people showed active rebellion and disobedience towards God in Genesis 3, God was planning the time when He would step into history as a saviour or messiah. Christians believe that Jesus Christ is this messiah.

Throughout the Old Testament, we see that the birth, life and mission of this Messiah is the aim and focus of attention. We see it in the stories of people such as Abraham and Moses. We see it in the nation of Israel, which was to be God’s light to all the nations. We see it in the Israelite sacrificial system and law. We see it during the time of the Judges and the Kings. We especially see it through the prophets. The whole Old Testament is joined together, because it all speaks about this Messiah baby, Jesus Christ. This baby, who was both 100% human and 100% divine, grew in wisdom and stature. This baby was born in order that He would die on a cross some 33 years later. He did not die for his own sins, but for the sins of the entire world – all past, present and future sins. This baby was born to die so that the entire world may have life and life everlasting, if an individual chooses to accept it.

As we go through this adventure, we start together, by looking only at what two people from the Old Testament, had to say about Jesus Christ. These two people we know as Isaiah and Zechariah. Let’s start the adventure together by looking at an introduction to these two books of the Bible.

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Jesus Who - Pulp Theology 09

PulpTheology Books

Jesus Who?

Available on Amazon in Paperback and Kindle

The title "Jesus Who?" was a question put to me by my father many years ago. He was asking me which Jesus I was talking about. The Jesus of Islam? The Jesus of the Anglicans or the Jesus of the Baptists? The Jesus of the imagination?

In this little book, we look at who I think Jesus was and is... It acts as a brief introduction to the greatest man who ever lived: Jesus Christ. Who was he? Why does he matter? What has he got to do with each of us? Jesus Christ. The name which is on everybody's lips at Christmas. But who was this man and so what? When the human we know as Jesus Christ was born, his name imbued the very reason he was born. His conception and birth were extraordinary at every level. Jesus very name, means “one who saves” and the entirety of his birth, life and death were centred on this very role. His role was to save all those who would follow Him.

Almost everyone has an opinion about Him. Jesus was born to confirm God's promises, to reveal God as a loving Father, invite people into His Sonship, and to be our representative before Almighty God. He gave us an example of how to live a holy life to the full. Jesus was not merely a man who received some special power, nor was he some strange creation that was half man and half God. As we will see together inside, He was much more than those ideas.

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Consequences 02 - Holy Spirit Comes

Consequence 02

Holy Spirit Comes!

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Acts 2:1-4 When the day of Pentecost had come, the disciples were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

As we saw last time, Jesus has ascended back to the right hand of the Father. The 12 apostles are now back in Jerusalem and waiting. Waiting for the Holy Spirit to come and baptize, fill, empower, indwell and transform. Before Jesus went to the cross, He told his disciples a number of times that He was going back to the Father, that He would not leave them alone and powerless because the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, would be sent. The Holy Spirit would live in, empower and motivate the disciples. He would also remind them of all Jesus had taught them.

Throughout the Book of Acts and in the other New Testament writings we discover more about the Holy Spirit. We see that His prime role is to see Jesus Christ the Son of God praised and glorified (John 16:13-14) by testifying for Jesus Christ (John 15:26) and witnessing for Him (Acts 1:8). The Holy Spirit is involved with ministering to members of the church. The Holy Spirit declares God’s Word, interpreting and illuminating it. He convicts of sin, transforms, indwells, fills, baptizes and seals the believer. With all this, the Holy Spirit also equips for service. God is at work in His body the church, to will and to act accordingly to his purpose (Phil. 2:13), to be my witnesses (Acts 1:8).

Let’s look at the Holy Spirit at work, concentrating on His work in the life of Peter! Remember how Peter had rejected Jesus Christ and openly defied Him by trying to stop Jesus going to the cross. That Peter was a dejected and defeated man. There is now a new Peter! A new Peter, transformed by the Holy Spirit! A Peter who speaks with the authority Jesus gave all the disciples. This Peter, given impetus by the Holy Spirit, preaches a sermon and 3000 people are added to the church in one day (Acts 2:41). This Peter, who when passing by a man who couldn’t walk, told him to get up and walk – and the man did (Acts 3:1-11)! Peter was allowing himself to be guided and controlled by the Holy Spirit. The difference between this Peter and the dejected Peter before Jesus’ resurrection is due only to the Holy Spirit making a difference to Peter. Peter, by submitting himself to the authority and power of the Holy Spirit, was allowing the Holy Spirit to control him and guide him. The greatest evidence of the Holy Spirit living inside any of us, is the transformation of the individual into the image of Jesus – as demonstrated here in Peter.

This Peter who under the influence of Holy Spirit’s power, administered church discipline as in the case of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:10). But it wasn’t just Peter who was empowered. As Acts 5:12-16 shows us, all the disciples, not just the twelve apostles, were able to do all manner of things for the glory of Jesus Christ because they were baptized and controlled by the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit empowers and delivers the disciples passion for making Jesus Christ known. The early church was dynamic and seen to be exercising the authority of Jesus Christ. This was done by preaching the good news about Jesus being the long waited for Messiah. The Disciples exercised Jesus’ authority by submitting themselves to and relying upon the Holy Spirit. Would that be for the church of the 21st century! The Holy Spirit, lives inside and empowering all believers for the service and glory of Jesus Christ! Not just the 12 apostles for the service of Jesus Christ. Next time in this series Consequences we will look at where the early disciples were told to go and teach!

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