Brothers :
The Holy Spirit
and Jesus
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23. Spirit Leads Jesus
The Messiah
The Priest Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, was filled with the Spirit and, at the same time, exalted the coming Messiah. Luke 1.67-68 says, "His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: 'Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel because he has come to his people and redeemed them.'" Zechariah, at first, did not accept the Lord's doing and was struck dumb for it. It was only after the baby was born that Zechariah could speak, and his first words were that the child was to be called "John." ✞
Simeon Sees Jesus
The Holy Spirit also revealed to Simeon that he would not die without seeing "the Christ." He was in the Temple, and as he lifted the baby Jesus, he said those familiar words from Luke 2.29-32, which came to be known as the Nunc Dimittis, "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word. For mine eyes have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared before the face of all people. To be a light to lighten the Gentiles and to be the glory of thy people Israel." ✞
Holy Mother and Child
The Holy Spirit conceived Jesus in his mother, Mary. Mary questioned her pregnancy in Luke 1.35, "The angel answered, 'The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.'" The phrase, "So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God," may mean, "So the child to be born will be holy, he will be called the Son of God." Jesus is the holy child of the Holy Spirit and his earthly mother, Mary. This fact is confirmed by Matthew 1.18, "This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about. His mother Mary agreed to be married to Joseph, but she became pregnant through the Holy Spirit before they came together." "This is how Jesus the Messiah's birth came about," may mean, "Jesus the Messiah's origin was like this." ✞
Holy Brother Jesus
The Spirit marked out his holy brother Jesus at his baptism and his presentation in the Temple. An angel reassured Joseph that Mary's pregnancy was, in fact, a work of God, the Holy Spirit. In Matthew 1.20, we read, "But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, 'Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because the child in her is from the Holy Spirit.'" The Holy Spirit led Jesus in his growth and filled him with wisdom according to Luke 2.40, "And the child grew and became strong. God filled him with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him." and Luke 2.52, "Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man." Jesus learned, like any other child, from his parents and teachers. His Godly brother, the Holy Spirit, led him. As he did, his wisdom, which was more than education, grew as well. ✞
Sealed for Ministry
The Holy Spirit descended, according to Matthew 3.16, on his brother Jesus after his baptism. "After Jesus' baptism, he went up out of the water. At that moment, heaven opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him." The Holy Spirit sealed his holy brother Jesus's ministry at his baptism by displaying his indwelling as a dove. John 6.27 reads, "Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him, God the Father has placed his approval seal." The Spirit led Jesus after his baptism in Luke 4.1 and empowered him. "Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness." The power of the Holy Spirit led Jesus to return to the Galilee area. According to Luke 4.14, "Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside." ✞
Holy Spirit Witness
The Holy Spirit encourages and enables Christians today to testify to their faith in Jesus Christ. The Spirit's witness to Jesus, according to John 15.26, is "When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father — the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father — he will testify about me." Jesus acknowledged that the Spirit led him in Luke 4.18 when he said, "The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free." Similarly, the Spirit is given to Jesus' followers to help them witness after his glorification. In John 7.39, we read, "By this, he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Until then, Jesus had not been given the Spirit nor glorified." The Spirit operated in the Incarnation, the coming of Jesus as a baby. The Incarnation is a great mystery. ✞
Validated Ministry
Jesus asserted in John 15.26 that the Holy Spirit validated his ministry, "When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father — the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father — he will testify about me." The Messiah of the servant songs of Isaiah 42.1 was also anointed with the Spirit, "Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight. I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations." On coming out of the baptism water, the Spirit led Jesus. In Luke 3.21, we read, "John baptized all the people and Jesus too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened." In the form of a dove, the Holy Spirit anointed him as a public witness to those who watched. At the birth of Christ, a sign will appear from the line of David. Isaiah 11.1-2a says, "A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse. From his roots, a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him." ✞
Jesus Witnesses
The Holy Spirit gives Christians power without limits to be Jesus' witnesses in the World. The Spirit leads Jesus, who receives immeasurable power as described by John 3.34, "For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit." Jesus claims in Luke 4.18-19 that the power to do wonderful miracles and to make a public witness of the coming of God's kingdom is endowed on him by the Holy Spirit. He says, "The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." The Holy Spirit electrifies Jesus, and the power of God emanates from him. ✞
Christians' Immeasurable Power
The Holy Spirit is also given to Christians to witness and bring the Gentile nations into the Kingdom of God. Romans 15.8 says, "For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jewish people on behalf of God's truth so that he might confirm the promises made to the patriarchs." Note, the phrase "Jewish people" in the Greek text is "the circumcision" to draw attention to this feature of Judaism. ✞
Power of God
Miracles are performed in the power of God by Jesus' witnesses in Acts 2.22. Peter addresses the crowd "Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know." Jesus' statement in Matthew 12.28 claims that it is by the Spirit that he casts out demons, "But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you." ✞
"Spirit Leads Jesus"
by Ron Meacock © 2021
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