30 DAYS TO PENTECOST

TEXT: JOHN 15:26-27; 16:13-14

²⁶But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:  ²⁷And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.

¹³Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.  ¹⁴He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

KEY TEXT: John 16:14  “…He shall glorify me…”

REFLECTION:  The Apostle John cautions, “Believe not every spirit, but try [or test] the spirits whether they are of God.” (1 John 4:1).  Jesus taught His disciples how to discern the difference between the Spirit of God and the Spirit of antichrist.  He said, “The Spirit of truth…shall testify of me…and He shall glorify me.”  

All the glory belongs to Jesus. God the Father has given Him a name above every name.  (Philippians 2:9). God the Spirit glorifies Him.  (John 16:14).  And those who are filled with the Spirit will testify of and glorify Him. 

Read the book of Acts and discover that when the first Christians were “filled with the Holy Spirit,” they inevitably testified and glorified Christ.

In promising the Holy Spirit to the disciples, Jesus said, “ye shall receive power…and ye shall be witnesses unto me.” (Acts 1:8)

Filled with the Holy Spirit Peter preached on the first Christian Pentecost, “This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.”  (Acts 2:32) 

The accent of the first Christians was Christ. “With great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.”  (Acts 4:33).  ”And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.” (Acts 5:42).

I’ve been impressed that at the Gentile Pentecost, Peter’s message to the house of Cornelius was not “You’ve gotta get the Holy Ghost.”  Rather, he preached Jesus—our risen Savior and final Judge.  As He preached Christ, “the Holy Ghost fell on them that heard the word.” (Acts 10:44)

Those who are filled with the Holy Spirit are impressed with Christ and Christ alone.  Those who are filled with another spirit are impressed with themselves. Often they insist that we should be amazed by their spirituality.

Where the Spirit reigns the Christ is exalted.

PRAYER: Our Father in Heaven, “Our hearts are stirred whenever we think of Jesus!  That blessed name that sets the captive free!  The only name through which we find salvation.  No name on earth has meant so much to me.”  Without the Spirit of Truth guiding us we would have never seen the Savior for who He is.  We pray that the Spirit would exalt Christ in us, through us, and to the lost around us this day.  We will forever give Thee all the glory.  In Jesus’ name. Amen.  “Our Father, &c.”