Not much to add about today’s study – except to say that I entirely agree with the following comment made by Selwyn:

‘The result of thelogical training without the Holy Spirit is to produce what someone has termed ‘refined ineffectuality’. Many modern-day pulpits are occupied by people who have behind them years of training but no experience or dependence on the Spirit. The result? Refined ineffectuality and cultured emptiness.’

What’s the answer – how can we help people take hold of what the Holy Spirit has to offer?

Acts 10: 9-48 is the reading for today – and well worth reading – I noticed a couple of outstanding points, as follows: (verses 3 & 4) “One day at about three in the afternoon he (Cornelius) had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, ‘Cornelius!’ Cornelius stared at him in fear. ‘What is it Lord?’ he asked. Verses 9-15, 19-20, “Peter went up to the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw heaven open and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. Then a voice told him, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’ ‘Surely not, Lord!’ Peter replied, ‘I have never eaten anything impure or unclean. The voice spoke to him a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’   … While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, ‘Simon, three men are looking for you. So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.’

We have recorded in these verses from Acts, the account of two men who had visions and talked to angel &/or God.

Today, if a person has a vision they are often treated with scepticism by fellow Christians. I agree that the spirit/truth should be tested, but why is it that usually, the starting point is that such events are ‘delusions’ until proven true rather than true until proven false? A sign of the age we live in?

I also like Cornelius’ response to Peter’s arrival (as highlighted by Selwyn) re ‘Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.’

Yet, again in our current times – who, has the same expectations and is prepared to listen with such enthusiasm? (In that sense, ‘today’, is a very hard day!)

I like the direct way Selwyn expresses his views re: “The scene we are observing in the second chapter of Acts is so different from that which we see in our churches today. We are accustomed to hearing evangelists call people to be saved, but here the people are calling out to the evangelist, ‘What must we do to be saved?’ Such is the power of the Holy Spirit’s conviction, that they are ‘cut to the heart’. Oh, how desperately we need that same kind of energy flowing through the Church today.”

In the further study, recommended for today, we read in John 16:8-13, the following words of Jesus: ’When he (the Holy Spirit) comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgement; in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.’ We can better understand the role of the Holy Spirit and how He can convict those who hear his words, to respond with the cry: ‘What must we do to be saved?’

Is it, the sad reality of today’s world, that many have filled their ears with what they want to hear and so block out the prompting of the Spirit of truth because if they did hear – they would be convicted of the emptyness of their independent, sinful life & then recognise the need to be change/saved – do you agree?

 

What’s your answer to Selwyn’s two personal questions, as follows: “Does your contact with the Holy Spirit produce in you feelings of exuberance, exhilaration and infectious joy? Has anyone ever decided that because of your commitment to Christ you are mad or you are drunk?”

I’m of the opinion that if you can’t answer – ‘Yes, yes, yes.’ for the first question then you would have to reflect on the possibility that you are not a follower of Jesus!

The other area of today’s study – which is a good example of a heart’s response to the Holy Spirit, is this section: “Peter stood up on the Day of Pentecost to explain to the crowd that what they were witnessing was not a euphoria produced by alcohol: rather, he and the others were all under the influence of God’s Holy Spirit. As he proceeds to expound the truth about Christ, His death, resurrection and ascension, and the outpoured Spirit, people suddenly cry out, ‘What shall we do?‘ (Acts 2:37). Within a short time 3,000 souls are added to the Church.”

The prayer for today is a good summary: “O God, drive out every fear that hinders my willingness to be fully controlled by You. Whet my appetite for You and Your Holy Spirit. I long to be alive to You, intoxicated by You, filled with You. Please grant it, my Father. In Jesus’ name. Amen.” (Are you willing to suffer the accusation of being either mad or drunk for the sake of being empowered by God’s Holy Spirit so that you can effectively undertake the tasks God has prepared for you to do?)

Today, is part of the problem the lack of good teaching on the role of the Holy Spirit, especially in the more traditional sections of the Church?

I like the following from today’s study: “His (the Holy Spirit) coming produced a transformation in the lives of ordinary people, who became extraordinary people doing extraordinary things in an extraordinary way.”

Yet, as Selwyn goes on to say (below) - today, how many times have you seen ordinary followers of Jesus do extraordinary things?

“The two main accusations which were directed at the early Christians – ‘They’re drunk’ and ‘They’re mad’ – are rarely heard today. Most modern-day Christians do not come under this dark suspicion, though this is hardly to our credit.”

Do you think that today’s Church is trying too hard to be relevant to non-Christians that we have become too fearful to fall under any negative accusation by being different?

There are a number of good statements in today’s study; this one is excellent – “Wherever there is a heart that is redeemed and beats in unison with the heart of Christ – there a part of the Church exists. The Church is people – people who share the love of Jesus.

But why is there a Church at all? Because Christ founded it. Deliberately He said, ‘On this rock I will build my Church.’ The Church was not the idea or invention of the disciples.”

Another statement I like is; “There are many reasons why the Church was established … But one of the chief reasons for the Church is to continue the work which Christ began. This is the exciting thing about Acts – it shows us that what Christ once did, the Church was now doing.” This statement begs the question – is the Church still doing Christ’s work on the same scale as what was being done back in the first century - as is described in Acts?

In regard to today’s prayer -  I have a different view to Selwyn, when he expresses the idea in his prayer that because of the present-day Church’s lack of faith and courage that God’s hands are tied and His power limited – I believe that God’s will and love will prevail over our ignorance, blindness or laziness, such that His power is never limited - do you agree?

I think it’s important to note that while we may often pray as individuals, and have some time set aside for general prayers during a Sunday service/mass – it’s quite rare for a community to join together constantly in prayer.

As Selwyn points out (when considering Acts 1:12-26) ‘ … that the apostles, together with over 100 of Christ’s followers (including Mary – the mother of Jesus), joined together constantly in prayer.’

The few times, you do see a community at prayer, is at times when a significant (local) disaster has occurred.

Yet, today the world is in a constant state of fear and darkness: somewhere in the world there is terror, war, famine and disease on a scale which appears to be too great for many to comprehend – there is a sort of global blindness preventing people from seeing the size of these problems.

Therefore, I find Selwyn’s prayer for today to be particularly relevant: “O Father, I know that all great movements begin with prayer. But are things not being brought to birth because we, Your people, lack both persistence and power in prayer? Help us pray more earnestly, dear Father. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”