Indwelling Presence

 

Last week we considered the questions…

Do you want a fresh glimpse of Jesus?

Do you want to connect to Jesus?

You may have prayed the prayer at the bottom of the email re-committing yourself to Jesus, or you may not have done.

It may be that we have certain narratives going through our minds about how we grow as followers of Jesus, some helpful and others maybe not so helpful, some we have just believed because we were told them as children or things we have picked up over the years.

Do any of these resonate with you?

“Try harder to be like Christ.”

“Work at it, and you’ll be like Him.”

“Study your Bible, obey it, and you’ll be a good disciple.”

“You become what you admire. Admire Christ more, and you’ll be like Him.”

These are all human wisdom and not the good news of Jesus. Neither can we find any such thoughts in the New Testament.

When we search the New Testament we find answers:

Some of us will discover about

healing the sick, casting our demons and performing miracles and try to do those things;

Some of us will discover about

feeding the poor, standing with the oppressed and loving sinners and try to do those things;

Others of us will focus on living holy lives and keeping our noses clean.

But few smell the fragrance of the whole of Jesus’ life and ministry.

If we try to be like Jesus we will ultimately find it an impossible rule or task to undertake. We will fail again and again.

Why is that?

We look at the fruit of what Jesus did but we ignore the root behind His actions.

The Source of Jesus’ Life

Jesus said something that we each need to grasp and never forget.

Its startling when you read it…

“I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by Himself.” John 5:19a

“I can do nothing on my own.” John 5:30a

“Someone came to Jesus with this question: “Teacher what good deed must I do to have eternal life?" Jesus replied, “Why ask me about what is good? There is only One who is good.” Matt 19:16-17

Jesus, your Lord, stated very clearly that He could do nothing in His own energy. What is more, He said that only His Father was good.

So how exactly did Jesus live His life while on earth?

If He couldn’t do anything on His own how did he live flawlessly?

Look at His answer…

“He only does what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does.” John 5:19b

“I judge only as God tells me. Therefore my judgement is just, because I carry out the will of the One who sent me, not my own will.” John 5:30b

“I do nothing on my own but say only what the Father taught me.” John 8:28b

“I don’t speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it.” John 12:49

“Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but the Father who lives in me does his work through me.” John 14:10

Jesus did not live by His own natural strength. Instead, He lived by the energy if His Father who indwelled Him.

He spoke when His Father spoke through Him.

He worked when His Father worked through Him.

He made judgements when His Father judged within Him.

Jesus only did what the Father did.

How did He do that?

He did that by means of His Fathers indwelling life.

The root of Jesus amazing life is the indwelling presence of, and relationship with God the Father.

We know that Jesus lived by His Father’s life. But what about us?

The gospel teaches that just as Jesus couldn’t do anything of Himself, we can’t do anything by our selves.

Listen to Jesus again:

“For apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5b

The Christian life is impossible.

It is only HIM-possible.

The glory of the gospel is that we, who are

• fallen
• tarnished &
• marred 

have been invited to live our lives in the exact same way that Jesus lived His life:

by an indwelling Lord.

Paul spoke to the high council in Athens,

“For in Him (Jesus) we live and move and exist.” Acts 17:28

Paul wrote to the fellow believers in Rome,

“And Christ lives within you…… the Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you.” Rom 8:10-11

And again in writing to the believers in Corinth,

“Don’t you realise that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?” 1 Cor 3:16

“For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.” Col 1:27

When we invite Jesus into our lives, He comes and dwells in us.

As the Godhead was pleased to dwell in Christ, the Father and the Spirit also are pleased to dwell in you. As amazing as it sounds, the entire Trinitarian community has taken up residence inside of you.

Reflection:

• How does it make you feel to know, as a believer, God literally dwells inside of you?
• Did you know the gift of the Holy Spirit is God’s seal upon you? What does that mean to you?
• Does the spiritual truth of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit affect the way you live your life?
• Does the spiritual truth of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit affect the words you speak?
• Does the spiritual truth of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit affect the decisions you make?

Based on "Jesus Manifesto" by Frank Viola and Leonard Sweet

This weeks YouTube link with songs for worship is available here

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHnJn7EgQjAyk0FUG_mpWlFOxvnSXxQQQ

Have a blessed week

Jacquey