The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Corinthians 2:4-5,
"My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God's power."
I have wondered from time to time what was that "demonstration of the Spirit's power" that Paul speaks of here. God had chosen Paul to be his special ambassador to the Gentiles, proclaiming God's own gospel message, to spread the good news among the peoples of the world. As a part of that ministry, God enabled Paul in unique ways. Paul speaks of this in Romans 15:17-19, "Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God. I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done— by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ."
Paul (as well as the other apostles) accomplished the task given him and so the gospel has flourished over the world since that time. In participating in bringing the church major growth while in its infancy, Paul had been enabled with "the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God".
We do not live in the time of the birth of the church or its infancy. However, we do retain the responsibility of continuing the spread of the gospel. I don't know if the same "demonstration of the Spirit's power" that Paul was enabled with still exists today or not among some, given the fact that we are not engaged in the birth of the church and its infancy as Paul was, but rather at a different age and possibly preparing the church for the end of its age.
However, one thing that is clear to me is that the gospel today is spread in power- in a great power. The message itself is that power. In Romans 1:16 Paul says, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile." The message itself holds within it the inherent power of God. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1:18, "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."
As Paul points out in Romans 10:17, "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ." That message, the gospel, holds within it a unique power in that it is the very tool God uses to prompt faith from us. Those who desire God will respond, those who cling to their sin will not (John 3:19-21).
"My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God's power."
I have wondered from time to time what was that "demonstration of the Spirit's power" that Paul speaks of here. God had chosen Paul to be his special ambassador to the Gentiles, proclaiming God's own gospel message, to spread the good news among the peoples of the world. As a part of that ministry, God enabled Paul in unique ways. Paul speaks of this in Romans 15:17-19, "Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God. I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done— by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ."
Paul (as well as the other apostles) accomplished the task given him and so the gospel has flourished over the world since that time. In participating in bringing the church major growth while in its infancy, Paul had been enabled with "the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God".
We do not live in the time of the birth of the church or its infancy. However, we do retain the responsibility of continuing the spread of the gospel. I don't know if the same "demonstration of the Spirit's power" that Paul was enabled with still exists today or not among some, given the fact that we are not engaged in the birth of the church and its infancy as Paul was, but rather at a different age and possibly preparing the church for the end of its age.
However, one thing that is clear to me is that the gospel today is spread in power- in a great power. The message itself is that power. In Romans 1:16 Paul says, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile." The message itself holds within it the inherent power of God. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1:18, "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."
As Paul points out in Romans 10:17, "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ." That message, the gospel, holds within it a unique power in that it is the very tool God uses to prompt faith from us. Those who desire God will respond, those who cling to their sin will not (John 3:19-21).
We may not be imbued with the special enablements Paul was, but we do hold in our hands, within the gospel message, an incredible power! May we all engage the power of God within the gospel message as we share it with the unsaved!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
No comments:
Post a Comment