Israel’s Messiah, the man Jesus of Nazareth, led a life saturated with God’s Spirit.
From his incarnation: Now the birth of Jesus Christ [Mashiach] took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. (Matt 1:18).
At his commission: When Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matt 3:16-17).
Throughout his ministry: God anointed [mashach] Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him (Acts 10:38).
In his resurrection: Jesus Christ, our Lord, was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead (Rom 1:4).
Jesus was a Spirit man.
To carry on his good work of advancing the in-breaking Kingdom of God in human affairs, Jesus pledged to build a church (ekklesia). It was not a building but rather a community of faithful disciples that would bear his name and continue his mission after his ascension. It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth (Acts 1:7-8).
Jesus is the image of the invisible God. And just as he had embodied the fullness of God (Colossians 1:19), his followers would continue his work by embodying the fullness of his humanity on earth, from generation to generation. Said another way, his disciples are to be to others what Jesus had been to them.
It is a humbling commission and a formidable task. To accomplish his will, we need the same Spirit that anointed, empowered and guided him. That is what the Feast of Pentecost is all about.
As it was at the first: You shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Exodus 19:6).
So it is with our Pentecost in Jesus: You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:9).
According to Luke’s gospel, Yeshua’s last recorded words to his disciples consisted of a promise and a command, both relating to the Spirit. Addressing them as his witnesses, Jesus promised he would send the Holy Spirit from the Father. He ordered them to remain in Jerusalem until they were clothed with power from on high by that Spirit (Luke 24:49).
Just as the congregation of Israel (adat Yisrael) required the covering of the Shekhinah clouds of God’s glory on its journey from redemption to the Promised Land, so the congregation that Jesus established required the clothing of the Spirit for its servant mission to bear witness to the world that Messiah is Lord to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:11).
The New Testament writings bear abundant witness to the reality, scope, and influence of the Holy Spirit upon the life and witness of the early church.
The Spirit is essential for…
Authentic Worship: For Jesus and his followers, genuine worship must be done in spirit and truth (John 4:24). Paul confirms: We worship by the Spirit of God and put no confidence in the flesh (Philippians 3:3).
Intimacy with the Father: It is through the Holy Spirit that God’s love has been poured into our hearts (Romans 5:5). Because of the Messiah, both Jew and Gentile have access in one Spirit to the Father (Ephesians 2:18). Which enables our hearts to cry out in fervent intimacy, Abba! Father! (Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6).
Holy Living: Those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit (Romans 8:5). They are given understanding of the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 2:13) and are sanctified in obedience to Jesus as Lord (1 Peter 1:2). Indeed those who walk according to the Spirit will fulfill the righteous requirement of the Torah (Romans 8:4).
Building up the Body: A variety of gifts, ministries, and activities are given by the Spirit to every member for the common good (1 Corinthians 12:4–7). As each believer does their part, the Body of Messiah is built up in love (Ephesians 4:16).
Bearing Spiritual Fruit: The congregation, like its Master, exhibits love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control as its members walk by the Spirit and are led by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16–23).
Fostering Unity: Unity is a cherished value in Jewish tradition. The Apostolic Writings stress a unity born of the Spirit, which is not a spirit of uniformity or conformity. Instead, each unique individual, in submission to Jesus, is a living stone being built together by the Spirit to advance God’s mission of salvation on earth. Therefore, it is of paramount importance that each member be eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:3).
Furthering the Kingdom: The Kingdom of God, at its core, pertains to righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 4:17). The Spirit represents the King’s presence in the midst of his people and is the power that moves his agenda forward toward its ultimate fulfillment.
Think about it this way.
Before the Day of Pentecost, Jesus commanded his redeemed disciples to tarry until the promised Spirit was poured out upon them. After that, the command is summarized in Paul’s exhortation to the congregation at Ephesus: be being filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18; cf. Acts 13:52). Commenting on this verse one pastor wryly observed, “Paul knows that we are weak and that we leak.”
Jesus reminds us: I will be with you and, apart from me you can do nothing. The Holy Spirit was essential for Jesus of Nazareth to accomplish God’s purpose. How much more for the people he has tasked with carrying on his mission and message?
