Sermonette: God's Gift of the Spirit
#1656s-pm
James Beaubelle
Given 05-Jun-22; 18 minutes
description: When compared to the first day of Pentecost described in Acts 2, and the giving of the law on Mount Sinai on Shavuot (Exodus 20), the events of our individual calling, baptism, and the laying on of hands for the receipt of God's Holy Spirit is attended with seemingly far less drama and excitement. However, the gift and power of God's Holy Spirit is no less potent than previously. The spiritual gifts listed by the apostle Paul in I Corinthians 12 are no less real today than their initial appearance in Acts 2. These are the same gifts given to God's people today, to be united as one family, having the strength of faith, and to serve one another because of what God does by sharing of His Spirit with us. Pentecost re-establishes the understanding and giving of the law, still relevant in a relationship with God, but made do-able by the law written in the hearts of a spiritually minded people, now equipped with the mind of Christ. If we look at the manifestation of God's gifts with a carnal mind, they are incomprehensible, but if we use God's spirit to look at these manifestations through God's eyes, we see the results of fervent prayers leading to release from trials and afflictions- far too many to really know. God's spirit works with our own spirit and our consciousness and reasoning to guide us in our everyday affairs, molding us to become incrementally more like our Savior and Heavenly Father, opting to be prompted by the Spirit rather than the flesh. (Romans 8:6 -13). As we are still in the flesh, we must pray daily to be filled with the Spirit (the gift that never stops giving) just as our forbears on the Sinai required daily substance of manna. Jesus' half-brother James encouraged us to ask God continually for wisdom (James 1:5). Just as unseen physical laws guide us, unseen spiritual laws similarly guide our rigorous sanctification process.