Spirit and Mission

Jesus gives the Holy Spirit to his people, empowering them to proclaim the Good News of his Kingdom to the Nations of the Earth.

The Messiah is identified in the Second Psalm as the Son and King destined to reign over the nations. In the New Testament, he is anointed by the Holy Spirit at his baptism, equipping him to proclaim the “Kingdom of God” to Israel. He gave his disciples the Gift of the Spirit to enable them to announce his message and sovereignty to all the nations and peoples of the Earth.

Unlike the kings and high priests of the Hebrew Bible, Jesus was anointed with God’s Spirit rather than olive oil. This set him apart for ministry as the Herald of God’s Kingdom, the Messiah of Israel, and the Suffering Servant of the LORD - (Psalm 2:6-9, Isaiah 61:1-2, Psalm 45:7, Isaiah 11:1-5, 42:1, 59:21).

[Earth Photo by Gaël Gaborel - OrbisTerrae on Unsplash]

In the Old Testament, the Spirit endowed men temporarily for specific tasks. In contrast, the Spirit descended and remained on Jesus. He had the fullness of the Spirit and “not by measure,” unlike the prophets, kings, and priests of old - (“John gave witness, saying, I beheld the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and it remained on him” - John 1:32).

• “For he whom God sent speaks the words of God, for He does not give the Spirit by measure. The Father loves the Son, and He has given all things into his hand. He that believes on the Son has everlasting life, but he who disobeys the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him” – (John 3:34-36).

Following his baptism, the Spirit drove Christ into the wilderness where he was tested by the Devil. However, where Israel failed during its wilderness sojourn, Jesus overcame the Adversary by submitting to the will of his Father. Afterward, he “returned in the power of the Spirit” and began preaching and heralding the Gospel in “Galilee of the Nations” - (Matthew 4:1, Luke 4:13-14).

Jesus attributed his miracles to the Spirit of God, not to any inherent superhuman power he may or may not have possessed. When accused of exorcising demons by the power of Satan, he retorted, “But if I, by the Spirit of God, cast out demons…” If the Spirit of God was manifesting in his words and deeds, “then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.”

This last point was also the understanding of the early Church, and this is reflected in the Epistles and the Book of Acts:

• (Acts 10:38) - “How God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed by the adversary, because God was with him.”

• (Romans 1:4) – “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, a called apostle, separated for the Gospel of God, which he promised beforehand, through his prophets, in holy scriptures, concerning his Son who came to be of the seed of David, according to flesh, who was marked out as the Son of God by power, according to a Holy Spirit, through means of a resurrection of the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.”

NECESSARY FOR MISSION

The presence of the Holy Spirit was pivotal to the identity and mission of the Messiah. Jesus was also the one who dispensed the Spirit to his Assembly and followers – To his Church. This was just as he promised. He would send the same Spirit that had anointed him to his disciples, equipping them “to be my witnesses”:

• “Whenever the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which from the Father comes forth. He will bear witness concerning me” - (John 15:26).

• “And behold, I send forth the promise of my Father upon you. But wait in the city until you are clothed with power from on high” - (Luke 24:49).

• “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth” - (Acts 1:8).

After his Ascension, Jesus “sent the Promise of his Father upon” his disciples, empowering them to preach the Good News. This process began on the Day of Pentecost when God’s Spirit filled the 120 men and women gathered in Jerusalem for prayer, and the outpouring of the Spirit on Christ’s followers must continue until the last day when Jesus returns to gather his elect.

• “This is that which has been spoken through the prophet Joel! And it will be in the last days, says God, I will pour forth of my Spirit upon all flesh. And your sons and your daughters will prophesy. And your young men will see visions. And your old men will dream dreams. Yea, and on my servants and on my handmaidens in those days I will pour forth of my Spirit, and they will prophesy. And I will show wonders in the heaven above, and signs on the earth beneath, blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the day of the Lord comes, that great and notable day. And it will be that whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” - (Acts 2:16-21).

• “And Peter said to them, Repent! Be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins! And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all those who are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God will call” - (Acts 2:38-39).

Since Jesus was the Messiah appointed by God to reign over the nations, he “received of the Father the Promise of the Holy Spirit.” Just as the Spirit separated and empowered the Son to declare the “Kingdom of God” to Israel, so the Gift of the Spirit equips his disciples to preach the Gospel to “every nation” - (Luke 24:45-49, Acts 2:33-38, Ephesians 4:8-12).

The mission to proclaim the Gospel to humanity is the paramount task of the “Body of Christ,” the Church. But its members must have the presence and guidance of the Holy Spirit to implement this task. Therefore, Jesus commanded his disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they received the Spirit. Only then would they become “his witnesses to the uttermost parts of the Earth.” And so, it remains to this day.

[PDF Copy]

SEE ALSO:

• Our Mission - (The mission of the church between now and Christ’s return is to announce the Good News of his Kingdom to all nations – Matthew 24:14)

• One New Man - (Since his Death and Resurrection, Jesus has been forming one new covenant community - One New Man - based on faith in him – Ephesians 2:11-22)

• The Assembly of God - (The Christian use of the term church or ekklésia is derived from the assembly of Yahweh gathered for worship in the Hebrew Bible)

• Esprit et Mission - (Jésus donne le Saint-Esprit à son peuple, lui donnant le pouvoir de proclamer la Bonne Nouvelle de son Royaume aux Nations de la Terre)