Friday 13 June 2025
If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you... (v. 11)
Background
The very real effect of Pentecost was the outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead was given to those ordinary folk who dared to follow Jesus. The same Spirit today is given to those who still dare to follow Jesus!
It is the power of God’s Spirit that transforms our life of flesh into a life of relationship with God. The passage before us today explains this in more detail, of course. Yet my mind goes to the chorus from 'You are here' that says:
The same power that conquered the grave
Lives in me, lives in me
Your love that rescued the earth
Lives in me, lives in me.
There is a wonder, a blessing, a mystery, and a humility that is evoked by that chorus and every time I sing it, I am reminded of the immense power of God that is freely given to all who believe.
We are nothing by ourselves. We can do nothing, nor achieve anything. Without God, we are empty vessels. Yet we are programmed to learn. We learn to walk and talk from a very early age. We take on information like sponges during our formative years. We learn new skills and contribute with all we have learned and experienced as our lives unfold. The same physical and mental abilities allow us to imagine, wrestle and accept spiritual concepts that God’s Holy Spirit imparts to us. This, after all, is how God made us. We are made to relate to one another and to God; we are made to encounter and we are made to grow.
Yet since the day of Pentecost, all believers have had the same offer – to receive the Spirit of God and to allow that encounter to transform our values, our morals and our very being. The same Holy Spirit that raised Jesus enables us to do far more than we can ever imagine. What an amazing revelation that not only is God with us, but His Spirit is in us!
To Ponder:
- Let us just sit with this thought today: God is within us. God has freely and unconditionally engaged with us in such a wonderful way!
Prayer
Today we give thanks for all God has given to us and that the Holy Spirit is constantly with us.
Bible notes author: The Revd Mark Carrick
Mark is a presbyter in the Derbyshire North-East Circuit and is currently the minister of seven churches in the Chesterfield area. His passion is for ministry within the community and growing disciples within the Church. Mark has now served five years in the Methodist Church and is preparing to become Superintendent in September.