Clergy/Leaders’ Mail-list No. 3-111 (Sermon/notes)

THE HOLY SPIRIT’S GIFT OF ENERGY! (Part 2 of 2)

[Continued from CLM-3-110]

TEXT: COLOSSIANS 1:24-29.

Paul’s secret? It’s here in Colossians 1: 24-29.

Christ – the Spirit – within, gives him ‘energy’.

I have a shelf-full of books about the Holy Spirit and his gifts. I have one titled ’27 Spiritual Gifts’. I don’t know one where ‘energy’ is listed as a gift of the Spirit. That’s a pity.

In this paragraph Paul talks about the special ministry given to him – to warn and teach, and reveal the truth about God-in-Christ, encouraging people towards their full potential/ maturity. He labours at this ‘agonizingly’, as the Greek word literally puts it, striving like an athlete: ‘I labour diligently, I strive as in a race, I wrestle for victory, by the mighty energy of Christ working in me; and with great and effective power.’

At this point it is good to ask ourselves: how many prayers and tears, how much heartache and disappointment have people gone through for me to come to Christ? Think of the Bible in your hand: the blood of martyrs, the fears and tears of persecuted people throughout centuries, the sweat and labour of translators, and the effort of teachers to make it plain and clear all worked together to produce God’s word in the Scriptures. People have died to make all this possible!

Paul ‘rejoices in his sufferings’ (an oxymoron if ever there was one!). In 1 Corinthians 11 he goes into some detail: ‘Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have laboured and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.’

Talk about ‘negative energy’!

RUNNING ON EMPTY?

A couple of days ago I talked to a woman who has been suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome for years. She told me she can only read for five minutes and is then exhausted. Yesterday I was on a spiritual retreat, and another woman there couldn’t eat the onion soup – she’s allergic to onions.

We moderns have invented all sorts of things to make our life easier, and they’re having the opposite effect. There are chemicals in our foods, our water, the fabrics of clothes we wear and seats we sit on, pollutants in the air – toxic substances robbing us of energy. As they say to world travellers: ‘In third world countries don’t drink the water; in Western countries don’t breathe the air!’

Lack of energy in general, or a decrease in the level of energy that you used to have, can be a sign that your body is not functioning as efficiently as it could. The reasons for this may be due to many factors. However, simply stated, it is usually due to deficiency of proper nutrients – proteins, vitamins, minerals, oxygen and enzymes; inefficiency of the digestive system, congestion of organs such as the liver and kidneys, and congestion of the lymph and colon systems of elimination. When toxic wastes are stored the cells become less efficient at producing energy.

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And we must also deal with negative emotions like worry, anxiety, fear, anger, hatred and guilt. Do that with a trusted friend or counsellor.

Now, back to Paul and the secret of his ‘energy’. Paul often talks about the Spirit’s ‘power’ within us, and uses several Greek words – like ischus, kratos, dunamis and exousia, to describe how the Spirit works. But the Greek words energes or energeia refer to the outworking of all these energy sources. For example, in Ephesians 3: 20: ‘Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power (dunamis) that energizes (energes) us.’ For Paul, energy is produces something; it is the effective ‘working out’ of God’s gifts of power. The Holy Spirit energizes the prayers we offer (Romans 8:26-27), and our service for the Lord (Romans 8:11). But the Spirit is not wild and untamed: the energy he releases in us and through us is controlled and effective. It’s something like a dam: all that power is latent in the water behind the dam wall; but it must be released to turn the turbines, which produce electric power. …

Physically, emotionally and spiritually, individuals have varying energy levels. Some are ‘high energy’ people (Paul, Augustine, Francis, Patrick, Luther, Wesley): you may not have these energy- reserves, and that’s O.K.

But most of us know there are ‘blockages’ in our lives robbing us of the energy we could have if we were freed of these impediments. Is there hope for us? The good news of the gospel answers with a resounding ‘Yes!’

When the Spirit’s power invades a fisherman like Simon Peter or a shoe salesman like D L Moody, or a young American who’s only done a couple of years in Bible colleges like Billy Graham they can be very effective servants of Christ indeed. ‘Correct’ doctrine, homiletically-sound sermons, professional techniques all have their place, but throughout the world the churches that are open to the Lord’s power working among them are alive. Churches that have shunned this dimension for a rationalistic faith are declining everywhere.

Introducing his Letters to Young Churches J B Phillips states: ‘The great difference between present-day Christianity and that in these letters, is that, to us, it is primarily a performance; to them it was a real experience. We reduce the Christian religion to a code… a rule of heart and life. To these it was quite plainly the invasion of their lives by a new quality of life altogether.’

WHAT CAN I DO?

First, we can determine to follow Christ’s example of loving service to others. Some are called to ‘greatness’ (that is, they are called to do humble tasks, like working behind the scenes or washing others’ feet!); others are on centre stage (dangerous for the spirituality of most people). When ‘the world’ talks about leadership you hear words like: Power, Influence, Leverage. Leaders, powerful people, ‘make things happen’, or ‘don’t put up with any nonsense’. Jesus talks of leaders with words like, Compassion, Humility, Gentleness, Generosity, Patience, Service.

During the American Revolution, a man in civilian clothes rode past a group of soldiers repairing a small defensive barrier. Their leader was shouting instructions at them but making no other attempt to help them. Asked why by the rider, the leader said with great dignity, “Sir, I’m a corporal!” The stranger apologized, dismounted, and proceeded to help the exhausted soldiers. The job done, he turned to the corporal and said, “If you need some more help, son, call me.” With that, the Commander-In-Chief, George Washington, remounted his horse and rode on.

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Perhaps, God has put an idea in your mind or a ‘groan’ in your heart for some major missional activity. Let me quote from arguably the best Methodist preacher in the English-speaking world in the first half of the last century: ‘All true progress in this world is by the echo of the groan of God in the hearts of men and women. How were the slaves freed in the British Empire? Did all England wake up one morning and say: “This is wrong. We must free the slaves”? No! One man woke up one morning with the groan of God in his soul, and William Wilberforce and his friends laboured until that most splendid hour in our history, when Britain was worthy of herself, and, under no pressure from anybody but the pressure of her own conscience, paid a larger sum than her national debt to free the slaves.

‘How was all the social trouble after the Industrial Revolution ameliorated? God groaned in the heart of Lord Shaftesbury, and he toiled and toiled to serve and save the poor. How were the prisons cleaned up in England? Did everybody suddenly say, “These prisons are places of indescribable filth”? No! God groaned in the hearts of John Howard and Elizabeth Fry. How were the orphans rescued from the streets of London? A century ago (as recently as that!) God groaned in the heart of Thomas Barnardo. Progress is by the echo of the groan of God in the hearts of men and women. And you need never despair for our wayward race while “the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered”. (Westminster Sermons, Volume one, page 84).

CONCLUSION

Tom Rees, in his very good little book on the Holy Spirit (‘The Spirit of Life, or Life More Abundant’) says ‘I don’t like big cities; I much prefer the countryside, and for this reason I go to London only when it is absolutely necessary. However, every week or so I set out for London in the car, complete with a list of the people I must see and the articles that I must purchase.

Not long ago I set out for one of my journeys to Town. After parking the car I went into a shop to make several purchases. “I want six of those, and a dozen of those; oh yes, and one of those too.” While the assistant was packing my parcel I put my hand in my pocket to pull out my wallet, and to my horror it wasn’t there. Covered with confusion, I said: “I ‘m so sorry, I shall have to ask you to put those things back – I’ve come to London without any money. I will call in again in a day or so.” And then, covered with embarrassment, and feeling very small, I walked out of the shop, and as I looked through my shopping list again I discovered that without my money I could do nothing – I could purchase nothing. My journey had been completely fruitless; so with a heavy heart, I climbed back into the car and drove home.

‘I went straight to my room to collect the wallet from the suit I had worn the previous day, and then panic seized me – it wasn’t there, and I knew that it contained nearly twenty pounds. There was only one thing for it – I must have been robbed. Then, in a sort of desperate way, I ran my hands over the jacket I was wearing. Can you imagine how I felt when I discovered my wallet in the jacket pocket – it had been there all day. I had taken it with me to London. I had carried it with me into the shop! I had brought it home again.

‘Now, why was my journey to London fruitless? Why did I behave as if I were penniless? It was not because I did not have any money – I had nearly twenty pounds. No, the reason was simply this – I didn’t know I had it.

‘Paul was indwelt by the Holy Spirit. And you too, my Christian friend, believe it or not, are indwelt by the same Holy Spirit. All the resources that Paul had you have. Did I hear you say: “Then, if that is true, why is there such a difference between the life Paul lived and the life I live? Why was he so like the Master, and why am I so un-Christlike? Why was Paul so powerful where I am utterly weak and defeated?” The answer to your question is this: Paul appreciated very fully his resources in the Holy Spirit. The fact that his body was the dwelling place of the Spirit dominated his life, and what is more, he learned by faith to draw on his resources.’ (H & S., 1961, pp. 127-128).

So here’s a special word from Paul to you who lack energy: The Spirit of God who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you: he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through the Spirit who dwells in you! (Romans 8:11). Again: the same power – which raised Jesus Christ from the dead – is available to you and me today to help us with day-to-day living! ‘I am crucified with Christ, but I live; yet not I but Christ lives in me; and the life I now live in this body I live by the faith of the Son of God.’ (Galatians 2:20). ‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ’ (Ephesians 1:3).

So where do we start? First, live one day at a time, as Jesus suggested. ‘Today is unique! It has never occurred before and it will never be repeated. At midnight it will end, quietly, suddenly, totally. Forever. But the hours between now and then are opportunities with eternal possibilities. Times may be hard and people may be demanding, but never forget that life is special. Every single day is a special day. God is at work in you!’ (Charles R. Swindoll)

Then remember, ‘The greatness of a person’s power is in the measure of their surrender to the Holy Spirit.’ Hear this – again from Paul (2 Corinthians 5:17): ‘If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!’. Psalm 27: ‘The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?’ (Psalm 27:1). And as Paul said to the timid Timothy: ‘God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.’ (2 Timothy 1:7).

Every time we say, ‘I believe in the Holy Spirit,’ we mean that we believe that there is a living God able and willing to enter human personality and change it. (J. B. Phillips, Plain Christianity [1954]).

As we go now to our daily tasks and activities, may we be assured that the Holy Spirit energizes our life with his presence and his power according to our particular needs.

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Shalom!

Rowland Croucher http://jmm.org.au/index.htm