Post by Admin on Nov 16, 2017 7:19:29 GMT
Our look at images of the Holy Spirit has covered the physical, like water and fire, and in the last two sessions looked at roles like counselor and advocate, and now we are shifting to what the Spirit brings to us. Tonight we talked about anointing oil, referencing the sacred use of olive to anoint kings, priests, and prophets in ancient times. The term “Messiah” literally means “anointed one.” In tonight’s scripture, from the first letter of John, the apostle draws a picture of Jesus anointing us with the Holy Spirit to help us stay on the narrow path of truth.
We discussed several straightforward questions about the scripture. “Anointing” appears multiple times in the text, each time showing something additional about the Spirit: He provides the truth, He stays with us, He teaches, He is from God and He is real. The lie that is alluded to in verses 21-23 is that Jesus is not the Christ, the Son of God, but just a prophet or teacher. That lie still leads people astray. We talked about the value and dearness of knowing Jesus is the Son of God, sent to save us willingly.
A fun question arose from John’s admonition that we don’t need teaching in verse 27. Here we are in Bible discussion to learn, and we sit in service every week being taught – so what did John mean? Here is great description from a Ray Stedman sermon: “Now, I think we can see what this is, this anointing of which John speaks. It is an illumination of the mind and the heart, and a deep persuasion from the Holy Spirit. It involves intense powers of persuasion, it is a compelling thing, but it is not an impartation of knowledge. It is not a case of the Holy Spirit giving information which is not recorded in the Bible; it is a taking of the Scriptures and confirming them. It is a witness, confirming a fact.” Jennifer likened it to children, who through building a relationship with their parents, come to know and understand what they should do without being taught every little specific thing.
Buzz brought up the concept that the “anointing” described in the text sounds very much like the Holy Sealing we experience in the New Apostolic Church, that is a visible act of placing the Spirit into a believer. That was an interesting line of discussion particularly in light of the role of the Apostles in John’s time. They were the witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection, and therefore the embodiment and proof that Jesus was the Son of God. In the time of the original Apostles, some people deviated with their ideas, and chose not to believe the Apostles. We benefit from the return of Apostles today, and their commission to seal with the Holy Spirit. We know well that many do not believe that today. We also shared our knowledge that we can feel the Holy Spirit giving us advice, and talked about how we feel when we followed the advice and experienced the positive results: renewed, warm, lightened. The Holy Spirit and His activity is proof that Jesus is the Son of God.
We read a song as poetry again tonight, #294 in the hymnal, "Love Divine, All Loves Excelling"
Love divine, all loves excelling, joy of heaven, to earth come down,
fix in us Thy humble dwelling; all Thy faithful mercies crown.
Jesus, Thou art all compassion; pure, unbounded love Thou art;
visit us with Thy salvation; enter every trembling heart.
Breathe, O breathe Thy loving Spirit into every troubled breast!
Let us all in Thee inherit; let us find the promised rest.
Take away the love of sinning; Alpha and Omega be;
end of faith, as its beginning, set our hearts at liberty.
Finish then Thy new creation; pure and spotless let us be.
Let us see Thy great salvation perfectly restored in Thee.
Changed from glory into glory, till in heaven we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before Thee, lost in wonder, love, and praise.
We discussed several straightforward questions about the scripture. “Anointing” appears multiple times in the text, each time showing something additional about the Spirit: He provides the truth, He stays with us, He teaches, He is from God and He is real. The lie that is alluded to in verses 21-23 is that Jesus is not the Christ, the Son of God, but just a prophet or teacher. That lie still leads people astray. We talked about the value and dearness of knowing Jesus is the Son of God, sent to save us willingly.
A fun question arose from John’s admonition that we don’t need teaching in verse 27. Here we are in Bible discussion to learn, and we sit in service every week being taught – so what did John mean? Here is great description from a Ray Stedman sermon: “Now, I think we can see what this is, this anointing of which John speaks. It is an illumination of the mind and the heart, and a deep persuasion from the Holy Spirit. It involves intense powers of persuasion, it is a compelling thing, but it is not an impartation of knowledge. It is not a case of the Holy Spirit giving information which is not recorded in the Bible; it is a taking of the Scriptures and confirming them. It is a witness, confirming a fact.” Jennifer likened it to children, who through building a relationship with their parents, come to know and understand what they should do without being taught every little specific thing.
Buzz brought up the concept that the “anointing” described in the text sounds very much like the Holy Sealing we experience in the New Apostolic Church, that is a visible act of placing the Spirit into a believer. That was an interesting line of discussion particularly in light of the role of the Apostles in John’s time. They were the witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection, and therefore the embodiment and proof that Jesus was the Son of God. In the time of the original Apostles, some people deviated with their ideas, and chose not to believe the Apostles. We benefit from the return of Apostles today, and their commission to seal with the Holy Spirit. We know well that many do not believe that today. We also shared our knowledge that we can feel the Holy Spirit giving us advice, and talked about how we feel when we followed the advice and experienced the positive results: renewed, warm, lightened. The Holy Spirit and His activity is proof that Jesus is the Son of God.
We read a song as poetry again tonight, #294 in the hymnal, "Love Divine, All Loves Excelling"
Love divine, all loves excelling, joy of heaven, to earth come down,
fix in us Thy humble dwelling; all Thy faithful mercies crown.
Jesus, Thou art all compassion; pure, unbounded love Thou art;
visit us with Thy salvation; enter every trembling heart.
Breathe, O breathe Thy loving Spirit into every troubled breast!
Let us all in Thee inherit; let us find the promised rest.
Take away the love of sinning; Alpha and Omega be;
end of faith, as its beginning, set our hearts at liberty.
Finish then Thy new creation; pure and spotless let us be.
Let us see Thy great salvation perfectly restored in Thee.
Changed from glory into glory, till in heaven we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before Thee, lost in wonder, love, and praise.