Power

“What we need is not more learning, not more eloquence, not more persuasion, not more organization, but more power from the Holy Spirit.”

- John Stott

I remember when growing up in Indiana, both sets of my grandparents had large, bountiful vegetable gardens. Feeling a little nostalgic this spring, I decided to see what I might be able to grow in San Diego soil. With Ken’s help, we built a 5’x5’ raised garden, filled it with soil and planted seeds. That was early March and already my sowing, feeding, weeding and watering is sprouting beautiful plants with bright yellow blooms!

Pastor Jared taught this past weekend on the Parable of the Mustard seed in Luke 3:18-20. The mustard seed is even tinier than the seeds I carefully planted in my garden. Jesus compared the kingdom of heaven to that tiny seed that grew and became like a giant tree. That is what can happen in our hearts as followers of Jesus.

In Acts 2:38, we read that when we believe, we also receive the Holy Spirit into our lives. That mustard seed of faith takes root in our hearts and grows in us. The New Testament writers described the power of the Holy Spirit by the Greek word dunamis, which translates in English to dynamite. As Pastor Jared said, we have the opportunity to be a follower of Jesus not only in word but in power. The Holy Spirit not only convicts us of sin (1 Corinthians 3:16-17); knows us in our weakness (Romans 8:26); leads and guides us (Romans 8:14-16); and gives us spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12), but also:

• Transforms us into a new creation - Titus 3:4-6 -“But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior.”

• Roots us and grounds us in Christ’s love - Ephesians 3:16-19 - “that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

• Enables us to bear fruit - Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”

Think of it this way… the Holy Spirit acts as the gardener transforming the seed, deepening our roots into the rich soil of God’s love and equips us to bear fruit of changed lives; first our own, and then that of everyone around us. You and I have “been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God”.

Let’s choose to live in that power and produce a bountiful harvest of love towards God and our neighbors!

Pastor Pam

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