David Bahn – Reflections

Click here for an audio version of this blog post.

Acts 4:23-37

As soon as they were freed, Peter and John returned to the other believers and told them what the leading priests and elders had said. ²⁴ When they heard the report, all the believers lifted their voices together in prayer to God: “O Sovereign Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— ²⁵ you spoke long ago by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant, saying,

‘Why were the nations so angry?
    Why did they waste their time with futile plans?
²⁶ The kings of the earth prepared for battle;
    the rulers gathered together
against the Lord
    and against his Messiah.’

²⁷ “In fact, this has happened here in this very city! For Herod Antipas, Pontius Pilate the governor, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were all united against Jesus, your holy servant, whom you anointed. ²⁸ But everything they did was determined beforehand according to your will. ²⁹ And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. ³⁰ Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

³¹ After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.

³² All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. ³³ The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all. ³⁴ There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them ³⁵ and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need.

³⁶ For instance, there was Joseph, the one the apostles nicknamed Barnabas (which means “Son of Encouragement”). He was from the tribe of Levi and came from the island of Cyprus. ³⁷ He sold a field he owned and brought the money to the apostles.

I hesitate to suggest that Martin Luther, the 16th Century German Monk turned Reformer, was deficient in any of his theological work. And I love how he expresses the work of the Holy Spirit as, calling, people to faith, gathering the faithful in worship, enlightening people with his gifts, sanctifying and keeping us in the true faith. But there is one omission in his list – at least in this one. Perhaps he speaks of it in other places. But not here in his explanation to the third article of the Apostle’s Creed.

The Holy Spirit propels God’s people in mission. He emboldens our witness. He moves us to seek and save the lost. Jesus promised that his followers would receive the Holy Spirit, and by the Holy Spirit’s power be his witnesses throughout the world. He gave the Holy Spirit to his disciples on Easter Sunday when he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:22). He gave his people the authority to forgive and retain sins. All this is Holy Spirit work.

Someone once said that Luther’s explanation of the third article of the Creed is the most beautiful sentence ever.

I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith. In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian church He daily and richly forgives all my sins and the sins of all believers. On the Last Day He will raise me and all the dead, and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ.

This is most certainly true.

Without the work of the Holy Spirit the work of preaching the word – weakly or boldly – would be for naught. But without the work of the Holy Spirit to propel God’s mission we would never hear of Jesus, we would be lost in our sins.

I love to speak about the fullness of God’s grace. Not only did he send his Son to die for the sins of the world. He also sent the Holy Spirit to bring us to faith. From beginning to end, our salvation is a gift of God’s grace. But God’s grace does not end there. In order that we may hear this word, and so that more people may be brought to faith in Jesus and receive the gift of eternal life, God sends his Holy Spirit who sends men and women to witness and proclaim God’s word of grace. Yes, grace abounds!