31 Days of Jesus: Jesus Gives Us The Gift

Today's word prompt for the 31 Days Five Minute Friday Writing Challenge is Gift.

Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”-John 4:10

John chapter 4:1-26 is the account of Jesus’ interaction with a woman at a well. He is talking to her in the middle of the day, in public. And he is explaining spiritual truths to her.

And in this passage he refers to a gift of God. What is that gift?

I think if we look at the process of the passage we can discern some of the meaning. He goes through what seems like a pattern. He is talking. He mentions the gift. Then He refers back to himself. Then back to the gift.

At first I wanted to say the gift was Jesus, but I don’t think he is the gift in this passage. I think he is referring to the living water. And if we investigate the word a little further, we will discover that the gift has a different meaning than him.

One way to further explore the meaning of the word is to look it up in the original language. When we do that, it makes clearer how the author intended to use the word.

According to my Greek Dictionary, the word “gift” in the passage of scripture above is the word “dorea.” It means a free gift and is always used in regards to a spiritual or supernatural gift.

In Jesus’ interaction with the Samaritan woman, He is talking about giving her a gift that only He can give her. Jesus is physically standing their with her, and he wants to give her something else. He wants to give her living water.

Earlier in the Gospel of John, the prophet John the Baptist explains about Jesus, that he will baptize with the Holy Spirit. That is the gift Jesus is sharing with the woman in John 4.

Later in Acts 2:38, Luke recounts Peter’s message after they have all been baptized in the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost.

Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Gift in that passage is also the word “dorea.”

Jesus is not the gift in the passage, but he is the means through which the gift comes.

Jesus is the one who baptizes us in the Holy Spirit, and that is the gift we receive. We cannot do anything to earn it, or buy it, or merit it in any way. It is a free gift that comes to us when we believe in Jesus.

Have you received the Gift?

 To read more in the series, please go to 31 Days of Jesus.

Women in the Life of Jesus: Women in the Upper Room

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”-Acts 1:8

There were women in the upper room on the day of Pentecost.  Acts 1 tells of Jesus’ last moments on earth.  He gives his disciples specific directions.  He tells them to go back to Jerusalem and wait for the “Promise of the Father.”(Acts 1:4)  When they get back to Jerusalem, the women join them.

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey.  And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James.  These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication,  with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.-Acts 1:12-14 (NKJV)

Later in Acts 1, Peter stands up and there is discussion about which disciple should take Judas’ place. They make that decision, and then it moves into Acts 2, at the coming of the Holy Spirit.  There doesn’t seem to be an interruption in the flow of action with the disciples, including the women all being together.  

When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.-Acts 2:4 (NKJV)

After they all receive the Holy Spirit, which equips them with the power of God, Jews that have come to Jerusalem to celebrate Pentecost, hear them speaking in tongues in the languages of the regions they are from, and declaring the works of God.  This is astonishing to them, as they believe them all to be from Galilee. That’s when Peter stands up, preaches Jesus, and quotes the prophet Joel saying:

And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,

That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;

Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

Your young men shall see visions,

Your old men shall dream dreams.

And on My menservants and on My maidservants

I will pour out My Spirit in those days;

And they shall prophesy.

I will show wonders in heaven above

And signs in the earth beneath:

Blood and fire and vapor of smoke.

The sun shall be turned into darkness,

And the moon into blood,

Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.

And it shall come to pass

That whoever calls on the name of the Lord

Shall be saved.’-Acts 2:17-21 (NKJV)

And then 3000 people get saved!  Three thousand.  That is a lot for me in one moment. And the Holy Spirit came on all those who heard the message that day and the scripture above was fulfilled.

There were women there that day.  Peter repeats what Joel says, women being included in that list of what would happen when the Holy Spirit is poured out. Daughters and maidservants would prophesy!

When the Holy Spirit came upon them, they received power.  That power is the word “dunamis” in the Greek.  It means miraculous power.  In the Gospels it is often translated as miracles, wonderful works, mighty works, power, and virtue.  They received the same power that came on Jesus that day in the river Jordan.  Both men and women received that power!!

What the prophet Joel prophesied began on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2:4, and it continues to this day.  God poured out His Spirit on the Early Church that day.  They began witnessing of Jesus in Jerusalem and then Samaria.  But Jesus also said there would be witnesses "unto the ends of the earth."  That is us!  God is still pouring out His Spirit on men and women, equipping them with power to do what He has prepared for them in advance to do. And this baptism is for every Believer.

Many blessings to you as you continue to learn and grow in Him,

Beth

To read more posts in this series, go here to Women in the Life of Jesus. 

Passion in the Life of Peter

This morning I woke up thinking about passion and the life of the apostle Peter.  He started out almost afraid of Jesus.  When Jesus filled his boat full of fish, he said, "Depart from me Lord, for I am a sinful man." (Luke 5:8)  That didn't deter Jesus.  He told him, "From now on you will catch men." (Luke 5:10)

He was probably the most vocal of the twelve.  He said so many good things during Jesus' time on earth.  One of my favorites is when people were leaving Jesus and Jesus asked Peter and the others around him if they were going to leave Him too.  Peter says, "To whom would we go?  You have the words of eternal life." (John 6:68)

Then, when they come to take Jesus, Peter grabs a sword and cuts Malchus' ear off.  Jesus had just told him he would deny Him three times, and Peter still defends Jesus with his whole heart. (John 18:10)

After they take Jesus away, Peter follows.  He is only one of two disciples the Bible records as being there when they are interrogating Jesus.  Then he denies Jesus.  (Matthew 26) He is not recorded as being at the cross, but we see him on Resurrection Day. (John 20)

Later when Jesus appears to them in Galilee, and the disciples are fishing.  Peter is the only one to jump out of the boat and swim to Jesus on land.  Jesus restores Peter at that point with a beautiful conversation about love, and the job He has for Peter.  He does it for Peter, not for His sake.  (John 21)

Peter is in the upper room with the 120 on the day of Pentecost, and preached an awesome message and 3000 people get saved! (Acts 2)

Later, he is responsible for the first Gentiles coming into the Church! (Acts 10) People are healed through him and one woman, Tabitha is raised from the dead! (Acts 9)  He later writes 1 & 2 Peter, two of the epistles found in our Bible today!  

It is remarkable what Jesus can do with the human heart.  He took this timid, fearful man and turned him into a man full of passion and love and a heart for His Lord!  What can He do with you and me?

but grow in the grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.- 2 Peter 3:18 (NKJV)

The New Birth, Baptism in the Holy Spirit, and Water Baptism, Part 2



In my first post in this series, I talked about the new birth. Today I will be sharing on the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit, as mentioned in Acts 2, and other places in the book of Acts, is not the same thing as the new birth.  It is an experience subsequent to salvation, and often comes through the laying on of hands, but not always.

In Acts 1:4 and 1:8, Jesus is speaking with His disciples after the resurrection.  He gives them a command to wait in Jerusalem until they receive the “gift my Father promised.”

“One on occasion, while He was eating with them, He gave them this command: ‘Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.  For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”-Acts 1:4-5

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”-Acts 1:8

I find it interesting that in Acts 1:4-5, He points them back to John’s baptism with water, because that is where He first received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, was when John baptized Him with water.  It was when the power of God came on Him, and His own ministry started.  He is an example for us.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is not the same thing as the New Birth.  We know this because Jesus told them to wait for this.  They had already received the Holy Spirit in John 20, which was the new birth, when Jesus breathed on them.

“Again Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you!  As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.’ And with that He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.  If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”-John 20:21-23

Jesus would not tell them to wait for something He had already given them, unless it was something different.  No, what was coming was the power of God to do what He had called them to do.  Being baptized or immersed in the Holy Spirit would make them like Him.

In Acts 2, on the day of the Jewish festival of Pentecost, the disciples who were all waiting received.

“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.  Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.  They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.  All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”-Acts 2:1-4

This was different than what happened to them in John 20.  Jesus had gone back into Heaven, and the Holy Spirit had come in His place, to equip every Believer to do what He has called them to do.

In my next post, we will look at other examples of other Believers in the book of Acts being baptized in the Holy Spirit.  We will also learn more about the differences in the experiences of the new birth, baptism in the Holy Spirit, and water baptism.

All posts in this series include:

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit-The Life of Jesus

The New Birth, Baptism in the Holy Spirit, and Water Baptism, Part 1

The New Birth, Baptism in the Holy Spirit, and Water Baptism, Part 2

The Holy Spirit Came on All Who Heard the Message

The Early Church and Food

Acts 2
Acts 2:42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe [4] came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.


The early church fellowshipped over food. That must have been something that was important. It should be important to us as a church today as well. It is so difficult to get to know others during a church service. It seems like people rush into church and then rush right out. If you have children, you must go pick them up as soon as service is out to allow the children’s workers to clean up and prepare to leave. There is very little opportunity to fellowship during the service. Under these circumstances, it is hard to develop relationships with others in the church or it just takes a really long time. The early church must have done some things we don’t do now. They fellowshipped over food. They must have lived in close proximity to one another because cars were not an option. There were methods of travel via the use of animals, but they still had to live close. The Bible says they shared everything in common and everybody’s needs were met. These are things that are not taking place now. Could it be possible that the Holy Spirit was more present because of the love that existed between these people? We are too busy now. We need to slow down.

*Note: I wrote the above passage BEFORE I went back and read the above scriptures. More will come on this subject because it is something on my heart and I feel like it requires much attention. I just wanted to get my thoughts out without agonizing over perfection in my writing at this point. I realize there is so much more in the passage of scripture above.