Ben Fourie
Each one of you must turn away from your sins and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins will be forgiven; and you will receive God’s gift, the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38, GNT
We can refer to the Holy Spirit as the Master Builder. If we want to understand the role we, as believers, play in the world each day, we must remember that the Holy Spirit was given to us to guide us in fulfilling our calling as builders of the church of Christ. Do I need to be an exceptionally special person living at a high spiritual level to receive the Holy Spirit as a mentor?
Yes, we have to be very special, but not in the way many people typically understand it. To be truly special means being a part of God’s family – specifically, being his child. What could be more special than that? Knowing that on the very day that you become a child of God, you are filled with the Holy Spirit.
Why are we filled with the Holy Spirit? First and foremost, it is to help us deepen our understanding of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit was sent to teach us everything about him. Although Jesus was a Rabbi and Teacher to his followers, there were still many things that his disciples needed to learn and understand. For example, after the resurrection and just before the ascension, they were still asking, “Lord will you at this time give the Kingdom back to Israel?” (Acts 1:6b). Due to their lack of knowledge about many aspects of Christ, the Holy Spirit was given to us as Teacher, or as I like to say, the Master Builder.
Without understanding who Jesus is and what he came to do, no one would be able to take the gospel into the world. Only when we truly understand who Jesus is, can the Holy Spirit guide us.
Prayer: Lord, how can we ever adequately thank you for giving us the Holy Spirit? Please help us to hear his voice clearly every day. Amen.
Ben Fourie
Petrus antwoord hulle: "Bekeer julle, en laat elkeen van julle in die Naam van Jesus Christus tot vergewing van julle sondes gedoop word, en julle sal die Heilige Gees as gawe ontvang." Handelinge 2:38, 2020-vertaling
Ons gebruik die beeld van die Heilige Gees as Meesterbouer. As ons wil dink en praat oor die rol wat elke gelowige elke dag in die wêreld moet speel, moet ons werk met die feit dat die Heilige Gees vir hierdie baie besondere doel aan ons gegee is. Wie is die “ons” wat hier ter sprake is? Moet ek iemand baie spesiaal wees wat reeds 'n baie hoë geestelike peil bereik het om die Gees te kan ontvang?
Natuurlik moet ek iemand baie spesiaal wees, maar nie in die opsig wat baie mense dit verstaan nie. Hierdie baie spesiaal wees beteken bloot dat ek kind van God moet wees. Wat kan meer spesiaal as dit wees? Op die dag van my kindwording, dit is my bekering, ontvang ek dus die Heilige Gees.
Waarom onvang ons die Heilige Gees? Eerstens sodat ek die Here Jesus beter kan leer ken. Die Gees lei ons in die geheimenisse van Jesus in. Jesus word gereeld as Rabbi of Leermeester aangespreek, maar die dissipels het nog baie nodig gehad om heeltemal toegerus te kon wees. Daar was nog baie dinge wat hulle nie verstaan het nie.
Selfs na sy opstanding uit die dood vra die dissipels nog 'n vraag wat spreek van hulle onkunde: “Here, gaan U in hierdie tyd die koninkryk vir Israel weer oprig?” (Handelinge 1:6) Op dié terrein is hulle nog heel onkundig. Daarom word die Gees gestuur om hulle verder op te lei, of soos ons dit wil noem, Meesterbouer te wees. Ons het ook nodig dat die Gees ons sal leer om alles aangaande Jesus beter te verstaan.
Sonder hierdie volledige “verstaan” van wie Jesus is, sou niemand die boodskap van die evangelie in die wêreld kon indra nie. Wanneer ons Jesus beter verstaan, kan die Gees ons verder toerus.
Gebed: Ons kan U nie genoeg dank vir die Heilige Gees wat U vir ons gegee het nie. Help ons asseblief om elke dag na Hom te luister. Amen