Self Denial reflection 5: Set my spirit free
Self Denial reflection 5: Set my spirit free
23 March 2022
This year’s Self Denial Appeal theme, ‘The Ripple Effect’, reminds us that small actions taken in Christ’s name can become big, life-transforming outcomes for the Kingdom of God.
The Self Denial Appeal started in 1886 when General William Booth called Salvationists to give sacrificially and to deny themselves so that they could offer God’s love to a hurting world.
In this quiet moment, still, before your throne,
Conscious of your presence, knowing I am known.
In this quiet moment, set my spirit free.
In this quiet moment, make a better me!
- John Gowans
This week meditate on the phrase – ‘Set my spirit free’.
Acts 2:32-41
32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. 33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, ‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand 35 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”.’ 36 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” 37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off – for all whom the Lord our God will call.” 40 With many other words, he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 Those who accepted his message were baptised, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
Reflection
The coming of the Spirit at Pentecost brought the Church to birth and energised it with power to carry out its missionary campaign. Our reading concludes Peter’s famous sermon on this astonishing day. The crowd came running together when they heard the sound of a violent wind and were even more amazed when the apostles told them of “the wonders of God” in their own language (Acts 2:6-11). In bewilderment, they cried, “What does this mean?” Peter was pleased to tell them in his sermon.
Jesus was accredited by God. He had been handed over to the Romans to be crucified but had been raised from the dead and exalted to the right hand of God. Just as wonderful as his exaltation, the Lord received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit to pour out on all who believe. This message cut the crowd to the heart, and they asked what they must do. They were told to repent, join the believers and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise was for them, their children and “all who are far off – for all whom the Lord our God will call” (verse 39).
That day, the Church increased in number around 26 times, from 120 to 3000 – quite a ripple! God is still calling people with the same invitation. We preach the same message today. We still have the gift of the Holy Spirit to empower us. However, we live in a different society, secular and largely indifferent to spiritual realities. Perhaps we need to ask whether our commitment to this message is still strong or whether we feel that it is easier to care just for the social needs of our society. We can certainly do both. In Acts 1:14, we read that the believers “joined together constantly in prayer”, and that “when the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place” (Act 2:1). These two elements – prayer and unity in the Spirit – are essential today if the Holy Spirit is to empower us and for the gospel ripple to continue.
We thank God for the evidence of large numbers of people coming to faith in missionary territories and pray that we will be unified in the Spirit as we bring our gifts to promote the evangelical mission on Self Denial Sunday.
Comments
No comments yet - be the first.