In the life of Jesus, you can see acts of intentionality and grace put into practice. Jesus was God, so
naturally when his followers spent time with him they were in a very real sense
spending time with God. However, Jesus was not only God. He was also a human
living with the Holy Spirit inside of him, the very Spirit of God. Jesus also intentionally
and graciously imparted the Spirit to his disciples in a human way as well, not
just as God. Jesus was also a man who was filled with the Holy Spirit of God.
At Jesus’ baptism, it is recorded that the Spirit of God came down from heaven
in the form of a dove and landed upon Jesus. This was a sign that the Spirit of
God was present with Jesus and it showed that he had God’s approval and
authority.
Evidence of the Spirit in Christ is also seen when Jesus is at the
synagogue in Nazareth and he reads from the scroll, “The Spirit of the Lord is
on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has
sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the
blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
This idea portrays the intentional and gracious impartation of the Spirit as a
sort of anointing. Jesus had been anointed by God’s Spirit to proclaim good
news and to intentionally extend God’s grace to the world.
Later in the gospels, Jesus anoints his disciples to proclaim this good news as well. This is seen especially in the great commission. Jesus also intentionally and graciously gave them of his own Spirit so that they would not be afraid and would be able to complete the task he had given them. This is seen in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples in the second chapter of Acts, but it is also seen before Christ’s ascension when he breathes his Spirit onto them. It is also recorded that after his resurrection Jesus appeared to the disciples and intentionally breathed on them and told them to receive his Spirit. He graciously said this even to those who doubted.
Later in the gospels, Jesus anoints his disciples to proclaim this good news as well. This is seen especially in the great commission. Jesus also intentionally and graciously gave them of his own Spirit so that they would not be afraid and would be able to complete the task he had given them. This is seen in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples in the second chapter of Acts, but it is also seen before Christ’s ascension when he breathes his Spirit onto them. It is also recorded that after his resurrection Jesus appeared to the disciples and intentionally breathed on them and told them to receive his Spirit. He graciously said this even to those who doubted.
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