What Gift did Jesus Give?

Last week we talked about gifts.  I shared how I had gotten certain gifts that I didn't think I needed.  Yet, after using the gifts, I was so glad I had kept them.

Our Creator, who created us in His image, desired a family.  When Adam failed, God already had a plan in place to carry out that would still enable Him to have His family.

There have been different dispensations throughout history.  The age we live in is called the Age of Grace or the Church Age.   It began when God sent Jesus as a gift to the world, so that any who believed upon Him would be saved.   Sadly, though it is not God's will that any should perish, many do not accept this gift of a Savior.  They are going through life not knowing the joy of having Jesus involved in their lives as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  But the gift is available to them at any point they choose to accept the gift God has so graciously provided.

When it was time for Jesus to leave earth, His disciples were very saddened.  Can't you imagine the pain they must have been feeling?  How were they going to survive without Jesus?  Who was going to teach them?  Who was going to lead them?

But Jesus told them to fear not.   He had to leave so that He could send the Comforter - His Spirit- to come and live inside of each one of them. (John 14:16)  It was to their advantage that He leave so this Gift could be sent to those who believe.  We are told in scripture that He gave instruction to 500 people to go to Jerusalem and wait together until the appointed time.  Out of the 500 people we see in Acts that only 120 were gathered together.

So the 120 people are waiting - day after day after day.  What do you think they were discussing while they were waiting?  Were they reliving past events?  Were they talking about the first time they saw Jesus after the Resurrection?  Were they recalling His instructions as to why they were to wait?  Were they going back over Old Testament Scriptures that Jesus used to reveal to them the mystery behind the scripture after His Resurrection?  We don't know for sure because Scripture doesn't tell us. But I feel certain that  any of the above was a probability. We do know they were praying.  Acts 1:14 tells us - These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer...
Perhaps they were wondering, how will we know that we have received the Promise of the Holy Spirit?

Then it happened!  On the day of Pentecost - there was suddenly a noise  like a violent wind rushed in the room.  It filled the whole house they were sitting in.  There appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves and they rested on each one of them.  They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.  (Acts 2:1-4).

We see there was evidence that Holy Spirit had come.
1.  They heard
2.  They saw
3.  They spoke in tongues as the Spirit gave them  utterance.

This is the gift I want to spend some time teaching on.  I believe Jesus wants us to know that as important as this gift of speaking in tongues was at the beginning of the church - so it is as the church age ends.

The gift Jesus gave to the church was Holy Spirit.   He was given to us by Jesus to be our Comforter, Strengthener, Counselor, Teacher, Standby, Advocate, Intercessor.  (John 14:26 Amplified).  Now as evidence that the Holy Spirit had come, the Holy Spirit gave us a gift of a prayer language.

In our next teaching I will help to explain why  this gift of a prayer language is so important.  Why was it important at the beginning of the church?  How is it important to the church today?

Come back next week.  I believe you will be glad you did.

In the meantime, why don't you read the last words of Jesus in John 14-16 and read Acts 1 & 2.  Ask Holy Spirit to reveal to you Truth that will minister life to you today.

Be blessed!