Great Gospel, Lowly Beginnings

Great Gospel, Lowly Beginnings Offered by Doug Blair, Kitchener ON, 2021

Blood and Water

Aye, there was a death alright.

Sent me back to finish off

The three of them.

Clubbed, smashed legs

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For the two rogues.

Breathing becomes impossible.

Third one looked already gone.

They told me He’d been different;

Calm, connecting with some Spirit.

Eyes closed, serene

Like a worker in a well-earned sleep.

He seemed out of place.

Nasty business for One

Who had taught peacefully in town.

So I’m told.

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Feeling the ugliness of my job

I thrust with spear,

Bringing on a queer eruption

Of blood and water.

Happens sometimes.

Convulsive internal rupture

Confirming death.

We spared His legs.

Those who remained

Around the cross

Were all in tears.

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As if something great had broken

Inside them too.

(1 John 5: 6-8)

No Great Shakes

One Hundred Twenty

Assembled and expecting

Jesus had gone; an interval

Of hope.

Recalling three years

Of miracles and teaching

Was it all over?

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Again to sadly grope?

He said the Spirit

As Promise of the Father

Would be their Comfort

And would their Power.

What’s this?

The flames o’erhead

And mystic words releasing?

Is this the Blessing?

And Church’s strange new Hour?

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Winds of Pentecost

We were there in one accord In that humble prayer room, In obedience to our Lord.

He had promised to consume All our fears and failures With the Spirit’s power; As we prayed for Father’s Promise In that hour; On the Day of Pentecost.

Jesus led us to believe It was best that he should go.

Only then could we receive What he promised to bestow In a shower of glory, Fitting us for preaching; With anointing to conform us To his teaching, On the Day of Pentecost.

How the Glory hit that room 6

With the fire and sound of breeze!

As the One who cleared the tomb Met us there on bended knees, Speaking languages we knew not, Giving proof.

We had found the One to lead us In all truth, On the Day of Pentecost.

Fifty days after “First-Fruits” In that ancient Feast of Weeks, We were made the first recruits, By the One whom each soul seeks.

Yes the Holy Spirit gave His unction to us, That the Church of Christ might start her Campaign through us, On the Day of Pentecost.

If we only looked to him, Our great Spirit, Comfort, Friend, He would keep us true and trim, And sustain us to the end; As the Earnest of our hope Of final glory, And the author of a growing Gospel story, From the Day of Pentecost.

We went forth in Jesus’ stead To engage in Holy War

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As an army Spirit-led, In a way not known before; With his Word to win a wounded World to Jesus, In the power which the Holy Ghost releases, As on the Day of Pentecost.

LUKE 24: 49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

ACTS 4: 33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. at June 30, 2009

Smith the Plumber Remembered Two young men brought a grossly overweight friend to an upstairs gathering featuring an evangelist. After significant struggle to get to the place (the friend was afflicted with debilitating walking and flexibility handicaps), they all took seats as the piano music concluded and the preacher began his message.

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Acts Two was the text and Mr. Wigglesworth wanted to emphasize the assurance, prayer authority, wisdom and manifested gifts that come with the Holy Ghost to a saint.

He was back-lit by a setting sun through a rear window. He fingered above his head as if to represent the tongues of fire settling upon the apostles. Suggesting real flames indeed. Continuing to speak about that spectacular moment of blessing, he walked about the platform, always missing with his feet a small bottle of anointing oil set upon the floor.

It was as if every aspect of the message held God’s control and sweetness- the passage from scripture; the lighting; the imitation of holy fire; the speaking in other tongues; the preservation of the oil in its perilous setting; the energy unfailing in the speaker. The young men fixed their attention upon that bottle. Smith Wigglesworth had not looked at it once.

Later when people came forward for prayer and ministry, the friend with difficulties moved along with ease in the line-up. He met with glorious deliverance shortly thereafter.

Life was going to be bringing him renewed vigour, capability, weight loss and happy thankful service to others. ..Songs of praise.

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“Lord give us great searchings of heart and great assurances through the blood of Jesus.”

In one of the books of Chuck Colson (The Body), I recall a wonderful quote from Carl Henry: "The holiest moment in the church service occurs when the family of faith, inspired by prayer, praise, preaching and sacrament exit the doors of the building to be The Church, extending the light and love of Christ to all who might inquire, hurt or hunger in the community at large."

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