The Holy Spirit was active in many other ways, in the ordering of circumstances: for example, in specific timings (2:27, 38), in the incident of the guidance of the Magi in understanding the Scriptures and the supernatural phenomena of the guiding star and other occasions. The accessibility of the Spirit and the profusion of His gifts The Holy Spirit’s anointing comes upon each one of His servants, He is no longer the exclusive possession of prophets, special leaders, priests and kings. We are witnessing something new here, which began in the spiritual renewal following the return of the exiles from Babylon, events which are described in Ezra/Nehemiah. The entire community of returned exiles were engaged in God’s actions, rather than renewal being dependent on godly kings, renewal is coming from the grassroots of the nation – the families (including children) are engaged in the nation’s repentance and the community of God’s people request that the Scriptures be read and expounded to them as they stand listening. In the birth narratives we find the same thing, ordinary people – a village priest and his barren wife, a simple virgin girl betrothed to a carpenter, a poor widow woman and an elderly man waiting for Jesus to appear, shepherds doing their job, - these are the people God chooses to engage with Him in His eternal purposes to bring salvation to the world. Consider Mary and what God was going to accomplish in her womb. The wonderful thing is that the Lord seeks for our personal responsiveness to His eternal purpose and plan for the nations. He urges us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice to Him and by giving our bodies we yield up every part of our being to Him as a living sacrifice which is exactly what Mary did, she yielded her body to God and in her womb was instantly conceived the Christ child. God begets His Son in us and so we through our bodies, our New Life Radio – Talk No 12
13 Derrick Harrison
30/12/2020
