Yesterday I covered the hearing ear so the next would be having a teachable spirit and that is where I will turn now. But first a look at the writing of Pastor Hoekstra on the subject of Grace and the Holy Spirit. And then again I will use the ESV translation for our subject and as is my usual standard I will edit as the LORD gives me utterance.
"The New Covenant of Grace: A Resurrection Covenant"
"I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes . . . This cup is the new covenant in My blood." (Luke 22:18, 20)
"Just as the New Covenant of Grace is a Covenant of the Spirit; it is also a Covenant of Resurrection. The hidden secret of GOD now revealed.When the Grace of GOD is allowed to work in us, GOD applies the Resurrection of Christ to our lives. This gracious work gives us access to the Eternal Life of our risen, triumphant, living LORD Christ Jesus.
The scriptures indicate in many ways that the resurrection is woven deeply into the fabric of Living by Grace. When Jesus was instituting the LORD's Supper (at His last Passover), He was but hours away from His impending death upon the cross. Yet, He indicated that He would again celebrate with them this Memorial Meal of Salvation. "I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of GOD comes." This would only be possible by a subsequent Resurrection. This reference to His Resurrection was made in conjunction with remarks about the New Covenant. "This cup is the New Covenant in My blood." The resurrection is here linked with the New Covenant of Grace. And keep in mind that with the Spirit there is neither day or night just as there is no time limitation. This is pearly a western mindset and does not have any meaning of bearing on the Spirit or mans spirit. For that reason the Last Supper onto to the LORDS return as the Holy Spirit to indwell those who become His is one sequence of action. For the Lord Jesus stated the phrase given to Moses of "I AM that I AM" and by doing so He is saying I AM NOW not tomorrow or in the distant future. I AM NOW Life, I AM NOW Truth, I AM NOW the Way.
Soon after this statement regarding His resurrection, Jesus would be crucified. Three days later, the resurrection would be a reality. When some of the women came to the tomb with spices and oils, angelic beings announced the victorious truth. "He is not here, but is risen!" (Luke 24:6). The resurrection was forever an accomplished fact of history. The resurrection powerfully proved that Jesus was the Son of GOD (that is to say GOD Himself in mans vessel now flesh this is revealed in both Genesis 1 and 2): "Declared to be the Son of GOD with (authority) power . . . by the resurrection from the dead (mans present unredeemed life state)." Jesus' sacrifice for sin was accepted by the Father. "And He Himself is the propitiation [i.e., satisfactory payment] for our sins" (1John 2:2). Now, GOD's Grace could be (freely given) poured out on all who would believe the Lord Jesus.
Fifty days after the crucifixion (came the day of Pentecost), the Holy Spirit was (given) poured out upon the followers of Christ. Empowered by His Spirit, the early Church began to live in the power of the Resurrection, proclaiming boldly the eternally ordained resurrection victory of their NOW LORD. "Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of GOD, you have taken by lawless hands, and put to death; Whom GOD raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it" (Acts 2:23-24).
Teachableness:
Illustrate in the Life of Ezra,
Ezra 8:21-23 and Jeremiah 42:3 "Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods. For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, "The hand of our God is for good on all who seek Him, and the power of His wrath is against all who forsake Him." So we fasted and implored our God for this, and HE listened to our entreaty."
Jeremiah 42:1-3 "Then all the commanders of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least to the greatest, came near and said to Jeremiah the prophet, "Let our plea for mercy come before you, and pray to the LORD your GOD for us, for all this remnant—because we are left with but a few, as your eyes see us—that the LORD your GOD may show us the way we should go, and the thing that we should do."
Essential to entrance into GODS kingdom,
Matthew 8:1-6 "When He came down from the mountain, great crowds followed Him. And behold, a leper came to Him and knelt before Him, saying, "Lord, if You will, You can make me clean." And Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, "I will; be clean." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. Jesus said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them." When He had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to Him, appealing to Him, "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly."
Exhibited by the Disciples,
Luke 11:1-4 "Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when He finished, one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples." And He said to them, "When you pray, say: "Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation."
Manifested by the Bling Man,
John 9:35-41 and Acts 2:37 "Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him He said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" He answered, "And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?" Jesus said to him, "You have seen Him, and it is He Who is speaking to you." He said, "LORD!, I believe," and he worshiped Him. Jesus said, "For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind." Some of the Pharisees near Him heard these things, and said to Him, "Are we also blind?" Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, 'We see,' your guilt remains yours."
Acts 2:37-42 "Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized 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. For the Promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the LORD our GOD calls to Himself." And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, "Save yourselves from this crooked generation." So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers."
Seen in the Ethiopian Eunuch,
Acts 8:26-40 "Now an angel of the LORD said to Philip, "Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." This is a desert place. And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. And the Spirit said to Philip, "Go over and join this chariot." So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?" And he said, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this: "Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth." And the eunuch said to Philip, "About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?" Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, "See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?" And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the LORD carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the Gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea."
The Secret of Paul's Success,
Acts 9:1-9 "But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem (to stand trail before the Jews, the haters of Jesus). Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a Light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting ME?" And he said, "Who are you, LORD!?" And he said, "I am Jesus, Whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do." The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing (reflecting Israel's spiritual condition as well all of natural mans). So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank."
Results in the Philippine Jailer's Conversion,
Acts 16:25-34 "About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to GOD, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here." And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." And they spoke the word of the LORD to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he now believed in GOD."
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