The Holy Spirit - God's Spirit
E-book and Audio series
PART 2 - The Roles and Activities of the Holy Spirit
Chapter 25 - The Disciples Pt 2
Summary: The role of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the 12 disciples during Christ's ministry (Part 2). Includes related discussion about the Transfiguration, and the withered fig tree.
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Study Notes: No. 25 - The Disciples Pt.2
(Some of these issues are discussed in more detail in the audio recording.)
Introduction
During His earthly ministry, God’s Holy Spirit was upon the Lord Jesus, and He preached about the coming earthly kingdom, and worked many miracles. In the previous study, we looked at how, not long after He had begun to do this, He selected twelve disciples from among those who had been following Him, sent them off and empowered them to preach and to perform miracles also ... and this they did. In this study, we’re going to read a bit more about the Holy Spirit’s work in the lives of the twelve disciples, but from a different angle.
The Disciples fail to heal
And now a look at an event when an attempt of the disciples to heal didn’t go right
READ Matt hew17:14-21
v.16 the disciples couldn’t heal the boy
v.19 why couldn’t we heal the boy?
v.20 – “unbelief” – lack of belief to some degree – (it seems likely that they at least thought that they could, so they tried)
v.21 – “prayer and fasting” in the Scriptures is usually to do with having a humble spirit, recognising God as greater than ourselves. It may be that this spirit of humility was also absent? Note that the Lord Himself did not actually fast nor pray, but the demon left the boy (v.17,18).
In addition, let’s note the setting and the timing of this miracle – it’s in the context of the disciples not exercising belief, and not exercising a humble spirit in the presence of their Lord.
The Lord's Rebuke, and the Transfiguration
READ Matthew 16:21-23 … 28;
17:1,2 - The Lord's Transfiguration was a vision (17:9) of the resurrected Lord in His future glory.
[Note: The purpose of the Transfiguration is dealt with in more detail in the audio recording accompanying this text. Essentially, this event demonstrated that, despite the disciples' reservations about Christ's prophecies about His own death (16:21-23), the Lord would in fact come to life again, and one day reign over a glorious kingdom, as promised. The Transfiguration was a vision of how the Lord would appear in the future - i.e. glorified.)
The Uncured Boy
Now, back to the boy, whom the disciples had unsuccessfully tried to heal. The account begins at v.14, and seems to take place as the Lord is coming down from the mountain with the three disciples, to meet the others.
v.19 - "why could we not cast [the demon] out?"
v.20 - "because of your unbelief". Perhaps unbelief about their ability to heal the boy, but more likely, their unbelief in response to the lord's prophecy about His own death.
Not coincidentally, this event is followed immediately by a second announcement to the disciples of the Lord’s death and resurrection (v.22,23).
The Withered Fig Tree
This idea about the disciples being endowed with the Holy Spirit, but still needing to exercise faith, comes up again just a few days before the Lord’s crucifixion.
READ Mark 11 (following verses only) – observe the sequence of events carefully:
v.11 – travels from Jerusalem to Bethany, just a short distance down the road
v.12 – going from Bethany into Jerusalem – He curses the fig tree
v.15a – comes into Jerusalem and spends the day there
v.19 – goes back out of the city
v.20, 21 – the next morning, going from Bethany into Jerusalem again – fig tree is seen to have withered.
(Parallel passage in Matt 21:20 – “when the disciples saw it they marvelled, saying how did the fig tree wither away so soon?”)
v.23,24 – faith – believe and it will happen – this was spoken to the disciples, and is not a promise that applies to the church today. This sort of thing is never promised to us. Rather, we read more about exercising faith in God our daily walk, that He is faithful and knows the end from the beginning, that He will complete the work He began in us.
Concluding Thoughts
READ Ephesians 6:13-16 (there are also references to the Spirit in v.17,18)
“Take up the shield of faith by which you will be able to quench the fiery darts of the wicked one.” (Eph 6:16)
– to believe the things the God has said are true, and that they are of greater eternal value than many of the temporary things of this life which distract us, and move our focus away from God.
Again emphasises the idea that those who have been blessed with God’s Holy Spirit in their lives down through the ages have always needed to take care with their walk, and continue to exercise faith.
READ Hebrews 11:1,2 … 6
v.6 - “without faith, it is impossible to please [God]”
We are in that category too, even if God's Spirit is working in our lives a bit differently these days.
(Some of these issues are discussed in more detail in the audio recording.)
Introduction
During His earthly ministry, God’s Holy Spirit was upon the Lord Jesus, and He preached about the coming earthly kingdom, and worked many miracles. In the previous study, we looked at how, not long after He had begun to do this, He selected twelve disciples from among those who had been following Him, sent them off and empowered them to preach and to perform miracles also ... and this they did. In this study, we’re going to read a bit more about the Holy Spirit’s work in the lives of the twelve disciples, but from a different angle.
The Disciples fail to heal
And now a look at an event when an attempt of the disciples to heal didn’t go right
READ Matt hew17:14-21
v.16 the disciples couldn’t heal the boy
v.19 why couldn’t we heal the boy?
v.20 – “unbelief” – lack of belief to some degree – (it seems likely that they at least thought that they could, so they tried)
v.21 – “prayer and fasting” in the Scriptures is usually to do with having a humble spirit, recognising God as greater than ourselves. It may be that this spirit of humility was also absent? Note that the Lord Himself did not actually fast nor pray, but the demon left the boy (v.17,18).
In addition, let’s note the setting and the timing of this miracle – it’s in the context of the disciples not exercising belief, and not exercising a humble spirit in the presence of their Lord.
The Lord's Rebuke, and the Transfiguration
READ Matthew 16:21-23 … 28;
17:1,2 - The Lord's Transfiguration was a vision (17:9) of the resurrected Lord in His future glory.
[Note: The purpose of the Transfiguration is dealt with in more detail in the audio recording accompanying this text. Essentially, this event demonstrated that, despite the disciples' reservations about Christ's prophecies about His own death (16:21-23), the Lord would in fact come to life again, and one day reign over a glorious kingdom, as promised. The Transfiguration was a vision of how the Lord would appear in the future - i.e. glorified.)
The Uncured Boy
Now, back to the boy, whom the disciples had unsuccessfully tried to heal. The account begins at v.14, and seems to take place as the Lord is coming down from the mountain with the three disciples, to meet the others.
v.19 - "why could we not cast [the demon] out?"
v.20 - "because of your unbelief". Perhaps unbelief about their ability to heal the boy, but more likely, their unbelief in response to the lord's prophecy about His own death.
Not coincidentally, this event is followed immediately by a second announcement to the disciples of the Lord’s death and resurrection (v.22,23).
The Withered Fig Tree
This idea about the disciples being endowed with the Holy Spirit, but still needing to exercise faith, comes up again just a few days before the Lord’s crucifixion.
READ Mark 11 (following verses only) – observe the sequence of events carefully:
v.11 – travels from Jerusalem to Bethany, just a short distance down the road
v.12 – going from Bethany into Jerusalem – He curses the fig tree
v.15a – comes into Jerusalem and spends the day there
v.19 – goes back out of the city
v.20, 21 – the next morning, going from Bethany into Jerusalem again – fig tree is seen to have withered.
(Parallel passage in Matt 21:20 – “when the disciples saw it they marvelled, saying how did the fig tree wither away so soon?”)
v.23,24 – faith – believe and it will happen – this was spoken to the disciples, and is not a promise that applies to the church today. This sort of thing is never promised to us. Rather, we read more about exercising faith in God our daily walk, that He is faithful and knows the end from the beginning, that He will complete the work He began in us.
Concluding Thoughts
READ Ephesians 6:13-16 (there are also references to the Spirit in v.17,18)
“Take up the shield of faith by which you will be able to quench the fiery darts of the wicked one.” (Eph 6:16)
– to believe the things the God has said are true, and that they are of greater eternal value than many of the temporary things of this life which distract us, and move our focus away from God.
Again emphasises the idea that those who have been blessed with God’s Holy Spirit in their lives down through the ages have always needed to take care with their walk, and continue to exercise faith.
READ Hebrews 11:1,2 … 6
v.6 - “without faith, it is impossible to please [God]”
We are in that category too, even if God's Spirit is working in our lives a bit differently these days.