The command to be Spirit-filled - Ephesians 5:15-18

Ephesians 5:1 "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children"

Ephesians 5:18 "And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit"

Ephesians 6:18 "With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints"

Introduction:

The reader can note that the above three verses constitute what are key points in Paul's overall argument for the necessity of the Spirit-filled or Spirit-controlled life. In yesterday's post we considered the calling of the Spirit-filled life in terms of the practical holiness. In all reality, practical holiness (positively having to do with one's imitation of God and walking in love with Christ and negatively having to do with rejecting sin and worldliness) is requisite to being led and controlled by the Holy Spirit. Amos 3:3 reminds us - "Do two men walk together unless they have made an appointment?" All Christians are Spirit dwelt, however not all Christians are Spirit-filled. The Spirit's desire to fill (that is, control, influence, lead) is a calling and as we will see today, a command for all Christians. All Christians have access to the Spirit-filled life. However, not all Christians avail themselves of it nor do all Christians consistently walk in the Spirit, which is why it is a repeated experience following one's conversion experience. 

Like yesterday's post, the aim of today's post is to grasp what Paul is communicating through this key section in God's Word on the Spirit-filled life. We will first offer a brief outline of the passage and then offer a few comments on the second point. First, the outline...

Spirit-filled living - Ephesians 5:1-6:18. Notice....

1. The call to be Spirit-filled in our sanctification (i.e practical holiness). Ephesians 5:1-14

2. The command(s) to be Spirit-filled Ephesians 5:15-18 

3. The consequences of the Spirit-filled life. Ephesians 5:19-6:18.

To be filled with the Spirit means to be under the control, influence and leading of Him. Is this type of life only available to a select few Christians? Is the Spirit-filled life optional? What does such a life look-like in the practical areas of everyday life such as marriage, parenting, employment and one's prayer time? Today's post will consider the second of these three headings.

The command(s) to be Spirit-filled Ephesians 5:15-18 

Ephesians 5:15-18 comprise a set of three parallel commands that in all reality express one central idea: "Be filled with the Holy Spirit". It is in this particular section of Ephesians 5:1-6:20 that we see the non-optional character of the Spirit-filled life. But what exactly does such a life look like? How can we know that we are a Spirit-filled, Spirit-controlled people. The commands themselves yield the clues in answering such questions.

1. Spirit-filled Christians are careful in their conduct. 

Ephesians 5:15 "Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise." Just as someone carrying a hot cup of coffee is careful in how they walk (so as to not spill a drop!), the Spirit-filled Christian is more careful in how they carry their Christian testimony. Carelessness and neglect are as notorious for getting Christians out of step with fellowship with God as willful sin. Both patterns are species of carnality or walking according to one's fleshly desires. Whenever the Spirit is influencing our minds, emotions and wills, we will be a more careful, sober-minded people. 

2. Spirit-filled Christians maximize the use of their time.

Ephesians 5:16 "making the most of your time, because the days are evil." Christians who are more Spirit-led than carnally led will be more mindful of eternal things (Colossians 3:1-2). Maximizing one's time for Jesus' sake means not being idle and lazy. Conversely, the Spirit-filled Christian knows how to find rest, which is just as needful as industry in the affairs of God. 

3. Spirit-filled people are able to understand God's revealed will (in His word).

Ephesians 5:17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. God's will can be subdivided into three headings: unrevealed and revealed (Deuteronomy 29:29) and permissive will (James 4:15). Only God's revealed will (the scriptures) that is given to us marks the domain of our responsibility. Do we know God's word or unrevealed will. The Holy Spirit leading the Christian enables them to unlock the truths of God for themselves (1 Corinthians 2:10-13). To understand God's will in the scripture is equated with hearing God and thus following after God.

4. Spirit-filled people are under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 5:18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit.
Just as someone who has injested alcohol is "under the influence", so is the Christian who is filled with the Spirit. The great thing about being filled with the Spirit is that I get the same calming effect without the hangover. The HCSB rendering of this verse brings out even further clarity - "And don’t get drunk with wine, which leads to reckless actions, but be filled by the Spirit". 

As we can see, these commands all approach the Spirit-filled life from different angles. To be a Spirit-filled Christian affects me morally, intellectually and gives true power for living! Therefore having observed the calling to the Spirit-filled life in holiness of sanctification in Ephesians 5:1-14 and the command(s) to be Spirit-filled in Ephesians 5:15-18, we will look tomorrow at the consequences of being Spirit-filled. In otherwords, why should one be a Spirit-filled Christian?

More tomorrow....

The call to be Spirit-filled in sanctification (i.e practical holiness) - Ephesians 5:1-14

Ephesians 5:1 "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children"

Ephesians 5:18 "And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit"

Ephesians 6:18 "With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with allperseverance and petition for all the saints"

Introduction:

Yesterday we concluded a two part post series on what occurs at the beginning of salvation and what ought to follow one's conversion to Christ in saving faith. We closed out yesterday's post by looking at Ephesians 5:1-6:20. I felt it necessary to take that block of scripture and unpack what the Holy Ghost is saying to us through it. The heart of Ephesians 5-6 centers around the heart of post-conversion sanctification - the Spirit-filled life. Such a life is available and expected of every Christian. Sadly, there are more Christians who regularly operate by the desires of self and the flesh than by the indwelling Holy Spirit. The aim of today's post is to grasp what Paul is communicating through this key section in God's Word on the Spirit-filled life. We will first offer a brief outline of the passage and then offer a few comments on each point. First, the outline...

Spirit-filled living - Ephesians 5:1-6:18. Notice....

1. The call to be Spirit-filled in our sanctification (i.e practical holiness). Ephesians 5:1-14

2. The command(s) to be Spirit-filled Ephesians 5:15-18 

3. The consequences of the Spirit-filled life. Ephesians 5:19-6:18.

These truths mark out what ought to occur after salvation as begun in regeneration/conversion. Considered all together, we can truly see how great our salvation is in both it's beginning and progression through this life! To be filled with the Spirit means to be under the control, influence and leading of Him. Is this type of life only available to a select few Christians? Is the Spirit-filled life optional? What does such a life look-like in the practical areas of everyday life such as marriage, parenting, employment and one's prayer time? Let us now consider each heading in brief.

1. The call to be Spirit-filled in our sanctification (i.e practical holiness). Ephesians 5:1-14
We saw yesterday that sanctification is the progressive work of the Holy Spirit, following from and beginning from the moment of conversion. In sanctification, the Christian is cooperating with God by becoming in experience who they are declared by God to be in position. Central to the Christian's progress in sanctification or post-conversion Christian growth is the repeated experience of the Spirit-filled life. What do we learn about this experience? How is it entered into by the Christian? We learn here in Ephesians 5:1-14 that the Spirit-filled life is a call from God to a deeper walk with Him. 

Ephesians 5:1-2 headlines the theme of the call to the Spirit-filled life - holiness: "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children;2 and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as afragrant aroma." The commentator R.C.H Lenski notes about these verses: "The sins against which he warns are seen in their true light when they are viewed as Paul views them, against the whole background of our holy life in God and in Christ." 

As we are called to holiness in the Spirit-filled life, such holiness expresses itself positively in relationship to God and negatively in its rejection of sin. Lenski notes concerning our imitation of God as dearly beloved children: "To be sure, our Father loves us; but 'beloved' makes evident our normal relation. Some ordinary children are unnatural; they act in such a manner that one would scarcely believe that they belong to their parents. Not so 'children beloved.' This word 'beloved' strikes the note of this paragraph: our love is to imitate God's love." Like a small child who desires to bring pleasure to the parent that they love and are loved by, a Christian ought to be so inclined to imitate God in their attitudes and actions. Little children become greatly saddened when even the thought of doing something contrary to their parents wishes crosses their minds. Such a reverence or healthy "fear" of bringing displeasure to the parent corresponds to what the scripture calls "the fear of God" (see Proverbs 8:13).

Holiness then is first and foremost a positive effort in being like the Lord Jesus Christ. By themselves, Christians cannot ever hope to attain to such a high-calling. The Spirit-filled life is what supplies the Christian the power to heed the call given here in Ephesians 5:1-2. 

As we already noted, the holiness of conduct and life headlining the call of the Spirit-filled life expresses itself positively in desiring to imitate God and walk in love in Jesus Christ. Such a positive, Spirit-filled desire should naturally correspond to the negative expression of avoiding and combatting sin. If we as Christians think of practical holiness as having to do with imitating God and Christ in the power of the Spirit - the hatred for sin will be a supernatural by-product of such love.

Negative commands in the scripture can sometimes be better understood when we re-state them postively in our application of them. In brief, notice the key commands to hate sin in Ephesians 5:3-14:

Ephesians 5:3 "But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints." When we restate this text positively for our application, it can look like the following, namely that Godly morality and generosity out to be named among you, as this is proper among the saints. Or consider Ephesians 5:6-7 "Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them." When restated positively for our application, such a command to holy living in the call to the Spirit-filled life could look-like this: Be influenced only by full words of truth from God's word and share in the partaking of such words with others. 

One more example should suffice to show how holiness is the headline theme in the call to the Spirit-filled life. Consequently, this final example will also validate our method of taking a negatively stated command (a "do not" command) and restating it positively for application and understanding. Consider Ephesians 5:11-12 "Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; 12 for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret." The Holy Spirit Himself inspired Paul to take this thought and re-express it positively in Ephesians 5:14 "For this reason it says, “Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

When we try to heed this call of holiness in the Spirit-filled life in our own strength or flesh, we fail. Such a call exceeds natural ability. Only the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit, influencing and controlling the Christian from the inside/out can attain to and achieve such a call. 

More tomorrow.............

What ought to occur after the Christian life has begun?

Hebrews 2:3 "how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard."

Introduction:
Yesterday we began a short two-part series on Christian salvation. We stated by answering the first major question, namely: when does Christian salvation begin and what happens in that beginning? We explored how God in the Person of the Holy Spirit begins with regeneration, with the simultaneous outworking of faith and repentance in the sinner's heart and their response in saving faith. We also saw in this all-at-once miracle of conversion - the Father's judicial decree of justification by faith and relational work of adoption. Moreover, we saw how the Holy Spirit installs the saint into Christ by Spirit-baptism, positionally transferring them from Old Adam into new Adam (1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Romans 5:11-21; 1 Corinthians 15:43-46). The Christian now has all of the Holy Spirit they're ever going to get. However, the issue that remains from regeneration onwards is: "how much of me does God the Holy Spirit have?" That is where we ended yesterday.

Today's post is going to pick-up from yesterday and answer the second main question today: What ought to occur after the Christian life has begun? 

What ought to occur after the Christian life has begun?
Broadly speaking, anything following the beginning point of regeneration/conversion (both terms are often used interchangably) is deemed sanctification. The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 defines sanctification as: "Sanctification is the experience, beginning in regeneration, by which the believer is set apart to God's purposes, and is enabled to progress toward moral and spiritual maturity through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in him. Growth in grace should continue throughout the regenerate person's life."

Regeneration is entered upon and received by grace alone through faith alone. Following such a beginning is the post-conversion life of sanctification. The key phrase in the above definition is that "sanctification is the beginning of the experience". The first major step of Christian obedience in sanctification must be believer's baptism. This tangible act replays before others what occured in our hearts in prior regeneration/conversion and the type of life we aim to live in sanctification - namely surrendered to Jesus in Lordship. 

Beyond the fact that sanctification is a doctrinal word, it is more importantly a Bible word. Notice Romans 6:19 "I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification." Other places to note this word are: Romans 6:22; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 1 Thessalonians 4:3,4,7; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Hebrews 12:14). 

Regeneration is done by God. Sanctification entails both the believer and God - working together. On the one hand, our sanctification (post-conversion Christian life) is based upon the Person and work of Jesus Christ - who is our sanctification (1 Corinthians 1:30). Yet, we also learn that we are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). Thankfully, God is the One who ultimately works out His will in us (Philippians 2:13), with the notion that God and the believer work together in a progressive manner (Galatians 2:20; Philippians 3:7-14). 

So again we ask: What ought to occur after the Christian life has begun? Broadly speaking, the answer is sanctification, growth in Christ. But now let us zero-in on what ought to be the core-teaching, reality, truth of the post-conversion Christian life. What is it? We could name several: The Lord's discipling work, anointing for service, exercising one's faith in the scriptures, time with God's people at church, celebration of the Lord's supper and of course prayer. All of these aforementioned truths ought to be a regular part of the growing Christian life. However there is one repeated experience that makes or breaks forward movement in sanctification. What is this central experience of which we speak? 

The answer to that question is answered by the filling ministry of the Spirit. The filling of the Spirit weds the Christian the increased experience and power of the risen Christ. This is not to say that I wasn't already connected to Jesus. The Spirit's initial uniting of me to Him guarantees that positional reality (see Ephesians 2:6-8). However, the Christian should throughout their Christian walk desire to have an increasing experience to match what they are learning about their position in Christ. 

The Spirit's ministry of filling the Christian stands as the central hub of post-conversion Christianity. The Spirit-filled life is the Spirit-led, Spirit-controlled life. So much more could be said on this point, however I want to bring this post to a close by considering in outline form the key text on the Spirit-filled life - Ephesians 5:1-6:18. Notice....

1. The call to be Spirit-filled in our sanctification. Ephesians 5:1-14

2. The command(s) to be Spirit-filled Ephesians 5:15-18 

3. The consequences of the Spirit-filled life. Ephesians 5:19-6:18.

These truths mark out what ought to occur after salvation as begun in regeneration/conversion. Considered all together, we can truly see how great our salvation is in both it's beginning and progression through this life! 

When does the Christian life begin and what takes place at it's beginning?

Hebrews 2:3 "how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard."

Introduction:
When does the Christian life begin and what takes place in that beginning? What ought to occur after it has begun? These two questions merit a two-part series, since Hebrews 2:3 states - "how will we escape if we neglect so great asalvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard." Hence today's post will deal by answering the first question, with tomorrow's post dedicated to answering the second question. 

When does the Christian life begin and what takes place in that beginning? 
First, all Christians have the Holy Spirit indwelling them from the moment of regeneration in saving faith (Romans 8; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19-20; James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:4-5). The miracle of regeneration begins the Christian life, and is made possible by the Holy Spirit. He is the One who works in the human heart, with the simultaneous outworking being the sinner's willful response of faith and repentance in conversion. Were the Holy Spirit not active in salvation - no one would be saved (John 16:8-12). If no one responded in saving faith and repentance, no one could receive such salvation and have it applied.

Secondly, once the sinner has believed upon Jesus and repented of their sins, the Holy Spirit unites the new Christian to Jesus Christ through what the Bible calls "Spirit-baptism" (1 Corinthians 12:12-13). The Baptist Faith & Message 2000 affirms what we have written thus far: "Salvation involves the redemption of the whole man, and is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, who by His own blood obtained eternal redemption for the believer. In its broadest sense salvation includes regeneration, justification, sanctification, and glorification. There is no salvation apart from personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord."

At this point, we are talking about logical, rather than chronological order of the events in the beginning of salvation. In regards to time and experience, the scripture bears out that regeneration, faith, repentance, Spirit-baptism, justification and adoption are experienced all at once. 

In the logic of scripture's teaching on salvation, following regeneration, saving faith, repentance and Spirit-baptism - God the Father then pronounces the guilty sinner an innocent saint through His judicial decree of justification. (Galatians 3:16). Justification is where the Father credits to me by faith alone the righteousness of Jesus Christ. 

Furthermore, the father relationally declares the saint of God a son or daughter of His by adoption (Romans 8:14-16; Galatians 5:4-5). All of this occurs instantaneously. All of this occurs at the beginning. The person has journeyed from being a condemned sinner to becoming instantly a converted saint - regenerated, faith believing, repentant, justified, adopted - all thanks to the Spirit's working, the Father's will and the Son's finished work.  

The Christian now has all of the Holy Spirit they're ever going to get. However, the issue that remains from regeneration onwards is: "how much of me does God the Holy Spirit have?" Such issues will be covered in tomorrow's post when we answer the second main question today: What ought to occur after the Christian life has begun? More tomorrow....

Late Pastor Adrian Rogers illustrates the Spirit-filled life

Galatians 5:25 "If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit."

Ephesians 5:18 (HCSB) "And don’t get drunk with wine, which leads to reckless actions, but be filled by the Spirit."

The Spirit-filled life may be hard for some readers to grasp or to communicate to others who have never heard of it. The verses above demonstrate the centrality of this truth. I wanted to share today an illustration (from memory) I heard the late pastor Dr. Adrian Rogers use in explaining the Spirit's desire and right to fill every Christian. I found it to be so helpful, and I pray you will as well!  

Dr. Adrian Rogers illustrates the Spirit-filled life

"Let us suppose you have a close, long-time friend with whom you have known since the days of childhood. This close friend is one whom you will call upon from time-to-time and this friend is loyal. We could say that this friend checks upon you more than you check upon him. Let us suppose your good friend pays a visit. He knocks at the door, you let him in and you visit with each other. He tells you he is needing a place to stay for the next few days before he travels onto his next destination. 

You tell him "no problem. As a matter of fact, make yourself at home. I have to go into work soon. There is food in the refrigerator, the remote is sitting on the chair. In fact, if you need to use my extra car, so as to save on your gas, go ahead. You can come and go as you please."

So you go off to work, happy that your good friend is there in your house. When you come home later that day, you find the car in the driveway and the dishes washed and put away. At first you smile, but then suddenly you here a noise - like the sound of the rustling of papers. You run into your den, and there is your friend, rifling through your files, old photographs and personal bank statements. He has also been checking out your checkbook and is searching through your computer to see what websites you have been visiting. 

You try to keep your composure and say to your friend in a stern tone: "pardon me, may I help you?" Your friend says: "I looked through those old pictures of you, they sure were funny. I also noticed some of the expenditures in your checkbook, can you afford some of things you are purchasing?" 

You interrupt: "Excuse me! What gave you the right to rifle through my belongings, I...". Your friend interjects: "Well you did tell me to make myself at home, didn't you?" My goodness, those old pictures of you sure are something. I noticed some of the websites you have been looking at. You sure are odd in your preferences."

What would you do dear friend? What would you say to such a friend? Would you tell them to leave the den, perhaps leave the house? Would you break off communication with such a friend? Perhaps with anyone else, the above scenario would elicit an immediate telling of your friend to leave. However, what about the Holy Spirit? Did you know He is our helper, our comforter, our very best Friend sent by Jesus to every Christian and God, the Third Person of the Trinity (John 15:26-27; 2 Corinthians 3:16-17). 

Furthermore, He takes up residence inside every Christian at salvation - hence making every Christian a temple of His possession (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19-20). God in the Person of the Holy Spirit not only resides in you, but also desires to rule in you. He has every right to access every area of our lives. We oftentimes give the Holy Spirit access to poritions of our lives, and yet the proverbial "den" is off-limits. I'm here to tell you dear friend, unless you let the Holy Spirit have unlimited access to your thought-life, your decisions, your private affairs, habits, finances, relationships and heart, you will never know what it means to have the joy of the Spirit-filled life." 

What Spirit-filled people are enabled to do

Ephesians 5:15-19 "Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, 16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil. 17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,19 speaking to one another in psalms andhymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord"

Introduction:

Today's post aims to unpack the key verse we find in the New Testament with regards to the Spirit-filled life - Ephesians 5:18. Whenever one reads Paul's letters, He will oftentimes express himself in such a way that presents parallel thoughts one right after the other. What we may read as a series of different commands can actually be different ways of expressing the same command. Whenever it comes to explaining to new believers what it means to be Spirit-filled, Ephesians 5:18 is the ground-zero of discussion. As we shall see below, the surrounding verses aid us greatly in unpacking this tremendous truth.

What we want to know is this: what Spirit-filled people are enabled to do?

1. Spirit-filled Christians are careful in their conduct. 

Ephesians 5:15 "Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise."

2. Spirit-filled Christians maximize the use of their time.

Ephesians 5:16 "making the most of your time, because the days are evil."

3. Spirit-filled people are able to understand God's revealed will (in His word).

Ephesians 5:17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

4. Spirit-filled people are under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 5:18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit

5. Spirit-filled people will have a lifestyle of worship.

Ephesians 5:19 speaking to one another in psalms andhymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord"

The Spirit-filled life is M.O.R.E about Jesus

1 Corinthians 11:23 "For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

Introduction:

The Lord's table urges the church of the living God to be more about Jesus Christ. In the last several posts we have labored to show how the Spirit-filled life is connected and portrayed by the Lord's supper - being that such a life is necessary to live out all that is communicated in that covenant meal. The historical Christ is commemorated by the elements of bread and fruit of the vine and the prophetic Christ is looked forward by the same. When it comes to the present reality of Jesus Christ in the life of the Christian, the Holy Spirit's work in uniting us to Him in and amplifying our experience of Him in His filling ministry are all included in the significance of the meal. 

Paul's letter to the Corinthian church was written to a group of believers who across the board were more worldly than godly and more carnally minded than spiritual. The reinforcing of the Lord's table in 1 Corinthians 11 reminds the reader that it is for all true Christians. Even if a Christian has been carnally minded, He is bid to come and surrender Himself to His Lord at the table and ask the Spirit of God to renew him to a fresh love for Jesus and His people. Today's post is designed to close out this series of posts on the relationship between the Spirit-filled life and the Lord's table. Like the Lord's table, the Spirit-filled life is about the Holy Spirit getting more of you and me so that we can desire more of Jesus Christ. Below we will use the acrostic M.O.R.E in unfolding what is entailed in being filled with the Holy Spirit, as well as seeing the table of the Lord as the ideal setting for such.

The Spirit-filled life involves the following components:

1. Meditating on Jesus in the Word. 1 Corinthians 11:23-25

As Paul relays to his readers the basis for his giving to them the Lord's table, he writes: "For I received from the Lord". When Jesus Christ delivered these instructions and recollections of the night in which He instituted this ordinance, He was doing so in a post-resurrected, post-ascended state. The words that Jesus spoke to Paul are nearly identical to those we find in Luke 22:19-21. The Holy Spirit's work enabled Paul to interract with the ascended, exalted Jesus. Jesus met Paul on the basis of the Word, which in turn prompted Paul under Divine inspiration to include instructions on the Lord's table.

Meditating on scripture is a must for anyone desiring to be Spirit-filled or Spirit-controlled. When we look at the instances of filling of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament, some sort of mediation or time spent in the Word was included. Paul purposefully wants his readers to reflect back on Jesus and to think about what He is doing currently in their lives as they approach the table. Meditating on the scripture positions us to be ready to receive the supper and to be Spirit-filled. Colossians 3:16, which tells us to "let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly" is worded similarly to Ephesians 5:18 - which tells Christians to be "filled with the Holy Spirit. 

Obedience to the Lord. 1 Corinthians 11:23-25

As we continue to focus briefly on 1 Corinthians 11:23-25, we find that by being a set of commands from the Lord Jesus, obedience is expected. Jesus plainly said that the way to show love to Him is to obey His commands (John 14:21). Obedience to the Lord is another pre-condition to the filling of the Spirit. Acts 5:32 states - "And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.” When we as believers partake of the Lord's supper, we are doing so in obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ. Obedience and a right heart are so central to how we approach and partake of the meal. In Baptist churches (and most fellowships), believer's baptism is a pre-requisite, along with saving faith, in the partaking of the table, since a willing obedient heart is a receptive heart to the authority of Jesus Christ. Spirit-filled living must have obedience, just as an electric circuit needs wiring. Meditating on the scripture and obedience are both activities that require the Spirit's power to make them genuine expressions of love to Jesus. Just like the Lord's supper, the Spirit-filled life is more about Jesus in meditating on the scripture, obeying the Lord and thirdly.....

Rejecting the self-life. 1 Corinthians 11:27-34. 

1 Corinthians 11:29 states - "For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly." Many people wonder what this stern command means. It could include the idea of how we approach the table - say in a flippant manner, or in terms of how we approach Jesus and His accomplished work. The main idea seems to be in regards to how we regard fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Whenever you read the earlier context of 1 Corinthians 11:17-22, the Corinthians were essentially placing themselves above one another and back-biting one another. Such activity will never lead to the Spirit-filled life, but only a self-led life. A few verses will prove this point.

Galatians 5:13-16 "For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do notturn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh." Or consider Ephesians 5:18-19 "And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord." Self is the twin enemy of the Christian life - the other being our Adversary, the devil. The self-life rears its ugly head whenever the cross is put forth. The Lord's table places the cross front and center. At the Lord's table, we are called to die to self, consider others more important than ourselves and serve one another in love. To not die to self is to constrict the flow of the Spirit's power and to limit one's experience of the risen Lord Jesus Christ. We must meditate on scripture, obey and reject self. However there is one more component necessary for the the Spirit-filled life that the Lord's table gives us opprotunity to receive....

Empowerment of the Spirit. 

Whenever we come to participate in the Lord's supper, the entire church body is present and waiting to receive the bread and fruit of the vine. Nothing resides in those signs. The signs of the bread and fruit of the vine point to the reality of He who resides in us by the Holy Spirit - namely the Lord Jesus Christ. Whenever we partake of that covenant meal, the presence and power of Jesus Christ is made more clear in us and through our collective presence. We wait on each other and wait for the meal to be served. Waiting is such a vital part of being filled with the Holy Spirit. Perhaps a better word is positioning.

Acts 1:8 has Jesus telling His disciples - "but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” When God's people gather together to celebrate the Lord's table, it ought to be, next to the exposition of scripture, the center of spirituality in the Christian life. We in the Evangelical church world have down-played the place of the Lord's supper too much. In our efforts to stress it's symbolic nature, we have went too far and have opted to making such an observance optional and then gradually non-observed. Inasmuch as the Lord's Table is a symbolic meal containing signs pointing to Jesus, it is not just a bare symbol only. 

Unless the church corporately has regular opportunity to meditate on Jesus Christ in the scriptures, obey and die to self at the table, no power of the Spirit can be expected to flow. When we take the Lord's table and the celebration thereof more seriously, a renewed passion for the cross and the Gospel will result. Holiness and Godly living will be held at a much higher premium. How we treat one another will be viewed much more importantly - resulting in a proper atmosphere for the Spirit of God to truly move. 

Closing thoughts

Today's post closes out what has been a series of posts tying together two major Bible truths - the Lord's table and the Spirit-filled life. The Spirit-filled life and the Lord's table have as their common goal in partaking of and enjoying more of Jesus. We used the acronym m.o.r.e to express in outline form through 1 Corinthians 11:23-33 how the Lord's supper calls us to a deeper walk with Jesus. In this acronym, we saw the need to meditate on Jesus in the scripture, obey, reject the self-life and empowerment from the Spirit to do the first three. The Lord's supper calls Christians in the local church to do such things, and the Spirit-filled life is the only life that can heed such a call.

The Spirit-filled life is at the heart and core of such a call, being that the Holy Spirit is the One who ministers Jesus to the believer in the partaking of Him in daily life and more specifically in their enjoyment of Jesus' presence with fellow Christians in partaking of the symbols of bread and fruit of the vine. We concluded today's post by noting how the Lord's supper is needed as a necessary ingredient in the spiritual renewal of God's people.

I will close with a quote from The Spiritual Awakening Specialist for the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma, Dr. Gregory Frizell, who writes the following in his book: "The Lord's Supper - A Covenant of love and surrender", pages 3-4: "It is my firm conviction that Lord's Suppers can (and should) be a powerful experience of repentance, restored unity, renewed joy and love for Jesus. Such renewal is the very essence of revival!"