Who am I?

For Christmas I received a very good book. The author is from Sweden, and he writes profound books on Christian matters. For many years he has preached in conferences for people of all ages. He writes that he has prayed for people for many years. However, when he over the past ten years have asked people why they come forward to pray, an increasing number answer: 

Because I do not know who I am!

One of the results of the third move = the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, was that the believers received a new identity. All of a sudden they became aware of the fact that they were not only saved in Christ, but from now on the Spirit of Christ had also taken his dwelling in them. The believers had become the body of Christ. The bread of heaven was not any more limited to one bread. On the Day of Pentecost this bread was broken first into 120 and after a few hours into another 3000.

Paul captures this in a beautiful way:

Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.1 Cor 12:12-14

When we are aware of this part of our identity, the breaking of the bread of heaven in our world will continue as we spread His identity as living sacraments throughout the world in 2018. As we continue to move in this way, God’s impulse, God’s momentum will be kept. There is more to our identity that will keep us moving – you can read about it the next blog.

‘Manna’ for today:

I move as Christ’s broken bread

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The ‘Identity-day’ - A time for everything *

Identity is very much about belonging. Knowing my identity provides a good life even in the difficult phases of life when we face war, resistance, illness and sorrow. Identity is about being at home in myself, at home in the community, at home in the nature and at home in God.

For me, Pentecost is primarily about discovering my identity as a child of God. The Holy Spirit came upon the disciples like a tongue of fire, like a language with a burning passion. In addition to sharing a common belief and confession, there was suddenly something more that identified the 120 who had been waiting for ten days for the Holy Spirit. It was a new incarnation. They were one body with a common burning language, the language of love. Without this language, Christianity would have ended up as another religion instead of as the life of Jesus in the world. The 120 were at home in God and the Spirit of God was at home in them.

The first church experienced what Christians in the coming generations have experienced, which is so well expressed by Paul:

The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.
Romans 8:16

Therefore, Pentecost is both a goal and a start. Pentecost is where we come home, and from that home we go out, knowing that the home is always with us because the Holy Spirit is always with us. Of course, I have an identity in the world. I am Norwegian, I am a Salvationist, I have a physical family and I love the identity this gives me, but my most important identity is in Jesus Christ, and I received this in the miracle of Pentecost.

‘Manna’ for today:

Pentecost gives me identity

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(1) Today's illustration is also about identity, and we received the drawing as a gift a week ago. A cartoonist working at Salvattex redesign in Iasi is the master of the product. He had been informed about four interests individual interests Magna and I have. He then placed us and our interests in the picture people in this world have of Norway. In the background, you will find Norwegian mountains represented by the landmarks: Torghatten, Trolltunga and Nordkapp. You can also identify our interests - and four grandchildren, though their given gender is free imagination - like most of the other features - but cleverly done!

It is about 'contagion'

NORSK
I know that holiness is contagious. There is Scriptural support for the claim. In the passage about the sacred anointing oil, I read that everything and everyone involved in the worship in the Tabernacle became holy through the anointing, and further it says that:

“…whatever touches them will be holy”
Exocus 30:29b

Even further there is support for the claim that people filled with the Holy Spirit become ‘contagious’. What happened with the 120 on the first Pentecost, spread with epidemic speed. On the very first day 3000 people asked the vital question that is linked to any epidemic:

“Brothers, what shall we do?”
Acts 2:37b

They received the prescription: Holiness is about death and resurrection in Jesus Christ. And since that day, no power neither in the heavenly realms nor on earth has managed to stop the epidemic. Many powers have tried, but in the midst of persecution and threats of distinction “the contagious life” has shown its divine growth power.

‘Manna’ for today:

Holiness is contagious!

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