This week’s sermon explained how through the promised Holy Spirit, God allows the future to begin to break into the present. This truth applies to more than just the helmet of salvation and the armor of God. It also is essential in understanding what happens when we gather together on Sunday morning to worship the Lord.
Our ultimate future destiny is not just to have the God of peace crush Satan under our feet. Our ultimate future destiny is to be gathered around the Lord Jesus Christ, worshipping him in the assembly of heaven. Hebrews 12:18-24 and scenes from the book of Revelation describe this future assembly. As a result, when we gather together in the name of Jesus now, we begin to bring this future assembly into the present. When we do this, God is present with us – just as he will be in the assembly in heaven – and our identities as children of the King are strengthened.
This is another reason why participating in the gathered assembly is so important for Christians. The Sunday morning worship service acts as a time travelling device. In the midst of worshipping God, we are transported into that future assembly where Christ will be reigning over all things and people of every tribe, nation, and tongue will be gathered around him in worship. We also leave behind our sins, struggles, failures and shortcomings and are transported to the place where we are conformed to the image of Christ.
This happens because God gives us his Holy Spirit. Because the Holy Spirit stands outside of time, when he comes to reside within us, he gives us the ability to move outside of time as well. It is the reason why Paul says we are crucified with Christ – the Holy Spirit transports us back to being on the cross with Christ. It is the reason why we say that we are already ruling and reigning with Christ – because the Holy Spirit transports us forward where these promises are already a reality.
Mind blowing, isn’t it?
The Holy Spirit is the most amazing gift we could ever possibly imagine because he makes aspects of our future a present reality.
Blessings,
Jim