This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series.
- Jesus is presented by all the four writers of the gospels as the One who will baptize you with the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16, and John 1:33).
- At the time of baptism of Jesus the Holy Spirit descended on him in a bodily form like a dove (see Luke 3:22). This shows the holy and gentle nature of the Spirit of God.
- Think about this: If Jesus, the Son of God, needed the fullness of the Spirit of God resting and abiding on him, how much more do we?
Did you know that the Spirit of God resting on Jesus was prophesied in the Old Testament?
Let us look at Isaiah 11:1—3
“A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirt of the LORD will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD—and he will delight in the fear of the LORD.”
And also the well-known passage beginning the first verse of Isaiah 61: “The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor . . .” Jesus read this from the scroll and proclaimed that “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21). This is known as the Nazareth Manifesto.
Let me end with a simple but lovely sketch Luke draws for us in his gospel: “At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, . . . (10:21)” What a lovely picture this is! Joy through the Holy Spirit! May that joy be yours and mine. Amen!
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” – Romans 15:13
The Holy Spirit in the Christmas Series