Holy Spirit (High Priest): Sanctification:  Power

Jesus’ ascends to the right hand of the Father, enters into the Holy Place, heaven itself, by the means of his own blood. He lives forever by the power of an indestructible life and has become our High Priest who lives to make intercession for those who draw near to God. He received the Holy Spirit from the Father with the authority to baptize humanity, not with water or blood but with the precious Holy Spirit. His life now sanctifies us through the Spirit.

What did he do?

• He ascended into heaven on the 40th day after his resurrection (Acts 1:9)
• He became our High Priest in Heaven by means of his own blood (Heb. 9:11-12)
• He received the Holy Spirit from the Father (Acts 2:33)
• He baptized the 120 in the Upper Room with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:2-4)

Why did he do it?

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you…because I live, you also will live. (John 14:16-19)

The Holy Spirit will teach us and bring to remembrance all that Jesus said!

This was to bring humanity one step closer to God’s ultimate desire to be one with us. The cleansing work of the cross was preparatory for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. If His work as Messiah cleansed the temple from sin and death then this work fills the temple the Spirit and life. His desire was to make us dwelling places for the Holy Spirit so that Christ could be formed in us. His desire is for the nature and likeness of Jesus to be expressed through our lives. That the same power that enabled Jesus to walk free from sin, overcoming and destroying the works of the devil would be conveyed to us and that we could walk in like manner.

How does it save (sanctify) us?

He ascended into heaven on the 40th day after his resurrection – We have been raised up and seated with Him in heavenly places (Eph. 2:6)

He became our High Priest in Heaven by means of his own blood – We can draw near to God in the midst of weakness and sin struggles (Hebrews 7:25, 1 John 2:1)

He received the Holy Spirit from the Father – There is a change in the priesthood, Gentiles are now included in the family of God. (Hebrews 7:12-16)

He baptized the 120 in the Upper Room with the Holy Spirit – We become temples of the Holy Spirit through the Promise of the Father (1 Cor. 6:19)

What is the outcome of faith in this work?

We receive power from on high. This power enables us to walk free from sin, to worship God and to make him known through word and deed. The Holy Spirit connects us permanently to the life of Christ which means that his resurrected life becomes our own through the Holy Spirit.

“Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.” (John 14:19)

“As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me.” (John 6:57)

“For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.” (Romans 5:10)

Jesus’ present life becomes the source of our sanctification, strength and power. Everything we do flows from the person of Jesus who is alive at the right hand of the Father and this is enabled by the Holy Spirit.

Think about this -

1. Understanding that Pentecost, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, is a core promise of the Gospel, how does this change your perspective on sharing the Gospel?
2. If Jesus as Messiah reconciled you to the Father, what is the result in our lives of his role as High Priest?
3. The Bible says in Hebrews 7:25 that “…he (Jesus) always lives to make intercession for them (those who come to God). Take time and ask Jesus to let you hear some of his prayers for your life…write them down.