[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 18th of August, 2019 at Pilgrim Reformed Church. Look for the video of our services on our Vimeo channel: http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]
Last week I noted that before Pentecost, God was very particular about who He sent His Holy Spirit to. We should also understand that during those times, the Spirit did not go to live within those special individuals, but to touch them, to strengthen them for the specific purpose God chose them to carry out, a specific task. These chosen people were touched by God’s Spirit, but only for a time, for that purpose.
One of the earliest instances of this touching was recorded for us in the writings of Moses, and the purpose was to benefit Moses. As the leader of the people, Moses was charged with seeing to all their needs, physical and otherwise. He would judge their disagreements, listen to their arguments, determine between right and wrong. And it was wearing him down. So God decided to act and help him out.
Please listen and follow along to what Moses saved for us in his Book of Numbers, chapter 11, verses 16 and 17 and verses 24 and 25, reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…
One of the earliest instances of this touching was recorded for us in the writings of Moses, and the purpose was to benefit Moses. As the leader of the people, Moses was charged with seeing to all their needs, physical and otherwise. He would judge their disagreements, listen to their arguments, determine between right and wrong. And it was wearing him down. So God decided to act and help him out.
Please listen and follow along to what Moses saved for us in his Book of Numbers, chapter 11, verses 16 and 17 and verses 24 and 25, reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…
16 So the Lord said to Moses: “Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; bring them to the tabernacle of meeting, that they may stand there with you. 17 Then I will come down and talk with you there. I will take of the Spirit that is upon you and will put the same upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you may not bear it yourself alone.”
24 So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord, and he gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people and placed them around the tabernacle. 25 Then the Lord came down in the cloud, and spoke to him, and took of the Spirit that was upon him, and placed the same upon the seventy elders; and it happened, when the Spirit rested upon them, that they prophesied, although they never did so again.
--Numbers 11:16-17, 24-25 (NKJV)
Charles Sell, in his book Unfinished Business, reported the following:
No more convincing evidence of the absence of parental affection exists than that compiled by Rene Spitz. In a South American orphanage, Spitz observed and recorded what happened to 97 children who were deprived of emotional and physical contact with others. Because of a lack of funds, there was not enough staff to adequately care for these children, ages three months to three years old. Nurses changed diapers and fed and bathed the children. But there was little time to hold, cuddle, and talk to them as a mother would. After three months many of them showed signs of abnormality. Besides a loss of appetite and being unable to sleep well, many of the children lay with a vacant expression in their eyes. After five months, serious deterioration set in. They lay whimpering, with troubled and twisted faces. Often, when a doctor or nurse would pick up an infant, it would scream in terror. 27 of the children - almost one third - died the first year, but not from lack of food or health care. They died of a lack of touch and emotional nurture. Because of this, seven more died the second year. In all, only 21 of the 97 survived, most suffering serious psychological damage.
We often overlook just how crucial the touch of another human is in our lives. How much more so the touch of our heavenly Father, God. I think we’ve seen the effect on those who rejected God’s touch. We see it on the news following a mass shooting. We see it in the violence in our neighborhoods. We see it in depraved acts against innocent children.
The world needs to be touched by God’s Holy Spirit now, more than ever before.
I remember some years ago there was a TV show called “Touched By an Angel”, in which angels Della Reese and Roma Downey did God’s bidding by reaching out to people and helping them. The premise was that being touched by an angel could change someone’s life.
And I agree that is certainly possible and true. But the touch that can change a heart must come from God’s Holy Spirit. Only He has the power to give new life, renewed life. Only His touch can soften and change a heart. But His touch must be recognized, acknowledged, accepted. And then, great wonders can begin.
We can see this most clearly before Pentecost, and especially in the Old Testament, when God sent His Spirit to touch specific people for specific purposes. The Spirit came to the Judges, those leaders and protectors of the Jewish people. One in particular, Samson, was visited at least four or five times. The prophet Samuel tells us how it began, in his Book of the Judges of Israel, chapter 13, verses 24 and 25…
24 So the woman bore a son and called his name Samson; and the child grew, and the Lord blessed him. 25 And the Spirit of the Lord began to move upon him at Mahaneh Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.
--Judges 13:24-25 (NKJV)
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners shall be converted to You.
--Psalm 51:10-13 (NKJV)
Some folks don’t believe that God or His Spirit “talks” to us. And I’m not sure I’ve ever heard the Spirit’s “voice”, but I’ve certainly felt His touch, His gentle nudges as He tries to steer me along the right course. I felt Him twice just this past week, as He showed me ways that I could help benefit the greater community. Granted, they were very small ways, and they may never realize the results He showed me as possible. Not all seeds fall on good soil. But those that do will bear fruit and flourish.
It isn’t necessary for me to know the final results, only that I follow where I am led, and do what I am directed to do. This is all the Spirit wants, that we follow His lead. This is what God wants, and why He sent His Spirit to touch us, from the inside, every moment of our lives.
We have been and are still touched by the Spirit. How should we react? Do we ignore Him and hope He’ll leave us alone? Are we fearful that we can’t do what He asks? Are we troubled that we can’t figure out exactly what it is He wants us to do? Or do we realize just how blessed we are to have been given such a wonderful gift?
We need to pray, Family, just as David did. We need to pray for patience and courage and strength and understanding. We need to pray for clarity into God’s will for our lives, for more light to be shed on the path the Spirit has set before us. And mostly, we need to pray that God never take His Spirit from us.
Let us walk in the Spirit, as He leads. In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Let us pray… Father God, we who believe in and follow Your Son Jesus are so special to You that You sent Your own Spirit to not only touch us and strengthen us, but also to live within us and be our ever constant Helper and Companion, our faithful Guide. Thank You, Father, for loving us and blessing us this much. Please speak to us through Your Spirit and guide us in this life, guide us in the direction You want us to go, point us to the tasks You want us to accomplish. And may You be glorified in all we do.
Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, promising to turn from our disobedient ways, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help…
Lord Jesus, it was by Your request that God sent His Spirit to live in us, in all believers, to be our ever present Strength, our Guide, our Helper. Thank You, Lord, for ensuring that we will never again be alone. Please help us to follow as the Spirit leads us and accomplish the task that our Father God has set before us.
This we pray in Your glorious name, Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. Amen.
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