Jesus' Recipe for Popcorn (Part 4)

JESUS USED COMMON THINGS TO TEACH US

Some of these ways were referred to by Jesus and others in the Bible, through the use of the names and qualities of common substances metaphorically, attempting to capture the essence of how and what He is doing for us by His outpoured Holy Spirit in each one of our lives. 

OIL    
Zechariah 4:6 Then he said to me, This [addition of the bowl to the causing it to yield a ceaseless supply of oil from the olive trees]candlestick, is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit [of Whom the oil is a symbol], says the Lord of hosts.

The Bible is clear on the infinite reality of the divine Holy Spirit of God, the third Person of the Trinity, able to truly supply all of our needs in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Jesus tells us in His Parable of the 10 Virgins that we are each alone responsible for the quantity of the oil of the Spirit that we contain within ourselves. By our own free choice we can be re-filled on a daily basis, or we can allow ourselves to disconnect from our divine spiritual Resource, only to run out and be empty when the Lord returns to take us with Him for eternity:

Matthew 25:1 Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. ² Five of them were foolish (thoughtless, without forethought) and five were wise (sensible, intelligent, and prudent). ³ For when the foolish took their lamps, they did not take any [extra] oil with them; ⁴ The wise took flasks of oil along with them with their lamps. ⁵ While the bridegroom lingered and was slow in coming, they all began nodding their heads, and they fell asleep.  ⁶ But at midnight there was a shout, Behold, the bridegroom! Go out to meet him! ⁷ Then all those virgins got up and put their own lamps in order. ⁸ And the foolish said to the wise, Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out. ⁹ But the wise replied, There will not be enough for us and for you; go instead to the dealers and buy for yourselves. ¹⁰ But while they were going away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were prepared went in with him to the marriage feast; and the door was shut. ¹¹ Later the other virgins also came and said, Lord, Lord, open [the door] to us! ¹² But He replied, I solemnly declare to you, I do not know you [I am not acquainted with you]. ¹³ Watch therefore [give strict attention and be cautious and active], for you know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of Man will come.

FIRE
The Scriptural symbolism of fire, in regard to the Holy Spirit’s Presence and work is mentioned in many places. This metaphor focuses us on the power dimension of His mighty Personage and His bold acts among humankind.

Once again, the Biblical revelation also reminds us that a significant factor in any individual’s life and faith journey, is their own willingness to receive God’s fiery Spirit and to re-kindle the flame as needed:

Luke 3: ¹⁶ John answered them all by saying, I baptize you with water; but He Who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of Whose sandals I am not fit to unfasten. (JESUS) He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

Luke 12: ⁴⁹ I have come to cast fire upon the earth, and how I wish that it were already kindled!

2 Timothy 1: ⁶ That is why I would remind you to stir up (rekindle the embers of, fan the flame of, and keep burning) the [gracious] gift of God, [the inner fire] that is in you by means of the laying on of my hands [with those of the elders at your ordination].

⁷ For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power, of love and of calm well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.    

Jesus had a universal perspective from His divine vantage point, seeing and speaking of the fire of the Holy Spirit as one conflagration that would powerfully move across the earth over time.

Paul related this unified worldwide energy of God the Holy Spirit, to the individual relationship of any particular believer in Jesus. In this more pastoral context, we each must wrestle with our own neediness and how to keep receiving new anointings and infillings of the Holy Spirit.

In reminding Timothy of his own personal involvement in the younger man’s ordination, Paul alludes to a powerful initial reception of inner fire of God. The older apostle also stood as a witness to the promise of God that Timothy was called to fulfill, so that he would not allow any kind of fear to steal his destiny!

This very personal interchange between these servants of the Lord, has encouraged countless followers of Jesus to reach into themselves, and literally lay open their spiritual hearts before the living God, to receive anew the Holy Spirit’s fire, burning away everything false and solidifying all that is eternal and true within us!