"The Spirit as My Witness"

"Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set His seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come" ~ 2 Corinthians 1:21-22

As we move closer to Holy Week and our annual remembrance of what Jesus did on our behalf to defeat sin and death, it's common to consider how we would have reacted to Jesus and what it would've been like for us had we lived in Jerusalem during that time. Would we have cheered and praised Him with the crowds on Palm Sunday as He rode in on a colt? Would we have burdened Him with our expectations for Him, only to condemn Him when He refused to fit into the box we created for Him? Would we have deserted Him at the cross? And would we have believed the news when we heard of His resurrection? Even if you think you have strong faith and consider some of those disciples doubting fools, you probably would've reacted as they did. Watching their leader and Lord being tortured and killed, while not yet having the Holy Spirit inside them to guide them, they were in a tough spot. We have the blessing today of having the Holy Spirit to not only teach us what is right but also empower us to live it, even when circumstances look bleak. This week at Friendship, we'll look at the Triumphal Entry of Palm Sunday, then discuss the power of the Spirit who acts as our witness that we are truly in Christ, and therefore face no condemnation. Join us as we dig into Romans 8 and celebrate the spiritual ramifications of being His adopted children who have the Spirit!