THE WORK OF JESUS AND THE WORK OF THE SPIRIT.

THE SECOND PERSON OF THE TRINITY ENTERED INTO THE FLESH INTO THE GOD-MAN JESUS CHRIST WHEN MARY CONCEIVED, LUKE 1:31. THE GOD MAN JESUS CHRIST LIVED THE LIFE OF A SINLESS SERVANT, WAS CRUCIFIED, DIED AND WAS BURIED. HIS SERVANTHOOD THROUGHOUT THESE EVENTS WAS A DEMONSTRATION OF HIS GLORY. JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD ON EASTER SUNDAY MORNING, AND EVENTUALLY "WAS CARRIED UP TO HEAVEN," LUKE 24:5,51.  IN HIS ASCENSION JESUS WITHDREW HIS VISIBLE PRESENCE FROM ONE PLACE THAT HE MIGHT BE PRESENT IN EVERY PLACE WITH ALL HIS PEOPLE TILL THE CLOSE OF THIS AGE, MATTHEW 28:20. ( SEE EXODUS 19:9; MATTHEW 17:5; ACTS 1:9). ABOUT THE CLOUD). THOUGH JESUS SAID HE WOULD SEND THE HOLY SPIRIT TO HIS DISCIPLES AFTER HE ASCENDED (JOHN 14:26; 16:7). HE ALSO SAID THAT HE HIMSELF WOULD COME AND ABIDE WITH THEM. (JOHN 14:18), AND THAT HE AND THE FATHER WOULD COME  AND MAKE THEIR HOME WITH THEM, JOHN 14:23. THE TRIUMPHANT, ASCENDED JESUS RETURNS AND CONTINUES HIS WORK THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHO SPEAKS TO HUMANITY THROUGH THE SCRIPTURES. HE SUMMONS HIS FOLLOWERS TO SHARE AND DEMONSTRATE HIS GLORY DURING THEIR LIVES(SERVANTHOOD), AND PROMISES THAT EVENTUALLY HE WILL TAKE THEM TO SHARE HIS GLORY IN THE PRESENCE OF THE FATHER, JOHN 17:22-24. IN THE MEANTIME THE SPIRIT CONTINUES THE WORK OF JESUS. IT IS POINTED OUT THAT THE WORK OF THE THREE PERSONS OF THE HOLY TRINITY CANNOT BE DIVIDED INTO SEPARATE, WATERTIGHT COMPARTMENTS. ALL PERSONS COOPERATE IN THE "EXTERNAL WORKS " OF CREATION, REDEMPTION, AND SANCTIFICATION. WHEN THIS IS APPLIED TO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE WORK OF JESUS AND THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
THE FOLLOWING EMERGES: THE HOLY SPIRIT CONTINUES TO DO WHAT JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF WOULD TEACH AND DO IF HE WERE STILL VISIBLY AMONG MEN. THE SPIRIT CONTINUES THE WORK OF JESUS. THEIR WORK IS COMMON AND INSEPARABLE. IN THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO St.JOHN, JESUS SAYS: "BUT THE COUNSELOR, THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHOM THE FATHER WILL SEND IN MY NAME, HE WILL TEACH YOU ALL THINGS, AND BRING TO YOUR REMEMBRANCE ALL THAT I HAVE SAID TO YOU," 14:26. "HE (HOLY SPIRIT) WILL GLORIFY ME, FOR HE WILL TAKE WHAT IS MINE AND DECLARE IT TO YOU.," 16;14, 25.  THE HOLY SPIRIT MIGHT BE COMPARED TO THE DIRECTOR OF A STAGE PRESENTATION, TAKING HIS PLACE TO THE SIDE OF THE STAGE AND POINTING CONSTANTLY TO THE LEAD ACTOR IN MIDSTAGE. JESUS. HE IS MOST "OF THE SPIRIT" WHO IS MOST "OF JESUS." 
IN EPHESIANS 1:19-23 WE CONTINUE, HAVING CHRIST SITTING CHRIST AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER, WHERE PAUL SAYS: GOD'S LIMITLESS POWER WAS AT WORK IN THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST FROM THE DEAD. 1:19-20. THAT SAME MIGHTY  POWER IS AT WORK IN THE HEARTS AND LIVES OF THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN CHRIST, 1:19. HE GOES ON TO SAY THAT, AFTER THE FATHER RAISED CHRIST FROM THE DEAD, "HE MADE HIM SIT AT THE RIGHT HAND IN THE HEAVENLY  PLACES," 1:20. WHAT DOES PAUL MEAN BY THIS STATEMENT?  THESE WORDS HAVE THEIR ROOTS IN THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST, WHERE IT WAS THE CUSTOM TO PORTRAY THE RULER OF THE REALM SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE "god" OF THE CITY OR NATION. THE IDEA WAS THAT THE KING RULED IN THE NAME OF AND FOR,, HIS GOD; HE HELD THE PLACE OF HONOR AND POWER. PAUL, THEN, IS SAYING THAT AFTER HE FATHER RAISED JESUS FROM THE DEAD, HE GAVE HIM THE PLACE OF HONOR AND POWER
IN THE UNIVERSE! CHRIST RULES AND RUNS THE UNIVERSE FOR HIS FATHER, AND HE DOES IT WITH THE WELFARE OF HIS CHURCH IN MIND," EPHESIANS 1:22. CHRIST IS IN CHARGE OF THE UNIVERSE! THIS IS A SOURCE OF GREAT COMFORT TO CHRISTIANS. IT TELLS THEM THAT HISTORY IS NOT " JUST ONE FOOL THING AFTER ANOTHER." BECAUSE OF WHAT THE FATHER ACCOMPLISHED IN CHRIST THROUGH THE EVENTS OF THE CROSS AND THE EMPTY TOMB, LIFE IS NO LONGER A TALE TOLD BY AN IDIOT, FULL OF SOUND AND FURY, SIGNIFYING NOTHING,"  AS ONE OF SHAKESPEARE'S CHARACTERS SUGGEST. IN A WAY NOT ALWAYS OBVIOUS TO HUMAN EYES, EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS CONTRIBUTES TO GOD'S GRAND DESIGN FOR THE UNIVERSE. JUST THINK! THROUGHOUT THE COUNTLESS GALAXIES OF OUR CREATED ORDER, WITH ITS BILLION OF SUNS AND PLANETS, JESUS CHRIST IS LORD! OUR ELDER BROTHER (MATT.12:46-50) HAS BEEN ENTRUSTED WITH THE AUTHORITY TO RUN THE UNIVERSE, AND THE WORLD IN PARTICULAR, ACCORDING TO GOD'S PLAN. WE KNOW THE ONE WHO IS IN CHARGE! THOUGH AT TIMES MEN APPEAR TO BE IN CONTROL OF HISTORY. CHRIST IS IN CONTROL-CHRIST, WHO LOVED US ENOUGH TO GIVE UP LIFE ITSELF. THEREFORE, WE CHRISTIANS HAVE A PRECIOUS SENSE OF SECURITY ABOUT LIFE, DEATH, AND ETERNITY. WE ARE IN GOOD HANDS, IN ALL PLACES AND AT ALL TIMES, PHILIPPIANS 4: 4-7.