SCRIPTURE LESSON.

THE ANOINTING WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised. Luke 4-18.

How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power; who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. Acts 10-38.

Now, he which establisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God. II Cor 1, 21.

But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. I John 2-20.

Thy God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. Hebrews 1-9.

Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Psalms 23-5.

In trying to show how God establishes the Christian, Paul uses the borrowed words, “the Anointing, the Sealing, and the Earnest.” The Spirit’s Anointing, Sealing, and the Earnest of the Spirit, were all to give us assurance. The custom was to confirm prophets, priests and kings by anointing, while letters, articles and documents were sealed for security, and contracts and bargains were secured by the Earnest. We call it “the option.”

The anointing is the witness or evidence of the incoming and indwelling of the Holy Spirit. By this we know that He is come.

In the Old Testament the anointing was the official inauguration into three of the highest offices in the Hebrew nation. The prophets, priests and kings received the anointing. These three offices were to be combined in one great personality, called the Messiah, who was yet to come. Jesus of Nazareth appropriated these prophesies unto himself, declaring “The Lord has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, to heal the broken hearted, to set at liberty those that are oppressed.” But the most astonishing fact is that this honor of being anointed may be shared by all the followers of Jesus of Nazareth. The believers in Jesus through all generations have the privilege and honor of becoming kings and priests unto God, and all may prophesy; that is, speak of the ability which God giveth.

This is the New Testament preparation for living and serving in the Kingdom. John Fletcher used to teach the young preachers for thirty minutes and call them around him and pray, and have them pray for the unction of the Holy One. The older Methodist Bishops would always say, ‘‘Be sure you have the anointing when you deliver the message.”

1. This anointing with the Holy Spirit is not given to the sinner, but to the Christian. The anointing of the oil in the Old Testament was not to be on the strangers within the gates, but on the true Israelites only.

It is one thing to be born to rank or position, and it is another thing to enter that position or office. Life first, possession and occupancy afterwards. It was not the same thing to be born a son of Levi as to be anointed for the office of priest. That which qualified him to assume the station for which he was born came afterwards.

So a Christian, though a born priest and king and prophet cannot enter upon his life work efficiently until he is endowed with power from on high. Of course, I do not mean the wearing of robes, mitres and crowns, but I mean the actual mediatorship in behalf of human sins and wretchedness, that makes the Christian a priest; the actual power and sovereignty over evil habits and evil spirits that makes the Christian a king; the actual acknowledgment and testimony of the reception and indwelling of Jesus Christ that makes a Christian a prophet. The disciples had heard Jesus himself say who He was and what He had come to do, but He sealed their lips and commanded them not to depart until they were baptized and then they should testify.

2. Now, let us observe what this anointing is. It is not a blessing, a gift of the Spirit, or a grace or fruit of the Spirit, such as peace, love, joy, gentleness. The anointing is God, the Holy Spirit. Not that the Holy Spirit is the agent in giving this anointing, or that some influence or sacrednesss comes from the Holy Spirit, but that He Himself comes to be the anointing oil on us and in us. Jesus was anointed, not by the Holy Spirit, nor from the Holy Spirit, but with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit descended on Jesus of Nazareth. He was poured out on the disciples at Pentecost and He is poured out now on all the believers who yield themselves unto God as those alive from the dead.

3. In the next place, let us notice who it is that anoints us. John says, “Ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye all know it.” Who is the Holy One from whom this anointing comes? It is not the Holy Spirit, for he is the anointing. Who is it that anoints us with the Holy Spirit? The “Holy One” is a special title of Jesus Christ. Six times in the New Testament He is called “The Holy One,” “The Holy One of God.” God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit to make him the Christ, and through the Christ, the Holy One, we receive the anointing that makes us true Christians.

John says again and again, “He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost,” and Jesus claimed this as His prerogative, “I will send you another Comforter.” “The Comforter whom I will send unto you.” And Peter declares, that Jesus “being by the right hand of God exalted and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, hath shed forth this which you now see and hear” He is first anointed and then we are anointed through Him. The anointing which God poured on him is flowing down unto us, His members, members of His body, His flesh and His bones. Of His fullness have all we received, and grace for grace. The Christ of God is now with us, ready to impart unto us the Holy Anointing which will abide forever.

Why was the baptism with the Holy Spirit called the anointing? First, because the anointment was sweet and delightful. It was characteristic of Jesus. “Thy name is as ointment poured forth. Therefore, do the virgins love thee.” When the Holy Spirit lodges in the soul, He makes it like a garden of spices. It is delightful in the church, in the ministry, in the communion of saints. It sweetens a man’s thoughts and actions and makes a man’s own conscience a continual feast. Oh, what a delight it is to come in from the strife and defilements of life and walk in Beulah Land on the delectable mountains with God the Spirit! When Mary broke the alabaster box at the house of Bethany, we are told that the house was filled with the odor of the ointment. When the high priest came from the tabernacle bearing on his beard and garments the holy oil that was poured on him, the sweet odor filled all the atmosphere where he went. The fragrance of the Rose of Sharon, or the Lily of the Valley will be ours and the people will know that we have been with Jesus and learned of Him.

Second, this baptism is called the anointing because it strengthens us; Moses, being anointed, endured as seeing Him who is invisible; Bezaliel was anointed, and he was skillful in all carving; he was a boss carpenter; Othneil was anointed and went out to battle. Paul was anointed and then took pleasure in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake. Kings, when they went out to battle, were anointed that they might be strong.

So when the Spirit of God abides in men, they can do things that they could not otherwise do. They can deny themselves, and overcome the world. They are able to want, able to abound, able to bear crosses, to endure temptations and to do all things through Christ, who is able to make all grace abound unto them, because he that is in them is greater than he that is in the world. This is the royal kingship which we have by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Third, This Baptism of the Holy Spirit is called the anointing; because ointment makes the joints of the body nimble, and when the Spirit abides in us, he makes us ready for every good work, ready to serve God in the newness of the spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. When the Spirit abides in God’s people, they are a willing people and eat the fruit of the land. Oil lubricates, makes supple, prevents friction; no more hot boxes, no more blue Mondays, grave yard faces or whining. Oil up! Oil up! And speed on!

There is a disposition of love in the anointed ones that constrains them to become all things to all men, that they may save some. When a man is without unction, he goes lumpishly and heavily about the service of God. He is forced and dragged to pray. He avoids conference and testimony. He is dull and dead and frozen towards the interests of unsaved men. But when a man receives the sweet anointing of the Spirit, his heart is enlarged, the love of Christ constrains him. He has on the old gospel shoes and is ready to go anywhere and do anything that God wants him to do. His daily cry is, “Here am I. Send me, send me.”

Fourth, this Baptism with the Spirit is called the anointing, because there is a healing, cheerful virtue and power in it. This baptism hath a cordial virtue, healing us from the guilt and stain and soreness of sin and sorrow. The Scriptures mention this as “the balm of Gilead.”

In the composition of the anointing oil in the Old Testament there was special reference to healing. Myrrh has in it the virtue of easing pain and taking soreness out of a bruise. Sweet cinnamon is a fiery spice, hot and pungent, but the sensations are pleasant and stimulating; Sweet calamus is sweetness itself; it aids digestion, counteracts acids and takes sourness out of the stomach. Cassia is really a good food. It contains all the elements for nourishment and strengthens every part of the body. While olive oil has restoring, nourishing power, it is a great thing to lubricate, smooth out the wrinkles and kinks and put a shine on.

If anybody has a sore heart, this will heal it. Sometimes pastors and members have chronic sore heads. This anointing with the Holy Spirit is the divine cure. Sin gives people diseases, fevers, deliriums, consumption, leprosies, tympanies, atrophies. This anointing cures these diseases.

Fifth, the purpose of this anointing was that they may minister unto the Lord. This makes us love servants of Jesus Christ. So that, “We preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus, the Lord, and ourselves, your servants, for Jesus’ sake,”

What a false notion we have of being ministers, receiving titles, honors, offices, authorities, dignities, which has ruined tens of thousands of ministers, the Bible teaching “He that is chiefest among you, let him be servant of all.,, God’s ministers are spiritual cooks, waiters, laundrymen, housemaids, coach drivers, nurses, sheep tenders, herdsmen, farm hands, in the Kingdom.

Sixth, This anointing of the Spirit expresses in some way the impartation of spiritual knowledge. “You know all things.” You have no need that any man teach you. The Spirit will impart to us God’s view of things and we will see things in the light that Christ saw them. He will teach us that true honor is to serve God; that true nobility is to be born of God; that true riches is the grace of God; that true pleasure is the peace of God and the joy of the Holy Ghost; that true life is the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ, whom He has sent.