Having Believed

We are asked to remember Jesus' death by participating in eating bread representing his body and drinking wine which represents the blood of the new covenant (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). As we do so, we also need to remember that he rose from the dead and now lives. He is our Atonement, our Savior, our Redeemer, our High Priest, our Brother, our Friend and our God.

After he appeared to his disciples, he taught them before returning to his Father in heaven. He told them to wait in Jerusalem for the power to carry out the work they were commissioned to do (Luke 24:44-53).

Among the Feasts of the Lord is a little known day which called for the priest to wave a sheaf of new grain on the day after the Sabbath during Passover week (Leviticus 23:9-16). This is understood by Christians to be a type of Jesus being accepted by the Father as the perfect sacrifice on our behalf (1 Corinthians 15:20-23). From that day they were to count seven weeks or fifty days to another feast day. This is the day of Pentecost (count fifty) mentioned in Acts 2:1-47. On that day God empowered his disciples to preach the good news of the new covenant. Those who believed also received the promised Holy Spirit.

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
Ephesians 1:13-14

Because we have received God's grace in this way, we have a responsibility "to put off your [our] old self" and "to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness" (Ephesians 4:22-24).

We are to "be filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:15-18) so we can understand the Lord's will for our new life in Christ.