Sons and Daughters

The Book of Acts picks up where the gospels stop. In the first chapter of  Acts we read about how the apostles returned to Jerusalem after witnessing Jesus's ascension into heaven.  In the 14th verse we understand that the apostles devoted themselves to prayer, together with the women, Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.  I can imagine the questions that they might have asked of his mother?  Did you know?  Did he appear to her after his Resurrection? We can only imagine.  When the day of Pentecost arrives, Peter begins announcing the good news to the world for the very first time.  Peter quotes the prophet Joel in Acts 2:14:

And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; ¹⁸ yea, and on my menservants and my maidservants in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.  

The order of the new kingdom is going to be different from the old establishment.  God chooses whom he wishes to gift. It is a time of new wine skins.   Notice the emphasis upon "all flesh".  In the kingdom of God there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, slave or free, or male or female....we all become one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28.  Even in our own culture we males sometimes forget that it has been less than a century in our American history since the 19th Amendment was added to the U.S. Constitution granting women the right to vote.  Throughout most of recorded world history, women were considered property, along with slaves.  But, in Peter's announcement, one sees that God chooses both males and females as vessels of his Holy Spirit. And the claim is that "they shall prophesy".  So one should conclude that God will give gifts of his His Spirit to both sons and daughters. What we need are more male leaders who are spiritually cognizant of recognizing spiritual gifts and encouraging their use within the body by all male and female members. This is how the body is built up by all members.

There are many churches whom do not recognize the gifts of women after the Holy Spirit has parceled those out.  Those who fail to use their spiritual gifts grieve the Holy Spirit.  I am proud to be part of a church which gives women a voice in the worship service. We recognize that for some members for whom this is a matter of conscience, we offer traditional services which are  led by males only.  But, we also offer far more inclusive worship services which gives godly women whom God has chosen to gift with spiritual abilities the opportunity to stand up and participate in worship.