Beloved, I am glad to share with you today the above theme from Acts 1:7-8. Indeed, Luke, the author of the book of Acts, begins his account with the ascension of the Lord Jesus into heaven, although he has already related this event at the end of his gospel. For the coming of the Holy Spirit and all the work that was to result from it “to the ends of the earth” stems from the presence of Christ in glory (Jn 16:7-15).
It should be clarified that a designation such as “The Acts of the Holy Spirit” would be more appropriate: for the Holy Spirit is the central person in this account. His presence and activity mark with their character the book of acts of the apostles.
The presentation also provides a description of the service of the Apostles Peter and Paul. Peter is the main human instrument employed in the first twelve chapters, with Paul taking over until the end. In the first part, the geographical center is Jerusalem; in the second, Antioch aroused interest, for within this city was constituted the first great Christian church of among the nations.
So, this beginning confirms that everything the Apostles will do corresponds to the orders they have received from the Lord and will justify their service. “You will be my witnesses,” the Lord Jesus told them, for their thoughts were still turned to the things of the earth. For they became the depositaries of the marvelous truths which concerned him: He who had suffered was now alive. Then, raised in heaven before their eyes, He would return in the same way according to the certain promise communicated by the angels. And they would have to announce these things by the power of the Spirit that they would soon receive.
For the first meeting after the Lord’s ascension is devoted to prayer, and all the Apostles are present. Having reached the end of the history of the Church on earth, let us make sure that we are not absent from the one that will be the last before His return (He 10:23-25).
And it is a fully restored Peter who speaks in the midst of the first disciples. It recalls the miserable end of Judas who had hanged himself (Mt 27:1-10). Terrible death, but eternal fate infinitely more terrible! Then, drawing on the light and authority of the scriptures, Peter shows the need to replace the fallen disciple. Twelve apostles were to be the witnesses, in a way official, of this fundamental fact of Christianity: the resurrection of the Lord Jesus (1 Cor 15:1-11).
Joseph and Matthias were among those who had had the privilege of accompanying Jesus during his ministry. Perhaps they were among the 70 whom He had once sent (Luke 10:1-12). After asking the Lord, who knows the hearts of all, to manifest His choice, they cast the spell and Matthias is designated.
Now, casting the spell today to know the will of God would no longer be appropriate, because the Holy Spirit is there, which gives believers the discernment they need. It is interesting in this regard to compare this scene with Acts 13:1-3 where the Spirit commands:”Set me apart Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I called them.” Also the Spirit of God recalls that the Lord presented Himself alive to the apostles, and brings out the important truth that the Lord was the same after His Resurrection as before, although his body was a spiritual body, while being visible and tangible, which is not a spirit.
For when he was in the midst of the disciples, he made them touch his hands and feet to assure them that he was always the same, and he ate before them, though his body, having become spiritual, no longer needed food. For before the coming and glorification of the Lord, the Holy Spirit had never personally dwelt on the earth. He had just acted momentarily in prophets, in believers, and even in non-believers, as in the case of Saul (1 Samuel 10:10 and 19:24); but he did not dwell in them, because the Word of God is complete and the Holy Spirit directs the believer with intelligence so that he conforms to the Scriptures and making use of prayer.
It is easy to understand that if the Lord had not risen, everything He did and said during His ministry would have been of no value, since His work and person would have ended in death. As a result, eternal death would have been the share of all men, Satan would have had victory, since he would have destroyed all of God’s work, which was impossible. Sinful and lost men, God wanted to make the inhabitants happy and glorious of a new earth under new heavens; but for that to happen a Savior who took upon himself all the consequences of sin, and, after having accomplished all, came out of death triumphant and victorious.
For the importance of the Resurrection of the Lord, on which all Christianity rests, but which is ignored today by those who teach that Jesus was resurrected only in spirit. He is no more resurrected in spirit than he died in spirit. By the grace of God, he died: he suffered in our place the judgment that we had deserved, and God resurrected and glorified him to show his perfect satisfaction with the work accomplished, when he died on the cross. He is a true man but a divine man, who lived in this world, who died, who was resurrected, who is now in heaven and who will return in glory with all the glorified saints to reign a thousand years on this earth; meanwhile those who did not believe in his atoning death and resurrection will be in hades while waiting to appear before him in judgment, when he sits on the great white throne (Rev. 20:11-15).
“And being assembled with them, he commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which he said, you heard of me: for John baptized with water; but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit in a few days. We have seen (John, chapters 14–16) that the Lord had repeatedly announced the coming of the Holy Spirit, called the promise of the Father, because he was promised in the Old Testament (Isaiah 32:15; Ezekiel 36:27; Joel 2:29). While waiting for him to fulfill the prophets’ predictions for the earthly people, he came as comforter of those whom the Lord left here on earth, as power to perform their service, as a seal of faith in those who believe, and as a dwelling of God in the midst of his people on earth.
The following verses have been compiled for your edification and grouped together for your better understanding.
- Secret Things
Dt 29:28 Jehovah watched them from their land with anger, fury, and great indignation, and threw them upon another country, as we see today. Pr 25.2 The glory of God is to hide things; The glory of kings is to probe things. Dn 12.9 He answered: Go, Daniel, for these words shall be kept secret and sealed until the time of the end. Mk 13:32 As for the day or the hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. Rev 5:3 And no one in heaven, neither on earth nor under earth, could open the book or look at it. Rev 10.4 And when the seven thunders had made their voices heard, I went to write; and I heard from heaven a voice that said: Seal what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.
- Universal gospel, must be preached throughout the world
Mt 24:14 This good news of the kingdom will be preached throughout the world, to serve as a testimony to all nations. Then the end will come. Mt 28:19 Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; Mk 13:10 The good news must first be preached to all nations. Mk 16:15 Then he said to them: Go by all the world, and preach the good news to all creation. Lk 24:47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins would be preached in his name to all nations, starting with Jerusalem. Acts 1:8 But you will receive a power, the Holy Spirit coming upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Col 1:23 if at least you remain founded and unshakeable in the faith, without turning away from the hope of the gospel which you have heard, which has been preached to every creature under heaven, and of which I Paul have been made minister. Rev 14:6
I saw another angel who flew through the middle of heaven, having an eternal gospel, to proclaim it to the inhabitants of the earth, to every nation, to every tribe, to every language, and to every people.
- Spiritual power
-gives men courage to repel sin: Mi 3:8 But I am filled with strength, with the spirit of jehovah, I am filled with righteousness and vigor, To make Jacob know his crime, And Israel his sin.
-stronger than the physical force: Za 4:6 Then he resumed and said to me: This is the word that jehovah addresses to Zerubbabel: It is neither by power nor by force, but it is by my spirit, says the Lord of hosts.
-Jesus, the supreme example: Lk 4:14 Jesus, clothed in the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and his fame spread throughout the surrounding land.
-accompanies the baptism of the Holy Spirit: Acts 1:8 But you will receive a power, the Holy Spirit coming upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and up to the ends of the earth. Acts 2:2 Suddenly a sound like that of an impetuous wind came from the sky, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
-allow men to speak with authority: Acts 4:33 The apostles bore great testimony of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace rested on them all. (Acts 6:8 Stephen, full of grace and power, made wonders and great miracles tothepeople. )
-allow to accomplish great miracles of healing: Acts 9:11-12 And the Lord said to him: Get up, go to the street called the right, and look, in the house of Judas, for a named Saul of Tarsa.
12 For he prays, and he saw in vision a man named Ananias, who was entering, and who was laying his hands on him, that he would cover the sight. Ananias answered:(1 Cor. 2:4 and my word and preaching were not based on the persuasive discourses of wisdom, but on a demonstration of Spirit and power; Ephe 3:16 that he may give you, according to the richness of his glory, to be powerfully strengthened by his Spirit in the inner man;1 Th 1:5 our gospel having not been preached to you in words alone, but with power, with the Holy Spirit, and with full persuasion; for you know that we have shown ourselves thus among you, because of you. 2 Tim 1:7 For it is not a spirit of shyness that God has given us, but a spirit of strength, love, and wisdom. )
- Promised Outpouring of the Holy Spirit
(Es 32:15 Until the spirit is spread from above upon us, and the desert turns into an orchard, and the orchard is considered a forest. Es 59:21 This is my covenant with them, saiti the Lord: My spirit, which rests upon you, and my words, which I have put in your mouth, shall not withdraw from your mouth, nor from the mouths of your children, Nor from the mouths of the children of your children, Say jehovah, now and forever. Ez 39:29 And I will no longer hide my face from them, for I will pour out my spirit upon the house of Israel, Say the Lord, jehovah.)
-on the young and the old: Jl 3:1 And I will no longer hide my face from them, for I will pour out my spirit on the house of Israel, Says the Lord, the Lord. (Zas. 12:10 Then I will pour out upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication, and they will turn their eyes to me, the one they have pierced. They will weep over him as weep over an only son, They will weep bitterly over him as we weep over a firstborn. )
-Christ gives: Mt 3:11 I baptize you with water, to bring you to repentance; but he who comes after me is more powerful than me, and I am not worthy to wear his shoes. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
-granted in response to prayer: Lk 11:13 If therefore, wicked as you are, you know how to give good things to your children, how much more will heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.
-to those who hope in God: Lk 24:49 And behold, I will send upon you what my Father has promised; but you, remain in the city until you are clothed with the power from above. (Jn 7:39
He said this of the Spirit that those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet, because Jesus had not yet been glorified. Jn 14:16 And I will pray to the Father, and He will give you another comforter, that He may dwell eternally with you; Jn 16.7 However, I tell you the truth: it is advantageous for you that I should go, for if I do not go, the comforter will not come to you; but if I go, I will send it to you.)
-personal purification precedes the bestowal of the Holy Spirit: Acts 2:38 Peter said to them: Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
- It is commanded to bear testimony:
Es 43:10 You are my witnesses, says jehovah, You, and my servant whom I have chosen, That you may know it, may you believe me and understand that it is me: Before me he was not formed of God, and after me there will be none. Jn 15:27 and you too will bear witness, because you are with me from the beginning. Acts 5:20-21 For the Father loves the Son, and shows him all that he does; and he will show him works greater than these, so that you may be in astonishment. 21 For, as the Father raises the dead and gives life, so the Son gives life to whomever he wants. Acts 18:9-10 The Lord said to Paul in vision during the night: Do not fear; but speak, and do not shut up, 10 For I am with you, and no one will put his hand on you to harm you: speak, for I have many people in this city. Acts 22:15 for you will serve as a witness to all men of the things you have seen and heard. Tt 2:15 Say these things, exhort, and resume, with full authority. Let no one despise you.
From all the above, we note that the Lord Jesus commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which he says, you have heard of me: for John baptized with water; but you, you, you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit, in a few days. For before the coming and glorification of the Lord, the Holy Spirit had never personally dwelt on the earth. He had just acted momentarily in prophets, in believers, and even in non-believers; but he did not dwell in them, because the Word of God is complete and the Holy Spirit directs the believer with intelligence so that he conforms to the Scriptures and making use of prayer. Our prayers support you all in your efforts to live by the Spirit of God.
PRAYER OF ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS CHRIST AS LORD AND PERSONAL SAVIOR
I now invite anyone who wants to become a new creation by walking in the truth, to pray with me as follows:
Lord Jesus, I have long walked in the lusts of the world ignoring your love for humans. I acknowledge that I have sinned against you and ask forgiveness for all my sins, because today I have decided to give you my life by taking you as my Lord and personal Savior. I acknowledge that you died on the cross of Calvary and that you rose from the dead for me.
I am now saved and born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. Lead me each day to eternal life you give to all who obey your Word. Reveal to me and strengthen my heart and my faith so that your light may shine in my life right now.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for accepting me in your divine family so that I too can contemplate the wonders of your kingdom.
I will now choose a nearby waterpoint to baptize myself by immersion, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
To you all worship, power, and glory, now and forever and ever. Amen!
I would be happy to respond to any questions and comments you may have, before sharing with you next week about “the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.”
May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you abundantly.
David Feze, Servant of the Almighty God.