Last week we studied Acts 1:1-9 focusing in on what Jesus specifically said in His conversations with the disciples about the promise of the coming of the Holy Spirit. Acts 1:4-5,8, “4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Jesus clearly wanted them to realize what was the most important matter they need to be focused on at that moment of time, which was the promise of the coming of the Holy Spirit in them. And as a result of the Holy Spirit in their lives they will have the spiritual capacity and ability to be Jesus’ witness wherever they go. We see the evidence of this throughout the whole book of Acts.
Dr. Stanly Horton in his commentary explains it this way. “Then their business was to be witnesses to tell (“proclaim”) what they had seen, heard, and experienced of Jesus. 1 John 1:1-3, 1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched — this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria,
and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8
Acts 1:8 has been and is a cornerstone verse for the Church then as seen in the book of Acts, but also for the Church today. There are two key words we need to focus our attention on. The first word is “power”. “The Greek word used here, dynamis, can refer to power displayed in miracles (e.g., Acts 2:22; 4:7; 19:11), or (more generally) the ability of God or people to carry out their purposes (e.g., 3:12; 4:33). As Jesus said, this power is attained in a believer’s life “when the Holy Spirit comes on you”. Jesus goes on to say what will happen to them with this “power” or presence of the Holy Spirit in them, “you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth”. The way this applies to the Church today is that, with the baptism of the Holy Spirit, wherever we go we should be Christ’s witnesses or be the evidence to others of the resurrected Jesus who is in our lives.
We need to remember that everyone who receives Christ as their Savior in their lives, a “new spiritual life is imparted to the believer through the indwelling Holy Spirit, which is the mark of a New Testament Christian.” Romans 8:9,11; 9 You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. However, “This is not to be confused with the Baptism with the Holy Spirit, which is an outpouring of the Spirit subsequent to salvation, and is not the impartation of spiritual life, but rather power for spiritual service.” -Foundations of Pentecostal theology.
The “subsequent” experience of the baptism of the Holy Spirit “… is a work of the Spirit that is distinct and separate from spiritual birth (i.e., salvation). On the day of Christ’s resurrection, he breathed on his disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (Jn 20:22), giving them new life spiritually.” Then later he told them they “will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you”, which is the baptism with the Holy Spirit (Lk 24:49; cf. Ac 1:5, 8).
Why is this “power” of the Holy Spirit in a believer’s life is important? The answer brings us to the second key word of Acts 1:8, which is “witnesses”. The Spirit Filled Life Bible For Students gives us a good explanation. “1) The Holy Spirit is the Person and the Power by which assistance and ability are given for serving and for sharing the life of God with others. This means we are not to seek the baptism of the Holy Spirit just for the sake of a subsequent experience to salvation. But our motives should be to be equipped by the Holy Spirit to fulfill God’s will and or purposes in our lives, to be His effective and powerful witness where ever He leads us.
“This program for witnessing also gives us a virtual table of contents for the Book of Acts: Beginning in Jerusalem (chaps. 1 through 7) they would carry their witness through Judea and Samaria (chaps. 8 through 12) and would continue “to the ends of the earth” (chaps. 13 through 28).” – Horton
Acts 1:9-11, 9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. 10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
Most of us know what it is to wait for a package that we ordered that will be delivered by Amazon, UPS, Fed-Ex, or the USPS. With the notification and an expectancy of delivery, we know that the item we ordered will be coming, but we do not know the exact time of delivery. The delivery is forthcoming, pending or imminent. If the package is really important, we will even schedule our day to make sure we will be home when it arrives.
This is a good comparison with the Rapture. In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 these verses tell us about the Rapture. However, the Bible does not tell us when this will happen, which makes this event imminent. Imminent – “The word imminent means “it can happen at any moment.” When we speak of the imminence of Christ’s return, we mean that He could come back at any moment.” For every believer in Christ, the rapture of church is personal and imminent. Are we waiting with expectancy like we would for the delivery of our order?
Before we continue, we must understand the difference between the rapture and the second coming of Christ. If we interpret the Scriptures from a pre-tribulation rapture point of view, we understand that the Scriptures teach us that the rapture will occur before the seven-year period which some call it the Seven Years of Tribulation, Daniel 9:24-27 and Revelation 6:1 to 19:21. When the seven years are completed, then the second coming of Christ will occur, Revelation 19:11-21.
What the two angels told the twelve apostles who witnessed the ascension of Christ to heaven, they gave them a prophecy that has yet to be fulfilled, however we need to remember what the angels said to them was also said by Christ himself in Revelation 22:7, 12, “Behold, I am coming soon! And Revelation 22:20, “Yes, I am coming soon.” We might not know when Christ’s return (rapture) will be, but will we be waiting and ready?
Pastor John
2 Peter 3:8-10
8 But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. 9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed,
but wants everyone to repent.
