One Last Thing Before I Go Series

One Last Thing Before I Go

Text: Acts 1:1-11

Introduction

1. Illustration: While I was in Bible College, I had a professor who was famous for saying at the end of class, "One last thing before we go." The problem was, his one last thing usually lasted another 15-20 minutes, which made you late for your next class.

2. In the days between the Resurrection and the Ascension, Jesus spent that time teaching His disciples things that would be crucial for them to accomplish the mission that He had given them.

3. Much of that teaching dealt with the role of the Holy Spirit as their helper, advocate, and guide.

4. In the Book of Acts, the Holy Spirit is referred to as "the promise." He would be the...

a. The promise of provision

b. The promise of power

c. The promise of purpose

5. Read Acts 1:1-11

Proposition: Jesus left us the Holy Spirit to empower us to accomplish the great commission.

Transition: First, the Holy Spirit is the...

I. Promise of Provision (1-5)

A. Baptized With the Holy Spirit

1. The Book of Acts is a continuation of Luke’s gospel, and they are often referred to by scholars as Luke-Acts.

a. Lk. 1:3 Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write a careful account for you, most honorable Theophilus.

b. His purpose was to write a detail and accurate account of what Jesus did and taught.

c. In some cases, his historical accuracy was so good that history books had to be revised because Luke was right and they were wrong.

2. Luke tells us that after the crucifixion, Jesus appeared to his disciples and "proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive."

a. The word “proved” (tekmçriois) occurs only here in the New Testament and looks at verifiable evidence in contrast with evidence provided by witnesses.

b. He showed them that he was not a spirit or a ghost, and he did so by showing them his hands, feet, and side (Horton, CBL: Acts, 23).

3. The other thing that Jesus did was "he talked to them about the Kingdom of God."

a. He told them that He was leaving the work that He had begun in their hands.

b. He was passing on the job of winning souls into the kingdom, healing the hurting, and taking care of those in need to them.

c. What a daunting task this must have seemed like to them.

d. You can imagine them saying, "Lord, how can we do what you did?"

4. Jesus understood how they felt, and so He told them “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised..."

a. He agrees with them that they were not prepared to do this work on their own. They would need help.

b. However, He reassures them that Father has promised to send them a helper.

c. Lk. 24:49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."

d. Jesus is telling them that they cannot do this in their own strength, but not to worry because He is sending help.

5. He tells them "John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

a. The word "baptize" means to immerse; submerge; to place into.—(Practical Word Studies in the New Testament)

b. He tells them that just as John immersed people in water, they soon would be totally submerged in the Holy Spirit.

c. But wait a mineute, didn’t they already have the Holy Spirit?

d. Jn 20:22 Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

e. So what is Jesus talking about here? He is talking about an additional or subsequent work of the Holy Spirit.

f. They had the Holy Spirit working in them already, but soon they would be totally immersed in the power of the Holy Spirit.

B. Equipped For the Work

1. Illustration: Perhaps an analogy will best clarify this. As Christians we may be compared with a reservoir for producing electrical power, like one of those you see when you drive down the canyon. When we accept Christ, construction of our reservoir is complete. We now have the potential to be useful and to affect lives. But until the flood gates are opened and the cascading river waters pour through, no power is realized. So it is when we are baptized in the Holy Spirit. We open our lives to God and the Holy Spirit pours into us and through us. It is then we become most effective in God’s service.

2. The baptism in the Holy Spirit is God’s provision for us to do His work.