When the Holy Spirit Comes

Acts 1:1-8

When we think about the role of the Holy Spirit a lot of thoughts come to our mind. For some people they will immediately think about the role the Pentecost and speaking in tongues. For some may think of the gifts that are imparted by the Holy Spirit prophesy, teaching, preaching. Other may think about the role the Holy Spirit plays in our life. For example He called the comforter, he intercede for us. He guides to all truth.

You who are here in this church may think of the Spirits empowerment in the area of deliverance. But what if I told that when Jesus Christ sent the Holy Spirit. He had a very specific reason for sending Him. This reason was missional, transformational and filled with a command.

Please open your bibles to Acts 1:1-8

Acts 1:1–8 (NKJV)

The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

When you read this passage of scriptures I was deeply convicted. I will tell you why. It because the main purpose of the Holy Spirit was to provide the believers power to be His witness. I heard a statitic that started me and put fear and sadness in my heart. It is only 2 precent of Christians share there faith. This means the church as a whole is doing everything else but what Jesus asked for.

We are prophesying great that is awesome. We are casting our demons awesome But are we sharing the gospel.

I want you to understand that the disciples were given power to cast out demons before Pentecost. But Pentecost came for witnessing.

This conversation we read between Jesus and the disciples was a very pivotal. It had great importance. I want you to imagine a general visiting the battled field and given a detailed plan on how the battle that is being fought would be won. How important would would that discussion be. How important would be for the solider to listen to the general instruction. It would mean everything, right. To listen chose to listen would determine the fate of the war, life or dearth, victory or defeat.

Jesus has givens us instructions that would the determine the eternal fate of people to spend eternity in heaven or hell and we as christians are living like ostriches with our heads stuck in the sand while men and women die every day on there way to hell.

Tonight I want to focus on verse Acts 1:6-9

Acts 1:6–9 (NKJV)

Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.

Notice the disciples see Jesus Christ in His resurrected form. They see Him and immeditaly thing about ends times. They think about when God will establshish his Kingdom on the new heaven and earth.

The disciples are just like us distracted by everything but missing the purpose and vision of Jesus Christ. Jesus essential tells them not to worry about the end times. Your mission is to receive my power to reach those who do not know me. To give people the message that will save them from hell.

Verser 8 says you will receive power. That word power mean to be given power. Something had be granted to you, delivered to. That word means is power n. — possession of controlling influence; often understood as manifesting influence over reality in a supernatural manner. It means might an ability. In others words it is God power and enablement to to supernaturally declare the gospel of Jesus Christ. Preaching the gospel is not a natural thing but a supernatural thing. Telling people about Jesus is not natural but a supernatural endeavour.

Then Jesus says when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. You will be my witness. What that word witness mean. In the greek it is litteraly judically terms as in witness in court room. When we share the gospel we are Jesus witness. We are his legal representative declaring what He has accomplished on the cross.

So when some shared the gosepl they were called withness are Martus in the greek. So in the the bible days itwas litteraly saved people telling unsaved people how Jesus can save them from the wrath of God and deliver them from the consequense of sin.

Luke 16:19–31 (NKJV)

“There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

“Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’

“Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ ”