Acts: Acts 1:5-8

Recap

Last week we talked about Jesus command to the disciples in the opening parts of Acts.

We talked about how exciting “go” seasons are!

But Jesus followed a “go” command with a “but to wait” caveat.

Go seasons are fun but wait seasons are formative.

We can never fulfill the purpose of the “go” if we are unwilling to complete the process of the “wait.”

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OPENING STORY

I like to play video games...

I’m a sports game guy.

Every year I get excited when a new variation of Madden or NBA2k coms out

But that excitement has wained in recent years.

YOU SPEND $60 on a game…and it looks and plays exactly the same

I DON’T WANT THE SAME EXISTENCE IN A NEW EXPERIENCE.

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Honoring the past gives a power to the present

Acts 1:5 NKJV

for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

Jesus uses the ministry of John to give context to what He is about to do unleash upon this generation.

Jesus did not speak of the baptism of John as though it was inferior...

He spoke of it with honor and respect.

BUT HE DID SAY THERE WILL BE A VARIANCE WITH WHAT I AM ABOUT TO DO.

While what God did in the past can be a hindrance to what he is doing in the future…We must appreciate what He did in the past because it is the means by which we have arrived at the present.

There are alot of things about old school church that I am grateful we don’t do..

Testimonies, Open floor prayer requests, unprepared song services.

But everything this church is…HAS IT’S ROOT IN THAT

To dishonor the root is the devalue the fruit!

You may not love where you came from…but it’s why you are here!

WHEN GIVEN THE CHOICE…ALWAYS CHOOSE HONOR!

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What is baptism?

So Jesus honors the baptism of John…but says he is bringing his own flavor to this concept of “baptism”

The word for “baptized” is “Baptizo”

Most commonly means to dip or immerse in water.

John would call people out to the Jordan river and when they were ready he would dip them in the water.

John’s baptism was an important foundation setting for what Jesus would do.

John’s baptism was a forerunning picture of what Jesus was coming to do.

Baptism is a picture of cleansing of sin…YOU CAN’T BE CLEANSED OF WHAT YOUR NOT WILLING TO FORSAKE!

With this in mind, John’s baptism had one prerequisite before someone was able to get into the water and enact the process of baptism.

THEY HAD TO REPENT OF THEIR SINS!

We don’t let the kids take their swim clothes off if they are wanting to get right back in the pool!

IF YOU AREN’T READY TO LEAVE YOUR SIN…YOU’RE NOT READY TO FOLLOW JESUS!

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A new kind of baptism

Jesus speaks of the baptism of John but tells them that there is a new level about to be released.

John baptized with water…but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit!

Remember this is a promise given to those who he has already “breathed life into” in the passage we read a couple of weeks ago in John.

Jesus tells a group of saved people that there is a deeper spiritual experience known as the “baptism with the Holy Spirit?

If you have been saved…that’s awesome…but what if I told you there’s another level!

(THE REHEARSAL DINNER…MASHED POTATOES WERE LIFE CHANGING…BUT THEN THEY SAID THERE’S DESSERT)

Let’s talk about what baptizo means in the sense of Holy Spirit baptism.

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Lost in the Spirit

When you are baptized in water…there is a moment in that process where in the baptizee is no longer visible...

When you get baptized with the Power of the Holy Spirit…It is an immersion in who He is!

When I’m immersed…you don’t see me…you only see the body I am immersed in!

I want to experience the baptism of the Holy Spirit to such a degree that I am no longer visible…I want to be lost in the move of who He is!

I can’t be baptized in the Holy Spirit as long as I want credit for what He is doing in my life!

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When I’m baptized…I look different

While the typical translation of the word “baptizo” is immersion…I want to consider a translation by an early church father because it brings a unique perspective.

The early church father “Josephus”

He uses the term to refer to clothes that have been dyed.

IN OTHER WORDS WHEN SOMETHING IS BAPTIZED…IT LOOKS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT!

You can be forgiven and your life look similar...

BUT WHEN YOU GET BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLY GHOST…THINGS WILL LOOK DIFFERENT.

The Holy Spirit doesn’t just want you to speak in tongues - He wants you to talk differently

The Holy Spirit doesn’t just want to give you a word of knowledge - He wants to help you think differently

The Holy Spirit doesn’t just want to give you the word of wisdom - He wants to enable you to live a wise lifestyle

COKE BOTTLE ILLUSTRATION…

WHEN I’M FILLED WITH A DIFFERENT SUBSTANCE…I WILL TAKE ON A DIFFERENT APPEARANCE..

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Walk careful - There’s a dove on you

TR - So how should this effect my day to day lifestyle?

When we are given the physical manifestation of the Holy Spirit in the life of Jesus at His baptism it is pictured as a “dove.”

Matthew 3:16 NKJV

When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.

Remember what Dr Jeff said to us...

Salvation the Spirit comes in us...

Spirit baptism the Spirit comes on us...

So how should my life “look different” after I have been baptized with the Holy Spirit.

When I understand the value of the dove…I take every step with the dove in mind!

I will do whatever it takes to make sure the dove doesn’t remove himself from my life.

Ephesians 5:15–16 NKJV

See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Psalm 51:11 NKJV

Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

We don’t have to walk in a sense of fragility concerning the presence of God…but we should walk with a sense of reverence and respect for the fact that He has given us this opportunity.

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Why do we need the Holy Spirit? - It’s probably not for what you think

Jesus speaks of an experience in the Holy Spirit that would leave believers changed…fully “whelmed” in the work of God.

This reality created a sense of speculation within the disciples as to why He was offering them the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 1:6 NKJV

Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”

When Jesus told them that they were going to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit…they believed it was for the purpose of bringing about revolution.

In Jewish context the messiah was going to be a warrior that set the nation of Israel free from Roman tyranny.

If Jesus was giving them the power to do the work and will of God on earth…it must be for the purpose of overpowering the Roman government.

The disciples showed us the two natural inclinations of man

to limit the work of God to OUR PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS

The messiah will show up as a warrior or a political figure (This caused many to miss Jesus.)

to make the work of God ALL ABOUT US!

They wanted the anointing to be for the purpose of setting the nation free

A free Israel made their life better!

What if the purpose of the anointing is not to further our influence or make our life better?

What if the anointing actually complicates our life to some degree?

Broken yokes leave some messes to be cleaned up.

Broken yokes create some disorderly fields! (YOKE GIVES PICTURE OF OXEN)

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I don’t need to know

Acts 1:7 NKJV

And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.

Jesus tells them that they are not going to be able to make sense of everything that God is doing while they are gaining access to a greater outpouring.

If you need logic you won’t get the LORD!

We must stop making our understanding a prerequisite to our receiving!

Jesus tells the disciples you have to be comfortable with the unknown in order to fully receive what God has for you!

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Desire the power and Trust the process

One of the greatest frustrations of their generation is highlighted in their question of the Lord regarding the purpose of Spirit empowerment!

The nation of Israel was frustrated by the fact that they were not walking in independence yet.

We often want to hurry up the process that God is enacting. - NOT KNOWING WHAT BYPASSING PROCESS MIGHT FORFEIT

THE CAPTIVITY OF ROME IS WHAT MADE WAY FOR THE FULLNESS OF CHRIST FULFILLMENT OF PROPHECY..

Crucifiction on a cross was a Roman custom - Jesus

What if your struggle is actually the circumstantial setup for your salvation?

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Acts 1:8 NKJV

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.”

Jesus says…you can’t know the end from the beginning…you can’t get a full explanation of what God is doing in this season...

But you do get power!

We like to talk about the “power”...

But the power was not to be on stages

The power was not to play a musical instrument beyond their capabiility

The power was not to garner more influence and grow their following...

The power that they would receive was to give them the ability to become witnesses.

WITNESSES = MARTYS = A legal term…one who has seen the event or can attest to the validity of the claim.

The word martys serves as the primary source of our english word martyr.

When Jesus tells the disciples they will receive power it is ultimately the power to boldly bear witness to the work of Christ even if it cost them their life.

The reason why many people are disinterested in Christianity is because we have made it a nice idea in the midst of a plethora of nice ideas...

THE REASON WHY WE NEED THE HOLY SPIRIT IS SO WE CAN HAVE THE BOLDNESS TO SAY…THIS IS NOT AN IDEA…THIS IS THE TRUTH!

Our world doesn’t need emotional representations of historical stories…THEY NEED A CHURCH WHO WILL PREACH THE TRUTH AND LET IT CHANGE THEM!

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I have a tendency to see the confrontational messages in God’s Word...

Even though there have been aspects of this message that confront us in our mindsets...

I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU…THAT GOD CHANGED THE WORLD THROUGH PEOPLE WITH OUT OF ALIGNEMENT MINDSETS.

The predecessors of scripture are NOT DIFFERENT FROM US AT ALL!

If you’re broken, imperfect, and flawed…you are exactly who God desires to use in this generation!