Untitled Sermon (9)

Intro

Marshmallow Test

Teaching

Rely on the Power of the Holy Spirit. (4-5)

Jesus tells them to stay in Jerusalem.

What about the Great Commission from last week?

Matthew 28:19-20 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

The disciples would have to wait

Who likes to wait?

Jesus tells them He will baptize them with the Holy Spirit.

What had John the Baptist told them?

Matthew 3:11 11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Where’s the fire?

12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

Here Jesus is talking to His followers, for them the Holy Spirit comes to empower them.

What does it mean to be baptized by the Holy Spirit?

1 Corinthians 12:13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

To be baptized by the Spirit is to be sealed into the body of Christ. It’s how we become the Church. We are part of Christ’s living body proclaiming Him in the World!

We need the power of the Holy Spirit to live a life that fulfills the Mission of the Father.

Fulfill the Mission of the Father. (6-8)

The Disciples are asking about the kingdom and if this is the time that Israel will be restored. Why?

In the OT Prophets, God promised a New Covenant would be established. He promised God’s people would be restored. One of the markers of this new covenant was the outpouring of God’s Spirit.

The mission of God was always bigger than just Israel though.

Promise to Abraham - Genesis 12:2-3 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

God had promised even more right after the fall: Genesis 3:15 15  I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

Jesus is the seed of Abraham, who is the seed of the Woman. He is the one who had come to overturn the curse of Adam. He is the New Adam who will bring good news of the forgiveness of sin and new life with God.

This has been the mission of the Lord from the beginning to renew His creation. He is renewing His people in each generation preparing them for an eternity with Him.

Each day is an opportunity to walk with the Father through the power of the Holy Spirit to bring this good news to the world! This is our mission.

Anticipate the Return of Jesus. (9-11)

We do all of this as we wait for Jesus’s return.

The disciples watched Jesus ascend to Heaven.

You may have heard the expression that someone is too heavenly minded to be too earthly good.

This expression reminds us that our longing for heaven should fuel our work on earth. We shouldn’t stand starring at the sky.

These angels tell the disciples that Jesus will return just as they saw Him leave.

Jesus is coming back! We should anticipate His return by working to make sure all those we love and call our friends and family know about Jesus.

This is our mission as Christians and this is the mission of the Church.

The Church stands as a united group of followers of Jesus who announce His crucifixion and resurrection.

Jesus’s cross brought forgiveness for sin for all who will repent and believe.

His resurrection brings new life, so now, in Christ, we can live eternally in the presence of God.

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