Acts 1:9-11

Recap:

Last time we were in the book of acts

author: Luke (medical doctor)

audience: Theopholis

Likely a new Gentile believer struggling with doubt over the truth of what he heard happened with Jesus.

And so Luke writes the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts in order to give him an orderly account of everything that is going on and encourage him in the Faith.

Main Theme:

The power of the Hily Spirit working in the lives of believers as God builds His Church.

Now who is the Holy Spirit?

third person in the trinity…

Father, Son, Spirit

Seen at the beginning of creation hovering over the water and has a distinct role in the life of people…

OT- come upon people to enable them to do something for a short period of time…

Filled- John 20:22 “And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

Here- “Baptized”

to immerse. Expresses the action of immersing something or someone into liquid.

Filled is getting your cup filled with water

baptism is yeeting your cup into the ocean

And this is what the disciples need in order to be ready for the work ahead.

they need a baptism of the HS.

What does the Holy spirit do?

John 14:16 “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—”

1. Our helper

Parakletos- advocate, helper. One who helps, advocates, or comforts someone on behalf of another.

2. Our Fellowship

“abide with you”

in absence of the physical presence of Christ

now receiving the spiritual presence of God

Our comforter

3. Our equipper

To be witnesses

Acts 1:8 “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.””

1 cor 12- spiritual gifts

4. Our sanctifier

Galatians 5:22–25 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”

5. Our Sealer

The Holy Spirit is our proof that we are saved…

Ephesians 4:30 “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”

The Holy Spirit living and working in your life is evidence that you are promised you are going to heaven!

It is evidence of Faith in Christ.

Now with that as the backdrop lets look at what happens next:

6. Our Teacher

John 16:13 “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.”

John 14:26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”

The Holy Spirit is our teacher…

he brings the understanding and the application…

gives us ears to hear.

7. Our Drawer

John 6:44 “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

Acts 7:51 ““You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you.”

The word of God is the sword of the Spirit and can pierce people’s hearts

He is the one who draws and calls and pursues people to salvation.

V. 9-11

And so Jesus ascends to the father

marking a change and shift in the opperation of Christ

previously, with the discples teaching and leading them…

now…

He is their advocate

So why did Jesus ascend to the Father? Why did He have to leave?

1. He needed to take His place at the right hand of God and interceed for us.

We know from Zech that the devil accuses us before God

he is known as the accuser…

Zechariah 3:1 “Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him.”

but now by the blood of Jesus Christ he has NOTHING to accuse us of…

And Jesus stands and advocates because of the blood…

Romans 8:34 “Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.”

Hebrews 7:25 “Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”

1 John 2:1 “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”

Romans 5:10 “For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”

His life… is now intersessing for us

2. To give us a helper more suitable to our church-age needs.

John 16:7 “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.”

He knows that the way that the HS can opperate and fill believers is going to be instramental in the work they need to complete

as we already discussed.

3. To prepare a place for us

John 14:3 “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”

And God is preparing a place for us right now.

Is christ your advocate?

if he is then who can stand against us…

we may stumble but we will never fall!

Christ will come again

rapture his church

split the mount of olives

destroy the opposers

start his millenial reign

V.12-14

Prayer…

key aspect to the receiving of the empowering of the Holy Spirit

we receive by asking

we are empowered by his gifting as we ask

V. 15-26

Mistake or on purpose?

wait…

wait on God

seek him

ask for the spirit

don’t rush ahead of God.

So you may be influenced by the spirit, you may be filled by the spirit but have you been baptized with the spirit?

prayer?

Pray.