For Forty Days

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.”

The book of Acts opens with a quick review of the events following the resurrection of Jesus Christ

We are told that for 40 days Jesus appeared to many and completed many other infallible proofs!

He reminds the reader that this book is a continuation of the ministry of Christ through His saints!

Acts 1:1 NKJV

The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,

We find here the statement that Luke’s first treaties was the opening act of an ongoing activity

The word Archomai - is Middle voice indicating that Jesus is performing the action and Aorist in tense that His actions began without indication of stopping!

Another interesting fact is the use of the phrase “to do” - It speaks specifically to the creative activity of deity

As we have been discussing the work Christ came to do was to save that which was lost!

We see then a chronicle of the continuing acts of Jesus through His Holy Spirit in the book of Acts

This is why the command was given to “go and wait for the power of the Holy Spirit to come upon them”

Salvation was bought

They were for all intensive purpose “saved”

Yet they did not have the fullness of the power they would need to accomplish their last commission, Go into the world and make disciples!

John 16:5–7 NKJV

“But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 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.

John 14:16–18 NKJV

And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

So we see that there was something else to be had to transform them from where they were to where they needed to be!

It was empowerment for ministry!

Matthew 3:16–4:1 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. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

What does baptism represent? Certainly it isn’t the washing away of sin so what then?

The Scripture tells us that when we confess Christ as Lord and Savior we should be baptized. When we go under the water it represents our burial, when we come up out of the water our new life which is empowered by the Holy Spirit!

Romans 6:3–4 NKJV

Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Revelation 21:5 NKJV

Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Now the Scripture teaches us that on the day of pentecost the Disciples were baptized in the Holy Spirit

Let’s look at the imagery since we are told these things were a foreshadow of that which was to come.

Passover was celebrated when the barley was just coming into season. A hand full was to be dedicated to God thereby sanctifying the rest of the harvest

We are told that Christ was the the “firstfruit” of those who have fallen asleep!

1 Corinthians 15:20–22 NKJV

But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

So that now, the harvest that come to maturity is already sanctified by the first dedication! From this day forward the harvest was sanctified by the initial offering to God (Christ)

50 Days later Pentecost arrives - A celebration of the ongoing harvest - It was the most bountiful time!

So from Passover (crucifixion) to the day of pentecost - the day commemorating the giving of the Law, the work continued until the harvest was ready. the (Holy Spirit) then establishes a working relationship with the believer empowering the believer to bring in the harvest (souls)

Exodus 19:5 NKJV

Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.

From the 50th day to the end of the season, the people worked the fields and labored for the ingathering to celebrate on during the festival of booths or feast of tabernacles. It was a time to remember that God had promised them a homeland of their own and commemorates the establishment of God’s people in the land! (Rapture) When once again, God will gather to Himself His people and settle them into their eternal land!

The issue is

Matthew 9:35–38 NKJV

Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

How in the world can we follow in His footsteps without the miraculous power and demonstrations of the Holy Spirit?

My friends I want to tell you today that there is a difference between the “Gift” of the Holy Spirt and operating “In the gifts” of the Holy Spirit

2 Corinthians 10:3–5 NKJV

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

How in the world do we expect to fulfill our commission if we only have access to carnal weapons?

The following week we will look at the Gift of the Holy Spirit in preparation of the feats of Pentecost