The Promise and The Holy Spirit

Sunday, September 13, 2020

Acts 1:1-3

Introduction

             In the Book of Genesis, it is said that God “breathed” into Adam and gave him life. (2:7) It is implicit in the entire creation account that this is the moment when humanity was created in God’s own image. The ancient language used a unique term that translates as God’s life imparted to the man (the adam). The same word is used and translated to Greek by the Apostle John when he described how Jesus breathed the Holy Spirit upon them after his resurrection. (John 20:19-23) Jesus breathed (emphusao) and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” 

“In the Upper Room, Jesus recreated what sin had ruined in the Garden of Eden. Jesus is now giving life, eternal life, to his followers in a manner reminiscent of God’s great work at the beginning of time. But in this case, this is renewing life given through the gift of the Holy Spirit.”  

The Pillar of Cloud and Fire

[Read Acts 2:1-4] The rushing wind and tongues of fire are reminiscent of the pillar of fire and cloud that guided the people of God across the wilderness. There is an overwhelming sense of God’s presence. The force compelled the recipients to boldness and ability that was previously unimagined. The Spirit led the Israelites to establish a temporary Kingdom of God on earth and led the Apostles to establish an eternal Kingdom of Christ who reigns over heaven and earth. The Kingdom of Christ is defined by His presence through the Spirit. Wherever the Spirit is, Christ is King. Is Christ King of your heart? Is Christ King of this church? 

It seems like many Christians today live a belief in God as omniscient, omnipresent, and inactive except in times of extreme need. Likewise, they act as if Jesus was a historical figure whose life and teachings are to be admired and exemplified, if it’s easy. Even the more enlivened Christian will find it difficult to express the nature of the Holy Spirit, His purpose, and His power. Yet, the bible informs us that the Spirit is the life’s blood of the Body of Christ, or the Church. Therefore, Christians should embrace the Holy Spirit and all the He is and does through her. 

Conclusion

In this series we will look at the Church as it is defined in the Acts of the Apostles. While we will allow for the cultural and technological differences between our times and theirs, we will nevertheless strive to understand the kind of people of God we are called to be and what we can do to establish Christ’s Kingdom in our midst. 

The first and most significant matter is the presence and leadership of the Spirit. If the Spirit of God is not in charge here, then who is? What happens when the Sprit leads the Church? “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit.” (Joel 2:28-29) The Spirit-led Church boldly speaks the Word of God, envisions the world under God’s authority, and shapes its plans around God’s agenda. 

To be the New Testament conquerors of the eternal promise, the Church must embody the fire of the Holy Spirit and go boldly toward the gates of Hell. The Body of Christ will proclaim Him Savior and Lord and watch His power as the walls tumble down. The Spirit removes the scales from our eyes so that we can see things the way they really are. (Acts 9:18) With His eyes we see the eternal and discard the temporal.

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