In the first book, O
Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the
day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit
to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them after his
suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking
about the kingdom of God. And while staying with them he ordered them not to
depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he
said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be
baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now” (Acts 1:1-5).
In this Holy Spirit inspired letter from Luke
to Theophilus, there are twenty-two sermons of the apostles. Yet this book is
not called the Preaching but the Practice of the Apostles, not the Words but
the Acts of the Apostles. It is the Acts of the Apostles that proclaim the
power and presence of Jesus Christ and His transforming gospel to a desperate
and needy world. Jesus knew the apostles would need help to answer the call to
be His witnesses in word and deed to their generation, so He promised them all
the power they would need would be coming upon them if they would faithfully
and obediently wait… “You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am
sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are
clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:48-49). Paul reports there
may have been 500 followers that received Christ’s command to wait for the
promise… “Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time”
(1 Corinthians 15:6). Before long, the number of faithful
disciples still waiting for the promise had dwindled to 120… “In those
days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about
120)” (Acts 1:15). Christ’s promise of the Holy Spirit’s
anointing on our words and deeds is still… the promise that is worth waiting
for.
The Holy Spirit gives us commanding
direction. As Christ’s disciples, according to Jesus’ word, we are chosen… “You
did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and
bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the
Father in my name, he may give it to you” (John 15:16). In today’s text
we see that before He returned to His Father in heaven, Jesus gave commands to
His chosen messengers, and His commands were delivered through the Holy
Spirit. We are not apostles, but we are Christ’s ambassadors… “Therefore,
we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us” (2
Corinthians 5:20). It’s a tall order He has given us to be His witnesses to
those around us, but we can be confident and successful if we wait for and
follow the Holy Spirit’s leading and instructions every day… “For all who
are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God” (Romans 8:14).
The Holy Spirit gives us convicting
words. The Holy Spirit gives us the words to speak into the heart of someone
that needs to hear the gospel… “And when they bring you before the
synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you
should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach
you in that very hour what you ought to say” (Luke 12:11-12). The Holy
Spirit empowers our words to defeat the empty words of our adversaries… “This
will be your opportunity to bear witness. Settle it therefore in your minds not
to meditate beforehand how to answer, for I will give you a mouth and wisdom,
which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict” (Luke
21:13-15). The Holy Spirit adds soul convicting power to the words He gives
us to share. “And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin
and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8).
The Holy Spirit gives us compelling actions.
He grants willing witnesses supernatural gifts that compliment the natural
abilities and talents that God gave us at birth. These gifts are given to
empower us to be His witnesses individually and corporately as His Church,
through Christ-like service… “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the
same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there
are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in
everyone” (1 Corinthians 12:4-6). How might God use your
Spirit-empowered words and deeds to show Christ to someone today?
As we grow up into Christ, our witnessing words and actions are empowered
by Christ’s fulfillment of…
The Promise that is Worth Waiting For.
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