Waters of Life

Biblical Studies in Multiple Languages

Search in "English":
Home -- English -- Acts - 003 (Introduction to the Book)
This page in: -- Albanian -- Arabic -- Armenian -- Azeri -- Bulgarian -- Cebuano -- Chinese -- ENGLISH -- French -- Georgian -- Greek -- Hausa -- Igbo -- Indonesian -- Portuguese -- Russian -- Serbian -- Somali -- Spanish -- Tamil -- Telugu -- Turkish -- Urdu? -- Uzbek -- Yiddish -- Yoruba

Previous Lesson -- Next Lesson

ACTS - In the Triumphal Procession of Christ
Studies in the Acts of the Apostles
PART 1 - The Foundation of the Church of Jesus Christ in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and Syria - Under the Patronage of the Apostle Peter, Guided by the Holy Spirit (Acts 1 - 12)
A - The Growth and Development of the Early Church in Jerusalem (Acts 1 - 7)

1. The Introduction to the Book and the final Promise of Christ (Acts 1:1-8)


ACTS 1:3-5
3 To these he also showed himself alive after he suffered, by many proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days, and speaking about God’s Kingdom. 4 Being assembled together with them, he commanded them, “Don’t depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which you heard from me. 5 For John indeed baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

The shining of the kingdom of God began with Christ’s resurrection from the dead. Imagine someone dead coming out of the tomb and appearing over a period of forty days among his friends, sitting quietly with them, eating before them, coming in silently through the walls and going out silently, without the sound of a slammed door! These events of the living, resurrected Christ had blown the disciples’ minds, for they had personally experienced how Jesus had been unjustly and shamefully condemned. They had seen how He shamefully died on the cross, despised and mocked by both the rulers and the people. They had seen Him buried on Friday, as if His death and burial had been the end of their hopes.

The day of His resurrection began like a torch´s lighting of a new age, with the entrance of eternity into time. Christ´s presence had proven that His kingdom is not of this world, but is a spiritual kingdom, imperishable, full of joy, righteousness, love, truth, humility, and self-control. The epistles are filled with descriptions of this heavenly truth in the midst of hatred, impurity, pride, lying, wars, and injustice. Over forty days Christ explained to His disciples from the Law, the Psalms, and the Prophets the mystery involving the wonderful events written of by the righteous prophets. They had longed for the kingdom of God and awaited its shining light. Now the heavenly state had come, and the Eternal King had appeared, tangibly standing among His followers.

This kingdom of God began in Jerusalem, where the prophets had been killed and the Son of God crushed. Yet the Lord chose to establish His true peace in this city of peace, and commanded the Galilean fishermen not to go back to their fishing profession on Lake Tiberias. They were to remain praying in this city of offense, faithfully waiting for the Promise of God to be realized in them.

From the beginning Christ had declared to His disciples the true meaning of the divine promise, which made clear that they would recognize God as He is. He would proclaim Himself to them as a father, making them His special, secure children. They need not fear the mighty destroyer and unknown Judge. This is Christ’s special message: the Holy God is also a merciful Father. By this revelation our cultures have been changed; we understand that the coming kingdom is a fatherly kingdom, and that His children are to be serving princes and praying judges. They follow the example of Jesus, who died for all to redeem them from the just anger of God.

Luke recorded to us some of the last words from the mouth of Jesus: “You have heard the Promise of the Father from Me.” This statement signifies the summary of all the teachings of the Son of God, which is that the Great and Holy One adopts us, fills us with His essence, and makes us His children. That was exactly the purpose of Jesus’ death on the cross. He forgave us our sins and sanctified us that we might find entrance to God and love the Father. His name is to be hallowed through our behavior.

Prior to that, John the Baptist had been aware of the coming change that would shake the heavens and earth. The forerunner of Christ, who dwelt in the wilderness, also knew that the Kingdom of God would not immediately come to evil people and selfish men so long as their stony hearts and rejecting minds had not been prepared. He baptized the repentant in the Jordan River as a token of their deserving death. Their rising up from the water symbolized their appearance as a new creation. John taught and confessed openly that his baptism did not truly change men. Immersion in water indicated that no one could reform himself or transform others. No one could purify himself ascetically, for we are all malicious, carnal, and wicked.

The prophet in the wilderness pointed to the Lamb of God who would baptize the repentant with the Holy Spirit. He was born of the Spirit of God, and continued sinless. He gave Himself to God in His Spirit without blemish, and reconciled all the faithful to his Father in order that we might have a portion of this kind, blessed Spirit. Have you recognized, dear believer, the Promise of the Father? This Spirit is determined to dwell in you. When that happens Christ Himself will be centered in your heart, and your body will become a temple of the living God. Are you prepared to receive God today?

Humble yourself and prepare for the Promise of God, just as Christ Himself was always humble. He did not say: “I baptize you with the Holy Spirit”, like the Baptist had in referring to him, but left this glory to His Father, and taught that the Holy Spirit Himself was determined to come to us. The Father and the Son offer us the Holy Spirit in complete unity, for this Spirit from the Father and the Son is Divine Love. Have you, dear brother, realized the will of God? And are you preparing yourself prayerfully to receive Him, just as Christ Himself commanded His apostles to wait and pray?

PRAYER: O Lord Jesus Christ, You are the Holy One. You baptize the repentant in the unity You have with the Father and with the Holy Spirit so that we may no longer fear the great God and His judgment, but love Him as our true Father, obey Him joyfully, proclaim His name, and be renewed in our essence. Thank You that You have allowed us to proclaim this unique statement: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your Fatherly Name.” Amen.

QUESTION:

  1. What is the promise of the Father?

www.Waters-of-Life.net

Page last modified on March 17, 2015, at 05:42 PM | powered by PmWiki (pmwiki-2.3.3)