The Context of The Promise of The Holy Spirit Acts 1:1-11; 2:1-4
The Purpose of the Holy Spirit and True Kingdom narrative
In the book of John, Jesus extensively declared what the Holy Spirit would do in lives of saints as comforter, advocate, teacher, and guide. Those things represented how the Holy Spirit will minister to saints in their personal lives. Jesus had played His direct part in the Mission statement declared clearly in Luke 19:10 'To Seek and Save the Lost'. But He had a limited time on earth - about 33 and half years. The disciples who were faithful to the end wondered whether He would establish the Kingdom of which He had spoken for 3 and half years and even after His rising from the dead (Acts 1:3,6,7).
Jesus told them something which is the key to the mystery of the ages: Before the full phase of the Kingdom is established, there would be work to be done for a stretch of time known only to The Father. Of all such work, the greatest was the need to gather in citizens of the Kingdom out of every nation on earth - Jews and gentiles alike to become the one new man, the new creation and super race God was creating afresh by the dispensing freely salvation through the Blood of the Lamb to all who were held captive by Satan (John 1:11-12; John 3:16-19) That in -gathering of those appointed to be citizens of the Kingdom would be executed through the preaching of the true gospel of Jesus Christ and The Kingdom of God which is the narrow way to translation from sinner to saint until the exact number of saints who constitute the census of The Kingdom of God and His blessed family are complete. Romans 1:16-17.
The prime Ambassadorial Credential with which saints would represent Jesus and minister to sinners and the World in the way He would have if present physically until He returns to set up the full phase of The Kingdom right here on earth is the gift of The Holy Spirit! Acts 1:8. He it is who would convict sinners of sin and reveals Jesus as the ONLY way to reconcile with The Father. He was also to release the spiritual gifts and calling through which saints would function as priests after the order of Melchisedeck of which Jesus is the forerunner (Romans 12:1-8; 1 Corinthians 12; Ephesians 4:7,1-6; 1 Peter 4:10,11.
Once any one misses, denies or rejects this biblical context of the Divine Plan, there will be a falling away into vain jangling and unprofitable advocating of strange doctrines or secular humanism which, while nice sounding, cause their adherents to be set up to receive the false one, the anti-Christ who will be manifesting in the days to come. This is because all views contrary to the plan of God clearly stated in the New Testament are designed to cause saints to err from the truth. That is why the best course of life is not to swallow hook, line and sinker what any so called authority says. Take your own Bible, dwell therein, asking the Holy Spirit for illumination and understanding. Building your spiritual live on the truth of the word is the greatest insurance from eternal regret as Jesus disclosed through Matthew 7:24-27.
Today, we continue our 7 day study of the early Church and how the Holy Spirit used ordinary humans to do extraordinary things which turned the world upside down. That work they began will continue until Abba deems it complete and that is the exact day Jesus will return as Matthew 24:14 states.
Let us do our part - under the full control of the Holy Spirit, to ensure that sinners are sought and saved while Jesus Christ is demonstrated to be alive and enthroned as Lord. We also need to allow the Holy Spirit to use us to ensure that believers are transformed to disciples who enthrone Jesus as Lord and do not struggle to obey Him. We also need to weigh in with the process of ensuring that all disciples are trained, equipped, activated in the gifts of The Holy Spirit and released into ministry to be which part of the Body of Christ they were ordained to be. While waiting for the return of Jesus which is surely going to be on a day no one knows, He has charged us to 'occupy' for Him in the part of this present world where He planted us and connect with saints in other regions to ensure that the whole world is evangelised! Luke 19:11-27 is a vital scripture we must understand.
It is in His millennial reign(1000 years on planet earth - Revelation 20:1-6) that we will completely recover all that was lost in Adam and physically rule this earth as Kings and co-heirs and Priests. For now, these roles are on a limited basis just as Jesus did not rule Israel at His first coming but will sit on a physical Throne during His Second Coming!
Scriptures for today: Acts chapters 9,10,11,12; Monday: Chapters 13,14,15,16.
If you live in the London area, please join us at The Assembly Hall on Saint Nicholas/Eyhurst Avenue, Elm Park Hornchurch for a special Pentecost Day service where we believe God to visit all saints afresh! . If you live elsewhere, please fellowship with any congregation which gives the Holy Spirit right of way to empower and demonstrate the Living Christ! If you are part of any group which rejects the Holy Spirit God has freely given us, please be advised that you are in real danger. It is not too late to embrace Him - today, even now, by hunger and prayer of faith! |
