5.12 The Holy Spirit came to glorify Jesus in the book of Acts
After the 4 Gospels, we journey into the book of Acts. Jesus is about to leave His disciples behind. There were many things that Jesus wanted to tell them, but they could not bear them all (John 16:12). These disciples who had not fully understood the redemption work of God were now entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel.
At the beginning of Acts, Jesus tells them that they were not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father – the Holy Spirit. When the Spirit has come upon them, they would receive power to be His witnesses to the end of the earth (Acts 1:4-5, 8). The Holy Spirit would help them live their Christian lives, as they learn to depend on Him. This was the start of a new dispensation where the Holy Spirit would take center stage in the lives of the believer.
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ (2 Cor 8:9). Through His Spirit, Jesus would be living in, and working through every believer. He has come to attest to the finished work of Christ, confirming the gospel message with signs and wonders. Though the Holy Spirit is playing the active role, He draws all attention to Christ alone. The Holy Spirit has come to glorify Jesus (John 16:14).
There is a change. In the Gospels, Jesus was the “preacher”. In the book of Acts, He was the “preached” (Acts 5:42, 8:5, 8:35). The redemption message is that Christ had died on the cross on behalf of mankind and those who believe in Him shall have remission of sins. When this message was preached to Cornelius’ household, the Holy Spirit fell upon those who heard the message, to attest to the finished work of Christ. Jesus is still the central theme of the book of Acts.
(Acts 10:39-44, NKJV)
And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by HANGING ON A TREE. Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God…To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL HAVE REMISSION OF SINS.” While Peter was still speaking these words, the HOLY SPIRIT FELL upon all those who heard the word.
The book of Acts had no ending. Today, we are still living in the book of Acts. The same Holy Spirit lives in us to glorify Jesus, and to attest to His finished work. The Holy Spirit brings us the redemption benefits that flow from the cross - salvation, justification, love, joy, peace, healing, wholeness, deliverance, and help for our every need (Eph 1:3). As we depend on the Holy Spirit like the early disciples, we will experience a living relationship with Christ. As we live a Spirit-filled life, Christ will be glorified in our lives.
At the beginning of Acts, Jesus tells them that they were not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father – the Holy Spirit. When the Spirit has come upon them, they would receive power to be His witnesses to the end of the earth (Acts 1:4-5, 8). The Holy Spirit would help them live their Christian lives, as they learn to depend on Him. This was the start of a new dispensation where the Holy Spirit would take center stage in the lives of the believer.
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ (2 Cor 8:9). Through His Spirit, Jesus would be living in, and working through every believer. He has come to attest to the finished work of Christ, confirming the gospel message with signs and wonders. Though the Holy Spirit is playing the active role, He draws all attention to Christ alone. The Holy Spirit has come to glorify Jesus (John 16:14).
There is a change. In the Gospels, Jesus was the “preacher”. In the book of Acts, He was the “preached” (Acts 5:42, 8:5, 8:35). The redemption message is that Christ had died on the cross on behalf of mankind and those who believe in Him shall have remission of sins. When this message was preached to Cornelius’ household, the Holy Spirit fell upon those who heard the message, to attest to the finished work of Christ. Jesus is still the central theme of the book of Acts.
(Acts 10:39-44, NKJV)
And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by HANGING ON A TREE. Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God…To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL HAVE REMISSION OF SINS.” While Peter was still speaking these words, the HOLY SPIRIT FELL upon all those who heard the word.
The book of Acts had no ending. Today, we are still living in the book of Acts. The same Holy Spirit lives in us to glorify Jesus, and to attest to His finished work. The Holy Spirit brings us the redemption benefits that flow from the cross - salvation, justification, love, joy, peace, healing, wholeness, deliverance, and help for our every need (Eph 1:3). As we depend on the Holy Spirit like the early disciples, we will experience a living relationship with Christ. As we live a Spirit-filled life, Christ will be glorified in our lives.
posted by Joshua Lye @ 12:48 AM
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