The Promise of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:1-5)

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Passage Introduction

Stanford Marshmallow Experiment:
- A series of studies on delayed gratification in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
- Child offered one marshmallow immediately or they could have two marshmallows if they waited for the tester to return (15 mins).
- Most at least attempted to wait:
  - Some would cover their eyes, turn around, get under the desk, etc.
  - Others distracted themselves by kicking the desk or pulling their hair.
  - Some would stroke the marshmallow as if it were a tiny stuffed animal.
- Others would simply eat the marshmallow as soon as the researchers left.
- Roughly 1/3 were able to wait. And it is no surprise that, in follow-up studies, those children tended to have better SAT scores, educational attainment, body mass index (BMI), and other life measures.
How do you think you would do?
In the passage before us this morning the apostles are told to wait. And there ability to do so would make all the difference in the world to their effectiveness in ministry.

Let Your word be spoken and heard by us as the Word of God. Give us attentive, hearing ears, and open, believing, understanding hearts, that we may no longer refuse Your calls, nor disregard Your merciful, outstretched hand, nor slight Your counsels and reproofs.

Acts 1:1–5

Sermon Introduction

We are often impatient to see the Lord working and so we struggle to let him work in his timing.
What we see here is that the very first step in the Mission of God was for the apostles to wait. They had to learn to be patient.
Big Idea: The mission of God begins with the command to wait for the promise of the Holy Spirit.
Recapitulation of Luke 24.
- Summarize 40 days b/w resurrection and ascension.
- Points back Jesus’ earthly ministry.
- Points forward to outpouring of Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
Luke = “all Jesus began to do and teach.”
Acts = all Jesus continues to do through the Holy Spirit.

What Jesus Has Done and Taught in the Past (1–3)
How Jesus Will Do and Teach in the Future (4–5)

1. What Jesus Has Done and Taught in the Past (1–3)

Life & Teaching (v.1)
- Theophilus:
  - Ordinary name from 3rd century B.C.
  - Possibly Luke’s patron (e.g., Josephus’ prologues addressed to his patron Epaphroditus).
- Began:
  - Implies continuing activity.
  - Jesus is still at work!
- Do and Teach:
  - Miracles of Christ confirmed his doctrine.
  - Miracles of apostles will confirm their doctrine.
  - Miracles verified authenticity of their preaching.
- Theme of word & deed for Paul too (Rom. 15:18–19).
Ascension & Teaching (v.2)
- Jesus was taken up.
- Jesus gave commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles.
  - Included the Great Commission.
  - Included their sanctification.
  - Included the Mission of God received by the apostles in Luke 24:46–47, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”
- The same Spirit that empowered Jesus’ ministry would empower the apostles’ ministry.
- Allusion to 2 Kings 2:11–15:
  - Elijah is “taken up” in a whirlwind,
  - In the sight of Elisha:
    - Who received the mission of Elijah and
    - Ministered in “the spirit of Elijah.”
Death, Resurrection, & Teaching (v.3)
- Jesus proved his resurrection.
  - 40 Days > Public Ministry:
    - Jesus’ temptation
    - Disciples training
- Kingdom of God = Redemptive rule and reign of God. Includes:
  - Life, death, resurrection (Luke 24:45–47).
  - Future judgment (10:42; 17:31).
  - Opens (1:3) and closes (28:31) the book signifying its importance in apostolic preaching.
  - Apostles preaching finds source in Christ’s preaching.
  - They taught what He taught and commissioned them to teach.
Implication
- Notice Jesus’ commitment to teach (1), command/commission (2), and speak about the Kingdom of God (3).
- Could not be effective witnesses if they were not convinced that Jesus taught Truth, commanded what was good, and spoke accurately.
- The apostles experience radical transformation:
  - Beginning: Confused, anxious, and distressed.
  - Ending: Fear becomes boldness (last word in Gk). “Proclaiming the Kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance” (Acts 28:31).
  - 30% of Acts is preaching.
  - How did they become so bold?
- We can never receive too much gospel teaching on the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ!
  - We cannot put deeds and creeds in opposition.
  - Like Jesus, we “do and teach.”
  - Calvin considered preaching and action to be “a holy knot.” Weakness in one defeats the purpose of the whole.

The disciples needed the commission from Jesus (v.2), they needed to be convinced of His message (v.3), and in verses 4–5 we see that they needed to be enabled by the Holy Spirit.

2. How Jesus Will Do and Teach in the Future (4–5)

“While staying/eating with them” (v.4a)
- Literally “eating salt with” > sharing the table (Luke 24:41–43; John 21:9–14).
- Not for sustenance, but to prove his resurrection was not a figment of their imagination.
“Promise of the Father” (v.4b)
- Joel 2:28–32; Isa. 44:3; 32:15, “A spirit is emptied out on us from on high.”
- The Mission of God would launch after the promise of God was fulfilled.
  - Mission provides direction (Luke > Jerusalem < Acts)
  - Spirit provides enablement (Fear > Pentecost < Boldness)
Baptized with the Holy Spirit (v.5)
- Not their first time hearing this (Luke 3:16).
- John’s baptism with water.
  - A baptism of repentance. Ridderbos, “When a Jew professed repentance in response to John’s preaching, he received John’s baptism as a sign that he had been forgiven by the one whom John spoke.”
  - Preparatory for the coming of Jesus Christ.
- Baptism of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
  - Proclaimed that Jesus Christ has come.
  - Primarily refers to the indwelling/enabling/empowering for mission (Not cleansing):
    - Jesus told them, “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 24:49).
    - John 16:7, “I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper, will not come to you. But if I go, I will send Him to you.”
    - Acts 1:8 confirms. Whenever the disciples were “filled with the Holy Spirit” in Acts, it is for the purpose of empowering their witness.
  - Purpose not conversion or union w/ Christ, but commissioning and empowering for ministry.
  - Waters, “This baptism is neither distant in time nor recurrent in character. It is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. It marks the dawn of the age to come, the ‘last days’ of which the Old Testament prophets spoke.”
Implication
God has a purpose in delaying the fulfillment of his promises. He could have sent the Holy Spirit immediately. The moment Jesus ascended, the Holy Spirit could have come upon the apostles. But rather than sending him immediately, the command for the apostles to wait was given. Waiting is a characteristic of the Church in every generation.
But the commands of God are clear. The promises of God are also clear. What isn’t clear is the timing of their fulfillment.
A new study in 2012 altered the Stanford experiment by dividing children into two groups:
- One group given a broken promise before the marshmallow test.
- Second group had a fulfilled promise before their marshmallow test.
- The second group waited up to 4x’s longer (12 min).
In other words, our ability to wait is greatly impacted by our faith that the promised reward will come true. Can we trust the promises of God?
We should receive comfort and encouragement in that the Father was faithful to send the Holy Spirit. If He was faithful to empower the apostles He will be faithful to enable you.
1 John 4:4 “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”

Conclusion

Mission and evangelism results where:
- Conviction for gospel message.
  - Not just the finer points of its doctrine, but its proclamation.
  - Not just its proclamation from here, but its proclamation out there.
  - Not just in this region, but across the globe!
- Active establishing of Christ’s Kingdom.
  - A recognition that Jesus is continuing to build His Church.
  - A commitment to finding, equipping, and multiplying followers of Jesus Christ for the glory of God.
- Confessed need for Holy Spirit’s empowering.
  - Don’t lose sight of spiritual component to evangelism.
    - Saying the right thing.
    - Having all the right answers.
  - If we are convinced of the truth and seeking to extend the Kingdom of God, then we can be assured that the Holy Spirit will enable us to speak what is necessary.