Acts 1:1-11
Saturday, 05 November 2022

“Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” -Acts 1:4 &5
Jesus Christ’s supernatural birth and ascension sets the seal of God on what Christ said and did while He was on earth as seen in the disciples’ witness accounts in the Gospels. Luke records the few moments before His ascension in our reading today.
The disciples were asked to remain in Jerusalem until they were endued with power from on high to be His witnesses. Though they had a longing to get back to Galilee they had to remain in this place- a place of challenge, where all the important activities of the previous weeks took place in connection with their Master. The fact that nowhere else could the Apostles secure such an audience for their witness, made their “beginning at Jerusalem” necessary. We too have to ask in prayer not where we should be most at ease, but where we will be most effective as witnesses for Christ, keeping in mind that very often the presence of difficulties makes a great and effectual ministry.
Jesus Christ’s concern for us is that we should be armored for the battle before rushing into work which is visible and perilous where we have to be an overcomer through Christ Jesus by His power through Holy Spirit. The Baptism in the Holy Spirit will strengthen and transform us.
The plan of God being revealed through our reading portion can be summarized as below:
1. Jerusalem is the holy city where the presence of God abides in the Temple of God according to the Jews (Psalm 122). But in the New Testament the Presence of God is revealed through our Body which is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor.6:19). So being at Jerusalem means your fellowship where the presence of God is felt, whether it be your house where your family comes together to worship, or elsewhere where saints gather together to worship Jesus Christ.
2. God expects that we come together constantly in prayer, with one mind and undivided heart with one desire, which is the baptism and infilling of the Holy Spirit.
3. We need to believe and focus on the promise of God and eagerly wait for it. In Joel 2:28 it was promised: “I will pour out my Spirit on all people your sons and daughters will prophesy your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.”
4. Our heart and mind must be filled with the word of God and dwell on in His promises.
5. When we love Jesus Christ then the Father will love us and both the Father and Jesus will make their home with us (John 14:23). Acts 5:32 says, the Holy Spirit will be given to those who obey Him
But WAITING is the principle of God. Our heart should depend on Him and focus on Him. Jesus asked His disciples to “wait” for the promise of Holy Spirit, the coming of whom they had heard from Him when in the upper room He spoke to them of ‘the Comforter.’
The main reason for having filled with the Holy Spirit to fulfill God’s commandment. Act 2:8 and Matthew 28 :20 speak of Jesus Christ commission: to be Christ’s witness in i)Jerusalem- at his own home place and ii) Judea- the place where we work and our relatives and friends and iii) Samaria is the nearby town and then to: iv)the ends of the world.
All this is for receiving and preparing for the coming of our King Jesus Christ who will come to rule the Kingdom of God.
Prayer: Almighty God, our Father please enable us to do Your will which will glorify You through Jesus Christ by filling us with the Holy Spirit so that our life will be a living witness of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
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