The unfinished work of the Lord

Sermon by Pastor Sam Philip. Acts 1:1-11.

The outline of Acts

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. — Acts 1:8

• Chapter 1 — the preparation of the disciples
• Chapters 2-6 — the church in Jerusalem
• Chapters 8:4-12:25 — the church scattered into Palestine and Syria
• Chapters 12-28 — the church advancing to the ends of the earth

Acts is the only book of the New Testament which deals with the history of the earliest Church.

The Christian faith is all about Jesus. He asked us to look at how Acts begins.

In my first book I told you, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began to do and teach until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit. — Acts 1:1-2

In my first book… about Jesus. The second book is also about Jesus.

The author

The author of Acts is Luke. A doctor, and a travel companion of Paul.

In Luke 24:47-48, Jesus commissioned the apostles to take the gospel to all nations.

He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” — Luke 24:46-49

A good model. What do we learn from Acts:

• Principles of discipling believers
• Building the church
• Evangelising the world

The book of Acts also teaches much about the Holy Spirit — around fifty times. He said it would be better to call it the Acts of the Holy Spirit through the apostles.

Luke was a doctor. For God’s calling, our profession is not a limitation. Whatever job you do, God can still use you. He was a well trained doctor.

He was a travel companion of Paul. He was not a preacher, but a wonderful writer. God has given us some gifts — sometimes it is not for preaching, but for writing. He was behind the screen and wrote what he heard and saw, so we could have the history of the church.

The unfinished work of the Lord

The work of Jesus is both finished and unfinished. The work of redemption is finished — through life, death and resurrection. The work of proclamation is unfinished.

Christ’s work of redemption is completed, and the work of the church has just started.

While Jesus was alive, He trained the disciples, and now He has handed over the ministry of proclaiming the good news to the Church. And it continues through us.

Gospel work is a privileged work in this world. Paul says, I am not ashamed of the gospel. It is the greatest privilege to proclaim the gospel.

And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news. — Romans 10:15

It is not for someone else, or for the pastor. It is for everyone. It is our responsibility.

He asked us to think of the disciples in that situation. From a human point of view the apostles were in no way ready for such a task.

• Their faith was weak. Jesus equipped them.
• They had failed not only in public witness but also in private loyalty.
• All of them except John had fled in fear.
• Thomas refused to believe the testimony of the other ten disciples.

But before He would commission them, He would give them all that they would need. God chose the eleven and said, I will do the work through this people.

Maybe you say, I am not good enough, I am not perfect, I do not have talent. God wants those people to be used by the Holy Spirit.

These who have turned the world upside down have come here too. — Acts 17:6

Do not lose hope.

The teaching

In my first book I told you, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began to do and teach until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit. — Acts 1:1-2

The first account relates to Luke’s gospel, which he composed for Theophilus — a name meaning friend of God.

Luke’s gospel was concerned with the earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus, revealing all that Jesus began to do and teach until the day when He was taken up.

The gospel was about who He was: His instructions to the disciples, His miracles to strengthen their faith, His teachings that would stable their theology.

It is important that those who carry the message of Christ should know truly who He is.

The church’s powerlessness can be attributed to two things:

• Ignorance of the truth — we do not know who our God is.
• Failure to live by the truth.

If we follow this, no power can stop the church. It will expand through the generations. Know the truth, preach, and live.

Until the day He was taken up to heaven, He continued to teach. If we need to be used by God, we need to know the word deeply, and love for the word.

Though His message was for the world and He ministered to large crowds, He entrusted Himself to the apostles.

The encounter

During the forty days after he suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God. — Acts 1:3

Receiving instruction alone was insufficient. They required a personal encounter with the resurrected Christ to strengthen and deepen their faith.

Peter was so fearful — it is the resurrected Christ. James was not believing Jesus, his own brother — it is the resurrected Christ.

He asked us to pray this: that we want to see the glory of the resurrected Christ through the word of God.

They understood that well.

Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?” Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.” — John 6:67-69

The effectiveness of every believer’s ministry in large measure depends on a clear and deep knowledge of the Word.

What do you mean by the baptism of the Holy Spirit?

On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “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

1. The Holy Spirit is with you and around you

Man was created by the breath of God. What is He doing?

And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. — John 16:8

Do not sin against the Holy Spirit. That will not be forgiven.

What is the sin against? The Holy Spirit is revealing that Jesus Christ is the only God and He is the only saviour.

How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him. — Hebrews 2:3

We should not sin against the Holy Spirit by rejecting Christ. Today is the day of salvation.

2. The Holy Spirit is in you

Man is born again by the breath of God.

Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” — John 20:21-22

When you accepted Jesus and were born again, the Holy Spirit is in you.

He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. — John 14:17

David prayed, take not your Holy Spirit from me.

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. — Ephesians 4:30

When we consciously sin against the Holy Spirit, you are making Him sad.

3. Baptism of the Holy Spirit — the Holy Spirit is upon you

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere — in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. — Acts 1:8

Whenever the Spirit came upon people, even in the Old Testament, it was for a purpose.

Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil. — 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22

When you see the gifts of the Spirit, do not reject it.

Why do you need the Holy Spirit? To become the witness of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth. It is for a purpose.

What is the evidence of being baptised with the Holy Spirit? It is the power to witness.

The power — wait for the power

All the training and the knowledge is useless unless there is power to accomplish the truth.

Do not be in a hurry to get into ministry. You cannot do it by yourself — wait for the Holy Spirit.

Power comes from dunamis, from which we get dynamite.

Jesus repeatedly made the promise in His earthly ministry, that the Holy Spirit would be sent. The apostles had tasted the working of the Holy Spirit.

For it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. — Matthew 10:20

The church is impotent because we are doing things in the flesh. We need God’s power.

Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty. — Zechariah 4:6

The question

So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?” He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know.” — Acts 1:6-7

The Kingdom of God is not of this world. It is a different world together. Secret things belong to God.

Sometimes we cannot fully understand why things are happening. Sometimes I do not know fully. Let God be sovereign. Leave it to God.

The mission

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere — in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. — Acts 1:8

Instead of speculating the time, we are called to be witnesses.

Witness comes from the word martures. Christians sealed their witness to Christ with their blood.

We are called to go to the ends of the earth. Be a witness in Jerusalem first.

Luke chronicles the irresistible march of the church of Jesus from Jerusalem to Judea to the remotest parts of the Roman world.

Are you ready to stand for God?

The motivation

Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” — Acts 1:9-11

The motivation is that Jesus will come back. Believers must serve Christ faithfully in the light of His imminent return. He was taken up in clouds; He will return with the clouds.

The task of finishing the work Jesus began, the duty of evangelising the lost world, is a tough job — but the Lord has given us the resources.

As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world. — John 9:4-5

Two promises:

• He will baptise us with the Holy Spirit.
• He will return in glory.

Why do we need power? To be a witness. You have a job to do. We can accomplish His mission in our life.

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you… — Romans 8:11