How Jesus Introduced the Holy Spirit

Series: Winter: Doctrine: Holy Spirit in the Book of Acts.

Show you something wonderful: How Jesus introduced the Holy Spirit.

Do today is let Jesus introduce you to the Holy Spirit.

Acts 1:1-10

• The Holy Spirit is mentioned 56x in the Book of Acts.
• Better titled: The Acts of the Holy Spirit.
• Acts 1:2 Struck me unusual: Gave them commands through the Holy Spirit. But He’s present with them. This is before Pentecost. What does it mean: Through the Holy Spirit? Here: Jesus is at work in tandem with the Spirit. Not just the Spirit speaking through him… more… Show you…
• Acts 1:3, There is an extended period of Resurrection appearances. What is he doing during those interactions? Just eating fish and hanging out? He was teaching them. Preparing them about the Kingdom about to come.
• Acts 1:4, The command not to leave until the gift of the Holy Spirit has been given. Jesus says: Don’t go out on your own yet. Know excited. Don’t go: Door/door – Start church plants / Missions projects – In fact: Don’t leave the city! Just stand still. Don’t leave home without the Holy Spirit. You need God – I’m about to introduce you.
• Acts 1:6, the question if he will now restore the kingdom to Israel is particularly astute. It was insightful on their parts, because prophetically, the outpouring of the Spirit was associated with the end-time restoration of Israel. (Isaiah 61, Ezekiel 36, Joel 2.)
• Acts 1:9, the Ascension. In the Bible, a cloud often serves as a symbol of divine glory.
• Psalm 104:3: “He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind.”
• 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.

The Spirit has (Because He is God.)

• In the Old Testament He was referred to as, “Ruah.” Means, “Breath, wind, breeze.”
• In the New Testament, Word always Greek Neuter Noun: “Pneuma.” (With or without the article “Holy.” Spirit of God, Lord, Father, Jesus, Christ.

1. Creation: Spirit of God is hovering over the waters.

2. So often, He would “Come in Power” on Leaders: He came in power upon Judges and Warriors. *Othniel, Judg. 3:10, Gideon, Judg. 6:34, Jephthah, Judg. 13:25, , Judg. 14:6. (SAMSON’s strength? Spirit)

3. Often the Spirit would give people Wisdom or a skill. (Example, Bazaleel who built the Tabernacle, Ex. 31:2-4, 35:31)

4. The Spirit inspired the prophets. Early on prophets were called “Seer” later a “Prophet.” Abraham was called a Prophet, as was Moses.

What Jesus is going to do is introduce us to the Spirit.

Illustration: Sitting in parking lot. Saw a car coming at me. “He’s not going to hit me…” came closer, closer. Sure enough, he hit me. An old guy got out, he started cussing. I hugged him, “It’s going to be okay.” He put his head on my shoulder and started crying.

All through the OT, once you’ve read the END – you see it coming. Spirit getting closer, closer, closer: BOOM! Explodes on the scene.

How did Jesus introduce us to the Spirit?

I. He showed us a life completely .

Matthew 3:11, John the Baptist, “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

The next thing that happens: Jesus shows up. Baptized. Heaven opens. The Spirit takes on visible form and comes down on Jesus. He is empowering Messiah to carry out the Mission. What we see in Jesus: One completely under the authority (submission) of the Spirit.

1. Limited his Presence. In heaven: Omni-Present. Earth: Ride donkey, boat, walk.

2. Limited his Power. (Interesting, he could feel power go out from him.)

*Miracles prove he has a relationship with the father:

John 5:19: “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing

3. Limited his Knowledge.

ILLU: (God knows every little thing that happens. Knows every hair that falls. Sparow.) (God knows every big thing that happens. He knows the stars, leads them by name.) When became human, for 33 years: Jesus limited his knowledge. Teaching was from God:

John 7:16: “My teaching is not my own . It comes from him who sent me.

John 12:49: “For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it”

(God in heaven is soveriegn in speech. He doesn’t check in with anyone. God on earth submitted his speech to the Father. God writing script.)

4. Limited his Decisions. SUBMITTED to the will of the Father.

Gethsemane: He prayed, “Father, take this cup from me. Not my will, but yours be done.” Submission was a constant decision. “Do you think I cannot call on my Father , and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” Matt. 26:53

Could Jesus understand us if: He never had to pray for an answer? Never submitted to a decision he didn’t want to obey? Had all power?

5. What was not limited: His NATURE. His HEART. (His love: Mankind/God. In Jesus we see the unbrideled love of God spill out.) (Justice) (hate sin/hypoc) (Concern outcast.) In Jesus we see the nature of God in full force. Spiritual authority. (Forgave sins) (Had authority over Satan) Jesus does not defeat Satan simply by his power, but by his PERSON. Satan cannot withstand the PERSON of God. His essence defeats Satan. Not just that God is bigger, it’s that at the core, God is better. (Silenced demons.)

Jesus tells us: The Same Spirit that has given me strength, power, authority, wisdom: Will be in you.

–Unfair: If Jesus tells us to go live a life like his, but he cheated. He used power we don’t have access to.

–What Jesus did: He played by our rules. He showed us how to live by the Holy Spirit, because that’s what he was doing.

II. He allowed us to peek in at

Luke 10:11-21. Esp. v.21

III. He Intensively

Just watching isn’t enough. Need good doctrine to explain what you see.

The last night on earth: Eats a Passover meal with his disciples. Institutes Lord’s Supper. And: Night gets heavy: He tells them he’s going to leave. Distressed. Look: 2 things. 1. I’ll be resurrected. 2. I’m sending my Holy Spirit. Two chapters he teaches them about the Holy Spirit. They have class!

1. The Spirit is our helper. He would ask the Father, Father would send: Another helper. (John 14:16) Jesus called the Spirit the “Paraclete” the “Helper.” One who comes along side.

2. The Spirit can only be received by those who believe. (John 14:17) The world cannot receive Him because: Neither sees/nor knows him.

3. The Spirit will teach us. 14:26 the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things

4. The Spirit will increase the memory of the Apostles. John14:26: and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. When Jesus was doing stuff on earth, the Disciples didn’t get it! Like, what? Forget. Cause them to deeply remember things Jesus said, event though they didn’t understand at the time.

John 14:26 “when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. (He will make it clear to your hearts what you just experienced. The Spirit will make the last three years make sense)

5. The Spirit will live inside Believers. (Call this the Indwelling/Baptism) John 14:17 You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

IV. He physically

Interesting: The Bible often attributes the Resurrection to the Power of the Holy Spirit.

The Father raised Jesus: (Acts 2:32, God raised Jesus.) (Gal. 1:1, God the Fther raised him from the dead)

Jesus raised Himself: (John 2:19: Destroy this temple, I raise) (John 10:18, I have authority to lay my life down, take it up.)

The Spirit raised Jesus: (1 Peter 3:18: He was put death in the body, made alive by the Spirit)

Romans 8:11: And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you

John 20:19: Evening Resurrection. Locked doors. Jesus walks in. Peace be with you. Shows hands/side. Commissions them: As father sent me, so send I you. 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

Adam created, God breathed, he became living. Now the Lord stands in front of men who are little more than dust/dirt. Breathes, souls come alive!

If that is where they received the Holy Spirit – what is Pentecost about? (Acts 2)

1. I think: Pentecost is about Power/Full indwelling.

2. Breathing on them: Open their minds. Luke 24:45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, after that “breathing” you see some more intensive sessions with Jesus. 40 days of appearances. Discussion.

Now, Acts 1:2: after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.

I THINK during this time: He is risen. As he teaches, the Spirit has their minds opened. Like the Holy Spirit opens their spiritual eyes. No longer blind! Risen Jesus teaching, Spirit giving sight. They are receiving his teaching in a new way. Look, They wouldn’t have just been filled with power, no idea what’s going on. Their hearts, minds been made ready over 40 days!

V. He demanded they take up

The Promise of the Spirit is relief when you see the Mission he sends them on: Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you (What you are going to need to do what is ahead), and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Reading Doctrine: Holy Spirit in Old Testament. (EY Mullens, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) Notes “In the Old Testament, The Spirit was God in action. The Spirit came upon individuals for special purposes. But did not remain on them once that purpose was accomplished” (My own note: But now he remains on us. Why: Because the purpose he was put on us for remains until Jesus comes: To Share the Gospel.)

Sharing the Gospel can only effectively be done with the Holy Spirit:

1. The Holy Spirit prepares hearts.

2. The Holy Spirit orchestrates events. Sets up crazy situations.