ACTS 1:8
“BUT YOU WILL RECEIVE
POWER WHEN THE HOLY
SPIRIT HAS COME UPON
YOU; AND YOU SHALL BE
MY WITNESSES BOTH IN
JERUSALEM, AND IN ALL
JUDEA AND SAMARIA, AND
EVEN TO THE REMOTEST
PART OF THE EARTH.”
SETTING THE STAGE
THE POWER
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
KEY VERSE
Acts 18
DATE
October 3 & 4
WEEK
1 of 5
LESSON OUTLINE
1. Who the Holy Spirit Is
2. The Holy Spirit’s Power In Us
3. The Holy Spirit’s Purpose
Through Us
THINGS TO KNOW
• The arc of Scripture can be communicated in
three words: “God with us.”
• According to Jesus, it is to our advantage if He
leaves, and the Holy Spirit comes.
• The Holy Spirit’s work is to glorify Jesus Christ.
OVERVIEW
Acts 1
Over the last seven weeks, we have studied Christ in His own words, looking at His I AM
statements in the book of John. Though the words of Jesus are primarily captured in the
gospels, the book of Acts contains the last words spoken by Jesus on this earth to His disciples.
Jesus ministered on earth for approximately three and a half years, which is chronicled
in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Throughout the miles traveled, time shared, miracles
performed, and words spoken, Jesus was preparing these men for ministry. During those
years, He invested in the lives of twelve disciples, one of whom denied knowing Him and
another who betrayed Him for 30 pieces of silver and eventually hung himself. Jesus knew
that after His resurrection, He would be ascending into Heaven in a mere 40 days, and there
Naturally, the disciples would be curious and concerned, not knowing what would happen
next. There would be anticipation perhaps mixed with anxiety of the unknown. However,
JOHN 141617, 2526 says, “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper,
that He may be with you forever;
17
that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot
receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides
with you and will be in you …
25
All this I have spoken while still with you.
26
But the
Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all
things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” Continued on page 8 >
7
Setting the Stage, continued >
lesson, we will study not only the power of the Holy Spirit but the person of the Holy Spirit, the
promised Helper.
Introduction
In a culture of comfort and contentment, the word “transition” is not usually received as good news.
Transitions are especially hard when they just happen to you—with or without your permission,
readiness, or preparedness—and you are left scrambling. When you think of transition, perhaps
what comes to mind is that all-too-familiar, underlying ache of unsettledness; or the daunting
memory of moving away from all your friends and family. Or maybe it is suddenly getting laid
confusion, you are left thinking, “Now what?”
feeling like life was right. They were likely thinking, “We are going to usher in Jesus’ Kingdom,
side-by-side with Jesus, and we will change the world!” Except, in the moment of their greatest
excitement, Jesus leaves, unannounced, largely unexpected, and ascends into Heaven. And as
same question: “Now what?”
Have you ever wondered why Jesus would leave? Why could Jesus not have stayed
with us? He is Immanuel, God with us, after all, right? Would it not be better for the
world today and the church today if Jesus had never left and stayed instead? This
tension is precisely where the book of Acts begins and unfolds. As we will see, the
resurrected Jesus does not abandon His disciples; rather, He “passes the baton” to
Another who will empower them and set the church into motion: The Holy Spirit.
Luke, who wrote this book, tells us this is a continued story that He began with the
Gospel of Luke. The book of Acts is the story of power, beginning with the Holy Spirit.
We will look at who the Holy Spirit is, His power in us, and His purpose through us.
ACTS 118
and teach,
2
until the day when He was taken up to Heaven, after He had by the Holy Spirit
given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen.
3
To these He also presented Himself alive
and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God.
4
Gathering them together, He
“Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me;
5
THE POWER
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
The resurrected Jesus
does not abandon His
disciples; rather, He
“passes the baton”
to Another who will
empower them and set
the church into motion:
The Holy Spirit.
8
6
So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time
You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?”
7
He said to them, “It is not for you to know times
8
but you will receive power
when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem,
and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”
1. WHO THE HOLY SPIRIT IS
According to Jesus, He ascends into Heaven because it is advantageous for the disciples. Jesus
aimed to prepare the disciples for this transition well before the time He ascended. In John 16:7,
Jesus says, “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.” Jesus is telling us that it is better
for the Spirit to be with us than for Him to be beside us.
1
Think about that. Do we live like that is
true? Are we taking Jesus at His Word?
While the Holy Spirit is mentioned numerous times throughout Scripture, the book of Acts features
the Holy Spirit and His role, perhaps more than any other book in the Bible, as an active, present
than twice a chapter.
2
In fact, if you have an older Bible, the book of Acts might be entitled, “The
Acts of the Apostles.” Some scholars have pushed back against this title because they think the
book would be more appropriately called the “Acts of the Holy Spirit” instead. All through the
book, the Holy Spirit guides, indwells and empowers the apostles. The apostles could hardly keep
up with all the Holy Spirit was accomplishing.
Whether we have grown up in church or are relatively new believers, we might think that the Holy
Spirit seems like the most misunderstood member of the Trinity. Perhaps it is because we do not
God the “Son.” The question is, how are we to view God the “Holy Spirit?”
When Jesus said it would be to our advantage for Him to leave and for the Holy Spirit
to come, He did not mean that He would be giving less of Himself to us necessarily,
but perhaps more, . The Holy Spirit is described in the Old
Testament as the Hebrew word, “Ruakh,” which refers to God’s personal presence;
the Spirit is a person and not merely a force.
3
In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit
is described with Greek Words, “Hagios Pneuma.” Hagios means “holy, separated.”
Pneuma means “spirit, wind, breath.”
4
In Scripture, the Holy Spirit is always bringing
life, light, and order where there is death, darkness, and disorder.
In Genesis 1, for example, He brings light and order where there existed darkness
and disorder. Throughout the Bible, the Holy Spirit comes to empower people to
bring forth life, light, and order into the dark and broken areas of the world. Furthermore, at
Jesus’ baptism, the Holy Spirit came upon Him and empowered Him to accomplish His ministry.
And now the Holy Spirit applies Jesus’ work of salvation and reconciliation to us, indwelling us to
bring light and order into the darkness of our world.
When Jesus said
it would be to our
advantage for Him
to leave and for the
Holy Spirit to come,
He did not mean that
He would be giving
less of Himself to
us necessarily, but
perhaps more, just
in a different way.
1
JD Greear, (Grand Rapids MI:
Zondervan, 2014).
2
Ibid p. 12.
3
The Bible Project. “Holy Spirit.” https://thebibleproject.com/explore/holy-spirit/
4
biblestudytools.com/lexicon
9
The purpose and power of the Holy Spirit ironically are not about bringing attention to Himself.
Essentially, the Holy Spirit comes to bear witness about Jesus. This is an important distinction as
we observe who the Holy Spirit is and how He works. The Holy Spirit does not come on the scene
and exalt Himself; rather, His express purpose is to glorify the Son. Jesus communicated this on
(emphasis added):
• JOHN 1526 “When the Advocate comes … He will testify about ME” (NIV)
• JOHN 1614 “He will glorify ME because it is from ME that He will receive what He will
make known to you.” (NIV)
• JOHN 1426 “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in MY name,
will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” (NIV)
I have heard theologians call the Holy Spirit the ‘shy member’ of the Trinity.
5
This
does not mean timid or embarrassed. Rather, He is not seeking attention; in fact,
He is trying to give it away. Theologian J.I. Packer calls the work of the Spirit the
6
light upon our beautiful buildings and trees. So, whenever people drive by our church,
how powerful they are…”? Of course, not. Naturally, they would say, “Wow, what a
Similarly, the Holy Spirit’s nature and actions as a member of the Trinity is to glorify and testify
unto Jesus Christ. He is always pushing us to look to Jesus; to think about Jesus; to live for Jesus,
and to make us ‘WOW’ at the true gospel and worship. Throughout the book of Acts, we will see
the power of the Holy Spirit, but always the attention is drawn to the saving and life-changing
power of Jesus.
Now, the Holy Spirit works in many ways: He convicts us of sin (John 16:8); He leads
us and guides us (John 16:13); He teaches us (John 14:26); He equips us with spiritual
but they all fall under the umbrella of the Holy Spirit’s ultimate purpose, which is to
direct our attention to who Jesus is and what He has done for us. And so, the Holy
Spirit helps us in our own lives, increasingly make Jesus LORD in all those various
ways, in our money, time, talents, relationships, etc. in our own lives and showing
that to other people. This is what being a witness means.
Ultimately, the Holy Spirit is a part of the Trinity whose ‘umbrella’ role is to glorify
Jesus in a variety of ways in our lives, all the while helping us see and know God
better through Jesus Christ.
• As our : He wants to reassure us of God’s love for us in Jesus through any
circumstance we are walking.
• As our Counselor: He wants to remind us of the teachings and lessons of God’s Word.
• As our Conscience: He wants to convict us and show us why following Jesus is better
than the sin we so often choose. He wants to change our spiritual appetites from within.
The purpose and
power of the Holy
Spirit ironically are
not about bringing
attention to Himself.
Essentially, the
Holy Spirit comes
to bear witness
about Jesus.
Ultimately, the Holy
Spirit is a part of
the Trinity whose
‘umbrella’ role is to
glorify Jesus in a
variety of ways in
our lives, all the while
helping us see and
know God better
through Jesus Christ.
5
F. Dale Bruner and William Hordern, The Holy Spirit: Shy Member of the Trinity (Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1983).
6
J.I. Packer, Keeping in Step with the Spirit: Finding Fullness in our Walk with God (Grand Rapids: Baker,
2005), p. 57.
10
2. THE HOLY SPIRIT’S POWER IN US
ACTS 145
wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me;
5
Jesus had mentioned John’s baptism with water and then the baptism of the Holy Spirit. They
had already experienced the joy of the resurrection of Jesus, and they could not imagine what else
might happen as it pertained to the Holy Spirit.
There is much confusion today about the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Many Christians think it is
experienced after their salvation. The Bible teaches we are baptized by the Holy Spirit when we
believe in Christ. If someone asks you if you have received the baptism, and you are a Christian,
then the answer is yes. The baptism in the Holy Spirit is a universal work of God, a non-repeating
work of God, and a unifying work of God. (Ephesians 4:4-6; 1 Corinthians 12:13).
7
The word translated baptism means to immerse, dip, and submerge.
8
They would be baptized with
the Holy Spirit from within. They were not as concerned about the baptism in the Holy Spirit as
they were about the timing of it all. Jesus said it would happen not many days from now.
They immediately thought this would be the time of the establishment of the new Kingdom with
the resurrected Lord. This was not the case. In response to their misunderstanding, Jesus simply
said it was not for them to know the time of such an event. Instead, He wanted them to know
something more pertinent to their daily lives.
ACTS 178 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has
8
but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon
to the remotest part of the earth.”
Jesus uses a conjunction that shifts the attention from knowing a time frame to being empowered
from within. Verse 8 is a crucial verse not only in the context of the book of Acts but for all believers
throughout history. To begin with, it explains that the power of the church comes from the Holy
Spirit and not from man.
9
These words of Jesus are His last to the disciples before He ascended
to Heaven.
The last words of Jesus were words of promise. There was no doubt in the words, heart, or mind
Spirit has come upon you.” Jesus wanted them to understand that they would not be alone nor
without power.
Often when we see the word power, we immediately think ‘strength.’ In fact, the Greek word used
is “dunamis” which is where we get the root word for dynamite. However, the full meaning of the
word is “strength, power, ability.”
10
This is not a picture of rocket fuel that just explodes without
that this is something they will receive. It is a gift for all who believe.
7
, Worthy Publishing; 2013, p. 1490.
8
www.biblestudytools.com/lexicon
9
Warren Wiersbe, Wiersbe Bible Commentary, David C. Cook, Colorado Springs, CO, 2007, p. 323.
10
www.biblestudytools.com/lexicon
11
We like to think we can handle anything ourselves. We tend to take pride in being able to accomplish
something on our own. There is nothing wrong on a practical level with being able to do a job or
perform a task based on your skillset or knowledge. However, Jesus did not want us to live this
life alone limited by our skills, knowledge, and ability. Jesus loves us so much He wants us to
have the unlimited resources of Heaven even after He left this earth. The power of the Holy Spirit
within us gives us not just the strength and power which we all want to embrace, but also the
ability to accomplish what Jesus has called us to do and be. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is not
a luxury; it is an absolute necessity.
11
The Holy Spirit wants to make the gospel of God’s love for us more transparent and more prominent
in our lives. However, He does not want us to experience the gospel personally as an end unto itself.
There is a purpose for this beyond ourselves; namely, He works in us to accomplish something
through us.
3. THE HOLY SPIRIT’S PURPOSE THROUGH US
ACTS 18 “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall
part of the earth.”
If you look at the end of verse 8, you will see the purpose of the Holy Spirit’s work of indwelling
word and deed. After all, the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus to complete His ministry and bring
salvation on earth; to be a vessel of redemption. Likewise, the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples
to be vessels of redemption on earth. That is what “Christian” means – “little Christ.”
12
The purpose of the Holy Spirit is to empower us to be witnesses of Jesus. For over three years,
these disciples had been following Jesus, learning from Jesus, depending on Jesus mile after mile,
city after city, day after day. Jesus was about to ascend to Heaven and wanted them
to know without a doubt they would have power and purpose through the Holy Spirit.
Jesus wanted them to be His witnesses, to testify to all Jesus had done in their lives,
and all Jesus could do in the lives of others. Ultimately the gift of the Holy Spirit is
to draw people’s attention to Christ. We do that by telling our story of how Jesus
has changed our lives.
gospels. They had more eagerness at times than discernment, as recorded in the
gospels. Yet these were the ones Jesus had invested His life in and to whom He
was leaving His ministry. In a few days, they would receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 2) as Jesus was
promising in these words.
the city where they put Jesus, the Son of God to death on a cross and buried Him in the tomb.
Jesus wanted their story of testimony to begin right where they were present in their daily lives.
But this was also the city of the resurrection.
Ultimately the gift
of the Holy Spirit
is to draw people’s
attention to Christ.
We do that by telling
our story of how
Jesus has changed
our lives.
11
Warren Wiersbe, Wiersbe Bible Commentary, David C. Cook, Colorado Springs, CO, 2007, p. 323.
12
Jesus.Net. Do you know where the word ‘Christian’ comes from?
https://jesus.net/miracle/do-you-know-where-the-word-christian-comes-from/
12
The power promised was not to enable the apostles to live godly lives, though the Holy Spirit does
that is, to speak, and bear oral testimony to others.
13
This was to begin in Jerusalem and expand
like concentric circles; each location had unique barriers, whether religious or culture. Regardless
of the location, belief system, culture, or challenge, they would not be alone, nor are we. The Holy
Spirit indwells and empowers us to be a witness.
We can do this in three broad categories: in our lifestyle, in our words, and in our gifts.
A. In Our Lifestyles
When the Holy Spirit indwells, empowers, and stirs us to see and to value Jesus as Lord, we stop
trying to be the Lord over certain domains in our life. Instead, His lordship begins to extend to
every domain, every category, every area in our hearts and lives.
The Great Commission is not something we do when we take a trip overseas with our church. It
is a trajectory of life, of saying “Jesus is Lord” over every domain in our hearts. Before we seek
the “unreached people groups” thousands of miles away, the Holy Spirit is seeking to reach the
“unreached categories” in our hearts that have not experienced the lordship of Jesus.
B. With Our Mouth
The Holy Spirit’s power also works with purpose through our words. As Scripture says, “for out
of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaks”
the Holy Spirit’s work in our hearts, our mouths will speak about Jesus’ good, saving lordship.
Throughout the book of Acts, we see the apostles speaking time and time again the truth of the
C. In Our Gifts
Lastly, the Holy Spirit indwells, empowers, and stirs us to leverage our gifts and
resources for the service of the Kingdom of God—the extensive dominion of Jesus’
lordship on earth, the church. Not only does God entrust us with “earthly” gifts such
as resources and abilities, the Holy Spirit also equips us with “spiritual” gifts so that
we can each serve the mission and Kingdom of God. Whether your gift is leadership,
service, giving, mercy, encouragement, teaching, or wisdom—we all have a place in
the Kingdom. As the Apostle Paul writes later to the church of Corinth, “Now there
are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 12:4, ESV).
Jesus wanted His disciples then and now to be witnesses. That is our challenge even
today in the world in which we live. We begin with our Jerusalem as we are empowered by the
Not only does God
entrust us with
“earthly” gifts such
as resources and
abilities, the Holy
Spirit also equips us
with “spiritual” gifts
so that we can each
serve the mission
and Kingdom of God.
13
www.soniclight.com/acts
13
HOW HIS PLAN SHAPES OUR PURPOSE
The overarching theme of Scripture ultimately tells a story of God with us. From the
beginning of the Bible in Genesis to the end in Revelation, God relentlessly pursues His
people. Each step of the way, God wanted His people to know Him personally and live a
blood. Jesus was fully human and fully divine, born as a baby in Bethlehem, then ascending
to Heaven at the age of 33. It was at this juncture of history recorded in Acts 1 that God,
through Jesus, told humanity that He would be with us continually through the Holy Spirit.
The power of the Holy Spirit is in the presence of the Holy Spirit, both in our individual
lives and collectively in the church. Power from the Holy Spirit is not limited to strength
and authority.
14
God’s plan has always been to be with us wherever we are in whatever time span. The
right where we are.
14
Life Application Bible Commentary: Acts; Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, IL; 1999, p. 9.
14
