27th Mar 26 | 16:08
Studies by Book
02 Acts 01 06-11 HE WILL COME IN LIKE MANNER AS YOU SAW HIM GO INTO HEAVEN 09 Acts 01 08 Come into the fullness of life in His kingdom
📖 Acts 01:06-11
09 – 26Jun2022 – *Come into the fullness of life in His kingdom* - _Acts 01:06-11_ - HE WILL COME IN LIKE MANNER AS YOU SAW HIM GO INTO HEAVEN - Bible reading: _Luke 24:46-49_
“Thank You, Lord Jesus, that You give us the fullness of Your Holy Spirit. We are here to reconcile people to You, in the fulness of Your Spirit. Lord, we desire for the gifts of Your Holy Spirit, which will make us effective in this task of being Your witnesses. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.”
*_Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."_*
The Lord had commanded the disciples to wait to be baptised with the Holy Spirit and then be His witnesses.
*The baptism of the Holy Spirit comes with gifts and power so that we can be effective in our task to reach those who are alienated from God and draw them into His kingdom*.
Let us consider some more on the spiritual gift of speaking in tongues.
_I Corinthians 14:18-20 I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; (19) *yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue*. (20) Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, *but in understanding be mature*._
Apostle Paul’s concern is for people that they should be taught and brought into the fullness of life in God’s kingdom. *He was always keeping the larger picture in focus, while he addressed this matter of speaking in tongues. This is how we too need to be*.
_I Corinthians 14:21-25 In the law it is written: "WITH MEN OF OTHER TONGUES AND OTHER LIPS I WILL SPEAK TO THIS PEOPLE; AND YET, FOR ALL THAT, THEY WILL NOT HEAR ME," says the Lord. (22) Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe. (23) Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind? (24) But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, *he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. (25) And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you*._
The matter in focus is that people need to be convinced and convicted of their sins. People must repent and turn to God and worship Him. People must come into the fulness of life in God’s kingdom. Therefore, the matter of speaking in tongues and the manifestation of different gifts of the Holy Spirit must be understood from the larger purposes of God.
*_I Corinthians 14:39-40 Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues. (40) Let all things be done decently and in order._*
Paul’s concern for the church is that we will be effective bridges for those who are alienated from God to come back into the shelter and canopy of God and there have the fullness of life. The church should not be a hindrance because of this matter of the manifestation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
When the baptism of the Holy Spirit took place and the disciples spoke in different tongues, Apostle Peter gave clarity of understanding as to what was taking place.
*_Acts 2:32-33 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. (33) Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear._*
Jesus had risen from the dead and is exalted to the right hand of God. This represents the fact that He is now King and His kingdom was now functional. *The baptism of the Holy Spirit with power and with the manifestation of speaking in tongues was in order to draw people to Jesus and to His kingdom*.
*_Luke 24:46-49 Then He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, (47) and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. (48) And you are witnesses of these things. (49) Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high."_*
When the Lord spoke these words to the disciples, it would have not made sense to them. Nevertheless, when they were baptised with the Holy Spirit and there was the manifestation of speaking in tongues, the words that the Lord had spoken to them, would have made complete sense. They were now propelled into the task of being His witnesses.
*_John 15:26-27 “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. (27) And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning._*
We are testifying of Jesus to people so that they should be reconciled with Him and come into the fullness of life in His kingdom. To this end, the Holy Spirit is our Helper.
*Our desire*
```“Lord Jesus, fill us more and more with Your Holy Spirit so that we can reconcile many people with You and bring them to the fullness of life in Your kingdom.”```