27th Mar 26 | 16:08
Studies by Book
01 Acts 01 01-05 THE PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 05 Acts 01 01-02 Task of reconciling all things to Christ
📖 Acts 01:01-05
05 – 08Jun2022 – *Task of reconciling all things to Christ* - _Acts 01:01-05_ - THE PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT - Bible reading: _Luke 24:45-49_
“Thank You, Lord Jesus, for the command that You have given to us. We are here to obey your command, in the filling of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.”
*_Acts 1:1-2 The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, (2) until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen,_*
Jesus gave His command to His disciples, in the fullness of the Holy Spirit. This command of God is what we refer to as ‘the great commission’. We must always keep in mind, the reason for this command.
Let us look at the three renderings of the final command of Jesus as given in the gospels.
*_Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. (19) Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen._*
This is the popular version of the great commission. There is much material available on the great commission. The great commission had to be accomplished in the fullness of the Holy Spirit.
*_Mark 16:15-19 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. (16) He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. (17) And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; (18) they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." (19) So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God._*
Mark talks more of the signs that will accompany those who believe or those who walk in the ways of God. (We have established that these two are synonymous).
We now look at the great commission from Luke.
*_Luke 24:45-51 And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. (46) 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." (50) And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. (51) Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven._*
We have spent substantial time in the study of this passage, very recently. I have given the link below for this study as, ‘Commissioned to be His witnesses'.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1G1tizgERq3_VqBUZ_rdHghYIAIX7FFUc?usp=sharing
The disciples were to fulfil the great commission or the final command of God, in the fullness of the Holy Spirit. *_Luke 24:49 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._*
What is God’s overarching purpose for the great commission?
*_Ephesians 1:7-10 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace (8) which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, (9) having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, (10) that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him._*
The Lord is gathering together in one, all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth. *We cannot be satisfied with the cross, only for our personal salvation. The cross was intended to reconcile all things, in one, to Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth*.
*When we, in the fullness of the Holy Spirit, fulfil the great commission, we are reconciling man and creation back to God*.
*_Colossians 1:20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross._*
This is the task that has been given to us
*_II Corinthians 5:17-20 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (18) Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, (19) that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. (20) Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God._*
*My realisation*
```Jesus, I realise that I must obey Your command, in the fullness of the Holy Spirit, so that man and creation are reconciled with You.```