27th Mar 26 | 16:08
Studies by Book
01 Acts 01 01-05 THE PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 13 Acts 01 04-05 Building the bridge
📖 Acts 01:01-05
Romans
13 – 16Jun2022 – *Building the bridge* - _Acts 01:01-05_ - THE PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT - Bible reading: _John 1:15-18_
“Thank You, Lord Jesus, that as we look up to You, You lead and guide us. You are merciful and gracious toward us. We worship You. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.”
_Acts 1:4-5 And being assembled together with them, *He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me; (5) for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now*."_
We have considered the baptism of John. We have understood that John’s baptism was precious. John introduced Jesus and His baptism, which is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. John explained how the baptism of Jesus would be different from his baptism.
_John 1:15-18 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me is preferred before me, for *He was before me.' " (16) And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. (17) For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (18) No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him*._
This is the understanding that we receive from the John the Baptist about the baptism of Jesus. *The baptism of the Holy Spirit brings us into the fullness of our relationship with Jesus*. We, therefore, need not be apprehensive about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. We must thirst and hunger for the baptism of the Holy Spirit, for this is where we are soaked and drenched in Jesus. This is the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
The baptism of the Holy Spirit is also grace for grace. We are overwhelmed by His grace.
_Zechariah 12:10 "And *I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace* and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn_
As much as the baptism of the Holy Spirit is the overwhelming of His grace, the Holy Spirit's baptism is also a drenching of truth. Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. Since we experience grace, it does not mean that we have the licence to sin but *grace enables us to live out the truth*.
Generally, we see two important dimensions of God’s grace. Grace makes us righteous before God. It is God’s unmerited favour.
*_Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,_*
The other side of God’s grace is that God also enables and empowers us to live out the truth.
*_II Corinthians 12:9-10 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (10) Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong._*
*John was transitioning us into the baptism of Jesus, which is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. As this transition was taking place, Jesus endorsed John’s baptism by being baptised by John. This is the bridge that is being built for us from the baptism of John to the baptism of Jesus*.
*_Matthew 3:13-17 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. (14) And John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?" (15) But Jesus answered and said to him, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed Him. (16) When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. (17) And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."_*
John knew that he needed the baptism of Jesus but Jesus said that He needed the baptism of John, for it fulfilled all righteousness. Jesus took our sin on Himself. *_II Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him._*
Jesus became sin for us. Since Jesus became sin for us, He had to go through the baptism of John, for John’s baptism was for repentance and remission of sins. This is how Jesus identified with us, fully, to become our substitute, to go to the cross.
_Philippians 2:5-8 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, (6) *who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, (7) but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. (8) And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross*._
We see the importance of the baptism of John. We see how John needed the baptism of Jesus. Jesus went through the baptism of John. Jesus built the bridge from John’s baptism to His.
*I’m amazed*
“Jesus, the bridge, from the baptism of John to Your baptism, is so wonderful to grasp. I want to be drenched in You.”