Acts 1:8

Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. (KJV)

My purpose for preaching this message is that you will use the power given for the purpose it was given.

Today we are going to see three purposes of the power of the Holy Spirit.

The first purpose is to fill the believer with the power of the HS. 8

Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: (KJV)

Car Ill. – If you see a car going down the road you can make at least one assumption, that car has an engine or some sort of power source. One of the funniest Candid Camera shows that I saw was when they put a little lady in a car and pushed her down a hill and she turned into a service station and asked the attendant, this was a few years ago, she asked the attendant to check the oil. When he popped the hood there was no engine in the car! The look on some of those mechanics faces was great. As Christians the world looks at us and they have the right to assume a power source for us!

The first purpose mentioned in our passage today is the filling of the spirit. Notice, as I have mentioned before, this is the beginning. The filling of the Spirit happens in chapter two like never before and like never again. Now that doesn’t mean we don’t receive the same spirit, it just means we don’t receive it the same way.

Let’s say that a generous man wants to give someone 1 million dollars. They decide to have a big banquet and invite the world to show the world where the gift came from and who was getting the gift and they brought out one of those big fake checks with your name on it and everything. Now lets say this same man wants to give your friend a million dollars, but instead of all the fanfare he just walks up on the street one day and hands him a million dollar check and walks away. Both of you have a million dollars. Both of your lives will be changed by the receiving of this great gift, but in the first case everyone was witness to who had the money, who received the money.

Those disciples would be like the first man in our story, the one that the generous man gave a million dollars to, called a press conference and let the world know about it.

Each of us as believers have received a great gift from the Lord. Lets say that maybe as a child you asked your VBS teacher or you Sunday School teacher or you pastor and you realized that you were a sinner in need of a savior and you kneeled down and quietly asked Jesus to be your savior. Do you realize that you received the same power, the same gift, the same blessing and ultimately the same responsibilities as these believers in Acts 1 and 2!

I believe part of God’s particular purpose in giving the gift of the power of the Holy Spirit first, in this manner. Is so that the world would know, it is like He called His own little press conference and showed the world, where the power was coming from and who was getting it.

Acts 2:5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. 6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded …

Everyone now knows that the one giving the gift is God.

Acts 2:14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: 15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. 16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; 17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall (KJV)

In this statement also, everyone know that the gift given is the Holy Spirit. But this was not evident only by what was said, it was evident by what was done.

Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. 6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language....8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? (KJV)

There was instant change in the lives of those that were filled. Sort of like if a man were given a million dollars. He would almost immediately change what he was doing.

Now before we go one I want us to see that the ones given the gift were believers.

Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. (KJV)

1:8 ye shall receive power

They goes all the way back to the disciples that were in the upper room, those followers of Christ that believed that He was God’s Son and that He was raised from the dead and that they too were going to be a part of His heavenly kingdom. These that believed were the they.

Before I move to my next point, let me point out something. These guys had a jump start in their witnessing. It was known, it was spread abroad. The Bible speaks of these devout men, men from every nation under heaven being in Jerusalem and witnessing this great gift.

But what if you are like the rest of us, like the one that the generous man just walked up and handed a check and walked away. How does the world or anyone know where he got his money?

He has to tell them. How does anyone know where you got your gift? you have to tell them. Now just like in the day of Pentecost there should be enough evidence, like a man given a million dollars, it won’t be long till you start seeing a new house, a new car, things around him begin to change.

Has there been a change in your life since you have received the gift that far exceeds a million dollars?

The second purpose is to enable the believer to be witnesses Acts 1:8

Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. (KJV)

Car – going down the road – gives witness to the power within

When you go to a football game, you can see by their actions who they support, by their witness.

ye shall be – has the idea of future but also of certainty, in other words once you have been filled with the Spirit, which to the believers is certain, you will definitely be my witnesses.

The word "witnesses" (martures) is not a command. Rather, it is a natural result of the Holy Spirit within a person. So is power. The Lord says very simply that a Spirit-filled person has power and becomes a witness for Him throughout the world. This is important, for it makes power and witnessing trademarks of Christian believers. A genuine believer possesses both the Spirit and power in his life and becomes by nature a witness for the Lord.

—Practical Word Studies in the New Testament

Etymology: Middle English witnesse, from Old English witnes knowledge, testimony, witness,

1 : attestation of a fact or event : TESTIMONY

2 : one that gives evidence;

4 : one who has personal knowledge of something

1 a : to affirm to be true or genuine; specifically : to authenticate by signing as a witness b : to authenticate officially

2 : to establish or verify the usage of

Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary

I could not find an exhaustive search, but in my own limited search I never found in the New Testament where we are commanded to witness. We are commanded to teach, to go but we are not commanded to witness.

--Charles Spurgeon stated it like this: God is not telling us to do witness, he is telling us that we will be witnesses.

That simply means to tell other people about what God has done for you. To give evidence of personal knowledge of how God has worked in your lives.

You are not sent to be “an original thinker”, to make up a gospel as you go along; you are a witness, that is all, a retailer of Christ’s truth,
---Charles Spurgeon

We shall be

We shall be witnesses

We shall be witnesses unto or of Christ

There are a lot of stories that could be told, but only the story of the Cross of Christ can change lives.

Acts 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. (KJV)

Acts 4:29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,

Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

Have you ever noticed you talk about what is on your mind or what is important to you, what have you been talking about lately?

Don’t just tell a story, tell the blessed ole’ story.

I love to tell the story; ’tis pleasant to repeat

What seems, each time I tell it, more wonderfully sweet.

I love to tell the story, for some have never heard

The message of salvation from God’s own holy Word.

I love to tell the story, for those who know it best

Seem hungering and thirsting to hear it like the rest.

And when, in scenes of glory, I sing the new, new song,

’Twill be the old, old story that I have loved so long.

---A. Ka­ther­ine Hankey, 1866---


So we see the

The first purpose is to fill the believer with the power of the Holy Spirit Acts 1:8

The second purpose is to enable the believer to be witnesses Acts 1:8

Finally we see that the believer is to be witnesses everywhere. 8

Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. (KJV)

Car – must begin where it is

They were told to go and be witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea and in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

This is the pattern that is followed in the rest of the book of Acts.

Chapters 1-7 describe events in Jerusalem and the surrounding areas

Chapter 8 mentions the scattering of disciples throughout Judea and Samaria, and also records the evangelization of a Samaritan city by Philip, and of many such cities by Peter and John

Finally we see that the believer is to be witnesses everywhere. Acts 1:8


Chapter 9 gives the account of the conversion of Saul and the Spirit reaching the Gentile nations through him

It begins close and proceeds out, broadens its scope as it moves along.

Acts 10:44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. 45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. (KJV)

In conclusion we have seen that the purpose of the Holy Spirit is to

The first purpose is to fill the believer with the power of the HS. 8

giver – God

receiver – you

gift – power of the Holy Spirit

Then we will realize the second purpose is to enable the believer to be witnesses 8

shall be

witnesses

of me

Finally we see that the believer is to be witnesses everywhere. 8

Jews

Samaritans

Gentiles

Notice that the first purpose of the Spirit is to fill the believer. Have you been filled with the Spirit, have you recognized the sinful state that you are in, realized that the penalty for that sin is death. Then have you given your heart to Christ, repented, that is to turn away from your sin and rebellion against God, surrendered to Him and let Him fill you. That is the first step which naturally leads to the next step. Being a witness for Christ.

You I have used the illustration of a car all along, looking at its power, being filled with gas, everybody seeing it ride down the road, witnessing its power and noticing that it has to start where it is.

Now I am not a mechanic, but I do know a little. The power of the car is in the motor. When you give it gas and rev it up its under the hood that holds all of that power. That power is then transferred through the transmission to the axles, releasing the power.

God is in the driver seat, he has chosen humanity to be his transmission, the means by which he shows his power. But to many of us have transmission problems.

We are connected to the greatest source of power and are not capable of allowing it to move us, in any direction.

My purpose for preaching this message is that you will use the power given for the purpose it was given.

Sometimes, just like a car, the transmission can lock up

sin – impede and separate us and deny us our usefulness for Christ

selfishness – what benefit is this to me

fear – Paul asked to pray for boldness

Are you using God’s gift of the Holy Spirit in your life to be a witness for Christ to everyone everywhere?