“Jesus Continued…”- Acts 1:1-14

1. Jesus continues his work through the Holy Spirit.

• “In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.” (Acts 1:1-3).

• “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever” (John 14:16).

• “And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life. He proceeds from the Father and the Son, and with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified. He spoke through the prophets” (Nicene Creed, 4th century).

• “…Peter said, ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit …. You have not lied to man but to God…. How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord?’” (Acts 5:3-8).

• “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me” (John 15:26).

2. Jesus continues his work through Spirit-empowered church.

• “Wait for the promise of the Father…. you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit… You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be my witness” (Acts 1:4-5, 8).

• “All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer” (Acts 1:14).

• “No man is greater than his prayer life. The pastor who is not praying is playing; the people who are not praying are straying. We have many organizers, but few agonizers; many players and payers, few pray-ers; many singers, few clingers; lots of pastors, few wrestlers; many fears, few tears; much fashion, little passion; many interferers, few intercessors; many writers, but few fighters. Failing here, we fail everywhere.” (Leonard Ravenhill)