Acts 1:4~8
On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:4~8 God set His will to save man from sin. He revealed His will through the prophets in the Old Testament and fulfilled it through Jesus' life (Matthew 1:18~23, John 19:30). Jesus is the Savior of all mankind, so whoever believes in Him will receive eternal life (John 3:16). But how can people hear this Good News without someone preaching it to them? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard (Romans 10:14~15)? So, God sent the Holy Spirit and let Him preach the Good News. God decided to save man, Jesus Christ fulfilled His will by dying on the cross, and the Holy Spirit testifies about it to the world (Ephesians 3:9~11,1:9~12, Acts 1:8). The Holy Spirit wants to change our character into His character, and to use us to testify about Jesus (Galatians 5:22~24). The purpose of the working of the Holy Spirit is to reveal Jesus' life (John 15:26) and the authority in His name. The Holy Spirit confirms Jesus' words by the signs that accompanies them (Mark 16:17~20). He dwells in those who are saved by the working of the precious blood of Jesus, and He preaches the grace of salvation to the world. And He gives us courage and faith by the signs that accompanies His words and uses us even to the point of death. He worked through Jesus' disciples who had denied Him, and through the early church members, and He showed Jesus (Acts 4:28~31, 8:5~10, 10:38). The Holy Spirit was with Jesus from the beginning of His life to His resurrection and ascension. He who worked through Jesus came on Jesus’ disciples and the early church members and preached the Gospel to the world by using them. Therefore, the church built by the Holy Spirit, and those who have received the Holy Spirit should be Jesus' witnesses and win many dying souls. The greatest work of God for the world was to decide to kill His Son, Jesus Christ, on the cross by shedding His blood instead of man to save dying souls. The greatest work of Jesus on the earth was to live a public life by the Holy Spirit, to forgive man's sin and save them through His own suffering both body and soul. And the greatest work of the Holy Spirit was to let the apostles and those who had received the Holy Spirit preach the gospel even though they faced terrible suffering and persecution. Then, what is the greatest mission for today's church and believers? It is to fulfill the Triune God's ministry to preach the Gospel and to save many dying souls from their sin, death and hell. The book of Acts is the record of those who were used by the Holy Spirit to preach God's great commission - the acts of the Holy Spirit. Evangelism is God our Father, our Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit's only hope and dream. Dear brothers and sisters, let's evangelize unbelievers like the apostles and the early church members had. Let's be the witnesses of Jesus Christ. As long as there are unbelievers in the world, let us evangelize.
