4 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.”
Verses 4 and 5 demonstrate that the coming and baptism of the Holy Spirit is essential to advance the gospel. Verse 4 is one occasion of Jesus’ post-Resurrection appearances.
1:4
And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem,
While assembled, the Lord challenged the apostles not to depart from Jerusalem until a new economy would begin by the Holy Spirit.
but to wait for the Promise of the Father,
The apostles needed to remain together to experience the beginning of the church economy on the Day of Pentecost. That was the day when the Holy Spirit would indwell every believer and launch the church. The apostles had to do nothing but “wait,” nothing more. They did not wait for an experience but for the “Promise” to come, which was the Holy Spirit. This event would become a point of epic transition to a new economy.
“which,” He said, “you have heard from Me;
The “which” here refers to the “Promise of the Father.”
1:5
for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit
John baptized with physical water, but believers in the new economy would be baptized spiritually by the Holy Spirit; that is, the Spirit would place them in the body of Christ (1 Co 12:13). God had not yet sent the Holy Spirit to any believer.
not many days from now.”
Ten days remained until the coming of the Holy Spirit.
PRINCIPLE:
The baptism of the Spirit is an act of grace from God.
APPLICATION:
Pentecost means “fifty.” The Holy Spirit came upon the church 50 days from the Feast of the Firstfruits. Jesus ascended to heaven 40 days after His Resurrection. The apostles waited 10 more days for Pentecost. The Spirit came with precision on the 50th day to establish the church.
Christians do not receive the Holy Spirit because they are worthy of Him. God baptizes and indwells them the moment they become believers. It is all of grace, not self-effort.
God did not intend the baptism of the Spirit for an extraordinary few super-spiritual believers. The Bible never commands the believer to be baptized by the Spirit. Instead, it is something that God does—He baptizes each believer with the Holy Spirit at the point of salvation (1 Co 12:13; Tit 3:5-6).
