Introduction: We studied Jesus’ last sermon in John 14-17. There He repeatedly mentioned about the Holy Spirit. Still the Holy Spirit was a doctrine and not a dynamic for the disciples. If we had asked the disciples, “Who is the Holy Spirit?,” they would have rightly answered, “He is the Comforter.” If we asked, “What does the Holy Spirit do?”, they would have answered, “The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin and righteousness and judgment.” In fact they would have given all the right answers in a catechism. But if we asked them, “How much do you know Him in your personal experience?” they would admitted a considerable amount of ignorance. Same is the situation of most Christians in our days. We all know the Holy Spirit as a doctrine, but very few know Him personally, very few know Him as a dynamic. So, we want to consider this morning:
How the doctrine of the Holy Spirit in John’s gospel became to the disciples a dynamic in the Acts?
Remember however that as soon as we talk about the Holy Spirit not as a doctrine but a dynamic difficulty arises, people get tensed and worried. It is because we can keep the doctrine inside of a book or in some compartment of your mind. But when He becomes a dynamic we are talking about the personal experience of Him, letting Him take control over lives.
FIRST STEP:
By way of review: If what Jesus said in the most important sermon about the Holy Spirit, that the Holy Spirit is Allos Parakletos or Another Comforter, then two things follow:
First, His personality. The Holy Spirit is a person like Jesus is a person. The Holy Spirit speaks, listens, loves, feels, grieves just as Jesus does. Even many Christians make the mistake of calling the Holy Spirit “it” rather than “He.” All the cult groups such as the Jehova’s Witness, the Mormons and the Christian Science address the Holy Spirit as a “it” or an impersonal “force” rather than a personal being to be addressed “He.”
Second, His deity. Not only God (or the Father) and Jesus are Gods, the Holy Spirit is equally God like the Father and the Son. As God, we can pray to Him, request Him, talk to Him, praise Him and worship Him. Did you realize that when we were singing the song “Pavitra Aatma Aaa” or “Come, Holy Spirit” we were actually directly talking or praying to the Holy Spirit! There are many Christian songs and Hymns wherein we directly talk or pray to the Holy Spirit.
Identical in their personality, yet the Trinity have unique roles. The Holy Spirit is Another Comforter, meaning He is identical to Jesus. He is in essence just like Jesus. Yet the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit have unique roles in our lives. Consider for example, looking at a house three different persons say: “This is my house.” All three of them are right. The first person is the architect or the builder of the house. The second person is the owner who bought the house. And the third person is the tenant of the house. A similar parallel can be drawn. Looking at a Christian all Three persons of the blessed Trinity say: “He is my son / daughter.” The Father, is the architect and the Maker of that person. The Son is the One who bought that person by paying a heavy price of His own blood. The Holy Spirit is the tenant who lives and dwells in that person.
Another example: Superstar Rajesh Khanna passed away and now there is going to be division of his property between his legal wife, Dimple, his living mate and other family members. Mr Khanna prepared his will before he died and as soon as he died his will come to effect. What is God’s will for His children and how is it effected? God the Father prepared the Will. But as you know unless someone dies his will does not come into effect. For God’s will to come into effect, God the Son died. We know that Jesus had nothing valuable possession in His earthly life. He had no house or other property to leave behind. Then what did he leave for us? Twice in the passage we read (John 20:19-23), the Risen Jesus says to His disciples “Peace be with you.” The disciples are locked behind the doors for the fear of the Jews. Their lives are in danger of persecution. How could Jesus say “Peace be with you?” Was he suggesting, “Guys, don’t worry this situation is going to change. We will not have anymore threat from the Jews. We will not face any persecution in you life. Just chill!” No, Jesus knew it well how the disciples were going to face more severe persecution in the days ahead. But He was giving them peace that is beyond human circumstances and human understanding. He promised to them peace not as the world understand. He promised to them peace because they were soon going to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. They were going to have peace as a fruit of the Holy Spirit. Peace is the only thing that Jesus left for us in this world. But peace is the biggest thing we need. True peace that Jesus gives means the forgiveness of all our sins, restoration of our relationship with God and mankind, restoration of life’s meaning and purpose. In essence all what we need is peace that Jesus died to give us. The Holy Spirit is the executor of the Will for which Jesus died. Regardless of our human situation, when the Holy Spirit lives in us, we will have peace!
Now let us examine the passage (John 20:19-23) we want to study today a little more. Look at versus 21 & 22. “Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit...” (John 20:22-23) This was the evening of the first Easter Sunday. Jesus appeared to His disciples. It says that Jesus breathed on them. The Greek word here for breathing is not the gentle, quiet, often unnoticed breathing we do. But strong, noisy and powerful breathing: “ru-akh!” With that kind of breathing Jesus said or rather commanded his disciples “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
My question is did the disciples receive the Holy Spirit at this time? The Scriptural evidences suggest that they did not. In fact Jesus would tell them, “Wait in Jerusalem until you receive the Holy Spirit…” If we say that the disciples received the Holy Spirit at this time, then Thomas who was not present at the moment, when did he receive? And if they did not receive the Holy Spirit, why did Jesus breathe on them? And why did he say “Receive the Holy Spirit.”? What was Jesus trying to communicate to his disciples? Jesus was communicating three things about the Holy Spirit.
First, a sign. Jesus breathing the strong wind on them was for them to be a sign. The next time, after nearly two months, when he breathed from heaven, when a strong rushing might wind came, the disciples knew it was Jesus breathing on them.
Second, a connection. Jesus was telling them that the Holy Spirit is His breathe. The Holy Spirit is His wind. That is why the Holy Spirit is often described as the Spirit of Jesus. He was showing them the connection between Him and the Holy Spirit.
Third, a command. We know that with the best intentions in the world a gift can be rejected. When Jesus said “Receive” it was imperative, it was a command. Believe it or not, the Holy Spirit can be rejected. His gifts can be rejected and despised. We can shut Him out of our lives and families and churches. It is as if, “We know the Father, we know Jesus and we have the Bible to guide us now.”
SECOND STEP:
Authority and Ability: Now let us look to the first mention of the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts. In fact the last of mention of the Holy Spirit in the gospel of Luke and the first mention of Him in Acts take place at the same mountain top. There the Risen Jesus, before He was taken up to heaven, tells His disciples: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 1:4-5). Then He goes on to say, “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.” Notice the words “wait” and “power.”
Too often we evangelicals make a rushed conclusion about our mission based on Matthew 28:18-19 “ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” In fact this verse has been the foundation for mission in many Churches and fellowships I have known, and need a bit of examination.
The Risen Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth. And he gave this authority to his disciples. Based on the authority of Jesus the disciples can go and make other disciples. But the same Risen Jesus said, “Wait…” Wait until you receive power. In Matthew 28 he gave them authority. But in Acts 1:8 , in spite of His authority, He wanted them to wait, until they also got power.
Exousia and Dynami—Authority and Ability: There are two Greek words that are often translated in English as power. In Matthew 28 Jesus used the word exousia, meaning authority. In Acts 1:8 Jesus used the word dynamis, meaning “ability.” It is one thing to have authority to make disciples, but it is quite another thing to have the ability to make disciples. And Jesus said, “Wait until you receive ability when the Holy Spirit comes on you.”
Let’s take an example. When a person applies for a provisional (or learning) license he gets the authority to drive on the road. But that license does not give him the ability to drive on the road. So the instructor always keeps a hand ready to pull the handbrake when this person is on the road!
Every born again believers has Jesus’ authority to make disciples. Based on Jesus’ authority we can go anywhere and talk to anyone about Jesus, because we have His authority. But do we have the ability to make them disciples? How often we leaders and preachers are guilty of sending people to go and evangelize without waiting for the ability they need! And how do we try to get ability? Programs, Conferences, Strategies, Handbooks, Manuals, Studies! Yes they have some value, but they do not give us the ability to make disciples. The Church is full of people who have the authority but do not have the ability, until unless they are baptized by the Holy Spirit.
How much of our churches are busy to get authority? “If only I had more control over people, finances and decisions!” “If only I had more authority!” When in fact what we should be talking about and aiming for is not “authority” but “ability.” And Jesus said, “You will receive power (read ability) when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses …”
We still have not answered the question, how the doctrine of the Holy Spirit in John’s gospel became for the disciples a dynamic?
The answer is in Jesus’ word “wait.” What, wait? Do nothing? That is the irony of the English language when Bible words get translated. The original word “wait” does not mean doing nothing. It is not a passive word. The word “wait” in the bible is a active, busy word! When we go to a restaurant the person we call “waiter” is not a passive person, sitting and doing nothing, but a busy person doing all that necessary for you to have a good meal.
We know that the disciples waited ten days until they receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit. But they weren’t sitting a doing nothing. They were jolly busy. For sure, Acts 1 tells us that they were getting themselves organized. They selected an apostle to take Judas’ place. They were preparing the machinery. They were studying the Bible. They had prayer meetings. They were as busy as after they had received the Holy Spirit. Only difference is that, before the Pentecost everything they achieved was within the Church. After the Pentecost, most of what they achieved was outside of the Church! As we wait to be baptized in the Holy Spirit we must learned to wait. However, instead of waiting for the Lord, we must learn waiting on the Lord! And both are not the same thing.
THIRD STEP:
The Pentecost experience. We shall talk about it next week.
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