Second Work Of Grace Series

A SECOND WORK OF GRACE

Text: Acts 1:4-11

Introduction

1. This series through the Book of Acts I am entitling “The Blueprint for the New Testament Church,” I believe it is God’s guidebook for what a New Testament Church should be. In other words, if we want what they got, we need to do what they did!

2. Luke’s second book, the Book of Acts, was his historically accurate account of the early Christian church. In addition to being a blueprint for the New Testament church, it is also an account of what the Holy Spirit did in the early church. It could easily be called “The Acts of the Holy Spirit.”

3. Illustration: It was John Wesley who coined the phrase “A Second Work of Grace.” He believed that there was an empowerment available to believers that was in addition to salvation. However, it was a Methodist Holiness preacher in the mid 1800’s named Phoebe Palmer who gave the term a more focused idea. She believed that this second work of grace, which was in addition to salvation, called the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which she believed was available to all believers, was an empowerment for ministry.

4. This second work of grace is…

a. In Addition To

b. An Empowerment for Ministry

c. Asks the question: What Are We Waiting For?

5. Read Acts 1:4-11

Transition: First, this second work of grace is…

I. In Addition To (4-5).

A. You Will Be Baptized

1. As I stated in the introduction, the Book of Acts is the blueprint for the NT church. This section of chapter 1 lays the foundation for the rest of the book and for the church itself.

2. Jesus spent a good portion of his last 40 days on earth teaching his disciples in order to prepare them for the mission he had for them. In vv. 4-5 it says, “Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. 5 John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

a. First, you will notice that Jesus gives them a command, not a suggestion, that they stay in Jerusalem until the Father sends the gift he promised.

b. He impressed upon them that this was something that was so important that they could not fulfill the mission he was giving them without it.

c. But what did Jesus mean when he referred to “the Father sends you the gift he promised?” I mean, there are lots of promises in the bible, why is this one different? The promise that Jesus is referring to here has to do with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

d. “Then, after doing all those things, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions. 29 In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on servants—men and women alike. (Joel 2:28-29).

e. You see up until this time, the Holy Spirit was given only to certain people, like prophets, priests, and kings. But now the Holy Spirit would be available to all of God’s people.

f. Notice the inclusive language used by Joel, like, “all people,” “sons and daughters,” “old men and young men,” “men and women,” and “even on servants.”

g. God promises to pour out his Spirit on all who believe. Then Jesus reminds them that he had told them about this before.

h. “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.” (Luke 24:49).

3. So, Jesus reminds them not only about the promise, but also about the need for the promise.

a. Twice now he tells them not to go anywhere until the Spirit falls on them and fills them with power from heaven.

b. They would need this power to do what he was asking of them.

4. Then Jesus gives further explanation of this important gift. He says, “John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

a. In Scripture, the word “baptism” comes from a Greek word which means to “dip or immerse.”

b. Now in any baptism, there is the one doing the baptizing, something they are baptized in, and the candidate being baptized.

c. In the case of Holy Spirit baptism, Jesus does the baptizing, the Holy Spirit is what we are baptized in, and we are the one being baptized.

d. And if baptism means to immerse, we are surrounded, covered, and filled with the powerful presence of the Holy Spirit.