There is a picture of the church in the book of Acts that stands as both our history and our calling. It is a picture of a community awakened, empowered, and united by the Holy Spirit for the fulfillment of God’s final purpose in the world.
Acts does not begin with a church capable of such a mission. It begins with disciples who have recently fled in fear, denied their Lord, and misunderstood nearly everything He tried to teach them about His kingdom. Yet Jesus looked upon these ordinary, imperfect people and declared that through them His work would move to the ends of the earth.
That transformation—from fear to courage, confusion to clarity, self-preservation to sacrificial witness—is the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers. We cannot finish the work Christ has entrusted to His church without the same transforming power.
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1. The Central Commission
Before ascending, Jesus gave a clear commission that forms the outline of the entire book of Acts:
“You shall receive power when the Holy Ghost has come upon you;
and you shall be witnesses to Me
in Jerusalem,
and in all Judea and Samaria,
and to the end of the earth.”
Acts 1:8
This promise establishes the foundation of the church’s identity:
• The church exists to witness for Christ.
• Christ Himself provides the power for that witness.
• The Holy Spirit is the One through whom that power is experienced.
• Mission expands outward to the entire world.
The everlasting gospel cannot be proclaimed to every nation and people through human strength alone. Only the presence of the Holy Spirit can bring to completion the work God has entrusted to His remnant church.
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2. The Book of Acts as Pattern and Prophecy
Acts is the only unfinished book in Scripture. It concludes without closure, because the story is intended to continue. How the gospel began its advance through the world shows how it will finish. The same Spirit who brought life to the early church will again empower the latter rain, when the earth is lightened with God’s glory (Revelation 18:1).
The early rain began the mission. The latter rain will complete it.
A study of Acts is therefore not only historical reflection but practical preparation for the church that awaits the soon return of Christ.
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3. The Church Before Pentecost
Before mission came fellowship and prayer. Acts opens with believers united:
“They were all with one accord in one place.”
Acts 2:1
Unity preceded power. The church did not scatter to labor alone. They remained together, seeking God. Reconciliation was needed. Humility was needed. Patience was needed. Yet they remained.
The Spirit moves most freely in a church that chooses to remain together until God makes them one.
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4. The First Work of the Spirit
When the Spirit descended, the first visible sign was communication of the gospel. Every person heard the message in a language they understood. The Spirit did not call the church to stay in prayer without witness. Renewal led immediately to proclamation of Christ.
Peter’s message was direct and Christ-centered:
“Repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ
for the remission of sins;
and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
Acts 2:38
The heart of the message that will finish the work is the same as the one that began it:
• Forgiveness through the sacrifice of Christ
• Conversion of the heart
• The gift of the Holy Spirit
Where this message is central, the Spirit empowers.
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5. The Spirit Produces a New Community
Pentecost did not only lead to individual conversion. It formed a community shaped by the Spirit:
“And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship,
in the breaking of bread,
and in prayers.”
Acts 2:42
Marks of a Spirit-filled church include:
Devotion to Scripture
Authentic fellowship
Shared worship
Mutual care and generosity
Daily witness and growth
The Spirit does not dwell in a self-absorbed or divided congregation. Where Christlike love is present, the Spirit is at work.
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6. The Spirit and the Love of Christ
The Spirit’s first work is to lift up Christ and write His love on human hearts.
A forgiven church becomes a forgiving church.
A redeemed community becomes a reconciling community.
“By this all will know that you are My disciples,
if you have love for one another.”
John 13:35
The highest evidence of the Spirit’s presence is a congregation reflecting the love and humility of Christ.
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7. The Spirit and Assurance in Christ
The proclamation of forgiveness is central to the finishing of the work. There is no confidence in witness without confidence in salvation. Our identity is grounded in Christ:
• Complete in Him
• Accepted in the Beloved
• Justified by His righteousness
The more deeply this assurance is believed, the more freely God’s people serve.
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8. The Spirit and the Finishing of the Work
The global mission of the Advent movement cannot be accomplished merely by effort or structure. Only a Spirit-filled people may carry the everlasting gospel with conviction and power into all the world.
Programs may assist. Methods may support.
But only the Spirit brings life, courage, and holy boldness.
The latter rain will not fall upon a church relying on its own strength.
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9. A Call to Preparation
The disciples prayed and waited. They surrendered and reconciled. They prepared not by creating new strategies but by yielding their hearts to God.
The Spirit fills the church that lets go of self-will and embraces Christ’s mission.
Before Pentecost, they asked for God to be honored.
Before Pentecost, they asked for courage to witness.
Before Pentecost, they asked for Christ to reign fully in their lives.
This must be our prayer today.
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10. The Spirit and Courage in Witness
The Spirit-strengthened church in Acts did not escape opposition. Their bold witness stirred the resistance of forces opposed to the gospel. Yet the church did not retreat. They did not seek safety over faithfulness.
When threatened, they prayed:
“Lord, look on their threats,
and grant to Your servants that with all boldness
they may speak Your word.”
Acts 4:29
God answered:
“When they had prayed,
the place where they were assembled together was shaken;
and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost,
and they spoke the word of God with boldness.”
Acts 4:31
The Holy Spirit does not remove challenges.
He grants courage to stand for Christ in the midst of them.
A Spirit-filled church does not fear the cost of discipleship. It fears only unfaithfulness to the mission of God.
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11. The Spirit and Holiness of Life
In Acts 5, the church learns that the presence of the Spirit makes holiness essential. The early church did not tolerate hypocrisy because the Spirit Himself dwelt among them. When Ananias and Sapphira deceived the community, their actions were described as a lie “to the Holy Ghost” (Acts 5:3).
A Spirit-filled church must guard the purity of its witness. Holiness is not merely abstaining from sin but living in complete devotion to the will of God.
Holiness is the fruit of a heart surrendered to Christ. It is the visible result of God’s transformative grace. The latter rain will not fall upon a careless or complacent people, but upon those who humble themselves beneath the cross of Christ.
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12. The Spirit and Care for the Needy
The church in Acts also shows the Spirit’s concern for people in practical need. When widows were overlooked in the daily distribution, the apostles did not ignore it. They called the church to choose servant leaders “full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom” (Acts 6:3).
A Spirit-filled church does not neglect justice, compassion, or the protection of the vulnerable. It is a place where every person—regardless of background, age, status, or circumstance—knows the love of Christ through the care of His people.
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13. The Spirit and the Expansion of the Gospel
The witness expands beyond Jerusalem to Samaria through Philip’s ministry, revealing that the Spirit breaks down prejudices and brings reconciliation between long-separated peoples. Through Peter’s vision and Cornelius’s conversion, the Spirit declares that the gospel is meant for all nations.
Later, the Spirit calls Saul, once a persecutor, to become a missionary to the Gentiles. He directs the missionary journeys of Paul and Barnabas, opening and closing doors according to divine purpose.
This expansion is not accidental. It is the fulfillment of the commission Christ gave. The Holy Spirit ensures that the gospel moves ever outward until it touches the entire world.
A Spirit-filled church cannot limit its mission to its own comfort zone. It must always ask:
Where does the Spirit send us next?
Who still has not heard?
What step of obedience is God calling us to take?
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14. The Spirit and the Great Final Work
As we reflect upon the church in Acts, we recognize a divine pattern:
• The Holy Spirit fills God’s people
• God’s people proclaim Christ boldly
• Souls respond in repentance and faith
• The church grows in love, unity, and holiness
• The gospel advances despite opposition
This pattern will be repeated in the last days with even greater glory.
The three angels’ messages of Revelation 14 call all humanity to fear God, give glory to Him, and worship the Creator. The Spirit will empower this proclamation so that every nation, tribe, language, and people hears the everlasting gospel before Christ returns.
The light that once illuminated the Roman world will soon light the entire earth with the splendor of God’s grace.
The finishing of the work is not achieved by human ingenuity. It is the result of a people surrendered fully to the Spirit of God.
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15. A Spirit-Filled Church Today
As we consider the call of God to this church in this time, we must ask ourselves:
What would our congregation look like if the Holy Spirit fully possessed our lives?
We would see reconciliation replace resentment.
We would see prayer guiding every decision.
We would see Scripture shaping every conviction.
We would see generosity flowing freely to those in need.
We would see mission filling every heart with purpose.
We would see worship marked by awe and gratitude.
We would see forgiveness offered without hesitation.
We would see love that cannot be hidden.
A Spirit-filled church does not wait to be perfect before it serves.
It begins by surrendering all it is to Christ.
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16. The Spirit’s Invitation
The Holy Spirit is not an abstract force. He is the promised presence of Christ with His people. He invites every believer into a life of assurance, holiness, courage, and service.
He invites the church into unity, mission, and prayer.
He invites us to remember that God has not abandoned His work.
He invites us to believe that every promise of God will be fulfilled in Christ.
The question is not whether God is ready.
The question is whether we are willing.
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17. A Call to Renewed Commitment
We stand in a world that grows ever more complex and unsettled. Yet the church is not without hope. We are not without guidance. We are not without power. The same Spirit who transformed a fearful group of disciples into courageous witnesses stands ready to renew His work today.
In response to God’s Word, I invite you to stand where you are as a testimony of your desire:
• To be filled with the Holy Spirit
• To surrender every part of life to Christ
• To become a living witness of His grace
• To serve in unity and love
• To be prepared for the outpouring of the latter rain
As you stand, you express before God:
“I am Yours. Use me in Your mission. Form in me the character of Christ. Unite me with Your people in holy love. Finish Your work in my life and in Your church.”
This is not a call to self-confidence, but to the confidence that Christ is sufficient. May our standing be a humble prayer for God to dwell among us and work through us until Jesus returns.
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Let us pray.
Gracious Father,
We thank You for the gift of Your Holy Spirit.
We thank You for forgiveness through Jesus Christ our Lord.
We ask that You unite this congregation in love and devotion to Your Word.
Prepare us for the latter rain.
Grant us courage to witness, compassion to serve, and holiness of life.
May Your mission advance through us.
May Your presence dwell among us.
And may Your name be glorified in this place.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
