What role does the Holy Spirit play in fulfilling the Great Commission? Setting the Scene Acts 11:16: “Then I remembered the word of the Lord, as He used to say, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’” Peter recalls Jesus’ promise while explaining to Jewish believers how Gentiles, too, had received salvation. This memory anchors the truth that the Holy Spirit is inseparable from carrying out Jesus’ final directive—the Great Commission. The Spirit Promised for the Mission • Matthew 28:19-20 gives the assignment: “Go and make disciples…” • Acts 1:8 supplies the means: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses…” • Acts 11:16 ties the promise to lived experience: the same Spirit baptism that launched Jewish believers at Pentecost now empowers Gentiles, proving the global scope of the Commission. How the Spirit Fuels the Great Commission 1. Power to speak with boldness • Acts 2:4—Spirit-filled disciples “began to speak in other tongues.” • Acts 4:31—“They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.” 2. Guidance to the right people at the right moment • Acts 8:29—“The Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go over and join this chariot.’” • Acts 10:19-20—Peter is told, “Rise, go down, and accompany them without hesitation.” 3. Conviction in the hearts of listeners • John 16:8—“When He comes, He will convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment.” • Acts 2:37—After Peter’s sermon, the crowd is “pierced to the heart.” 4. Unity across cultural and ethnic lines • Acts 11:17—“If God gave them the same gift… who was I to hinder God?” • Ephesians 2:18—“For through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.” 5. Ongoing comfort and strengthening • Acts 9:31—“Walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.” 6. Confirmation through signs that validate the gospel • Romans 15:18-19—Paul reports that Christ worked “by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God.” Snapshots from Acts: The Spirit in Action • Pentecost (Acts 2): 3,000 added in one day. • Samaria (Acts 8): The Spirit falls, confirming salvation beyond Judea. • Caesarea (Acts 10-11): Cornelius’s household receives the Spirit, opening the door to the Gentiles. • Antioch (Acts 13): The Spirit commissions Paul and Barnabas, launching missionary journeys. Each moment fulfills Jesus’ words: worldwide witness empowered by the Spirit. Living This Out Today • Dependence: Prayerfully seek the Spirit’s empowerment before any act of witness. • Sensitivity: Listen for His promptings—He still directs conversations, locations, and timing. • Boldness: Trust that His power, not human eloquence, turns hearts. • Inclusivity: Welcome every ethnicity and background, recognizing the Spirit grants the same gift to all who believe. • Perseverance: Rest in His comfort when opposition comes, knowing the mission’s success is guaranteed by His presence. Acts 11:16 reminds us that the same Holy Spirit who baptized the first believers continues to fill, guide, and embolden us. By His power, we join a centuries-long story of proclaiming Christ “to the ends of the earth.” |
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