The Promise of the Father

“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; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now” (Acts 1:4-5).

The second important factor that we need to consider takes us back again to God’s actions –to see what happened when Jesus got back to heaven! – and for this information we must engage with Peter’s Pentecost sermon, which was his way of explaining to the vast crowd which had gathered together what was going on. There is no greater sermon in the entire Bible than Peter’s Pentecost message which is focused entirely on JESUS CHRIST – His humanity, ministry, death, entombment, resurrection, ascension, exaltation, receiving Father’s enthronement gift of the Holy Spirit and outpouring the Spirit upon His disciples,

“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up …” (2:22-24).

Peter points to Jesus’ ascent from earth to throne, His receiving from Father the promised gift of the Holy Spirit and immediately He mediates the Holy Spirit through His own person to the waiting disciples,

“This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Therefore, being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear” (vv32- 33).