The Purpose And Power of Christ’s Church-Part II

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

1 In the first book, O aTheophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began bto do andteach, 2 until the day when che was taken up, after he dhad given commandsethrough the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 fHe presented himselfalive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days andspeaking about the kingdom of God.

4 And while staying1 with them ghe ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, butto wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5 for hJohnbaptized with water, hbut you will be baptized iwith2 the Holy Spirit not many daysfrom now.”

The Ascension

6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, jwill you at this timekrestore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, l“It is not for you to know mtimes orseasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive npowerowhen the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and pyou will be qmy witnesses in Jerusalemand in all Judea and rSamaria, and sto the end of the earth.” 9 And when he had saidthese things, as they were looking on, the was lifted up, and ua cloud took him out oftheir sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, vtwo wmenstood by them in xwhite robes, 11 and said, y“Men of Galilee, why do you stand lookinginto heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, zwill acome in thesame way as you saw him go into heaven.”

(ESV)