For This Purpose #3

For this Purpose, #3

For three weeks now we have been talking about our purpose. After salvation God appeared to us to make us ministers and witnesses of what we have seen and what He will show us. He brought us out of darkness into the light so we can lead others out of darkness, that they might receive forgiveness of sin and receive their inheritance in the Kingdom of God. It is His plan that we all grow and help others go on into a deeper relationship with Him. In the first verse of Luke, it is very clear that the word is talking to Christians. Then at the end there is a very profound statement “And Behold I send the promise of My Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city if Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high” [Luke 24:49]. There was more, a plan and purpose they had not received. Then in Acts, the book we all know was the beginning of the church, the followers of Jesus Christ of whom He is the head. [Eph.1:22]. He said ”For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence” [Acts 1:5]. Let the scripture be proven by two or three witnesses. John said “I indeed baptize you with water into repentance: but He that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He will baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire” [Matt.3:11]. As we study the whole book of Acts, we see people receive Jesus as their savior and are baptized in water for the remission of sin. This is called the baptism of John.

Even Jesus came to John and ask him to baptize Him, not because he had any sin, but to set the example for us in the beginning of His teachings. Then we see a second baptism, Jesus Himself is the baptizer of the Holy Ghost. “But ye shall receive power after the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth” [Acts 1:8]. As we witness, and demonstrate that power, it just keeps on going till all in the earth has heard. “For this Purpose,”

We see this baptism, engulfing submerging in the Spirit prophesied in the Old Testament “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my sprit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophecy your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also, upon the servants and upon handmaids in those days I will pour out my spirit and I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth”, [ Joel 3:28-30]. This prophecy was introduced on the day of Pentecost, “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire and it sat upon each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the spirit gave them utterance” [Acts2:1-4]. Being in one accord causes mighty things to happen! “Therefore, being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he has shed forth this, which ye now see and hear” [Acts 3:33]. Then Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For this promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call” [Acts 3:38-39]. I am a “Shall call” Are you? All this ---“For this purpose”