Waiting on the Holy Spirit

The Rev. Herbert G. Hand

Faith Anglican Church

Cordova, Tennessee

May 4, 2008

Series: Drawing Close to the Living God

Title: Waiting on the Holy Spirit

Text: Acts 1:1-14

I. New and Improved?

This week I Googled the phrase, “new and improved” on the Internet. I received over 1,000,000 hits. We live in a culture that demands constant change, excitement, stimulation.

Is that laundry detergent really that new?

Is that new breakfast cereal really that improved?

I’ve seen advertisements for churches claiming:

A New and Exciting Worship Service.

http://calendar.signonsandiego.com/?q=node/1073

Highly Energetic Children's Programs.

http://www.directory-assistance.net/business/Community-Bible-Church/Brighton-MICHIGAN/1777577422.html

“We have amazing youth programs!

http://www.templebethelhollywood.org/hefty_jr__hefty.htm

New, improved, exciting, stimulating, energetic, entertaining....

Yet, in today’s reading from Acts chapter one, Jesus tells His followers to do something quiet, calm, still. He said,

⁴...“Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. Acts 1:4 (NIV)

Wait?!? We don’t want to wait! We want action, stimulation, entertainment, excitement!

There are times when Jesus tells us to stop the stimulation. Like Mary in Luke chapter ten, he wants us to choose “the better part,” to sit at Jesus feet, to listen, to wait, to receive.

II. Unwilling to Wait

A Ruined Christmas in State College

When I was in the third grade we lived in State College, Pennsylvania.

As my father completed his doctoral studies, we lived in a two bedroom house with a full basement.

The winters were long, cold, and wonderfully snowy.

That year my parents had done their Christmas shopping early. My brother and I had seen them hide the presents in my father’s study.

They clearly told me not to peek, but to wait until Christmas Day.

I was an overly hyperactive child. I was the kid who hated naps, who loved to play, who hated being still, who hated to wait.

That year, I decided not to wait until Christmas:

I snuck into my father’s study and peeked at my Christmas present.

Not waiting, absolutely ruined my Christmas.

The anticipation was gone.

I felt guilty for disobeying my parents.

I had nothing to look forward to.

We Want the Kingdom Now

Our reading from acts chapter one, verses 2-3, reminds us that Jesus had been appearing to his followers for forty days, giving them:

Words of instruction “through the Holy Spirit.”

“Many convincing proofs that he was alive.”

“And he spoke about the kingdom of God.”

Immediately after Jesus told them to wait for the Holy Spirit:

They didn’t wait.

In verse six, they said,

⁶...“Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

Acts 1:6 (NIV)

Excitement, action, bloodshed...

At this time will you make us lords and princes?

At this time will you help us take up swords and defeat the oppressive wicked Romans?

At this time will our national glory be restored?

In verse seven Jesus said,

⁷...“It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.
Acts 1:7 (NIV)

But we want to know. We want to peek. We want to be entertained and exhilarated!

III. Waiting on the Holy Spirit

Jesus went on to say in verse eight,

⁸But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Acts 1:8 (NIV)

You will receive power:

Not to defeat the Romans.

Not to gain power and position.

Not to receive riches and honor.

Through the Holy Spirit, you will receive power:

Power to be Jesus’ witnesses, locally, regionally, and internationally.

Power to be martyrs; the Greek word for witnesses is “martus” (ìÜñôõò), also meaning martyr. To some degree, to be a witness, is to be a martyr.

How do you receive the power of the Holy Spirit? Verses four and five:

⁴...wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. ⁵For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 1:4-5 (NIV)

Did they wait? Did they wait on the gift of the Holy Spirit?

Take a look at verses 12-14.

¹²Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. [roughly half a mile]

¹³When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.

¹⁴They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

Acts 1:12-14 (NIV)

Yes, they waited.

Tens of thousands had heard Jesus preach.

Hundreds had been healed by Jesus.

But only a few were willing to obey Jesus’ command, to wait for the gift of the Holy Spirit, to wait for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

The 11 apostles were there.

Mary the mother of Jesus was there.

Verse 15 tells us that altogether, there were 120 who waited in that upper room for the Holy Spirit.

A Time to be Silent

During World War Two, a pilot was on his way back to England after a mission against the Nazis on the mainland.

He was running low on fuel and was concerned that he might not make it back.

He had turned off his radio to elude his pursuers.

As he crossed the English Channel, he turned it back on again and began turning the dial to find the ever-changing proper frequency.

He needed the proper frequency to guide him to a landing strip.

He strained to hear the signal over the roar of that giant engine.

As he turned the radio dial, he broke out in a cold fearful sweat.

Finally, after intently listening for what seemed like an eternity, he heard a faint signal.

He immediately changed his flight path toward the radio transmission, and before long landed safely.

John Killinger, "Finding God in a Busy World," Preaching Today, Tape No. 132.

In this world, you and I are constantly doing battle with our enemy, the devil.

Satan pursues you, hoping you will crash and burn.

Yet, all along, the still small voice of God is speaking, direction, guiding, protecting.

Over the roar of the cacophony of voices, are you patiently straining to hear His voice?

Are you waiting on the Holy Spirit?

The 120 in the Upper Room waited for the Holy Spirit:

The were constantly in prayer, not just speaking to God, but listening for His guiding voice.

They waited for the Holy Spirit to empower them to be effective witnesses.

Passages on Waiting

Throughout the Bible, God tells His people not to rush in, in our own strength, but to wait on Him, not passively, but actively.

When I was a child, I’d much rather face a bully with my big brother, than by myself.

As a believer, I’d much rather face the world, the flesh, and the devil with God, than by myself!

Isaiah 40 reminds us that:

³⁰Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted;

³¹but those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:30-31 (NRSV)

In Psalm 37, King David said,

⁷Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.

Psalm 37:7 (NIV)

Wait on the Lord, and He will protect you, empower you, guide you.

In Psalm 130, the Psalmist said,

⁵I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.

⁶My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning.

Psalm 130:5-6 (NIV)

The night watchman of a city would walk along the city’s walls, ever vigilant against the enemy’s surprise attack. He would long for the morning light to bring its warming rays.

My soul waits for the Lord, even more than that watchman waits for the morning.

I long for the Lord to illumine me with His light.

I long for Him to warm me with His Holy Spirit.

Isaiah chapter 64 reminds us that the Lord God,

⁴...acts on behalf of those who wait for him.

Isaiah 64:4 (NIV)

Do you want the Lord to act on your behalf?

Wait for Him, listen to Him, receive what he has for you.

In First Corinthians chapter one, St. Paul encourages us to:

⁷...eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.
1 Corinthians 1:7 (NIV)

Eagerly wait.

Not eagerly run ahead.

Not passively wait.

But eagerly wait.

Full of anticipation, full of expectation, wait on the Lord, expecting His intervention.

IV. Conclusion