Exploring God’s Word (Lesson 8)

I. The Birth of the Church Adult Sunday School December 11, 2005
1. The Promise of the Holy Ghost
Just prior to His ascension Jesus told His disciples not to begin their ministry yet
but to wait in the city of Jerusalem
until they were endued with power from on high. Without the baptism of the Holy host,
the great commission would have been a hopeless task to fulfill. The preaching of the
gospel was to be done in the power and the inspiration of the Spirit. In Acts 1:8 Jesus
promised the disciples power. The Holy Ghost was the power that would extend the
influence of the disciples' ministry to the uttermost parts of the earth. It was to begin at
Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost.
2. The Upper Room
About 120 of Jesus' disciples gathered in an upper room in Jerusalem. Among
them were Mary the mother of Jesus (Acts 1:14), His brothers, and the twelve
apostles. For approximately seven to ten days they remained there in constant
prayer and supplication. Then the Jewish feast day of Pentecost arrived.
The disciples were all with one accord in their worship and prayer. Acts 2:1-4
records the details of this first glorious outpouring of the Holy Ghost. The place
where they were sitting was overwhelmed by the sound of a rushing, mighty wind
that came from heaven.
Acts 2:3 records another supernatural event immediately following the wind.
Cloven tongues like flames of fire appeared and sat upon each of them.
Of the many wonderful things that took place in the upper room, the greatest
miracle was the one recorded in verse 4. They were all filled with the Holy Ghost
and began to speak with other tongues (languages) as the Spirit gave them
utterance. When they were all filled with the Spirit, the initial sign of the baptism of
the Holy Ghost was given. The disciples began to speak with other tongues,
glorifying God in languages they had never learned.

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 Saved by the Holy Ghost (step 6, the seven steps of salvation)
Jesus said to Nicodemus, '...except a man be born again he cannot see the
kingdom of God" (John 3:3). Nicodemus asked Jesus, "How can a man be born when
he is old? Can he enter the second lime into his mother's womb, and be born?" (John
3:6). Jesus said to
Nicodemus, 'Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the
Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God" (John 3:5).
• Romans8: 9— '...if any man nave not the Spirit of Christ, fie is none of His."
• Romans8: 14— ", as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God."
How do I know if I have received the Spirit of God? What is the initial physical
evidence? Read about the new birth experience in Acts 2:1-4.
• Acts 10:44-46— While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost tell on all them
which heard the Word. And they of the circumcision, which believed, were astonished,
as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift
of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God...'
• Read Acts 19:1-6

Holy Spirit in the Bible (as told by www.wikipedia.com)

Christians believe it is the Holy Spirit who leads people to faith in Jesus and the
one who gives them the ability to lead a Christian life. The Spirit dwells inside every true
Christian, each one's body being His temple (First Epistle to the Corinthians 3:16). He is
depicted as a 'Counsellor' or 'Helper' (paracletus in Latin, derived from Greek), guiding
them in the way of the truth. The Spirit's action in one's life is believed to produce
positive results, known as the Fruit of the Spirit. The Spirit is also believed to give gifts
(i.e. abilities) to Christians. These may include the charismatic gifts such as prophecy,
tongues, healing, and knowledge.Christians agree "spiritual gifts" are still in effect today,
including the gifts of ministry, teaching, giving, leadership, and mercy (see, e.g. Romans
12:6-8). In some sects of Christianity, the experience of the Holy Spirit is referred to as
being "anointed". In the African American Gospel music tradition, the experience of the
Holy Spirit is referred to as 'getting happy'.
Christians believe that it is the Holy Spirit whom Jesus mentions as the promised
"Comforter" (i.e. "strengthener", "fortifier") in John 14:26. After his resurrection, Christ
told his disciples that they would be "baptized with the Holy Ghost", and would receive
power from this event (Acts 1:4-8); a promise that was fulfilled in the events recounted
in the second chapter of Acts. On the first Pentecost, Jesus' disciples were gathered in
Jerusalem when a mighty wind was heard and tongues of fire appeared over their
heads. A multilingual crowd heard the disciples speaking, and each of them heard them
speaking in his or her native language.
In John's Gospel, emphasis is placed not upon what the Holy Spirit did for Jesus,
but upon Jesus giving the Spirit to His disciples. Although the language used to describe
Jesus' receiving the Spirit in John's Gospel is parallel to the accounts in the other three
Gospels, John relates this with the aim of showing that Jesus is specially in possession
of the Spirit for the purpose of granting the Spirit to His followers, uniting them with
Himself, and in Himself also uniting them with the Father. In John, the gift of the Spirit is
equivalent to eternal life, knowledge of God, power to obey, and communion with one
another and with the Father.

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Holy Ghost is Jesus in Spirit Form! (The New Birth Experience)
These three titles refer to the different roles of the same One God! He is Father
in creation; Son in redemption; Holy Ghost in His body, the church!
2 Corinthians 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself,
not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of
reconciliation.
Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall
be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty
God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Now you’re ready for the wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit!
Start with Old Testament Prophecy:
Ezekiel 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and
I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall
keep my judgments, and do them.
Joel 2:28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all
flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream
dreams, your young men shall see visions:
Then it happened for the first time:
Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord
in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it
filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of
them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues,
as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Jesus prophesied this also:

John 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow
rivers of living water.
39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for
the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

You do not receive the Holy Ghost automatically when you believe. It is a separate but
dynamic experience that is part of the new birth.

Read Acts 19:1-6

Is the Holy Ghost necessary for salvation?

Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the
gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that
holy Spirit of promise.

Read Acts 10:1-4

The single common sign of the Baptism of the Holy Ghost was “Speaking with
Tongues”
Isaiah 28:11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
Acts 2:39 For the 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.
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Test Your Knowledge

Summary Questions

1. T / F People are good at heart and really do not need salvation.

2. T / F Repentance is necessary according to the Scriptures.
3. T / F Acts is the book where the apostles taught salvation.
4. T / F All preachers teach the same thing, and there are no false teachers in the
church world today.
5. T / F Repentance means the act of turning about.
6. T / F Water baptism is just an outward sing of an inward cleansing with out any
genuine significance.
7. T / F It really doesn’t matter how you’re baptized, just as long as you are.
8. T / F The initial evidence of the Holy Ghost is joy.
9. T / F The Holy Ghost is an essential part of the new birth.
10. T / F Jesus’ name must be invoked to have a proper baptism.

Fill in the blanks

1. What three elements did the original plan of salvation that was preached by
peter include? (Acts 2:38)
a. ______________ b. _______________ c. __________________.
2. John the Baptist baptized unto _________________________.
3. The only name the apostles ever used to baptize was _________________.
4. Water baptism has two distinct meanings __________________and
_____________________.
5. Jesus prophesied that _________________ and ________________ of
__________________ would be preached in Jerusalem.
6. A person must be baptized in order to wash away his __________________.
7. The name of the Father is __________________.
The name of the Son is ____________________.
The name used in reference to the Holy Ghost is _____________________.
8. On the day of Pentecost, believers were filled with the Holy Ghost and began
to ___________________ with other _______________________ .
9. With out faith it is impossible to please God: He is a rewarder of them that
_______________________ seek Him.
10. Would you or someone you know like to experience the new birth that the
Bible teaches? ___________________________

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