Promise of the Father

Promise of the Father
Raised in Power
Terry R. Baughman
“Repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things. Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city [m]of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:47–49 NKJ).
Jesus left the followers with a promise! Prior to His ascension He assured the disciples and other believers that they would be the recipients of the Father’s promise. It would be a powerful promise, as Jesus declared, “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you” (Acts 1:8 NKJ). 
The reception of the Spirit was vital for His followers to accomplish the commission with which He charged them. “He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father,” and Jesus declared, “You shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now” (Acts 1:4–5 NKJ). So, the promise of the Father was both a gift and an essential endowment of power. 
The gift and promise was intended for more than the twelve disciples or the 120 gathered in the Upper Room at Pentecost. This was evidenced in the overflow of the Spirit that filled 3,000 that gathered around Solomon’s porch to witness the dramatic display of the Holy Spirit upon those who were the first recipients of the promise. Acts 2 describes the scene, “Suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:2–4 NKJ).
The critics gathered as well as the curious. Some mocked them as drunks and disorderly. Others were amazed and questioned, “Whatever could this mean?” Acts 2:12). Peter provided the response for their questions and observations. He referenced the prophet Joel to explain the phenomenon, “And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh” (Acts 1:17). He also quoted David from the prophecies of the Psalms to declare the resurrection and exaltation of the Lord Jesus Christ, “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” (Acts 2:32–33).
The Spirit of Pentecost was the Holy Spirit of God, the one Spirit which had been prefaced as the promise of the Father. Peter went on to outline what our response should be to the Gospel story and the revelation of the resurrection. He said, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). The gift and the promise was for all who attended to the message of truth and responded in faith to this revealed Word. Peter observed, “The promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call” (Acts 2:39). 
The voice of the Spirit is still calling. The message delivered on the Day of Pentecost reverberates through the centuries to the present. People are still receiving and responding to this powerful promise. 


Theme passage:
“We were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4 NKJ).