To get a true sense of the event in that portion, let’s begin by reading Acts 1:1-5, “The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.”

The Book of Acts picks up where the Gospel of Luke ends (with just a tiny bit of overlap). This is entirely appropriate because Luke wrote both of these books. Luke begins this book with the ascension of Christ back to Heaven. The Lord had been crucified and raised again from the dead. As we see, He had been risen from the dead for forty days at this point. He showed Himself alive by many infallible proofs. He demonstrated that it was truly Him…the One who died and was raised again from the dead.

From reading this portion, we see that the Lord gave a commandment to His disciples, “And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.” (Acts 1:4) What was this promise that they must wait for? Let’s consider the words of the Lord Jesus to His disciples:

* John 14:16, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.”

* John 15:26, “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me.”

* John 14:26, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

The promise of the Father was to send a Comforter, the Holy Ghost, to indwell all believers. The Lord tells them plainly in verse 5, “For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.” It happened on the Day of Pentecost that “they were all filled with the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 2:4) This day marked the beginning of the Church. From that day, everyone who puts their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is added to the Church and is indwelt with the Holy Spirit.

*   Acts 2:47, “And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”

*   1 Corinthians 12:13, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.”

Have you accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your savior? If you have, you are in the church. You don’t JOIN the church, you are ADDED to it when you are saved. Also, you have the Holy Spirit inside you. Romans 8:9-10 tells all believers, “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.” (285.2)