The Power to Be His Witnesses
"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
The book of Acts is the second part of one volume that Luke wrote with the first part being the Gospel according to Luke. As a whole, this book is the second part of the ministry of Jesus as the continued acts of Christ through the believing church by the power of the Holy Spirit. Acts is an orderly narrative of the history of the earliest followers of Christ that revealed what actually happened in the lives. This book is not only descriptive but prescriptive as it tell of their practices, priorities, persecutions, and patterns.
The FACTS come before the ACTS of the church. It all begins with an empty tomb and then Jesus appearing in bodily form multiple times in various places. The disciples’ faith became ignited and those who first resisted and opposed the faith, like Paul (Saul of Tarsus) and James, the half brother of Jesus, would have a drastic conversion to become true followers of Christ.
Therefore, everything in the book of Acts is not the ending of Christ's ministry but rather the beginning of all that "Jesus began both to DO and TEACH" (Acts 1:1). Everything Jesus taught, He did...and everything Jesus did, He taught. This is unparalleled throughout history as no one ever so perfectly had His entire life match everything He said.
Jesus came to establish His kingdom in the hearts of His followers. He wanted them to continue His ministry as living witnesses of the living Christ! The kingdom of God has a Ruler, a set of Rules, and a Realm by which He reigns.
The Ruler = King Jesus The Rules = The Righteous Ways of Christ The Realm = Beginning in the Church…and then Expanding to the World
But in order for this to happen, they had to WAIT.
Wait? Wait for what? ...POWER.
There is a need for us to posture ourselves patiently to become people who dwell in the presence of God who are able to live with power to fulfill His purpose.
Jesus knew they would need His power to live the life that He lived on this earth. He could have given them His power immediately but instead He wanted their posture to be dependent on God for all things just as He lived on the earth. May we learn to live by every words that proceeds from the mouth of God and the supply of His Spirit.
They were to wait for power, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. This is the promise of the Father. Acts 2:39 says, "For 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.” This power has purpose and a person and covers all kind of places.
Here we see: The POWER — (Resurrection power)
The PERSON — (The Holy Spirit)
The PURPOSE — (To be His witnesses)
The PLACES — (From Jerusalem to every place)
What is this all for? What is God's plan in all of this?
GOD’S PLAN — To establish Christ’s kingdom everywhere!
ALL OF JESUS FOR ALL OF THE WORLD!
Brothers and sisters, the kingdom hasn't yet come but it is here! The acts of Jesus in the lives of His followers makes this paradox possible and the presence of God tangible for all to see. Let us RISE UP and BE HIS WITNESSES for such a time as this as the continuation of Acts 29.
"ACTS IN ACTION" CHALLENGE POINT: Spend extra time each morning WAITING on the Lord for fresh power and
ASKING GOD to make you His witness!