From my reading in Acts 1 in the One Year New Testament.
Acts is Act 2 of the new testament.
Jesus died and rose again then commissioned his disciples to go into all the world. In Acts 1 Jesus gives us an epic command that simultaneously serves as an outline for the book of Acts.
“But 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
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you…
This same power that Jesus promised the apostles is available to us. The word for power here in the greek is…
Dynamis – “the potentiality to exert force in performing some function—‘power.’”
This is where we get our english word dynamite! Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would give us dynamite power to be his witnesses.
If you have the Holy Spirit than you have been empowered as a witness.
And you will be my witnesses…
We are to be his witnesses. Witness is the greek word martys which is where we get our english word martyer.
We may not have to die for our faith but we are called to live for Christ and spread his message.
A witness in a court room is called on to do one thing. Share their personal story. Jesus promised us that He would give us the power to share our faith. We all do this in different ways using different gifts but as a Church together we are to be able sharing the good news to all the world.
What are you currently doing to be a witness for Jesus?
If you are afraid then remember that if you have the Holy Spirit living in you then you have the power to be an effective witness.
…in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
God’s mission is global.
Notice it says Jerusalem AND Judea AND Samaria AND the ends of the earth. Jesus was telling them to simultaneously have a global vision and a local vision.
Many christian wrongly say, “Why do we have to go all the way across the world if there are plenty of people here to reach?” The short answer, Jesus told us to!
We are to be witnessing to people here and sending people to witness all over the world.
Even with this direct command from Jesus it wasn’t until the people in Jerusalem got persecuted when they finally began to leave Jerusalmen.
Some of us are called to stay and reach our hometown, and others are called to go, some called to send by giving and praying, some are involved with welcoming internationals who have come to us, but all of us should be witnesses with global vision because that is God’s vision!
What can you do to be a part of this epic task of reaching the world for Jesus?
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