January 11, 2023 | Be On Mission
You Will Be My Witnesses
Scripture: Acts 1:6-8 (NIV)
6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 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.”
Devotional
In yesterday’s reading, we saw how Jesus told His disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit. Now He tells them what that will look like: “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.”
The promised Holy Spirit would give them power to change the world. How’s that for marching orders! The Greek word for power is “dunamis” and is the root word for dynamite. Yes, the Holy Spirit would give them explosive power to impact the world for Jesus!
This single verse is the summary of the entire Book of Acts. In chapters 1-7, the message is spread throughout Jerusalem and Judea. In Acts 8-12, the gospel is taken to Samaria and other regions nearby. And beginning in chapter 13, Paul and others become witnesses to “the ends of the earth.” We have a similar call to spread the good news of Jesus today:
Jerusalem – in other words, your own neighborhood and local community.
Judea – the larger city, state and nation where you live.
Samaria – those who are outcasts or unnoticed, whether nearby or far away.
Ends of the Earth – people who live in foreign lands.
Take a moment and pray for you and your church to be active and intentional in taking the message of Jesus to all four of these ministry destinations. Ask the Holy Spirit to empower you to be effective witnesses. Pray for insight about how you are being called personally to share your faith with others.
What is the Lord revealing to you?
Poem
What We’re In On Acts 1: 7
If you’re like me, I want to know
Most things out of my purview
The future, ‘specially of my child,
Evaluation preview
How this turns out; How will it go?
What happens next? What’s after?
When will that start? When will this end?
Access to my last chapter
What we are in on and what not
Of’t leads us to distraction
‘Cause what we know ‘gainst what is not
Is only just a fraction
So with disciples everywhere
We have the age-old queries—
When will the world be set a-right?
When can we end our worries?
Instead, our LORD gives us the task
As he holds fast our faces
“Don’t focus on the hidden things
Be in on—witness—graces”
And so, we’re sent out in the world
To share eternal choices
Christ’s hope filled message of God’s love
Proclaimed with “in-on” voices
