"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." Acts 1:7-8
Luke shares with us at the beginning of the book of Acts, about the early church and a glimpse into a conversation that the Disciples had with Jesus when they were all meeting together. He had previously instructed them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Holy Spirit. A little bewildered about the prospect of Him leaving, they asked Him the question that was uppermost in their minds. "Lord, are you going to, at this time, restore the kingdom to Israel?" This would fix everything. Jesus could be King of a new kingdom on Earth, the Roman oppressors would be overthrown, and peace, unity, and prosperity could be restored. They would all have a job helping Him do that and maintain that. Heaven on Earth.
Haven’t we all desired that? Jesus straightens them out with His response. He makes a definitive statement about who knows and does what, and what the true job of the Disciples will be. Remember, as soon as He utters Acts 1:7-8, He immediately ascends to Heaven.
Soooo, these are really important words. He makes a few things absolutely clear before He leaves. Let me give you a checklist.
WOW!! Then He’s gone. No wonder they stood there staring. Angels came and told them He’d come back the same way. They made the long walk to Jerusalem to wait.
Long story, short, the Holy Spirit came, gave them power, and every believer since has had that power from the moment of their salvation. We often lose track of our purpose, so I close today with these words. Surrender to Christ, receive power, share your testimony, tell others about Him, witness everywhere. Don’t worry about anything He controls. Remember our purpose. Nothing else is as important.
In His Service with you,
Pastor Fred
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