Acts 1:8—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.
After Jesus communicated the words above to His apostles He ascended into heaven! He knew they were ready to get after God’s will. Luke, the writer of Acts, establishes for us in this verse the theme of his book to Theophilus. Therefore, it is extremely important that we understand its application to us for it provides our missiological foundation and strategy.
I. Foundation—Once we become believers (followers) of Jesus Christ we receive the Holy Spirit and the direct result of this is that we are empowered. Without the Holy Spirit the church cannot advance. We know from the Word of God that the Holy Spirit is essential to us for a minimum of four things:
1. Eternal Life—The Spirit alone gives eternal life—John 6:63, Romans 8:6,11
2. Truth—The Spirit is our Counselor Who guides us in what is right and in what we can expect in the future. He convicts the world of its sin, of God’s righteousness and His impending judgment —John 14:16,17, 16:8,13.
3. Teaching—The Spirit teaches us all things and reminds us of Jesus’ words and importance—John 14:26, 15:26, 16:14; Acts 1:2
4. Strength—The Spirit helps us in our weakness leading us to righteousness, peace and joy; furthering the gospel by working miracles in and through us—Rom.8:26, 14:17, 15:19
II. Strategy—Jesus next communicated the essential role for His followers. They were to be worldwide witnesses! Beginning in Jerusalem (where they were gathered), the gospel would extend across their nation, into the adjoining country of Samaria and out into the whole world. Today, across the globe, we are the generational fruit of obedient apostles!
So here’s the key question. How are we contributing to the furtherance of the gospel? The foundation and strategy are just concepts unless you and I are obedient to the Lord’s leading. He has empowered us! We have life, truth, teaching and strength. But unless we are obedient to His call, we are like unplugged Christmas lights. Are you shining for Jesus?
Inspiration
We imagine that God is going to make us walk in the light; God will not; it is we who must walk in the light. God gives us the power to do it, but we have to see that we use the power. God puts the power and the life into us and fills us with His Spirit, but we have to work it out.—Oswald Chambers in Studies in the Sermon on the Mount
