We are and We must. Acts 1:1-11
As we count down to Spark 2018, some of us might be wondering why all the focus and emphasis on Spark. Behind Spark is the mission that we have been given as a church; it is Shaddai being faithful to the direction that God has set for us. And it is because we are his witnesses that we care about this mission and direction from God.
The book of Acts traces how the first and early churches faithfully carried out its mission. God, through the Spirit, supernaturally and providentially directs and governs the church as it expands and carries the gospel along. Acts picks up the narrative just before the ascension of Jesus and the very last command he gives to the church in v8 is that we are to be his witnesses. We, as Christians, are witnesses of God and we must be his witness because we have been empowered by him.
In Acts 1, we find 3 reasons why we have been empowered:
- God the Father has promised,
- God the Spirit has baptized us, and
- God the Son has ascended.
God the Father has promised (v4-5)
We are empowered by God because God the Father has promised the coming of the Spirit; the outpouring of this Spirit to his church. He reminds His disciples of what John the Baptist spoke of 3 years earlier that the Father will send them a Comforter.
The Comforter comes from the Latin words “cum forte”, which means “with strength”. The Father promises us the Spirit that will give us strength to stand in the midst of trials and to serve in the ministry here on earth.
God the Spirit has baptized (v6-8)
We as God’s witnesses are empowered because God the Sprit has baptized us. The disciples questioned Jesus in v6 asking if he will restore the kingdom to Israel. Jesus did not rebuke them, instead telling them that it is not for them to know. What Jesus does then is to refocus them on their mission in v8. That they shall, they must be His witnesses to the world. The baptism of the Spirit is for us to do the tasks given by Jesus, we will fail if we depend on other sources.
The term, “witness”, in NT is used in a legal sense, someone who objectively verified facts through observation. Our message of the gospel then is not about our experiences or blessings from God. Instead, it should be sharpened and pointing only to Jesus and what He has accomplished in the gospel, how He lived, died and rose again and went back to heaven. That is the gospel.
God the Son has ascended (v9-11)
We are his empowered witnesses because God the Son has ascended. Christ ascended to heaven to be made king, a king of a kingdom that consists of all people, nations, languages in all Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to uttermost parts of the earth. And we are the means that out King has chosen to expand his kingdom and build His church. He has given us His command, and as his subjects we obey. We tell people not only of a risen savior, but a risen King.
Christ will once again return in all His glory and we are to be faithful to the mission that He has given us while we await His return. As our King rules over us, let us trust in His providence to provide what is good and truly necessary for us.
How do we be better witnesses?
We all understand how we naturally talk or think about the things that we love, be it food, games, or TV shows. We desire to learn more about what we love, to engage and spend more time understanding every single detail about it.
Likewise, we can be better witnesses of Jesus if we grow our love for Him. And this entails revisiting the gospel, witnessing to our own selves of Jesus’ life, death, resurrection and ascension. We will grow to love Jesus more as we are reminded of how underserving of His grace we are, how unworthy we are of His love.
As his witnesses, we need to think deeply about God to feel deeply about Him. We are to be witnesses, knowledgeable about the gospel, with a deep passion for God.
Comments