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Acts 1:8 - Witnessing In The Spirit.Acts 1:8 (NIV) 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 (NLT) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere - in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." OVERVIEW One hundred and twenty ordinary people hardly constitute an imposing army; but in a few days, they would make an impact that is being felt even today. The same resources God gave them are still available to us. A living Lord (1-3). The power of the Spirit (4-8). The promise of His return (9-11). The power of prayer (12-14, 24-26). [Chapter by Chapter Bible Commentary by Warren Wiersbe] INTRODUCTION Jesus promised the disciples that they would receive power to witness after they received the Holy Spirit. Notice the progression: (1) they would receive the Holy Spirit, (2) he would give them power, and (3) they would witness with extraordinary results. Often we try to reverse the order and witness by our own power and authority. Witnessing is not showing what we can do for God. It is showing and telling what God has done for us. [Life Application SB] COMMENTARY PEARLS The preaching of the word is of no avail without the presence and aid of the Holy Spirit; for this Spirit is the only effectual teacher of divine truth. Only when the truth is accompanied to the heart by the Spirit, will it quicken the conscience or transform the life. A minister may be able to present the letter of the word of God; he may be familiar with all its commands and promises; but his sowing of the gospel seed will not be successful unless this seed is quickened into life by the dew of heaven. Without the co-operation of the Spirit of God, no amount of education, no advantages, however great, can make one a channel of light. GW284, 5 The Saviour knew that no argument, however logical, would melt hard hearts or break through the crust of worldliness and selfishness. He knew that His disciples must receive the heavenly endowment; that the gospel would be effective only as it was proclaimed by hearts made warm and lips made eloquent by a living knowledge of Him who is the way, the truth, and the life. AA31 There is no limit to the usefulness of the one who, putting self aside, makes room for the working of the Holy Spirit upon his heart and lives a life wholly consecrated to God. 8T19 COMMENTARY Power Surge Albert Einstein's e=mc2 is the most famous equation in the world. It teaches that matter is a form of energy; and if that energy were to be released, it would be massive. For instance, scientists believe there is enough potential energy in a raisin to power a large city for a year! Our text for today is also about power, the power of God as revealed by the Holy Spirit. This promise contains the last recorded words of Jesus before His ascension into heaven. Immediately before "He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight" (Acts 1:9), Jesus promised His disciples power when the Holy Spirit would come upon them, and that they would be witnesses about Him "to the end of the earth." When Jesus uttered these words, the church was small - perhaps composed of only a few hundred souls - and surrounded by hostile Jews and Romans opposed to their message. And yet, because of the power of the Holy Spirit, the gospel indeed went "to the end of the earth." Sure, more work needs to be done, but the promise of the Holy Spirit is for you today as well, because all through the New Testament we see the Holy Spirit working among God's people, bringing joy, conviction, and power to witness. YOUR FAITH, YOUR LOVE OF GOD, YOUR DESIRE TO BE A WITNESS TO OTHERS OF JESUS' LOVE - ALL TESTIFY TO THE REALITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE PROMISE THAT HE IS WORKING IN YOUR LIFE. Lord Jesus, fill me day by day with Your Holy Spirit. [The Most Amazing Bible Promises by Amazing Facts] Don't Settle Many believers settle for a two-thirds God. They rely on the Father and the Son but overlook the Holy Spirit. On the eve of Jesus' death, as he prepared his followers to face the future without him, he made this great and precious promise: "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you." Imagine all the promises Jesus could have made to the disciples but didn't. He didn't promise immediate success. He didn't promise the absence of disease or struggles. He never guaranteed a level of income or popularity. But he did promise the perpetual, empowering presence of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is central to the life of the Christian. Everything that happens from the book of Acts to the end of the book of Revelation is a result of the work of the Holy Spirit of Christ. The Spirit came alongside the disciples, indwelled them, and gave the early church the push they needed to face the challenges ahead. Don't settle for a two-thirds God. [You Can Count On God by Max Lucado] Tell Others Your Great God Story The most effective way to let other people know about the great things that God can do in their lives is to tell them the story of what God has done in your life. That is what makes a difference. Jesus said in Acts 1:8, "You will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere" (NLT). When I hear the word "witness," I think of a courtroom. It's a perfect picture of what God's asking us to do to make a difference in the world. He doesn't tell us to be the attorney, arguing the case. He doesn't tell us to be the judge, judging other people. He wants us to be his witnesses. What does a witness do? A witness just says, "Here's what I've seen. Here's what I heard." A witness tells other people the story of what God has done in their life. Friends don't keep good news from their friends. You tell your friends the good news of what God has done in your life so that it can make an eternal difference in their lives. Are you unsure how to get started? Here's a simple action step: Write out your story and share it with your small group. Start sharing with the people who are close to you so you can get some practice. Then God will give you the opportunity to share your story with someone who needs to hear the Good News. You may think you don't have a story that's interesting or compelling enough to share. But if God has saved you from your sin and given you hope and joy that lasts forever, then that will never be boring! It will be the greatest news you could ever tell someone. "Come and listen ... and I will tell you what [God] has done for me" (Psalm 66:16 GNT). Who in your life needs to hear about what God has done for you? [Daily Devotional by Rick Warren: https://pastorrick.com/devotional/] CLOSING THOUGHT Start with Your World From a human standpoint, there was no way the disciples were ready for such a task. Yet before Jesus ascended to Heaven, He gave these final words to them: "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere - in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8 NLT). Their faith was weak. They had failed in their public witness and their private faith. Simon Peter, their acknowledged leader, had openly denied the Lord. So, how could they ever go and change the world? They would do it with the power of the Holy Spirit, which they would have soon. Jesus was saying, "With the power that I am going to give to you, you will have power to share your faith, power to speak up and be counted, and power to turn your world upside down." The same power that was available to the first-century church is available to the twenty-first-century church as well. Speaking on the Day of Pentecost, the apostle Peter said, "This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away - all who have been called by the Lord our God" (Acts 2:39 NLT). So, where do we start? It's a daunting task to think of going into all the world and preaching the gospel. But how about this? Go into all your world and preach the gospel. You don't have to cross an ocean; you can simply cross the street. How about starting with the people who live near you? How about starting with members of your family, your coworkers, or the students on your campus? Just start where you are. If you want to reach the world, then start with your world. [Greg Laurie from Harvest Ministries; https://www.harvestdaily.com] LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY Acts 1:8 - Witnessing In The Spirit. https://www.abible.com/devotions/2014/20140706-1436.html http://www.abible.com/devotions/2010/20100603-2258.html http://www.abible.com/devotions/2006/20060724-0758.html John 14:26 - Gift of the Holy Spirit in a Nutshell. https://www.abible.com/devotions/2023/20231011-0927.html LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT https://abible.com/links/ |