Are You Using The Power You Received?

My grandson just turned two years old.  At his birthday celebration, we excitedly read his birthday cards and told him who sent him each gift.   But he is not yet mature enough to truly appreciate the gifts that he received.  In Acts 1:1-11, as Jesus neared the end of the last 40 days before His ascension, He told His disciples to wait in Jerusalem to receive His Father’s gift to them…. the Holy Spirit.  They were not yet mature enough to appreciate this gift, but Jesus explained that it would give them power to be His witnesses to the world.  In fact, it did change everything for them!  The Holy Spirit is still giving power to Jesus’ disciples, changing us to be more like Christ and empowering us to make other disciples.  I pray that the power of the Holy Spirit is real in your life and that Christ is pleased with you as a witness for Him.  Amen

In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”  (Acts 1:1-5) Luke was the writer historian who documented and conveyed what he saw and investigated regarding the events surrounding the early church.  Like his gospel, Luke specifically conveyed his historical testimony to a person named Theophilus.  In his gospel, Luke stated his purpose for investigating and writing his account of what Jesus did “so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.”  His writing of the book of Acts further served the same purpose.  Luke noted that Jesus had appeared to His disciples over a period of 40 days proving He was alive.  He further spent that time teaching them through the Holy Spirit about the kingdom of God.  Most importantly during this time, Jesus told them not to leave Jerusalem.  They were to wait there until they received and were baptized with the Father’s promised gift…. The Holy Spirit!   Jesus relied on the Holy Spirit in His work with His disciples. Don’t think that you can do Christ’s work without the Holy Spirit!

Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 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 1:6-8) The apostles asked Jesus about the restoration of the kingdom of Israel, seemingly more concerned with this form of a kingdom than a spiritual kingdom. Jesus explained that the timing of the restoration of Israel was only for the Father to know.  Then Jesus redirected them to their mission…. the kingdom of God. They were to be the Lord’s witnesses to a world that needs to know that He lives and that He is the hope and salvation of all who believe on Him.  And the promised Holy Spirit would give them the power they needed to carry out their mission.  The Holy Spirit gives us the power to be Christ’s disciples and to make disciples for Christ!

After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”  (Acts 1:9-11) Jesus had previously told the disciples that He must leave them so that they could receive the Holy Spirit (John 16:7).  His disciples stood looking into the sky where Jesus had ascended but they were reminded that He had also promised to see them again. In the meantime, the two angels who spoke to them were intended to snap them back into their mission focus.  They were not to stand around gazing into the heavens and waiting for Jesus’ return, but they were to do the work that the Lord had assigned them to do… be witnesses to the world and make disciples through the power of the Holy Spirit.  Our mission as disciples of Christ is to be His witnesses to the world. 

My favorite Bible teacher (Rev. Opal Simmons) used to say, “some people are so heaven bound, they’re no earthly good”.   Too many Christians are not doing the work that Jesus assigned to His disciples (followers), and gave them the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish here on earth.  Too many Christians have received salvation for themselves, but are not walking in the power of the Holy Spirit to become more like Christ and care about the welfare and salvation of those who Jesus said are our neighbors.   To be a true disciple of Christ requires us to cooperate with the Holy Spirit to become more like Jesus and to care about our neighbor the way that He did. That’s why He called on us to be His witnesses in the world, so that others would know a better life in the kingdom of God. He promised the early disciples that they would receive the power of the Holy Spirit to help them reach others and make them disciples also. He gave us that same power too. But we have to engage with the Holy Spirit and use it. So, are you busy gazing up into the heavens waiting for Jesus’ return… Or are you using the power you received from God to help build His kingdom here on earth?

Blessings,

Rev. Glenn