So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" 7 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. Acts1:6-8
On Saturday we looked at the challenging truth that Jesus commissions us with the task of letting "His kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven."
The task of being witnesses to the world is our task.
The disciples were hoping for a restored Kingdom.
They were given an incredible opportunity to be God's co-workers instead... They were offered the privilege of being part of what God was doing in the world.
But this is a daunting task:
- How could a rag-tag group of followers be expected to impact the world?
- How could a a small diverse group such as the disciples withstand the might of Rome?
- How could their message penetrate an already saturated religious/philosophical market?
They would need help! They would need power.
And this is what Jesus promises them:
- The Holy Spirit would come upon them. (They would not be alone)
- They would receive power. (They would have the means needed)
The coming of the Holy Spirit was the moment in the history of the church that tipped the balance of power. The coming of the Spirit meant that:
- The rag-tag group _did_ impact the world.
- The small diverse group of disciples withstood the might of Rome
- Their message penetrated the market and changed the world!!!
Can I hear an "Amen!!" ?
(For the next few days up to Pentecost Sunday, we'll reflect on the work of the Spirit.)
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Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/
