We begin reading the book of Acts. Written by Luke, Acts continues the story of God’s Kingdom expanding on the earth. If the Gospels show what Christ began to do on earth, Acts shows what He continued to do by the Holy Spirit through the disciples. The Gospels present the Son of Man who came to die for our sins; Acts shows the coming of the Son of God in the power of the Holy Spirit. The Gospels tell of the crucified and risen Savior. Acts shows Him to be the ascended and exalted Lord and Leader. In the Gospels we hear Christ’s teachings. In Acts we see the effects of his teachings on the apostles and those to whom they were sent. The Gospels are historical with a definite end point; namely, the Ascension of Christ into heaven. Acts is also historical; it begins with Christ’s Ascension and records the acts of the Holy Spirit through the church as it moves out to win the world to Christ. In a sense, the book of Acts has never ended because the Age of the Holy Spirit working on the earth and through the church has not yet ended.
As we read Acts, pay attention to the Holy Spirit. His name is mentioned about 70 times. Resist the temptation to believe that the works of power you will read about in Acts and the success of the growing and expanding church were something limited to “way back then.” To be sure, we will read about unique and powerful encounters people had with the Lord. But remember, the Lord continues to encounter people in unique and powerful ways. The disciples were successful in carrying out God’s mission because they depended entirely upon the power of God through his Holy Spirit. We will be successful in carrying out God’s mission when we learn to depend entirely upon the power of God through his Holy Spirit. And what is God’s mission?
Both the mission and the means for accomplishing the mission are given to us in the first chapter of Acts. Jesus says, “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.” The mission: to be witnesses to Christ and the salvation that comes through him alone. The means: the power of the Holy Spirit. Are you living into your mission to be a witness to Christ? Have you received the means by which to accomplish that mission; the power of the Holy Spirit? Is it time to begin? Notice that the disciples began by believing in Jesus, obeying what he told them to do, and then waiting expectantly for what came next. They prepared themselves for the mission in Acts 1 as they prayed, searched the scriptures and worshiped together in unity.
upword 