Acts 1:4-8
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.”
So when they met together, they 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.”
Twice in a span of about three weeks last year one of my sons (I won’t say which one) had to call me for help when he ran out of gas. He was a bit embarrassed to call both times – because his vehicle is equipped, as most are these days, with a warning light that comes on when his gas tank is nearing empty. As you can imagine, I had my share of fun teasing him about it as I poured gas from my lawnmower gas can into his empty tank. But I also had to confess to him that it had happened to me a time or two in my day as well!
The Holy Spirit is like the gas in the tank of the church; and the gas in the tank of the individual Christian. Just as a car without gas might look nice but does nothing but sit in the driveway, so the church or an individual person does nothing and goes nowhere without the Holy Spirit. Paul refers to both the indwelling and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit in this text from Ephesians:
“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.” Ephesians 3:16-17
So what do we need this strength for? Where is the gas of the Holy Spirit supposed to enable us to go? Look at the words of Jesus again:
“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.”
There it is! Jesus gave his Holy Spirit; he gave us his strength and power; he filled the spiritual gas tanks of the first disciples – so that they might become his witnesses. And he has done the same for us! Jesus fills us with his Spirit, with his power, so that we, too, may become his witnesses.
What does it mean to become witnesses for Jesus? Does it mean preaching through a bullhorn on a street corner as some do? Maybe – but not necessarily. Does it mean becoming a missionary who travels to a distant land to translate the Bible into an as of yet unwritten language? Maybe – but not necessarily. Becoming a witness to Jesus might begin with befriending a new neighbor who just moved onto your block. Becoming a witness to Jesus might mean showing compassion to a person in need. It might mean sending “10 Minutes with God” to someone you think might find a particular entry encouraging.
Becoming a witness is simply being willing to make a ripple – small or large – for Jesus. Ask God, by his Holy Spirit, to show you how – and to whom – you can be a witness this week!
Pastor Brian Coffey
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2 comments:
So encouraging today!! Was just speaking to a friend regarding this very subject and reaching the lost - small ripples are so often more personal and have a greater impact- Being bold in our faith isn't necessarily measured by the size of our "ripple" 8).
Pastor Brian thank you for the reminder that God may use some to reach hundreds and others to reach one.
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