RESOURCES — SHORT ARTICLES

 

SHORT ARTICLES BY TOM ELSEROAD
	2020-06-09	You Shall Receive Power (Ac.1:8)
		Act 1:6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" Act 1:7 And He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. Act 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." The word “but” connects and contrasts with verses 6-7. The disciples asked Jesus about the timing of the kingdom being restored to Israel. Jesus did not say there would not be a kingdom to come. He simply wants the disciples to focus on another thought. That is, the coming power to witness to the lost world. Instead of knowing the times or dates of the kingdom, they were to be Christ's witness to the ends of the earth. If the Spirit is not working in our lives, there is no reason to try to get the Gospel out. It will not be effective without the Spirit. I perceive too many 'churches' go on and “do church” every week, but without the Spirit to empower. They should just stay home. Remember Jesus promised the disciples would sit on twelve thrones (Lk.22:28-30). So it was not wrong for them to ask about the kingdom. Today many want to talk about the times and seasons of His coming, but do not want to get involved in getting the Word out. The political kingdom they wanted would be delayed, but the power would not. They would receive power with the coming of the Holy Spirit. The disciples still saw power in terms of Caesar, and not enough in terms of Christ. It is sad, that we still have believers today who look to political power from earthly means. Jesus offers them real spiritual power. “You shall be witnesses” is not a command but a simple statement of fact. When the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will be witnesses of Jesus. When the “Holy Spirit has come upon you” refers to the baptizing work of the Spirit. This work of the Spirit identifies all believers into the body of Christ (1Co.12:13). It is unscriptural to pray for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Every true believer has been baptized by the Holy Spirit (Rm.8:9). Rom 8:9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. We certainly may ask God to fill us (Ep.5:18) or empower us for a special service (Ac.10:38). Specifically, we are to be witnesses of Jesus. He is the center of attention. We do not witness about ourselves or our church, but of Christ! It would not be hard to image the objections to the places named. Jerusalem and Samaria were regarded as a wasteland of impure half-breeds. The uttermost parts of the earth referred to gentiles who were considered fuel for the fires of hell. God wanted their witness to go to these places. It is easy to see how these places give us the outline of the book of Acts. (Acts 1-7, Jerusalem; Acts 8-12, Judea and Samaria; Acts 13-28, ends of the earth). The gospel has not reached its final destination if someone in your family, a friend, etc. has not heard the good news of Jesus Christ. Pastor Tom Elseroad

 

An Evangelical Free Church of America

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