We Are Witnesses
Acts Chapter 1:6-11
Kelly and I were on a little weekend get-away last week; dear friends of ours gave us a two night stay at a bed and breakfast on Kelley’s Island.
We had a wonderful time, being able to clear off the schedule, drop our children off at the grandparents, and spend some incredible time together – just the two of us.
Over the weekend, I was really searching for the missing ingredient in modern day Christianity.
What did the early church have that we appear to lack today?
Why were they so effective in bringing God glory?
How were they so incredibly strong and utilized by God?
I went back to the beginning – even a little before the beginning in the Book of Acts, and I would like to preach a message this morning from the book of Acts, chapter 1.
Introduction to the book:
Acts 1:1-11 1The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: 3To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: 4And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 5For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. {He told them that He was getting ready to do something Incredible / Supernatural by the power of His Spirit!}
Our Passage:
6When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 7And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 8But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. 9And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
1) THE INQUIRY
Jesus is getting ready to do something amazing with these twelve men – Pentecost is right around the corner, the Holy Spirit of God is getting ready to make His debut, kicking off the church age that has existed for almost the last two centuries! And the Disciples have a question:
Hey Jesus, you know that Kingdom you told us about? Getting ready restore that back to Israel?
Jesus told them of His earthly Kingdom to come:
Matthew 19:28-30 28And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. 30But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.
Remember, there was even one mother’s request concerning who would be sitting on His right and left hand:
Matthew 20:20-21 20Then came to him the mother of Zebedee’s children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him. 21And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.
This is where we find these disciples – concerned about the physical, tangible, earthly status; rather than the supernatural, spiritual things of God!
Just like most Christians today – their minds were on the physical rather than the spiritual.
There are many godly men today who are much more concerned about the tangible, physical realm that we live in than they are the non-tangible, spiritual realm.
There are many pastors, preachers, and teachers who are consumed with God building their worldly kingdoms where they will reign supreme at the right hand of Christ.
They are willing to take people hostage emotionally in order to drag them back and add them to their kingdom – where the measure of success is based on “how many were there” and “how much was collected”.
God corrects their thinking here – he brings them back to center, reiterating His plan to them and continuing to give them godly instruction.
2) THE INSTRUCTION
Acts 1:7 – 9 7And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 8But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. 9And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
Jesus extends a little bit of a rebuke here to His disciples: “that’s not for you to know” “that is something that God has put in His power” but he encourages them in the fact that:
“they shall receive power” “after that the Holy Ghost is come upon them”
“and they shall be witnesses unto Him”
This is the key statement of this passage here – God explains what the empowerment of the Holy Ghost was going to do – He would make them incredible WITNESSES!
Interesting here, they are asking to be Judges and they wind up witnesses.
That has always been how God operates: Luke 19:17 And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.
HOW MUCH OF A WITNESS ARE WE TODAY?
How many of us fail to be the Witness that God wants us to be time and time again?
Today, we have everything a Christian could want: Evangelism Workbooks, Training Videos, Workshops, “Seeker-Driven Services” – where lost people can feel completely comfortable, every tool under the sun.
{What we don’t have are believers living, walking, and witnessing in the power of the Holy Ghost.}
Jesus doesn’t instruct these guys to hire some professional musicians in order to “set the mood” at Pentecost.
He tells them simply to walk in the Spirit and be a WITNESS.
What does a WITNESS do? What is their duty?
They simply tell others – testify of what they have seen / what they have personal knowledge of.
Ever looked at the candidates the disciples chose to replace Judas?
Acts 1:15-22 15And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,) 16Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus. 17For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry. 18Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. 19And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood. 20For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take. 21Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.
Why were they so picky that these guys had to have been with the disciples “all the time” from the baptism of John to the resurrection?
If you are going to be a credible witness – you must testify about something that you have actually seen!
Unfortunately, I believe many Christians fail to be a witness today because they don’t really see God’s power on their lives – they fail to see how He is working and accomplishing His plan.
We fail to see Him working in our lives, because we are not living them in the POWER of His Holy Spirit!
It is a vicious circle:
1) Because I walk in the flesh and fail to walk in the Spirit, I do not see His power manifested;
2) Because I do not see His power, I have nothing to witness of, and continue doing things in my flesh.
Galatians 5:16-17 16This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Jesus encourages His disciples with this instruction and lets them know that His plan is bigger than they realize: He tells them that they “SHALL” be witness – not just in Jerusalem, but in Judaea, and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth!
The Holy Spirit of God – working through these men – will forever change this earth!
He wants to do the same through our lives today – simply by being a WITNESS – telling our story.
Then Jesus puts a bit of an exclamation mark on these words by being taken up to heaven right in front of them.
These guys had to be a little taken back by this: because of their actions, they receive a bit of an indictment:
3. THE INDICTMENT
Acts 1:10-11 10And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
They just stand there watching Jesus go up to heaven!
Have you ever let go of a Helium balloon? It starts going up higher and higher – and you almost get mesmerized by it and just stand there watching climb?
I wonder if it was like that?
Though we have been commanded that: 1If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. {Col. 3:1-2}
Matt. 6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
We still have work to do!
These angels bring these disciples “back to earth” believe it or not!
The disciples follow the words of Christ – go back to Jerusalem, and Pentecost comes – the Holy Spirit of God empowers these men, just as Christ said He would and what happens?
Acts 2:1-8 1And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. 6Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. 7And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? 8And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
The words of Christ come to pass – here are the disciples under the incredible power of the Holy Spirit – bearing witness of Christ and the wonderful works of God, and these devout Jews from every nation under heaven hear it!
God orchestrates this in a way that only He could – and only He should get the glory!
He wants to do the same in and through our lives today – to make us witnesses that bring Him glory!
WE ARE WITNESSES TODAY!
