Empowered to Witness (Acts 1:6-11)

-

Maybe it is a time for a reset. What does it mean to be sent with a mission to reach people for Christ? Maybe we would do well to just step back a bit and listen again for the call of our Lord. What does it mean to be faithful to the call Christ has given us to be his witnesses? In today’s text we see that the disciples were likely feeling small and ill-equipped for the task of changing the world, yet Jesus redirected their focus from their own limitations to the gift that was coming.

Acts 1
6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 9 When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. 11 They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” Acts 1:6-11, NRSVue

Jesus assured them (and he assures us) that they will be empowered by the Holy Spirit. And they will be his “witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (v. 8) This is not a command to go out and try harder; it is a promise of what God will do within us. Their calling is clear, but their ability will come from God. This is grace before action, grace that equips and sustains. They are not sent out as they are. They are transformed as they go, growing into holiness of heart and life through the Spirit’s presence.

Jesus also expanded the disciples’ vision of who mattered to God. They would witness in Jerusalem, close to home, but also in Judea, Samaria, and “to the ends of the earth.” Samaria represented people they had been taught to avoid and distrust. Yet the gospel would cross boundaries of geography, culture, and prejudice. The “ends of the earth” include Gentiles. Gentiles were those who lived outside of the covenant of God’s people. But, the Holy Spirit pushes the church outward in love. We are called to witness not only to those who are familiar and comfortable to us, but also to those who may seem different, distant, or overlooked.

We are still living in this promise. The same Spirit who empowered the disciples is at work in us today. We do not have to rely on our own strength, our own words, or our own confidence. God’s grace is already at work within us, preparing, prompting, and empowering. Our role is not to manufacture power, but to receive it and respond with faith. We will be able to see others through the eyes of Jesus and to meet them with his love. These will be people we may have found difficult to like, people we might prefer to ignore and pass by. These are people who are different from us in loud and obvious ways!

The Holy Spirit empowers us not just to speak about Jesus, but to embody his love in everyday life. We do not go alone. Christ sends us with the presence and power of the Spirit.

A Spiritual Practice for Today
 Identify your “Jerusalem” (your immediate circle) and your “Samaria” (someone you find difficult to love). This week, offer a specific act of kindness or an encouraging word to one person in each of those circles, consciously asking the Holy Spirit to give you the “power” to love them well.

Questions for Reflection and Action

  • Where do you feel called to be a witness for Christ right now?

  • What fears or limitations make you hesitant to step forward?

  • How might the Holy Spirit be inviting you to trust God’s power instead of your own?

  • Who are the “Jerusalem” and “Samaria” places in your life where God is sending you?

Journaling Prompt
 Write about a person who has been a faithful witness to Christ in your life. What qualities in them reflected the work of the Holy Spirit? How might you bear that witnessing grace to others?

Blessing
 May the Holy Spirit fill you with power and peace.
 May the Holy Spirit fill you with courage and compassion.
 May you go, trusting that God is at work in and through you.

Prayer
 Holy God, I thank you that you do not call the equipped, but you equip the called. Fill me fresh with your Spirit today so that I might have the power to love as you love and serve as you serve. Let my life be a clear window through which others see your grace and are drawn to your light. Amen.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Origin and Use of John Wesley’s 22 Questions for Self‑Examination

-
Image
When John Wesley gathered the first Methodist societies in the 1730s and 1740s, he wasn’t trying to start a new denomination. He was trying to form a people who took the gospel seriously enough to let it reshape their daily lives. Wesley believed that God’s grace is always moving—awakening, justifying, sanctifying—and that Christians grow best when they pay attention to how grace is at work within them. One of the most practical tools Wesley used for this spiritual formation was a set of self-examination questions. These questions did not appear in a single moment but grew out of the early Methodist “bands,” small groups of three to five people who met weekly for honest confession, encouragement, and accountability. The goal was not guilt but growth. Wesley wanted believers to cultivate a life that was awake to God, honest about sin, and open to the transforming work of the Spirit. The “22 Questions” were compiled for these band meetings and reflect Wesley’s deep conviction that ho...
Read more

An Unshakable Life: Holiness in a World of Distraction

-
  An Unshakable Life: Holiness in a World of Distraction Amos 8:1-12, Colossians 1:15-28, Luke 10:38-42 EUMC & BCUMC, July 20, 2025, Proper 11c An important theme in today's texts is Staying Focused on Priorities – Staying Focused on the Moment. Today's Gospel text – the story about Martha and Mary – is often unfairly and incorrectly used to say devotion to Christ is more important than service. That's not what's happening here. Jesus values service and action – remember the Parable of the Good Samaritan that comes right before this – context is important. The Greek word used here is diakonos (meaning “servant” or “minister”) and it embodies the Christian calling to live out faith through service. It reflects the church’s mission to care for others through acts of charity, compassion, and justice. This sacred responsibility takes many forms: humanitarian aid, working for social justice, and outreach to vulnerable communities. Diakonia, this service) isn...
Read more

Choose Life - Grace That Empowers Decision

-
  Choose Life - Grace That Empowers Decision September 7, 2025 – Proper 18, Year C – EUMC & BCUMC Scripture Texts: Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Psalm 1; Philemon 1:1-21; Luke 14:25-33 Introduction: Standing at the Crossroads Every day we make choices. Some are trivial—what to wear, what to eat for breakfast. Others carry weight that extends far beyond the moment. We choose careers that shape decades of our lives. We choose relationships that define our hearts. We choose words that can heal or wound. But among all the choices we face, there is one that stands above all others—a choice so fundamental that it determines the very meaning of our existence. Today’s scriptures present us with this ultimate choice, painted in the starkest possible terms: two ways of living that lead to vastly different destinations. From Moses’ final charge to the people of Israel to Jesus’ radical call to discipleship, we see the same profound truth echoing through the ages. God places before...
Read more