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“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be my witnesses… to the very ends of the earth.”
- Acts 1.8

Acts 1.3-11 | To the Ends of the Earth
These verses describe what happened in the forty days immediately following Jesus’ death and resurrection. After rising from the dead, Jesus presented himself to his apostles, appearing to them repeatedly[1] and speaking to them about things concerning the kingdom of God. He then gathered them together and ordered them not to leave the city of Jerusalem, but to wait there until they were baptized by the Holy Spirit.

In response to their questioning, Jesus makes it clear that there are some things his disciples should not worry themselves about. On the other hand, there are things they should be focused on like a laser beam! Being witnesses for Jesus to the ends of the earth is one of those things. “It is not for you to know times or epochs… BUT you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be my witnesses… to the very ends of the earth.” As we will see, being a witness for Jesus is a key emphasis in the book of Acts.[2]

But first things first. The promised Holy Spirit must first come upon them and fill them with power so that they can be bold witnesses of the Lord Jesus. More on this to come.

This opening section of Luke’s account ends with Jesus being lifted up into the sky, finally being hidden from his followers’ view by a cloud.[3] It seems as if his followers were paralyzed for a moment. They were standing on the Mount of Olives just outside Jerusalem, gazing intently into the sky, when two men appeared to them with the promise that “This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched him go into heaven.”[4] A new age had begun, one that we are still living in today. This age began when Jesus left the earth, and it will end when he returns the same way!

Question:
- Are you a witness for Jesus?

Prayer:
“Father, fill me with your Holy Spirit. Make me a bold witness for your son Jesus, the Messiah.”

Take Action:
Read the following verses from the book of Acts and list what the early disciples were witnessing about: Acts 1.21-22; 2.32; 3.14-15; 5.30-32; 10.38-41; 13.28-31; 22.14-16; 26.15-18.

[1] Acts 10.40-41 and 13.30-31. Also 1 Corinthians 15.3-8

[2] Acts 1.22; 2.32; 3.15; 5.32; 10.39-41; 13.30-31; 22.15; 26.16

[3] Where Jesus went is also a key emphasis in the book of Acts and the rest of the NT. See Acts 2.32-33.

[4] see Zechariah 14.1-4; Matthew 24.30-31