"The Mission" (Acts 1:8b)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 6/30/2017 8:47 AM

My Worship Time                                                                                         Focus:  “The Mission”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                             Reference:  Acts 1:8b

            Message of the verse:  “you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

            We have learned that Jesus did not answer the question as to when He would return to gather His church and begin His kingdom on earth and I think this goes along with one of the parables that He taught where we read "But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have allowed his house to be broken into (Luke 12:39).”  Now I am not comparing believers to thieves but what I am saying that if the church (called out ones) knew the exact hour that our Lord would return then I think it would make a difference as to how they live their lives.  In my prayer list I try to put on the spiritual armor each morning and one of the pieces of the armor is what Paul calls in 1 Thessalonians 5:8 “the helmet of the hope of salvation,” and when I am putting this on I will ask the Lord for my actions in my life to be like the Lord is returning today, for indeed that is my hope.

            Now since Jesus did not answer this question He goes on to the important thing that He wants to mention and as we look at this last half of verse eight we have a pretty good outline for the book of Acts and that is begin taking the gospel to Jerusalem, then move to Judah, and to Samaria, and then to the remote parts of the world.  The book of Acts begins in Jerusalem, then moves onto Judah then to Samaria, and finally ends up in Rome.  Today the gospel is preached in all the countries of the world, however the Bible is not yet written in every known language of the world, but that will happen if the Lord tarries in the next 30-40 years, or perhaps sooner.

            I want to look at what the word “witnesses or witness” as John MacArthur writes.  “I once witnessed an attempted murder.  When I testified in court, they wanted to know three things:  what I saw, heard, and felt.  I was reminded of 1 John 1:1-2, where John writes, ‘1 What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life… and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you.’ A witness for Jesus Christ is simply someone who tells the truth about Him.  The apostles, as Peter points out, ‘were eyewitness of His majesty’ (2 Peter 1:16).”

            Jesus proclaims the following in the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:19-20 “19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’”

            John MacArthur writes “So many Christians sealed their witness to Christ with their blood that matures (‘witnesses’) came to mean ‘martyrs.’  Their blood, as the second-century theologian Tertullian stated, became the seed of the church.  Many were drawn to faith in Christ by observing how calmly and joyously Christians met their deaths.”

            The truth of Christians being a witness for Jesus Christ is that all believers are witnesses for Him, and the only question is how effective their witness is.  If we, the body of Christ, are to be an effective witness for Jesus Christ we must do what Peter speaks of in 1 Peter 3:15 “but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.”  I had a friend who is now with the Lord who wrote a book, and in that book were pictures that he took around the world as he was a great photographer and won many awards for his pictures.  He signed the book that I bought from him with his name and under that name he wrote “1 Peter 3:15.”  You see this man was a great witness for Jesus Christ as he use to go into prisons to talk to inmates and led many inmates to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.  I have to say that I miss my friend Ron as even though I did not know him for long he was a great friend and a great witness for our Lord.

            If we as believers are to be effective witnesses then people around us have must know that we are different and that the Lord has changed our lives so that we desire to bring glory to His name.  We have to remember that this world is not our home that we are just passing through, and that are true home is in heaven where we will live with Christ forever, but now we are His ambassadors who represent our Lord here on earth.

            MacArthur concludes this section by writing “This beginning was to dramatically alter the course of history, and the spread of the gospel message has continued past Acts to reach all the earth.  Today believers continue to have the responsibility for being Christ’s witnesses throughout this world.  The sphere for witnessing is as extensive as the kingdom—all the world.  That was and is the mission for the church until Jesus comes.”  I have to say that that is one of the purposes for these Spiritual Diaries that go onto my blog sites.  My desire is to bring glory to my Lord Jesus Christ by having souls saved, believers grow and revival given to those believers who are in need of it, and I think we all can use revival in our lives each and every day. 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I realize that when the Holy Spirit began the church age that He gave special gifts to the apostles, and that as a believer in the 21^st century it is my desire to live my life in a way that the Spirit of God will fill me with what I need to do the work that He planned for my life in eternity past.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Trust the Lord to give me the lesson that I am will teach this upcoming Sunday in Sunday school.  The subject of Judas is a difficult subject to handle and therefore I desire that the Lord will give me the right preparation in order to teach this class in a way that will bring glory to His name.

Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:  “Pilate” (Matthew 27:19).

Today’s Bible question:  “How many parables does the Gospel of Mark record?”

Answer in our next SD.

6/30/2017 9:39 AM