Day 47 — Not When But How
Acts 1:6-9
Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
We all want to know what is going to happen. When – and how – will the lockdown end? When will a cure or a vaccine be found? When will the schools, shops, dentists, gyms, cafes open again? After Jesus’ resurrection his disciples want to know the time frame – is it now that everything gets put right? Will we win the victory and kick the oppressors out?
As often seems to happen with Jesus, he doesn’t answer in the way they were expecting. The dates and times are to remain unknown for the ‘victory’ they are looking for – but what is about to happen is of the utmost importance. The power is coming, the Spirit is on his way. The impact is about to be felt to the ‘ends of the earth’!
Jesus’ explanation of what is about to happen – of the Holy Spirit coming – is clearly not just for them to feel like Superman/woman, or even full of peace, comfortable or experientially/intellectually satisfied. The Spirit is coming so that the followers of Jesus will be empowered to be witnesses to Jesus. First in the city where they are, then in a national context, then across the world.
We’ve recently been watching ‘Race Across the World’ (we were very sad when Sam and Jo had to drop out…) and it reminded us just how big the world is. Following the teams by road and rail, rather than by flying, showed us so much more about the local communities, the cultures, the people, the lives, the families that they encountered. It’s a very big world out there – whatever technology might tell you!
Having a remit to be a witness to the ‘ends of the earth’ is pretty major – and the disciples (and that includes us!) could not even consider this without something supernatural going on. We often feel overwhelmed at our circumstances, our own limitations – but God knew all about what you could and couldn’t do when he formed you. The Spirit is poured out on us today – the same Spirit as those first disciples encountered. We don’t need to do this on our own, we too can be empowered to be witnesses to Jesus to those around us, our communities, our city, our nation and, who knows, maybe to the ends of the earth!
Prayer: Lord fill us with your Spirit again today to enable us to be witnesses to you – in our families, local communities, to our city, our nation – and maybe even to the ends of the earth!
Ali Herbert
Associate Pastor