Mark Pender preached a sermon on good intentions and how we need to be accountable to others and know Scripture.

Every church has a culture, no matter how big or how small. Our culture is who we are and how we do things. Some might call it our “ethos”—the character of our church community.

Some churches have a culture of excellence. They have great preachers and their worship teams are cutting edge. 

Some churches have a culture of evangelism. They’re constantly getting out into their towns and communities and sharing the love of Jesus with others. 

Some churches have a missions culture. They really care about their missionaries and are constantly sending missionaries to the uttermost parts of the earth. 

Some churches have an invitational culture. Those who go to the church love to invite their friends.

Some churches have a service culture. They’re always getting out into their neighborhood to serve and care for the least of these.

Some churches have a culture of fellowship. They love spending time with each other and feel like one big family. 

Some churches have a welcoming culture. People feel really warm and welcomed when they come into the church.

There are lots of different cultures a church can have. Today I want to ask this question: 

What does a culture of encouragement look like?

If I were to stop and ask someone who has visited our church recently, what our culture is like, what would it take for them to say, “That church is a really encouraging place”? Today I want to cast a vision of what a culture of encouragement could look like. Thankfully, our text today (Acts 4:32-37) casts that vision. 

We’re given another snapshot, a Polaroid picture, of the first church in Jerusalem. It sounds a lot like what we read right after Pentecost (Acts 2:42-37). It highlights the way the community is encouraging one another in practical ways. It helps us define what a culture of encouragement can look like.

A culture of encouragement is defined by:

Let’s read the first half of Acts 4:32, “All the believers were one in heart and mind…” (NIV) All the believers have grown to about 5,000 men, not including women and children (Acts 4:4). All of them are sharing “one heart and mind.” The Greek says “one heart and one soul.” (NA28) One commentary I read says this means “real friendship.” A culture of encouragement is defined by:

1) Friendship (v32)

We care about each other. This is a big church. Can you imagine a church of 5,000 people all caring about each other? I imagine some of them must have lived in the outlying villages and towns in Judea and yet they are all marked by an atmosphere of friendship. 

A culture of encouragement begins with friendship. You have to know what’s going on in each other’s lives if you want to encourage each other. Otherwise we’re just motivational speakers. Love is spelled “T.I.M.E.”—time. If we want to create a culture of encouragement we need to spend time together. 

We as a church don’t spend a lot of time with each other during the week, especially during the day. Understandably so because we’re all busy working or parenting. We come together on Sundays and then we go our separate ways. The 20 minutes of fellowship after the church service doesn’t give us much time to go deep. The author and Christian counselor Larry Crabb once said, “I heard two men talking in a public restroom: ‘I saw a great movie this weekend,’ said one. ‘Me too,’ replied the other. Then they left.” “How was your week?” “Good. How was your week?” Good.” “See you next Sunday.” 

There might be a program here or there we could create to help cultivate friendships, but maybe this could happen a little more naturally. Remember a couple weeks ago when I challenged us to invite a family or person over to your home for dinner (or out to dinner) that you’d never had over before? Here’s an opportunity. You can do it! A culture of encouragement is defined by friendship and by…

2) Generosity (v32-35)

Acts 4:32b says, “No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.” Then if you skip to the seco

I want to read you a quote from one pastor’s last sermon. He said…

Well, I don’t know what will happen now. We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn’t matter with me now. Because I’ve been to the mountaintop. And I don’t mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And He has allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over, and I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight, that we as a people will get to the Promised Land. So I’m happy tonight. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing anything. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.

Those words are from Martin Luther King Jr’s last sermon. He was reflecting on a bomb threat he’d received earlier that day. The next day he was assassinated. King was called by God to a certain task, to give himself to the cause of the poor, the oppressed, and people of color. This was the mission and it cost him everything.

If someone threatened your life wouldn’t you be afraid? I would be, but he wasn’t. Why? Because, “Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.” King understood what you and I need to know if we’re going to serve God in any capacity, if we’re going to tell others about him, if we’re going to be bold for Jesus, and that’s this… 

Our doing for God must come from a deep knowing of God. 

MLK knew Jesus and that empowered his doing for Jesus. It gave him courage and boldness in the face of stiff opposition to keep going and to keep moving. The same is true for you and me. Our doing for God must come from a deep knowing of God. Peter and John are two men whose doing for God comes out of a deep knowing of God. They encounter threats and opposition but it doesn’t phase them. Yes Jesus calls them to go and make disciples in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8) but they do so with a deep knowledge of who God is.

The day before the story from today’s text when they were walking into the temple Peter and John encountered a man born crippled. He’d been that way for 40 years and God laid it on their hearts to call upon his power and heal him. They did and he got up and started shouting about what God had just done (Acts 3:1-9).  The crowds come running and Peter preaches a sermon that leads 5,000 men to faith in Jesus Christ. But this makes the political and religious leaders in charge angry. The temple guard throws them in jail but the next day they’re forced to release them because the people in Jerusalem love them (Acts 4:16). They command Peter and John to stop preaching Jesus but they refuse and are let go. 

If I were them I think I would have gone home and had a good long cry. I would have complained loudly and hid in my house and stayed off social media because I didn’t want to hear what people were saying. 

Peter and John don’t do this. Instead they go find the other Christian believers and tell them everything that happened (v23). When those Christian believers hear what happened they don’t go running and hide away. Instead they have a prayer meeting where all together they pray to God for boldness to keep sharing. If we look closely at what they pray we’ll see that our doing for God must come from a deep knowing of God.

This was something we read and reflected on for my Doctorate of Ministry (D.Min) classes last week. I have to admit I am convicted. My doing for God often comes before my being with God (Scazzero). I tick off multiple to-dos with little thought of God and without inviting him into my day. That’s idolatry. I want to confess it and I want God to change me. The book Ten Most Common Mistakes Made by Church Starts says lists the first mistake, “Neglecting the Great Commandment in Pursuit of the Great Commission.” In other words, making disciples for Jesus before loving Jesus himself. I don’t want to do that anymore, and if there’s any

Rev Brian Bethke, Canon for Leadership Development with the Anglican Diocese of New England preached on following Jesus outside of the camp from Hebrews 13:10-16. Check out his sermon here. We also got to celebrate Julia Pender’s baptism as part of the worship service.

John and David are out back working on the AC Unit. John is a believer and begins to ask David, “Do you go to church?” David explains that he used to go to mass but hasn’t been in years. They talk a little bit about the differences between Catholicism and John’s church, but the details stay high-level. Catholics have priests. Protestants have pastors. Catholics baptize babies. John’s church doesn’t. They don’t talk about any real theological differences. They don’t speak of sin or grace. As they wrap up fixing the AC, David says, “It’s not really what you believe that matters; just that you have faith.” John knows that’s not right, but he doesn’t say anything, maybe because he doesn’t want to offend or he doesn’t know what to say. 

Samantha and Jessie just finished their Zumba class. Samantha, a recent believer, invited Jessie to grab coffee with her after class. They’re on their way to Dunkin Donuts when Jessie starts telling Samantha how difficult her marriage is right now. Samantha listens and tries to offer words of encouragement. She knows what she really needs is Jesus but something inside her worries their relationship will end before it ever begins if she brings up religion. So she compromises, she says, “I’ll pray for you.” Jessie seems to mean it when she says “thank you.” Their conversation turns to lighter topics. Samantha wonders if she should have said more. Instead of bringing it back up she prays, like she said, and asks the Spirit for another try. 

Maybe you can relate to one of these stories. Maybe it’s not so different than something you’ve experienced. The Lord gives us an opportunity to talk about Jesus and we miss it. Maybe you feel guilty, a burden for your friend, coworker, or family member that needs Jesus. Or maybe you feel fine but you’re pretty sure your pastor wants you to feel guilty. Why don’t we share the gospel? Or if we do, what are the biggest obstacles to overcome? Apathy? Lack of opportunity? Fear of rejection?

In Acts we find two men who have the courage to share the gospel in the face of fear. They’ve just healed a man at the temple gate. He was crippled and couldn’t walk for 40 years, but through faith in Jesus they perform a miracle. They heal him and that’s when the trouble starts. He get’s up and goes running into the temple courts shouting and jumping and praising God (Acts 3:8). That attracts a large crowd who they tell about Jesus and his resurrection from the dead. That large crowd attracts the priests, and the captain of the temple guard, the Sadducees, and others who don’t like what they see (Acts 4:1, 8). They are “greatly disturbed.” They are deeply annoyed, even vexed, and so they “seize” them and throw them in jail (v3). 

How do you think Peter and John feel? There are two options. They feel…

Fear of man -> inward fear

They can let their fears and anxieties of what people might do to them define them, which produces an inward-focused fear of “what might happen to me.” Or they can feel…

Fear of God -> outward courage

A healthy fear of who God is, a respect and awe for him, produces outward courage that helps us focus on God, his will, and the needs of others more than ourselves.

Proverbs 1:7 (NIV)

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,

     but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

As we think about evangelism like Peter and John we don’t need to be afraid but to obey God. When those in power tell them to stop evangelizing it doesn’t go well.

Acts 4:18-20 (NIV) 18 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! 20 As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

They are so focused on God and telling people about him (outward courage) that they’re not afraid, or if they are, their courage overcomes their fear.

Today I want us to look at their fears and our own—and the h

As I was thinking about you this week, imagining you sitting in these chairs, I was thinking that we all have a need. Your need is that thing or issue that’s on your mind, and that’s weighing on you but you don’t know how to solve. If we were to each stop and publicly identify our need, we’d be here a while.

Some of us would identify money as our need. We need a job, or a raise, or help paying off our student debt, or mortgage, car payment, or medical bills. We would identify our need as financial.

Some of us would identify relationship as our need. We’re having marriage problems or family problems. We have a problem with a parent, sibling, or coworker we don’t know how to fix. We need reconciliation or another try or to feel loved. We would identify our need as relational. 

Some of us would identify time as our need. We’re just too busy with our schedules and our kid’s sports and activities. We don’t have enough time with our family or to get our job or homework done. If only we had more time, everything would be easier. We would identify our need as time.

I’m sure we would identify other needs—medical, emotional, social. As we open the Scriptures we encounter a God who cares for the needs of his people. Jesus came to preach the gospel, the good news, but also to heal and restore the lame and the blind and set the oppressed free (Luke 4:18-19). Jesus cares for our spiritual needs, but also our physical, mental, emotional, social, and economic needs (Matt 6:25-34). We shouldn’t be surprised that once Jesus sends out his disciples on mission, they do the same. 

Peter and John, two of Jesus’ closest disciples, are going to the temple for a 3pm prayer meeting, and as they’re walking into the temple compound they encounter a man who has never walked. He was born lame and has had to depend on the generosity of others his entire life, to be transported to the temple, maybe to get into his bed, eat, and go to the bathroom. His need is obvious, right? But he actually underestimates his need and so do we. 

We underestimate our need. (Acts 3:1-8a)

The man didn’t ask them for healing. He didn’t have a clear perception of his need. Instead, he asks them for money. “If I can just have more money, it will solve all my needs, or at least most of them.” Have you ever told yourself that? This man became so locked into a way of thinking he couldn’t imagine what God might do. We also can become so locked in a way of thinking we can’t imagine what God can do.

I read an article this week that spoke of the difference between the left side of our brain and the right side. Maybe you know this already but creativity and imagination are attributed more to the right side of our brains and order and logic more to the left side of our brains. I think we can get stuck in a left-brain understanding of our need, the basics, and today I want us to right-brain imagine what the Scriptures might really say our need is. 

This man thinks he needs silver and gold. I need food and some place to sleep. Very left brain thinking. But Peter and John, right-brain disciples, look at him and imagine God’s possibilities for him. 

Acts 3:6-8a (NIV) 6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk…

Peter performs this amazing miracle and heals this man’s legs. This must be his real need, right? But even when Jesus heals people, it often carries a greater point. When a paralyzed man is lowered through the roof to see him Jesus first says, “Your sins are forgiven.” Then he says “take your mat and go home” (Mark 2:9-11). He heals the man to prove he can forgive sins. Forgiveness was his greater need. Now Peter and John heal this man to open the door for them to tell the crowds their greater need.

Only God can satisfy our true need. (Acts 3:8-10)

The

Cornerstone is a church plant. Sometimes when you tell others you’re starting a new church it’s like, “Wow! That’s amazing! You can do whatever you want!” It’s almost like people think you’re playing a game of Sim Church, kind of like Sim City or The Sims. Except instead of building a city or a neighborhood I’m putting up some stained-glass windows here, a nice cross there; I’m starting VBS and Awana and now it’s time for the baptisms. 

But here’s the thing… The church is not an iPhone with fully customizable preferences—the iChurch. The church is a people, lots and lots of messy people who come together to know and worship Jesus—not iChurch but WeChurch. That’s what we see in Acts. Messy people come together to know and worship Christ Jesus. Acts 2:42-47 introduces us to the first church plant, ever. As we look at it we see they’re not a Sim Church or an iChurch but a WeChurch, a community of believers doing church together.

And so today I want to look at one that means. What does it mean to do church together? If an iChurch is about me and my preferences then WeChurch is about Christ and his preferences. He’s given us an example of what he’d like to see in Acts. This passage is purely descriptive, with no relevance to today, but neither do I believe it’s so prescriptive that we have to look exactly like it. Instead, I see some truths and principles for all churches. So let’s look at what those are, which tell us how to do church together.

1. We gather around God’s Word.

We opened chapter two with Pentecost (Acts 2:1-13); then we heard Peter preach and 3,000 people repent and believe in Jesus (Acts 2:14-41). Now here, those who stay behind in Jerusalem and don’t return to their homes in the countryside, they form the first church. It’s like they almost naturally come together to do what they’re supposed to do to be a church, and it starts with gathering around God’s Word.

Acts 2:42a, 43 (NIV) They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching… 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.

They don’t yet have copies of the New Testament, but they have the Old Testament, the Hebrew Scriptures, or what they would have called the Tanakh, the Torah (Gen – Deut), the Nevi’im (prophets), and the Ketuvim (historic and poetic). The Apostles (the 12 disciples) would have spent time talking about Jesus, reminding them of his teachings, and showing how the Tanakh points to Jesus as the Christ (the Messiah), just like Peter did in his sermon (Acts 2:14-40). Then they perform miracles just like Jesus to authenticate that what they’re saying is true. 

There has to be something that brings us together as a people. We’re not a movie club. We’re not brought together by our love of film and television. We’re not an exercise group or a cooking club. We’re not brought together because we’re all from the same country or speak the same languages. It’s not our hobbies  or interests or nationalities or anything else that unites us except for Christ Jesus and his Word. That means when we get together as Christians, we can talk about all those other things, our favorite TV shows and recipes and hobbies, but we can also talk about Jesus and his Word. 

When we gather around God’s Word, you could say we’re gathering around Christ and the gospel. We’re coming to learn about him, to see how the Scriptures point to him, to confess our sins to him, to receive his grace in our lives, to remember his sacrifice on the cross, to celebrate his resurrection and ascension, to be in relationship with him, to know him. There is someone who unites us despite our different ethnicities and backgrounds and movie and food and exercise preferences. We gather around Jesus and his Word.

2. We do life together.

Christianity is not just a Bible study, it’s a lifestyle. 

Acts 2:42b, 44-46a (NIV) They devoted themselves… to fellowship… 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions t

We talk a lot about sharing our faith with others here at Cornerstone. But have you ever gotten into a situation where you had the chance to share the gospel and you froze because you felt like you didn’t know what to do? Can you think back to the last time a friend or family member brought up something about Christianity or the Bible and you thought, “What a great opportunity!” as it sailed right past you? Today, I want us to look at how the Apostle Peter shared the gospel as an example of how we can share the gospel with others so that we don’t miss these opportunities.

Acts is a historical record, which means everything in it is “descriptive” and not necessarily “prescriptive.” In other words, it describes what happens but that doesn’t mean we have to copy that in our own lives, or that it is the typical pattern for believers. Otherwise I’d have to preach to you in German and I don’t know how to speak German… So as we review Peter’s example today, know this is only one way to share the gospel. There are other options. For example, Peter doesn’t use a personal story when sharing, but if we were to flip to Acts 26 we would see the Apostle Paul sharing his testimony. 

In Acts 2:14-41 I find seven steps to sharing the gospel with others. What’s the first step? 

1. Engage with objections (Acts 2:13-14)

Peter is not afraid to have a hard conversation with people who are mocking the believers. Let’s back up for just a moment. It’s Pentecost. The Holy Spirit has descended on the church body in a special way and is filling the believers and disciples. They’re speaking in foreign languages “declaring the wonders of God” (Acts 2:11). It’s like If I were to begin preaching in fluent Mandarin with no American accent. You’d be amazed, right? You’d instantly believe in Jesus if you didn’t already, right? Not necessarily.

Acts 2:13 (NIV) Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”

Have you ever had an experience like that when you’re sharing some part of the gospel or its impact on your life and people laugh at you? When I worked in banking out of college I was on the road with some coworkers and we started talking about Christianity over dinner and I pulled out a pocket New Testament and one girl laughed at this because it was like I had planned the whole thing. Well, she was right. I probably deserved that. But we keep going, keep sharing. 

That’s what Peter does. He could have walked away feeling alienated and harassed, but instead he and the other eleven Apostles stand up, and full of the power of the Holy Spirit he engages with their objections. He says, “Fellow Jews… let me explain this to you…” Instead of shutting down he powers up. 

One of the things I like about doing CrossFit is you never know when someone is going to ask you a question. When I first started there one of the coaches who knew I was a Christian asked me point blank about the abuses in the Catholic priesthood. It took me aback, but it also gave me the opportunity to talk about how Jesus loves the little ones and is a God of justice. 

In 2019 Barna found that 86-92% of Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, and Elders either “Strongly agree” or “Somewhat agree” that “When someone raises questions about faith, I know how to respond.”As Christians, we have good answers. 1. Engage with objections. Step two is…

2. Share Scripture (Acts 2:15-17)

Now if you’re like me, you’d probably prefer step #2 to be “share a personal story.” That’s one option. 1 Peter 3:15b says to “Always be prepared to give an answer…” (NIV) Maybe that’s the answer the Lord gives you. But I don’t want us to miss the opportunity to share Scripture. Scripture is powerful.

Isaiah 55:11 (NIV)

so is my word that goes out from my mouth:

     It will not return to me empty,

but will accomplish what I desire

     and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

When I share my personal story I don’t know if some part of it will resonate or not, but I do know that God’s word has a power my wor

What would you do if all of a sudden I yelled, “Fire!” Would you stop and look around to see what I was talking about? Would you just get up and run out of the building? Would you try to locate the fire-extinguishers? Or maybe you’d grab a pack of marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate for s’mores. What would you do if one Sunday you walked into this room and it was full of fire, wind, and smoke? Would you think, “ah the perfect place to worship the Lord”? Or would you turn around and run back out? At the very first worship service of the very first church something like this happened. 

Acts 2:2-3 (NIV) 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.

There was a “violent wind” and “tongues of fire” (no smoke). Something wild is happening, something uncontrollable. God is filling the room and the people. But if it was your first day at that church you might have thought it made no sense, but it actually made perfect sense. The disciples in that upper room, perhaps as many as 120 of them, were Jewish and would have recognized what was happening as a continuation of the same story the Hebrew Scriptures (the Old Testament) had been telling. I want to tell that same story today to help us worship better. To do so we have to go back to the beginning.

Genesis 1:1-2 (NIV) 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

In the beginning absence, darkness, nothingness, chaos—all churning together like a stormy sea; and the Spirit of God hovers like a bird over the waters. The Hebrew word for Spirit is rûaḥ and can also mean “wind” or “breath.” The Spirit of God is there transforming chaos into creation. God made everything, and it was good, chaos no more. But man and woman, Adam and Eve, we reintroduced chaos. We choose our own way instead of God’s way and suddenly everything fell. But God has a plan. A long time later he shows up, this time to a man named Abram. God promises this man that he’s going to bless him and his descendants and through him bless all the nations. 

Genesis 12:2-3

2 “I will make you into a great nation,

       and I will bless you;

   I will make your name great,

       and you will be a blessing.

3 I will bless those who bless you,

       and whoever curses you I will curse;

   and all peoples on earth

       will be blessed through you.” 

God is going to bless Abram, his descendants, and the whole world through them. But he says, “How can I know this?” The Lord God answers him by having him sacrifice animals by cutting them in half and laying them out as a pathway to walk through. According to the culture of this time Abram might have been thinking, “Oh if I don’t obey God, he’s going to cut me up like these animals.” But God isn’t saying that.

God puts Abram into a deep sleep and then the Spirit of God comes down and hovers, this time as a “smoking firepot with a blazing torch” and as those things God passes through the split animal pieces. God is saying, may this be done to me if I don’t keep my promises to you. The God of the Bible is someone you can count on. He’s trustworthy. He doesn’t break his promises found in Scripture.

The Spirit of God shows up again, this time to Abram’s (now Abraham’s) descendants, the Israelites. God shows up as a burning bush and tells Moses to lead the Israelites out of captivity in Israel (Exod 3). Moses leads them out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, and to a mountain called Sinai. There God tells Abraham’s descendants that if they obey him they will be his priests to all the nations.

Exodus 19:5-6a (NIV) 5 Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you will be for

When I graduated college I wanted to take an epic motorcycle ride with my dad before I moved out to Washington DC. In May my dad, a friend, and me rode motorcycles on a 230 mile loop starting in my hometown of Estes Park, Colorado. We rode up and over Trail Ridge Road, which is a beautiful ride that winds back and forth as it gets higher and higher and higher. It goes as high as 12,183 feet. Right now that road is closed because of snow, often higher than cars, but it had just finished melting on our trip. The snow-covered rockies were beautiful but I was freezing. I should have worn more layers. 

We rode down the mountain and we were so eager to get some miles under our tires that we didn’t stop for gas and the next gas station wasn’t for 50 miles. As we were riding through beautiful views all around us but  I kept worrying, “Am I going to run out of gas? Am I going to make it?” My motorcycle had a reserve tank that would get you a few more miles but I didn’t want to have to use it. I don’t know if I did or not but thankfully I did make it to the gas station. I was so happy I took a picture of it. After this we drove into a rainstorm and I started freezing again. 

I wasn’t as prepared for this trip as I should have been. I didn’t wear enough layers and I didn’t have enough fuel. Although I enjoyed the ride, and the views, and this is a great memory, I think I could have enjoyed it even more if I had been better prepared. In the book of Acts, God is calling us to a grand mission to go out and share the message of Christ Jesus with our world. We’re going to encounter beautiful vistas, lives changed by Jesus Christ, God at work, but we’re also going to encounter difficulties and hardships, snow, rain, and running out of motivation. There are some things we need to do before the mission to be prepared and enjoy the journey. 

As we continue Acts chapter one we will see how the disciples prepared to go on their mission, which will show us how to prepare for ours. 

We need power for our mission. (Acts 1:8-9)

Before Jesus sends his disciples out to share the gospel (the good news about him) with the whole world, what does he promise? He promises power through the Holy Spirit.

Acts 1:8 (NIV) 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.”

The Greek word for “power” is δύναμις (dune-a-mis), which sounds like our word for dynamite or dynamic.  This power is the type of power than can… 

Transform people’s hearts (Luke 1:17);

Conceive a baby in a virgin girl (Luke 1:35);

Cast out demons (Luke 4:36; 9:1);

Heal the lame and the sick (Luke 5:17; 6:19; 8:46);

Perform miracles (Luke 10:13, 19; 19:37; Acts 2:22; 3:12; 6:8; 8:13; 19:11); and…

Make people listen when the gospel is shared (Acts 4:7, 33). 

This power is the Spirit’s power (Luke 4:14; 24:49). This power is Jesus’ power (Luke 22:69; Acts 10:38). Did you know that more of the sun’s power strikes the earth in one hour than the entire world uses in one year? Enough solar energy hits the earth in one hour to supply our whole world with power for an entire year. Christ’s power is even greater. If we’re going to be his witnesses in our Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth, we need to access his power.

The original name for Acts is the “Acts of Apostles.” The Bible Project points out that “a more accurate name” is “The Acts of Jesus and the Spirit.” Aren’t the apostles and disciples doing all the work? The Holy Spirit is working through them. The work that takes place in Acts is first Christ’s work. He’s the primary worker. He’s the conductor. He’s the hero. Look at what Jesus does right after he gives them the mission.

Acts 1:9 (NIV) After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

Where did Jesus go? This is what Jesus promised those who were condemning him at his trial.

Luke 22:69 (NIV) But from now