Acts 1:8

[Jesus said:] “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria and to the ends of the earth.”

What an amazing day this must have been for the disciples! They were just about to see Jesus disappear before their eyes, and before He did so He gave them their marching orders. They were commissioned to take the good news to the whole world. These days, we know a great deal about the world and can easily communicate across the globe, but for Jesus’ disciples this must have seemed an overwhelming challenge. Where on earth would they start?

Jesus wanted His disciples to know that they were all witnesses. They had seen and heard things which needed to be shared. We don’t all have an evangelistic gift, which is often said to have been given to about 10% of Christians, but we are all witnesses. Our means of communication have changed completely since the first century, but our fundamental responsibility is still to bear our personal witness of what we have seen and heard.

Jesus asked His disciples to witness in Jerusalem. They needed to start where they were. This is often the greatest challenge. We all need to share our faith with our families, our colleagues and those who see us day by day. He then told them to go to Judaea. Though it wasn’t an easy area – much of it was rocky desert with scattered communities – Jesus wanted them to share their witness there. Because of the intense hatred that existed between the Jews and Samaritans, they were bound to get a hostile welcome in Samaria, but that’s where Jesus told them to go next. Then, as if they hadn’t already been challenged to the limit, He told them to go to the ends of the earth!

The challenge must have seemed overwhelming to the disciples. It must have felt like mission impossible, but it wasn’t. Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit, who would give them the wisdom and strength to obey His command.

Question

Who might you be able to witness to today?

Prayer

Lord God thank You that You have given me good news to share. Amen