“CALLED TO WITNESS”

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Acts 1:8

Every Christian is called to serve God. This calling is not an option but a command. We may have different personalities and backgrounds, but we are united by Jesus, who ransomed us from our slavery to sin. As such, we now belong to Him, and He is now our Lord. That is if we have truly repented and placed our faith in Him. But that’s not the end of the story.

After Jesus’ Resurrection, He stayed 40 more days to train the disciples and prepare them for global ministry. Jesus also promised them that the Holy Spirit would come. But they were still hoping that the Holy Spirit’s arrival would signal the restoration of the kingdom of Israel. Jesus corrected their thinking and said that it was not for them to know the times and seasons (verse 7). Instead, He had a specific mission for them.

The word “but” in verse 8 is a contrast between what the apostles are expecting and their actual assignment: to be Christ’s witnesses. The term “witness” is from the Greek word “martys,” which speaks of a legal or historical observer who can swear what he has seen or heard. Being personally trained by Jesus for at least three years, the disciples are qualified to witness His claims.

But something has to take place before the disciples can become Christ’s witnesses: they must first receive power from the Holy Spirit. The task is so great, which would ultimately shake the entire world, that it required empowerment from God’s Holy Spirit. They are regular folks with an exceptional job, and they need extraordinary power to accomplish their mission.

The Holy Spirit would allow them to carry the message of salvation by grace through faith in Christ not only to Jerusalem (Acts 1-7) and Judea (Acts 8-9) but also to the ends of the world (Acts 10-28).

Not every one of us has the gift of speech, but we all received the same gift—the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. We are all commanded to serve as witnesses for Christ. We may or may not have a widely successful ministry, but we sure can find our purpose in Jesus’ mission of saving sinners. All we need to do is make ourselves available and be willing to witness for Christ.

Pursue the Saviour today!