Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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 Holy Spirit who Empowers for Mission

Acts 1: 1-11

V 8 “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.” 

In today’s passage for our devotion, we see that Jesus’ ministry did not stop with His ascension into heaven. Rather it was the beginnings of Christ building His Church through His apostles and by the works of the Holy Spirit. Acts 1 mentions that Jesus shared with the apostles the truths of the Kingdom of GOD over a forty-day period, this was so that the apostles would gain enough confidence about His resurrection and in the hope of GOD’s redemptive plan for mankind. But the apostles were still anxious and had many questions about how they would share the Good News with others if Jesus was not going to be around with them. Jesus reminds them of the promise that once He ascended into heaven from their midst, He would send them a Helper, an Advocate from the Father who would empower them on their mission of witnessing Christ in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).
This was a promise Jesus shared with the apostles even before His death. If you look at John 14: 26 Jesus says “… the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” So it didn’t matter if Jesus was not in their midst, the Holy Spirit would provide for them the counsel needed for their ministry. Jesus wanted the apostles to wait for the Holy Spirit to come before they embarked on their mission because only the Spirit of GOD can help them speak the truths of the Gospel boldly, help them understand its true meaning, and teach them how to witness to others.
If you look at the events that occurred even before Jesus started His earthly ministry, each of the gospels Mathew, Mark, and Luke share the account of the Holy Spirit descending on Him like a dove during His baptism. A sign that Jesus’ ministry was also empowered by the Holy Spirit. Therefore for us as believers today, Acts 1:8 is also our assurance that we are not alone in our mission to share the Good News and that GOD has given us the Holy Spirit to guide and empower us to be effective witnesses for Christ. The same Holy Spirit that empowered the apostles over 2000 years ago is the same Spirit who will guide us on our journey of sharing the Good News with others and help us grow in our personal journey of Faith. 

Prayer

Lord our heavenly Father, we thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit who empowers us to grow in a deeper knowledge of You and helps us testify to the hope that is in Your Son with truth and boldness. In Jesus’ name, we pray, AMEN.
Thought for the Day
GOD gives His Holy Spirit freely to anyone who believes in His Son and is willing to receive it!

JULIE VARGHESE
HOREB MAR THOMA CHURCH, LOS ANGELES

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