Jesus Commissions Disciples

God's Urgent Call
Calling of Prophets

Called to Witness

Acts 1:1-11 The Message

To the Ends of the World

1 1-5 Dear Theophilus, in the first volume of this book I wrote on everything that Jesus began to do and teach until the day he said good-bye to the apostles, the ones he had chosen through the Holy Spirit, and was taken up to heaven. After his death, he presented himself alive to them in many different settings over a period of forty days. In face-to-face meetings, he talked to them about things concerning the kingdom of God. As they met and ate meals together, he told them that they were on no account to leave Jerusalem but “must wait for what the Father promised: the promise you heard from me. John baptized in water; you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit. And soon.”
6 When they were together for the last time they asked, “Master, are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel now? Is this the time?”
7-8 He told them, “You don’t get to know the time. Timing is the Father’s business. What you’ll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world.”
9-11 These were his last words. As they watched, he was taken up and disappeared in a cloud. They stood there, staring into the empty sky. Suddenly two men appeared—in white robes! They said, “You Galileans!—why do you just stand here looking up at an empty sky? This very Jesus who was taken up from among you to heaven will come as certainly—and mysteriously—as he left.”

For Reflection

As Christ has commissioned His disciples, He also calls us into service.  They ask as we sometimes do, “Master, are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel now?"  They expected Christ to do the work from which they would benefit.

Instead, Christ tells them that they are to spread the good news.  They, and now we, are to work for the Kingdom of God in the here and now and God will decide when the task is complete.

As the Holy Spirit has entered the souls of the Disciples, it will enter our souls and lead us to the work for which God made us.  Our role is clear. We are to witness to God's sovereignty and power. We are to show the world the veracity in a life lived in the hollow of the hands of God.

Pray

Pray that you will recognize the call for which you were made.  Pray that you will open your soul to the infinite possibility of service to the Lord.