27th Mar 26 | 16:08
Studies by Book
02 Acts 01 06-11 HE WILL COME IN LIKE MANNER AS YOU SAW HIM GO INTO HEAVEN 04 Acts 01 08 But…to be His witnesses
📖 Acts 01:06-11
04 – 21Jun2022 – *But…to be His witnesses* - _Acts 01:06-11_ - HE WILL COME IN LIKE MANNER AS YOU SAW HIM GO INTO HEAVEN - Bible reading: _Matthew 10:19-22_
“Thank You, Lord Jesus, that You have made it clear to us that our priority is to be Your witnesses. You are the one who enables us to live victoriously over sin. We are here to fulfil Your will in the enablement of the Holy Spirit. Fill us more and more with Your Holy Spirit. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.”
We have seen the motive behind the question raised by the disciples. We have seen the response of our Lord that it was not for them to know the times that are in the hands of the Father. They were to be His witnesses in the enablement of the Holy Spirit. In witnessing to Christ, they would be reconciling people and creation back to God.
*_Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."_*
*This familiar verse, begins with the word, ‘But’. The word ‘But’ is an important conjunction, which we must note. The Lord was turning the hearts and minds of the disciples from themselves to the work that will consume them. They were to be His witnesses*.
The disciples were thinking of their position and status in the kingdom of God. The Lord was telling them that, now, all of these issues need to be put aside. They must give themselves, single-mindedly, to the work of being His witnesses. This was the importance of the word, ‘But’.
We too are just like the disciples. We have several matters that are occupying our hearts and minds. Our minds are cluttered with various objectives and pursuits. When we come to Jesus, the word, ‘But’ confronts us. *BUT… we are to be His witnesses.*
*_John 15:27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning._*
*The word, ‘But’ is to say, “I have nothing else to accomplish in life, BUT one, and that is to be His witness”*.
As we go through the Acts of the Apostles, we see that this word, ‘BUT’, had such a powerful impact on the disciples. They were truly able to turn around from what seemed important to them earlier and give themselves, completely, to the work of being His witnesses.
*_Acts 4:33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all._*
This is the life to which all of us must come. We must start with the word, ‘BUT’ and say, “I’ve turned around, and all that matters to me, now, is to be His witness”. When we come to this kind of a commitment to Christ, then great grace and great power will rest on us.
The Great Commission is about being witnesses to Jesus.
*_Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. (19) Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen._*
The Great Commission is the substance of being witnesses to Jesus.
The word, ‘BUT’ makes us be witnesses to Jesus and the material of being His witness is the Great Commission.
_Acts 5:31-32 Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. (32) And *we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him*."_
Throughout the Acts of the Apostles, we see the disciples making it clear that they were witnesses to Jesus, in the enablement of the Holy Spirit. *These were the same disciples, who were earlier focussed on their own benefits, but the word, ‘BUT’ had had a great effect on them*.
To be a witness of Jesus will cost us to suffer much for His name. Yes, there are great rewards to being witnesses to Jesus. Rewards, the human mind cannot fathom. *Yet, the Lord has made it plain and clear to us that suffering will be the consequence of being His witnesses*.
_Matthew 10:19-22 But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; (20) for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. (21) "Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. (22) And *you will be hated by all for My name's sake*. But he who endures to the end will be saved._
The word, ‘BUT’ accepts the life of suffering for being a witness to Jesus.
*_Matthew 24:9 "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake._*
Nations including communities, cultures, societies and groups will be against us for being witnesses to Jesus Christ. This is the cost of the word, ‘BUT’. Yet…We are willing to say, “All of these will take place, ‘BUT’ I choose to be a witness to Jesus”.
*My commitment*
```“Lord Jesus, nothing else occupies me BUT one, which is to be Your witness,”```