Acts 1 and 2
Acts 1 and 2 closely corresponds to the first two chapters of the author’s previous book, the Gospel of Luke. Luke 1–2 deals with the birth of the Savior. Acts 1–2 describes the birth of the church. Jesus was born of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35), and the same Spirit is the active and vital force in the life of the Church.
I spent my study time this week focusing on Jesus’ last instructions to His closest followers, and His vital instructions for the Church, then and now (Acts 1:3-4, 8).
4 Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” 8But 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.”
Paraphrasing these instructions: Jesus commanded the early church founders to wait to receive the Promise, which was the power of the Holy Spirit, and then they were to spend their lives telling others about Jesus. Or stated even more simply: wait, receive Power, witness for Christ.
Waiting is not a passive verb. It does not imply inaction. Keep in mind the commandment to “wait” is given in the Book of Acts…the Book of Action! As Jesus modeled throughout His life, His waiting was accompanied by active prayer and listening to His Father. As we imitate Christ, prayer and listening to the Father is how we should be waiting, also. We often live by the adage: Don't just stand there, do something. While God often says to us: Don't just do something, stand there. Waiting, means knowing we are not in charge; God is. Our plans aren’t perfect; His are! How often have we moved under our own power, following our own plans? Waiting on the Lord increases our strength! When we move with the Holy Spirit, then we can be bold and effective witnesses for the Lord Jesus Christ.
Finally, we are to tell others about Christ, not only with words, but also with action (remember we are studying the Book of Action). We are to tell the story of Jesus, but we are also to model His life to others and reflect His glory. In fact, I think our modeling speaks louder than our words. Witnessing happens as we live our lives before others. Modeling reveals our true character--- how we respond to various circumstances of life, what we are like in our daily interactions, and in moments of unexpected confrontation. To effectively witness for Christ, our nonverbal communication must be consistent with our words. I pray that we learn to be better at waiting, and lean into the presence of God as we give our lives daily, sharing Christ’s story!