Empowered to be Witnesses
There's something truly captivating about stories, isn't there? That’s why we read books and watch movies and tv shows. Stories have this incredible power to transport us to another time and place, to make us feel like we're right there in the midst of the action. And when it comes to the Bible, there's one book in particular that really stands out in its ability to inspire and make us feel like we’re in the midst of it: the book of Acts.
The book of Acts is filled with incredible moments of triumph, heartache, and everything in between. It's like a rollercoaster ride that takes us through the early days of the Christian church, showcasing the growth and spread of the Gospel to the ends of the earth. And what's truly amazing is that the events recorded in this book aren't just some ancient history lesson, which they are. No, they also have profound relevance for us today, right here and now in Portland, TN.
You see, the book of Acts is all about the Holy Spirit at work in the lives of ordinary people, empowering them to do extraordinary things. It's about the birth of the Church, the community of believers who were emboldened to share the good news of Jesus Christ to the world. And as we dive into each verse of this remarkable book, we'll encounter ordinary people, just like you and me, who, despite facing immense challenges and opposition, remained steadfast in their faith and obedience to God.
But here's the thing: the book of Acts isn't just a historical record of the early church. It's an invitation for each and every one of us to participate in God's ongoing story of redemption and transformation. It reminds us that the same Holy Spirit who empowered the early disciples is available to us today, equipping us to be witnesses for Christ in our own communities and spheres of influence.
So, as we embark on this journey through the book of Acts together, let's prepare our hearts and minds to be inspired, challenged, and encouraged. Let's open ourselves to the possibility that God can use us in mighty ways, just as He did with those early believers. And above all, let's allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us, guide us, and empower us to live out our faith boldly, bringing the hope of the gospel to a world that desperately needs it.
Are you ready? I hope you are, because we're about to embark on an adventure like no other. Let's dive into the book of Acts and discover the power and purpose that awaits us as we walk in step with the Holy Spirit.
When reading a letter, it helps to know who is writing and why they are writing it. Context is very important. For example, if you receive a not that says, “We need to talk,” it matters who wrote it and why they wrote it. It could be a parent, a spouse, a child, a boss. It could be a reprimand, bad news, a love letter, or a raise in salary. Context matters.
In this case, it is commonly understood that Luke is the author of Acts,[1] and verse one makes it clear who the author is writing to – Theophilus. Theophilus is a Greek name that means loved by God or beloved of God.[2] Many think he was someone of means, possibly a Roman official because of the qualifier “most honorable.”[3] This work was intended to be read by the church as a whole, but it could be addressed to Theophilus because he could have possibly funded the endeavor.[4] He was likely a Christian seeker or young believer, and we know the author had previously written to him, because he says, “in the first book.” Well, we do have the account of the first book and the purpose for the first book, so that’s where we get some context for this letter. He says here that the purpose of the first book was dealing “with all that Jesus began to do and teach.”
If you turn to Luke chapter 1, here is what we read:
1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.
So, Acts is a continuation of the Gospel of Luke, for the same purpose, with the same author.
I want you to notice an important word in this introduction. He says he is dealing with all that Jesus began to do and teach. Do you know what this means? Jesus is still at work in and through the church. He is still teaching and ministering and saving and giving life. And He does it through His church, His people, His body that are empowered to be His witnesses. One commentator describes Acts by saying, “God’s activity stands at the core of the account. Acts narrates God’s work in establishing the church through Jesus’s activity.”[5] God continues to use the church to fulfill His mission. After all, Jesus said the gates of hell won’t prevail against it![6]
We know the purpose and the person this is intended for, but how do we know Luke wrote it? He doesn’t explicitly say it in either introduction. He doesn’t explicitly say it, but he does implicitly say it, if you pay attention to pronouns. There is a certain point in the narrative of Acts where we see that the author of Acts becomes a companion of Paul on His missionary journey. From Acts 16-28, we see the use of first-person plural pronouns.
You can see the change from they and them to us and we in Acts 16:6-12.
6 And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7 And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. 8 So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
11 So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, 12 and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days.
So, the author of Acts became a companion of Paul at this point in his 2nd missionary journey. He continues with Paul in his journeys from Philippi to Jerusalem in Acts 20:5-21:18 and the journey from Caesarea to Rome in Acts 27:1-28:16.[7] Through process of elimination of those who accompanied Paul, Luke is the only viable candidate for authorship of Luke and Acts.[8] Luke was a doctor and a gentile, and Paul referred to him as “the beloved physician”[9] and a “fellow laborer.”[10] Luke was even the only one still there when Paul was imprisoned in Rome.[11] He was devoted to Jesus, devoted to spreading the gospel alongside Paul, and devoted to giving an orderly historical account of the real-life ministry of Jesus.[12]
Knowing that this is a historical, well-researched account, gives further credibility to the next sentence, of which is the core of our faith.
There are many proofs to the resurrection. Faith in the Bible isn’t a blind faith. It isn’t a blind leap into the dark. There are real reasons and verifiable proofs. In 1 Corinthians 15:17-20, the Apostle Paul, who once persecuted Christians but later encountered the risen Christ for himself and became a missionary and martyr for Christ, said that if Christ had not risen from the dead, our faith is useless and we are still in our sins. He then concluded, though, that “in fact Christ has been raised from the dead.” In fact. It is a historical fact that Jesus rose from the dead. I will give a lecture at some point about the many proofs of the resurrection, but since we are reading from Luke in Acts right now, let’s read his own account of the proofs.
Luke gives a historical account of the risen Jesus. He talked and taught and ate with His disciples. There are many people who don’t believe the supernatural is possible, and they have many theories as to how Luke could record something like this and it not actually be historical. Each theory against the resurrection must answer why 1) the tomb was empty and 2) Jesus appeared. There has not been a single natural theory that has adequately explained both of these. Every theory against the resurrection actually ends up taking more faith to believe than with the many proofs we have for the resurrection.
My brother just went on a mission trip to India. On the flight back, he sat next to an older Hindu man. The man asked him what he was reading, and it was a world religions book. The man told my brother that he was a Hindu, and my brother told the man that he was a Christian. My brother asked the man why he was Hindu, and he said he was born that way. And he told my brother that he was Christian because of where he was born. My brother said, “No. I am a Christian because I believe Jesus really rose from the dead.” At that, the man became angry and started getting loud, arguing with my brother. He didn’t like the prospect of his belief being grounded in historical reality. But that’s the truth of the gospel and the central component to our faith. Jesus really rose from the dead. And because of that, you and I really can be saved!
The same Apostle Paul who encountered the resurrected Christ and turned from a persecutor of Christ to a missionary for Christ, the same one who said Christ has “in fact” risen from the dead, also said, “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”[13] That is the core of the gospel. That is the central message that we are to proclaim. That is the “power of God for salvation for all who believe.”[14] It has power on its own, but we are also given power to proclaim this gospel with boldness.
The empowerment of the Spirit is foundational for the church’s mission, as it’s clear from the warning not to leave Jerusalem without it.[15] Jesus didn’t begin His public ministry before being empowered by the Holy Spirit.[16] What makes us think we can do it without the Spirit’s empowerment? I wish I could park on this point, but when walking through scripture like this, you have to dig deeper in some areas than others. This week we posted an article that walks you through the purpose of the Holy Spirit as seen in Acts. And it’s always for the purpose of boldness in mission. Tony Merida says it well, “We see two marks of the Spirit’s work in the disciples: boldness and the magnification of Jesus. References to Spirit-empowered boldness appear through the book (e.g. 4:29; 28:31).”[17] If we want to see God move in mighty ways as He did in Acts, we must not do things in our own power, but we must rely on the power of the Holy Spirit, and He will give us boldness to proclaim the glories of the gospel.
We saw in verse three that Jesus came speaking about the kingdom of God. Here in verse 6 we see them ask Him when He will restore the kingdom to Israel. There are two things we need to see from this. 1) The kingdom is both already and not-yet. 2) God remains in control of the times.
The kingdom of God is both already and not-yet. Jesus inaugurated the kingdom of God coming here on earth. It was the message He came proclaiming. Look at Mark 1:15, at the beginning of Jesus’s ministry. He says, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; [or the kingdom of God has come near] repent and believe in the gospel.” What we mean when we say the kingdom is both already and not-yet is that the death and resurrection of Jesus assured the victory over sin and Satan. God’s kingdom reigns now through the church. It’s not-yet, though, because it hasn’t fully been consummated. The new heavens and new earth are coming, but it’s not here yet.
It's like the difference between D-Day and V-Day. In World War II, D-Day was the blow that essentially led to the end of the war. That happened on June 6, 1944. The war wasn’t officially over, V-Day, until September 2, 1945. Many people still died in between those dates. It’s the same for us today. All creation is still groaning, waiting to be renewed. But the kingdom is coming, even though we don’t fully see it yet. That’s partly why the disciples ask this question.
God remains in control of the times. They ask Jesus this question in verse 6, and it may seem out of place and like they were out of touch, but it is actually rooted deeply in Old Testament prophecy. Craig Keener explains,
“The prophets linked the outpouring of the Spirit with the restoration of Israel (Is 32:15; 42:1; 44:3; 59:2; Ezek 36:24-28; 37:14; 39:29; Joel 2:28-3:1) – Jesus taught them from Isaiah (Lk 24:27, 44-45) – Naturally they would ask their eschatological question in 1:6. Jesus doesn’t deny a restoration but warns against a chronology.”
And the reply that Jesus gives to their question is essentially this: “Don’t worry about it. God’s got it.” It’s not for you to know the times. By His own authority, the Father has fixed the times. He’s got it. You don’t have to worry about it. By the way, that’s not just true about end times matters. It’s true for you right now, today. Whatever you’re going through….whatever you’re waiting on…whatever you’re worried about…God’s got it. You don’t have to understand. God’s got it. You can trust His timing. God’s got it. God will provide your needs. God’s got it. He’s working all things for good, even if it doesn’t seem good right now. God’s got it.
Jesus doesn’t just answer their question about when He will restore the kingdom of Israel with “Don’t worry about it. God’s got it.” He answers it by giving them God’s plan on how He’s going to bring about His kingdom. And it’s through them. And you. The follow up that Jesus gives to this question is the great commission. He’s saying, don’t worry about building up the kingdom of Israel. Be faithful in building the kingdom of God.
The kingdom that God is building is so much greater than Israel. We see that when reading through Acts. It extends to the Samaritans, to the gentiles, to the ends of the earth. It’s for all who believe.[18] What we see in this verse is the pattern throughout the whole books of Acts. The gospel moves outward from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. Praise God! Because that means the gospel has reached you!
Let’s dwell on this for a little bit. The disciples were concerned with themselves. They saw their immediate wants and needs. They even had scripture to back it up. But they were missing the mark. Jesus was directing their focus outward. It’s not about the restoration of Israel. It’s about the restoration of mankind to God. And that’s for all people. That means it’s for those who are near, those we tend to look down upon, and those who are difficult and costly to reach.
I want you to consider something I believe God put on my heart for us to live our being a witness for Christ in our Jerusalem. It’s this: First Baptist loves Portland. There are several things you can get today to start being a visible witness in this community. We have even more things coming. We encourage you grab a yard sign that show’s Portland that we love them (but you have to actually live it out!). Get a car decal to make the community more aware of FBC. Also, grab a bracelet. It has a simple way to share the gospel on it, known as THE FOUR. This is a reminder for you to share the gospel, a tool to be able to do so, and it’s also training. If you go to that link, it will walk you through a simple way to share Christ. You might think, “I already know how to share Christ.” Well, do you do it? You likely don’t. Here’s one of the reasons why.
It is costly to be a witness. The Greek word for witness is martys. Do you know what that sounds like? It’s where we get our word for martyr, someone who dies for their faith.[19] Think of Stephen, the first martyr for the Christian faith. He, in the power of the Holy Spirit,[20] proclaimed the gospel. Yet it cost him his life. But one who was there, Saul, ended up becoming the witness that the book of Acts follows on his missionary journeys to the ends of the earth. And he ends up being a martyr himself. Stephen witnessed in Jerusalem, and the one who had him killed took the gospel to the ends of the earth! That’s how God works! We are to be faithful witnesses, no matter the cost, and we entrust the results to God.
And these are the last words of Jesus. I’m certain He chose them carefully. You and I are to be witnesses. We must take our gaze off ourselves. We must deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Him.[21]
Try to picture this and think in their context. Jesus just said these words, and a cloud engulfed Him and took Him out of their sight. I love how one commentator describes it.
“That cloud may have been the Shekinah glory—a visible representation of the pleasure and presence of God. This was the same symbol that Moses had encountered on Sinai when God covered him with his hand so that Moses only saw the afterglow. It was the same cloud that traveled before Israel by day (a pillar of fire by night). It was the cloud that lay over the tabernacle and filled the temple. It was the cloud that Ezekiel saw depart over the east gate. It was the same presence that surrounded Jesus on the mount of Transfiguration when his face shone forth like the sun (Matthew 17).
The apostles’ hearts were pounding, and their eyes were wide as saucers as God powerfully underscored his Son’s final words to his Church! The truth conveyed through these events should resound in the inner chambers of every believer’s heart.”[22]
This is beautiful, not just because of its Old Testament imagery, but because of what it means. They are now to go to Jerusalem, and God goes before them, guiding them, and giving them His power. And it’s the same with you and me. As we go, He goes before us. He hasn’t left us. As Matthew’s version of the great commission concludes, “I am with you always, to the end of the age.”[23]
I think Tony Merida sums up all we have studied this morning perfectly by saying this: “The ordinary people of God, equipped with the Word of God, empowered by the Spirit of God, dedicated to the Son of God, can accomplish the mission of God.”[24]
In Acts, they never quite make it to the ends of the earth. The mission they set out to accomplish is left unfinished, still waiting to be fulfilled. Even in Rome, Paul keeps on bearing witness to Christ. The book ends abruptly, leaving things wide open. While there are some missions that are considered "completed" in Acts, each time Paul finishes one, it's like a door opening to a new beginning. Maybe that's the whole point of the missionary message in Acts—the mission remains open. There’s more story to be written. “The ‘ends of the earth’ are still out there to receive the witness to Christ.”[25] So, will you be His witness, no matter the cost?
[1] Craig S. Keener, Acts, New Cambridge Bible Commentary (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2020), 48. See also for further information about Lukan authorship of Acts: https://zondervanacademic.com/blog/who-wrote-the-book-of-acts.
[2] Darrell L. Bock, Acts, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007), 52; John B. Polhill, Acts, The New American Commentary (Nashville: B&H, 1992), 79.
[3] Tony Merida, Exalting Jesus in Acts, Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary (Nashville: B&H, 2017), 6.
[4] Merida, Exalting Jesus in Acts, 6.
[5] Bock, Acts, 2.
[7] Polhill, Acts, 24.
[8] https://www.gotquestions.org/Luke-in-the-Bible.html
[15] Craig S. Keener, Acts, New Cambridge Bible Commentary (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2020), 97.
[16] Luke 3:22-23; 4:18; Acts 10:38
[17] Merida, Exalting Jesus in Acts, 11.
[19] “The term ‘witness’ (martys) links the work of the Twelve (1:8) with Stephen (22:20) and with Paul (10:39-41; 13:31; 22:15; 26:26). All in their own way were witnesses to the risen Lord (26:16), but their primary role was to bear their faithful testimony (martyria) to his word. In Acts the role of witness is closely linked to that of discipleship. A true disciple is a faithful witness, not only willing to bear testimony to Christ but even to suffer for him. The word ‘witness’ came in the later church to have just that connotation: a true witness is one who carries his or her testimony to the death. Our word ‘martyr’ derives from this later usage of the Greek word for ‘witness’ (martys).” Polhill, Acts, 69.
[22] R. Kent Hughes, Acts, Preaching the Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 1996), 20.
[24] Merida Exalting Jesus in Acts, 11.
[25] Polhill, Acts, 63.
