Act 1:4 And having met with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to await the promise of the Father which you heard from Me.
Act 1:5 For John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days from now.
Act 1:6 Then, indeed, these coming together, they asked Him, saying, Lord, do You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?
Act 1:7 And He said to them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father has put in His own authority.
Act 1:8 But you shall receive power, the Holy Spirit coming upon you. And you shall be witnesses to Me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
I always thought of this verse before as if Jesus changed subjects between verses 7 and 8.
I just read it this morning, though, and another thought came to me: that its a continuation of the thought begun in verse 7. Even if He didn't reveal to them the time of the restoration of the Kingdom, He did reveal the next step: the power to be witnesses.
Just nine days later, three thousand were saved by their witness - their powerful witness, fueled by the Holy Spirit, and directed toward Jesus' death and resurrection.
That very power has been given to all His servants. The power to be His witnesses. Pastor asked us tonight to define the Holy Spirit in one word.
What word would you use?
power
God
trinity
miracles
dunamos
signs
All these came out. One didn't. Perhaps the one most fitting:
Love
Isn't it love that is the greatest commandment? Isn't love to be desired above all other spiritual gifts?
Oh, to be more love to those around me. More witness. More power. More Jesus.
LOVE
