The Empowerment of the Faithful Church
Acts 1:8 - “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
The book of Acts, authored by Dr Luke, is commonly called the Acts of the Apostles. However, a more accurate title would be the Acts of the New Testament Church, as it depicts the rise and expansion of the Body of Christ after being empowered (baptized) by the Holy Spirit. This book chronicles the journey of the early Church as it ventured out to share the good news of Jesus Christ with people from all backgrounds and cultures, ultimately spreading to every corner of the world.
This is the beginning of the Greater Works promised by the Lord in John 14. Despite the disobedience of the majority of the Church, the Lord started in Galilee; 120 people obeyed and were empowered (baptized) by the Holy Ghost. These obedient individuals were the only ones given the authority to do the work to reach the total
Man and the greater works to reach all men.
The fulfillment of Acts 1:8 was nothing short of remarkable. Following Peter's powerful sermon, countless souls were saved, with more than 3000 individuals being baptized and added to the Church. What's more, the people who were saved and baptized hailed from different tongues and nations, and soon after, they began spreading the gospel to their respective countries. This marked the beginning of the Church's exponential growth, as promised by the Lord to Peter in Matthew 16:18. The Lord said to Peter, "thou art Peter (stone) and upon this Rock (Jesus as the Rock) I will build the church."
The Lord has promised that with the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit, there will be a continuous and unbroken succession of the true New Testament Church. This Church is the only authorized divine agency that is responsible for spreading the gospel, performing baptisms, and teaching all men to serve God. Its divine mandate spans across the world, and it continues to be a powerful witness today.
As the only Church with divine authority, we must be faithful in carrying out our tasks. Our mission goes beyond preaching the gospel of salvation; we are called to win every soul and bring them to Christ. We must strive to make every person a part of the Body of Christ so that they can fulfill the works in Luke 4:18-19 and the Greater Works in Matthew 28:19-20.
Today, we have been blessed with an extraordinary opportunity by God. It is an opportunity that we should be grateful for and should not take for granted. Let us take a moment to acknowledge and thank God for deeming us worthy to belong to the assembly of His people. It is a great honor to serve Him and to be a part of His divine plan until the day of His return.
Our Prayer for today:
Our Gracious God, we give thanks for the 120 disciples who obeyed and waited for the Holy Spirit's empowerment. Their faithfulness and obedience have allowed the gospel to reach regions beyond their time, even today. May we also stay committed to the works You have empowered us to fulfill until Your return. We pray all of this in Jesus' name. Amen.