Together in Christ: 'Power for the Interim' — Acts 1:7-8

Sunday, August 4, 2024

Merry Christmas!

We pray the Lord blesses you with the grace of Jesus' presence this Christmas!

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[In response to a question about when he would free Israel and restore the kingdom, Jesus] replied, "The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. But 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."
— Acts 1:7-8 NLT

Key Thought

Jesus' final words in Acts to His disciples before returning to the Father [1] are powerful and direct. They offer us a wake-up call to Jesus' mission for us. I believe we need to help each other grab three truths from this message:

  • We have a mission: We are to be witnesses to all the world about Who Jesus is and what He has done to save us.
    "And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere — in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
  • We must quit worrying about issues, questions, and details above our pay grade and leave those things to God. He alone knows how to handle them.
    "The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for [us] to know."
  • We have the power — the Holy Spirit [2] — to carry out our mission during the interim between Jesus' return to the Father and His coming back for us.
    "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you."

So, dear brother or sister, let's encourage each other to complete the mission Jesus gave us for this interim. He gave us the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish that mission. So, let's remind each other not to fuss and fight about questions that only God can answer but rather stay busy telling people about Jesus!

[1] Acts 1:9.
[2] Acts 2:38-39; Titus 3:4-6.

Today's Prayer

Father, please forgive us for our foolishness and fussing over questions we cannot answer. We repent, turn our hearts away from our silliness, and return to the mission Jesus gave us. We trust and depend upon the power of the Holy Spirit to help us in this mission and to transform us into the people the Lord wants us to be. We offer You our hearts and lives as we seek to be Your obedient, faithful, and mission-driven people. We pray this prayer of dedication in Jesus' name. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

  • Psalm 90:1-4; Isaiah 40:28-31
  • 2 Peter 3:1-10

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Illustration

Illustration of Acts 1:7-8 NLT — [In response to a question about when he would free Israel and restore the kingdom, Jesus] replied, "The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. But 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."

About This Devotional

Together in Christ is a daily devotional that focuses on what Scripture teaches about godly living in relationships.

'Together in Christ' is written by Phil Ware.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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