Why Aren't I Witnessing? Acts 1:1-11

We know that Luke wrote 2 letters to Theophilus. The first was a testimony of the life, death, resurrection, and teaching of Jesus Christ. This second book is a sequel (продолжение). In the text we read, Luke is beginning the story of how the followers of Jesus began to spread the good news of salvation through Him. I’d like to turn our attention specifically to the order of events (порядок событий) in this text. This is that very short time between the resurrection and the beginning of the apostles’ ministry. I especially want us to compare our own experience to that of the first disciples.

They are witnesses of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection.

v. 3: “которым и явил Себя живым, по страдании Своем, со многими верными доказательствами”

At least one of Jesus’ disciples personally witnessed His death.

John at the cross with Mary

They all knew he died on that cross.

They also KNEW He was raised from the dead after his crucifixion. They saw with their own eyes the holes in His hands. They saw Him walk through walls. They saw Him eat. There was no trickery or deception. There was no denying it for them!

How about us?

We can’t say we physically saw Jesus, but that’s what the Bible means when it uses the word “faith”. We are convinced in the deepest part of our heart and spirit that Jesus did die for my sin, He did rise up from the grave for my justification, He is my Lord and Savior!

Just like it wasn’t flesh or blood that revealed it to Peter, it was the Holy Spirit who revealed that truth to us!

Therefore, we also have the testimony of the truth of the gospel in ourselves just like the original apostles.

Jesus tells them to stay in Jerusalem until they are baptized in the Holy Spirit.

v. 7: “не отлучайтесь из Иерусалима, но ждите обещанного от Отца...вы будете крещены Духом Сбятым...вы примете силу”

“Immersed” in the power of the Holy Spirit

Power will be given.

Most of us are also familiar with this on a personal level. We have also experienced the pouring out of God’s power upon us. We know what it is like when our fears melt away because we can perceive that God is with us and empowers us.

Then Jesus tells them what the power is for:

He leaves them with the Great Commission: They are sent out to testify to the world until Christ returns.

The mission is not eternal! He doesn’t place a system into effect where there is a generational witness that will continue forever.

No! He wants His disciples to evangelize as many people as possible before His glorious return. Before the church is raptured up like He was and His righteous wrath pours out onto all unbelievers who disobeyed the gospel.

And so He tells His disciples: “Carry the fact of what you’ve seen, what you’ve experienced to all the ends of the Earth before I return.” Does this Great Commission apply to us?

Do we witness to unbelievers about who Jesus Christ is and what He has done? For humanity in general? For us in particular? Do we carry the offer of justification before God to the perishing world around us? To our coworkers? Our friends? Our clients?

This seems to be quite lacking in our fellowship! Why?! What is the problem?

Is it possible that though we call ourselves believers, come to church regularly, grew up in Christian homes, we actually DON’T have the testimony of the Truth in our hearts?

Could it be that we haven’t actually experienced the work of God in our life?

Is our “testimony” a list of Do’s and Don’t’s? Is that what we think Christianity is?

If it isn’t Good News to us, how can we possibly present it as such to others?

Or maybe we do have the testimony, but we don’t have the power to witness?

We can’t get over our fear of what the person will think of us? We feel embarrassed to go tell people about what Jesus did for our soul?

Does it ever seem strange to some of you that we feel so much of God’s power on Tuesday evening between 7 and 9 PM, or in our prayer closet (тайной комнате) but then the power seems to stay in the room where the prayer was? Why? Why doesn’t that power work in the way we read in the Acts? Why doesn’t that power move us to proclaim Christ?!

I heard a story from a revival in England. A well-known pastor went to see what was going on there. One of the things that he said the Holy Spirit was doing was moving people who would never dream of witnessing to go tell certain people about Jesus.

Maybe our unpreparedness to witness is due to the fact that we are limiting the work of the Spirit to certain times, places, and ways?

“I want to live my life, my way, work at my job and then, when I’m ready, Holy Spirit fill me!” Who is leading who?!

Perhaps our

There may be another reason we Christians don’t witness to the world around us:

vss. 10-11

We have the tendency to look at the world around us, the situation in the church, and say “Oh, everything is so bad. There is more and more evil out there. What’s going to happen with our children? Lord, when will you change this? Where are you, God?”

The solution to the problem of evil is the Good News! The cure to the sin around us is the One who cured the sin in us!

God gave us our marching orders specifically to save people from the evil we see! Are we doing it? Or are we standing and looking for God?

As we remember how Christ left this Earth and meditate on the fact that He’s coming back soon, let’s examine our hearts:

Do I have the testimony of the truth within me?

Do I desire the power of the Holy Spirit so I can carry that testimony to the world?

Do I limit the Spirit’s work in me and through me?

Do I stand still and look for God?

Or do I enter the battle with joy? Knowing that my King has given me orders, has given me the power to fulfill them, and is coming back soon!