Empowered Witnesses: Sharing the Gospel Everywhere
Summary
### Summary
In Acts chapter 1, verses 4-8, Jesus instructs His disciples to wait for the promise of the Holy Spirit, which will empower them to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. This passage raises the question, "Where do we go from here?" The disciples, having witnessed Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection, are now tasked with continuing His mission on earth. This mission is not just about serving but also about being sent out to share the gospel.
The sermon emphasizes that we are called to be messengers of the gospel, not just pew members. Jesus promises power through the Holy Spirit to enable us to fulfill this mission. We are to be witnesses, not defense attorneys or salespeople, simply sharing what we have experienced in Jesus. This mission starts in our immediate circles—our "Jerusalem"—and extends to the ends of the earth.
The sermon also addresses common reasons why we might hesitate to share our faith, such as fear of rejection or feeling unqualified. However, it encourages us to trust in the power of the Holy Spirit and to start our mission at home, discipling our families first. It challenges us to reach beyond our comfort zones, engaging with people who are different from us, and to care about global missions.
The call to action is clear: we must be willing to go wherever God sends us, whether it's our local community or across the globe. The sermon concludes with a personal story of how the pastor was called to ministry, emphasizing that this call to be a witness is for everyone, not just those in full-time ministry.
### Key Takeaways
1. Empowered by the Holy Spirit: Jesus promises His disciples power through the Holy Spirit to be His witnesses. This power is essential for fulfilling the mission of spreading the gospel. If the disciples, who walked with Jesus for three and a half years, needed this power, how much more do we need it today? [09:13]
2. Start at Home: Our mission begins in our immediate circles—our "Jerusalem." This means sharing the gospel with our family, friends, and neighbors. Discipleship should start at home, where we live out the gospel daily. Our actions and words should align to reflect the change Jesus has made in our lives. [20:00]
3. Reach Beyond Comfort Zones: We are called to reach beyond our comfort zones to people with different backgrounds, languages, and situations. This involves breaking down barriers and building bridges, just as Jesus did. Engaging with those who are different from us can be challenging but is essential for fulfilling our mission. [23:23]
4. Global Mission: God is a global God, and He commands us to go into all the world and preach the gospel. This mission extends beyond our local communities to the ends of the earth. We must be willing to participate in global missions, whether through prayer, financial support, or going ourselves. [32:11]
5. Personal Responsibility: Each of us has a personal responsibility to share the gospel. We are plan A, and there is no plan B. The call to be a witness is for everyone, not just those in full-time ministry. We must be willing to say, "Here I am, send me," and trust that God will use us to impact others for His kingdom. [38:06]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[01:26] - Opening Prayer
[02:49] - Personal Story: Relationship Decision
[05:49] - Disciples' Uncertainty
[07:40] - Power of the Holy Spirit
[09:13] - Mandate to Make Disciples
[11:02] - Sharing the Good News
[12:54] - Testimony of a Changed Life
[14:19] - Overcoming Fear in Witnessing
[17:13] - Living Out the Good News
[18:36] - Starting at Home
[20:00] - Discipling Our Families
[21:40] - Reaching Beyond Our World
[23:23] - Building Bridges, Not Walls
[24:47] - The Call to Go
[26:15] - Everyone Matters to God
[27:32] - Cost of Reaching Out
[29:01] - Personal Story: College Ministry
[30:35] - Trusting the Holy Spirit
[32:11] - Global Mission
[33:38] - Church's Commitment to Missions
[34:58] - Importance of Being Missional
[36:25] - Praying for Global Impact
[38:06] - Personal Responsibility in Mission
[39:58] - Personal Story: Call to Ministry
[41:29] - The Call to Be a Witness
[43:15] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
- Acts 1:4-8 (ESV): "And while staying with them, he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, 'you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.' So when they had come together, they asked him, 'Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?' He said to them, 'It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.'"
### Observation Questions
1. What specific instruction did Jesus give to His disciples in Acts 1:4-5?
2. According to Acts 1:8, what will the disciples receive when the Holy Spirit comes upon them, and what will they become?
3. In the sermon, what reasons are given for why people might hesitate to share their faith? ([14:19])
4. How does the pastor describe the role of a witness in the context of sharing the gospel? ([09:13])
### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think Jesus emphasized the need for the disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit before beginning their mission? ([07:40])
2. How does the concept of starting the mission at home ("Jerusalem") apply to modern-day believers? ([11:02])
3. What does it mean to reach beyond our comfort zones, and why is this important for fulfilling our mission? ([23:23])
4. How does the pastor's personal story about his call to ministry illustrate the idea that the call to be a witness is for everyone? ([39:58])
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your immediate circle—your "Jerusalem." How can you start sharing the gospel with your family, friends, and neighbors this week? ([11:02])
2. Think about a time when you hesitated to share your faith due to fear of rejection or feeling unqualified. How can you rely on the Holy Spirit to overcome these fears? ([14:19])
3. Identify one person from a different background or situation than yours. What steps can you take to build a bridge and share the gospel with them? ([23:23])
4. How can you participate in global missions, whether through prayer, financial support, or going yourself? What is one specific action you can take this month? ([32:11])
5. The pastor mentioned the importance of discipling our families. What are some practical ways you can disciple your family members at home? ([18:36])
6. Consider the pastor's challenge to be a witness wherever you go. How can you integrate this mindset into your daily routine at work, school, or in your community? ([43:15])
7. Reflect on the pastor's story about his call to ministry. How can you be open to God's call in your life, even if it means stepping out of your comfort zone? ([39:58])
Devotional
Day 1: Empowered by the Holy Spirit
Jesus promises His disciples power through the Holy Spirit to be His witnesses. This power is essential for fulfilling the mission of spreading the gospel. If the disciples, who walked with Jesus for three and a half years, needed this power, how much more do we need it today? [09:13]
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." (Acts 1:8, ESV)
Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need the Holy Spirit's power to be a more effective witness for Jesus? How can you invite the Holy Spirit to empower you today?
Day 2: Start at Home
Our mission begins in our immediate circles—our "Jerusalem." This means sharing the gospel with our family, friends, and neighbors. Discipleship should start at home, where we live out the gospel daily. Our actions and words should align to reflect the change Jesus has made in our lives. [20:00]
"And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise." (Deuteronomy 6:6-7, ESV)
Reflection: How can you intentionally share the gospel with your family and close friends this week? What practical steps can you take to live out your faith at home?
Day 3: Reach Beyond Comfort Zones
We are called to reach beyond our comfort zones to people with different backgrounds, languages, and situations. This involves breaking down barriers and building bridges, just as Jesus did. Engaging with those who are different from us can be challenging but is essential for fulfilling our mission. [23:23]
"For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?" (Matthew 5:46-47, ESV)
Reflection: Who in your community is different from you and might need to hear the gospel? How can you step out of your comfort zone to build a relationship with them?
Day 4: Global Mission
God is a global God, and He commands us to go into all the world and preach the gospel. This mission extends beyond our local communities to the ends of the earth. We must be willing to participate in global missions, whether through prayer, financial support, or going ourselves. [32:11]
"And he said to them, 'Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.'" (Mark 16:15, ESV)
Reflection: How can you support global missions today? Consider ways you can pray, give, or even go to help spread the gospel worldwide.
Day 5: Personal Responsibility
Each of us has a personal responsibility to share the gospel. We are plan A, and there is no plan B. The call to be a witness is for everyone, not just those in full-time ministry. We must be willing to say, "Here I am, send me," and trust that God will use us to impact others for His kingdom. [38:06]
"And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?' Then I said, 'Here I am! Send me.'" (Isaiah 6:8, ESV)
Reflection: Are you willing to say, "Here I am, send me"? What steps can you take today to be more intentional about sharing the gospel in your daily life?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "We have been saved, not only to serve, but we have also been saved to be sent out. We've not been saved just to serve, but we've also been saved to be sent out. To put it in another way, we are made to be messengers of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We've been made to be messengers, people who will carry this message of Jesus Christ." (27 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Jesus did not call us to be pew members of a church. He called us to be missional people who take the church everywhere they go." (10 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Only you can be the expert of your life. Nobody can be a better witness about what you have experienced in Jesus than you. And family, here's the amazing truth about God's plan. He has chosen us with the help of the Holy Spirit to complete his mission. We are plan A and there is no plan B." (29 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "If anybody is going to reach the community of people who is closest to you, it's you. There are people in your community, your family, your household, your job, who know you far better than anybody else. And when they look at a changed life, the only thing they're going to ask is, man, why don't you do this with us anymore? Why don't you talk like this anymore? Why don't you respond like this anymore? And they're looking at you and they know something's different. And guess what? It's an opportunity to vocalize what Christ has done in your life." (35 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Christians are called to build bridges, not walls. And God expects us to make the first move. In fact, over and over again, he says it in his word with one word, and that's the word go." (14 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "The more I think about that moment, though, the more I realize that it actually was a valid question in the moment, that it was someone who I had spent time with in a relationship and building a relationship with. Our souls had intertwined with one another. And so, it was rightfully so. Something was about to change, and she didn't know what was going to happen next. And so, she asked the question, where do we go from here? I can't help but to think that the disciples are the same way in this text. They are thinking to themselves, where do we go from here? The Jesus who we've walked with for almost three and a half years is no longer with us. We've seen him be beaten. We've seen him be spat upon, and we've seen him be crucified. We've seen him go into a tomb, a stone been rolled in front of it, a guard set. And now we know he's been resurrected from the dead, and he showed up to us a few times, but we still don't fully understand what is to come on this earth." (73 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "If he tells 12 men, who have walked with him three and a half years, that they need power, how much more do we, family, need the power of God to do the mission that he's called us to do? Jesus says, not only am I going to give you power, but I'm going to give you a mandate. In Acts chapter one, verse eight, he wants us to make him known to our community, our country, our county, and our continents. He says, you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (29 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "We must share with those in our world. To complete my God-given mission, I must first start, in my Jerusalem, by sharing with those closest to me. I must start in my Jerusalem by sharing with those closest to me. In Luke 8, we read about a troubled and tormented man who found freedom when he encountered Jesus. After he was healed, he wanted to hang out with Jesus because he experienced such an incredible blessing. Verse 38 tells us that he begged Jesus to be with him. You would think that this would be a good idea that Jesus would actually implore of him to do. After all, what could be wrong with wanting to be with Jesus? But surprisingly, he is sent on a mission in verse 39 of Luke chapter 8. It says this, Jesus told him, return to your home and declare how much God has done for you." (63 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "We must dare to reach beyond our world. The next phrase of Acts 1 compels us to move beyond our comfort zones to people with different backgrounds, different languages, and dissimilar situations. He says this, you will be my witnesses in Judea and Samaria. The Apostle Paul modeled what it means to live out our mission to those who are different from us in 1 Corinthians 9 and 22. It reads this way, to the weak I became weak that I might win the weak. Then he says this, I have become all things to all people that by all means I might save some." (44 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "We must care about the whole world. Acts 1 and 8 forces us to move from our comfort to the uncomfortable, to the continents, he says, and to the ends of the earth. This, I believe, takes us to a new level of spiritual maturity. Jesus says, as I said it strongly in Mark 16 and 15, go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. God is a global God, and he has commanded us to go into the entire world and be his witness so that everyone will have the opportunity to hear the gospel." (43 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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