When they asked him to remain for a longer time, he would not consent

Observation

Paul was truly led by the Spirit. He stayed for 18 months in Corinth and virtually no time in Ephesus. I think time and personal investment are areas we have put our western boxes around. What would it be like to be as free as Paul to be truly led by the Spirit. I guess that’s part of being an apostle. But then again, as the Church was being established, people moved around a lot and fledgling churches were left under the leadership of new Christians. People were sent for and they came. People were asked to stay and they did what God spoke to them to do.
How do we remain in a place of being led by the Spirit within the confines of our societal structure?

Application

Live light. With hands and ears open. Be wise but have faith.

Prayer

Father, please lead me by your Spirit. Could the churches we plant now in 21st century america be done with the same leading as did Paul and his team 2000 years ago? I never want my “world” to hinder me from being led by your Spirit. Two years ago today you showed me a burning bush that was the confirmation for my family and I to move to Seattle from Colorado. Thank you for leading me by your Spirit then and I pray you would continue to tune my ear to your leading. There is no other way. Thank you for today, in Jesus’ name, amen.

There have been interruptions that attempt to break your flow. You have an anchor that provides your spiritual muscle and prevents the imposition of any intrusion.

Someone who attempts to pattern themselves after you will find himself lost and grabbing at straws. What you have is genuine. That person, as are many others, is envious of your position (their hope is to take your place) Your enemies will fail themsleves for watching your life being fully lived. The adversary will fail at the hope to impose or cause an eruption in your efforts.

Take a stand along side those who share you faith. Friends join in to defend against the encroachment of an undesired foe.

Disclosing What Is To Come

Jn 16:13  “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. 14  “He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. 15  “All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.   The Holy Spirit now makes available to all what was only available to a few in the Old Testament. (Lk24:49;Jn16:13;20:22;Acts1:8;Eph5:18;1Jn2:20) We must have impartation from the Holy Spirit to know what is to come. He takes the things of Jesus and shows them to us. Jesus is the One who has a future and if we are to participate in HIS future, we need to know the things that are of Him.

Isa 33:5  The LORD is exalted, for He dwells on high; He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness. 6  And He will be the stability of your times, A wealth of salvation, wisdom and knowledge; The fear of the LORD is his treasure. (Amp)

He is the God who does the undoable, 

changes the unchangeable, 

and provides the impossible.

seecministries.org

The Holy Spirit equips us with His miraculous power to go into all the world to win the Lost.

I have spent the last couple of days in lectures, learning to become a better preacher and teacher of God’s word (I have a long way to go). And this session has been part of a three month journey covering additional areas of biblical study and ministry. It will span five more months.

Two things have become very apparent.

1. Image being extremely thirsty. You are looking everywhere for water and your only alternative is the fire hydrant on the street. As you go to get a drink, someone cracks it wide open. How much would even get in your mouth? That’s how much information we have been taking in. It is a blessing beyond all belief and the content is life-changing, but getting it all in my little brain has been a challenge to say the least!
2. I can get so caught up in all the teaching, all the information and all the preparation that I lose sight. I can begin preparing my next sermon with my notes on the right outline, right content and right delivery but forget.

Without the Holy Spirit leading and guiding my preparation, it won’t affect a single person. With the Holy Spirit opening my mind to the Word of God, it will never make any sense to me, nevertheless to the people I am attempting to teach.

But this doesn’t just pertain to me studying in this program. It goes for all of us at work, at home, and in every other area of our lives. Without the power of the Holy Spirit we will end up doing the same things in the the same ways the rest of the world does them.

WHAT’S THE POINT OF THAT?

The answer is…….THERE IS NO POINT!

We have been created to image and glorify God. The only way that can be accomplished will be by asking God to send the Spirit down on us. Maybe by this point you are wondering when you should ask that question.

1. Before you start your day
2. Before you get to work
3. Before you walk into your bosses office for a “talk”
4. Before you head out to a business meeting
5. Before you make a phone call
6. Before you discipline your children
7. Before you disagree with your spouse
8. Before you eat
9. Before you go to sleep

You see a pattern here?

BEFORE YOU DO EVERYTHING ASK FOR A FRESH FILLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT!

“God I pray now that as I send this blog post out, I pray that these words are your words laid on my heart for your people. I pray that this blog blesses someone in a new way. I pray that you would be made known to someone new. Father I pray that my life would always be a testimony of the love and grace you have given to me through the cross of Jesus Christ.”

This morning, Jessica came upstairs to ask for a “small” favor, which is how they always describe favors here, I might add. She wanted to know if I would speak at women’s group tonight on Panama and what we can do to serve the least of these. It sounded kind of crazy to me at first… speak to women who I definitely consider among the least of these… about the least of these. In essence, try to convince very poor people to help other very, very poor people. I am by no means a preacher, but I am a believer. As a believer, we should all feel obligated to share our story and whatever else God wants us to share. For that reason, I agreed to do it but immediately started praying for God to give me the right words.

Today was an extremely busy Monday as far as Mondays go. Jessica and I had to go to Pricesmart in Alajuela which is almost a half day affair right there. I got almost the entire running budget finished this afternoon. I had preschool class to attend to with Laura. Before I knew it, we were two short hours from women’s group and I still needed to put a picture slideshow together and come up with something to say. Acts 1:8 seemed appropriate along with “sticky lady’s” story. I more or less was going to recap some of my blog from yesterday on Panama. I went downstairs to get the slideshow set up and prepare for group with the ladies.

At 6:00 p.m., the proposed start time, I was waiting patiently with my Bible reading over the verse over and over. There were only maybe 20 women there at that time. The thought ran through my head that 20 women was good enough, after all I am never one to want to be the center of attention and talking in front of large crowds doesn’t exactly make me comfortable. Before I could even finish the thought, I said to myself “are you serious right now?” Sometimes, we are lucky enough to put ourselves in our place before we go too far. What kind of person puts limits on God so that they can feel comfortable? Sadly, the answer is probably most of us and a lot more often than any of us would like to admit! I should have been hoping that every chair be filled. During the first worship song, I had my eyes closed and was praying for God to speak through me regardless of how comfortable I felt. And in trying to keep the bigger picture in mind, I prayed that God would fill every chair in that room.

When I opened my eyes, God had filled every chair and Laura was ushering women towards where I was standing at the stack of chairs. With 40 women present, my slideshow of pictures began. They enjoyed seeing all the photos of the families and of us hiking through the countryside to get to them. After it was over, I began to tell them about Panama. I talked about the seemingly impossible situations that they face there and how many of them can probably relate to how the Ngobe families and others in the program probably feel. The great part about Acts 1:8 is that if any of us claim Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, then we will be empowered through the Holy Spirit to go out into the world and witness to people. It’s not just a handful of people that have that empowerment. It’s not those of us who are rich compared to the rest of the world, who are mature in their faith and have been Christians for decades, or any other set of so-called standards. It’s an all-skate!

After I was done talking to them, Jessica began to speak to them about the blessing in their lives. She pointed out that many of them receive help from other groups but the people we help in Panama don’t have that luxury. The fact that they have help here in Costa Rica and experience blessings from that means they need to try and bless others less fortunate. This was the moment where I watched the women’s faces closely. Either we’d lose them here, or they’d be on board. They were focused and nodding their heads in agreement. Laura told them about our plan to have them bring an offering to group each Monday night so we could help one family out in the Panama feeding program. Hands shot up in the air immediately with questions… what else do they need? can we send them clothes? who is our family? how many children do they have? They were excited! And beyond ready to help! It was a team effort, but God spoke to all of those women through Jessica, Laura and I tonight. Several years ago, I couldn’t have imagined such things, but God is moving in the hearts of the people here. The Holy Spirit is empowering the women of Bajo Tejares to be a witness to the least of these in Panama. Amazing!

BIG Idea: Tell your story.

Have you ever wondered what we’re really here to do? Christians, I mean. After we make that fateful decision, while we’re sitting around waiting for heaven, what are we supposed to do here on earth? Just attend church a bunch of times and rack up extra Jesus points? Live it up here on earth while we still can, throwing the occasional “please forgive me” up to heaven? Plug KLove into our ears and drown out the sound of the rest of the world dying? More potlucks, maybe that’s it.

Our mandate is found on a dusty hillside 2000 years ago, where a band of misfits gathered together. They were by no means the best and brightest of the day: illiterate fisherman, social outcasts, former prostitutes. And yet this rag tag group would soon change the world. Their lives started ordinary enough. Some were raised in the monotonous family business of fishing. You got up, you fished, you went to bed. That was life. Some fell victim to the darker side of life early and couldn’t find a way to break out. Others wandered through life, searching for meaning. And then one day they encountered a remarkable man named Jesus of Nazareth.

He changed their existence. He redirected the purpose and passion of their lives, and then he was crucified. When all hope was lost, Jesus proved his power over death and rose from the grave. Truly he was the Son of God. Now risen and victorious, Jesus gathered with his small group of followers and gave them a simple command that changed the course of human history. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8

This one sentence changed everything. It would soon topple the greatest empire on the earth. It would direct the course of history for entire continents. And 2000 years later, we would still be implementing this edict. The key this mandate is the word “witnesses.” Christ wants his followers to be witnesses to what they saw, taking the gospel to the ends of the earth. But what does it mean to be a “witness”? How does that translate for a 21st century American Christian today?

Simple. Tell your story. That’s what Christ was telling his followers. Tell the story of what you saw, what you experienced, and what I’ve done in your life. Tell your story to everyone you meet. Take this story to the furthest reaches of the planet. But above all, tell your story.

That’s it. That’s the Great Mandate we’ve received. No commendations for consecutive VBS’s in attendance or number of beautiful Easter dresses. Just a command to tell your story.

So, are you?

QUESTION: What does it mean to tell your story in your everyday world?

Shofar has gained viewers from:

• Brazil
• Israel
• Russia 
• Trinidad and Tobago, islands in the Caribbean Sea

There are 100 posts between the two blogsites ‘God’s Enduring Love’ and ‘God’s Hidden Nuggets for the Endtimes’.

God’s Word and faith testimonies are going out into the world!  Praise the Lord!  We have really reached ALL the continents of the world now.  I mistakenly thought Guatemala was in South America, but it is in Central America, and the viewers in Brazil are in South America!  I am learning geography through this blog!

There are many more folks living in island countries of the world’s seas and oceans still to connect with-   God is reaching out to us and to everyone in the whole world with His love and mercy!  Praise the Lord!

HOT POST RIGHT OFF THE PRESS . . .

Dr. Gold has just posted ‘America’s Coming Fiscal Cliff of Jan. 2013′.   Here’s a very short excerpt:

“America is heading for a financial disaster such as never happened to any nation in the world before, and it will affect every man, woman and child in our once great country.  Like a ship going over the precipitous cliff of the mighty Niagara Falls in New York, with tons of water plunging every second, America is surely heading for the Fiscal Cliff of January 2013.  It is now impossible to paddle up the rapids to safety as America is caught up in a maelstrom of mounting and deadly debts.” . . .

With Aloha from Hawaii,

SHOFAR

Scotty Goldman, a member of the team and an associate in the office of global missions for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions, said that in the rural areas of Ukraine, believers are still ostracized from their community. “They are not included in social events and are sometimes treated unfairly in business affairs,” he said. “Their children are often mistreated by other children.”
–30–

Please pray for Oksana and her family as they seek to follow the Lord and for church planting efforts in her village and surrounding villages. Photos by Scotty Goldman

Colbert Lauderdale Baptist Association Director of Missions Eddy Garner talks with a woman in a western Ukraine village about the only church in her area. Other team members listen and pray as they talk.

Scotty Goldman, a member of the team and an associate in the office of global missions for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions, said the “north team” traveled to some areas looking for believers and opportunities to share the gospel. “We met with a deacon from a church in Yasinia, Ukraine, to see what their church is doing and how we might partner with them to reach the surrounding villages,” Goldman said.

Photo and information provided by Scotty Goldman

Barbara Moore, a member of Muscle Shoals Baptist Church, spoke with Pastor Oleg, the team’s translator, and deacon Mesha about opportunities for ministry to the children in the region.
–30–

John 15:26-27 – “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.”

In the U.S. many churchgoers believe that sharing their faith with non-believers is essential to fulfilling their calling as a follower of Christ.  Surprisingly though, according to a study of American Protestants conducted by LifeWay Research, a large number of believers are not only inactive in sharing their beliefs, but they’ve never opened up…not once.

When it comes to evangelism, LifeWay spokesperson Jon D. Wilke said, “churchgoers struggle most with sharing Christ with non-Christians.”

LifeWay’s study found that 80 percent of those who attend church at least once or twice a month believe they have a personal responsibility to share their faith with others.  Sadly though, in the past 6 months, 61 percent have not told another person about how to become a Christian or even had an open conversation about Christianity.

The research project conducted by LifeWay focused on measuring spiritual maturity in individuals by examining eight biblical attributes consistently evident in the lives of maturing believers.  Of those eight, “Sharing Christ” had the lowest average score amongst church attendees.

Three-quarters of churchgoers say they feel comfortable in their ability to  effectively communicate the Gospel, while 12 percent say they don’t feel comfortable telling others about their faith.

In the last 6 months:

• 25 percent of Christians say they have shared their faith only once or twice. 
• 14 percent have shared three or more times.

Another penetrative question the survey asked was how many times they have personally invited unchurched/unbelievers to attend a church service.

• 48 percent of church attendees responded “zero.” 
• 33 percent of people say they’ve personally invited someone one or two  times
• 19 percent say they’ve done so on three or more occasions in the last  six months.

So who is more likely to share their faith with others…a new believer or a seasoned veteran?

“In reality people who have been a Christian longer have higher responses for Sharing Christ than newer Christians.  While new Christians may find it natural to share their new experience, mature Christians do it intentionally,” -Ed Stetzer, president of LifeWay Research.

The Holy Spirit was sent into the world and into our hearts to bear witness to Christ and He therefore bears witness through us.   The ministry of witnessing is committed to us.  Acts 1:8 says we will be witnesses when the holy spirit comes upon us…which is the moment one accepts Christ as their Lord and Savior.  Therefore, we’re all called then to communicate the saving gospel of Jesus Christ.

Think of it this way…

You’re waiting to cross at an intersection…you have the “Not a good time to cross” signal staring at you from across the street.  Cars are whizzing by in front of you when out of your periph, you see a car zooming straight for the red light on a collision course for the other motorist.  The inevitable happens, !!!!!BOOM!!!!!!  You’ve just witnessed the entire thing.  You get called into court and asked to testify…  “Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?”  The attorney walks up and says, ”Please tell us what you saw, what you heard and what you felt.”

On those terms, you instantly become a viable witness.

Consider 1 John 1:1 – “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life.”

We are witnesses for Christ the minute we become Christ followers.

Well why?  Why should we put ourselves through the anxiety of possible rejection and perhaps the feeling of guilt; maybe I didn’t communicate the message clearly enough and now this person I failed to convert will die and go to hell.  Why not just let God, in His infinite wisdom and sovereignty, figure the whole thing out and draw men to Himself and just leave me out of it?

Here’s why…the Bible says, because I told you to.  That’s enough.  We’ve all at one time or another, used or heard the famous response of a small child when a parent says, “Now I want you to do this,” and the child shoots back with, ”Why?  How come Daddy?”

Sometimes, you know you can’t explain why because they don’t understand why.  So you just say, “Because…”  Because what?…”I told you to,” end of discussion.  That truly is the way we are.  We are little children in terms of comparing ourselves with God’s infinite mind.   God says do this and how silly of us to respond with, “ok, I’ve prayed, I’ve consulted with my pastor and yet, why?”

But God responds with, “That’s not for you to ask, get on it and do it.”  We are commanded to get up.

Mark 16:15 - He says, “GO.”  That’s enough for me.

Someone once said to C.H. Spurgeon, “You know, Mr. Spurgeon, you believe in the doctrine of election… You believe that certain people are elect for salvation.  Why don’t you preach ONLY to the elect?”  He said,  ”Well, if you’ll go around and pull up their shirttails so I can see if they have an “E” stamped on their backs, I will.”  The point was, we cannot know that.  So our responsibility then is to preach to everyone.  God will take care of what His part of it is.  It’s our responsibility to preach the gospel to every creature.  GO.

If you would like to discover an easy way to share your faith in under 5 minutes, check out the video below and CLICK HERE

Live Love.

1. Dads: Tell your children what you love about them. Kids: What do you love about your Dad? How does your Dad show his love to you? We talk about God as our heavenly Father. How does God show his love for us?

2. Just for fun: Dads, choose an activity your child/ren love doing with you, and take time to do it this week.

3. Re-read Acts 15-18. As you read, mark out Paul’s second missionary journey on the map, which can be found at: http://www.biblewise.com/archives/2006/may/kids_korner/fun_games/pauls_journey.htm

4. Pray: Who do we know that has gone to another country to share the good news about Jesus? Pray for them and send them a card/email to let them know you are thinking of them.

5. Discuss: Do you have to go overseas to share the good news about Jesus? How can you show God’s love in your local neighbourhood?

6. Shopping list: So far we have collected school supplies and something to love for Operation Christmas Child. Next on the shopping list are hygiene items such as soap, toothbrush, hairbrush, hair clips, and face washer. NB. No toothpaste or liquids.

7. Prepare for next Sunday by reading Acts 19-21.

Selah loves swimming. She runs towards water whenever she sees it. But, swimming isn’t safe. Countless kids drowned last year, and every year previous. When Selah stands in water, she loves to do a face plant into the water, or jump into water too deep for her to stand. Left to herself, water is dangerous. But, when she’s with me (or another semi-responsible adult), water can be fun. I keep her close, or let her stand. Sometimes she still slips, but isn’t under water for more than half a second. When she’s with me, what’s dangerous becomes an adventure.

Jesus left the disciples with this charge, “you’ll be my witnesses in your city, state, and around the world.” For a small following headed into an unwelcoming world, this was a dangerous commission. In fact, every book in the New Testament mentions suffering or persecution. But, with God beside, what was dangerous didn’t become less dangerous, it became an adventure.

Too often we’re content to put our toes in the water, fearful of the reality of the danger in front of us. God invites us to dive in, confident he is good enough to stay with us. I think the closer we get to God, the more we’ll run towards his adventure.

Missing Factor = Holy Spirit
When praying recently (or… complaining in religious-sounding language) over some seemingly impossible factors, what rose up in my spirit was, “Don’t leave the Holy Spirit out of the equation.” When we are needing a factor to get the result of 2 + X = 3, we tend to focus on the fact that we don’t have “X” and that all we have is a measly little “2” and that, as a result, we don’t yet have “3”. In our case, as believers, all we have to do is put “X” (the missing factor) in the equation. If the situation is chaotic and even destructive, wouldn’t it be obvious that the Holy Spirit is not in control? Then let’s call Him into the situation. Instead of laying out our complaints in religious-sounding language and so-called “righteous indignation,” let’s cry out before God for His promised One to bring the power of heaven into the situation (Jn16:7).
SEEC Ministries International * Marty & Kathy Gabler

As mentioned in the previous two posts, God wants us to reach those around us (family and neighbors: Home). He also wants us to have an impact on those that are not too far from us geographically, but culturally are far from us (Samaria). In addition to both of these groups of people, Acts 1:8 clearly calls us to be his witnesses to the ends of the earth.

In Matthew 28, Jesus tells us to go and make disciples of ALL NATIONS. This seems like an overwhelming task today. I cannot imagine how impossible this must have felt to a first century disciple. How can we as members of the Body of Christ possibly reach the world?

I believe you and I can both reach the world as Scripture calls us to do. It is God who calls us to the nations, and God will equip us to fulfill this commission. I will be writing weekly on how we can reach the world under the category of Nations. Let me begin with a simple answer to the question, “how do we reach the world?” Each of us can Pray, Give, Go.

1. Pray: Pick a missionary, nation, a people group, or a church in another country to pray for on a regular basis. Then stay updated on what God is doing.
2. Give: God calls us to give to his mission. Find a way to financially support God’s work. Every little bit helps, but give generously.
3. Go: First, be open to God calling you to another nation. Second, look for opportunities to visit a mission field. Third, stay informed on God’s work on the mission field through missionary newsletters, the internet, and social media.

Of course there are other ways to reach the world. What suggestions do you have?

As discussed in previous articles, the areas mentioned by Jesus in Acts 1:8 represent more than just physical locations; they represent “types” of people as well. Jerusalem signifies those who are close to us and are culturally like us; Judea suggests those who are not quite as close and are somewhat, but not fully like us; and “the ends of the earth” embodies those who are physically and culturally far removed from us. Yet, Samaria is interesting. I believe it represents something quite unique. It symbolizes those who are geographically close, but culturally far from us. In other words, where “the-ends-of-the-earth” represents those who are far removed, “Samaria” represents those who are VERY removed. Samritans are those who live close, but in their own “world” of values and customs.

You see, Samaria was physically close to Jerusalem, and Samaritans were very familiar with Jewish culture and religion. However, they felt rejected and hated by the Jews, and therefore, started a religion of their own. They were viewed as an “unclean” people, and Jews would not associate with them, or even pass through their city. Even if it took them an extra day or two, Jews would walk around Samaria to get where they were going. That is why it was so shocking to the Samaritan woman at the well when Jesus stopped there and asked for a drink of water. (John 4:9)

Today, I see many who are close to the church physically, but are very different culturally. They are rejected by the church for being “morally unclean” and for having customs that are religiously unacceptable. These people, I believe, characterize Samaria.

So, how do we reach this metaphoric “Samaria” with the Gospel? Well, it may not be that complicated. I believe we need to simply do what Jesus did. Instead of always walking around those “Samaria” type places, we need to go through them, stop there, and ask for a drink. Jesus shared his “living water” only after he showed his acceptance of the Samaritan woman and his desire to receive the water she had to offer. That is what we need to do: go to places frequented by those who are not typical “church” people and stay for a while. Meet those who are not from “our world” and get to know them. Recognize their value and acknowledge the fact that they have something good to offer. It is only in this context that we are able to share the love of Jesus.

What we do in Samaria should never be thought of as a ministry or an outreach. It is not a reaching-out-to, but rather, an embracing-of. It is an incarnational type of existence. We become a part of their community, and we bring Jesus with us.

Following this simple plan, a few years ago several like minded Christians started with me a Bible sharing group in a New Orleans coffee house on its “Open Mic” night. After the Bible sharing time, some would perform. The rest of us just got to know the performers and patrons there. We nurtured an atmosphere of trust and developed many friendships. Jesus was a frequent subject of conversation, but I can’t really remember any particular way he was introduced. It was just natural; we had no agenda. We were witnesses of the living Christ just by being there.

Would you like to reach Samaria? Do you believe God would have you become a part of his specific mission to those who will never enter the doors of a traditional church? Do you believe you should start walking through, instead of around Samaria?

In our series Moving in the Spirit today we are reminded that even though we are not all theologians, we should speak with boldness!

Act 18:25  He also knew much about the Lord’s Way, and he spoke about it with great excitement. What he taught about Jesus was right, but all he knew was John’s message about baptism.

Apollos knew much about the scriptures and was a good speaker (vs. 24) even though he was not a theologian. So often because we don’t have formal training we stop ourselves from speaking truth that will set others free. Apollos did nor allow his lack of training to stop him, and later in Acts we see the apostles teaching more of Christ, making him even more effective.

I know a woman named Peggy who has much knowledge of the scriptures, but no formal training. She speaks with such compassion and yet authority to those she meets in the coffee shop, grocery store and on the street. She mentors and touches the lives of countless people the church would otherwise never touch. Being a theologian is not what sets us apart for the work of the ministry, rather it is work and the movement of the Holy Spirit in us which does! 

Blessings and Complete Joy,

Millie

This blog is part of the ministry of Complete Joy and is published each Tuesday and Saturday, usually by noon Pacific Time.

Then they gathered around him (Jesus) and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  - Acts 1:6-8

It is unfortunate that Jesus was not a little more politically correct in this verse.  Perhaps he should have asked, “Would you mind being my witnesses…?” Maybe if he had even thrown in a disclaimer, “If you aren’t too busy, maybe in your spare time, would it be okay if you were my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth?”  No, Jesus says, “…you WILL be my witnesses….”  There is no question, no disclaimer.  He just lays it out there and tells us the way it is going to be once we have the Holy Spirit in us.

Wait just minute.  We are going to be your witnesses where?!  That is right, not just where we are comfortable, but everywhere.  I like to explain it like this:

You are going to be my witnesses in…

1. Jerusalem: These are the people close to us culturally and geographically.  We see these people everyday.  They are our neighbors and family.  To the apostles, this would have included who they worked with also.  For us that is questionable.  Most of us do not work close to or with neighbors or family.
2. Judea and Samaria: These are the people fairly close to us geographically, but some of them (the Samaritans) are culturally far from us.  We might refer to these people as “those people over there” and we typically would choose not to associate with them.  We do not understand them, they do not understand us, and neither side is particularly interested in things changing.
3. Ends of the Earth: These people are geographically and culturally far from us.  We would not relate well with these people, in general, due to cultural barriers, but luckily we do not need to because they live far from us.  We do not need to even try with these people since we will not see them anyways, right?  It was probably easier to try that one on God in the first century.

If we identify ourselves as followers of Jesus Christ, being an Acts 1:8 Christian is not really optional.  God calls us to go and make disciples in Jerusalem, Judea AND Samaria, and the  Ends of the Earth.  Ironically, although we love to quote Acts 2, in Acts 8, God gives the disciples a little push toward his original vision of Acts1:8.

As a leadership with Every Street, we are going to begin tailoring our blogs in the direction of an Acts 1:8 Christianity.  We hope these posts will be an encouragement to the Body and to ourselves as we seek to be witnesses in our Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the Ends of the Earth.

Do you believe Christ calls us to be so spread out in our discipleship efforts as Christians?  What does that look like for you?