"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
In Jesus' final words to the disciples before his ascension, there is a promise followed by a directive. The promise -- they would receive the Holy Spirit; the directive -- they would witness. It was the power of the Holy Spirit that would embolden them to preach the Good News. They would start first in Jerusalem the center of Judaism. From there they spread out to other areas nearby that were formerly part of David's united kingdom, then largely occupied by non-Jews and from there to the rest of the known world.
This promise and direction is not simply an isolated historical event. The Holy Spirit is still very much with us. Through the strength of its power, we can share with our family and friends, our neighbors and co-workers, and to all those, we come into contact with Good News of Jesus Christ. Christ died for our sins, he conquered death raising from the grave, he ascended into heaven to serve as our mediator. He also sent the Holy Spirit, God's presence, to dwell in every one of us.
Father God, we give you thanks for your Son and the Holy Spirit. We pray for boldness that we may share this Good News with others. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
