While reading the Book of Acts, did you ever wonder what is this all about? All the happenings that Paul lived through, from the persecution of the Roman authority, to the questioning of the early believers, to his arrest and his time in prison! The Bible tells us that it is the Word of God as inspired through the faith of humankind, even with all the trials and tribulations that our missionary Paul faced and lived through.
Luke’s gospel tells us there is the need to witness. That is, to carry on through whatever, through thick and thin, to accomplish the Will of God our Creator and Father. The mandate given to the bewildered disciples is recorded in the gospel of Luke, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all.” (Lk. 24: 46) We can also read in Acts 1:8 Jesus told his followers, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Does this mean that I too am to witness to the ends of the earth? How do I line up with all of the disciples recorded on the pages of the Bible and humbly speak The Good News? We may not be able to speak as one of Christ’s disciples, but we can speak.
We can do what we can do! In the book of Acts 28:31 we are told that Paul never let up, he never quit telling of the Good News! The Good News that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, lived, taught and was killed for all mankind, so that we all may have life after death for all eternity. Think about it, in all the struggles we have in our world with injustice, cruelty, and all the rest of it. One of the church’s greatest gifts to us is The Church! If you never have, take a moment and think; as bad as the world may be as we are told by T.V., how much worse it would be without The Church!
The Saviour Jesus came into the world telling of the Good News! Not for just Presbyterians, not just for those of us who believe, but for the whole world, all people. Jesus came preaching, not simply a new way of living. Jesus came to fulfill God’s Word so that all people may find in Him a new way of living. What a message of Good News, for all of us, now and forever.
Heavenly Father, speak to us that may speak and share all that You have given to us, and to the whole world. The good news we have to share, what we have lived, may help all who have not known what Jesus the Christ means. Use us dear Lord to reach all who come in contact with us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.