Power for What?

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This sermon was given in recognition of Pentecost Sunday and is based on Acts 1:8. It emphasizes the power for witnessing that is imparted to believers when they are filled with the Holy Spirit. Witnessing not only involves verbal testimony but also righteous conduct as well.

Written Excerpts:

Acts 1:8 ^(NKJV) But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

John Oswalt – This statement by Jesus is one of the few times that the disciples did not “need” to ask Jesus what He meant by what He said. They apparently already knew from the OT that the Messiah was “supposed” to initiate the gift/ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Introduction:

I imagine that most of us in this service today have seen and been impressed by some kind of awesome display of power. 

I’ve seen my grandfather do some pretty heavy jobs with any one of his teams of Percheron draft horses.

I’ve seen the aftermath of destructive storms. 

I’ve read about the power of atomic bombs or even the power of a volcanic eruption.

No matter what power we may think of, there is nothing that compares to the power of Almighty God.

Theologians refer to the unlimited power of God as His omnipotence. 

There is nothing too hard for thee [God]. (Jer. 32:17)

With God, all things are possible. (Matt. 19:26)

In this passage of Scripture we have read from Acts 1:8, Jesus speaks about a type of power that is available to His disciples. It is a power that originates from God (Holy Ghost).

Jesus is speaking to His disciples some final words of instruction and admonition before He returns to heaven. He reminds them of a power source available to them that would provide exactly what they needed for the future. It is related to a promise he had given earlier in his ministry:

Luke 24:49 ^(NKJV) Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high." 

The “power from on high” is none other than the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. On the Christian calendar, last Sunday was designated as “Pentecost Sunday.” Since I wasn’t here, I felt impressed to focus on the subject this Sunday.

I have preached from this passage in Acts 1 before, but I want to return to it again today and focus on one specific part of the passage by asking the question, “The Holy Ghost will provide power for what?”

Previously, we have discussed the kind of power that Jesus is speaking about here. It was not “authority” to control others, but it was a supernatural ability to accomplish a specific task. As you can see in the verse, the power provided by the Holy Spirit is for the task of witnessing. For a little while this morning I want to focus our attention on the promise of the Holy Spirit’s power to make us witnesses.

I.    Witnessing is part of the promise.

Some authors point out the fact that the structure of this sentence does not indicate or emphasize a command AND a promise, but rather the whole statement is a promise. The point is not – I command you to be witnesses, and in order to accomplish that I’ll baptize you with the Holy Spirit. But rather – I promise to baptize you with the Holy Spirit and witnessing will be the natural result of that experience.

(Lenski N. T. Commentary) – … the future tense reads as though being witnesses is a continuation of the promise. This is not an admonition, but only a glorious future fact: "you shall be my witnesses" even as Jesus designated them already in Luke 24:48 – (You are witnesses of these things). 

When people are truly born again and their lives have been changed; when they are filled with the very presence of God Himself in the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit, they can’t help but be witnesses. They may not always say the right words, or know exactly how to address certain questions, but they witness or testify to the transforming grace of God in their lives anyway.

II.  Witnessing includes specific content.

A witness has a specific task – to convey the facts / truth about something he/she has experienced.

I’ve said this before, but in court a witness is not allowed to tell what he/she thinks or heard someone else describe, etc. A witness can only provide what they know to be a fact because they have seen it with their own eyes, etc.

On an internet website, Attorney Ellen Harman gives this answer to the question, “What does a witness do in court?” A witness is anyone who has firsthand knowledge of something, who perceived it, can remember what he perceived and can retell it. I use perceive because a witness can testify to what he heard under some circumstances, what he smelled, tasted, how something felt when he touched or lifted it, etc as well as what he may have seen. (https://www.quora.com/What-does-a-witness-do-in-court)

The same basic concept applies to Christian disciples.

Jesus said, “You shall be witnesses to me…” Some translations of this verse simply translate it as: “my witnesses.”

But… (Lenski) – "My" witnesses = called to witness by me, for me, about me, yea, all about me.

The emphasis seems to be not only that witnesses belong to Jesus (my witnesses), but that Jesus is the content of their witness.

 (Philip Bence, Wesleyan Bible Commentary) – What would they do with that power? They would be witnesses. Those who are witnesses need not be clever or articulate. Witnesses merely describe what they have seen and heard.

 (Lenski, Con’t) They are to be more than heralds (preachers) who proclaim only what they are ordered to proclaim; they are to be … "witnesses" in the sense of 1^st John 1:1, men who have themselves seen, heard, touched, experienced, and are qualified, even called, to testify accordingly.

Those first century disciples and apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit and immediately began to tell everyone what they had seen, heard, and experienced firsthand. We 21^st century disciples were not there to see Jesus, hear Jesus and experience the power of Jesus, but we still have the privilege of discovering all of those things based on the witness of others. When we do, it is our responsibility to continue the chain of testimony, but we won’t be able or effective without the filling of the Holy Spirit with power from above.

III. Witnessing includes various means.

There are many ways to witness through the power of the Spirit.

1. Speaking – The Christians in Acts, boldly spoke/proclaimed the message of salvation through faith in Jesus.

2. Actions – They faithfully ministered the grace of Jesus to the sick, the oppressed and the needy by their actions.

Their lives and attitudes were such that, in Acts 4:13, it states that some people “took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus.” 

What do people “perceive” about us when they’ve been around us for a while?

What do our words communicate to others about Jesus?

What do our actions and choices communicate to others about Jesus?

One of the thoughts that has been going through my mind lately is this: “What do the people living near our church know about Jesus because of us?” “What have we communicated to them about Jesus by our actions?” That’s part of the reason I have been burdened to attempt the outreach we’ve been talking about lately. We’re going to start making an effort to connect with our neighbors and demonstrate love and compassion like Jesus would.

3. There is a third way the Christians witnessed. They laid down their lives for what they believed.

The word “witness” in Greek is actually the same word that is sometimes translated “martyr.” Dying for the sake of arrogance or pride has no value. But dying for the testimony and witness of Jesus Christ had a tremendous impact. All through history, there have been remarkable stories not only of those who were willing to die for their faith, but also how their willingness to do so has impacted others to the point they also gave their hearts to Jesus.

You’ve heard me say this before but… I once read a cartoon where a young man was bragging to a friend, “I’d be willing to die for my faith!” The friend replied, “I just wish you would live for it!”

Conclusion:

I read this account I wanted to share before we close today.

One New Year's Day, in the Tournament of Roses parade, a beautiful float suddenly sputtered and quit. It was out of gas. The whole parade was held up until someone could get a can of gas. The amusing thing was this float represented the Standard Oil Company. With its vast oil resources, its truck was out of gas. 

Often, Christians neglect their spiritual maintenance, and though they are "clothed with power" (Luke 24:49) find themselves out of gas.  (Steve Blankenship in God Came Near by Max Lucado, Multnomah Press, 1987, p. 95. Quoted at: www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/p/power.htm)

Far too often the Christians parade under the banner of Salvation and holiness, but they don’t have the power to live it out before a world that is watching and searching for authenticity and integrity in those who profess faith.

Jesus has provided all that is necessary for us to be effective witnesses for Him and about Him. But it’s up to us to take advantage of what He has provided by surrendering ourselves to be completely filled and controlled by the Holy Spirit. I hope each one of us here today will truly seek more and more of the powerful presence of the Holy Spirit and will live out our witness for Christ every day.

Let’s close the service by standing and singing the closing hymn: I Would Be True