It’s that time of year where we begin to take a look at the past year to reflect upon what’s happened and what’s been accomplished as well as look forward to the coming year to plan and prepare for the work that God has for us.
Recently, I was directed to the words of Jesus at his ascension in Acts 1:8 “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.” I know this is a familiar passage to most of us. But what if we were to use this passage as a guide as we prepared for the coming year and how we’re going to live as disciples of Jesus. How will I bear witness in Jerusalem? How will I bear witness in Judea? How will I bear witness in Samaria? How will I bear witness to the ends of the earth?
When Jesus told the disciples to bear witness to Jerusalem, they were in Jerusalem. For us, Jerusalem is where you live, work and play. How are you bearing witness to Jesus where you live, work and play? What do you need to change in order to do so more effectively? Are there persons of peace to whom you need to give more time to in your weekly schedule? Are there opportunities to serve in your own community?
Judea was the region surrounding Jerusalem. It was the area nearby. For us, Judea is the geography around where we live, work and play. What does it look like for you to bear witness in your own Judea? For your congregation, perhaps it’s time to look at the next town over and begin to pray and work toward launching a new ministry expression there. Perhaps it starts by asking “where in the surrounding 20 or 30 miles is there a need for a vibrant Gospel witness and how can I be a part of helping with that? It may mean giving your talents and gifts to serve at the community shelter in the larger community nearby.
Samaria was forbidden territory for the disciples. The Jews had been taught to avoid Samaria and indeed the Samaritans were seen as a historic enemy. Now Jesus is telling his disciples to bear witness, even in Samaria! For us, Samaria are those places that we’ve been taught to avoid or places with significant cultural differences. For some, Samaria might be the Burmese refugee population in your area. For others, it might be people who speak Spanish. For some of us, God will probably lead us to bear witness to the forbidden places or people you’ve learned to avoid. The point is that each of us probably has people we would much rather steer clear of. People who cuss a lot or people who drink or even Baltimore Ravens fans!
When you look at the disciples, it’s clear they took the idea of the ends of the earth to mean the literal ends of the earth. We have evidence of the apostles carrying the good news as far away as India and Africa. For us, I believe the ends of the earth means to people wherever they might be found. How much do you understand about the challenges to the Gospel in the 10/40 window, where the greatest need for evangelism and missions exists? Are you praying for brothers and sisters in other parts of the world? Do you struggle to imagine what life might be like in an impoverished country? Perhaps you need to take a trip to go and see what God is doing somewhere else in the world. Is there a way you can invest your treasure to help carry the Gospel to the ends of the earth? How can you play a role in bearing witness to the ends of the earth?
Christ’s Peace,
Lance
CGGC eNews—Vol. 16, No. 49
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