Theme of the Week: Out of Hibernation
Bible Verse: 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 1:7-8
Scripture Reading: Acts 1:1-11
This week we have shared some Scriptures that have challenged me. Passages that have been something of a wake-up call from time to time. I’d like to share one more with you.
At the end of Matthew and the beginning of Acts, Jesus calls his followers to carry on His mission, to continue proclaiming the coming of the kingdom of God. That was their mission. It is our mission. We, like those first disciples, are to testify to what we have seen and heard from Jesus.
But there’s a part to this that has challenged me even more than being a witness. It’s that little line at the end of the statement, “to the ends of the earth.” The greek phrase for that is eschatou tēs gēs. The context of Jerusalem and Judea makes the geographic translation the best for committing to text. But, eschatou, can also have a time component to it—the end of time is theologically referred to as the eschaton.
I think it makes sense to have a double reading here, to understand eschatou in both a geographic and chronological sense. If we do, we come up with a verse that says, You will be my witnesses everywhere, all the time. Doesn’t that sound just like Jesus? He isn’t asking us to witness to Him when it is convenient for us, when the circumstances are just right. Jesus wants witnesses all the time, everywhere.
That’s the call. That’s the challenge. We know what Jesus has done. Are we sharing that with others?
Prayer: God, thank you for what you have done. Thank you for the life Jesus lived, the words He spoke, His death and resurrection that creates a way for me to be united with you. Help me to share the blessing you have given me with others.
Reflection: How often do you share Jesus with others? What stops you from doing it?
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