A c t s 1:8

More than once, when speaking to groups, I have played a little game with the above referenced chapter and verse. The question (game) is simple---What is the most important word in Acts 1.8? Oddly enough, no one has got it right yet. Go ahead and read it. What do you think?

Before Jesus left the earth, he promised that he would not leave his disciples alone but would send help---a guide, a comforter, a teacher, and to endue them with power from on high. The promise of all this was encompassed and fulfilled by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, the power from on high, was sent after he left to empower them to be his witnesses and continue the work that he had started. That's why he said in John 14.12 that "he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do..." and why John wrote "as He is, so are we in this world" (I Jn. 4.17). Jesus would not have made the statement he did if he didn't expect something from us. He expects us to bear fruit and as he said in Acts 1.8, "you shall be my witnesses..."(getting warmer?).
But, guess what? Jesus never intended for us to put on an act---that is, to act like he was when he was here. You can't do it anyway!---not by yourself. But, many try. Trying to be holy is frustrating and ill-fated. Acting righteous does not score any points with God either. God tells us to "be holy as I am holy." He would never have told us that if He didn't make it possible. However, at present, the church at large (what Paul called the body of Christ) is full of actors. I am not belittling anyone. However well-intended people may be, Christianity as an act is a burden! The Holy Spirit came to help us be something that we weren't before and cannot be on our own. He doesn't indwell us to make us good actors. He empowers us from the inside out. Many people, Christian or not, live their life as a reaction. They live their lives as a rebound to whatever circumstances are presented them and by whatever the finite nature of their self-composition and limitations allows them to be. Reaction? Limitations? Sound familiar? We've got to start thinking differently!

Jesus always acted fresh---offensively---real---from the inside out. Let me illustrate. Paul said in Galatians 4.4 that "when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son...". Not 1000 or 100 years before or after but at the right time, when the earth was ripe for his birth and ministry. Now get this. Try and follow closely and get this picture. Six months before Jesus was born, John the Baptist was born. John the Baptist was a blood relative of Jesus (some say cousin) as their mothers (Elizabeth and Mary) were related. We know that John grew to become very aware of his calling---to proclaim or introduce the ministry of Jesus---the redeemer. I have got to believe that these two (Jesus and John) had to be close, not just because of their family ties but because of their spiritual bond (John, still in Elizabeth's womb, leaped for joy when Elizabeth heard Mary's voice for the first time after Mary was blessed by divine conception).....and because of the fact of their assimilation into a focused mission by the Holy Spirit to initiate the greatest generational period of time and ministry known to man. Only these two! Only these two understood fully what the other and each other was about, the gravity of assignment, and universal responsibility that had been laid at their charge.
In Matthew 14, we find John in prison by the hand of Herod. Herod foolishly promises the head of John to the daughter of Herodias (whom Herod had unlawful union with---openly contested by John) at his birthday party after she (the daughter) danced for them. Herod reluctantly keeps his promise and has John the Baptist beheaded and the head presented to Herodias' daughter.
John's disciples inform Jesus of his death. The death of the one man on the whole earth who understood him best, who understood what his mission was, who was wholly dedicated and immersed with the revelation of the Christ, Immanuel---God with us. John the Baptist, suddenly and brutally taken. First, what did Jesus not do? He didn't respond in anger and take his disciples to Herod's party house and do them in. He didn't retaliate by calling legions of angels to obliterate them from the face of the earth. He didn't groan and sulk over this 'unfortunate turn of events.' Jesus did, however, separate from everyone to a deserted place by himself. Do you think he was shaken? Do you think he was moved? Do you think he cried? I do. But the people found out where he was and followed him.
Even then, he didn't tell them to get lost, I'm busy, I need some time alone. No, Jesus acted fresh---out of compassion--- and began to heal the sick and after that worked the miracle of the five loaves and two fishes. Even in his time of sorrow, Jesus struck an offensive blow against the works of the enemy and, by not imploding, acted from the inside out. Jesus, by the Spirit, acted instinctively and positively, not out of a do-the -right-thing compulsion, but out of a Godly compassion (power).

Religious compulsion. Religious service. Unfortunately, that is the way a lot of people live. Many Christians expend much energy by trying to chase down and drive out the bad things while trying to 'grunt' out a few good things---two of which are going to church and paying tithes. Anybody can do that! However, God has not called us to live by performance or by the letter of the law. He does not require fevered service and 'labors' of piety pumped out like some automated machine. "It is here important to recognise that Scripture is fundamentally a guide to principle, and in that sense is also an infallible guide to practice; but it is not a list of precedents which are to be mechanically and slavishly followed."(The Torch of the Testimony).

Some years ago, I think it was around the time of the 'abscam' scandal in Washington, DC, some state politicians here in South Carolina were also caught in a sting. Of course, it was all over the news, especially with an election year coming up. I'll never forget driving down the road and seeing a sign for someone running for office. It said, "Vote For Me---I'll Be Good!" The thought immediately occurred to me, especially in light of the stings, accusations, convictions, and wrongdoings, that what he was really saying was that he would not be bad---as some of his predecessors had been. However, not being bad does not mean you are good. In other words, good is not the absence of bad! Good is something. It has its' own entity. It has its' own works and essence in and by itself, just as light is more than the absence of darkness ( although darkness is the absence of light). You must have an offense---a produce---fruit---to be good. What good is a football team if all they have is a good defense and no offense? They would never score. If they never scored, they would never win. Right?(ok, ok, just for some of you football purists--I know the defense could score--but, you know what I mean). Jesus was never on the defensive. He was always on the offensive. He was always producing, never defending, never caught off guard. Jesus never tried to be, he was!--just as the God of the Old Testament said I AM THAT I AM. Jesus didn't try to be Jesus no more than a tree tries to be a tree, or the sky tries to be blue, or water tries to be wet. Jesus could be successful because he lived by the Spirit within---and so can you "if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you. He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you"(Romans 8.11). So, how do you let the Spirit empower you? A good start is to be yourself and be honest.

Well, did you guess the right word? You should have. I only used it 20 times since I first asked the question.

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