I. The Word: Luke 24:46-49

46 Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And you are witnesses of these things. 49 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.”

II. Reflection Questions 

1. To what is Jesus referring when He mentions the “Promise of My Father”?
2. What does it mean to witness?
3. What is the purpose of being endued (clothed with power, fully equipped) with power from on high?

In order for me to believe someone when they say I am promised to receive something, regardless of whom it is from, there first must some kind of established trust and commitment. I need to know this person, develop a relationship with and be able to evaluate this person’s character and proximity to my life and well-being. How can I believe in a Promise, let alone be in a ready position to receive it or be empowered by it?

Let’s look at Jesus and His disciples, and then look at ourselves. Jesus trained His Disciples for more than three years and then they were ready to go out as leaders and trainers themselves. Jesus, in the limitations of His earthly presence in human form, spent and invested time with His Disciples and they went everywhere with Him. He gave them vision, built trust through His proven character, deeds, sound and wise instruction and care. He demonstrated His commitment to them and His mission. He was never far from them. He demonstrated His responsibility, took initiative, and was extremely knowledgeable of what was to be done and knowledgeable of each Disciple and how they were going to do it. The Disciples were able to evaluate Jesus and knew He was someone they could place their lives in the hands of. Jesus set an example for them to follow. Jesus gave them friendship. And Jesus finally gave them POWER! Jesus modeled this endowment of Holy Spirit POWER as he mandated it.

Eternal life is predicated on this: knowing God and Jesus. When you come to know Jesus, you come to know what His life and mission was about, what God’s mission was and still is about.  From His Word He’s left for us to explore, to meditate on, to learn from, and then to act upon, we can come to have knowledge about Him through special revelation (belief and knowledge of God through means other than man’s reason), general revelation (knowledge about God discovered through natural means such as observation of nature, philosophy, and reasoning), and direct revelation (communication between God and man through words, impression, visions, dreams, or actual appearance). Jesus seeks to employ the same factors with us that He did with His Disciples, which would lead us to believe Him at His own words when He says He’ll send the Promise of My Father. It’s a promise we can believe and trust that will come because we believe and trust in Christ. Many people have received this baptism of the Holy Spirit or been empowered by the Holy Spirit as it also referred to as. If you haven’t received that empowerment, just ask. It’s not just for you though or your benefit.  We’re endued with power of the Holy Spirit, the Promise of the Father, to go be a witness for the mission and glory of God to move forward. Go! Reach the lost with the Good News! Being empowered by the Holy Spirit in doing so is what Jesus wants for you so that God’s glory, not yours, is made known and moves forward.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank you for the Promise of the Holy Spirit. How can I join in your mission today so that your Glory and mission are made known starting with where I am right now? Empower me with your Spirit to be a witness. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.