Empowered for Jesus’ Mission

CONSIDER THIS

Check out the last verse of Acts: “Paul boldly preached about the kingdom of God and taught about Jesus Christ without hindrance.” This is quite the statement about Paul’s life and ministry. Capture the picture? Paul is under house arrest, in chains — yet he’s still empowered by the Holy Spirit, still preaching, still reaching out, still welcoming in, still loving. His doors are always open. The Gospel has not stopped. It’s moving forward. Unhindered. 

Nothing can stop Jesus’ mission.

Luke, the author of Acts, ends this book with defiant hope: He’s passing the mission on to us, letting us write the next chapter. The mission hasn’t changed, it hasn’t ended. Jesus’ mission takes place as soon as we walk outside the church doors, and step into the shipwrecks and storms of life, seemingly impossible situations, on mission *with* Jesus to bring His message to lost and broken lives. The story continues in our homes, our neighborhoods, our communities, our world. It’s not what God used to do. It’s what He still does!

Empowered by His Spirit, that first century church walked into a conflict-ridden, chaotic, upside-down world with a message of hope and forgiveness for all. By God’s grace, our encounter with the same Holy Spirit will lead us to do the same!