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Go ahead and look first at Acts 1 . See how God speaks to you individually. Then come back, if you wish, and see what God has put in my mind/heart.

Key Verse(s): 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."

Title: The Outline of the Church

Observation: This verse is the outline of the Book of Acts. In Chapter 2 the power of the Holy Spirit will fall on the believers and their number will increase by 3000. The book will move on to the spread of the faith to Judea and Samaria. Ultimately the book ends in Rome, as the center of the earth. Through the story of the first generation of believers we see the story reach across the known world.

However, it is not a story of triumph after triumph. Persecution and martyrdom will be the order of the day. The gospel will be spread when persecution comes and the apostles are forced to flee. The story will reach its climax in Rome, not with a triumphal procession and the conversion of the emperor, but with the great apostle Paul in chains waiting for his death sentence.

This is still the outline of the church today. We are called to reach our Jerusalem (our community), our Judea/Samaria (our region/nation) and then out to the ends of the earth. To be focused on just our own church is antithetical to the command of Christ. On the other hand to be so mission minded we step over those on our door step to reach beyond into the world is also an error. And all the while we must accept that persecution will be the norm, not the exception.

Application: I need to think in all three levels personally and in the church. What are we doing locally to share the Good News of Jesus. We need to focus on our relationship regionally, how we support and serve here. And we cannot forget the world that Jesus died for. We need to send both our money and people to bring hope and share faith to the ends of the earth.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for this command. It is not easy, but it is clear. Give us the power and the passion to reach our neighbor and the Bantu tribe of Africa. Help us to care for the immigrant worker in California and the persecuted minister in mainland China. Send forth your Spirit so that we might be your instruments locally, nationally, and internationally.

In Jesus Name,
Amen.