you are witnesses of these things. and behold, i am sending the promise of my Father upon you. but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high. [luke 24:48-49]
equipped.
the feeling that many of us lack when it comes to sharing our faith and proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ to our neighbors, our family, our friends, and to the ends of the earth.
thankfully, for believers, equipped has nothing to do with feelings! equipped is a state of receiving what we need, in order to do what we are called to do. church, we have nothing to fear, because the God who calls us to obedience also gives us the grace and power to obey!
the disciples of Jesus, this island of misfit toys, have seen the glory of God in the face of his Son, Jesus Christ, witnessed his authority over sin, death, and hell, and watched as he bridged the gap between an infinitely holy Creator and his rebellious and fallen creation. and they were about to receive the promised Spirit. they were about to receive this very same power and authority of God from Jesus himself to reach the world with their testimony. they were equipped!
and so we, too, are equipped, because we are promised this same power, because we are filled with this very same Spirit! the power of God has not been weakened over these thousands of years. he is very much alive and strong, actively moving among his saints, carrying out his original plan of the redemption of the world. this power to move the gospel and to move hearts is not ours, but God’s. are you walking in belief of this?
we talked a couple of weeks ago about truth that moves us to action. so we have to ask ourselves, has this truth of the promise of God and the power of the Holy Spirit moved us to action?
- has it moved you to share the hope of Christ with your neighbors?
- has it moved you to be a bold gospel light at work?
- has it moved you to intentionally make the gospel the center of your home daily?
- has it moved you to participate in reaching the ends of the earth with the good news of God’s glory?
and if not, then has it really moved you? for our actions are evidence of our faith.
was not abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? you see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the scripture was fulfilled that says, “abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. [james 2:21-23]
we know scripture teaches salvation through faith alone in Jesus. we’ve just spent months covering this in galatians! but james is telling us that just verbalizing faith is not true faith. it will be backed up by action. our faith in the power of the Spirit to carry the gospel to the world will be backed up by taking the gospel to the world! whether that means stepping off of a plane in india, or stepping up to your neighbor’s door.
o Father, help our unbelief! bolster our faith in what you are doing in and through your children, in your church. give us Holy Spirit boldness to take your name and your glory to the ends of the earth!
~ arwen eastman