Day 15

Take a moment to pause, be still, and prepare your heart and mind to receive God’s word. 

Today’s Scripture:

The Ascension of Jesus

⁶ So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?”

⁷ He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. ⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

⁹ After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him.

Acts 1:6-9 NLT

I once worked with a woman who had served on nine different juries over the course of her life. NINE! Can you imagine? Nine times she sat on a jury and determined whether or not someone had broken the law. 

I think when it comes to the Christian faith, we often imagine ourselves on a jury of our peers, comparing their actions against what we read in Scripture. We like to decide whether or not they’re being a “good Christian.” We may even step into the role of judge from time to time, wanting to determine what the punishment should be for their sin. 

But the reality is, God doesn’t give us the role of judge or jury in the lives of others. In this passage, Jesus says we’re the witnesses. We’re the ones proclaiming what we have seen and experienced. We’re pointing them to Jesus and saying, “Look! Do you see Jesus? Let me tell you what he has done in my life!” Thankfully, our role as witnesses isn’t based on our efforts alone. He has given us the Holy Spirit, God himself, to empower us to share the good news to everyone, everywhere.

Reflect

If you believe in Jesus and have accepted him as Lord of your life, you have the power of the Holy Spirit. Can you think of a time where you felt the Holy Spirit leading or guiding you? What was that like?

Pray

Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you and direct you in sharing the gospel with those around you. Pray and ask if he has a specific person with whom you can share the good news.

Family Moment

Who was the last person you shared the good news of Jesus with? How did they respond? Maybe you haven’t shared the gospel with someone yet. Is there someone you can think of that you feel compelled to share?