After Jesus had been taken to heaven, the eleven apostles along with other disciples were waiting for the power of the Holy Spirit at the upper room in Jerusalem. Apostle Peter stood up in midst of them and told them about selecting one in place of Judas to fulfill the scripture. Peter was very clear about the vision in front of them. They all must become a witness of His resurrection. Acts 01:21,22 “ 21 Therefore it is necessary that of the men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us— 22 beginning with the baptism of John until the day that He was taken up from us—one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”. Peter emphasized the fact that the new apostle must have an in depth participation in Christ’s ministry from the baptism of John until the day He was taken up to heaven. He must be one waiting for the power of Holy Spirit to become a witness for the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
We may wonder how a disciple, who is having a close association with Jesus Christ, will become a witness of Jesus Christ. Jesus himself gave the answer to this. Acts 01:08 “ but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”. Holy Spirit will give you power to make you a witness of Jesus Christ at all times and in all circumstances. Also Jesus told the apostles to wait in the city for the power of the Holy Spirit. Luke 24:49 “And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” . So every disciple has to have the power of the Holy Spirit to become the witness of Jesus Christ.
On the day of Pentecost God poured out the Holy Spirit upon all the apostles and other disciples. Acts 02:02-04 “ 02 And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.03 and there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. 04 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.” The power of the Holy Spirit made each one of them as a witness of the resurrection of Jesus Christ in all aspects of life.
So every disciple has to have the power of the Holy Spirit to become the witness of Jesus Christ.
Acts 01:22 “beginning with the baptism of John until the day that He was taken up from us–one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.” Acts 02:31 “he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that He was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did His flesh suffer decay.” Acts 04:02 “being greatly disturbed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all.”
Today as we are going to eat the bread and drink of the cup, the Holy Spirit reminds us from 1 Cor 11:26 “ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.” We are proclaiming the death of Lord Jesus Christ. Through the death and resurrection of Lord Jesus Christ, we can live as a witness of the Lord’s resurrection by the power of the Holy Spirit.
1 Cor 11:27-29 “ 27 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. 28 But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly.” So let us examine ourselves and discern the body of Christ and thus eat the bread and drink the cup in a worthy manner.
May God help all of us to become a witness of Lord’s resurrection in all areas of our lives.
