INTRODUCTION TO ACTS (continued)

THE BREAKDOWN:

What does receiving POWER and being a WITNESS really mean and look like?

• POWER – God’s power at work in your and around you through his Spirit.

  • Examples:  boldness, guidance, miracles, giving words, direction, etc.

• WITNESS – God uses people to establish his church. God will use you specifically to impact your sphere of influence and establish his church through you.

  • Examples: Serving others, sharing the gospel, intentional friendship, influencing coworkers, community involvement, hurting with people, walking with people in life, etc.

How will we track the theme of God giving his people POWER and using them to be his WITNESSES through Acts?

• Again, Acts 1:8 helps us greatly to know how to do this.

Acts 1:8 - “But you will receive POWER when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my WITNESSES in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

• The church started in Jerusalem in Acts 2 when the Holy Spirit came upon them.  But it didn’t take long before the church was persecuted for being Christians.  As they were being persecuted, they fled from the trials and the gospel began to spread as well.  First, it spread into Judea, then to Samaria, then to all the known earth at the time.

• We will track the process as the church spread from 1) Jerusalem, to 2) Judea, to 3) Samaria, to 4) the Ends of the Earth by the POWER of God using his WITNESSES for his glory.

Understanding the Biblical terms in our context:

• Jerusalem - Hometown / shared culture (example: Portland / Gorham)

• Judea - Similar culture in a geographic region (example: Massachusetts)

• Samaria - a very different culture within your own country or context (example: Georgia)

• Ends of the Earth - cross-culture missions outside of your own country, context, culture, and comfort. (example: Outside the U.S.)