Acts 1:8
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Luke records some of Jesus' actions between the time He was resurrected from the dead and He was ascended into heaven. He spend forty days showing Himself to His apostles and teaching them the things of God. The LORD instructed them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which was the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. Even though they had spent the past three and a half years with Jesus, hearing His teaching about the events to come, they still had the same old Israelite mindset: the nation of Israel would be restored to some kind of former glory and they would be free from all oppressors. Jesus reaffirms His teaching, reminding them that it's not for them to know all that the Father is doing, but they will receive power to withstand once they are filled with the Holy Spirit. He gives them specific instructions regarding evangelism: they were to witness to the lost in Jerusalem, Judaea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the earth.
As I read these verses, the four areas where Jesus sends the apostles reminds me of where every believer should focus their missionary efforts. Jerusalem represents home. Every believer should witness within their own family and close friends. We should desire to see those whom we love most saved and living holy. Judaea represents our community. There are neighbors, acquaintances, and people with whom we interact regularly who do not know the LORD. It is our responsibility to tell them about the salvation that is available through Jesus Christ. Samaria represents our enemies. Even those who would do us harm have eternal souls. They need to know that if they die rejecting the LORD Jesus, they will spend eternity in hell. Finally, the uttermost part of the earth is just that: any place outside of our home base, whether it is across the county line, the state line or the vast ocean, there are many people who need to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There are many missionaries across the world right now who are sharing the Gospel on foreign soil. Some are in areas that are hostile to the Gospel. These missionaries are risking their lives to be where they are so that they can share the love of Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world. Luke 10:2 says "Therefore said He unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few..."
Acts 1:8
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Luke records some of Jesus' actions between the time He was resurrected from the dead and He was ascended into heaven. He spend forty days showing Himself to His apostles and teaching them the things of God. The LORD instructed them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which was the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. Even though they had spent the past three and a half years with Jesus, hearing His teaching about the events to come, they still had the same old Israelite mindset: the nation of Israel would be restored to some kind of former glory and they would be free from all oppressors. Jesus reaffirms His teaching, reminding them that it's not for them to know all that the Father is doing, but they will receive power to withstand once they are filled with the Holy Spirit. He gives them specific instructions regarding evangelism: they were to witness to the lost in Jerusalem, Judaea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the earth.
As I read these verses, the four areas where Jesus sends the apostles reminds me of where every believer should focus their missionary efforts. Jerusalem represents home. Every believer should witness within their own family and close friends. We should desire to see those whom we love most saved and living holy. Judaea represents our community. There are neighbors, acquaintances, and people with whom we interact regularly who do not know the LORD. It is our responsibility to tell them about the salvation that is available through Jesus Christ. Samaria represents our enemies. Even those who would do us harm have eternal souls. They need to know that if they die rejecting the LORD Jesus, they will spend eternity in hell. Finally, the uttermost part of the earth is just that: any place outside of our home base, whether it is across the county line, the state line or the vast ocean, there are many people who need to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There are many missionaries across the world right now who are sharing the Gospel on foreign soil. Some are in areas that are hostile to the Gospel. These missionaries are risking their lives to be where they are so that they can share the love of Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world. Luke 10:2 says "Therefore said He unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few..."