Proclamation is Worldwide

Scripture: Acts 1:8

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."

Insights: Today’s verse is the crux of the passage.  Monday we learned that the Holy Spirit is the power for our proclamation of the gospel.  Once again this truth is brought forth in this verse today.  Then Jesus tells us our mission of proclamation is to the entire world.  The way the phraseology is written this does not mean once you have totally evangelized your Jerusalem (your community) that then you move on to Judea (your state).  Rather what the passage implies is that you do all four of these areas (community, state, nation, and world) simultaneously.  I also want you to notice who is being commissioned by Jesus to all of these places—YOU!  This “you” is not limited to just the eleven apostles that were still remaining.  This hillside had probably 500 people there.  This command was given to ALL of God’s children and that includes you if you are born again and have received Jesus as your Lord and Savior.  All too often we get tunnel vision with our own personal passions.  In other words, there are some that are so focused on their community that they cannot understand why we ought to spend money, resources and time going to other places when there are so many lost people in our back yards.  There are others that are so internationally mission minded that they cannot understand why a person would be unwilling to go on a short term mission trip and all they ever talk about is their next mission endeavor.  God has passionately instilled these heart beats in these individuals.  The danger, however, is to have that be all you are willing to do in regards to this commission.  This commission is for all to go everywhere.  Beloved, we need to stretch ourselves and begin seeing this world the way Jesus sees it.  We need to begin feeling what He feels when He looks on His creation.  We need to be burdened and then responsive to the Holy Spirit’s promptings toward proclamation.  As a side note: all across North America today people will be inviting lost individuals into their homes to watch The Cross, which was produced by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.  Pray that many will come into a saving relationship with Jesus as a result of this crusade.  My God be brought glory through our proclamation!

Questions:

1. Is there anything holding you back from being a worldwide proclaimer for Jesus?
2. Are you willing to ask the Lord to change your heart about personal involvement in missions?

Prayer: Father, let me see the world through Your eyes.  Let me feel what You feel when You look on Your children.  Let this transformation compel me to be bold in my proclamation of the gospel. Amen.