Sunday I preached about the pattern of movement that Jesus instructed his disciples to follow just before ascending to Heaven in the book of Acts. Before he left the earth he said, “…you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8). It’s a powerful statement where Jesus clearly lays out a mission for those who had been with him during his ministry. They were to be his witnesses, telling people what they knew of him after he was gone, and this grass-roots approach is how Christianity spread across the world. There was no plan B.
As I said Sunday, the reality is that most of us read that statement and go straight to the “end of the earth.” For whatever reason, it’s often more enticing to share the gospel with someone across the world than across the street. Then, when faced with the difficulty of crossing cultures and countries we get discouraged and disappointed and don’t do anything at all, or we don’t find real worth in anything other than exotic outreach. We forget that Jesus told his disciples first to be his witnesses in Jerusalem, which is where they already were. You see, what is often overlooked is the fact that we are called to be witnesses of Jesus’ work in our life in our “Jerusalem” FIRST. Before we cross the state, region, or country we need to bear witness where were already are.
Because I purposefully over-communicated this reality on Sunday I’m going to write a series of posts this week with reasons why you need to eventually leave your “Jerusalem.” The early church followed these instructions carefully, but they didn’t stay in Jerusalem forever. Eventually, they left the city and changed the world. This week, my hope is to encourage you to do the same.
Sermon audio: “Witness” (Acts 1:8)
