55 PREPARING TO BE WITNESSES F O O T ================================

• H O L D

READING

55 PREPARING TO BE WITNESSES

PRAY Lord, ‘I will give you thanks because you are good’ (Psalm 54:6, GNB) —————————————————————- READ Luke 24:36-49. —————————————————————- THINK Christ is alive! List some of the effects this news had on the disciples. What are the effects and consequences for present-day Christians? —————————————————————- FOCUS The first Easter Day draws to a close and we find the disciples met together bewildered by the recent events and ‘with the doors locked for fear of the Jews’ (John 20:19). Jesus came among them with his greeting of peace. Read verses 36-43 again and try to picture the scene. Time was short. Christ was soon to leave his disciples and ascend into heaven (51). So he prepared them to go out and be his witnesses. THE MESSAGE. For forty days (Acts 1:3) Jesus taught his disciples the good news of which they were to be his witnesses – that he had died and had risen again (46), that forgiveness was promised to those who repented (47). It was good news then and it’s still good news today. THE POWER. It was good news alright, but that didn’t mean that everyone would want to hear it. There would be plenty of opposition and for the disciples to take the message to the whole world was beyond their power. That was why they were told to wait – for the Holy Spirit, would give them new power. If we feel weak and useless we should remember that the same power is available for us today. The disciples carried the good news with joy. They were filled with the power of his Spirit. They had seen a vision of his glory. We are Christ’s witnesses today. Are these things true of us? —————————————————————- PRAY Pray that the church may be true to the command of Jesus and be filled with his power so that all the world may hear the good news.