Mission:Possible | Spirit-Empowered Witnesses
The Blessing and Cost of Being on Mission
Acts 5:12-42
While on mission, faithfully proclaiming the "message of this new life" in Christ, the apostles experienced the following three realities:
1. The blessing of being used by God to see lives dramatically transformed (vs. 12-16)
- The Holy Spirit worked through the apostles, empowering them to perform “signs” and “wonders” (vs. 12). Validating them as messengers of God’s truth (cf. 2 Cor. 12:12; Heb. 2:3, 4).
- They were used by God to bring physical healing to the sick and spiritual freedom to those tormented by demons (vs. 15-16)
- The greatest miracle is the transformation of a lost sinner into a child of God by the grace of God (vs. 14)
Are we actively available to be used on mission? As Spirit empowered witnesses, we must be ready to minister to the poor, the hurting, the sick and the spiritually tormented and watch what the Holy Spirit might allow us to witness.
2. The personal cost of obeying God rather than human beings (vs. 17-40)
- Committing to live a gospel centred life on mission with Christ will personally cost you (vs. 18, 40)
- In the face of opposition, God fights for His own in miraculous ways (vs. 19, 20, 33-40)
- Remain obedient to God, keep proclaiming the truth and trust him with the consequences (vs. 29-32)
To what extent are we willing to suffer for living for Christ and sharing the message of this new life with others? In order to be His disciple, we must count the cost and be willing to give up everything for Him (cf. Mt. 16:24-25; Lk. 14:25-33; Eph. 5:2)
3. The blessing of being counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name (vs. 41-42)
- Being filled with the Spirit enables us to rejoice, be glad and be blessed when persecuted because of our identity in Christ (vs. 41; Mt. 5:11-12; Phil. 1:29)
- Opposition matures disciples and expands the mission (vs. 42; cf. Jas. 1:2-4)
- No one can stop the mission of the King (cf. Mt. 16:18)
Is Christ enough for you? (cf. Phil. 3:7-11)
“Christ told His disciples to expect persecution, which they experienced. But through it they also learned that while gospel ministry will anger some, it also has power to bless others and strengthen those doing it” (Tony Merida)
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