Thursday, May 17, 2018
Promised power
Luke 24:49
Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.
Jesus used the word power to describe both what his disciples would receive and what they would exercise. Power is the essential requirement for the followers and servants of Jesus to accomplish the tasks he has set before us, along with the signs that will authenticate that ministry.
Earlier this week we examined the verse Mark 16:17 which said that, “And these signs will follow those who believe,” and, at the end of his gospel account a few verses later, Mark summarised the activities of the disciples after Jesus ascended saying that, “they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.”
The power that must be exercised in ministry was promised by Jesus and then that promise was delivered on the day the Jews celebrated Pentecost.
The promise of power was a very old one historically. A good place to pick up the old promise is in Joel since this is the same place that Peter went to on that significant day of Pentecost. “And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions.” Joel 2:28.
The promise was also a constant in the teaching of Jesus. The verses in Mark and Luke above come from Jesus’ farewell discourses on earth if we call it that, but the promise could be found earlier too. John records Jesus saying in 14:12 that, “he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.” And in Luke 10:19 we have this, “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”
It was the final promise of the resurrected Jesus on the earth, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:7-8. And it was the first act in the inauguration of the church, “And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.” Acts 2:2,3.
Many people talk a good game but the difference is made out on the field of play. Talk is both cheap and easy but an absence of power makes our words nothing but talk. The Apostle Paul wrote this to the Christians at Corinth “I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power.” 1 Corinthians 4:19,20.
Before that he told them, “And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:4,5.
Evidently, as seen in Acts 1:8, the promise of power is a promise for the transformation of the earth through the exercise of that power and the witness to Jesus Christ. However, the evangelical church has often separated these two things, many times holding on to the effort to witness, but abandoning the exercise of the power. But power and witness cannot be separated and there are times when power precedes witness.
In a completely different context, the Apostle Paul had cause to highlight the weakness of separating any exercise of faith that is separated from the exercise or demonstration of the required and promised power. 2 Timothy 3:5, “having a form of godliness but denying its power.”
The power was promised and so we should always be in pursuit of that power, and our ministry must always be characterised by its exercise. When the great apostle was praying for the church that he had earlier established at Ephesus he prayed that they would have wisdom, revelation, and knowledge. He prayed that they would be enlightened and have a good understanding of who they are in Jesus. Then he prayed that they would know “what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe,” Ephesians 1:19.
But the prayer about power for them didn’t stop there, he went on to explain the nature of that power and to show its demonstration so that they, and us, would have a good understanding and appreciation of that promised power. He added that what was available to us was, “according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.” Ephesians 1:19-21
That same power is the promised power.
Think on these things:
- Have you ever witnessed a demonstration of the power of God in ministry?
- What do you think would be the consequence of a greater demonstration of God’s power in your church?
- Do you think that ministers in your church are focused on seeing God’s power demonstrated among those whom they serve?
Prayer focus:
Let us pray today that we would be focused and determined in the pursuit of the power of God in our lives and ministry.
In His Grace
Pastor Alex