F O O T H O L D
READING
55 PREPARING TO BE WITNESSES
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PRAY Lord, 'I will give you
thanks because you are good' (Psalm 54:6,
GNB)
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READ Luke 24:36-49.
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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?
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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?
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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.
