”POWER FROM ON HIGH”

Luke 24:36-53

Monday, 05 January 2025

“You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”-Luke 24:48,49

Of the two volumes of writing by Luke, the first- the Gospel of Luke narrates the life and ministry of Jesus until His ascension, while the Acts of the Apostles continues with the history of Church in its origins. Our text today describes the risen Jesus’ appearance to His disciples, giving them sufficient proof and then commissioning them to be His witnesses while He is taken up to heaven.

Before entrusting them the task of being His witness, Jesus opened their minds to understanding the Scriptures about Him: He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.” (Vs.46-48). As the proof for the witness was laid out, the power for witness needed to be given to them. He said they would soon be “clothed with power from on high.” 

The opening pages of the book of Acts tell us of the POWER that came upon them- they were baptized in the Holy Spirit and He took residence in them to enable them to be Christ’s witness through their lives and preaching. We see the 120 who waited in the upper room in Jerusalem being empowered and Peter speaking boldly to the crowd which gathered- Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call. (Acts 2:38&39).

The promise of the Holy Spirit is for all who will come to Christ, receive Him as Saviour and Lord! Jesus had spoken to His disciples in depth of the Person and work of the Holy Spirit recorded in John chapters 14-16. As Holy Spirit brings about a new birth in a person who receives salvation through Christ, He resides in him/her for a Spirit-led life all through their sojourn on the earth until taken to the physical presence of Christ. 

The commission given to the first disciples in being Christ’s witness—the preaching of repentance and forgiveness in Jesus’ name to ALL nations, is also a task that is to be carried out by Jesus’ disciples in every age until His return. But the empowering for that task is through the Holy Spirit as Jesus put it: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8). The Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria are the places close by of our residing and then to the farther places of the earth. The Gospel is for all—to be taken as far as one can reach!

The first disciples endured through the oppositions and persecutions in their witness—almost all martyred for Christ. The power to be bold and to endure was granted by the Holy Spirit. The witness of Christ goes on until His promised return. In our generation as each of us (His disciples) carry on that task—let us be reminded of Paul’s words: “…I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.” (1Cor.9:22-23). 

Let us be endued with “power from on high” as we continue Christ’s witness on the earth until His return!

Listen: 'All the earth'