Witnesses in Jerusalem

Scripture Reading — Acts 6:1-7

So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly. . . .
— Acts 6:7

As we saw earlier in the book of Acts, Jesus promised his followers that the Holy Spirit would empower them to become his witnesses “in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). For the next few days, we will see how Jesus’ words were literally fulfilled in the book of Acts itself.

We start with Jerusalem. This was an intense time in the life of the early church. The church had formed into a tightly knit community, sharing everything in common. God was doing wonderful miracles, working through the prayers of the believers to heal and restore people and to raise up new leaders. We see the maturity of Jesus’ apostles as they responded to the pastoral needs of the community and appointed deacons to assist with the work that needed to be done. The growth of the church was so significant that it threatened the religious leaders of the city, leading to an increase in the persecution of Christians.

Strong prayer. Strong leadership. A caring community. All of these factors are used by God to bring people to faith in Jesus. If we think of Jerusalem as representing the community or the neighborhood we live in, how does God invite us to serve in our own context and let the good news of Jesus ring out right where we are?

Jesus, you send us to be your witnesses in our own local community. Guide us to pray for our neighbors and for all the people we will encounter today. Help us to be faithful witnesses to your love. Amen.

Written by: Kevin DeRaaf