使徒言行録1:6-11 Acts 1:6-11,

Jesus died on the cross for our salvation and was resurrected on the third day. Then, after appearing to his disciples for forty days, he ascended into heaven. Heaven is a place beyond this world. It is where God the Father is, and where Jesus was before he came to earth.

Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” By “the kingdom” they were not referring to the nation of Israel on earth. They were talking about the kingdom of God, where God will rule. In other words, they asked, “When is the day when the kingdom of God will be completed?” Then Jesus answered, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.” When the kingdom of God will be completed is something that God has determined, and you cannot know the time. Human beings cannot know when the kingdom of God will be completed.

Then, should we just sit idly by and wait for the completion of the kingdom of God? Not at all! Jesus said, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” In other words, Jesus said, “Soon you will receive the Holy Spirit. Then you will be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and become witnesses who proclaim my salvation.”

What does a witness do? A witness is someone who testifies. For example, suppose there is a traffic accident. And it was a hit-and-run. Suppose you saw the car, then you would have to testify as to what kind of car and how it hit the person. This is a witness to the bad things that people have done. The witness of Jesus, however, is a witness to the wonderful and good things Jesus has done. They testify that Jesus died on the cross and has risen again. And they testify that if we believe in Jesus, we will be given a repentant heart and forgiveness of sins and receive eternal life.

Jesus said this to his disciples and ascended into heaven, where God the Father is. Then, after ascending into heaven, Jesus has poured out the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Jesus, on the disciples. He then watches over the disciples as they proclaim Jesus as witnesses. And that’s not all. One day he will come back to earth to complete the kingdom of God. Two men stood by them in white robes, i.e., angels said, “This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

We can live a life of witnessing to Jesus by receiving an outpouring of the Holy Spirit from Jesus who has ascended into heaven. It is wonderful to live with the goal of witnessing to Jesus. What can you do to witness to Jesus? Especially if you are young, what kind of life would you like to live with the goal of witnessing to Jesus?