But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Acts 1:8
Ye shall be witnesses unto me BOTH…
The word both being present in Acts 1:8 tells us the intention of our Lord for the work of missions.
First, the Lord Jesus died in order that all people, no one excluded, may come to Him and be saved.
Second, Christ makes the local church responsible for reaching all people in all nations -- there is no exception.
Third, the support of other churches, church plants, and the sending of missionaries is a priority and a responsibility from the inception of a church.
Fourth, this great command from God should cause us to look far and near on the fields with an ever-increasing vision for the lost and what we can do to get the Gospel to them.
The church in Antioch of Syria is a primary example of BOTH in the New Testament. Within the first two years of its establishment, this young church sent Paul and Barnabus to Jerusalem on a missions trip carrying offerings to assist the church during difficult times. Following their return from Jerusalem, the church at Antioch was called upon by the Holy Ghost to send their primary leaders, Paul and Barnabus, on an extended missionary tour. The records of that ministry and the journeys that follow are recorded in the last 15 chapters of Acts and half of the books of the New Testament.
From all of this, we may certainly draw the conclusion that BOTH is of vital importance to the Lord. Let us increase our efforts daily to be witnesses unto the Lord -- both where we live and abroad.
Here & Now
Missions certainly begins at home.
Our Lord Jesus established a basic pattern for missions outreach through His teaching. The simple instruction: begin reaching the lost where you live!
Luke 24:47 says, And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Acts 1:8 tells us, But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Jesus started His earthly ministry in His adopted town of Nazareth. From there He travelled the surrounding province of Galilee. Eventually, He ministered in Jerusalem and Judea, the region of His birth.
This missions pattern was also followed by the Apostle Paul. Following his conversion, Paul preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus (Acts 9:27). He, in turn, preached boldly in Jerusalem, after which his life was threatened to such a degree that the believers there sent him forth to Tarsus (Acts 9:30). Tarsus was the place of Paul’s birth and was where he was ministering when Barnabus invited him to join him at the church in Antioch of Syria in Acts 11.
These Biblical commands and examples clearly show us our first priority in missions… the souls of our neighbors.
All of us must be actively and fervently involved in seeking to bring those in our own neighborhoods, towns, and surrounding areas unto the Lord. Let us begin in our own Jerusalems.
Ask ourselves:
- Who are my neighbors?
- What are the names of my neighbors?
- Have I regularly extended personal invitations to them to church?
- More importantly, have I shared my salvation testimony and attempted to give each one of them a clear Gospel witness?
- What have I done recently toward my neighbors to show them the love of Christ?
May our testimony be, as those early believers, And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ. Acts 5:24