The Church That Changed the World: Lessons from Acts 1

The Church That Changed the World: Lessons from Acts 1

As we step into a new year, there's something powerful about returning to beginnings. Not just our own beginnings, but the beginning of the movement that has shaped history for over two thousand years—the birth of the church.

The book of Acts opens with a peculiar scene. Jesus has been crucified, buried, and resurrected. For forty days, He appeared to His followers with "many convincing proofs"—not just stories or rumors, but tangible, undeniable evidence. You could see Him, touch Him, share a meal with Him. This wasn't a ghost story or mass hallucination. The resurrected Christ walked among them.

But what did Jesus talk about during those forty days? Not church programs. Not building campaigns. Not even primarily about "the church" as we might expect. Instead, He spoke about the kingdom of God.

The Kingdom Above All Else

This is significant. Jesus began His ministry telling people to "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness." He ended His earthly ministry speaking about the same thing. And when the Apostle Paul found himself imprisoned at the end of Acts, what did he spend his final days discussing with visitors? The kingdom of God.
The kingdom of God is God's sovereign activity in the world that results in people being brought into right relationship with Him. It's eternal. It never dies. Churches come and go—even the great churches Paul planted in places like Ephesus and Corinth are now piles of rubble. But the kingdom? It endures forever.
This is both humbling and liberating. We're not building monuments to ourselves. We're participating in something far greater, something that transcends our lifetimes, our cultures, and our circumstances.
Wait, Then Go
As Jesus prepared to ascend to heaven, He gave His followers two critical commands.

First: Wait.

For people eager to get moving, this must have been frustrating. Wait in Jerusalem. Don't do anything yet. Why? Because they needed power they didn't possess. They needed the Holy Spirit.
John the Baptist had prophesied it. Jesus had promised it repeatedly. "I will send you another counselor," He said. "It's actually better that I go away, because then I can send the Spirit to you."
The disciples needed to understand something fundamental: they were about to attempt the impossible. They would face persecution, opposition, suffering, and death. Ordinary people cannot do extraordinary things in their own strength. They needed supernatural empowerment.
The Holy Spirit isn't a luxury item for the Christian life—He's an absolute necessity. Like water in a desert. Like air in your lungs. You cannot love the unlovable, endure the unbearable, or accomplish the impossible without Him.

Second: Go.

After they received the Spirit, they had a mission: "You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
This command shattered every boundary they knew. Jerusalem was comfortable—their hometown. Judea was familiar—their region. But Samaria? That's where those people lived. The ones they didn't associate with. And the ends of the earth? That was everyone else—all tribes, all nations, all peoples who didn't look like them, talk like them, or believe like them.
The mission of God has no geographical limits, no cultural boundaries, no tribal restrictions. It's for everyone, everywhere.

The Path of the Witness

But what does it mean to be a witness? Acts 1 gives us a clear picture.
Who is the witness? You. Me. Every follower of Jesus. There's no special class of "professional Christians" who do the real work while everyone else spectates. If you've encountered Jesus, you're a witness.
What empowers the witness? Not your charisma, education, resources, or social media following. The Holy Spirit alone empowers you to do what you cannot do on your own.
What is the path of the witness? Here's the uncomfortable truth: suffering. Jesus "suffered," the text reminds us, and then He gave His instructions. The way of the witness follows the way of the Master. If you're not experiencing any friction in your faith, it might be time to check if your light is actually on.
Where is the need? Everywhere. Turn on the news. Talk to your neighbor. Have coffee with a coworker. Brokenness, anxiety, despair, and hopelessness surround us. People are searching, often in all the wrong places. They need hope. They need Jesus.
What is the passion of the witness? Jesus Himself. We talk about what we love. Sports fans talk about their teams. Food lovers talk about restaurants. People in love talk about their beloved. If Jesus truly captivates your heart, He'll naturally flow from your lips.

You Are Not Alone
As Jesus ascended into the clouds, the disciples stood there, gazing upward, probably wondering, "Now what?" Two messengers appeared with a gentle rebuke and a powerful promise: "Why are you standing here looking up? This same Jesus will return the same way He left."
Translation: Get to work. You have a mission. And you're not alone.

Three truths anchor us as we face an uncertain future:

1. You have the Holy Spirit. The living God dwells within you. That's not just encouragement—it's supernatural power to do the impossible.
2. You have a task. Your life has purpose and meaning. You're part of the greatest mission in history—bringing people into right relationship with God.
3. You have each other. We don't do this alone. We need community, accountability, encouragement, and prayer. Iron sharpens iron.

Moving Forward
The church was born in what the world called chaos. A small band of ordinary people, empowered by the Spirit, turned the world upside down. They faced opposition from governments, religious leaders, and hostile cultures. Most died as martyrs.
Yet the church flourished.

Why? Because they remembered what Jesus did. They obeyed His commands. They relied on His Spirit. And they refused to do it alone.
The same opportunity—and the same obstacles—await us today. The question isn't whether the mission is possible. History has already answered that. The question is whether we'll embrace it.

Will you?