Waiting for Power February 11, 2013
The disciples were privileged men. They had walked withGod incarnate for three years, received His instruction, and observed Hisministry. They had significant experience under their belt: preaching, healing,even casting out demons. No seminary or discipleship program could duplicatewhat they enjoyed. Yet they weren’t ready. Acts 1 tells us that Jesus orderedthem “not to depart from Jerusalem,but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, ‘you heard fromme; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the HolySpirit not many days from now.’” (Acts 1:4-5)
Jesus’ mission on earth had ended, and their missionwas about to launch. All the pieces were in place… except for one. Jesus knewthese privileged men would be miserable failures if left to themselves in thetask He had set for them.
Therefore, He promised them something that wouldtranscend any human potency and any ministry demand: “You shall receive power”(Acts 1:8). Training was not enough; they needed power. Zeal was not enough;they needed power. Even the message of the gospel was not enough; they neededpower.
What kind of power? Church growth experts would give usan answer. They would tell us that in order to have a growing, dynamic church,one needs the power of marketing and contemporary business methods to gather acrowd. Or the power of modern psychology to help people get over the complexproblems of the modern age. Or the power of political activism to reverse thetide of evil. Or the power of the intellectual acquisition of Bible knowledge.
Jesus knows His people need power. But businessmethods, pop psychology, political activism, and intellectual acquisition arenot that source. He said, “Stay in the city until you are clothed with powerfrom on high” (Lk 24:49). “You will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not manydays from now” (Acts 1:5). “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit hascome upon you” (Acts 1:8).
What they needed was supernatural power from a supernaturalsource for supernatural ministry. Do you have room in your doctrine ofthe Holy Spirit for a special outpouring of power? Or do you believe we havereceived all we can have of the Spirit at regeneration, and this that we see ofHim in our lives and our church is the most we should expect? The disciplesexpected more, and they waited and prayed and longed for it. Do you?