Christ Church Daily Devotion Nov 11 2023

In today's Daily Devotion, we read from Acts chapter 1. The disciples asked Jesus if he would restore the kingdom to Israel, but he said it's not for them to know. Instead, they would receive power from the Holy Spirit and be witnesses for Jesus in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the world. Jesus wants us to start where we are and share our faith with others, even those who are different from us. We should pray and ask God to show us someone to share our relationship with Christ with this week. Welcome to Christ Church's Daily Devotion for November 11th, 2023. Today we will be reading from Acts chapter 1, verses 6 through 8. Then they gathered around him and asked him, Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel? He said to them, It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. At the end of the Gospel according to Matthew, we read that Jesus said to his disciples, Go make disciples of all people. Here in this passage, Luke writes that Jesus says, Go be my witnesses. To me, these are two ways of saying the same thing. When we share witness with others about our experience and understanding of Jesus, both with what we say and do, we will have opportunities to lead them into their own relationship with him. It is instructive to note the pattern of location that Jesus used in this statement to his followers, Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the world. When we think about what those places meant to them and apply them to our own situations, Jesus is telling us to start where we are and with whom we are most familiar, to move out to others like us, to cross boundaries, to share with those not like us, even our enemies, and to continually broaden our connections to as many people as we can. Included in our commitment to Jesus Christ through his church is to be his witnesses, to tell his good news and lead others to him. God bless you for the ways you are seeking to be faithful to him through that part of our shared ministry. Today's personal worship option, pray and ask God to make you aware of at least one person this week with whom you can share about your relationship with Christ.