ACTS | To The Ends of the Earth

To the Ends of the Earth | Acts 1:1-11

Three Keys in Acts 1

1. Prepare for the Mission.

Acts 1:2b “…after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.”

Acts 1:4-5 “On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” 

2. Don’t go it alone, work with the Holy Spirit.

Acts 1:8 “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.”

Acts 2:38 “Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
3. Be a witness (1:8-9)

Acts 1:8-9 “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.’ 9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.”

To be witnesses in Jerusalem… means be a witness locally.
To be witnesses in all Judea and Samaria… means be a witness regionally.
To be witnesses to the ends of the earth…means be a witness to the rest of the world.

Key Point: Our purpose is to be a witness for Jesus.

Luke 24:46-48 “He told them, ‘This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things.’”

Matthew 19:26 “…with God all things are possible.”

Matthew 23:39 “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

We need each other.

A simple plan for reaching people with the gospel:

1. Prayer

Warren Wiersbe “In almost every chapter in Acts you find a reference to prayer, and the book makes it very clear that something happens when God’s people pray.”

Unceasing Prayer for Lexington – www.ncclex.org/prayer

“When We Work . . . We Work! When We Pray . . . God Works!”

2. Show kindness

3. Share your story

4. Invite them

Barna Research
4% of people who were invited to church, attended church.
23% of those who were invited didn’t go.
73% of those surveyed were never invited.1 Corinthians 3:6 “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.”

Acts 1:11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”