It is interesting that Jesus says ALL authority has been given to ME, therefore YOU go! It reminds me of a boss who does not want to do something so sends the office boy instead. But of course it is not like that at all! Jesus sends out His followers.

Chapter 7 of Acts ended with the stoning of Stephen. And chapter 8 begins with the persecution of the church, resulting in the disciples all going in different directions. What seemed like disaster resulted in much more of the world hearing the truth about Jesus and received healing and deliverance.

We stay with the picture of athletes or sportsmen for another day. Picture one of them in the gym doing the necessary exercises. A keen sportsman will go several times a week in order to keep fit. So it is with our christian walk with Jesus, we must stay fit.

Trying to go it alone can be a very slow process and depressing. The witnesses mentioned in the previous chapter are all examples for us today. But many of us also have had witnesses who have been good examples for us. Friends or family, colleagues, church leaders, others in church…

Often we hear of good consequences from what we see as bad things. I can tell of several times in my life when I have been going through a difficult time and have prayed Lord teach me quickly whatever I need to be learning from this, and let us move on.

In ordinary conversations with family and friends we are often distracted, reading messages on our phones at the same time, only listening with one ear. In doing that, we miss much of what is being said. We do not hear the emotions in the voice. We miss the facial expressions.

Peter always comes across, (to me) as a man of few words. His letters are short and easy to read. The only time we see or hear of Peter saying much was on the Day of Pentecost when he preached a good sermon to the watching bewildered crowd in Jerusalem.

On the mount of transfiguration Peter, James and John were privileged to see something of the glory that Jesus carried, and also to see Moses and Elijah. What a life changing experience that must have been. Those three disciples did not know that Jesus was equipping them for their future.

So many people have lived and died keeping watch because they do not know the day or the hour! The disciples of Jesus were no different. They kept watch in the upper room, expecting Jesus to return. But something much more dramatic happened instead. The Holy Spirit came in power.

Many problems have been caused in the past with people setting off as missionaries without fully understanding what it means. We are to meet people, and minister to them where they are spiritually and physically. People living in the deepest jungle do not want, or need, to change their culture.