This is Acts 1:8:
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
So I'm going to repeat this theme over and over again. I'm going to repeat it until you're tired of it; and I'm not going to apologize because it's so important for you to understand as you live between ‘the already of Christ's coming’ and ‘the not yet of his second coming.’ It is so important to understand this principle—“God doesn't call us because we are able, but because he is almighty.”
Now, again, if you follow the story of Jesus and the disciples, if you have paid attention to their actions after his arrest and crucifixion, and if you have listened to their confusion about his person and work, then you know that they were independently, completely unprepared for what they had been called to do. You can't look at these guys and say, “Yeah, they are ready,” because they're clearly not ready. So don't gloss over these words, “You shall receive power.”
Everything, literally everything, that happens in Acts is a direct fulfillment of these four transformational words, “You shall receive power.” And you will experience, later in Acts, that these are simply not the same men that you saw in the beginning of Acts because of that gift of divine power. In this moment of commissioning, the disciples are not just given the most important task you could ever give yourself to, that's the task of redeeming grace, that's the task of spreading the gospel, but they're promised the power to do it. Jesus is physically leaving earth, but he's not leaving his work on earth. And so what he is going to do is, he is going to incarnate himself in his apostles, his ambassadors.
Now, what's the only work of an ambassador? Well, it's to faithfully represent the message, the methods and the character of the king who sent him. Now think about this, this means these men are sent out to be the look on Christ's face. They're sent out to be the tone of his voice. They're sent out to be the touch of his hand. They're sent out to be the teacher that he was. They're sent out to exercise the power that he had, but they are neither able nor ready. Left on their own, they will make a mess of these things. They need courage, they need wisdom, they need communication gifts, they need unshakable commitment to their savior king. They need strength in the face of persecution. And none of these things are natural to them.
None of this should surprise us because they're just like us. Who of us has the ability to love like Jesus loved in our marriage? Who of us can be a constant source of patient and gracious authority with our children? Who of us is naturally a forgiving friend? Who of us is always patient and kind and forgiving and faithful? None of us! We are weak and unable to do what we've been called to do. And none of this is a divine mistake. It's a divine intention; it's a divine plan. Hear again the words of Apostle Paul:
For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
Listen, your weakness today is not in the way of God's plan, it's part of God's plan. It drives you to him, and it demonstrates to this world that it's not about you, it's about him!
Questions for Personal Reflection or Group Discussion
1. Why do you think it is so difficult for us as human beings and followers of Christ to embrace our neediness? What do you think it would look like for you to embrace your neediness before God? What kinds of things would you ask him for in a posture of neediness? How can that posture shape your prayers from here on out?
2. Describe a time when you have experienced life that seemed to be completely chaotic and out of control? What were the contributing factors during that time that made you label it as out of control and chaotic? How does the character of God influence your evaluation of chaotic times and situations? How can what you know to be true of God (based on the Scriptures) influence your evaluation of chaotic times in the future?
3. Why do you think your weakness today is a part of God’s plan, even though it may not seem like it? Why isn’t God limited by your weakness or frailty? How is it possible for God’s power to be made perfect in your weakness?
4. In what ways have you seen God use you or someone close to you despite the element of human weakness? Why do you think God chooses to work this way so often?
Conversation Prompts to Use with Children
For Younger Children:
- If someone is weak, how can someone who’s strong help the weak person? Do you think the weak person would accept the help of a strong person? What if the weak person didn’t think they were weak?
- In comparison to God, are you weak or strong? Why do you think it’s important to know and live out the truth about our human weakness? What do you think human weakness shows off about God’s strength?
For Older Children:
- Even though we usually aren’t drawn to people who are needy, why is neediness something that God himself loves and moves toward?
- In comparison to God, are you weak and needy or strong and capable? Why is it important to know your place when it comes to your weakness and God’s strength?
- Why do you think it’s so easy for human beings to think that we don’t need any help from God or anyone else? How does the weakness of people highlight the strength of God?
- Why is your weakness never in the way of God’s plan? Why is your weakness a part of God’s plan? How does that make you feel?
