To the Ends of the Earth | Morning Routine Daily Devotional for January 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. — Acts 1:8 ESV

The book of Acts records the events in the first few decades of the church, beginning just after Jesus’ death and resurrection. Acts showcases the sovereignty of God—how He directed the disciples as they continued the ministry of Jesus. In Acts 1, on a mountain, Jesus gives His final commissioning statement: “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.”

Today’s passage sets the stage for the rest of Acts, and really, church history. Followers of Jesus will spread the good news from Jerusalem and radiate outwards—from Judea, the area surrounding Jerusalem, to neighboring Samaria to the north, and even to the ends of the earth! Jesus knows that the task will be difficult, and He reminds them that their power will be from the Holy Spirit—not themselves. The Holy Spirit will fill them, emboldening them to be His witnesses. The term ‘witness’ is appropriate: they have witnessed Jesus’ miracles and message as he walked with them, and now they will ‘bear witness’—tell others—about Him!

As disciples of Jesus, we are called to be witnesses in all the world, not just where we are born or where we are comfortable, but in the places where God has us. The gospel has no limits—it’s for all people in all places. The commission to share the good news of forgiveness and salvation through Jesus is for all believers, not just preachers or evangelists. This commission is for you—that you would share the gospel with your family, your students, your neighbors. Start where you are—your ‘Jerusalem’—and don’t rule out that God may call you to some other, unexpected place. God may well be calling you to stay put, right where you are, and be a witness in your current context. Either way, like the disciples of the New Testament… Let’s reach the world!