日期﹕ 2/11/2007

經文﹕使徒行傳 1 ﹕ 1-11

題目﹕我的見證人

主旨﹕因耶穌基督是萬物之王﹐所以他賜權利給予我們作他的見證人。

引言﹕

我依然清楚地記得發生在大學時代化學課堂上的一件事。 這門課是用日語講授的﹐那時我對於日語的掌握也是非常地粗淺。教授在黑板上寫下了一些化學概念並一一做了解釋。過了一會兒﹐他將黑板擦乾淨 , 向我提了一個問題。我盡力明白他的問題和尋找答案。但是最後我還是放棄了。他看著我說﹕ “ 薛君 ( 這是老師對學生非常客氣和友善的稱呼 ) ﹐如果你不明白的話﹐就請你直接問我。 就在幾分鐘之前﹐我已經把答案寫在黑板上了。 ” 四十年過去了﹐每當我想起這件事的時候﹐依然能感受到當時我的尷尬和羞愧。

從我們剛才所讀的經文上看﹐使徒們好像也有類似的經歷。讓我首先做一下背景介紹。 從前兩節經文中我們知道路加是為一個叫做提阿非羅的羅馬高級官員寫了 < 使徒行傳 > 。路加提到了之前他所寫的 < 路加福音 > 。 < 路加福音 > 和 < 使徒行傳 > 其實是一本書的上下兩卷。 在第一卷書裡﹐路加詳細和準確地記錄了耶穌的生平事跡和教導﹐包括他被釘死在十字架上﹐死后三天又復活和升天之事。 第二卷書是有關耶穌的門徒在耶穌被接升上天之後的事跡記載。 我們要記住﹕這不是一本宣教 , 或者教會增長和植堂的一本手冊。它到更像是舊約和四福音書。 < 使徒行傳 > 準確記錄了早期使徒和耶穌的追隨者的活動。 透過他們的行動﹐我們可以看到上帝工作的真理﹐特別是有關他救贖的計劃。

耶穌復活以後﹐他和門徒相處了 40 天。路加告訴我們﹕在那段時間裡﹐耶穌教導門徒有關天國的事。 那是上帝承諾賜給亞伯拉罕﹐以撒﹐雅各﹐大衛和以色列人的國度。 耶穌公開教導的第一句話就是﹕ “ 天國近了。 ” 當耶穌和門徒在一起的時候﹐他們不能完全明白天國的事。 現在耶穌從死裡復活了﹐又花了 40 天時間和他們在一起﹐教導他們有關天國的事﹐使徒們是否能因此更加了解天國呢﹖

1 ﹕ 6“ 他們聚集的時候，問耶穌說： ‘ 主啊，你要在這時候使以色列復國嗎？ ’ ” 加爾文曾經說過﹕這句話裡錯誤百出。你看 , 門徒對天國的事仍然一竅不通 . 讓我們來聽聽耶穌的回應。

I •  耶穌基督任命他的跟隨者為見證人。

使徒們問耶穌﹕ “ 主啊，你要在這時候使以色列復國嗎？ ” 他們詢問耶穌是否祂要為以色列復國。耶穌如何回答呢﹖ “ …… 你們作我的見證人。 ” 你 們 要成為我的見證人。見證的意思是要說出你所看到和聽到的 事 。 一個見證人是要代表和反映。

   幾個月前 , 在一次的午餐，主人將我介紹給中國駐休士頓的華總領事。 能與他同坐一桌， 是一種的榮耀。一個國家駐外的領事有一個很特別的身份， 他是站在他本國和當地居民之中間， 他是代表他的國家。他要盡量反映他國家的文化，政治立場。換句話說， 他也就是國家的見證人。

   耶穌稱他的門徒為他的見證人。 這就 叫 我們想起當上 帝按照自己的形像創造了亞當和夏娃的時候﹐神要他們站在上帝和他所創造的世界之間 . 他們代表上帝管理世界﹐他們代表神和反 映 他的榮美﹐榮耀﹐慈愛和完整。他們是神的見證人 . 之後 , 挪亞 , 亞伯拉罕也同樣站在上帝和世界的中間。挪亞代表神呼籲人要悔改 . 透過亞伯拉罕﹐神要祝福萬國萬民。他要代表和反映神。亞伯拉罕是神的見證人。之後有以撒 , 雅各 , 約瑟 , 摩西 , 撒母耳 , 大衛和所羅門 . 他們要站在神和祂的百姓中間 . 他們是神的見證人 . 但往往他們卻沒作好 , 並且十分的失敗 . 先知以賽亞對以色列人，神的選民，如此說； < 以賽亞書 >43 ﹕ 10 ﹐ 12“ 你們就是我的見證人 …… 我曾預告，我曾拯救，我曾說給你們聽，在你們中間沒有別的神。 ” 耶和華說： “ 你們是我的見證人，我就是 神。 ”44 ﹕ 8“ 我不是老早就說了給你們聽，告訴了你們嗎？你們就是我的見證人。 除我以外，還有真神嗎？ ” 以色列人是要站在上帝和世界之間﹐他們要代表和反映這是唯一的真神。他們是神的見證人。

   然後 , 耶穌來到世界上。約翰１ :18, “ 18 從來沒有人見過　神，只有在父懷裡的獨生子 ( 耶穌基督 ) 把他彰顯出來。 ＂ 耶穌來到世界上， 將神向我們顯示出來。祂在世界上三年的公開事奉裡， 就站在神與人之間。祂代表神並反映出神的美麗，聖潔，憐憫和完整。祂就是那見證人。在祂以前的見證人都有許多的失敗，但耶穌卻不是。祂從始到終，就是那最完全的見證人。

   現在﹐ 在祂要離開世界的前夕， 耶穌告訴他的門徒﹕你們是我的見證人。你們要站在我和這個世界的中間﹐在世人面前代表我和反映我。彼得在 < 彼得前書 >2 ﹕ 9“ 然而你們是蒙揀選的族類，是君尊的祭司，是聖潔的國民，是屬　神的子民，為要叫你們宣揚那召你們出黑暗入奇妙光明者的美德。 ” 不僅是十二使徒﹐所有耶穌的跟隨者，也包括了你和我都是他的見證人﹐代表和反 映 他的榮美﹐聖潔﹐慈愛和完整。

我們是神在世界裡的見證人。在家裡﹐學校﹐工作地方﹐教會﹐我們都是站在上帝和週圍的人之中間。我們站在上帝和被上帝帶進入我們生命的人中間。我們要用言語和行為告訴別人從耶穌那裡所聽到和所看到的﹐要反應他的慈愛﹐恩典和聖潔。

II •  耶穌基督的跟隨者是他國度的見證人。

我們不僅僅是耶穌基督的見證人﹐也是他國度的見證人。耶穌基督的國度是怎麼樣的﹖

1 •  一個屬靈的國度。

我們再次回到使徒們所提的問題﹕什麼時候使以色列復國﹖他們所想的是一個有清楚領地和疆域﹐能被人標在地圖上的一個王國。這王國是人通過旅行工具可以到達的土地。即使是在現代﹐有些基督徒依然認為神的國度就是一個有清楚領地和疆域國家。

耶穌的回答記錄在 1 ﹕ 5“ 約翰是用水施洗，但再過幾天，你們要受聖靈的洗。 ” 1 ﹕ 8 ﹐﹕ “ 可是聖靈降臨在你們身上，你們就必領受能力 …… ” 耶穌講的是一個屬靈的國度。神的國度並不是你可以買張飛機票就能到達的地方。神對亞伯拉罕許諾的是一個有形的國度﹐但是隨著神的啟示慢慢顯現﹐這個國度包括了世上所有的國家。這絕對不是指一塊土地或一片疆域。耶穌所講的是屬靈的國度。這個國度是依靠聖靈的能力。

這是一個與黑暗對立的光明國度﹐是一塊沒有戰爭的和平之地﹐以神的話語作為武器而不是人類的槍炮彈藥。這是一個征服人心思與意念的國。在這國里﹐國民是發自內心地遵守神的命令。

2 •  一個國際化的國度。

使徒們所設想的國度是一個特殊民族的國。 “ ….. 使以色列復國。 ” 耶穌的回答是﹕不﹐這個國度包括在耶路撒冷、猶太全地、撒瑪利亞，直到地極的所有人。這是一個國際化的國度。這豈不就是神對亞伯拉罕的應許？亞伯拉罕要站在神和所有國家的中間﹐不是單單一個國家。後來﹐以色列受神的差遣要站在神和所有國家的中間。你看，從人類歷史的開始﹐神的心意是他的國度要涵蓋世上所有的民族。 < 以賽亞書 >19 ﹕ 23-25“ 到那日，必有一條從埃及通到亞述的大道；亞述人要進到埃及，埃及人也要進入亞述；埃及人要與亞述人一同敬拜耶和華。到那日，以色列必與埃及和亞述一起成為地上列國的祝福。萬軍之耶和華賜福給他們，說： ‘ 我的子民埃及，我手的工程亞述，我的產業以色列，都是有福的！ ’ ” 以色列﹐亞述和埃及都是神國的一部分。 < 以賽亞書 >49 ﹕ 6“ 你作我的僕人，使雅各眾支派復興，使以色列中得保全的歸回，只是小事，我還要使你作列國的光，使我的救恩傳到地極。 ”

   當耶穌來到世上的時候﹐他向那些被社會所鄙視的人傳福音。他與外邦人說話﹐並且醫治他們的疾病。他拆除了所有社會和民族的隔閡。他的屬靈國度包括了世上萬國萬民。讓我們聽聽在那新天新地里會發生什麼吧 ! < 啟示錄 >7 ﹕ 9-10“ 這些事以後，我觀看，見有一大群人，沒有人能數得過來，是從各邦國、各支派、各民族、各方言來的。他們都站在寶座和羊羔面前，身穿白袍，手裡拿著棕樹枝。他們大聲呼喊，說： ‘ 願救恩歸給那坐在寶座上我們的　神，也歸給羊羔！ ’ ”

這些對於我們有什麼意義﹖我想和大家分享兩個意念。首先﹐我們要接受會眾里大部份是亞裔的事實。我們向相同種族和文化背景的人傳福音是比較有效。但是﹐我們一定要脫離膚色的限制。神無形的國度和在世上有形的教會遠大於某一個特別膚色的人種。我們很高興看到一些非亞裔的人士在我們教會里敬拜神。你們的出席總是提醒我們神國是一個國際化國度。

其次﹐國際化是不受膚色的限制。我們不能讓我們的東方思想限制了神國的拓展。在這個問題上可有許多的討論。有些人會說 “ 嘿﹐你是中國人﹐但是思想很美國化 ” ﹔或者 “ 你在這個國家長大﹐但是你的思想比我更東方化。 ” 我們所面臨的挑戰是不要讓民族的思想限制了神的國。在過去 25 年的服事中﹐我總是不忘提醒大家﹕要記得我們首先是基督徒﹐然後才是中國人﹐日本人或者美籍華人。

3 •  一個逐漸擴大的國度。

使徒們問耶穌是否會現在就讓以色列復國。耶穌告訴他們沒有人知道具體的時間﹐但是神的國度要從耶路撒冷拓展到猶大﹐撒馬利亞﹐直至地極。這其實就是 < 使徒行傳 > 的大綱。這也告訴我們神的國度在逐漸擴大。神應許賜給亞伯拉罕偉大的疆土﹐但是在他死的時候﹐卻只有一小片葬身之地。這個應許在大衛和所羅門王時代得到實現。即使在神把土地賜給以色列時﹐他仍然告訴他們神的國度將繼續擴大﹐直至覆蓋天下萬國。在 < 使徒行傳 > 里﹐我們看到神的國度從耶路撒冷擴張到了羅馬。在 < 使徒行傳 > 之後﹐這個國度又繼續向東方﹐西方和南方拓展。（ PPT ）即使在今天﹐這個國度仍然在國與國之間﹐人與人之間傳遞和擴展。你今天在這裡敬拜﹐就說明了神的國已經臨到了你。這個國度也將借著你向你的家庭﹐學校和工作場所擴張。

讓我們這麼想一想 (PPT) ﹕許多人在休士頓各大學習﹐還有很多人在醫療中心工作﹐其他人散佈在休斯頓大大小小的公司里。每一個人都是一位見證人﹐站在神和你們的同事之間。當我們在代表和反映神時，當我們與別人分享神國的福音時﹐他的國度就在成長和擴張了﹐從一塊土地到另一塊土地﹔從一個人到另一個人。

III •  耶穌基督的追隨者是那位統治一切君王的見證人。

我們已經看到基督任命我們成為他屬靈國度的見證人﹐那是一個國際化和不斷擴大的國度。現在﹐我們來看一段非常重要的經文。 1 ﹕９ -11“ 說完了，他們還在看的時候，他被接上升，有一朵雲把他接去，就看不見他了。 當他往上升，他們定睛望天的時候，忽然有兩個人，身穿白衣，站在他們旁邊，說： ‘ 加利利人哪，為甚麼站著望天呢？這位被接升天離開你們的耶穌，你們看見他怎樣往天上去，他也要怎樣回來。 ’ ” 耶穌的昇天是什麼意思呢﹖我們好像對這段話講的不多。路加沒有在這裡向我們做出解釋﹐但是在 2 ﹕ 32 ﹐彼得說到﹕ “ 這位耶穌，　神已經使他復活了，我們都是這事的見證人。他既然被高舉到　神的右邊，從父領受了所應許的聖靈，就把他澆灌下來，這就是你們所看見所聽見的。大衛並沒有升到天上，他卻說： ‘ 主對我主說：你坐在我的右邊，等我使你的仇敵作你的腳凳。 ’ 因此，以色列全家應當確實知道，你們釘在十字架上的這位耶穌，　神已經立他為主為基督了。 ” 耶穌的昇天證實他是凱旋回歸的君王。祂是宇宙的王。門

徒們問道 “ 你要在這時候使以色列復國嗎﹖ ” 耶穌卻回答﹕我要邁出更偉大的一步。我要坐在寶座上﹐因為我是君王﹐統治萬國。在寶座上﹐我要賜下聖靈給你們﹐那是充滿力量的靈。這個力量將幫助你做我的見證人﹐在這個地方以及世界的每個角落代表和反映我。

聖靈在五旬節降臨。從 < 使徒行傳 > 里﹐我們看到聖靈的力量改變了一群本來膽小怕事的人﹐使他們借著神國的福音改變了整個世界。聖靈的力量改變了一群聚集在一起心裡充滿膽怯的人﹐使他們前往世界各地做耶穌的見證人。

你和我都是神的兒女﹐是他的追隨者﹐在我們信主時，都已經領受了聖靈。靠著我們個人的能力﹐永遠無法能夠站立在神和世界的中間。靠著我們個人的力量﹐我們也永遠無法反映和代表神的憐憫﹐信實﹐恩典﹐聖潔和公義。但是現在﹐耶穌已經成為真正的君王﹐他已經將他的聖靈賜給了我們。

總結﹕

在 < 使徒行傳 > 的開始﹐我們學到神任命我們做耶穌基督的見證人。我們要站在神和世界的中間﹐代表和反映他的榮美﹐憐憫﹐聖潔和完整。他的王國是一個國際化的屬靈國度。他的國度正在有序地逐漸性的擴張。在這一切之上﹐因為耶穌已經是統治一切的君王﹐他己賜給我們力量做他的見證人。

許多人因為對於耶穌的昇天感到神秘和好奇。我們往往糾纏在有關耶穌何時再回來的爭論中。每當我們聽到中東地區的戰爭﹐或者世界不同地區的自然災害﹐我們就想要把這些和聖經的預言以及耶穌的再來聯繫起來。有時候我們要借著那些事件提醒自己﹕我們現在生活在末世中﹐主耶穌隨時可能回來。

但是﹐更重要的是﹕在我們仍然在世上的時候﹐在耶穌基督再次回到我們中間之前﹐他已經給了我們力量在世上做他的代表。我們要站立在他和我們的家人﹐朋友和同事之間。在神和世界之間﹐我們是祂的見證人，要反映他。沒有人可以靠自己的力量做到這些。我們看到亞伯拉罕﹐以撒﹐雅各﹐摩西﹐大衛和以色列民族都曾經失敗過。這就是為什麼我們要牢記耶穌復活以後﹐被接升上了天去的事實。他現在是統治一切的君王。不僅如此﹐他還為我們降下聖靈﹐賜給我們力量在世上為做他的見證人。

Date:   2/11/2007

Text:   Acts 1:1-11

Title:   Be My Witness

Theme: Since Jesus Christ is the king over all, we are given the privilege to represent and reflect Him on earth.

Introduction:

  I still vividly remember an incident in a Chemistry class when I was in college. The lecture was in Japanese which I haven’t mastered yet. The professor was writing and explaining certain concepts on the blackboard. He then erased these writings and after a little while, he looked at me and asked me a question. I tried to understand the question and decided that I was clueless. He looked at me and said, “Hsueh kun (which is a very polite and intimate way for a professor to address the student), if you don’t understand, ask me. The answer to my question was on the blackboard just a few minutes ago.” Even today, after almost 40 years, I still feel the heat from that embarrassing moment.

  This seems to be similar to what happened to the disciples in the passage we read earlier. Let me first give you a little background. From vs.1 we learn that Luke wrote The book of Acts for Theophilus, a high Roman official. Luke made reference to the earlier book, Gospel of Luke. They are actually one book in two volumes. In the first volume, Luke gave a detailed and accurate account of all the things Jesus did and taught on earth, including his resurrection and up till His ascension. Volume two, the book of Acts, was an account of the activities of Jesus' disciples after his ascension. It is important that we must not treat this book as a manual for mission, church growth or church planting. It is not a manual, but more like some of the OT books and the 4 gospels. It was an accurate record of activities of the early apostles and followers of Jesus Christ. In and behind such activities, we are to see truths that reveal to us about God's work, especially his redemptive work in the world.

  After Jesus'' resurrection, he spent another 40 days on earth with the disciples. During that time, Luke told us that Jesus was speaking and teaching the disciples about God's kingdom. This is the kingdom that God promised to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David and the Israelites. The first public message Jesus preached was, “the kingdom of heaven is near.” While he was with the disciples, they didn’t fully understand this kingdom of God . Now after the resurrection and having sat under Jesus for 40 days and listening to his teaching about the Kingdom, did they have a better understanding?

  In vs. 6, “ 6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel ?” John Calvin said, in this one question, there are as many mistakes as the number of words. The disciples were clueless with Jesus'' teaching about His kingdom. Let’s take a closer look at Jesus'' response to them.     

I •  Disciples are commissioned to be Jesus'' Witnesses.

  The disciples asked, Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel ? They asked if Jesus will restore. Jesus'' response? “You will be my witness….” You, my disciples, will be my witnesses. The word witness means to speak out what you see and hear. A witness is to reflect and represent.

  Several months ago, in a social setting I was introduced to the Chinese Consul General. It’s an honor to sit next to him. Consul General, whether it is from China , or other countries, are different. They represent their government in another country. They stand between their country and the local community. In another word, they are to be witnesses of their country.

  Jesus told his disciples that they are his witnesses. This reminds us that when God created Adam and Eve in his image, they were meant to stand between Him and the world. They were to rule the earth on God's behalf. They were to represent God and reflect His beauty, glory, holiness, love and integrity. They were God's Witnesses. Later, Noah and Abraham were to stand between God and the world. On behalf of God, Noah pleaded for the people to repent. Through Abraham, God was to bless all nations. Abraham was to represent and reflect God. Abraham was God's witness. Then came Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Samuel, David and Solomon. They were to stand between God and his people. They were his witnesses. At times, they didn’t do well and often failed miserably. The prophet Isaiah told the Israelites, God’s chosen people: Isa 43:10,12, “ 10 “ You are my witnesses,….. 12 I declared and saved and proclaimed, when there was no strange god among you; and you are my witnesses,” 44:8, “have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me?” The Israelites were to stand between God and the world. They were to represent and reflect this one and only one True God. They were His witnesses.

  Then came Jesus. John 1:18, “No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he ( Jesus ) has made him known.” Jesus came to make God known to us. During his 3 years public ministry on earth, he stood before God and the world. He represented and reflected God's beauty, holiness, compassion and integrity. He was that Witness. All previous witness had their failures. But not Him. He was the Witness par excellence.

  Now, as he is about to depart from this world, He told his disciples, you are my witnesses. You are to stand between me and the world. You are to represent and reflect me before the world. The apostle Peter wrote in 1 Peter 2:9, “ 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” Not just the 12 disciples, but all followers of Jesus Christ, you and I are his witnesses; to represent him and to reflect his beauty, holiness, love and integrity.   

  We are God's witnesses on earth. At home, church, school and work place, we stand between God and the person before us. We stand between God and the person God brings into our lives at that particular moment. We are to speak out, to live out what we hear and see from Him; reflecting His love, grace and holiness.

II •  We are to be His witnesses to His kingdom.

  We are Jesus Christ's Witnesses. There is more to this. We are to be witnesses of Jesus and his kingdom. What is this kingdom like?

1 •  A spiritual kingdom.

  Again, let’s go back to the disciples’ questions: restore the kingdom to Israel ? They were thinking in terms of a physical, territorial kingdom; a kingdom with clear physical boundary and which can be located in the world map. It is a physical destination that one can travel to. Even in this day some of us Christians still focus on God's kingdom as a piece of land, a destination that we can fly to.

  Jesus'' response: vs.5, “for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now..” vs.8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you…”Jesus is talking about a spiritual kingdom. The Kingdom of God is not a physical destination that you can buy a plane ticket and fly to. The promise given to Abraham referred to a physical and geographical nation. But as God's revelation continued to progress, it began to include all nations. Certainly this is not a reference to land and territory. Here Jesus explains that it is spiritual in nature. This kingdom depends on the power of the Holy Spirit.

  It is a kingdom of light vs. a kingdom of darkness. It is a kingdom of peace and not war. It fights with God's word and not man made weapons. It is a kingdom that captures persons’ minds, value and surrender them to God's rule. It is a kingdom in which its citizens obey God's commands from their hearts.   

2 •  A kingdom that is international.

  The disciples think of the kingdom in terms of a ethnic group. ….restore the kingdom to Israel ? Jesus'' response: no, this kingdom includes people in Jerusalem , Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth. It’s international in its membership. Again, isn’t this what was promised to Abraham? Abraham was to stand between God and all nations, not just one nation. Later, the Israelites were told to stand between God and all nations. You see, from the very beginning of human history, God's intent for his kingdom is to include people from all parts of the earth. Isaiah 19:23-25, “ 23 In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and Assyria will come into Egypt, and Egypt into Assyria, and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians. 24 In that day Israel will be the third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth, 25 whom the Lord of hosts has blessed, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance.” Israel , Egypt and Assyria are all part of God's kingdom. Isaiah, 49:6, “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

  When Jesus came into the world, he reached out to those whom the society despised. He healed and talked to the non-Jews. He broke down all social and ethnic barriers. His kingdom, spiritual in nature is to include all people, all nations. Then listen to what will happen in that new heaven and earth: Rev.7:9-10, “ 9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

  What does this mean to us? There are two thoughts I’d like to share with you. First, we need to accept the fact that the majority of this congregation is of Asian descent. We are more effective in reaching out to people with similar ethnic and cultural background. However, we must go beyond the color of our skin. God's invisible kingdom plus his visible church on earth is much greater than one particular skin color. We are so glad that some of our non-Asian friends are worshipping with us here. Your presence always reminds us that God's kingdom is international in nature.

  Secondly, being international is not confined to skin color. We must not let our Asian mindset restrict God's kingdom. Certainly there is plenty of discussion on this subject. Haven’t we met someone that we say, “yes, you are from China , but you think like an American. Or, you grew up in this country, but your thinking is more Chinese than I.” Our challenge is not to let the ethnic way of thinking limit God's kingdom. For the last 25 years in ministry, I constantly taught that it is more important that we be biblical Christians, than Chinese, Japanese, or American Chinese Christians.

3 •  A kingdom that expands gradually.

  The disciples asked if Jesus was going to restore the kingdom now. Jesus told them no one knows the date or time, but the kingdom is to expand from Jerusalem to Judea, to Samaria and to the end of the earth. This is actually an outline of the book of Acts. This also tells us that God's kingdom expands gradually. Abraham was promised great land, but at his death, he only had a piece of land for his burial. This promise was eventually fulfilled in the times of David and Solomon. Even as the land was given to the Israelites, God was telling them his kingdom, a spiritual kingdom, would continue to expand to all nations. In the book of Acts, we see how this kingdom expands from Jerusalem to Rome . After the book of Acts, this kingdom continues to expand to the east, west, north and south. (See ppt 01/06) Even to this day, this kingdom is to be expanding from nation to nation and from one individual to another. Your presence here testifies to the fact that this kingdom has come to you. It will also go from you to your family members, colleagues at school and work.

  Look at it this way (PPT). Some of us are studying at different universities the Houston area. We are spread out throughout the Medial center, the various companies in and around Houston . Each one of us is a witness, standing between God and our colleagues. As we represent and reflect God, as we share with them the good news of God's kingdom, this is how the kingdom grows and expands from one place to another; from one individual to another.   

III •  We are to be witnesses for the king who reigns over all the earth.

  We have briefly looked at Christ who commissioned us to be his witnesses of a spiritual kingdom, a kingdom that is international and expands gradually. Now we come to the very important part of this passage. 1:10-11, “ 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” What is the meaning of this ascension? We don’t talk too much about it, right? Luke didn’t explain here, but in 2:32, Peter explained, “ 32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, “ ‘ The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, 35 until I make your enemies your footstool.’ 36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” This ascension signifies a triumphant home going of a King. He is now the king of universe. The disciples asked “are you going to restore the kingdom?” Jesus answered that I am going to initiate the next great step. I am going to sit on the throne, I am the King, the Ruler of all nations. From the throne, I will send my spirit to you; it is a spirit of power. This power will enable you to be my witnesses, to represent and reflect me in this city and beyond.

  This spirit came on that day of Pentecost. From the book of Acts, we see how this Spirit changed a group of timid disciples into ones that turned the world upside down with the gospel message of the kingdom of God . This power changed a group of scared, clustered disciples into ones that travel all over the world.

  You and I, as children of God, as his followers, have already received this Holy Spirit. Yes, by ourselves, we’ll never be able to stand between God and the world. By our own power, we’ll never be able to represent him and reflect his compassion, faithfulness, Grace, holiness and integrity in the world we live. But now he is truly the king, and had already sent his spirit to us.

Conclusion:

  In this beginning chapter of the book of Acts, we learn that we have been commissioned to be Witnesses of Jesus Christ. We are to stand between God and the world. We represent and reflect his beauty, compassion, holiness and integrity. His kingdom is spiritual and international in nature. His kingdoms expands orderly and gradually. And above all, because this Jesus is the King and Rule over all, he has empowered us to be his witnesses. We cannot do this on our own.

  Many Christians are caught up with the mystique of Jesus'' ascension and coming again. We are embroiled in all kinds of discussion about how and when he is coming back to earth again. Whenever we hear about wars in the Middle East , or natural disasters in the world, we try to pinpoint its reasons in the scripture and tie them to Jesus'' return. Sometimes we need to take note of these various events to remind us that we now live in the end times. Jesus can return anytime.

  However, isn’t it even more important that while on earth, before His return, he has also given us the responsibility and status of being His representative on earth. We are to stand between him and the world, our friends and family members. We are His witnesses, standing between God and our world and reflecting him. Certainly none of us can do this on our own. We see how at times Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David and the Israelites had failed. This is why it is so important for us to understand that Jesus, after his resurrection had ascended into heaven. He is now the king and ruler over all. Not only this, he had also send his spirit upon us, to empower us to be His Witness.