September 8, 2026
Empowered to be His Witness
Acts 1:1-11
Key Verse | Acts 1:8
“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.”
Today's Focus
A Sending Church
This week, we’re taking a brief break from our study of Acts to focus on a few of Watermark’s Ten Markers that fall under the “making disciples” portion of our vision statement. Today, we’re focusing on what it means to be A Sending Church. Here's Watermark's statement on that marker:
"Jesus calls his followers to make disciples of all nations. We pray for unreached people groups, give financially to support international ministries and church planting efforts, and heed the call to “go.” We desire to be marked by consistent efforts to advance the gospel to the nations (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8)."
Acts 1:1-11
Chapter 1
The Promise of the Holy Spirit
1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.
4 And while staying 1 1:4 Or eating with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with 2 1:5 Or in the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
The Ascension
6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 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.” 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.”
Table of Contents
Introduction to Acts
Timeline
Author and Date
Acts is a sequel to the Gospel of Luke. Both were written by Luke, a physician who traveled with the apostle Paul. Acts ends with Paul under house arrest, awaiting trial before Caesar, c. A.D. 62. Many scholars assume Acts was written then because it does not record Paul’s defense, release, and further gospel preaching.
Theme
The Holy Spirit empowers believers to declare the gospel among both Jews and Gentiles. In doing so they establish the church. The church is the fulfillment of God’s promises from the beginning of time.
Purpose
Luke’s purpose for writing his Gospel (see Luke 1:3–4) applies to Acts as well: to give an “orderly” account of the early church after Christ’s resurrection. Dedicating the two-volume work to Theophilus, Luke wanted him to have “certainty” about what he had been taught.
Key Themes
Acts tells of the witness of the early church to the truth of the gospel—a theme first introduced in 1:8:
- The witness is worldwide—Judea, Samaria, the “end of the earth” (1:8).
- The witness includes all kinds of people (chs. 2–5; 10:1–11:18; 14:8–18; 16:11–15, 25–34; 17:22–31).
- God guides the church’s witness (4:5–22; 23:12–22; 24:1–23; 27:21–26).
- Faithful witnesses must be prepared to suffer and even die because of their testimony to Christ (5:41–42; 7:54–60).
- The Holy Spirit empowers the witness (1:8; 2:1–13; 8:17; 13:2–12; 19:6).
- Effective witness demands unity in the church (2:42–47; 4:32–37; 5:12–14).
- Jesus’ resurrection is a key part of the witness (1:22; 2:22–36; 17:30–31).
- Acceptance of the message depends both on human response and on God’s sovereign will (2:47; 11:18; 13:48).
- The witness to the gospel calls for a response (26:27–29). It requires repenting of one’s sins in the name of Christ. This brings forgiveness of sins (e.g., 2:38).
- Witnesses must always maintain integrity before the world (18:12–15; 23:29; 25:18; 26:31–32).
- Christian witnesses continue the ministry that Christ “began” (1:1).
- Faithful witness can bring great results (4:4; 13:48–49; 17:4; 28:30–31).
Outline
- Preparation for Witness (1:1–2:13)
- The Witness in Jerusalem (2:14–5:42)
- The Witness beyond Jerusalem (6:1–12:25)
- The Witness in Cyprus and Southern Galatia (13:1–14:28)
- The Jerusalem Council (15:1–35)
- The Witness in Greece (15:36–18:22)
- The Witness in Ephesus (18:23–21:16)
- The Arrest in Jerusalem (21:17–23:35)
- The Witness in Caesarea (24:1–26:32)
- The Witness in Rome (27:1–28:31)
The Setting of Acts
Fact: Who wrote Luke?
Who wrote Luke? Luke wrote both this Gospel account and Acts. He probably traveled with Paul and participated in his ministry (see Col. 4:14; 2 Tim. 4:11; Philem. 24). Luke was also a physician (Col. 4:14).
Fact: The speeches in Acts
The speeches in Acts are an important part of Luke’s historical account. They make up nearly a third of the book. Ten of these are extended speeches: three by Peter, one by Stephen, and six by Paul.
Fact: Ananias
Ananias. There are three different men named Ananias in the book of Acts (see 5:1; 9:10; 24:1). The Ananias who was apparently the first believer to welcome Paul after his conversion is a positive example of obedience to the Lord (9:10–19).
Fact: What is “the Way?”
What is “the Way?” In Acts, “the Way” appears six times (9:2; 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22). People who belonged to the Way were followers of Christ. It means the way of salvation (16:17) and/or the true way of life in relation to God (see 18:25–26).
Fact: What happens next?
What happens next? Acts ends with Paul serving Christ from within a Roman prison. During this time, he wrote Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. According to the church historian Eusebius, Paul was released, then arrested a second time, and eventually martyred in Rome.
Fact: Olivet—Mount of Olives
Olivet (19:29), also known as the Mount of Olives, is a high mountain ridge stretching some 2.5 miles (4 km) in a north-to-south direction just east of Jerusalem. Throughout Israel’s history, it was an ideal location from which to see approaching armies. It is also where Jesus ascended into heaven with the promise to return in the same way (24:51; Acts 1:11–12; see also Zech. 14:4).
The Setting of 1 Timothy
c. A.D. 62–64
Paul likely wrote 1 Timothy during a fourth missionary journey not recorded in the book of Acts. Writing from an unknown location, Paul wrote to Timothy at Ephesus to instruct him on how to lead the church there. Ephesus was a wealthy and highly influential port city in the Roman province of Asia, renowned for its temple of Artemis (Diana).
The Setting of 2 Timothy
c. A.D. 64–67
Paul probably wrote 2 Timothy during a second imprisonment in Rome following a fourth missionary journey that is not recorded in Acts. Expecting that death would come soon, Paul wrote this “farewell” letter to Timothy, who was at Ephesus, urging him to stand firm and asking him to come for one final visit.
The Setting of Titus
c. A.D. 62–64
Paul likely wrote Titus during a fourth missionary journey not recorded in the book of Acts. Writing from an unknown location, he instructed Titus in how to lead the churches on the island of Crete. The churches there had apparently been founded by Paul.
New Testament Timeline
The following chart provides a detailed New Testament timeline. Most of the dates can be determined precisely by correlating biblical events with extensive historical documents and archaeological evidence. Dates with an asterisk denote approximate or alternative dates. The extensive external confirmation of New Testament dates and events encourages great confidence in the truth and historicity of both the Old and New Testaments.
| 5 B.C.* | Jesus is born in Bethlehem. |
| 4 B.C. | Jesus’ family flees to Egypt to escape from Herod’s plan to kill Jesus (Matt. 2:13–18); Herod dies; Judas (of Sepphoris) and others rebel, requiring the Syrian Governor Varus to intervene throughout Palestine; Sepphoris, a city four miles from Nazareth, is destroyed by Roman soldiers; Judea, Samaria, and Idumea are given to Herod’s son, Archelaus; Galilee and Perea are given to his son Antipas; Jesus’ family, after returning from Egypt, resides in Nazareth (Matt. 2:19–23), a small village in southern Galilee. |
| A.D. 6 | Archelaus is exiled for incompetence; Judea becomes a Roman province; Judas the Galilean (of Gamla) leads a revolt against the tax census; the governor of Syria, Quirinius (A.D. 6–7), appoints Annas high priest (6–15). |
| 8* | Jesus (age 12) interacts with the teachers in the temple (Luke 2:41–50). |
| 8*–28/30 | Jesus works as a carpenter in Nazareth (Matt. 13:55; Mark 6:3) and probably in neighboring villages and Sepphoris, which was being rebuilt. |
| 28–29* | John the Baptist begins his ministry around the Jordan River (John 1:19). |
| 28–30* | Jesus begins his ministry in Judea, but soon focuses his efforts in Galilee. In Jerusalem, Pharisees (like Gamaliel) train disciples (like Paul) in their tradition. They send a delegation to Galilee, but the delegation rejects Jesus’ teaching. In Alexandria, Philo (20 B.C.–A.D. 50) attempts to unify Greek philosophy with Hebrew Scripture. |
| 33 (or 30) | Jesus returns to Judea, is crucified, and resurrected. James the brother of Jesus becomes a believer after witnessing the resurrected Jesus (1 Cor. 15:7; Acts 12:17). Jesus ascends to the Father’s right hand (Acts 1). Jesus’ first followers receive the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and begin to proclaim the gospel (Acts 2). |
| 33/34* | Paul witnesses the resurrected Lord on the way to Damascus and is commissioned as an apostle to the nations (Acts 9; Gal. 1:15–16). |
| 34–37 | Paul ministers in Damascus and Arabia (Acts 9:19–22; 26:20; Gal. 1:16–18). |
| 36 | Pilate loses his position for incompetence. |
| 36/37* | Paul meets with Peter in Jerusalem (Acts 9:26–30; Gal. 1:18). |
| 37–45 | Paul ministers in Syria, Tarsus, and Cilicia (Acts 9:30; Gal. 1:21). |
| 38* | Peter witnesses to Cornelius (Acts 10). |
| 39 | Antipas is exiled. |
| 40–45* | James writes his letter to believers outside Palestine (see James 1:1). |
| 41–44 | Agrippa, Herod the Great’s grandson, rules Palestine; he kills James the brother of John (Acts 12:2) and imprisons Peter (Acts 12:3). |
| 42–44 | Paul receives his “thorn in the flesh” (2 Cor. 12:7). |
| 44 | Peter leaves Jerusalem; Agrippa is killed by an “angel of the Lord” (Acts 12:23). |
| 44–46 | Theudas persuades many Jews to sell their possessions and follow him into the wilderness where he claimed he would miraculously divide the Jordan River; Roman procurator Fadus dispatches his cavalry and beheads the would-be messiah. |
| 44–47* | Paul’s Second Visit to Jerusalem; time of famine (Acts 11:27–30; Gal. 2:1–10). |
| 46–47 | Paul’s First Missionary Journey (with Barnabas) from Antioch to Cyprus, Antioch in Pisidia, Iconium, and Lystra (Acts 13:4–14:26). |
| 46–48 | Roman procurator Tiberius Alexander crucifies two sons (Jacob and Simon) of Judas the Galilean. |
| 48* | Paul writes Galatians, perhaps from Antioch (see Acts 14:26–28). |
| 48–49* | Paul and Peter return to Jerusalem for the Apostolic Council, which, with the assistance of James, frees Gentile believers from the requirement of circumcision in opposition to Pharisaic believers (Acts 15:1–29); Paul and Barnabas return to Antioch (Acts 15:30) but split over a dispute about John Mark (Acts 15:36–40). |
| 48/49–51* | Paul’s Second Missionary Journey (with Silas) from Antioch to Syria, Cilicia, southern Galatia, Macedonia, notably Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea; and then on to Achaia, notably Athens and Corinth (Acts 15:36–18:22). |
| 49 | Claudius expels Jews from Rome because of conflicts about Jesus (Acts 18:2); Paul befriends two refugees, Priscilla and Aquila, in Corinth (Acts 18:2–3). |
| 49–51* | Paul writes 1–2 Thessalonians from Corinth (Acts 18:1, 11; also compare Acts 18:5 with 1 Thess. 1:8). |
| 51 | Paul appears before Gallio, proconsul of Achaia (Acts 18:12–17). |
| 50–54* | Peter comes to Rome. |
| 52–57* | Paul’s Third Missionary Journey from Antioch to Galatia, Phrygia, Ephesus, Macedonia, Greece (Acts 18:23–21:17). |
| 52–55 | Paul ministers in Ephesus (Acts 19:1–20). |
| 53–55* | Mark writes his Gospel, containing Peter’s memories of Jesus; perhaps within a decade, Matthew publishes his Gospel, which relies on Mark and other sources. Paul writes 1 Corinthians from Ephesus (Acts 19:10). |
| 54 | Claudius dies (edict exiling Jews repealed); Priscilla and Aquila return to Rome and host a church in their home (see Rom. 16:3–5). |
| 54–68 | Nero reigns. |
| 55–56* | Paul writes 2 Corinthians from Macedonia (Acts 20:1, 3; 2 Cor. 1:16; 2:13; 7:5; 8:1; 9:2, 4; see 1 Cor. 16:5). |
| 57* | Paul winters in Corinth and writes Romans (Acts 20:3; see Rom. 16:1–2; also see Rom. 16:23 with 1 Cor. 1:14); travels to Jerusalem (Acts 21:1–16), visits with James the brother of Jesus (Acts 21:17–26), and is arrested (Acts 21:27–36; 22:22–29). |
| 57–59 | Paul is imprisoned and transferred to Caesarea (Acts 23:23–24, 33–34). |
| 60 | Paul begins voyage to Rome (Acts 27:1–2); he is shipwrecked for three months on the island of Malta (Acts 27:39–28:10). |
| 60–70* | Letter to the Hebrews is written. |
| 62 | James the brother of the Lord is executed by the Sadducean high priest Ananus. |
| 62–63* | Peter writes his first letter (1 Peter) from Rome (1 Pet. 5:13). |
| 62* | Paul arrives in Rome and remains under house arrest (Acts 28:16–31); he writes Ephesians (see verses for Colossians), Philippians (Phil. 1:7, 13, 17; 4:22), Colossians (Col. 4:3, 10, 18; see Acts 27:2 with Col. 4:10), Philemon (see Philem. 23 with Col. 1:7; Philem. 2 with Col. 4:17; Philem. 24 with Col. 4:10; also see Col. 4:9). Luke, Paul’s physician and companion (see Col. 4:14), writes Luke and Acts. |
| 62–64 | Paul is released, extends his mission (probably reaching Spain), writes 1 Timothy from Macedonia (see 1 Tim. 1:3) and Titus from Nicopolis (Titus 3:12); he is rearrested in Rome (2 Tim. 1:16–17). |
| 63–64 | Work on the temple complex is completed. |
| 64 (July 19) | Fire in Rome; Nero blames and kills many Christians. |
| 64–67* | Peter writes his second letter ( 2 Peter). Jude writes his letter. Paul writes 2 Timothy (see 2 Tim. 4:6–8). Paul and Peter are martyred in Rome. |
| 66 | First Jewish-Roman War begins with a riot between Greeks and Jews at Caesarea; Roman procurator Gesius Florus (A.D. 64–66) is murdered and a Roman garrison wiped out; Menahem, son or grandson of Judas the Galilean, murders the high priest Ananias and seizes control of the temple; Nero dispatches Vespasian with three legions. |
| 67* | Romans destroy the Qumran community, who beforehand hid the so-called Dead Sea Scrolls in nearby caves; the church in Jerusalem flees to Pella (Matt. 24:15–16; Mark 13:14; Luke 21:20–22); John migrates to Ephesus with Mary, Jesus’ mother. |
| 68 | Nero commits suicide; year of the three emperors. |
| 69 | Rebellion quelled in Galilee and Samaria; Vespasian summoned back to Rome to become emperor. |
| 70 (Aug. 30) | Titus, Vespasian’s son, after a five-month siege of Jerusalem, destroys the temple after desecrating it; the temple’s menorah, Torah, and veil are removed and later put on display in a victory parade in Rome; the influence of the Sadducees ends; the Pharisee Johanan ben Zakkai escapes and convinces the Romans to allow him and others to settle in Jamnia, where they found a school. |
| 73 (May 2)* | Before Roman general Silva breaches the fortress atop Masada following a two-year siege, 936 Jewish rebels commit suicide. |
| 75 | Titus has an affair with the Jewish princess Berenice, sister of Agrippa II (Acts 25:13, 23), whom he later abandons because of the scandal. |
| 77 | Pliny the Elder writes Natural History. |
| 77–78 | Josephus publishes Jewish War in Rome. |
| 79 | Pompeii and Herculaneum are destroyed by eruption of Vesuvius; Pliny the Elder dies attempting to investigate. |
| 81 | The Arch of Titus, celebrating his destruction of the temple, is erected in Rome. |
| 81–96 | Domitian, Titus’s brother, persecutes Christians among the Roman nobility, including his own relatives Clemens and Domitilla. |
| 85–95* | John writes his letters (1–3 John), probably in Ephesus. |
| 89–95* | John writes his Gospel, probably in Ephesus. |
| 93–94 | Josephus publishes Jewish Antiquities in Rome. |
| 94 | Domitian exiles philosophers from Rome. |
| 95* | Amidst persecution, Clement, a leader in the Roman church, writes his Letter to the Corinthians (1 Clement) appealing for peace between the young men and elders. |
| 95–96* | Exiled by Domitian to Patmos, John writes Revelation (Rev. 1:9). |
| 96–98 | Nerva, the first of five “good” emperors, ends official persecution. |
* denotes approximate date; / signifies either/or
Parallels in the Ministries of Jesus, Peter, and Paul in Luke–Acts
Luke shows Peter and Paul continuing the ministry of Jesus in the book of Acts. Representative examples are cited on the chart below.
| Type of Ministry | Jesus | Peter | Paul |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preaching that the OT is fulfilled in Jesus the Messiah | Luke 4; 24 | Acts 2; 3 | Acts 13; 17 |
| Casting out unclean spirits | Luke 4:31–37 | Acts 5:16 | Acts 16:16–18 |
| Healing the lame | Luke 6:6–11 | Acts 3:1–10 | Acts 14:8–10 |
| Raising the dead | Luke 7:11–17 | Acts 9:36–43 | Acts 20:7–12 |
| Healing by a touch, a shadow, or cloths | Luke 8:42–48 | Acts 5:15 | Acts 19:11–12 |
God’s Sovereignty in Salvation as Seen in Acts
| God ordained the cross | God calls, adds, and appoints many to eternal life | God gives faith and repentance; God cleanses and opens hearts |
|---|---|---|
|
2:23 “Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God”
3:18 “what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled” 4:27–28 “there were gathered together . . . Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, to do whatever your hand . . . had predestined to take place” |
2:39 “the promise is to . . . everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself ”
2:41 “there were added that day about three thousand souls” 2:47 “the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved” 5:14 “believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women” 11:24 “a great many people were added to the Lord” 13:48 “as many as were appointed to eternal life believed” |
3:16 “the faith that is through Jesus”
5:31 “God exalted him . . . to give repentance to Israel” 11:18 “to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life” 15:8–9 “God . . . having cleansed their hearts by faith” 16:14 “The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul” 18:27 “those who through grace had believed” |
Major Sermons in Acts
| Speaker | Text | Audience |
|---|---|---|
| Peter | 2:14–36 | Jews in Jerusalem |
| 3:11–26 | Jews in Jerusalem | |
| 10:34–43 | Cornelius’s household | |
| Stephen | 7:1–53 | Jews in Jerusalem |
| Paul | 13:16–47 | Jews in Pisidian Antioch |
| 17:22–31 | Greeks in Athens | |
| 20:18–35 | Church elders in Ephesus | |
| 22:1–21 | Jews in Jerusalem | |
| 24:10–21 | Felix and his court | |
| 26:1–29 | Agrippa and his court |
Luke
Luke was a doctor (Col. 4:14) and a faithful companion of Paul, accompanying him on several journeys. He was with Paul throughout his two-year imprisonments in both Caesarea and Rome. He is the author of the Gospel bearing his name and the book of Acts, where he records his travels with Paul. Little else is known about Luke. Most scholars believe that he was a Gentile. This is based in part on the fact that Paul does not include Luke among the “men of the circumcision” who were his fellow workers (Col. 4:10–11). How Luke came to know Christ is not revealed, though his thorough acquaintance with the OT suggests that he may have been a “God-fearer” like Cornelius before becoming a Christian. (Acts 21:1–8)
John Mark
John Mark was probably Barnabas’s cousin (Col. 4:10). The early church at Jerusalem met at the home of his mother, Mary (Acts 12:12). He accompanied Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey, but then chose to leave them. As a result, Paul refused to take him along on his second expedition. However, it seems that Mark eventually regained Paul’s favor (2 Tim. 4:11). He ultimately demonstrated his effectiveness and commitment as a missionary pioneer and as the author of the Gospel of Mark. He was closely associated with the apostle Peter, who refers to Mark as his “son” (1 Pet. 5:13). (2 Timothy 4:11)
Acts 1:1 Luke’s first book is the Gospel of Luke. It describes what Jesus began to do and teach. This suggests that Acts is about what Jesus continued “to do and teach” in the world. Though physically he had ascended into heaven (v. 9), yet spiritually he was still present on earth (see Matt. 28:20). Theophilus (“lover of God”) is either an actual person or a symbolic name for any Christian seeker or believer.
Acts 1:2 The day when he was taken up refers to Jesus’ ascension (Luke 24:51). The beginning of Acts parallels the final words of the book of Luke (Luke 24:36–53). through the Holy Spirit. As Jesus gave instructions to his disciples, the Holy Spirit empowered them to rightly understand and obey Jesus’ teaching. apostles. See notes on Acts 1:20; Rom. 1:1.
Acts 1:3 Only Acts mentions the specific 40-day period of resurrection appearances. This number recalls many biblical events, such as Israel’s wilderness wanderings and Jesus’ temptations. The phrase kingdom of God occurs only six times in Acts (1:3; 8:12; 14:22; 19:8; 28:23, 31). It means the spiritual reign of God that gradually transforms lives and cultures through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 1:4 promise of the Father. The new and greater empowering of the Holy Spirit (see Luke 3:15–17; 24:49).
Acts 1:1–5 After an introduction (vv. 1–2), Luke reviews the 40-day period during which Jesus prepared the disciples to be his witnesses (vv. 3–5).
Acts 1:7 the Father has fixed by his own authority. God the Father determines history’s events.
Acts 1:8 This verse states the key theme of Acts. It begins with the Spirit’s empowering of the witness to Jesus. Then it provides a rough outline of the book: Jerusalem (chs. 1–7), Judea and Samaria (chs. 8–12), and the end of the earth (chs. 13–28). you will receive power. The Holy Spirit will bring effectiveness in witness and ministry (1:8; Matt. 28:19), victory over sin (Acts 2:42–46; Rom. 6:11–14; Gal. 2:20), victory over Satan (Acts 2:42–46; 16:16–18; 2 Cor. 10:3–4; Eph. 6:10–18; 1 John 4:4), and gifts for ministry (Acts 2:16–18; 1 Cor. 12:11; 1 Pet. 4:10). The word “power” occurs at least seven other times in Acts to describe the working of miracles alongside gospel proclamation (see Acts 2:22; 3:12; 6:8; 8:10; 10:38; 19:11).
Acts 1:9 A cloud is often associated with God’s presence (Luke 9:28–36). as they were looking on, he was lifted up. Jesus’ visible ascension into heaven indicates that he has a physical human body. He will someday return in the same body (Acts 1:11). The eternal Son of God remains fully God and fully man forever.
Acts 1:10 two men. Angels in human form, as their white robes suggest (compare John 20:12).
Where are our Watermark Missionaries?
In Acts 1:8, Jesus told his disciples that they would receive power from the Holy Spirit to be his witnesses “in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” The mission he gave them didn’t end with the apostles. Jesus is still sending his people to take the good news to places where he isn’t yet known.
Today, members of Watermark are living out this calling around the world. Watermark missionaries are serving in places like the Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, Argentina, and the Middle East. Some are sharing the gospel with unreached college students. Others are planting churches, training pastors and indigenous leaders, discipling believers, or helping people encounter God through his Word. (One of our missionaries, Michael Banks, even wrote this Join The Journey lesson from earlier this year!)
And we don’t want to send people unprepared or send them alone. Watermark’s sending process includes Discover Missions and a Disciple-Making Intensive (each a ten-week class to help believers learn about missions), as well as a further nine months of immersive missionary preparation. Once missionaries are sent, dedicated Sending Teams continue supporting and caring for them from home.
Acts 1:8 showed that the gospel was always meant to keep moving outward. As a church, we get to participate in that same mission by praying, giving, supporting those who go, and being willing to ask whether God might be calling us to go too.
Praying for Missionaries Your Church Has Sent
Take a few minutes to pray for the missionaries our church has sent around the world. Pray that God would strengthen and encourage them as they live far from home for the sake of the gospel. Ask him to give them opportunities to share the good news, wisdom as they disciple others, and endurance when ministry feels difficult or slow. Pray for their families, friendships, health, and relationships with the communities they serve. Ask God to use their faithfulness to make Jesus known and build his Church. Finally, pray that we will faithfully support those we’ve sent through our prayers, encouragement, and generosity.
What’s Your Role?
Read Acts 1:8 again, then spend a few minutes in silence with the Lord. Ask the Spirit to show you what role he wants you to play in advancing the gospel and what your next step should be. Maybe it’s praying regularly for an unreached people group, giving generously, supporting a missionary, taking a short-term trip, or considering whether God might be calling you to go long-term.
But what it can’t be is nothing. Jesus called his followers to make disciples of all nations. Doing nothing to contribute to that mission is disobedience. So listen, pray, and ask honestly: Lord, what part are you calling me to play, and what’s my next step?
Watch today's podcast episode.
16:55
What it’s like to be a missionary in Japan | Join The Journey Podcast
Monthly memory verse
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.