We’ve talked about their authors, their contexts, and their roles in the overall story of the Bible. Now it’s time to open our Bibles and start studying! We’re going to practice making observations using John 3:16 and Acts 1:8.
Just as we would never open up the latest New York Times bestseller to a random page and start reading, the books we find in the New Testament are no different. When studying the Gospels or Acts, we should always start at the beginning. Before we move on to observation and interpretation, it can be tempting to skip past genealogies or jump to our favorite verses. But to truly understand the message and power of each book, we have to take the journey as it has been set before us.
The Holy Spirit will be the source of the disciples’ power. The Holy Spirit will lead the disciples to be witnesses to the ends of the earth.
The source of the disciples’ power is the Holy Spirit. He will give them the ability to share the gospel to the ends of the earth. We know from continuing to read that this was done with boldness even in the face of persecution and that through the Holy Spirit many were added to the number of those with believed in the Way. These results were made possible through the power and authority of the Holy Spirit that lives in and worked through the disciples and this power is still available to us as believers today.