The Source of the Church’s Power

GOLDEN TEXT: “But ye shall receive power, after the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” —Acts 1:8

ACTS 1:4-8; 2:1-11

OUR Heavenly Father is the source of strength for every true follower of the Master. Since it is these that constitute the true church, those who are called out from the world, it follows that our Heavenly Father is also the church’s source of power. It is the power of God that is described in the Bible as the Holy Spirit—mistranslated “Ghost” in the King James Version. God manifests his power in various ways, and through many agencies. (Heb. 1:1,2) It is God’s power that controls the universe. The thoughts of God, transmitted to his people through the written Word, is a mighty power in their lives, and one of the manifestations of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit came upon Jesus at the time of his baptism, and upon the waiting disciples at Pentecost. It was a revealing power in the mind of Jesus, enabling him to understand the will of his Heavenly Father for him as it had previously been recorded in the Old Testament Scriptures by the Holy Spirit of God through the prophets. It was also a revealing power in the minds of the apostles at Pentecost. In promising the Holy Spirit to them, Jesus said that it would call to their remembrance the things which he said to them, and that it would show them “things to come.”—John 14:26; 16:13

God’s power—the Holy Spirit—manifested itself in still another way at Pentecost, in that it enabled the apostles to present the message of the Gospel in languages which they had not previously been able to speak. This is ordinarily referred to as talking in “unknown tongues.” (See I Cor. 14) This was a miracle which resulted in a witness being given to “devout men” who were “dwelling at Jerusalem” “out of every nation under heaven.”

The record is that all these heard the apostles speak “in his own language.” “And they were all amazed and marveled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?” (Acts 2:7,8) Here, truly, was a manifestation of divine power working through the apostles.

And a real purpose was served by this miracle. Those today who claim the ability to “speak in tongues” seem to have lost sight of the original purpose of this miraculous gift, which, even after Pentecost, continued for a time in a limited way. It was essential in the beginning of the church’s experience that a witness be given to the Jewish people in various parts of the then known world, who spoke the native tongue of whatever country in which they resided. The miraculous gift of tongues enabled this witness to be given. There is no longer any need for this miraculous manifestation of the Holy Spirit.

The revealing power of the Holy Spirit enabled the apostles to speak and write pertaining to the plans and purposes of God with unerring accuracy. Thus we speak of them as being “inspired.” Jesus, the apostles, and the holy prophets of the Old Testament, are the only ones through whom the Holy Spirit has worked in this miraculous manner; and even with the prophets it was somewhat different from the case of Jesus and the apostles. The prophets wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit, but did not understand the meaning of the messages God transmitted through them; whereas, with Jesus and the apostles, an understanding was given of the messages they were inspired to convey.—I Pet. 1:10-12; II Pet. 1:21

But the Holy Spirit is a power in the lives of all the true disciples of Christ. Through the Spirit-inspired writings of the Bible the love of God is revealed to them, and by this “vision” of truth they are impelled to lay down their lives, following in the footsteps of Jesus. This inspirational power of the Word gives them strength and courage to face the many dangers and hardships of the narrow way, and to be victorious in their struggle against the world, the flesh, and the Devil.

The power of the Spirit, in keeping with the commission Jesus gave to his disciples, has directed and enabled the church to reach out into all the world to witness for Jesus and for the Word of God. Where the witness work of these truly faithful ones has been conducted by the power of the Holy Spirit, the Lord’s blessing has been upon it. When the Holy Spirit has been ignored, and other sources of power utilized—such as money, glamour, sensationalism, worldly organizational methods, etc.—the Lord’s name has been dishonored.

QUESTIONS

What is the source of the church’s power?

What is the Holy Spirit, and what are some of its manifestations?

What did the Holy Spirit do for Jesus and for the apostles?

What was the divine purpose in enabling the apostles to speak with tongues?

Why do we speak of the apostles as being “inspired”?

How has the Holy Spirit been manifested in the lives of believers generally?

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