Witnesses

Even after Jesus' resurrection, the disciples still didn't quite get the idea of the Kingdom and their place in it. So, they ask a simple question, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom of Israel?" Their question reveals that they still think God's mission is political and about restoring their nation. Jesus' answer shifts their understanding of both His Kingdom and their mission. They will not be soldiers in a revolution; they will be witnesses sent to the nations, proclaiming what they have seen and experienced. And, they will do this in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. And, because their mission depends of the power of God's Spirit, which Jesus had already promised them, their role at the current moment is to wait. But the promise of that day is real, and the ascension of Jesus guarantees the reality of the gift of the Spirit. Their mission cannot, will not fail. This, too, is our mission---to be witnesses to our city and beyond, even to the ends of the earth.