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But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8 NIV
Tomorrow afternoon my thirteen year old son Joshua and I will begin a more than 24 hour journey from our home in Austin Texas, to the dense jungles of the Amazon river basin. We are participating in a mission trip with a group from our local church to show the love of Jesus and take the Gospel to one of the remote corners of our world. We plan to visit 5 different remote villages, bringing them supplies, tending to medical needs and most importantly sharing the hope we have found in Jesus.
In my short life, I have had the opportunity to travel many difficult to get to places to share Christ. From the Himalaya, to North Africa, and now the Amazon, possessing outdoor skills and flexibility has opened the door for myself and others to go places that might be impossible to reach otherwise. I have been touched by the beauty and serenity of nature in these places. I have met precious people who desperately needed hope. I have seen faith pitted against seemingly insurmountable odds, yet stand true in the face of persecution and abuse.
In the book of Acts Mark records some of Jesus’ last words to His followers in His incarnate resurrected body, shortly before ascending to heaven. Jesus tells them that they will be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. That proclamation still stands true for Christ followers today. He wants us to represent Him both in our local community where we live and to the hard to get to forgotten places of this world. What an amazing privilege to live in an era where in a short time we can literally travel thousands of miles and be a witness to peoples who have previously had little or no access to the Gospel! It starts in our Jerusalem but even a thirteen year old boy can now travel to the ends of the earth and be used by God to glorify His name! It is my prayer that if you know Jesus He will show you how you too can be a witness in your Jerusalem and to the ends of the earth!