Suggested reading: Acts chapter 1 verses 1-14

It must have been a memorable occasion for the eleven remaining disciples of Jesus, when they met with Him for the LAST TIME after His resurrection. They were anxious to know whether it was His plan to restore the kingdom to Israel at this precise time. However, His LAST WORDS to them on earth were unexpected: ‘It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth’, Acts chapter 1 verses 7-8.

They would, no doubt, have loved to ask further questions and to know more; however, at this point, Jesus was ‘taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.’ All they could do was to gaze into heaven, until two men in white apparel told them, ‘This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven’, Acts chapter 1 verses 10-11. The next time they would see Him and hear His voice would be in heaven! The same prospect is true for every living believer today, who has trusted Christ as their Saviour. We can look forward, with eager anticipation, to the time when we will see His face and hear His voice!

Although these were the LAST WORDS Jesus spoke to His disciples, those of us who are Christians can apply them to ourselves. The word ‘witness’ is a key word in the Book of Acts and we have the same responsibility as the disciples had to be witnesses, both near and far to what we believe about Jesus Christ. The best place to start, of course, is at ‘home’, i.e. to those nearest and dearest to us. Let us pray that God will give us the necessary desire and courage to tell others of Him!

Make Him your LAST WORD to others.