Acts 1 -- Pivot Point

So as we kick off this adventure together, the reading of Acts as one body, I want to encourage you with a few things.
First - Read with expectation. Expect that the word of God will be made real to you, in a way like never before. Expect the word to come alive.
Second - Read for change. Don't make this about checking something off the list, that's what religion does. Make this a choice to find truth in the scripture that you hadn't seen before and then let that truth change you.
Remember growing pains are just that, painful at times, but where would we be without growth.

Acts 1 - I call this the pivot point. The life of Jesus was about so much more than getting us to heaven. God had a process established for that. There was an altar, a sacrifice, atonement. The life, death and resurrection wasn't about that at all. It was about removing the veil. It was about God getting out of the temple. It was about God getting into us.
So here we have the moment. 11 men had scattered, scared, ashamed, confused, then Jesus reveals himself to them. Have you ever wondered why if it was all fake, those 11 men would go to death proclaiming it was true? It is . Jesus is who he said he was and now they have experienced that. So he tells
them to wait for power from the Holy Spirit. Jesus tells 11 men that have walked with him, seen miracles, seen Him- Resurrected - to wait for power. Jesus is saying- yes I came to save you, yes I came to heal, yes I came to deliver you, but there is more. There is power. Wait for the power.
God wants to equip you to live a powerful life. He wants it so badly He Sent His Son. Don't miss that. Don't neglect that. Wait- believe - recieve.