Waiting for Power: The Unfinished Story of Acts

The story isn't over. That's perhaps the most electrifying realization we can have when we open the book of Acts. There's no "The End" stamped at the conclusion of chapter 28. The narrative that began with Jesus' earthly ministry continues today, written through ordinary people empowered by an extraordinary God.

The Story That Keeps Going
When Luke penned his account to Theophilus, he carefully chose his words: "all that Jesus began to do and teach." Began. Not completed. Not finished. The implication is staggering—what Jesus started in His earthly ministry continues through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, working through people just like us.

We often read Acts and get caught up in the spectacular: the ascension, Pentecost, the dramatic conversions, the miracles. We focus on the larger-than-life figures—Peter's boldness, Paul's missionary journeys, Stephen's martyrdom. But every church in Acts was filled with ordinary people facing ordinary struggles, empowered by an extraordinary Spirit.
The question for us becomes: Do we see ourselves as part of this continuing narrative? Or do we view Acts as ancient history, disconnected from our daily lives?

The Discipline of Waiting
Jesus gave His disciples clear instructions before His ascension: wait. "Do not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father."

Waiting doesn't come naturally to any of us. We stand in front of microwaves urging them to hurry. We refresh our email constantly. We want immediate answers, instant solutions, quick fixes. The idea of waiting feels counterintuitive, even counterproductive.

Yet here were the disciples—men who had walked with Jesus, witnessed His miracles, seen Him resurrected—being told to wait. Not to strategize. Not to organize. Not to launch out immediately. To wait.

What makes this particularly challenging is that waiting doesn't mean we understand what's coming. The disciples couldn't imagine what awaited them at Pentecost. They had no framework for understanding how the Holy Spirit would transform them from frightened followers into bold witnesses.

Similarly, we cannot imagine what God has around the bend for us. But He asks us to trust Him enough to wait for His timing, to believe that He is already at work in ways we cannot see.

Waiting is not passivity. It's not inaction or laziness. It's active trust, expectant preparation, faithful obedience even when we don't see the full picture.

The Wrong Kingdom
Even after forty days of Jesus teaching them about the kingdom of God, the disciples still asked: "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?"

They were still thinking in terms of earthly power, political liberation, national restoration. They wanted to know when Jesus would establish His throne in Jerusalem, overthrow Roman occupation, and restore Israel to its former glory.

We do the same thing. We get caught up in who's in power, which political party controls what, who's on "our side." We think in terms of earthly kingdoms and earthly power.

Jesus' response is telling. He doesn't answer their question. Instead, He redirects them entirely: "It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you."

That little word "but" swings a great door. Jesus essentially says, "You're asking the wrong question. Earthly kingdoms aren't your responsibility. My kingdom is. And you're going to receive a different kind of power for a different kind of mission."

The Power We Actually Need
The power Jesus promised wasn't political influence or military might. It was the power of the Holy Spirit to be His witnesses "in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

Consider what this power enables:

• Power to overcome persistent sin
• Power to be courageous witnesses in hostile environments
• Power to obey God's Word when it contradicts our desires
• Power to love the unlovely
• Power to forgive the unforgivable
• Power to be generous when resources are scarce
• Power to persevere when we want to quit
• Power to embrace hard assignments
• Power to live as citizens of God's kingdom rather than slaves to this world's values
• Power to trust when circumstances make no sense
  
  

None of us is adequate for what God calls us to. The Apostle Paul asked, "Who is adequate for these things?" His answer: "Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God."

Our adequacy isn't found in our education, experience, natural talents, or personal strength. Our adequacy is from God alone, through the Holy Spirit He has given us.

Eyes Opened at the Table
On that first Easter Sunday, two disciples walked toward Emmaus, dejected and confused. Jesus joined them, though they didn't recognize Him. He explained the Scriptures to them, showing how everything pointed to Himself.

When they reached their destination and sat down to eat, Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to them. Suddenly, their eyes were opened. They recognized Him.
Later they said to each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while He talked to us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"

The same Jesus who opened the Scriptures to those disciples wants to open our eyes today. As we remember His death and resurrection, as we study His Word, as we wait for His direction and receive His power, may we pray: "Open my eyes. Show me Yourself."

Living the Unfinished Story
The book of Acts is more than ancient history. It's the beginning of a story that continues through every generation of believers. The same Spirit who empowered the early church empowers us today.

We are part of God's continuing narrative, witnesses to His grace, carriers of His power, ambassadors of His kingdom. The story isn't finished. It's still being written—through us.