Witnesses To Power
by Rev. Kirby Williams
Proclaiming the excellencies of Christ as witnesses to the Power of God.
Text: Luke 24:48-49
Date: 06/14/2026, the Combined service.
Series: "Luke: Thy Kingdom Come" Part 236
Description:
In His final words to His disciples in Luke's Gospel, Jesus commissions them (and through them all disciples!) to declare the glories of the Gospel, through countless voices in a spiritually dark and dying world. In doing so He declares them to be "witnesses" of the "things" Luke has been focusing on in these closing verses. We will analyze what "these things" refers to, and how they relate to the evangelistic outreach of the church. But Jesus also speaks of a Power that will come upon the church. We know this to be the Holy Spirit and initially a direct reference to Pentecost. But He also says the church will be "clothed" with this Power as it fulfills its purpose during the Gospel Age. And that is precisely the battle plan for conquering the world with the Gospel-- to proclaim the excellencies of Christ as witnesses to the Power of God.
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I. Introduction, Matt. 3:16-17, 7:28-29; John 3:11-13, 8:14.
II. Exposition of the text, Luke 24:48-49.
A. Context, Luke 12:24.
B. The witness and the power.
1. Witnesses of these things, vs. 48.
a. Noticing another inclusio, Luke 1:1-2.
b. Looking at the words.
i. The audience.
ii. To be a witness, Deut. 19:15; Acts 1:21-22, 5:32, 22:15.
iii. These things.
1) The nature of the Gospel, Luke 24:46.
2) The foundational importance of the Word of God.
a) The words of the Old Testament, Luke 24:27,45.
b) The Words of the Logos, Luke 24:44; John 14:26.
3) The fruits of regeneration.
a) The importance of true faith, Luke 24:37.
b) The profound significance of repentance, Mark 1:14-15; Acts 17:30.
4) The commission to "proclaim in His name", Luke 24:47; John 8:54, 12:28.
2. Awaiting the Power from on High, vs. 49.
a. The Advent of the Spirit.
i. The authority of Christ, John 14:16,26, 16:7; Matt. 28:18; Dan. 7:14; Heb. 7:26-27; 1John 2:1.
ii. The promise of the Father, Acts 2:2; Joel 2:28-32; Jer. 21:33; Ezek. 36:26-27.
b. The power from on high.
i. Remaining in Jerusalem, Acts 1:4.
1) Re-establishing the timeline, Luke 24:44.
2) Looking at the other Gospels, John 20:26, 21:1; Matt. 28:16.
3) Putting it into perspective, Acts 1:3-4.
ii. The power of the Holy Spirit, Acts 1:8.
1) What it means to be "clothed", Psa. 93:1; 1Cor. 15:53.
2) Another Nativity Connection, Luke 1:31-35, 8:5,8.
3) Clothed with power, Luke 9:1-2.
a) The nature of the Power, Eph. 1:19; 1John 3:24; Acts 8:19-20.
b) Evidence of the Power, Acts 4:31,33, 6:8; 2Tim. 1:7; Col. 1:11; Eph. 3:16, 6:12-13.
4) The source of the Power, Luke 1:78.
III. Application, 1Pet. 2:9.
A. Are you a witness?
B. Are you a witness to "these"?
1. Are you a witness to the Crucifixion?
2. Are you a witness to the Resurrection?
3. Are you a witness to the Word of God?
4. Are you a witness to the Power of God?
5. Are you a witness IN Christ?
IV. Conclusion
