(*) !POWER!

Ever thought of what POWER is? Here is a perspective for you: the display of Christ's power is meant to start from the GRASS-ROOTS! What do I mean by that?

Right before Jesus Christ was taken up into Heaven at the end of His physical ministry on earth, He was asked one question (Acts 1:6-8): "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom of Israel?" Then, Jesus replied, "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by His own authority. 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."
Alright, allow me to expand on this by some questions:

1. What kind of 'Kingdom' are people looking for then, what about now?
2. Why did Jesus correlate the Holy Spirit with 'POWER?'
3. What will 'you' (or us as readers) do with the 'POWER' of the Holy Spirit?
4. Where will the power of the Holy Spirit take us?

So, here are my proposed answers:

1. To put the verse into historical context, Middle-Eastern cultures and people groups desired literal display of POWER... such as the 'Kingdom of Israel,' 'Kingdom of Assyria'... When the walls of Jerusalem was broken down, Israelites cry and torn their cloth to display shame. Today, Muslims consider it shameful that a visible and literal kingdom of Islam on earth under Shar'ia law is not a reality. Our nature is to desire domination and control. We want a powerful authority structure that give us visible POWER and GLORY from the TOP-DOWN. Look at the world around you, as the bumper sticker says, "The person die with most toys wins."
2. Holy Spirit brings POWER to us... Holy Spirit is the ENCOURAGER and the COUSELOR. Holy Spirit is the POWER we need to be VICTORIOUS over ANY and ALL FEARS.
3. The Power of the Holy Spirit WILL allow us and make us into Jesus Christ's WITNESSES.
4. The Power of the Holy Spirit, that removes all FEARs, will take us to the 'ends of the earth.'

So, the Power that Christ brings through the Holy Spirit is from BOTTOM-UP, which WILL make us into FEARLESS WITNESSES. It's a grass-root movement! If you don't notice it, then have got to ask yourself, am I part of it?!