We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. —2 Peter 1:16-18
Convincing power and irrefutable truth marked the spread of the gospel in the first century. The presence and power of the Spirit provided undeniable evidence of the truth the apostles proclaimed. An important element of the gospel message in those days was that the apostles were eyewitnesses to the fact that Jesus was risen from the dead. Firsthand eyewitness verification of this essential truth was of highest importance in the initial preaching of the gospel. When the apostles assembled to choose a man to replace Judas, the stipulation was that he needed to have been with them from the beginning so, as Peter said, he could "become a witness with us of his resurrection" (Acts 1:22). One fundamental job of the twelve apostles was to provide eyewitness verification to all that Jesus said and did. The church's message in the end times will not only be that Christ is risen from the dead, but that His return is imminent.
{ PRAYER STARTER }
Father, I thank You for those who were eyewitnesses of Your power and glory in the days when Your church began on Earth. I recognize that the great harvest of souls that will soon take place will be a witness to the fact that Your return in imminent. Thank You for this outpouring of mercy and power.
The last great harvesting of souls
will be an extravagant
outpouring of God's
mercy and power.
