Week 17 — Abiding Leads to Witness | Alex Spry
Week 17 — Abiding Leads to Witness | Alex Spry | Acts 1:8 | May 03, 2026
Full Sunday Morning Bible Class including; lesson of the day, discussions, questions and answers. Speaker: Alex Spry
Tension: Silent faith vs. Spirit-empowered witness
Formation Outcome: Bold testimony
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Grounding Questions
• What usually makes sharing your faith feel difficult or intimidating?
• Do you tend to see witnessing as a responsibility you must perform or a result of remaining connected to Christ?
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Expository Teaching
Acts 1:8 stands at a pivotal transition moment between Jesus’ earthly ministry and the mission of the church. The disciples are waiting for direction, clarity, and assurance about what comes next. Instead of providing a strategy plan, Jesus provides a promise:
“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.”
This establishes a foundational truth:
Witness is not rooted in personality strength.
Witness is rooted in Spirit presence.
Notice the order of the verse carefully:
Power → Presence → Witness
Too often believers attempt:
Effort → Confidence → Witness
But Jesus teaches that effective witness flows from abiding through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.
The geographic movement in the verse also reveals the expanding nature of mission:
Jerusalem
Judea
Samaria
Ends of the earth
Witness begins locally but never remains locally. Remaining in Christ produces a life that moves outward with purpose.
Abiding believers do not manufacture testimony—they become testimony.
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Group Discussion Questions
• Why does Jesus connect witnessing with receiving power rather than gaining confidence?
• What does “Jerusalem” represent in your present life context?
• Where might God be stretching you toward “Samaria”—places or people outside your comfort zone?
MacDonald Ave Church of Christ, Richmond, CA Sunday Morning Bible Class, Apr 12, 2026 (Rev.1)