Luke wrote two New Testament books to tell the story of Jesus and the early church:
the gospel of Luke, and the book of Acts. After he rose from the dead, and as he
ascended, Jesus told his followers to wait for God’s power to lead them. Then they
would need to exert all their effort, working with God, to carry out the divine purpose.

• What’s the difference between waiting for God’s power and being trapped in apathy or sloth? Why does it matter to wait for God’s direction, rather than rushing frantically to take up a task in our own power and wisdom? How can God help you, as Romans 12:3 says, to think of yourself “with sober judgment”?
• When they heard these words, the disciples were in Jerusalem. Judea was the province around them; Samaria the next province north. “To the ends of the earth” meant pretty much then what it means now. Do you have a sense of where God is calling you to serve? How might God show you this?