Witnesses of the Risen King: Week 1 — "Where It All Begins"
Pastor Doug | Sunday, June 7 | Acts 1:1-11
This week, Cornerstone began a new series through the book of Acts called Witnesses of the Risen King — and Pastor Doug opened it with a simple but striking idea: being a witness was never about how prepared you feel. It's about who you belong to.
Where the Story Starts
Pastor Doug walked us through the opening of Acts, where Luke picks up right where his gospel left off — with Jesus, in the days after His resurrection, preparing His followers for what was about to happen. From there, Pastor Doug framed the message around three ideas: the Prologue (where Acts begins), the Preparation (the proof, the precepts, and the promise Jesus gave His followers), and the Power that would carry them forward.
Breaking Down Acts 1:8
The heart of the message centered on Acts 1:8: "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."
Pastor Doug unpacked that single verse into four parts:
The precondition — receiving the Holy Spirit's power
The power — what that power actually does in us
The personal — this calling isn't reserved for a select few; it's for each of us
The planet — the reach of the gospel, starting close to home and stretching to the ends of the earth
A Story From the Pier
To bring it home, Pastor Doug shared a story about a friend who struck up a conversation with a stranger on a bike at the Huntington Beach Pier. He didn't have a script. He wasn't fully prepared. He simply showed up, stayed open, and let God do the rest. Pastor Doug reminded us that so often, we wait to feel "ready enough" to share our faith — when really, the calling was never about our preparation. It's about whose we are.
The Heart of It
Pastor Doug closed by reminding us that this is deeply personal — not a program to join, but an identity to live out. He invited anyone who hasn't yet trusted Jesus to take that step, and led the church in a simple prayer of salvation.
Scripture references: Acts 1:1-11, Luke 24:44, John 16:7 (NIV)
Want to watch the full message? You can find "Witnesses of the Risen King" – Week 1 on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4GpuLZVlhs
