How does 1 Corinthians 4:20 connect with Acts 1:8 about receiving power?

Setting the Stage

• Scripture is accurate, literal, and fully trustworthy; every word comes from God and speaks with authority today.

• Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 4:20 and Jesus’ promise in Acts 1:8 share a common theme: the kingdom is demonstrated by real, Spirit-given power, not empty speech.

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Key Texts

• 1 Corinthians 4:20: “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.”

• Acts 1:8: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

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Exploring “the kingdom of God… power”

• “Kingdom” points to God’s rule made visible on earth through Christ and His people.

• “Not … talk” confronts mere rhetoric, empty boasts, or intellectualism that lacks the Spirit’s life.

• “Power” (Greek dynamis) means active, effective, miracle-working strength—evidence that God Himself is present.

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How Acts 1:8 Expands This Power

• Jesus identifies the source: “the Holy Spirit comes upon you.”

• The purpose is outward: to make witnesses, spreading the kingdom by word and deed.

• The scope is global: Jerusalem → Judea/Samaria → ends of the earth, proving the power is sufficient for every culture and generation.

• Link to 1 Corinthians 4: any claim to represent God’s rule must show the same Spirit-empowered reality the apostles received.

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Power Displayed in the Early Church

• Acts 2:4, 41 – Spirit-filled speech leads to real conversions (about 3,000 souls).

• Acts 3:6-8 – Healing of the lame man: physical evidence of kingdom power.

• 1 Thessalonians 1:5 – “Our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power, in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.”

• Romans 15:18-19 – Paul’s ministry “by word and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God.”

• These instances echo 1 Corinthians 4:20: authentic ministry is verified by God’s power.

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Power Applied in Our Lives Today

• The same Spirit indwells every believer (Romans 8:11).

• His power produces:

– Bold, truthful witness (Acts 4:31)

– Victory over sin (Galatians 5:16-25)

– Gifts for service (1 Corinthians 12:4-11)

– Endurance in trials (Ephesians 3:16)

• When believers depend on the Spirit, their lives and churches showcase the kingdom’s reality—turning 1 Corinthians 4:20 from a warning into a testimony.