Before Jesus ascended to heaven, he promised his followers they would be empowered by the Spirit to be his witnesses. And as the story of Acts begins to unfold, we see this promise coming true in marvelous ways! Yet while we are given several portraits of the joyous life of the early church, soon persecution arises and threatens to end it all. Following Jesus would lead the apostles (and eventually the whole church) to experience misunderstanding, rejection, slander, shame, and even physical suffering. But no amount of persecution can silence the good news of abundant life in Christ. In this sermon, Mitch Bedzyk explains that although the cost is great, following Jesus leads to the truly blessed life.