WITNESS

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be WITNESSES to Me in Jerusalem, and in Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth – Acts 1:8

Yesterday, we meditated on the Kingdom-first priority of Service. One significant area of service that all believers in Christ are called into is to be His Witnesses “in Jerusalem, and in Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). That is, from each of our families, acquaintances, and neighbourhoods, the entire globe could be our parish! This assignment is a vital result of the baptism in the Holy Spirit who empowers us to become bold witnesses and effective soul-winners (Acts 1:8; 4:29-31,33). Christian witness is the privilege, responsibility, and service which arises from experiencing salvation in Jesus Christ. Commanded by God, and global in its scope and intention, its purpose is to propagate God’s saving acts in the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, in accordance with the Scriptures, and by the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Witness is the spontaneous consequence of knowing our Lord Jesus Christ and experiencing His power of salvation, deliverance, and healing. For example, the man at Gadarene who was delivered from a legion of demons instantaneously “departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel” (Mk.5:20). To what extent have you been “publishing”, sharing or witnessing to others, the great things Jesus has done for you? The woman of Samaria that Jesus ministered to at Jacob’s well, having encountered the Messiah, spontaneously invited others to: “Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: Is not this the Christ?” (Jh.4:29). Any claim of salvation that does not translate into a spontaneous witness to others of one’s faith in Christ, is highly suspect!

A sense of compulsion lies behind Christian witness – we cannot help but speak about what whom we believe – Jesus Christ – and what we believe about Him. Peter and John, in the face of severe persecution, declared: “For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20). Those who love God’s salvation delightfully and continually say: “The Lord be magnified” (Psa.40:16). Christ’s love obliges us to witness: “For the love of Christ constrains us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died” (2Cor.5:14). Reconciled to God through Christ’s atoning, we are entrusted with the message of reconciliation (2Cor.5:17-19). Paul declared: “…I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day” (2Tim.1:12b).

To conceal our testimony to God’s faithfulness and salvation is sinful (Psa.40:9-10). All who know, believe, and understand that Jesus is Lord and Saviour are commissioned to be His witnesses: “You are My witnesses,” says the LORD, “And My servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He:…I, even I, am the LORD; and besides Me there is no SAVIOR” (Isa.43:10-11). Are you willing to enthusiastically testify of Him without shame (Lk.12:8-9; 2Tim.1:8)? Are you ready to witness fearlessly, but with gentleness (Phil.1:14; 1Pet.3:15)? At every opportunity, our witness must be consistent, clear like a city on a hill, and effective like salt (Eccl.11:4-7; Mt.5:13-14). Above all, our witness must be total – in Life, Deeds, and Word; in conduct, conversation, and speech (Phil.2:15-16; 1Pet.3:1-2)!