I've been thinking, praying, wrestling more and more lately about what it means when Jesus says, "you will be my witnesses..." (Acts 1:8). There's nothing terribly complex about it. He sent the Holy Spirit not just to comfort and encourage us but also to empower us in being witnesses! Everywhere we go we are witnesses for Jesus Christ, those telling the good news.
Now, here's where I've been wrestling - "telling". I hear a lot about lifestyle evangelism and friendship evangelism but not about preaching evangelism! Isn't that what evangelism is? Isn't that what it means to be a witness, to attest to some truth before others? Isn't that what the Holy Spirit was given to empower us to do? And yet I find myself tongue tied, lip locked, and just plain cowardly.
"You will be my witnesses..." It's called arrogant by our culture. It's called imposing our wills on other people. It's called rude and politically incorrect. -- We call it love of neighbor. We call it good news. We call it telling the truth.
So, here's the freeing thought. We serve a Great King, his name is Jesus. He's coming back and will demand total allegiance from all people everywhere in every-age. By a work of grace we heard about this Great King, his blood, his mercy, and something changed in us! Now, this King calls us to be his "witnesses" in the world telling others that He's coming, He demands allegiance, He made a way by the cross... Witnesses don't get measured by their response rate but by being witnesses! We must speak this truth in love, call for joyful response, and _________ (what?). That's where we pray and wait for the Spirit to move; we're witnesses not miracle workers. So, would you join me in not being afraid of ________ anymore. Let's be witnesses of the King and not neglect our calling because we're not able to control the result. God grant us joy and boldness for this work, AMEN.
[more to come on this subject]
