Jesus tells us that we are to be his witnesses – but what does that mean to us today? What are we witnessing to? How can we do it? And what will happen?
Also available as an audio only podcast here –
Here are some of the notes and quotes I used….
In this sermon we reflected on something that I have been thinking about for many years. How do we close the gap? The gap between the riches that we have in Christ and the spiritual poverty of the people. How do we bring people to the feast? Why do people not want to come to church? Why do people not believe?Sometimes it is because of experience – but largely it is because of ignorance. They either don’t know or what they know is distorted and inaccurate. They need to hear. But also there is a hardness of heart.
“There are, as a learned man truly observes, two doors of the soul barred against Christ; the understanding by ignorance; and the heart by hardness: both these are opened by Christ. The former is opened by the preaching of the gospel, the other by the internal operation of the Spirit” John Flavel
1) Ignorance – Sometimes we think we know some things that we do not know – v.6
Where were the errors?Restore – they were expecting a political kingdom.
Israel – a national kingdom
At this time – immediate.
2) Inability – There are some things we cannot know – v. 7
These are Jesus’s final recorded words. remember that a few weeks ago we saw his first recorded words in the temple – God’s house on earth. Now he is returning to heaven. This is Jesus’s mission statement for the church. He hasn’t come back and given us another. Joseph Smith of the Mormons is a false messiah. Judge Russell of the Jehovah’s witness is a false Messiah. TB Joshua and many other so called ‘Christian’ prophets are false Messiahs.
Deut 29:29 – The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children for ever, that we may follow all the words of this law.
Augustine – why did God make Hell? For people who ask questions like that.
We don’t know who is predestined.
We don’t know when Jesus will return. “‘But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Matthew 24:36). JW’s The times of the Gentiles would end in 1914, resulting in the end of Armageddon, the fall of false religion, the end of all earthly governments, the heavenly and earthly resurrections, and paradise on earth (Watchtower, July 15, 1894, p. 226).
I like the story of the lady on the Isle of Lewis who was being visited by two JW’s. Do you believe these are the last days? Yes. Why? You are at my door!
3) Inspiration – There are some things we do know and must share – v.8
v.8 is the key verse for the whole book of Acts – and it is a great motto for us. It is Jesus saying – in a way the kingdom has come. And you are to spread it – until the final day when I return.
When Jesus taught the disciples during those 40 days
Acts 2:32 – “This Jesus God raised up, and of that we are all witnesses” – Peter to the Jews
Acts 3:15 – “You killed the Author life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses” -Peter in the Temple
Acts 10:39 – “We are witnesses of all that he did in both the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem” – Peter to Cornelius.
Acts 22:15 – Paul to the Jews in the temple.
Who? “There is no believer whom the Son of God does not require to be his witness. In what place, at what time, with what degree of frequency, in what manner and to what extent, we ought to profess our faith, cannot easily be determined by a fixed rule: but we must consider the occasion, that not one of us may fail to discharge his duty at the proper time” (Calvin)
What? So what are we witnesses to?
Not ourselves but Christ.
His message. What he did. Who he is.
When we recommend – we are recommending Christ….of course in order to do that we have to know him. And grow in knowledge. Come see a man who told me everything I ever did – the woman at the well. (The Chosen’s version of this is excellent)….I want to know Christ. The word of Christ then becomes something not that you are trying to sell but that bubbles up in you with delight.
Where – But they are to be witnesses throughout the whole earth- Christ’s kingdom extends throughout the whole earth – after Pentecost. They were to go to Jerusalem- the place where Christ was crucified – Samaria – the half Jews? The ends of the earth – Gentiles as well…Scotland – Australia.
Jerusalem – the day of Pentecost
Philip went to Samaria.
Acts ch1-7 – Jerusalem – ch. 8 Samaria ch. 9 Paul to Rome…
The ends of the earth. Rome had roads leading to the ends of the earth – Britain….India….when Australia?
In the slave markets, in the synagogues, in the temples, in the market place, in Caesar’s palace,
All races classes. But there can be no burden for world mission if you don’t have a burden for local. Pray for China and you don’t speak to Chinese people here. The poor.
The Cost – Its tough – Because to be a witness is to be a martyr….it’s tough and you need the Spirit.
Martus – witness refers to the ark of the testimony in Exodus 25:22
Question of the Week – how do we become Jesus’s witnesses.
. Its personal witness that counts….that presupposes that we have something to witness to – and that our witness is credible. Ie. people look at us and see something that they would like!
How? What have we seen?
– “A Christian’s whole life should be nothing but a visible representation of Christ” (Thomas Brooks) _ we have to walk the walk as well as talk the talk.
R Kent Hughes – Ethos, Logos and Pathos.
– Ethos – Who we are. It is so easy to deceive ourselves. But we need open tender hearts.
Logos – the Word of Christ. Pathos – Passion.
George Whitefield was in Edinburgh and people were getting out of their beds at 5 in the morning. A man met David Hume on the way to hear thim. “I thought you did not believe the Gospel”. “I don’t – but he does”.
– Instead of political power – they were to get the power of the Holy Spirit.
. Acts 3:6 – I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk”
So discouraged at times. We need power. The power of the Holy Spirit. Acts 4:33 “With great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus” . This is not the power of the political kingdom – this is not military muscle, or economic power, or media indoctrination, or the power of the personality…….this is the power of the Holy Spirit
We are not witnessing to a political kingdom but to an Almighty king before whom all the nations of the earth are as a drop in the bucket.
We are not witnessing to a nationalist movement but to the One who breaks down all the dividing walls of partition
We are not witnessing to a temproray quick fix but rather to an overall solution that will be forever.
Ps 126 sow in tears. Hugh Miller the Harvest – principles
1) Implies and presupposes surrender. They gave themselves to the Lord – 1 Peter 3:15 – always be preaed to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have….but it begins – in your heart revere – or set apart Christ as Lord.
2) Implies surrender unto death – except a corn of wheat falls in to the ground.
3) Implies a life that is reached and reproduced through death – some 30, 60, 100
4) Harvest as an abundance of life. It brings forth much fruit.
5) Harvest has the element of beauty – You sow the bare naked grain – but look what comes. The life that springs up is beautiful. He gives me beauty for ashes.
6) Harvest as diversication – variety – that’s whats wrong with what is called the homogenous growth unit principle. Botanic gardens – diversity
7) Princiiple of in kind – what you sow you reap.
8) Principle of proportion – sow sparingly reap sparingly.
We wait in dependence on the Spirit. There is so much we do not know….but we do know what we have to do – sow seed by bearing witness to Jesus Christ.
Isaiah 43: 10 ‘You are my witnesses,’ declares the Lord,
‘and my servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may know and believe me
and understand that I am he.
Before me no god was formed,
nor will there be one after me.
11 I, even I, am the Lord,
and apart from me there is no saviour.
12 I have revealed and saved and proclaimed—
I, and not some foreign god among you.
You are my witnesses,’ declares the Lord, ‘that I am God.
13 Yes, and from ancient days I am he.
No one can deliver out of my hand.
When I act, who can reverse it?’