We are Witnesses
You are My witnesses,” declares the Lord.(Isaiah 43:10)
You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.(Acts 1:8)
Me, too?
Yes, I am to tell people about Christ.
I am qualified and equipped: I believe in Christ, trust Him as my Savior, and have declared He is my Lord. The Holy Spirit dwells in me.
My failure to witness is sin.
It’s Personal
We are called to testify to what we’ve heard, seen, and felt.
Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen …(John 3:11)
Many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all the things that I have done.(John 4:39)
So the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, continued to testify about Him.(John 12:17)
Focus on Christ
I’ve heard and read testimonies that focused on the person and not on Jesus Christ. At least three-quarters of one book focused on the person’s sin-filled past and didn’t talk about the Lord until the end.
Contrast that with Paul In Jerusalem when the Jews sought to kill Paul and the Roman commander gave Paul permission to speak to the crowd. In three verses, Paul covered his life prior to Christ’s revealing Himself to Paul on the road to Damascus. Three verses! (Acts 22:3-5)
A lame man was healed, and when the crowd was filled with wonder and amazement, Peter redirected their attention to Christ.
Peter: “Men of Israel, why are you amazed at this, or why do you gaze at us, as if by our own power or piety we had made him walk?” (Acts 3:12)
Be Ready
When an opportunity arises to talk about Jesus, are you ready?
We are to “sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.” (1 Peter 3:15)
Are you ready to testify about what you have heard, seen, and felt? Can you provide a clear answer in a short period (an elevator ride)? Do you know what you’d say when someone asks you why you believe?
Go Therefore
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.(Matthew 28:19–20)
Prayer
Father, I want to faithfully obey Your commands. I want to be ready to give an account for my belief, to honor my Lord Jesus Christ. Help me be alert to when You would have me speak.
See Who’s the Star?
And Show and Tell.
