AND YE SHALL BE WITNESSES
Just before Jesus was ascended to His Father, He told His disciples to
tarry in the city of
On the day of Pentecost, the Jewish feast that marked the completion of
the wheat harvest, as the Apostles and other disciples were gathered together
in one place, there was suddenly the sound of a rushing, mighty wind. It
filled the place where they were assembled. What appeared like tongues of fire settled on
each of them and they all spoke in languages that they did not previously know
as the Spirit filled and inspired them. Jews
from every nation were in Jerusalem that day, and every one heard the Gospel
preached in their own language as the Spirit gave the disciples utterance. So was fulfilled the words of Jesus that they
would take His Words to the world. Starting
at that moment, and continuing until this very day, the Word was spread by His
disciples. Beginning in Jerusalem, and
spreading to the uttermost parts of the earth, they delivered the gospel
message to those who would hear it. That
upper room in Jerusalem was like ground zero of a nuclear explosion, the
shockwaves of which spread out to all the world. Like the epicenter of an earthquake that shook
the world to its foundations, it changed the world forever.
This commission of God to be witnesses to the world is not just intended
for those who are ministers, or evangelists, or Bible theologians. It is intended for everyone who names the
name of Christ and claims Him as his Lord and Savior. This is not, however, a task that we can
accomplish on our own. No, just like the
early believers on Pentecost, this is a job that we must be empowered to do by
the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, “For John [the Baptist] truly baptized with water; but ye shall be
baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.” (Acts 2:38). This
was not a special occurrence that was just for the 120 souls who were gathered
on the day of Pentecost. That very day
Peter stood up and spoke to the crowd of unbelieving Jews who were drawn to the
spot by what they saw and heard happening, saying to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ
for the remission of sins, and ye
shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 2:38). The
number of souls who accepted Christ at this invitation was about 3,000. These were consequently filled with the
Spirit, and they then became empowered to be witnesses also.
The scripture tells us that the Spirit gave them utterance. We must understand that all of our
evangelistic programs, and special meetings, and door to door campaigns are
totally useless unless the Spirit is leading and anointing the work. Unless the Spirit gives you and me utterance,
then we have nothing to tell the lost that will produce a lasting change. We
are just quoting scripture, but lacking the life and power that only the Spirit
can provide. “The wind bloweth where it listeth [where it wants to],
and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and
whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:8). It
is necessary for us to learn to be sensitive to how the Spirit of God is moving. We cannot command the wind or the direction
that it blows, but we can be aware
when it begins to breathe upon us, and get our sails up! It is the Lord Who calls the
unbeliever to Himself. Jesus said, “Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen
you.” Therefore evangelism is a work
that He must orchestrate from
beginning to end; and it is you and I who are to be His instruments, His witnesses.
Three young men that I know had recently gathered to study the
Bible. As they were leaving the place
where they had met, they encountered a man on a motorcycle. They greeted him, and he opened his heart to
them and told them that if he had a Bible, he would try to get his life
straightened around. One of the young
men, who was holding his Bible in his hands said, “Here you can have
mine.” That motorcyclist, who was a
perfect stranger, called out to God right then and there!
The word “witness” implies a verbal testimony, but it is much more than
that. It is also our example: the day-to-day
life that we live out before the world.
People are much more interested, initially, in what we do than they are in what we say. For example, if we profess to serve the Prince
of Peace but cannot control our own temper, then this contradiction is going to
hurt our witness. If folks are convinced
by what they see in the witness of our life, though, they will come to us and listen
to what we have to say. I know of a
couple whose neighbor said to them one day, “You’re going to think I’m a
peeping Tom, but I watch your family from my windows, and you are always
laughing, and happy, and enjoying one another.
My life isn’t like that. What do you
have that I don’t?” They had the
opportunity to share the gospel with their neighbor that day because of what
she saw in their lives; and they never even knew they were being watched! This is why we must be empowered as
Christians by the Holy Spirit. It is not
just to give us utterance, but to give us power to live a life that is above
reproach.
If you have truly repented, not just said “I’m sorry” to God, but truly
turned away from your sins, and have been baptized into Christ, then you will receive the power of the Holy Ghost.
You will
be a witness. He will give you the
boldness, and He will give you power!
Have you known this power in your life?
If not, then ask Christ to fill you today. Will you accept His call to be a witness?
“But the hour cometh, and now is, when
the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the
Father seeketh such to worship Him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him
must worship Him in spirit and
in truth.” (John
4:23).
“If ye love Me, keep My commandments.
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that He
may abide with you for ever; Even
the Spirit of truth; Whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not,
neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in
you.” (John
14:14-17).
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