Witnessing
WITNESSING
-THE ELEVEN DISCIPLES AT A MOUNTAIN IN GALILEE, WHERE JESUS HAD TOLD THEM TO GO.
When they saw Jesus, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said,
JESUS
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
“Do not say ‘Four months more and then the harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.”
MATTHEW
Sometimes Christians excuse themselves from witnessing by saying that their family or friends aren’t ready to believe. We are to go - whether it is next door or to another country - and make disciples. It is not an option, but a command to all who call Jesus “Lord.”
I remember how John used curiosity as an opener to share about Christ. People may be curious about our Christian life-style and values so we can share how Christ made a difference in us.
Remember Peter and Andrew when Jesus said to you, “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Jesus was calling you to be productive spiritually. We all need to fish for souls. If we practice Christ’s teachings and share the gospel with others, we will be able to draw those around us to Christ.
He also called us all to witness, when he said, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Many people are ready to give their lives to Christ if someone would show them how. Jesus also commands us to pray that people will respond to this need for workers. Often, when we pray for something, God answers our prayers by using us. Also Remember:
JESUS
Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
PETER
Remember when Jesus invited you Matthew, “Follow me” and you got up and followed him. And then while Jesus was having dinner at your house, many tax collectors and “sinners” were eating with you and Jesus. You introduced Jesus to your friends on the same day. Like you, new believers can share their faith right away with whatever knowledge, skill, or experience they already have.
I also remember on that day that the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the “sinners” and tax collectors, they asked us: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and “sinners?” On hearing that, Jesus said to them,
JESUS
“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
PETER
We, too, must befriend those who need Christ, even if they do not seem to be ideal companions. They may be the ones who most need to see and hear the message of Christ’s love.
And I still think of the time that Jesus told that demon-possessed man he healed,
JESUS
“Go home to your family and tell him how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”
PETER
And the man went away and began to tell in the ten cities around him how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed. Just as we would tell others about a doctor who cured a physical disease, we should tell about Christ who gave us a better “Quality of Life.”
We must personally realize that Jesus rose from the dead and lives for us today. As we grow in our relationship with Christ, he will give us both the opportunities and the inner strength to tell his message. For Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.”
JESUS
“If people do not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave their town, as a testimony against them.”
ANDREW
Yes, We are not responsible for how the people responded to our message, if we have carefully and truthfully presented you, Jesus. We need to move on to others whom God desires to reach.
JESUS
“I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God. But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God.”
ANDREW
We disown you, Jesus, when we (1) hope no one will think we are Christians, (2) decide NOT to speak up for what is right, (3) are silent about our relationship with God, (4) blend into society, (5) accept our culture’s non-Christian values. By contrast, we acknowledge him when we (1) live moral, upright, Christ-honoring lives, (2) look for opportunities to share our faith with others, (3) help others in need, (4) take a stand for justice, (5) love others, (6) acknowledge our loyalty to Christ, (7) use our lives and resources to carry out his desires rather than our own.
JOHN
Instead of looking for points of disagreement and sowing seeds of discord, discontent, and doubt; we should be focusing on devotion to you Jesus. Let’s not try to force others to believe our way. Instead, let’s witness about what Christ has done for us. How can anyone argue with us about that?
Remember when Jesus met the Samaritan woman at the well; and she found out that Jesus knew all about her private life, she quickly changed the subject. Often people become uncomfortable when the conversation is too close to home, they try to talk about something else. As we witness, we should gently guide the conversation back to Christ.
The gospel is for every person, no matter what his or her race, social position, or past sins. We must be prepared to share this gospel at any time and in any place. Jesus, you crossed all barriers to share the gospel, and we who follow you must do no less.
The woman did not immediately understand what jesus was talking about. It takes time to accept something that changes the very foundations of your life. Jesus’ allowed the woman time to ask questions and put pieces together for herself. Sharing the gospel will not always have immediate results. When you ask people to let, you Jesus, to change their lives, we must give them time to weigh the matter.
Fear can stifle our witness. Although many people talk about Christ in religious groups, when it comes to making a public statement about their faith, they are often embarrassed. Be courageous! Speak up for Christ!
Remember, Jesus when you healed the Man who was born blind. The parents believed but kept quiet for fear of excommunication; and the healed man showed consistent growing faith. And he did not know how or why he was healed, but he knew that his life had been miraculously changed, and he was not afraid to tell the truth. You don’t need to know all the answers in order to share Christ with others. It is important to tell them how he has changed your life. Then trust that God will use your words to help others believe in him too.
Jesus, you had performed many miracles, but most people still don’t believe in you. We shouldn’t get discouraged if our witness for Christ doesn’t turn as many to you as we’d like. Our job is to continue as a faithful witness. We are responsible to reach out to others, but they are responsible for their own decisions.
JESUS
I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things then these, because I am going to the Father.
JOHN
So you mean; that we working in the power of the Holy Spirit, will carry the gospel of God’s kingdom to the rest of the world.
JESUS
I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. --Ephesians 4:22-24
British actor Michael Wilding (1912-1979) was once asked if celebrities had any traits which set them apart from other human beings.
He replied, "Without a doubt. You can pick out actors by the glazed look that comes into their eyes when the conversation wanders away from themselves."
Wilding's theory is certainly true, but this self-centered trait has existed in all people since the beginning of time due to our inherently sinful nature from birth to death.
For the believer, we must understand that self-centeredness is sin. The Bible says, "Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires" (Galatians 5:24).
Our sinful nature causes us to automatically be self-focused and concerned with our own interests before those of others. But the Bible says this focus inward is from the world (1 John 2:16).
Certainly each person is a unique individual in the sight of our Creator, for He made you in His own image. But when your individuality, a gift from God, is turned inward, it becomes the source of sin, and is the obstacle which stands in the way of holiness.
The Bible says, "If you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such 'wisdom' does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil" (James 3:14-15) and ultimately leads to destruction (Philippians 3:19).
If you recognize that self-centeredness has crept into your heart and mind, then ask for God's forgiveness, begin trusting Him with your innermost being, and throw off all worldliness. When you do this, His purposes will become the driving force in your life.
PRAYER CHALLENGE: Pray that God would remove any self-centeredness from your heart. Commit to Him your focus and desires going forward in your spiritual walk with Him.
My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life. --Psalm 119:50
A famous evangelist told of a friend that lost his job, a sizable fortune, and his beautiful home because of a decline in his business. And to make matters worse, his loving wife died, adding more to his sorrow.
Yet in the midst of it all, he held steadfastly to his faith--what seemed to be the only thing he had left.
One day, as he was taking a walk around town in search of employment, he spotted a group of men doing stonework on a large church nearby. He stopped to watch one of the men chisel a large triangular piece of rock.
Being curious, he approached the man and asked, "Excuse me. Where are you going to put that?"
The workman replied, "Do you see that little opening up there near the spire? Well, I'm shaping this stone down here so that it will fit in up there."
As the grief-stricken man walked away, tears filled his eyes, for the Lord had spoken clearly to him through that laborer. The workman's words gave new meaning to the sorrow-filled man's troubled situation.
While not being completely filled with stories of ultimate despair, the Bible is not altogether peaceful and it doesn't completely avoid heartache. And God's Word doesn't even have all the answers to the questions behind suffering.
Yet it does share that the sovereignty of God prevails in the midst of suffering. We can find great comfort in any situation we face knowing that the Lord Jesus Christ suffered once as well.
If you learn to focus on Jesus and follow Him faithfully during times of trouble, then He can shape you into a perfect fit while you're in the valley and eventually set you high up on the mountaintop.
PRAYER CHALLENGE: Ask the Lord to bring meaning and victory into times of suffering in your life.
But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. --1 Peter 3:15
The renowned 19th-century English preacher Charles H. Spurgeon told a story about King Cyrus, the man who conquered Babylon and freed the Jews from captivity.
A visitor to King Cyrus' palace was admiring his garden and said it gave him much pleasure. King Cyrus responded, "Ah...but you have not so much pleasure in this garden as I have, for I have planted every tree in it myself."
Spurgeon then commented on this story, "One reason some saints will have a greater fullness of heaven than others will be that they did more for heaven than others. By God's grace they were enabled to bring more souls there."
What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind when you are gone from this earth? How many people will be in heaven because of you?
Do you want to be known as a dynamic believer in Christ who never left the pew or walked outside of the church building to share Jesus? Or do you want to be known as one who spent every day sharing Him with the lost world around you?
Nothing is more effective in drawing someone to Jesus Christ than sharing your personal testimony of faith. How did God change your life? What great and mighty things have you seen Him do as a result?
Believers should always be ready to share their faith with others and have zeal to move beyond their comfort zone to bring more souls to Jesus.
Become the kind of Christian that when you reach eternity, someone will say to you, "I'm so thankful for you. It was because of your testimony, your life, and your invitation to accept Jesus that I'm here today" (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20).
PRAYER CHALLENGE: Pray that you would have a passion for sharing Jesus with those around you who are lost.
WITNESSING
-THE ELEVEN DISCIPLES AT A MOUNTAIN IN GALILEE, WHERE JESUS HAD TOLD THEM TO GO.
When they saw Jesus, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said,
JESUS
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
“Do not say ‘Four months more and then the harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.”
MATTHEW
Sometimes Christians excuse themselves from witnessing by saying that their family or friends aren’t ready to believe. We are to go - whether it is next door or to another country - and make disciples. It is not an option, but a command to all who call Jesus “Lord.”
I remember how John used curiosity as an opener to share about Christ. People may be curious about our Christian life-style and values so we can share how Christ made a difference in us.
Remember Peter and Andrew when Jesus said to you, “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Jesus was calling you to be productive spiritually. We all need to fish for souls. If we practice Christ’s teachings and share the gospel with others, we will be able to draw those around us to Christ.
He also called us all to witness, when he said, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Many people are ready to give their lives to Christ if someone would show them how. Jesus also commands us to pray that people will respond to this need for workers. Often, when we pray for something, God answers our prayers by using us. Also Remember:
JESUS
Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
PETER
Remember when Jesus invited you Matthew, “Follow me” and you got up and followed him. And then while Jesus was having dinner at your house, many tax collectors and “sinners” were eating with you and Jesus. You introduced Jesus to your friends on the same day. Like you, new believers can share their faith right away with whatever knowledge, skill, or experience they already have.
I also remember on that day that the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the “sinners” and tax collectors, they asked us: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and “sinners?” On hearing that, Jesus said to them,
JESUS
“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
PETER
We, too, must befriend those who need Christ, even if they do not seem to be ideal companions. They may be the ones who most need to see and hear the message of Christ’s love.
And I still think of the time that Jesus told that demon-possessed man he healed,
JESUS
“Go home to your family and tell him how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”
PETER
And the man went away and began to tell in the ten cities around him how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed. Just as we would tell others about a doctor who cured a physical disease, we should tell about Christ who gave us a better “Quality of Life.”
We must personally realize that Jesus rose from the dead and lives for us today. As we grow in our relationship with Christ, he will give us both the opportunities and the inner strength to tell his message. For Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.”
JESUS
“If people do not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave their town, as a testimony against them.”
ANDREW
Yes, We are not responsible for how the people responded to our message, if we have carefully and truthfully presented you, Jesus. We need to move on to others whom God desires to reach.
JESUS
“I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God. But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God.”
ANDREW
We disown you, Jesus, when we (1) hope no one will think we are Christians, (2) decide NOT to speak up for what is right, (3) are silent about our relationship with God, (4) blend into society, (5) accept our culture’s non-Christian values. By contrast, we acknowledge him when we (1) live moral, upright, Christ-honoring lives, (2) look for opportunities to share our faith with others, (3) help others in need, (4) take a stand for justice, (5) love others, (6) acknowledge our loyalty to Christ, (7) use our lives and resources to carry out his desires rather than our own.
JOHN
Instead of looking for points of disagreement and sowing seeds of discord, discontent, and doubt; we should be focusing on devotion to you Jesus. Let’s not try to force others to believe our way. Instead, let’s witness about what Christ has done for us. How can anyone argue with us about that?
Remember when Jesus met the Samaritan woman at the well; and she found out that Jesus knew all about her private life, she quickly changed the subject. Often people become uncomfortable when the conversation is too close to home, they try to talk about something else. As we witness, we should gently guide the conversation back to Christ.
The gospel is for every person, no matter what his or her race, social position, or past sins. We must be prepared to share this gospel at any time and in any place. Jesus, you crossed all barriers to share the gospel, and we who follow you must do no less.
The woman did not immediately understand what jesus was talking about. It takes time to accept something that changes the very foundations of your life. Jesus’ allowed the woman time to ask questions and put pieces together for herself. Sharing the gospel will not always have immediate results. When you ask people to let, you Jesus, to change their lives, we must give them time to weigh the matter.
Fear can stifle our witness. Although many people talk about Christ in religious groups, when it comes to making a public statement about their faith, they are often embarrassed. Be courageous! Speak up for Christ!
Remember, Jesus when you healed the Man who was born blind. The parents believed but kept quiet for fear of excommunication; and the healed man showed consistent growing faith. And he did not know how or why he was healed, but he knew that his life had been miraculously changed, and he was not afraid to tell the truth. You don’t need to know all the answers in order to share Christ with others. It is important to tell them how he has changed your life. Then trust that God will use your words to help others believe in him too.
Jesus, you had performed many miracles, but most people still don’t believe in you. We shouldn’t get discouraged if our witness for Christ doesn’t turn as many to you as we’d like. Our job is to continue as a faithful witness. We are responsible to reach out to others, but they are responsible for their own decisions.
JESUS
I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things then these, because I am going to the Father.
JOHN
So you mean; that we working in the power of the Holy Spirit, will carry the gospel of God’s kingdom to the rest of the world.
JESUS
I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. --Ephesians 4:22-24
British actor Michael Wilding (1912-1979) was once asked if celebrities had any traits which set them apart from other human beings.
He replied, "Without a doubt. You can pick out actors by the glazed look that comes into their eyes when the conversation wanders away from themselves."
Wilding's theory is certainly true, but this self-centered trait has existed in all people since the beginning of time due to our inherently sinful nature from birth to death.
For the believer, we must understand that self-centeredness is sin. The Bible says, "Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires" (Galatians 5:24).
Our sinful nature causes us to automatically be self-focused and concerned with our own interests before those of others. But the Bible says this focus inward is from the world (1 John 2:16).
Certainly each person is a unique individual in the sight of our Creator, for He made you in His own image. But when your individuality, a gift from God, is turned inward, it becomes the source of sin, and is the obstacle which stands in the way of holiness.
The Bible says, "If you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such 'wisdom' does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil" (James 3:14-15) and ultimately leads to destruction (Philippians 3:19).
If you recognize that self-centeredness has crept into your heart and mind, then ask for God's forgiveness, begin trusting Him with your innermost being, and throw off all worldliness. When you do this, His purposes will become the driving force in your life.
PRAYER CHALLENGE: Pray that God would remove any self-centeredness from your heart. Commit to Him your focus and desires going forward in your spiritual walk with Him.
My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life. --Psalm 119:50
A famous evangelist told of a friend that lost his job, a sizable fortune, and his beautiful home because of a decline in his business. And to make matters worse, his loving wife died, adding more to his sorrow.
Yet in the midst of it all, he held steadfastly to his faith--what seemed to be the only thing he had left.
One day, as he was taking a walk around town in search of employment, he spotted a group of men doing stonework on a large church nearby. He stopped to watch one of the men chisel a large triangular piece of rock.
Being curious, he approached the man and asked, "Excuse me. Where are you going to put that?"
The workman replied, "Do you see that little opening up there near the spire? Well, I'm shaping this stone down here so that it will fit in up there."
As the grief-stricken man walked away, tears filled his eyes, for the Lord had spoken clearly to him through that laborer. The workman's words gave new meaning to the sorrow-filled man's troubled situation.
While not being completely filled with stories of ultimate despair, the Bible is not altogether peaceful and it doesn't completely avoid heartache. And God's Word doesn't even have all the answers to the questions behind suffering.
Yet it does share that the sovereignty of God prevails in the midst of suffering. We can find great comfort in any situation we face knowing that the Lord Jesus Christ suffered once as well.
If you learn to focus on Jesus and follow Him faithfully during times of trouble, then He can shape you into a perfect fit while you're in the valley and eventually set you high up on the mountaintop.
PRAYER CHALLENGE: Ask the Lord to bring meaning and victory into times of suffering in your life.
But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. --1 Peter 3:15
The renowned 19th-century English preacher Charles H. Spurgeon told a story about King Cyrus, the man who conquered Babylon and freed the Jews from captivity.
A visitor to King Cyrus' palace was admiring his garden and said it gave him much pleasure. King Cyrus responded, "Ah...but you have not so much pleasure in this garden as I have, for I have planted every tree in it myself."
Spurgeon then commented on this story, "One reason some saints will have a greater fullness of heaven than others will be that they did more for heaven than others. By God's grace they were enabled to bring more souls there."
What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind when you are gone from this earth? How many people will be in heaven because of you?
Do you want to be known as a dynamic believer in Christ who never left the pew or walked outside of the church building to share Jesus? Or do you want to be known as one who spent every day sharing Him with the lost world around you?
Nothing is more effective in drawing someone to Jesus Christ than sharing your personal testimony of faith. How did God change your life? What great and mighty things have you seen Him do as a result?
Believers should always be ready to share their faith with others and have zeal to move beyond their comfort zone to bring more souls to Jesus.
Become the kind of Christian that when you reach eternity, someone will say to you, "I'm so thankful for you. It was because of your testimony, your life, and your invitation to accept Jesus that I'm here today" (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20).
PRAYER CHALLENGE: Pray that you would have a passion for sharing Jesus with those around you who are lost.