5-29-14 - Witnesses

“Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.’”

I often joke that many Episcopalians seem to be enrolled in a Witness Protection Program, staying as low-profile as possible about their faith and spirituality. That can happen when we focus more on church than on Christ. Jesus calls those who would bear his name in the world to bear witness to his story, and to the power of God he taught and demonstrated. And witnesses testify.

Maybe “testify” is the problematic word. A witness in a court room does not necessarily tell their story voluntarily. So let’s leave that formal, sterile, judicial context and think about the way we talk about things we’ve witnessed in every day life. An amazing encounter with wildlife. That video of the cat chasing away the dog that bit the baby. The adorable thing our granddaughter said. The two-mile back-up with no known cause we endured. The new restaurant we love. The movie we just saw. We bear witness all the time.

So let’s start talking about our encounters with the Holy when we have them. Let’s talk about our outreach activities and our worship experiences and the joy of community. And let’s talk about Jesus and his story, and how it interweaves with our stories… or better yet, how it frames our stories. For our faith is not meant to be one strand of our life, woven in with all the other strands – it is meant to be the frame in which the tapestry sits, the frame that holds and contains our work and relationships and play and rest - our life.

Bearing witness is not even something we have to “do.” It is something we need only allow God to do through us. This Witness Program comes with built-in power supply. 
Jesus says in Acts: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
And in Luke: “And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."

That power came at Pentecost. We receive it at baptism, confirmation, ordination - and any time we exercise faith in the name of Jesus. If we find ourselves in a situation that could get “spiritual,” we can say a quick prayer: “Okay, God, you promised power… give me the courage and the words.”

Exercise your faith in prayer if called on. Tell a story that is meaningful to you. Talk about how Jesus is meaningful to you. We can do that in ways that give people space for their own experiences and views. A witness is not there to persuade, but to tell a story that is true and authentic.

“…You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
From the perspective of Jerusalem in 33 CE (give or take...), we are the ends of the earth. If we’ve received blessing from God, let’s bear witness.