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 like to joke that many Christ-followers seem to think they're in the 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 bear his name in the world to bear witness to their stories of life in him, and to the power of God he taught and demonstrated. And witnesses testify.
Maybe “testify” is the problematic word. A witness in a courtroom does not necessarily speak voluntarily. So let’s leave that sterile, judicial context and think about the way we talk about things we’ve witnessed in everyday life. An amazing encounter with wildlife. That video of cats stealing dogs' beds. The adorable thing our granddaughter said. The viral choir. The new recipe we tried. 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 work 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 allow God to do through us. This Witness Program comes with built-in power supply. Jesus said, “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.” (Acts 1:8)
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 conversation 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 knowing Y'shua 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. We tell our stories of God, inviting others to tell theirs. And so we create community.
“…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. Anytime we receive blessing from God, let’s bear witnesses.
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 conversation 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 knowing Y'shua 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. We tell our stories of God, inviting others to tell theirs. And so we create community.
“…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. Anytime we receive blessing from God, let’s bear witnesses.
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