Being A Witness

Transcript

Rob McFarlane: 0:58

The title of my sermon today is Being a Witness. Let's read Acts chapter 1, and I'm reading from the English Standard Version of the Bible. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth. First, let's look at four words used in Acts chapter 1, verse 8. The word you is used three times. You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses. This I think tells us the purpose or the reason behind receiving the power of God through the Holy Spirit to be witnesses for Jesus. Secondly, the word power comes from the Greek word that we get our word dynamo or dynamite from. It is an explosive power or a power that produces energy. You will receive an explosive power or a power that produces energy in you to be witnesses for Jesus. And this comes through the Holy Spirit. Thirdly, we see the word and. So the first way that we can be a witness for Jesus is with our message. We have a wonderful message. It's the good news. Number two. The second way that we can be a witness for Jesus and win others for him is by our actions. Romans chapter 15, verse 19 says, I have won them by the good way I have lived before them. We must walk the talk. We must preach what we practice. Actions speak louder than words. Let's be those who back up our message with the way that we live. The way we live will cause people to see that Jesus Christ is real. For example, if we love one another, people will know that we're Christians. But there are other things that you and I can do that bring glory to God, and some of those are our good works. We're not saved by good works, but we're saved to do good works. Let's look at a few verses together. First of all, Matthew chapter 5 and verse 16. This verse teaches us that people will see our good works and bring glory to God. Matthew 5, 16 in the English Standard Version, says, in the same way, let your light shine before others, so they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. God wants us as Christians to be a witness for Him by being active in good works. Titus was told by Paul, his father in the faith, as he was leading a local church, to be zealous for good works. Let's look at Ephesians chapter 2 and verse 10. Here the Bible tells us that God has good works prepared in advance for us to do. Let's read it. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. I like the way that this verse teaches us that God has prepared good works in advance for us to do. It's one of my favorites. And every day I wake up saying, Lord, what have you prepared in advance for me to do today? What good works do you have in store for me to perform in your name today? Now those good works might be acts of kindness or generosity, they might be an encouraging word to somebody else or just saying hello to someone. They also may be something far more impactful and inspired by the Holy Spirit. God wants us to do good works in His name. I love the way Acts chapter 10, verse 38 said, God anointed Jesus Christ of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power who went about doing good and healing all. And there's times when God wants to perform those supernatural good works through us, and we need to be open to what the Holy Spirit wants to do with us every single day. Today, let's ask Him to give us divine appointments in the week ahead where we can be used by Him to be a witness for Him in good works. Number three, the power of God. We can be a witness in the power of God. Romans 15 verse 19 says, I have won them by the miracles done through me as signs from God. A miracle is an intervention by God in the ordinary course of nature. It's when God breaks in and he shows himself strong on our behalf. It's where God does something extraordinary and it certainly gets people's attention. Now remember, miracles sometimes are huge and obvious and notable, and other times they are small. Whatever they are, we need to be encouraged that God is at work. Count your blessings. Notice God at work in your life, in the big things and in the small things. And as we minister to others, we need to trust that God will perform miracles through us as signs that He is real. Listen to 1 Corinthians chapter 2, verse 4 and 5. Here, Paul speaking to the church in Corinth is telling them that he didn't want their faith to rest on man's wisdom, but rather in the power of God. It says, And my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. I long to see more of God's power flow through my life. I long to see more of God's power at work in our meetings and events in our church. And I know that God is not limited, his arm is not too short that he cannot save, his ear is not dull that he cannot hear, and he can even perform a miracle in your life today, my friend. Perhaps right now, you can reach out in faith and put your trust in him and believe for a miracle in your life, a miracle of provision, a miracle of healing, a miracle in a relationship, or a miracle for a loved one. Remember, a miracle is simply an intervention by God in the ordinary course of nature. In the natural, it might be going in one direction, but God can turn that around. In all things, we know that God works for the good of those who love Him, for His glory and for our good. We know that our God can do anything. Mark chapter 10, verse 27, Jesus said, With man this is impossible, but not with God. With God all things are possible. Let's believe that God can use us to perform impossible things in His name for His glory so that it gets people's attention and turns their hearts towards Him and their eyes up towards heaven. Jesus wants to use you and me in signs, wonders, and miracles. So, in summary today, we've seen that God wants us to be witnesses for Him. And we've seen that preaching the full gospel involves three things words, actions, and power. Let's pray. And as we do, please ask the Holy Spirit to show you what He wants you to do as a result of what you've heard in today's sermon. Let's pray. Father God, thank you that you want to empower us with your Holy Spirit to be witnesses for you, witnesses in our local area, in our region, and to the ends of the earth. We want to see local impact and global influence in Jesus' name. Thank you that you want us to preach the full gospel by the Holy Spirit's power. And we thank you that involves words. It involves actions and it involves power. And I pray that you would give us a clear message. Give us the ability to explain the gospel in a clear way. Help our words be plain and simple so people understand and respond to the good news. Lord, help us not to preach our preferences, but to preach your word. Show us ways that we can be salt and light where you have placed us, where we can bring encouragement where there is discouragement, where we can bring hope where there is despair. Help us to be a witness for you with our actions. That people may see our good works and glorify our Father who's in heaven. And Lord, we ask that you, by your Holy Spirit, would use us in signs, wonders, and miracles, that we would see people healed. We would see people set free. We would see change in impossible situations through the power of prayer and faith in you. We ask you to use us today, Lord Jesus. Just pause for a moment and ask the Holy Spirit, what do you want me to do, Lord, as a result of what I've heard today? Use me. Use us. Cause us, empowered by your Holy Spirit, to be effective witnesses for you. I ask these things in Jesus' name. Amen.