Witnesses

Welcome/Prayer/ Intro

What are some of the barriers that we face in being a witness in our community? (Pause)

Time/Schedule / Uncomfortable/Dont know what to say?

What other things come to mind as barriers to being witnesses of our community?

This Morning We are going to look at Jesus’ final Words to his disciples. I believe that these words speak to us as well.

Context: After resurection. After the Road to Emmaus. But the first time the disciples are all together.

Walking through the Text:

PEACE BE WITH YOU. The Disciples are startled by Jesus’s arrival as anyone might be. The first thing that Jesus says to them is peace be with you.

Some of you might be needing to hear those words from Jesus this morning. Those three words might be all you take with you today. But think about what this means, peace be with you. Peace, Is shalom, its a wholeness. Peace is not an absence of conflict but a presence of something else. Jesus says peace be with you.

As we think about sharing testimony, we must remember these words. Peace be with you. Jesus doesnt say, ill change your circumstances. But I will bring peace in the midst of your circumstances. So when you find yourself in a situation where you have the opportunity to share remember Jesus’ words. Pehaps they are words you need to share with someone this.

TOUCH ME FOR YOURSELF. Jesus then presents himself before them saying, It is I myself! Touch me and see. Then Jesus turns and eats some fish. Touch, vision, and eating are all physical reminders that Jesus is truly present.

This speaks to us as we address the barrier of testimony when we dont know what to say.

Each of us here have had experiences where we have felt God’s presence in one way or another. This is something I almost always say, when I am talking about Jesus. I Say, Hey I cant convince you that God exists but I can tell you the ways that I have felt, seen and experienced God in my own life and the ways in which my friends and family have.

Transition: You may ask, how can I give testimony if I feel like my own experiences are incredibly personal and Im not ready to share or i dont feel like theyre worth sharing? Well, what Jesus shares next answers that.

The Entire Bible Points to Jesus.

When we cant share our story we can share the story of the Bible. The Bible projects’ motto is that the Bible is a unified story that points to Jesus. No matter what text we share from the Bible We can connect it to God in some way.

We all have at least one story in the text that we have connected with and stirrs our hears. For Me its the woman at the Well in John 4.

In verses 46 and 47 Jesus explains this to them. Luke 24:46-47

Luke 24:46–47 NIV

He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Can someone read verse 48 out loud for us.

YOU ARE MY WITNESSES!

This right here. This is what we need to hear from the Lord today.

Jesus says you are my witnesses. Let me say it again. Jesus says you are my witnesses. Think about that for a moment. You are my witnesses.

Jesus makes an identity statement. He doesnt say, you will go and witness, but you ARE my witnesses. That is profound. That means, part of what it means to be a disciple is to witness about Jesus.

What did we say a witness was in the beginning of this series does anyone remember? A witness sees and reports. Again Jesus is making an identity statement here. and its not the only time he says it. In the second account of the acension in Acts he says the same thing

Acts 1:8 (Slide) Jesus says you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the Earth. Church do you think this only applies to the first century disciples?

NO Jesus is speaking to us. Right now Right here in this place.

Not only that Jesus says He will give us the Holy Spirit to help us be who He has called us to be. Earlier in Luke Jesus says this to the Disciples: in Luke 12:11-12 (Slide)

Jesus says we will be his witnesses. Again, this is an invitation to an identity, not merely a task, but an identity.

CHURCH JESUS SAYS WE ARE HIS WITNESS. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING WE DO BUT SOMETHING WE ARE. JESUS INVITES US TO BE HIS WITNESSES.

THE ONLY THING LEFT TO SAY IS: WHO WILL BE A WITNESS?