Be My Witnesses

INTRODUCTION

Today is the final Sunday in the season of Easter, with next Sunday signaling the beginning of Pentecost. Throughout the season of Easter we celebrate the truth that Christ is risen. This Sunday we are given a final unique chance to reflect on this central truth of our faith. What does it mean that Christ is risen? That is the question which concerns our text this morning. This is what the disciples were trying to figure out. They saw the Lord's arrest by the soldiers in the garden of Gethsemane. They witnessed his crucifixion. They saw the Romans roll the stone over his tomb. Yet, that was not the end of the story! They encountered the empty tomb! They saw the risen Jesus with their own eyes. They know that Jesus is not dead but alive. Now what? What comes next? Jesus has come back, but why? What will he do? What will they do, now that he is resurrected?

The disciples ask Jesus, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” This is a really interesting question. Their question reveals the problem—the underlying complaint and longing—that motivated them to follow Jesus in the first place: the kingdom did not belong to Israel. If the kingdom did not belong to Israel, to whom did it belong? To Caesar—to the Romans. Before the Romans, the Jews had a brief window of Independence for about 100 years, but before then the kingdom belonged to the Greeks. Before the Greeks it belonged to the Persians. Before the Persians it belonged to the Medes. Before the Medes it belonged to the Babylonians, who destroyed the Temple and the took the Jews into exile. For over 600 years the Jews had lost their independence. There was no independent Kingdom of Judah. There was no Davidic heir to rule from Jerusalem. The disciples longed for the days that the prophets foretold, when God would be King over his people ruling through David’s chosen son, the Righteous Branch, as Jeremiah prophesied. When God would draw all nations to Jerusalem to worship at his glorious and resplendent rebuilt temple, as Micah prophesied. When the nations would beat their weapons into farming tools and learn warfare no more, as Isaiah prophesied. Then the kingdom would be returned to Israel. What did it mean for them that Jesus was resurrected? Surely, it meant NOW—that he had been vindicated (the Romans failed! He’s still alive!)—Jesus the Messiah would take back the kingdom, and usher in the era of peace and prosperity in God’s presence promised by the prophets.

The disciples want to know the “Now what? What’s next?” Jesus replies, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 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.” Jesus often disappoints us in the best of ways. Jesus gives them the most dissatisfying answer, and the one that we most hate to hear: “It’s not for you to know.” So often in life, we think we know how things are going to go, and least how they’re supposed to go. Then things go awry. Things do not go according to plan. No one thought the Messiah was going to die. That was on no one’s agenda in first century Judea. Jesus dies and comes back. Now what? Our lives are filled with many less significant “now what” moments. My marriage failed. Now what? My children or grandchildren are running buck wild and I didn’t raise them that way! Now what? I’m suffering with illnesses and limitations I never thought I would be dealing with. Now what? Like the disciples, we want to know the “What’s Next? What now? When are things going to get back on track?” Jesus often meets us with those same words, “It’s not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority.”

But, is a powerful word. It’s what our English teachers called a conjunction—it’s a linking word that joins two thoughts together. It is a contrasting word and a redirecting word. Jesus says, “It’s not for you to know—BUT! But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.” Jesus’ response did not includes answers. It did not include justifications. It did not include reasons why. Jesus redirects with that little word “but,” because what the disciples needed was power not answers. Why did they need power? Prior to his death and resurrection, Jesus told the disciples that they would sit next to him in his Kingdom on twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel. They were probably thinking, “It’s time to get my throne—let’s get to judging!” Jesus says, "No, you’re going to be my witnesses. You’re going to witness in Jerusalem, in Judea, in Samaria, and even to the very ends of the earth.” Put yourself in the disciples shoes. For the last three years you’ve been with Jesus all over Judea as he’s been preaching about the soon coming Kingdom of God. He told you that you’re going to sit on a throne and judge Israel. After everything else that’s happened, he now says you’re going to be his witness. Instead of ruling, reigning, judging, you’re going to be traveling around the world bearing witness about him. Imagine how confused you would be. Luke records, And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”

What are they witnessing to? Jesus has been received into heaven. He has sat down on his throne at the Father’s right hand. The problem was, not so much that the disciples were incorrect about the kingdom, but the problem was their vision was not big enough. Jesus will rule over Israel, as it’s rightful King, but he will also rule over the entire world—the entire cosmos. They must be witnesses, not only in Jerusalem, not only in Judea, not only to Samaria, but to all the world to this fact. Jesus is ruling and reigning now, at his Father’s side. The disciples were commissioned to proclaim Jesus is Lord. Just as the disciples were called to be his witnesses, we too are called to be his witnesses. Why? Because as the angels told the disciples, he will return in the same way he left. We have been tasked with proclaiming his sovereign rule over all the nations. Christ is King.

We are called to be witnesses in the “What nows?” of life. Jesus doesn’t give us answers—he doesn’t give us certainty—but, he gives us power.

These three things go together. 1). We need Holy Spirit power. 2). We need the Spirit to reveal the exalted Lord to us. 3). This enables us to Jesus’ witnesses. Let’s break this down practically. Without the power of the Holy Spirit, we cannot not be his witnesses. Paul said no one can call Jesus Lord except by the Holy Spirit. We need the power of the Holy Spirit to live right. We need the power of the Holy Spirit to endure the storms of life. We need the power of the Holy Spirit to fight the attack of the devil. We need the power of the Holy Spirit to share our testimony. We need the power of the Holy Spirit to stand strong when everything crumbles around us. Sometimes, we need the power of the Holy Spirit to get out of bed in the morning.

The Spirit gives us the heavenly eyes to see the exalted Savior. Jesus said, “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf.” What kind of Jesus does the Spirit testify to? A disinterested Jesus? A cold Jesus? An uncaring Jesus? A powerless Jesus? No, the Spirit testifies that Jesus is powerful. The Spirit testifies that Jesus is ruling and reigning. The Spirit testifies that Jesus is the sovereign Lord of the world and of your life. The Spirit testifies that this same powerful exalted Jesus loves you. He cares for you. He prays for you. We desperately need the Spirit to reveal the exalted to Jesus us. What’s the alternative? If your vision of Jesus is powerless, you’re not going to be a witness for that Jesus. If your Jesus is just a man or a good teacher, you’re not going to be a witness for that Jesus. Who cares? If you have the inner vision of the Jesus this book describes, Jesus who died for sins, who rose from the dead, who was taken into heaven, and importantly who is coming back some day—that is a Jesus to be a witness for.

Let me give you a Biblical example. The book of Acts chapters 6-7 tell the story of Stephen’s martyrdom. Stephen was one of the first deacons. He was arrested for preaching Jesus. This is what Acts 7:54-58 says, “54 When they heard these things, they became enraged and ground their teeth at Stephen. 55 But filled with the Holy Spirit, he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 “Look,” he said, “I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” 57 But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. 58 Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him.” Stephen is one of the most powerful examples of how Holy Ghost power and seeing the exalted Jesus enabled him to be a witness for Jesus. Stephen couldn’t have endured martyrdom had it not been for his vision of the exalted Lord. He couldn’t have endured the suffering he did except he was filled with the Holy Spirit. With the both of those things together, he made the good confession and he was even able to lay down his life for the Lord Jesus.

What does it mean to be a witness. It will be different for each of us. In Stephen’s case it meant literal martyrdom—that is the Greek word for witness—martyros. Most of us will be called to life of practical martyrdom where we bear witness to the Lord Jesus through the trials of this life. During the trials of life, the devil wants to divert our eyes from heaven. He doesn’t want us to see the Lord as exalted and powerful. He wants us to have a low estimation of the Savior. He wants us to doubt whether Christ hears our prayers. The devil wants to cast our vision earthward on our problems and circumstances. If our eyes are off of Jesus, then we’re not going to be witnesses for him. If our hopes are anchored to anything or anyone besides the Lord, then we will be witnesses for that thing or person and not Christ.  If our eyes are on our circumstances, then we will be witnesses for our circumstances, and not to Christ. If our eyes are on our sins—if our focus is on our desires—then we will be witnesses for our sins. If we have our eyes set heavenward, if our eyes are on Jesus, then we can preserve through life’s challenges. When we get the heavenly vision of how great he truly is, we see that our trials are but a light momentary affliction. When we see with eyes of faith the full scope of his sovereign rule, then our sins lose their power and appeal.   

Do you need the power of the Holy Spirit this morning? Do you need a renewed vision of the exalted Christ this morning? Are you in the “Now what? The What’s next?” Have you been hit with something and you don’t know how you’re gonna make through? I encourage you, the altar is open this morning, pray to our exalted Lord and he will give you Holy Spirit power to endure the trial. He will give you power to be his witness through the storm. Jesus is the one who gives the Spirit without measure. Jesus is the one who dispenses the power. All we have to do is ask, and Jesus will give us Holy Spirit power. Come and pray.