Am I A Witness?
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This morning we are picking back up in our study of the book of Acts.
If you’re new to our church, it would be helpful for you to know that here at MCF, we practice a form of preaching called “Expository Preaching”.
What that means is we believe the Bible is best taught be taking books of the Bible, and then breaking them down from beginning to end, chapter by chapter, verse by verse. Our goal: To better understand what the Bible says and how it applies to our lives today.
With that said, we are currently doing that through the book of Acts. A book written for two primary purposes:
First, to give us a history of how the church started.
Second, to show us how God intends for the church to function in order to accomplish the mission of taking the Gospel to the entire world.
So, if you haven’t been with us, I would encourage you to go online to mcf.life where you can listen to all of the messages leading up to today.
You may recall last week we moved into chapter 8, a chapter that represents a transition in the life of the early church. A transition that was unfortunately triggered by the martyr of the first Christian, a man named Stephen, who was killed for his faith in Jesus. A death that resulted in the early church facing its first round of intense persecution. Luke puts it like this. In chapter 8:1 he writes:
in the book of Acts as the early church got its first taste of persecution. A persecution
It all started in chapter 7 as a Christian named Stephen was confronted by a group of religious leaders.
“And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem...” a (ESV)
Luke says on the day Stephen was killed, a great persecution came against the church.
So, a good question might be, “Who was persecuting them and how great was this persecution?” Luke tells us. In verse 3 he writes:
“But Saul was ravaging the church...” a (ESV)
First, Luke says the persecution was led by a man named Saul, and that Saul was ravaging the church.
The word translated for ravage here means to tear apart, destroy, and cause great harm. It’s the imagery of a lion tearing the meat off the bone of its prey. So, the implication is that Saul is literally trying to tear the church apart. Luke goes on to tell us:
So
“…and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.” (ESV)
3 But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.
Acts 8:
Luke says in order to tear the church apart Saul is literally going from house to house and hauling Christians off to prison, and in some cases even killing them.
It would be very similar to what we saw in WW2 as Jews were literally hunted down by the Nazis and hauled off to concentration camps. That’s how great and intense this persecution was.
So, how did the Christians deal with this?
The good new though is, some of the Christians were able to escape Saul’s grasp. Luke writes:
“...and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.” (ESV)
Luke says as Paul ravaged the church, some of the church members were able to escape out of the city and were scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria where they hid and found places of refuge.
4 Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.
As a result, those who do escape Saul’s grasp are forced to flee the city into the surrounding regions.
Luke says some escaped, and those who did escape were forced to flee the city into the surrounding regions where they began to preach the word.
So, a good question might be, “Why is this happening?”
Well, as we learned last week, it’s happening for a couple of reasons.
First, it’s happening because Jesus said it would. In Jesus warns his disciples what following Him would entail. Recording the words of Jesus, Matthew writes:
9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake.
9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake.
Jesus warned his disciples that persecution would eventually come that could lead to imprisonment and even death. And the fact is, we still see that happening in the world today.
Well, primarily it’s happening because God has allowed it. Which might surprise some of us. The question then is, “If that’s true, why would God allow this great persecution to happen?”
17 Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, 18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles.
17 Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues,
Simply put, the church had grown comfortable and lost sight of its mission.
You may recall back in , Jesus gave the early church specific instructions concerning the mission and proclamation of the gospel. In Jesus says:
8 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.”
Jesus’s instructions are clear. After they are filled with the Holy Spirit, their job is to take the gospel first to Jerusalem, and then to Judea, then to Samaria, and eventually to the rest of the world.
But up to this point, the early church hasn’t done that. Up to this point, they’ve stayed within the comfortable confounds of Jerusalem. Because after all, life at First Century Fellowship Church is good. Listen to how Luke describes their conditions back in chapter 4:
32 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.
Acts 4:
Acts 4:34
34 There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold 35 and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.
So, why haven’t they expanded beyond Jerusalem? Well, there could be a number of reasons, but based on what we’ve learned so far, it would seem they’ve not followed through on the mission because they’ve grown comfortable. We know this based on Luke’s assessment of the church back in chapter 4. Listen to how he describes the Jerusalem church:
32 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. 33 And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. 34 There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold 35 and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.
Acts 4
You see, the reason the early church hasn’t left Jerusalem is because they’ve grown with their church lifestyle. Comfortable with the fellowship. Comfortable with every need being met. I mean, why would you want to leave a place like that. Life is good at First Century Fellowship Church.
And please hear me, I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with being comfortable. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with Christian fellowship or having our personal needs met.
But the fact is, Jesus didn’t come so the church could just sit around, hear great worship, and drink coffee together. Jesus came to build a church that would reach a lost and dying world. Jesus came to build a church that would be willing to leave comfort in order to go to Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
But the early church had lost sight of that. The early church had gotten lost in its comfort. And so, to wake them back up to the mission, God allows them to get uncomfortable. God allows a man named Saul to light a fire under them.
Because, like many Christians, they’ve grown comfortable where they are at.
up to this point, the early church hasn’t followed through on what Jesus asked them to do.
And the fact of the matter is, sometimes God does that to us as well. Because as we discussed last week, one of the greatest deterrents to accomplishing God’s plan in our life will be our love of comfort. And so sometimes, because He loves us, God allows a little discomfort in our lives to get us back on track.
Now, you might be thinking, “I don’t know pastor. I’m not sure God would do that?” Well, you can be sure He would, and He did, because Luke confirms it. And we know it based on two clues Luke gives us:
And we know that based on two clues Luke gives us.
God has allowed it. And we know that based on two clues Luke gives us.
First, Luke says as the persecution took place they were “scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria”.
As we learned last week, the word translated for scattered here portrays the idea of a farmer scattering and sowing seed in a field. So, the implication is that through this persecution, the early church was scattered and sown into the surrounding region like a seed is planted in a field.
Second, Luke says as they were scattered and sown outside of Jerusalem, their presence in those regions began to take root. In verse 4 he writes:
4 Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.
Luke says as the Christians were scattered throughout the region, they began to preach the word. In other words, they started doing what Jesus had originally asked them to do.
All that to say, in order to get the early church back on mission, God allowed the persecution to take place. A persecution that pushed the early church out of Jerusalem and into the regions of Judea and Samaria.
So, that’s where we were last week, and if you missed last week I would encourage you to go online and listen to last weeks message.
And now today, as we come back to our study, Luke is going to show us how those who were scattered, scattered the seed. In other words, how they went about sharing the gospel.
And to do that, Luke is going to introduce us to an individual who escaped the persecution of Jerusalem and started sharing the good news of the gospel in the region known as Samaria.
But before we get to Luke’s example, I want to take a few minutes and build some framework for where God’s Word is taking us for the next couple of weeks, and to do that, I want to begin by asking you a question about your faith journey. And the question is this:
Question: As a follower of Jesus, do you desire to be a witness for Jesus?
In other words, as a Christian, do you have a desire to lead other people to faith in Jesus?
I ask you that question, because depending on your answer, it’s a question that reveals much about your understanding of your faith and Christianity.
For example: If your answer is, “No, I don’t really have a desire to lead other people to Jesus.” Then I would say there’s a significant problem with your faith or understanding of faith.
Because to say you don’t care about leading people to Jesus is to say you don’t care about what is important to God. Because leading people to Jesus is important to God, and so important that He literally sent his Son from heaven to us. Jesus puts it like this:
38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.
So, if introducing people to Jesus is important to God, it should be important to us as well.
And if it’s not important to you, then
Second, if you’ve put your faith in Jesus, then you’ve experienced the transformational power that Jesus brings into our lives. You’ve experienced the supernatural peace. You’ve experienced the supernatural joy. You’ve experienced the burden of sin and death being lifted off of your shoulders.
The second problem, if you don’t care about leading people to Jesus, is it might suggest that you’ve never truly met Jesus.
Now, when I say that, some of you might be thinking, “Pastor, I can’t believe you would say that. By saying that, are you suggesting that I’m not a Christian?”
No, that’s not for me to determine. I’m not God. But what I’m suggesting is this. When a person puts their faith in Jesus, it should produce a supernatural change in their life that gives them a new love for people. A love that should cause you to want to share the good news of Jesus with others. the Apostle John puts it like this:
20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.
1 John
John says you can’t say you love God and hate your brother. And when he says brother he’s talking about a fellow human being.
Now, you might say, “Ok pastor, I get what you’re saying. But just because I don’t tell somebody about Jesus, doesn’t mean I hate them.” Well, it doesn’t mean you love them either. Because if you loved them you would tell them about Jesus. If you loved them, you would tell them about how important a relationship with Jesus is. If you loved them you would want them to know and experience the transformational work of Jesus in their life.
But if you have no love for lost people, and you really don’t care what happens to them in eternity, then how can you say you love God, because God loves lost people. Loves them so much that He sent His Son and laid down His life for them.
Second, being a witness for Him is something Jesus expects us to do. In , in his final words to His disciples before ascending into heaven, Jesus says this:
All that to say, if you have no desire to lead somebody to Jesus, then it should cause you to stop and ask yourself, “Have I truly experienced or do I truly understand the work of Jesus in my own life?” Because that work should have changed something in you.
The Third problem with not wanting to share your faith is this. Being a witness for Jesus is something Jesus expects us to do. In , in his final words to His disciples before ascending into heaven, Jesus says this:
8 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.”
Jesus says, “You will be my witnesses...” In other words, you will be the ones who go out and tell others about their need for me. You will be my witnesses.
So, it’s not only important to God, it’s expected.
What that means is, if you don’t care or aren’t willing to tell others about Jesus, then you are essentially walking in disobedience to Jesus.
All that to say, if you claim to be a Christian, but leading people to Jesus isn’t a priority for you, then there’s a disconnect somewhere in your faith. Because if you fully understood it, and had truly experienced it, you’d want to share it with others. Something to think about.
However, if your answer is, “Yes. Yes I want to be a witness for Jesus”, then that’s a good indicator that you've experienced the work of Christ in your life and understand the importance of sharing that faith.
First, it indicates that you understand the importance of being a witness, not only because you know it’s important to God, but because you’ve experienced His transformational work in your own life. You’ve experienced the peace that Jesus brings. You’ve experienced the joy that Jesus brings. You’ve experienced the freedom from sin and death that Jesus brings. And because you’ve experienced it, you want others to experience it as well.
Because not only do you understand its importance to God. Not only do you understand it’s what Jesus has called us to do. But you’ve experienced the transformational work of Jesus in your own life. You’ve experienced the peace that Jesus brings. You’ve experienced the joy that Jesus brings. You’ve experienced the freedom from sin and death that Jesus provides. And because you’ve experienced it, you want others to experience it as well. And that’s a good place to be.
Here’s why I ask you this question. Putting your faith in Jesus isn’t just about you escaping hell and then living a comfy life until Jesus comes back. Putting your faith in Jesus is al about becoming a witness. And Jesus expects his witnesses to testify to others about who He is and why they should put their faith in Him.
So, to help us better understand what that means and what that looks like, over the next two weeks, and through a man named Philip, we’re going to learn what a witness for Jesus does and how they are to do it.
And my hope is by the time we get to the end of May, you and I will not only have a better understanding of what it means to be a witness, but will be supernaturally equipped to be the witnesses Jesus has called us to be. And that through our witness, we will see a great harvest of souls not only in Marysville, but in Marshall County and beyond.
Are you all with me?
So, to get us started down this path, let’s pick back up in chapter 8 as Luke introduces us to one of the first Christian witnesses, a man named Philip. Beginning in verse 4 Luke writes:
Acts 8:4-
4 Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. 5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. 6 And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was much joy in that city.
Last week we learned as the persecution took place, the early church was scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria.
To put it in our context, Judea and Samaria would be places like Blue Rapids, Waterville, Home City, Beattie, Frankfort, Hanover, Washington, Seneca, Wymore, and the list goes on of the many communities that surround Marysville.
We also learned as they were scattered, they began sharing their faith. Luke says, “Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.”
What that tells us then is, while the persecution was no fun, it apparently woke the first Christians up to the reality that they had a job to do. And so, instead of sitting around and feeling sorry for themselves, they went to work sharing the gospel.
And that’s probably a good lesson for modern Christians to consider. That when persecution comes, instead of getting mad, crying out about our rights, and feeling sorry for ourselves, maybe the best way to deal with persecution is to tell more people about Jesus. To fight persecution with more of Jesus. Just a thought.
However, that’s not our focus today. Our focus today is how they shared it.
In other words, what specifically did they do to share the gospel and what was their strategy in telling people about Jesus? Because, as we’re going to see in a moment, what they shared and how they shared it was affective.
What I want to suggest to you this morning is their strategy consisted of three primary principles that produced supernatural results.
And so with the time we have left this morning, I want to walk through this passage and uncover how they shared the gospel and what their strategy was. And what I want to suggest to you, is that their strategy was based on three primary principles. Three principles that produced supernatural results.
What I want to suggest to you this morning is their strategy consisted of three primary principles that produced supernatural results.
And my hope is, after uncovering these principles, you and I will have a better idea of what a witness for Jesus does. Here’s the first principle.
In order to be a witness, we have to be committed to:
Loving All People.
Luke writes:
4 Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. 5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ.
In this passage Luke introduces us to a man named Philip. So a good first question might be, “Who is Philip?”.
You may recall, back in chapter 6, as the early church grew, they faced some challenges of meeting the needs of all the people. Specifically a group of widows who had been overlooked when it came to the distribution of food. And so to address the problem, even men were selected to minister to these widows needs, one of those men was a man man named Phillip. Back in chapter 6 Luke writes:
And He’s allowed it because unfortunately the early church had lost sight of the greater mission. Because the mission of the church wasn’t to just build the church in Jerusalem. The mission was to start in Jerusalem and then take the gospel into the outer regions, beginning with Judea, then into Samaria, and finally into the rest of the world.
So, in order to get the early church back on track, God allowed the persecution to take place in order to move the early church out of Jerusalem and into the world God had called them to reach.
Well, as we learned last
4 Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. 5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. 6 And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was much joy in that city.
5 And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. 6 These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them.
So, who is Phillip? Simply put, Philip is a prominent leader in the early church with a heart to serve people, specifically people who have been marginalized and neglected. And not only do we see that back in chapter 6, but we see it here in chapter 8 as well. Because Luke says, after being forced out of Jerusalem, Luke says:
“Philip went down to the city of Samaria...” (ESV)
So, a good question would be, “What’s so significant about going to Samaria?”
What I want you to notice is Luke mentions a specific place that
It’s significant because Samaria is a city full of people known as Samaritans. And in the 1st century, Samaritans and Jews didn’t get along and didn’t associate with one another. In fact, they hated one another.
So, why did they hate each other? Were the Jews Broncos fans the the Samaritans Chiefs fans? Well, that would make sense, but it’s not that simple.
Just to give you a little history on the Samaritans. Samaritans were decedents of the northern tribe of Israel in the OT. But in 722 B.C. something happened to the northern tribe that would forever change their genealogy.
In 722, the Assyrians invaded Israel and took a large number of Israelites captive back to Assyria. However, they didn’t take all of them. They left a handful of Israelites in the land, Israelites they considered to be the weakest of society.
You see, in ancient times, when a country invaded another country, they would often harvest the sharpest and brightest from that country, and then transport them back to their homeland to be put to use there. So, in a way, captured people were treated like commodities that could be used to better the conquering nation.
It would be like if a foreign country invaded the US and then took our best scientists, farmers, teachers, managers, business men etc. back to their country to work for them. Leaving our country void of the best and the brightest.
In addition to that, after harvesting the best and the brightest, they would repopulate the conquered country with people from other conquered countries. The purpose in that was to create confusion and minimize threats.
Think of it like this. If somebody really wanted to mess with you, disorient you, and make you less of a threat, the best way to do that would be to remove you from everything you know and put you in a place like Siberia where everything is unfamiliar and you don’t know the language. Wouldn’t be fun, right?
And so in 722, that’s what the Assyrians did to the Northern tribes of Israel. They conquered them, deported the best and the brightest, and repopulated the land of Israel with foreign people from other nations. And the result of that was a mixed race with mixed values, morals, and religious beliefs. And this people group became known as Samaritans.
And for 200 years the Samaritans took over and populated the land. But then, in 539 B.C. something happened. In 539 the then king of Assyria, Cyrus the Great, allowed the decedents of the best and the brightest captured over the previous 200 years to return to the land of Israel and reclaim it.
So, are you beginning to see the problem? The problem is, those coming back consider themselves to be true Israelites. Because for 200 years, they’ve kept their blood line clean by only marrying within their own race. But the people who have been living in the land, the Samaritans are a mixed race. A mix of Jew and Gentile. To the pure blood Israelite, the Samaritans are half breed wanna be Jews. And that’s exactly how they treated them.
And that just explains a small part of the hatred, and what makes Philips journey to Samaria so amazing. Because Philip understands something we all need to understand about the gospel. Philip understands that Jesus came for all people. Philip understands that the gospel isn’t just for the Jew, but it’s for everyone. Philip understands:
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
And if we want to be affective witnesses, we have to understand that as well.
That the gospel isn’t just for people with a specific skin tone.
That the gospel isn’t just for people who make a certain level of income.
That the gospel isn’t just for people who live in a certain part of town.
That the gospel isn’t just for people of a certain social class.
That the gospel isn’t just for people who live according to our standards.
You see, what we have to understand is that Jesus came for all people and that regardless of who they are or where they came from, He loves them. How do we know? We know because Philip wasn’t the first to take the gospel to the hated Samaritans. In the gospel of John, we read about another person who looked past the hatred of the Samaritans. In we read:
5 So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour.
7 A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.”
So, who was the first to witness to Samaria? Jesus was. And while we don’t have time to read the entire account, in this passage Jesus not only talks to this Samaritan woman, but He reveals who He is to her and offers her eternal life.
But what I find most interesting about this story, is that Jesus talks to her and offers her eternal life while knowing her life is a mess. Listen to what we’re told as Jesus converses with this woman:
16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” 17 The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.”
Notice what Jesus reveals about this woman. Not only is she a Samaritan, but her life is an absolute train wreck. Relationally, she’s all over the place. She’s been married 5 times and she’s currently shacking up with a soon to be 6th.
This woman has issues. This is a woman with a checkered past. This is a woman who has a reputation for being easy. This is a woman that you don’t bring home to mom.
But despite all that, Jesus sees past all that. Jesus still loves her. Jesus reaches out to her regardless of her past.
You see, what Jesus was doing was unheard of. In fact, when his disciples showed up, they couldn’t believe Jesus was giving this woman the time of day. John writes:
27 Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you seek?” or, “Why are you talking with her?”
The disciples are in shock. And not just because he’s talking to a Samaritan, but because he’s also talking to a woman. Because along with Samaritans being hated, in the first century, women were seen as less as well. That’s why the Apostle Paul writes this in :
27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Paul says when it comes to Jesus, race, social class, and gender go out the window. God doesn’t see any of that. All He sees is a person in need of being saved.
And what was true of Jesus and Philip needs to be true for us.
Here’s the bottom line for us. If we want to be witnesses for Jesus, we have to be willing to love all people.
We have to be willing to look past skin color.
Look past social demographic.
Look past their reputation.
Look past their sexual orientation.
Look past their lifestyle.
Look past their family name.
To look past their past and see a person that God loves. A person who He died for. And let’s just be honest, a person that’s no better or no less than you.
Those are the kinds of witnesses Jesus is looking for. He’s looking for witnesses who will take people where they are at and will show them the love of Jesus.
This leads us to a second principle in Philips strategy. Because not only did Philip love all people, including the hated Samaritans. In order to be a witness, Philip was committed to:
2. Leading them to Jesus.
Luke writes:
5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ.
Luke says Philip had a specific person he led the Samaritans to. He led them to Jesus.
You might be thinking, “Why is this significant?” It’s significant because what I want you to notice is:
Philip didn’t lead them to a specific church or denomination.
He didn’t lead them to a specific religious heritage.
He didn’t lead them to a popular preacher or podcast.
He didn’t lead them to a best selling self help book.
He didn’t lead them to seven steps to a better life.
No. None of that. What he did was lead them to the only person that has the power and ability to do anything spiritually significant in their life. He led them to Jesus.
You see, that’s the problem in a lot of churches today. Because instead of leading them to Jesus, we’re leading them other things.
Instead of Jesus, we’re leading them to religion.
We’re leading them to self help steps. We’re leading them to attend a certain church. We’re leading them to adopt a certain lifestyle or belief system. And while some of that’s ok, what we need to be doing is leading them to Jesus. Because if you lead them to Jesus, Jesus will lead them out of religion and into relationship. Jesus will lead them to out of wordly thinking and into Kingdom thinking. Jesus will lead them out of their ungodly lifestyles and into righteous living. Jesus will do what we can’t do. Jesus will save them. Because He’s the only one that has the power to do that.
We’re leading them to self help steps.
We’re leading them to attend a certain church.
We’re leading them to adopt a certain lifestyle or belief system.
And while some of that’s ok, what we need to be doing instead is leading them to Jesus.
Because if you lead them to Jesus:
Jesus will lead them out of religion and into relationship.
Jesus will lead them to out of wordly thinking and into Kingdom thinking.
Jesus will lead them out of their ungodly lifestyles and into righteous living.
Jesus will do what no church, book, podcast, or denomination can do. Jesus will save them and set them free from the power of sin and death. Because He’s the only one that has the power to do that.
And please hear me, I’m not saying we shouldn’t invite them to church or give them a book to read. What I’m saying is the best thing you could do for somebody that needs Jesus is tell them about Jesus.
How do you do that? It starts with you telling them what Jesus has done in your life. Telling them about the joy you now have. The peace you now have. The hope you now have. Telling them about the Christ as you lead them to Jesus.
That’s what witnesses do church. They testify to who Jesus is and they lead people to Him. True witnesses see Jesus as the only answer. Because when you have Jesus, you have everything you need.
But you can’t stop there. Because not only was Philip committed to loving them. Not only was he committed to leading them to Jesus. As a witness, Philip was committed to:
3. Preaching the Word.
Luke writes:
5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ.
Luke says Philip “proclaimed” to them. The word translated proclaimed here comes from the Greek word “Kerysso”. It’s the idea of publically announcing religious truths and principles while urging acceptance and compliance.
Here’s what this is saying. Once you lead them to Jesus, you have to be able to open your Bible and show them what the Bible actually says.
And again, this is a major problem in the modern church today. Because unfortunately a lot of Christians today don’t know what the Bible says. And they don’t know what it says for two primary reasons:
Number 1, most Christians don’t know what the Bible says because they don’t read the Bible. In fact, in a recent survey of Christians the following was discovered concerning the Bible:
Of Christians surveyed, when asked if they’ve read the Bible:
9% say they’ve read it all and more than once.
11% say they have read the entire Bible at least once.
12% say almost all of it.
15% say at least half of it.
30% say several passages and some popular stories
13% say only a few sentences
30% several passages and popular stories
10% say none of it.
Let me put that in perspective for you. Of Christians surveyed, only 32% have read most or the entire Bible. And 68% of Christians have read half to none of it.
Meaning, more than 50% of people who claim to be Christians have no idea what the Bible says. That’s a problem. I mean think about it. After telling somebody they need Jesus, how do you back that up if you don’t know what the Bible says about it?
The second reason Christians don’t know what the Bible says is because many churches and pastors aren’t teaching the Bible.
I know that might come as a shock to some of you, but it’s true. And it’s true of both Catholicism and protestantism. Both are guilty of it.
For example, this
For Catholicism, instead of teaching what the Bible says, they focus on the sacraments, church tradition, and rituals. And I know when I say that it steps on some toes, especially in a Catholic community.
For protestants and evangelicals, it’s similar but different. Instead of teaching and preaching scripture, many have given themselves to motivational speeches on how to meet felt needs. So they do series on “How to be a better spouse”. or “How to have a better marriage”. Or “How to live your best life now.” And the list goes on of motivational series and titles that are used to try and meet felt needs and draw people into church.
Again, I know that steps on some toes.
But can I suggest something to you. That if churches and pastors would just focus on teaching God’s Word and what the actually Bible says. And if people would apply it to their lives, that automatically their lives would get better. That automatically their marriages would improve. That automatically the miraculous would begin to take place in their life.
How do I know that would happen? I know because God’s Word has power. I know because the Apostle Paul tells us that God’s Word has great value. Paul writes:
16 Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness:
He was manifested in the flesh,
vindicated by the Spirit,
seen by angels,
proclaimed among the nations,
believed on in the world,
taken up in glory.
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
The writer of Hebrews expands on that and says it has the power to transform you. He writes:
Acts 8:6
12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
You see, Philip understood this. He understood the power of God’s Word. So along with proclaiming Jesus, Philip showed them what God’s Word said about Jesus, and the results were supernatural. Listen to what Luke says happened as Philip loved people, led them to Jesus, and preached the Word:
6 And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was much joy in that city.
Here’s what I’ve learned in ministry. People are hungry for truth. People want to know what the Bible says. People want to know how it applies to their lives. People want to experience the supernatural work of God in their life.
And that’s exactly what happened in the city of Samaria that day. As Philip loved on people, led them to Jesus, and shared God’s Word, transformation began to take place. Miracles began to take place. And the joy that comes from faith in Jesus filled that city.
You see, that’s what happens when you love people. That’s what happens when you lead them to Jesus. That’s what happens when you teach them God’s Word.
Here’s what this is saying to us. Being a witness is more than joining a certain church. Being a witness is more than showing up for church now and then. Being a witness is more than you wearing an “All In” baptism t-shirt. Being a witness is about you and I being willing to love all people, lead them to Jesus, and teach them what God’s Word actually says. That’s what witnesses do, and that’s what MCF is all about.
Now,
Maybe you’ve never noticed it, but out in the lobby, those statements are actually hung on our walls. Maybe you thought they were just cool pieces of decor we bought online. But they’re more than that. They’re actually custom prints we had made that state how we witness to our community.
The first picture says, “Love All People”. It says that because at MCF, we don’t care who you are, what you believe, what you’ve done, or where you came from. When you walk through our doors, we’re going to love you where you are at. Because that’s what Jesus did. He loved people where they are at, even a Samaritan woman who’d been married 5 times.
The second statements says, “Lead People to Jesus”. It says that because at MCF, while we’re going to love you where you are at, we’re not going to leave you there. We’re going to lead you to Jesus. Because we believe Jesus has the power to transform your life. We believe Jesus can take the mess of your life and turn it into something beautiful. We believe Jesus has the power to turn you not into what we want you to be, but into what He wants you to be.
The third statement says, “Preach the Word”. It says that because at MCF, not only are we going to love you, not only are we going to lead you to Jesus, we’re committed to teaching you what the Bible actually says. Because we believe the Bible is more than a good book. We believe it’s God’s Word. And as Paul and the writer of Hebrews stated, we believe it has transformational power for our lives. And we not only want you to understand it, we want you to experience it in your life.
And that’s why we are committed to Expository Preaching. That’s why week to week we are committed to studying God’s Word.
My question for you this morning though is, “Are you committed to that as well? Are you committed to being a witness for Jesus?”
If you’re not sure, here’s how you can determine that. All you have to do is ask yourself three questions:
Question #1 - Do you love all people? In other words, do you love the Samaritans? And when I say “Samaritans”, I’m talking about people who aren’t like you. I’m talking about somebody who has a reputation of doing drugs. I’m talking about the person who is known to get around. I’m talking about the person who claims to be gay. I’m talking about the person who, if you’re honest, you probably wouldn’t invite over for dinner. Are you willing to love that person regardless of their Samaritan background and lifestyle? Because that’s what witnesses do.
And if you’re not loving people like that. Are you willing to do some soul searching and ask God what’s keeping you from loving the people He died for?
Question #2 - Are you leading people to Jesus? In other words, are you telling people about their need for Jesus? Are you seeking out opportunities to share what Jesus has done in your life? Because that’s what witnesses do. On a daily basis they tell people about Jesus. They proclaim his name to others.
And if you’re not, why not? Are you afraid of what people might think? Are you worried about being called a Jesus freak? Here’s my challenge to you and something you need to think about. In Jesus says this:
26 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
Jesus says, “Listen, if you’re ashamed of me, then you’re not my witness. And if you’re not my witness, then you’re not a part of my kingdom.”
Wow, that’s a strong statement, isn’t it? Here’s the deal. You have to decide what you’re more concerned about. What man thinks of you, or what God thinks of you. You have to decide, do I want to be a witness for Jesus or not. Because you’re either one or the other.
Question #3 - Are you teaching people God’s Word? In other words, are you able to tell people what the Bible says?
And if you’re not able to do that, are you willing to start learning yourself. Listen, I know the Bible is a big book and is hard to understand. But if you want to be a witness, you have to be committed to learning what it says. And there are several ways for you to do that.
Number 1 - just start reading it. Stop using the excuse, “I don’t understand it, pick it up, and start reading it.”
Number 2 - Get on Amazon and order an NIV Study bible. Study Bibles have all the tools you need to start learning what the Bible says.
Number 3 - Be in church every Sunday because every Sunday we are going to study God’s Word together. If you’re new to our church. Go to MCF.LIFE and listen to previous messages. In the past seven years we’ve covered the books of Galatians, Romans, Philippians, Mark, Judges, and we are currently in the book of Acts. So, grab your Bible, go online, and follow along with one of those studies.
Number 4 - Ask the Lord to open His Word to you. Remember, it’s alive. So, as you read it, ask God to open your eyes. Ask Him to speak to you. Ask Him to reveal what His Word says. And I can promise you, if you’ll do that, God will show up in that moment.
This is where it starts. It starts with you and I being committed witnesses.
Let’s pray
When I first came to MCF
God has called us to love all people.
God has called us to lead people to Jesus.
God has called us to teach people God’s Word.