Be a Witness

The Story of Jesus Continues

Last week we had such an awesome celebration of all that God did through the death and resurrection of Jesus. It was so awesome to worship together as one church with our friends and family from Rockpile and First Baptist. I know we had others from other congregations join us as well and what a celebration! I will never forget that Easter for sure!

But come Monday we were thrown right back into our new normal. Separated from each other in our stay at home orders. We were reminded quickly that we needed to stay safely apart. We have noticed more and more people wearing masks and dodging each other. Not sure what is next, but living in the knowledge and experience of encountering the risen savior.

It made me think about the next week after the Resurrection. What must have the disciples been thinking.

Matthew, after the scene at the tomb, does not recount anything except Jesus appearing later to the disciples in Galilee where he gave them the great commission. Matthew 28:16-20.

In the book of Luke, only the day of the resurrection is recorded. Jesus appeared to two of his disciples on the road to Emmaus where he showed them everything in the scriptures and walked with him, but it was not until they broke bread together that their eyes were opened to him. Then he appeared to the rest of the disciples, ate with them, then “opened their minds so they could understand the scriptures.” Luke 24:45.

Then the next thing we know he goes back into heaven.

Mark recounts a very abbreviated version of the same story, but it was in an addition to the book.

John has the most appearance accounts where Jesus appears to the disciples the first night, Thomas and the disciples a week later, John writes that Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.

John 20:30–31 NIV

Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Then Jesus appears to a small group of disciples who were fishing and Jesus tells them to throw their nets on the other side of the boat and they have a great haul of fish. Then he makes breakfast for them breaking bread and sharing fish with them. Then Jesus has the amazing interaction with Peter where he asks him if he loves him three times and Peter says you know I do, and that is how John ends his gospel.

I encourage you to look at the different stories this week. It would be a good devotional time. But the point is after the resurrection we don’t really hear much about what Jesus did in the gospels.

If I wrote the story, I think I would have been going crazy with stories and names of people Jesus appeared to so we would have more eye witnesses, but that was not God’s plan. He had a better plan. His plan was for the witnesses to tell their own story to as many people as possible. To go and tell and be eyewitnesses to the resurrection. I think God’s plan worked out ok, don’t you.

The Book of Acts

We see this plan develop, grow and flourish in the book of Acts. I thought it would be neat if we spent the next little while going through the book of Acts. Because to me it is one of the most exciting, challenging and convicting books in the Bible because it is the story of what the Holy Spirit can do in and through the lives of people who are willing to give their lives completely over to living in the Spirit.

The book of Acts was written by the same person that wrote the gospel of Luke. It is the sequel in his story. Luke was written so that:

Luke 1:3–4 NIV

With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

So that Theophilus, whoever that is, could know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

The book is addressed to the same person, Theophilus.

We have no idea if Theophilus was an actual person or not, but it is clear the book was written to all believers in God. Theophilus probably means Brother in God. So, the book was written to fellow believers. But unlike, the book of Luke, that focused on the life and works of Jesus, Acts recounts the work of the Holy Spirit and those who believe.

Acts 1:1–11 NIV

In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

In the book of Luke, Jesus ascended while he was blessing the disciples. Luke gave us no idea of how long Jesus was on earth, but now he goes back and gives us a little more information about Jesus on earth after his resurrection.

Jesus appeared numerous times over forty days and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive.

Luke shares the story of one interaction with the disciples again while he was eating with them. The only interaction with Jesus and the apostles recorded in Acts.

He told them about the kingdom of God. He made this strange promise to them. A promise he had made before, but he reminded them that the Father had promised them a gift. They were going to be baptized not with water this time, but with the Holy Spirit.

The apostles thought this must be the moment. Finally, Jesus is going to restore the kingdom to Israel, and that would be a great plan. As Matt, talked about last week, what better opportunity for God to show off and to lay out his plan than right then. It sure seemed like this would be the perfect moment, but again God had a better plan.

Jesus reveals more of his plan to them.

Acts 1:7–8 NIV

He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

God has a plan

He does not tell them no, but he does tell them that it is not for them to know the times or dates set by the father. There are some pretty powerful inferences in this statement.

God has the time and the date set.

It is not for us to know the time and date.

We have a job to do until that date comes.

I am not going to spend a lot of time on the first two. They are self explanatory. But I think it is important to note. That God has a plan and even has it worked out to time and date. That should give us all assurance. When it is time for the kingdom to be restored, it will be, and God’s plan and his timing are always better than our greatest plan. So, even though we are going through a very difficult time right now and many of us may question why, we who have put our faith in God, can trust that he has a plan, and it is perfect.

Secondly, it is not for us to know the time and date. A lot of people have spent and continue to spend a lot of time trying to figure out the time and date of God’s plan. When he will return, when he will stop disease, when he will institute his plan, but Jesus is reminding them and us, that it is not for us to know the time or dates we just need to trust him.

For me here is the kicker. While we are not supposed to worry about the times and dates of God’s plan, his plan is happening and we as believers have a part in it. Isn’t that what Jesus was telling his disciples here? “But you will receive power when the Spirit comes on you and you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.”

Acts 1:8 NIV

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Be a Witness

The apostles’ job and I would say all believer’s job is to be a witness to God to all the earth. But only after we receive the Holy Spirit. Now a lot of people believe a lot of things about how and when the Holy Spirit comes on you. As we go through the book of Acts, we will look at that more, but spoiler alert, I think the Bible is very clear, that since the day of Pentecost all believers receive the Holy Spirit immediately upon trust in Jesus. But, we will explore that more together.

But the point here is we are to be God’s witnesses to the entire world, and to give us the power to do it He has given us his Holy Spirit. As we go through the book of Acts, we will see how the apostles, other disciples and believers, filled and powered by the Holy Spirit, did amazing things all to witness to what Jesus did on the cross and through his resurrection.

So, our job has not changed: We are to be his witnesses to all the world. Even now. Even when we are ordered to stay home, to stay separate. We are still to be his witnesses because God plan is still in progress. We do not know the time or date that this pandemic will end, but we know we had a job to do before it, during it and after it.

We do know Jesus is coming back.

Acts 1:9–11 NIV

After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

I love this part. Can you imagine how cool an exit this was? Jesus finishes talking and he rises up into the air until they can’t see him anymore. And the disciples are just staring upward in awe, but then these two men appear and remind them to get their hearts and eyes focused where they are supposed to be.

They said quit looking up. quit standing around you have work to do. Jesus is coming back and you need to do the job he told you to do until he does. Our job is simple, but sometimes we make it so difficult.

The disciples job, our job, is By the power of the Holy Spirit living in us, Be his witness.

Be his witness by serving others. Be his witness by telling others that Jesus is alive and you know him. Be his witness by telling others what Jesus has done for them. Be his witness by telling others what Jesus has done for you. Be a witness!

Be a witness by grocery shopping for someone else. Be a witness by dropping a gift off on someone’s front porch. Be a witness by writing someone a letter telling them how much God and you love them. Be a witness by encouraging someone with a phone call. BE A WITNESS!

Share your stories. [e-mail] or facebook.com/lakeshoreschurch

We want you to share some of these stories with us. Share what you have seen God do during this time. Share them on our facebook. Send me an email or text and I will share them. Shoot a quick video and share it on facebook, or tick tock, or instagram or whatever. I promise it is time by the power of the Holy Spirit for us to be a witness to the resurrected Jesus.

BE A WITNESS!