Untitled Sermon (12)

Importance of witnessing

Synopsis

Sharing the good news about God and Jesus Christ with others is a work to which some believers have a special calling, but in which all believers are to take part.

Witnessing is sharing the truth of God

Ps 145:10–12; Lk 24:46–48

Psalm 145:10–12 (NRSV) — 10 All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord, and all your faithful shall bless you. 11 They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom, and tell of your power, 12 to make known to all people your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

Luke 24:46–48 (NRSV) — 46 and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things.

See also 1 Ch 16:7–9; Ps 71:15; Mt 27:54; Jn 1:35–36; Jn 4:29

1 Chronicles 16:7–9 (NRSV) — 7 Then on that day David first appointed the singing of praises to the Lord by Asaph and his kindred. 8 O give thanks to the Lord, call on his name, make known his deeds among the peoples. 9 Sing to him, sing praises to him, tell of all his wonderful works.

Psalm 71:15 (NRSV) — 15 My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all day long, though their number is past my knowledge.

Matthew 27:54 (NRSV) — 54 Now when the centurion and those with him, who were keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were terrified and said, “Truly this man was God’s Son!”

John 1:35–36 (NRSV) — 35 The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!”

John 4:29 (NRSV) — 29 “Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! He cannot be the Messiah, can he?”

Believers are commanded to witness

Mt 28:18–19

Matthew 28:18–19 (NRSV) — 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

See also Is 12:4–5; Mt 24:14; Ac 1:8; Ac 9:15–16

Isaiah 12:4–5 (NRSV) — 4 And you will say in that day: Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known his deeds among the nations; proclaim that his name is exalted. 5 Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be known in all the earth.

Matthew 24:14 (NRSV) — 14 And this good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world, as a testimony to all the nations; and then the end will come.

Acts 1:8 (NRSV) — 8 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.”

Acts 9:15–16 (NRSV) — 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel; 16 I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”

Special ministries of witnessing

By the prophets

Jn 1:6–8

John 1:6–8 (NRSV) — 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.

See also Je 1:4–9; Eze 33:7–9; Jon 1:2; Jon 1:9; Jn 1:15; Jn 1:29; Jn 1:36; Ac 10:43

Jeremiah 1:4–9 (NRSV) — 4 Now the word of the Lord came to me saying, 5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” 6 Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy.” 7 But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a boy’; for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and you shall speak whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord.” 9 Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth; and the Lord said to me, “Now I have put my words in your mouth.

Ezekiel 33:7–9 (NRSV) — 7 So you, mortal, I have made a sentinel for the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. 8 If I say to the wicked, “O wicked ones, you shall surely die,” and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from their ways, the wicked shall die in their iniquity, but their blood I will require at your hand. 9 But if you warn the wicked to turn from their ways, and they do not turn from their ways, the wicked shall die in their iniquity, but you will have saved your life.

Jonah 1:2 (NRSV) — 2 “Go at once to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before me.”

Jonah 1:9 (NRSV) — 9 “I am a Hebrew,” he replied. “I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.”

John 1:15 (NRSV) — 15 (John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’ ”)

John 1:29 (NRSV) — 29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

John 1:36 (NRSV) — 36 and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!”

Acts 10:43 (NRSV) — 43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

By Jesus Christ

Jn 18:37

John 18:37 (NRSV) — 37 Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”

See also Jn 3:31–34; Re 1:5; Re 3:14

John 3:31–34 (NRSV) — 31 The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks about earthly things. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He testifies to what he has seen and heard, yet no one accepts his testimony. 33 Whoever has accepted his testimony has certified this, that God is true. 34 He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure.

Revelation 1:5 (NRSV) — 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood,

Revelation 3:14 (NRSV) — 14 “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the origin of God’s creation:

By the apostles

Ac 4:33

Acts 4:33 (NRSV) — 33 With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.

See also Ac 2:32; Ac 10:39–42; Ac 13:30–31; 1 Jn 1:1–3

Acts 2:32 (NRSV) — 32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses.

Acts 10:39–42 (NRSV) — 39 We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; 40 but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, 41 not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead.

Acts 13:30–31 (NRSV) — 30 But God raised him from the dead; 31 and for many days he appeared to those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, and they are now his witnesses to the people.

1 John 1:1–3 (NRSV) — 1 We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 this life was revealed, and we have seen it and testify to it, and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us— 3 we declare to you what we have seen and heard so that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.

By Christian leaders

2 Ti 1:8 Paul, in prison for his faith, encourages the young leader, Timothy.

2 Timothy 1:8 (NRSV) — 8 Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God,

See also Ac 8:5; Eph 4:11

Acts 8:5 (NRSV) — 5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them.

Ephesians 4:11 (NRSV) — 11 The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers,

Witnessing is a task for all God’s people

1 Pe 2:9

1 Peter 2:9 (NRSV) — 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

See also Ps 26:6–7; Ps 107:1–2

Psalm 26:6–7 (NRSV) — 6 I wash my hands in innocence, and go around your altar, O Lord, 7 singing aloud a song of thanksgiving, and telling all your wondrous deeds.

Psalm 107:1–2 (NRSV) — 1 O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever. 2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, those he redeemed from trouble

All of the people of Israel are called to be God’s witnesses:

Is 43:10; Is 43:12; Is 44:8

Isaiah 43:10 (NRSV) — 10 You are my witnesses, says the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me.

Isaiah 43:12 (NRSV) — 12 I declared and saved and proclaimed, when there was no strange god among you; and you are my witnesses, says the Lord.

Isaiah 44:8 (NRSV) — 8 Do not fear, or be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? You are my witnesses! Is there any god besides me? There is no other rock; I know not one.

Is 52:7; Ac 8:4

Isaiah 52:7 (NRSV) — 7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”

Acts 8:4 (NRSV) — 4 Now those who were scattered went from place to place, proclaiming the word.

Witnessing is a major aspect of Christian living

Ro 10:9–10

Romans 10:9–10 (NRSV) — 9 because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.

See also Mt 10:32–33; 2 Co 4:13; 1 Jn 2:23; 1 Jn 4:15

Matthew 10:32–33 (NRSV) — 32 “Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; 33 but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.

2 Corinthians 4:13 (NRSV) — 13 But just as we have the same spirit of faith that is in accordance with scripture—“I believed, and so I spoke”—we also believe, and so we speak,

1 John 2:23 (NRSV) — 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; everyone who confesses the Son has the Father also.

1 John 4:15 (NRSV) — 15 God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide in God.

Examples of witnessing to Jesus Christ

Mt 16:16 Simon Peter; Lk 2:16–17 shepherds; Jn 1:40–42 Andrew; Jn 1:49 Nathanael; Jn 11:27 Martha; Jn 20:28 Thomas; Ac 8:37 the Ethiopian eunuch

Matthew 16:16 (NRSV) — 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Luke 2:16–17 (NRSV) — 16 So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. 17 When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child;

John 1:40–42 (NRSV) — 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first found his brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated Anointed). 42 He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).

John 1:49 (NRSV) — 49 Nathanael replied, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”

John 11:27 (NRSV) — 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.”

John 20:28 (NRSV) — 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”

Acts 8:37 (NRSV) —

Witnessing recounts personal experience

Is 63:7

Isaiah 63:7 (NRSV) — 7 I will recount the gracious deeds of the Lord, the praiseworthy acts of the Lord, because of all that the Lord has done for us, and the great favor to the house of Israel that he has shown them according to his mercy, according to the abundance of his steadfast love.

See also Ps 66:16; Je 51:10; Da 4:2; Mt 9:27–31; Mk 1:40–45; Jn 9:25; Ac 4:20

Psalm 66:16 (NRSV) — 16 Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for me.

Jeremiah 51:10 (NRSV) — 10 The Lord has brought forth our vindication; come, let us declare in Zion the work of the Lord our God.

Daniel 4:2 (NRSV) — 2 The signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked for me I am pleased to recount.

Matthew 9:27–31 (NRSV) — 27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, crying loudly, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” 28 When he entered the house, the blind men came to him; and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” 29 Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you.” 30 And their eyes were opened. Then Jesus sternly ordered them, “See that no one knows of this.” 31 But they went away and spread the news about him throughout that district.

Mark 1:40–45 (NRSV) — 40 A leper came to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him, “If you choose, you can make me clean.” 41 Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, “I do choose. Be made clean!” 42 Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. 43 After sternly warning him he sent him away at once, 44 saying to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” 45 But he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the word, so that Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in the country; and people came to him from every quarter.

John 9:25 (NRSV) — 25 He answered, “I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.”

Acts 4:20 (NRSV) — 20 for we cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

Witnessing to the resurrection of Jesus Christ

Ac 2:32

Acts 2:32 (NRSV) — 32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses.

See also Lk 24:33–35; Ac 5:30–32; 1 Co 15:3–7

Luke 24:33–35 (NRSV) — 33 That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. 34 They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Acts 5:30–32 (NRSV) — 30 The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”

1 Corinthians 15:3–7 (NRSV) — 3 For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, 4 and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.