The Influence of Your Witness

Acts 1:6–11 NRSV

6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 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.” 9 When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. 11 They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS ALWAYS AMAZED AND EVEN PERPLEXED ME IS HOW EXCITED THE CHURCH GETS WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT GOING TO HEAVEN. WE SEEM TO GET MORE EXCITED ABOUT SONGS AND PSALMS THAT TALK ABOUT GOING TO HEAVEN THAN WE DO ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE:

- GOING UP YONDER TO BE WITH MY LORD

- SOON AND VERY SOON WE ARE GOING TO SEE THE KING

- SOME GLAD MORNING WHEN THIS LIFE IS OVER, I’LL FLY AWAY

WHEN ONE LOOKS AT THE CHURCH IT WOULD APPEAR THAT OUR PHILOSOPHY IS THAT THE LORD SAVED US STRICTLY TO GET US TO HEAVEN.

WE SEEM TO GET EXCITED AND SHOUT AND REJOICE ABOUT GOING TO HEAVEN; WE SPEND MORE TIME THINKING ABOUT HEAVEN THAN WE DO THINKING ABOUT EARTH.

IT’S THE SAME THING THAT HAPPENS HERE IN THIS TEXT—THE EVENT OF THE STORY—IT’S POST-RESURRECTION—JESUS HAS BEEN AROUND FOR SOME 40 DAYS OR SO.

AND NOW HE GOES BACK UP INTO HEAVEN. AND THE WORD OF THE LORD DECLARES THAT—AS HE GOES UP—THE MEN THAT HE HAD BEEN TALKING TO WERE GAZING (VERSE 10) INTO HEAVEN.

THEY WERE GAZING; THEY WERE CAUGHT LOOKING UP INTO HEAVEN.

I BELIEVE THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS WRONG WITH THE CHURCH IS THAT EVER SINCE THAT DAY ……

THAT IS WHAT WE’VE BEEN PERFECTING—GAZING INTO HEAVEN, WAITING TO GO AND BE WITH JESUS.

AND EVER SINCE THAT DAY OF THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD ALL WE’VE BEEN CONCENTRATING UPON IS GAZING INSTEAD OF GOING.

- ALL WE APPEAR TO CONCENTRATE UPON IS GETTING CAUGHT UP INTO HEAVEN/BE WITH THE LORD/IN OUR MANSION/IN THE STREETS THAT ARE PAVED WITH GOLD/WHEN THE WICKED SHALL CEASE FROM TROUBLING AND THE WEARY SHALL BE AT REST.

BUT THE PROBLEM IS THAT WE ARE SO ENAMORED AND CAUGHT IN GAZING AT HEAVEN THAT WE ARE NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO THE WHAT’S HAPPENING ON EARTH.

THE GREEK WORD FOR GAZING (EMBLEPONTES) WHICH DENOTES GAPING, GAWKING, INTENTLY LOOKING, STARING AND WATCHING.

AND IF I CAN REAL WITH YOU FBC

• THE REASON THAT THERE ARE SO MANY THAT ARE HOPELESS IS BECAUSE THE CHURCH IS TOO BUSY GAZING.

• THE REASON OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE GOING ASTRAY IS BECAUSE THE CHURCH IS SO BUSY GAZING.

• WE COME TO CHURCH, SING AND SHOUT, AND DECLARE THAT WE ARE ON OUR WAY TO HEAVEN—BUT THEN WE WALK BY PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS; WE WALK BY PERSONS WHO CAN’T FIND JOBS; WE WALK PAST TEENAGERS WHO ARE SEEKING THE WRONG THINGS TO MAKE THEM HAPPY—BECAUSE WE ARE SO BUSY GAZING THAT WE ARE NOT GOING.

BUT I HAVE COME TO DECLARE A WORD UPON THE BODY OF CHRIST TODAY; AND THAT IS WHAT JESUS SAID TO THEM IN THAT DAY

- HE HAS NOT CALLED US TO BE GAZERS; HE HAS CALLED US TO BE WITNESSES.

- HE HAS NOT CALLED FOR US SOLELY TO SHOUT ABOUT GOING TO HEAVEN;

HE HAS CALLED FOR US TO TALK ABOUT GOING INTO THE WORLD AND TELLING EVERYBODY THAT THERE IS A SAVIOR WHO CAN SAVE YOU FROM YOUR SINS.

• YOU AND I ARE NOT CALLED TO GAZE, WE ARE CALLED TO TESTIFY.

TO TESTIFY MEANS TO SHOW, TO CONFIRM, TO LIVE OUT, TO BEAR OUT, THE DEMONSTRATE, TO EXEMPLIFY AND TO GIVE EVIDENCE. IT MEANS TO GIVE CONFIRMATION, AFFIRMATION AND VERIFIABLE PROOF.

• IT’S ABOUT YOUR LIFE AND YOUR LIPS.

• IT’S ABOUT YOUR WORDS AND YOUR WORKS.

• IT’S ABOUT YOUR WORSHIP AND YOUR WITNESS.

DAVID PUT IT THIS WAY: THE REDEEMED OF THE LORD OUGHT TO ‘SAY SO’.

THE WORDS, ‘SAY SO’ IN THE HEBREW TONGUE IS AW’MAR WHICH MEANT TO TELL, MAKE KNOWN, MAKE PUBLIC, TO ADVERTISE, TO PUBLISH, TO BROADCAST, AND TO GET IT OUT.

THE PROBLEM IS THAT MOST WITHIN THE BODY OF CHRIST ARE SO CAUGHT UP IN THEMSELVES AND THEIR COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE—THAT WE DON’T GET IT OUT.

THE VERY IDEA OF WITNESS STEMS FROM THE WORD ‘MARTUR’AS’ (WHERE WE GET OUR WORD MARTYR).

• IT MEANS WE HAVE TO COME AS A SERVANT, NOT A CELEBRITY

• IT MEANS WE HAVE TO COME SAYING, ‘JUST AS I AM’.

• IT MEANS WE LIVE ON THE ALTAR AND NOT ON THE THRONE.

• IT MEANS WE LIVE AS AN ARMY AND NOT AS IF WE ARE THE AUDIENCE.

• IT MEANS THAT OUR CHIEF AIM, PURPOSE AND DESIRE IS TO PLEASE ……OUR KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A WITNESS FOR THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.

AND I CAME BY TO LET YOU KNOW THAT:

- HE DIDN’T JUST CALL YOU TO BE A BAPTIST, HE CALLED YOU TO BE A WITNESS.

- HE DIDN’T JUST CALL YOU TO BE A PEW WARMER HE CALLED YOU TO A WITNESS.

- HE DIDN’T CALL YOU TO BE A GOSSIPER/SLANDERER, HE CALLED YOU TO BE A WITNESS.

- HE DIDN’T CALL YOU TO ONLY HOLINESS, HE CALLED YOU TO BE A WITNESS.

AND HE SAID, “I’M GIVING YOU POWER SO THAT YOU CAN BE A WITNESS TO THOSE AROUND YOU.”

****PAUSE***

IT IS VERY INTERESTING THAT WHEN THEY STARTED TO TALK TO HIM (VERSE 6) THEY SAID TO HIM, NOW JESUS WE’VE GOT A QUESTION FOR YOU, NOW WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO RESTORE THE KINGDOM?

IN THEIR JUDAIC MINDSET THE KINGDOM WAS ABOUT POLITICAL POSITION.

JESUS SAYS TO THEM, ‘YOU ALL’S PROBLEM IS THAT YOU ARE MORE WORRIED ABOUT POSITION THAN YOU ARE ABOUT POWER.’

- BECAUSE YOU CAN HAVE POSITION AND NOT HAVE POWER.

- BUT WHEN YOU HAVE POWER GOD CAN MOVE YOU TO A PLACE WHERE YOU DON’T NEED POSITION.

HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE EVER BEEN IN A PLACE WHERE YOU DIDN’T HAVE THE POSITION BUT YOU KNEW THAT YOU HAD THE POWER?

- YOU MAY NOT HAVE THE TITLE BUT YOU HAVE THE CHARACTER.

- YOU MAY NOT HAVE THE NAME ON THE WALL BUT YOU HAVE THE ANOINTING THAT IS ON YOUR LIFE.

• DELIVER ME FROM PEOPLE WHO DESIRE THE POSITION BUT AREN’T IN LINE AND IN TUNE WITH THE CHARACTER AND WAYS OF GOD—TO WHERE THEY POSSESS THE POWER.

AFTER ALL:

- ANYBODY CAN SHOUT IN THE SPOTLIGHT

- ANYBODY CAN SMILE WHEN YOUR NAME IS ON THE PROGRAM

- ANYBODY CAN REJOICE WHEN EVERYBODY KNOWS IT WAS YOU

- ANYBODY CAN CELEBRATE WHEN YOU HAVE A FOLLOWING CROWD AND A BANK ACCOUNT THAT’S FULL AND COMPLETE

BUT CHARACTER IS DEVELOPED

- WHEN YOU CAN REJOICE IN THE BACK OF THE LINE

- WHEN YOU CAN SHOUT AND TESTIFY WHEN YOUR NAME IS NEVER CALLED ELDER, DEC. BROTHER PASTOR OR PROPHET

- WHEN YOU CAN SMILE WHEN YOU KNOW YOU MADE THE CONTRIBUTION AND YOU WERE DELIBERATELY OVERLOOKED AND IGNORED—BUT YOU SHOWED UP ANYWAY.

• REAL INFLUENCE IS MORE THAN TELLING SOMEBODY WHERE YOU GO TO CHURCH;

BUT REAL INFLUENCE IS THE OUTPOURING AND THE OVERFLOW OF JOY UNSPEAKABLE THAT LETS OTHERS AROUND YOU ....KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A REAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE THE MOST HIGH GOD—

THAT IT CAUSES YOU TO CELEBRATE, REJOICE AND TESTIFY ABOUT HOW GOOD THE LORD HAS BEEN TO YOU!!!

I’M TALKING ABOUT REAL INFLUENCE.

BECAUSE WHEN YOU HAVE INFLUENCE OTHERS AROUND YOU CAN KEEP THE POSITION.

BECAUSE WHEN YOU WALK IN THE WAYS OF GOD, HE’LL GIVE YOU

- POWER TO WALK/TALK RIGHT

- POWER TO LIVE/LOVE RIGHT

AND THAT SHOULD BE YOUR TESTIMONY: I DON’T HAVE THE POSITION BUT I DO HAVE THE POWER.

HE SAYS IN VERSE 8, “I’M GIVING YOU POWER TO BE A WITNESS”.

NOW LET ME TELL YOU VERY QUICKLY:

- YOU CANNOT BE A WITNESS AND BE A HATER.

- YOU CANNOT BE A WITNESS AND BE A GOSSIP

- YOU CANNOT BE A WITNESS AND BE JEALOUS/ENVIOUS/HATEFUL/LIAR/ DECEIVER

BECAUSE IF YOU ARE CALLED TO BE A WITNESS BUT DON’T ACT LIKE A WITNESS, YOU DON’T HAVE THE CHARACTER OF A WITNESS.

AND WHEN YOU DON’T HAVE THE CHARACTER OF A WITNESS, YOU WILL FORCE JESUS TO TREAT YOU LIKE A HOSTILE WITNESS.

• A WITNESS IS SOMEBODY WHO HAS BEEN CALLED TO TESTIFY BECAUSE THEY HAVE EVIDENCE OF A TRUTH THEY DIDN’T LEARN BY SOMEBODY TELLING THEM; BUT THEY LEARNED BY EXPERIENCE.

BECAUSE IF A WITNESS IS SOMEBODY WHO TESTIFIES BECAUSE YOU’VE GOT EVIDENCE,

THAT MEANS THAT THIS SEASON MUST BE YOUR SEASON TO GET BLESSED.

BECAUSE YOU CAN’T BE A WITNESS UNTIL YOU GET A BLESSING.

WHICH SUGGESTS AND INFERS THAT—

- SOME OF YOU ARE GOING TO GET JOBS/INCREASE/PROMOTION/GET HEALED/GET DELIVERED/GET BREAKTHROUGH/RESTORATION.

BECAUSE YOU CAN’T BE A WITNESS UNTIL YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO WITNESS ABOUT.

THIS IS MY SEASON TO GO ON THE WITNESS STAND FOR JESUS CHRIST.

BECAUSE I’VE GOT TANGIBLE, VERIFIABLE, UNDENIABLE EVIDENCE THAT HE IS ABLE TO DO EXCEEDINGLY, ABUNDANTLY….

SO I WANT YOU TO RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND….DO YOU PROMISE TO TELL THE TRUTH….SO HELP YOU GOD.

WILL YOU SAY, I DO!

- DO YOU PROMISE TO TELL HOW HE HEALED YOU?

- DO YOU PROMISE TO TELL HOW HE PAID YOUR BILLS?

- DO YOU PROMISE TO TELL HOW HE DRIED YOUR TEARS?

- DO YOU PROMISE TO TELL HOW HE FOUGHT YOUR BATTLES?

/HOW HE OPENED DOORS FOR YOU?/

HOW HE MADE YOUR ENEMIES YOUR FOOTSTOOL?

YOU’RE GOING TO BE SO BLESSED BEFORE THIS YEAR IS OUT THAT THE DEVIL IS GOING TO BE SCARED TO CROSS-EXAMINE YOU!

CROSS EXAMINATION IS DEFINED AS, AND I QUOTE: A CLOSE QUESTIONING OF A HOSTILE WITNESS IN A COURT OF LAW TO DISCREDIT OR THROW A NEW LIGHT ON THE TESTIMONY ALREADY PROVIDED IN DIRECT EXAMINATION

BUT THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY TO BE A WITNESS.

VERSE 8 SAYS, ‘BUT YOU SHALL RECEIVE POWER WHEN THE HOLY GHOST HAS COME UPON YOU’. THE INFERENCE IS THAT YOU DON’T GET POWER UNTIL YOU GET THE HOLY GHOST.

• WE NEED SOMEBODY WHO KNOWS ABOUT THE POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST.

‘YOU SHALL RECEIVE POWER’…WHICH MEANS THAT THE POWER THAT YOU GET, YOU CAN’T EARN IT/DOESN’T MATTER HOW MUCH YOU COME TO CHURCH/HOW MANY CROSSES THAT YOU WEAR---THE RECEPTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A GIFT FROM GOD FOR YOU TO HAVE POWER.

• AND IT DOESN’T SAY TO MAKE YOU SHOUT, MAKE YOU SPEAK IN TONGUES, DIDN’T COME TO MAKE YOU RUN…TO MAKE YOU FALL OUT AT THE ALTAR—BUT THE HOLY GHOST CAME TO GIVE YOU POWER TO BE A WITNESS TO THE GLORY AND HONOR OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

…WHEN THE HOLY GHOST COMES UPON YOU…

GREEK, ‘COME UPON YOU’, IS THE SAME WORD THAT GABRIEL USED WHEN HE TALKED TO MARY.

THAT THE HOLY GHOST IS GOING TO IMPREGNATE YOU WITH POWER—WHICH MEANS THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN’T BE TAUGHT TO YOU

HE SAYS, ‘YOU’RE GOING TO GET POWER TO DO SOME STUFF IN THE EARTH’.

YOU’RE GOING TO GET POWER WHEN THE HOLY GHOST COMES UPON YOU/WHEN THE HOLY GHOST VISITS YOU. AND YOU WILL BE MY WITNESS IN JERUSALEM.

- HE SAID THAT THE REASON THAT YOU ARE GOING TO NEED POWER BEYOND YOUR POWER IS BECAUSE THE FIRST PLACE THAT YOU’RE GOING TO NEED TO CHANGE STUFF ARE IN THE AREAS CLOSEST TO YOU.

• AND IT’S HARD TO CHANGE WHAT’S CLOSE TO YOU.

• HE SAYS THAT THE FIRST PLACE YOU’VE GOT TO CHANGE IS HOME SPACE.

HE SAYS I’M NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT YOUR ZIP CODE AND YOUR ADDRESS…I’M TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE IN YOUR FAMILY ……PEOPLE IN YOUR FRIENDSHIP CIRCLES WHO ARE TRAPPED IN SIN

• HE SAID I NEED TO GIVE YOU POWER TO CHANGE SOME STUFF WITH THE PEOPLE YOU’RE HANGING OUT WITH.

BECAUSE I’VE COME BY TO LET SOMEBODY KNOW THAT SOME OF YOU CAN’T GET FREE BECAUSE SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT YOU’RE HANGING OUT WITH DON’T MEAN YOU ANY GOOD;

DON’T MEAN THE KINGDOM ANY GOOD; SO HE PUT YOU THERE TO WITNESS AND NOT TO PARTNER UP WITH THEM

HE SAID YOU’LL BE WITNESS IN YOUR HOME, BUT THEN ALSO JUDEA. THOSE ARE PEOPLE THAT YOU’RE FAMILIAR WITH BUT AREN’T NECESSARILY FAMILY WITH

GOD HAS MORE FOR YOU THAN WHAT YOU HAVE ALREADY HAD BEHIND YOU!

- THERE’S MORE LEFT TO GET THAN THERE IS LEFT TO RECEIVE

- GOD’S GOT MORE BEFORE YOU THAN WHAT YOU’VE HAD BEHIND YOU

- YOUR DREAMS ARE GREATER THAN YOUR MEMORIES

- YOUR FUTURE IS BRIGHTER THAN YOUR PAST

• GOD’S GOT A BLESSING YOU HAVEN’T EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT

• GOD’S GOT A HOUSE THAT YOU HAVEN’T EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT

BECAUSE WE’VE GOT POWER TO BE BLESSED/WALK/WITNESS/SAVE/HEAL….

IS THERE ANYBODY IN HERE WHO KNOWS THAT YOU’VE GOT THE EVIDENCE THAT…

HE IS THE CHRIST/NISSI(BANNER)/ROPHE(HEALER)/ SHALOM(PEACE)/

I’M A WITNESS THAT HE IS ABLE TO DO EXCEEDINGLY, ABUNDANTLY ABOVE ALL I ASK/THINK

- GO HOME/WORK/CHURCH AND BE A WITNESS.

- GO TO YOUR ENEMIES/FAMILY/HOOKER/DRUG DEALER/GANGBANGER/ALCHOHOLIC/DIVORCEE/ABUSER AND BE A WITNESS.

- BE A WITNESS ON YOUR WAY—DO YOU KNOW HIM/HAVE YOU TRIED.

BECAUSE SINCE I MET JESUS WHAT A CHANGE IN MY LIFE HAS BEEN WROUGHT SINCE JESUS CAME INTO MY HEART; FLOODS OF JOY OH MY SOUL…LET THE SEA BILLOWS ROLL.

- SINCE I’VE MET HIM, HE CURE MY LIQUOR/DRUG/SEX/GOSSIP/LYING HABIT

- BUT HE GAVE ME A NEW HABIT. I’VE GOT A HABIT TO SHOUT, RUN, DANCE, TESTIFY!!!