The Value of a Great Witness

Introduction

We are witnesses to a number of things. Many times before we try a new restaurant we check the list of witnesses also known as reviewers to give us insight on the menu, service and ambience. Today I would like us to take a deep dive at what it means to witness rather than being a good witness. To witness is to have knowledge of from personal observation or experience. I love to try a new restaurant, I read reviews, the good ones and the bad ones. I want to why you gave the restaurant 5 stars, I’m the type of consumer that will write a review, good bad or indifferent.

Witnesses are also used to solve cases, whether a person is innocent or guilty typically their freedom or their incarceration rest within the balances of a good witness. To be a witness takes preparation, in preparation for this sermon Bro. Barnes one of our esteemed elders who also serves in law said that a lawyer will not put someone on the stand unless they know exactly what they are going to say. When we see witnesses of Jesus, whether it’s the Samaritan woman or people He healed they told the people exactly what He did and it causes for more people to follow Jesus.

This interaction is a different one, the person witnessing is Jesus on behalf of God to a man who happens to be a Pharisee. Due to his social affiliations it makes sense that a man a part of the Sanhedrin would meet with Jesus during a time where no one would know that He is meeting with Him for his safety. The relationship between Jesus and the Pharisees was extremely volatile considering these were the men that wanted to kill Jesus.

Who Is Nicodemus

Nicodemus was a Pharisee and member of Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin would have been comparable to our legislative branch or even the supreme court. Composed of 71 members, this is the judicial court that investigates and persecutes Jesus and the growing Christian church after his death. In old testament text you’ll see them named as elders or officials.

We see the origination of this group in Numbers 11:16 “So the Lord said to Moses: “Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; bring them to the tabernacle of meeting, that they may stand there with you.”

This group of men had influence and power that subjected even the people of Jerusalem to undue oppression. This should not be anything new, we’ve seen legislation in this country that has oppressively been written to the demise of minorities in this country.

It’s no secret that Jesus comes from humble beginnings. Born in place that livestock was raised, moved to a foreign country in Africa to hide from the terrorist efforts of King Herod. Matthew 2:12-13 “Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way. Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.””

In this story we see a number of interactions. Nicodemus was convinced that Jesus was a teacher, he addresses Jesus as Rabbi but fails to understand that Jesus is God on earth. “for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him”. It was deeper than God just being with Him, He is God in the flesh.

You may ask why Nicodemus sought Jesus in such a hidden way, The bible says in John 12:42 “Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue;”

We can conclude that Nicodemus belonged to the household of faith, just like many of us who have been persuaded to believed the word and deeds of Jesus and carried it out in the way we live our lives but he was intimidated by the religious establishment that ultimately put Jesus to death.

The Familiar Text

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

We used this text to explain the love God has for mankind, we have used this text to discuss and teach what it means to sacrificially love someone. Nonetheless, Jesus is witnessing to the power of God to explain what one must do to be saved!

If it had not been for the witness of Jesus, Nicodemus would not know the power of Salvation. “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

The witnessing

unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God

unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

You must be born again. The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes.

Do not be discouraged when people do not initially understand. “How can a man be born when is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”

Nicodemus answered and said to Him, How can these things be?

When people fail to understand just keep witnessing! When life gets tough keep witnessing! When people say that Christianity is the white man’s religion, just keep witnessing! When people can’t understand how you worship a God that you have not seen, just keep witnessing.

John 3:10-15 “Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Receive his witness this morning, receive his love this morning, but your life should be a reflection and a living witness of what God has done for us!

What are we Witnessing About?

Let us witness the fact that He is the Son of God

John 5:18 “Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.”

Let us witness like Peter John 6:69 “Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.””

Let us witness about the sacrifice that Jesus is 2 Corinthians 5:21 “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

Let us witness like the Samaritan woman in John 4:42 “Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.””

Let us witness about the healing power of Jesus like we see in John 4:53 “So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives.” And he himself believed, and his whole household.”

I’ll witness that he’s a way maker, I’ll witness that He is a healer, I’ll witness that He loved me even when I was in sin, I’ll witness when things seem dark.

If I’m going to leave a 5 star review on the heavenly search engine it’s going to be about Jesus.

A Great Witness Has Long Term Impact

The same Nicodemus that came to Jesus at night, because of this witness stood boldly in defense of our Lord.

John 7:50-52 “Nicodemus (he who came to Jesus by night, being one of them) said to them, “Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?” They answered and said to him, “Are you also from Galilee? Search and look, for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee.””

Society will hold you hostage to the hood you grew up in, or the dynamics of growing up in an unconventional household. Thank God that Jesus is bigger than the school to prison pipeline, thank God that Jesus is bigger than an impoverished neighborhood.

John 1:46 “And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.””

Because of the witnessing of Jesus it was Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus that tended to his body before he arose.

John 19:39-42 “And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury. Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews’ Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby.”

The same Nicodemus that came to jesus at night was the same Nicodemus that brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, the same Joseph that was secretly a disciple of Jesus came to Pilate to take the body of Jesus.

It was the connections through witnessing that they buried Jesus like a King even though they killed Him like a criminal.

It was Preparation Day, because worship is coming I’m getting prepared on Friday because Sunday is coming! It was this burial that led to the magnificent praise of a sermon entitled He is Risen, Mark entitled the Day of Preparation the day before the Sabbath. No work could be done on Sabbath but praise God for preparation. Before the witness gets on the stand there has to be some preparation that has to take place. There was some preparation, some prophecy that was going to be fulfilled because God means what He says.

Matthew 28:5-8 “But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.” So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.”

When you think you’re down and out, stay prepared because worship is coming!