Witness… μάρτυς (martus)

 

You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:10-17 ESV).

 

As we explore what it means to be witnesses for Jesus, it is important to talk about the cost of witnessing. The Greek word for “witnesses” is martyres, which also gives us the word “martyr.”

 

Since the beginning of the Church, there has been strong opposition to the Christian faith. The New Testament includes many stories of the persecution of Christians. And persecution continues today. Christianity Today magazine reported that about 13 Christians worldwide are killed every day because of their faith. In addition, 12 Christian buildings or churches are attacked, and 12 Christians are unjustly arrested each day. More than 360 million Christians in the world live with some kind of persecution or oppression because of their faith. They all bear witness to their faith and trust in Jesus as their living hope and Savior.

 

In our reading today, Paul describes the ways he was persecuted, and he says that believers can expect persecution for living “a godly life in Christ.” But he offers hope too. Although he faced many persecutions, Paul said, “The Lord rescued me from all of them.” Paul also reassures us that “all Scripture is God-breathed” and that it trains and equips us to face all kinds of worldly obstacles as we live “through faith in Christ Jesus.”

 

Expect opposition… be grace-full… God does bring the victory through His Word. It never returns void (cf. Isaiah 55:11).

 

Ummmm... Really?

 

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 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.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:6-11 ESV).

 

There are those times in my life when I “hear” God telling me to do something and my response is “Really?” I know that’s not particularly mature, but it is the truth. This must have been the same reaction the disciples had at the commission Jesus gave them just before He ascended into heaven. In our reading today He says, 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 (v. 8). I like the “gift” part of these words, but the “where” part is a bit off-putting.

 

Like the first disciples, Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit, and he explains what this gift is for and where we will use it. Those locations had specific meanings for Jesus’ first disciples. Jerusalem was the place they were in, and the Spirit would send them to be witnesses to the people in that local area. Judea was the region around Jerusalem, where the people were a lot like them. Samaria was a neighboring region that included people of different cultural and ethnic backgrounds. The Holy Spirit would send them to those places and then also to “the ends of the earth,” to share the good news of Jesus with people who lived far away.

 

I like the people in my “Jerusalem.” Witnessing to them is pretty easy actually. My “Judea” is a bit more difficult. I’m okay going to them, but it is a bit uncomfortable. And, my “Samaria”, well that’s even more difficult. Those people don’t look like me; they don’t act like me; and, they sure don’t like me. If that weren’t bad enough, Jesus then said we are to go to the “ends of the earth.” Let me use college football as an illustration. For me this is like Jesus saying, “Go to Texas A&M and tell them the gospel; then go to all the former students associations of Texas A&M and tell them the Gospel; then I want you to go your opponents and share with them my grace; and, finally I want you to go to Austin and tell my message to all the Texas University Longhorns.” REALLY?

 

And, He smiles and simply says, “Yep, really.” Just like Moses, I make all kinds of excuses and He gives me an answer for everyone of them, ending His commission with a smile on His face and a kind word… “I love them all. You should too!” If I’m smart, I pack my bags and start down I-35 to Austin!

 

Do you see it? Will you do it? We better. The time is short!

 

Can this Be Fixed?

 

Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, who brings forth chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick: “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.” (Isaiah 43:16-21 ESV).

 

If you will notice the “picture frame” in the attached picture today, I hope you can see that it is more than it seems. It is actually a slideshow on a constant loop. I have loaded over 1,000 digital pictures into the internal memory. The programming of this device shows each photo on a constant loop. It is wonderful technology. I certainly don’t know how it works, except turning it on and off. Mary and I love to reminisce while glancing at the pictures as they pop up. This one was taken in North Carolina when Faith and Logan were very young. Mary was enjoying story-time with them.

 

Well, I digress. One day it simply stopped working. I was distressed to say the least. I wasn’t worried about the photos. I am paranoid enough to have them stored in two other locations digitally. However, I didn’t want to think about another device. How much could that cost? What if they no longer make them? All sorts of questions begin to sweep across my mind. Then I thought, “Maybe I can fix it.” I took it apart and noticed all sorts of circuits and electronic parts. My heart sank. Could this be fixed? Then I noticed the switch. It was a mechanical part. I examined it with a magnifying glass and saw that part of it had broken off. It simply couldn’t be switched into the “on” position. With some tweezers I put the switch into the on position and it worked!

 

For many people, it seems the world is too broken to be fixed. Problems in the world and in our lives can feel overwhelming. We find ourselves asking the same question, “Can this ever be fixed”? In our reading today, God says, “YES!” God declares, “See, I am doing a new thing! Do you not perceive it?” We are reminded that God is at work doing something new, and he invites us to join him. He invites us to see with spiritual eyes what His will is… do you have the eyes to see it? You can… just ask!

 

My Witnesses

 

In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 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.” (Acts 1:1-8 ESV).

 

Through the years I have been called into court as a witness dealing with the adjudication in a legal matter. The lawyers for the plaintiff determined to make sure that my memories were clear and that the timeline of events was accurate, while the lawyers for the defense tried to call everything I said into question. They questioned every part of my testimony in their effort to call into doubt the guilt of their client. The first time I experienced this cross-examination was very unpleasant; however, I knew the truth. I knew it because I experienced it. I hadn’t just been told about it; it had become a part of my personal experience.  

 

Let that settle into your mind for a moment. This is at the heart of what Jesus wanted His disciples to know before they were sent out to be His witnesses to a very skeptical world.

 

I don’t know about you, such a commissioning seems like a daunting task, especially when Jesus says that our witness begins where we are and extends to the ends of the earth. It shouldn’t surprise us that we have doubts about our ability to communicate effectively the most important “witness” to others.

 

As Jesus commissions us, he promises the gift of his Holy Spirit as He did to the disciples. He also commissions us, his followers, as a community. This is our task, together. In the next few days I want to explore how to bear witness to Jesus. No one is unable to share what God has done in their life; and, every work of God in our personal lives is essential testimony to others. This is the design of God to reach all those whom He has called.

 

Is It Getting Worse?

 

Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains. 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. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:1-14 ESV).

 

Is it getting worse? That is a valid question. And there are certainly many opinions being expressed touting the answer. It has created so much clutter in our world today. Social media and news sources have only served to magnify the noisy clutter. This has been building for some time now; however, the tragedy of recent days has amplified the chaos. It is frightening to many. However, I have found that when I feel fear and anxiety rising, the best remedy is the Scripture. Today, I want to turn your attention to some of the last words recorded by Jesus to His disciples. It is found in Matthew 24, which we have come to know as “the Olivet Discourse.” Our reading today comes from the first part of that teaching.  

 

As time passes, this passage becomes more imminently apparent. Perhaps every generation feels that the signs of the end times are increasing. Perhaps the signs are increasing. Certainly the generations that are still living have seen plenty of earthquakes, famines, and wars. And certainly today we see an increase in wickedness, at least in some places. Witnessing the House Democratic-Farmer-Labor caucus leader Melissa Hortman, getting shot and dying after a man impersonating a police officer shot her in her Brooklyn Park home in June, and the equally tragic shooting of Charlie Kirk, a profoundly effective apologist of the Gospel and conservative speaker this week, I am struck with the similarity of this time in our history to that which I witnessed first-hand in the late 60’s and early 70’s when JFK, MLK, and RFK were senselessly killed at the hands of assassins.

 

But, is it really getting worse? It certainly feels like it. It certainly looks like it. However, we need to remember that these things must take place. The particular wickedness Jesus warns about could be called “lawlessness.” However, it goes beyond refusing to live God’s way, and it basically refuses to live according to anyone’s rules. It’s the attitude that believes “It is justified because I am right.” The problem with this kind of wickedness, according to Jesus, is that it works against love. It holds no commitment to another and has no willingness to sacrifice for anyone. In the end times most people will care only about themselves, and most people’s love will grow cold.

 

Having lived through those days and the knowledge of the truth in our reading today, can I remind you that all of this is designed to further the gospel of God’s truth in Jesus’ work of redemption. I remember the Jesus Revolution, also known as the Jesus Movement. It was a spiritual awakening primarily in Southern California during the late 1960s and 1970s where young people, many from the counter-cultural hippie movement, embraced Christianity as an alternative to their drug-fueled lifestyles. The movement led to the development of contemporary Christian music and informal worship, and popularized the message of a true biblically centered gospel centered in Jesus and unshakable belief in the imminent return of Christ.

 

So… let me ask again… is it getting worse? Yes. But that only means we are getting closer to Jesus’ coming to set all things right for eternity. This ought to bring believers both joy and urgency. The joy comes from the knowledge that we will be brought into His presence forever; the urgency is the knowledge of so many who need to hear His name and know His message of redemption. Let’s be a people are more concerned with the souls of others than anything else!

 

The Virtue of Kindness

 

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.  But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:1-10 ESV).

 

Sometimes we use the words kind and nice interchangeably; however, kindness is the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate, expressed through voluntary acts of care, empathy, and support without expecting anything in return. It involves a genuine concern for the welfare of others, leading to actions like offering a helping hand, listening intently, providing comfort, or showing compassion. Kindness is more than just being nice; it's an intentional, voluntary behavior that embodies compassion and respect for others as valuable individuals.

 

Unfortunately for many, the word nice simply means that something is pleasant. But in the Scripture, the Greek word chrestotes, translated as “kindness,” goes deeper. It refers to making ourselves useful or beneficial to others, and sometimes that is not pleasant.

 

In our reading today we read some amazing things about the grace of God. By God’s grace we receive the free gift of salvation from our sins. The gift is free, and yet we sometimes forget that it changes us. Grace gets results. Grace is useful, beneficial, and kind.

 

Grace is useful because it changes us. It lifts us up. It seats us on a heavenly throne with Christ Jesus—we become minor rulers serving the King of kings! But don’t forget that kings have responsibilities. Our royal responsibilities include showing the grace of God to everyone, everywhere. We do that by living out the good works that the King of kings has prepared for us to do. And when we do those good works, we become useful (kind) to the world, which in turn can better understand the grace of God expressed through the kindness of Christ Jesus to us. Be kind as He has been kind!

 

The Virtue of Love

 

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. (1 John 4:7-12 ESV).

 

This might be the most powerful paragraph ever written. With all the volumes written about love, even with all the Scriptures that talk about love, this is the only place where God wrote down his definition of love for all to see. Love is not simply a feeling, or an action, or even a commitment—although all of those things are involved. Love is beyond words and has been communicated most clearly through the Father’s will and the Son’s sacrifice—when Jesus died on a cross so that our relationship with God could be restored.

 

No matter how we view love, God’s love is always more. From the perspective of the Father, he sacrificed what was dearest to him for the sake of those who needed him more. From the Son’s perspective, he sacrificed himself so that we could be restored to the Father. And from our perspective, to the extent that we can see it honestly, we were lost and without a hope in the world. Because of our sin, we were headed for destruction with no way to save ourselves. So, God “sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” Why? Because he loves us.

 

And in the light of that love, there is more: “If we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” That is our great calling. I wonder if we thought about that truth every time we were ready to press “send” or “publish” … would we? I wonder if that were the overarching motivation for all that we do… would it make a difference? It should!