Our Opportunity To Testify

POPE JOHN XXIII, ONCE SAID, “EVERY CHRISTIAN MUST BE CONVINCED OF HIS FUNDAMENTAL AND VITAL DUTY OF BEARING WITNESS TO THE TRUTH IN WHICH HE BELIEVES AND THE GRACE THAT HAS TRANSFORMED HIM.” WE MUST BE A LIVING WITNESS FOR JESUS.

THE EVER-GROWING DARKNESS OF THE WORLD TESTIFIES TO ITS NEED TO BECOME ILLUMINED BY THOSE WHO HAVE THE LIGHT OF CHRIST IN THEIR LIVES AND ARE WILLING TO LIVE JUST LIKE JESUS.

THE WORLD NEEDS TO SEE THE BOLD, LOVING, AND RESPECTFUL WITNESSES OF OUR FAITH. LIVING LIKE JESUS AND TELLING PEOPLE ABOUT JESUS AND HOW HE HAS TRANSFORMED US, SAVED US, AND RENEWED OUR LIFE IS HOW WE ARE CALLED TO WITNESS.

1 PETER 3:15-16, “INSTEAD, YOU MUST WORSHIP CHRIST AS LORD OF YOUR LIFE. AND IF SOMEONE ASKS ABOUT YOUR HOPE AS A BELIEVER, ALWAYS BE READY TO EXPLAIN IT. BUT DO THIS IN A GENTLE AND RESPECTFUL WAY. KEEP YOUR CONSCIENCE CLEAR. THEN IF PEOPLE SPEAK AGAINST YOU, THEY WILL BE ASHAMED WHEN THEY SEE WHAT A GOOD LIFE YOU LIVE BECAUSE YOU BELONG TO CHRIST.”

WE ARE READY TO GIVE OUR TESTIMONY AND TO TESTIFY TO OUR FAITH WHEN WELCOMED AND ASKED TO SHARE. WE ALSO SHARE EVEN WHEN FACED WITH REJECTION, THREAT OF HARM, ARREST, AND EVEN DEATH. WE LIVE CONFIDENTLY AND COURAGEOUSLY. WE ARE PEOPLE OF FAITH WHO STRIVE TO BE CONSECRATED.

THE FREE METHODIST CHURCH TEACHES US ON BEING FULLY CONSECRATED: “GOD CALLS HIS PEOPLE TO SET THEMSELVES APART TO HIS WILL AND PURPOSE…ANYTHING THUS SET APART IS SAID TO BE CONSECRATED. ALL CHRISTIANS ARE CALLED TO BE HOLY AND WITHOUT BLAME BEFORE GOD IN LOVE.

CHRIST DEMANDS THAT HIS DISCIPLES FOLLOW HIM IN MIND AND SPIRIT. IF CHRISTIANS ARE TO WITNESS EFFECTIVELY IN THE WORLD, THEY MUST BE DISTINGUISHED BY RIGHTEOUSNESS, PEACE, JOY, FAITH, HOPE, AND LOVE. GOD WANTS A SPECIAL KIND OF PEOPLE FOR HIS WORK.

WHEN CHRISTIANS SINCERELY FOLLOW CHRIST AND LISTEN TO THE HOLY SPIRIT AS HE SPEAKS IN THE SCRIPTURES, THEY SHOULD SENSE THIS NEED OF CLEANSING FROM INWARD SIN. THEY SHOULD DESIRE EARNESTLY TO BE FILLED WITH THE LOVE OF GOD AND LONG FOR A RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST WHICH WILL SATISFY THEIR DEEPEST INWARD NEED AND EMPOWER THEM TO SERVE AND OBEY THE LORD.

CHRISTIANS, THEREFORE, MUST CONSECRATE THEMSELVES TO GOD AND SURRENDER THEIR WILLS TO THE WILL OF THE HEAVENLY FATHER. THOSE WHO DESIRE INWARD SANCTIFICATION MUST DENY THEMSELVES, BEAR THE CROSS, AND FOLLOW CHRIST…BELIEVERS MUST GIVE THEMSELVES WITHOUT RESERVATION TO GOD. THEY FREELY YIELD ALL TO THE PURPOSES OF GOD AND DEVOTE EVERY DESIRE AND AMBITION TO THE SERVICE OF CHRIST RATHER THAN TO SELF.”

IF WE ARE TO WITNESS EFFECTIVELY AND FIND STRENGTH TO STAND IMMOVABLE AMONGST OPPOSITION AND PERSECUTION, THEN WE MUST LIVE CONSECRATED BEFORE GOD.

WE MUST ALLOW THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WITHIN US TO GIVE US SPIRITUAL STRENGTH TO RESIST THE WORLD AND TO OVERCOME ITS DARKNESS WITH THE LIGHT THAT COMES FROM OUR INTENTIONAL AND INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS.

OUR LESSON TODAY SHOWS US THE POWER IN AND IMPORTANCE OF OUR TESTIMONY ESPECIALLY AS THE WORLD SINKS FURTHER INTO DARKNESS AND TOUGH AND PERILOUS TIMES INCREASE BEFORE CHRIST RETURNS AND RENDERS TRUE JUSTICE OF GOD’S KINGDOM.

IT SHOULD NOT COME AS NO SURPRISE TO US. 1 TIMOTHY 3:1-5, “… IN THE LAST DAYS THERE WILL BE VERY DIFFICULT TIMES. FOR PEOPLE WILL LOVE ONLY THEMSELVES AND THEIR MONEY. THEY WILL BE BOASTFUL AND PROUD, SCOFFING AT GOD, DISOBEDIENT TO THEIR PARENTS, AND UNGRATEFUL. THEY WILL CONSIDER NOTHING SACRED. THEY WILL BE UNLOVING AND UNFORGIVING; THEY WILL SLANDER OTHERS AND HAVE NO SELF-CONTROL. THEY WILL BE CRUEL AND HATE WHAT IS GOOD. THEY WILL BETRAY THEIR FRIENDS, BE RECKLESS, BE PUFFED UP WITH PRIDE, AND LOVE PLEASURE RATHER THAN GOD. THEY WILL ACT RELIGIOUS, BUT THEY WILL REJECT THE POWER THAT COULD MAKE THEM GODLY. STAY AWAY FROM PEOPLE LIKE THAT!”

YET DESPITE WHAT LOOKS HORRIFYING AND DISCOURAGING, WE HAVE HOPE. JESUS SAYS, IN VERSE 9, “DO NOT BE FRIGHTENED.” WE ARE NOT TO BE STARTLED OR TERRIFIED BY ALL THAT IS GOING ON AROUND THE WORLD, BUT CONFIDENT IN GOD’S PROMISE OF JESUS RETURNING AND THE WORDS HE HAS REVEALED TO US IN SCRIPTURE.

GOD IS NOT LOSING CONTROL OF THIS WORLD AND HE IS STILL IN AUTHORITY OVER ALL HIS CREATION. NO AMOUNT OF EVIL IS STRONG ENOUGH TO DEFEAT THE WILL OF GOD OR TO CHANGE AND ALTER GOD’S PLAN OF REDEEMING HIS CREATION AND PEOPLE.

WE REMAIN FOCUSED ON PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL AND LIVING AS WITNESSES OF JESUS CHRIST. WHEN WE STAY GROUNDED IN THE TRUTH OF SCRIPTURE AND STAY CONNECTED TO JESUS IN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM, WE WILL BE LESS SUSCEPTIBLE TO FEAR OVER GLOBAL EVENTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES THAT CAN SHAKE OUR FAITH AND CAUSE US TO QUESTION THE GOODNESS OF GOD.