Preached: Sunday 12th April 2015
Sermon: 'Witnesses Together'
Acts 4:32 "Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common."
Some people, theologians, philosophers and thinkers of various persuasions, have taken great encouragement from this passage. They think it indicates a perfect society, a utopia, which they can belong to. Indeed, they think it’s the way the world should be.
But this is not any kind of communism or even a type of socialism they dream of.
What we can do is concern ourselves with the central message of the passage and indeed the message of the whole Book of Acts.
So, what was the central message of the church after the resurrection of Jesus the Christ?
The whole community, ‘the multitude’ it says in v. 32, who believed in the Person and work of Jesus as God’s Messiah, were His witnesses.
They were united in this witness because the Holy Spirit had brought them together and had come upon them in power in the Upper Room in Jerusalem. (Ch. 1:12-14; 2:1-4)
33 “And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.”
Now we are onto solid ground. The whole book of Acts is written to tell us what the believers in Christ DID after His resurrection.
They were witnesses to Jesus Christ.
Here it is summarised in a few words: “And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.”
I say again, this is the central teaching of Acts.
The result is: “And great grace was upon them all.” (33c)
If you are a witness, with others, to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, then great grace will be upon you.
Do you want that? Do you want great grace to be upon you? I am sure you do...
The Lord wants witnesses. The Lord needs witnesses. In the courtroom of world opinion the Lord wants you as His witnesses.
Enough of negative talk!
Enough of self-accusation that we do not do witnessing as we should.
Let’s take the advice of Nike! What advice is that?
Yes, as Nike says: “Just Do It!”
Enough of the negative talk that is thrown at the church, probably to put her off her message: “Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.” (1 Tim 1:15)
It is time for us to witness to the Jesus we know.
We can tell people that without having a theology degree, we can tell people without an extensive knowledge of the Bible or even without the help of any other teaching.
Why? Because it’s our own story. It’s your own story!
We can all tell people what we do know.
We can all tell people what Jesus means to us.
We can tell them what He has done for us.
Witnessing is simply one person telling another one what Jesus means to them.
Of course as many churches in the Middle East are discovering, witnessing can be very costly. It can mean martyrdom.
It did for the 1st Century Christians. Eleven out of the 12 Apostles died for claiming Jesus is Lord.
Many other ordinary believers have died down through the ages.
In Roman times their bodies were burnt alive and used for street lighting.
Foxes Book of Martyrs cites many weird and wonderful ways evil rulers thought up to destroy the witnesses to Jesus Christ.
Now we see that in Kenya a week ago; “gunmen from the al Qaeda-aligned group stormed Garissa University College, some 200 km (120 miles) from the Somali border.” (http://www.odt.co.nz/news/world/338465/kenyan-university-students-march-demand-security) and that some 148 Christians were killed because they witnessed that they were Christians and, not being Muslims, could not recite the Islamic prayer they were asked to say.
Archbishop Dr. Justin Welby in his Easter message to the Anglican Church and to the world said: “‘To witness is to be a martyr. I am told by the Coptic Bishop in England that the Coptic Christians murdered in Libya last month died proclaiming that Jesus Christ is Lord. They are martyrs, a word that means both one that dies for their faith and one that witnesses to faith. There have been so many martyrs in the last year. On Maundy Thursday, three days ago around 150 Kenyans were killed because of being Christian. They are witnesses, unwilling, unjustly, wickedly, and they are martyrs in both senses of the word.”
(http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/articles.php/5533/archbishop-justins-easter-sermon)
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3026875/Christians-use-non-violent-resistance-against-jihadis-says-Welby-Easter-sermon-following-killing-150-Kenya.html#ixzz3WewDsLUG
Notice also, that they did not witness alone. They gave witness together.
In verse 32 of today’s passage in Acts 4 we read:
“Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul...”
The Apostles needed each other. Yes, even the Apostles, blessed as they were, needed each other to be faithful witnesses to Jesus Christ.
Notice, it was not a superficial unity. They were one in heart and soul.
It was unity from the heart, and they bought into it big time!
Now if the Apostles, who were hand-picked by the Lord Himself, anointed by Him and privileged to live with Him; if they needed each other, how much more do we need each other to be Jesus' witnesses!
We can be a witness on our own, but the Scriptures teach that it is together, working together that we are given grace and power.
Why were the Apostles and the Christian Community so Effective?
They were united and focussed. Agreeing together about what God had called them to do and specifically wanted them to do and how and when they are to do it; this is the united and focussed apostleship that is given great power and great grace.
So can I ask you, as a church, do you want great grace and great power to be His witnesses?
I am sure you do!
34 “Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, 35 and laid them at the apostles' feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.”
No one went without. Why? Because God was providing for them.
How? By the means given to the community; by the members of the community. They were united so they willingly shared what they had. The broader community did not sell property to supply the common need. The Christian community of disciples did. Again, this was not communism.
36 “And Joses, who was also named Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated Son of Encouragement), a Levite of the country of Cyprus, 37 having land, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet.”
So he laid the money at the apostles’ feet? Why?
Because they were God's chosen representatives. They were the authority of Jesus Christ on earth. They were promised power by Jesus “you shall receive power” (Acts 1: 8) and they were given power (Acts 2:1-4) and here we see them using that power to establish the church.
It was primarily a power to speak and to testify to the risen Lord.
Acts 2:21 “And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the LORD Shall be saved.”
“And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” (47) thousands of them…
Read it for yourself in Acts 2 and on into the book.
We may find it hard to understand, but at one time the church had real authority in the Christian community. Now we let people, even in the church, do what they want, because we have lost our authority as the church.
Ps 133:1 “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
2 It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments. God’s anointing of power.
3 It is like the dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion; for there the LORD
commanded the blessing --- Life forevermore.” The blessing of eternal life.
These readings link together very well this morning…
True power comes in the unity of the truth.
So what was John’s testimony?
1 John 1:1 “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen
with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word
of life --- 2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you
that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us --- 3 that which we have
seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our
fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.”
John claims, with the other apostles, to share in the testimony of Jesus Christ.
4 “And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.”
For anyone to say the Christian Scriptures are not consistent or self-supportive or
that the truth of Scripture is not supported from within itself… to say that means
that such a person is just not able to read the Bible properly!
5 “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light
and in Him is no darkness at all.
6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice
the truth.
7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the
blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is
not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is
not in us.”
You may have heard it said: “I did not know; I did not know that.”
Humbling enough to say at the best of times, but if it’s about facts, it’s not so bad. None of us know everything! But if we have to say “I did not know that” about someone, we may be a little careful about what we pass on to other people about them…or even think about them because of this new information.
Then again, if we are told something about ourselves that we did not know… “I did not know; I did not know that.” It is embarrassing and humbling and we do not like it!
1 John 2:1 “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if
anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also
for the whole world.”
John again in his Gospel:
Ch. 20:19 “Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors
were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in
the midst, and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’
20 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were
glad when they saw the Lord.”
If a person who calls themselves a Christian in a day-in-day-out way is not
glad for having seen the Lord, then maybe they have not seen the Lord.
At least, they have not seen the Lord in the way that the first disciples saw the
Lord!
Paul saw Him and it threw him off his horse on to the ground and blinded him.
Thomas saw Him and declared: “My Lord and My God!” (Jn 20:28)
Isaiah saw Him and he said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of
unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the
King, The LORD of hosts."… (Isa 6:5)
Peter saw Him at the great catch of fish and “he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying,
‘Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!’”
The risen Lord came to His own ones, His disciples.
21 “So Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.’
22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy
Spirit.”
That’s what happened at Pentecost…
2 “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are
retained.”
24 Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.
25 The other disciples therefore said to him, "We have seen the Lord." So he said to them,
"Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails,
and put my hand into His side, I will not believe."
26 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came,
the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, "Peace to you!"
27 Then He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your
hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing."
28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!"
29 Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are
those who have not seen and yet have believed."
30 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not
written in this book; 31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the
Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name."
All Christians should see Jesus in a completely different way to that of the
unbelieving world.
Why? We see through eyes of faith!
Not only in the terrible way He was killed on the cross, not only for the things He
said that embarrassed His listeners,
- His own disciples,
- The people who were supposed to be their religious leaders, the Jewish authorities and
- The Roman authorities as well.
But we also should think of Him differently because of the scandal of the cross and
the glorious, wonderful, life changing resurrection!
The first disciples, who followed dutifully at first, came to love Him, and followed
Him not out of duty but out of loving attraction to Him and all He meant to them.
When He died they were deeply disappointed (to put it mildly), confused, sad
beyond measure, ashamed and afraid; all at once! They sort of died inside.
They were in the shadow of what Paul calls: the ‘scandal of the cross.’
(1 Cor:1:23; Gal3:13: a ‘scandalon’ or a cursed thing after Deut 21:23 “Cursed is
anyone that hangs on a tree.” “…he who is hanged is accursed of God.”)
This scandal is at the heart of both the reason why we are His witnesses and the
reason we want to back away from being witnesses.
Ravi Zacharias says: “Crucifixion was humiliating. It was so humiliating that the
Romans who specialized in the art of torture assured their own citizenry that a
Roman could never be crucified…
On the way to the cross two thousand years ago, Jesus took the ultimate
indignity and the ultimate pain to bring us back to the dignity of a relationship
with God and the healing of our souls. Will you remember that this was done for
you and receive his gift?” (http://rzim.org/a-slice-of-infinity/the-scandal-of-the-cross-2)
“But it’s not reasonable.”
“Why and How can Jesus have died for the sins of the whole world?”
“And anyway, what does what happened way back then have to do with me
today?”
“Anyway, dead men do not come back to life, so Jesus could not and did not rise.”
“How can we tell people what they will not believe and will look at us and make us
feel embarrassed/awkward?”
We have all heard the excuses and even made some up ourselves…
So tell me, how did you manage to tell anyone about things you have done wrong?
How did you share other embarrassing things with them already?
Your friends and family already know you very well. Some even claim to know
embarrassing things about you - whether they are true or not true -.
You are not being asked to shed blood for Jesus, just to say something about
how He has changed your life.
Thankfully, we are not being asked to be martyrs… at least, not yet.
A Prayer:
Lord, we thank you that You died on the cross for us. You suffered the greatest
‘scandalon’… the greatest humiliation and pain.
We may not think highly of ourselves or of other people at times, but You did and
You do now. You value us so much that You died for us.
You have also promised to be with us always, to the end of the age.
You have promised to keep us for Yourself to be with You where You are, and to be
with You and Your people forever with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
We know we do not have to understand everything about that, but we can
understand enough to know You are trustworthy and true because You died and
rose again for us and all who put their trust in You. Thank You Lord.
Now help us to go out and tell others. To God be the glory. Amen.
