CALLED TO BE SENT
A few years ago a guy named Ron Schatz went into a bank and filled out a withdrawal slip. He took the slip up to the teller and gave it to her, but noticed the teller was acting very strangely and seemed to be taking a long time getting his money. Suddenly the police burst in and ordered him on to the ground at gunpoint. He waited in handcuffs while the police tried to straighten out the story. The teller had pressed the silent alarm button after turning the withdrawal slip over and seeing the words, "This is a hold-up." As it turned out, someone as a joke had written "This is a hold-up" on the back of every withdrawal slip sitting on the counter.
Amazing that just a few words written on a piece of paper caused such a terribly embarrassing chain of events to take place. Today I want to look at just a few words that were written down, not on the back of a withdrawal slip but in the book of Acts that have also changed the lives of so many people around the world today. These words record the last thing that Jesus said before He left His Disciples;
Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
What is our calling? Today we are concluding our series we have been in of last 5 weeks. God calls us to worship, he calls us to be in community, he calls us to serve others and lastly we are called to share the faith we have with others. We are called to be witnesses of what we have seen and heard and experienced. What is a witness?
Our English word witness comes from an Old English word we do no use very much anymore but we used it in Elizabethan times and afterwards. It is the word wit. ‘To wit’ means ‘to know’ A ‘wit’ is ‘a knowledgeable person.’ So a ‘witness’ of some who knows something and testifies to it.
We are called to tell other people about the love and goodness of God that we have experienced in our lives. So how do we do that? Let me suggest to you today that being a witness involves at least 4 things that we read from the first couple of chapters in the book of Acts;
1. Worship
To be a witness of Jesus means that we need, as followers of Jesus, to pray and worship like never before. Jesus had told his disciples to go into all the world.
Mark 16:15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.”
If they were told to go, why were they sitting in an upper room all together? They were waiting. They were waiting for the Holy Spirit which Jesus had promised. They could not fulfill the task Jesus had given them without the power that Jesus had promised them.
The starting point for telling others about Jesus is worship. It is answering the question we began this series with, that Jesus asked Peter on the beach that day “Do you love me?” Our calling starts there. We cannot share with others what we have not personally received. Eventually the disciples received what they were waiting for.
It says in the beginning Acts 2;
Acts 2:1-4 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Likewise, being a witness starts with a personal relationship with Jesus. You cannot be an effective witness for Jesus without first being a passionate worshipper of Jesus.
In 1995 Naomi and I visited Kuwait for the first time while we were on the Doulos. One of the first things we were told was that no Kuwaiti Muslim had ever become a Christian, even though the church had been there in the country for more than 60 years. We found out that the church in Kuwait was looking for a pastor. At first I was not really interested. We were wanting to go back to the gulf as missionaries (tentmakers), but I was unsure as to what kind of a job I could get. We had just figured that pastoral ministry was out of the question. At that time I remember someone saying to me “why take the job as a pastor, God is calling you to be a fisher of men, not a keeper of the aquarium.” God spoke with me about that. God reminded me that a strong church is a strong witness, so I took the position. The church began a time of focused prayer for the Kuwaiti people and an emphasis on worship. Within 6 months the first Muslim Kuwaiti came to Christ.
You cannot give what you have not first received. You cannot share what you do not have. If you are going to be an effective witness for Jesus you must first be a passionate worshipper of Jesus.
2. Welcome
Being a witness of Jesus means that we have to love God like never before, but it also means that we have to love people like never before. As a result of the outpouring at Pentecost more than 3000 people came to faith. These people were not just left on their own. They were welcomed into a community. They met together as a group. They were bound together in fellowship.
We see this at the end of Acts 2;
Acts 2:42-47 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
The people that had accepted Jesus realized that the Christian life was not just about their relationship with God but it was also about their relationship with one another. They ate together and served together and learned together. It was their togetherness that others saw and were attracted to.
John 13:35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
To be an effective witness for Jesus you need to be committed being in community for Jesus.
In the Greek Islands there is place where you can seek out the home of the famous Hippocrates – the founder of modern medicine. There you will find an olive tree that supposedly dates back to the days of Hippocrates. That would make the tree nearly 2,400 years old. The trunk of the tree is huge but completely hollow. It has an occasional leaf here or there and might produce a few olives each year. There are poles holding a few of it’s branches up. The tree of Hippocrates can by definition be called a tree. By nature it still shows the essentials of an olive tree. But it has long since fulfilled it’s function.
Tourists come from all over every year to inspect this ancient tree – having some link to a dim history. But in all the fields around the tree are hundreds of olive groves in all directions. The strong healthy young trees with narrow trunks are full of leaves and produce thousands of olives each year.
Do you see the challenge for the church. The church must keep it’s distinct characteristics. It must be a church by its nature but it cannot stop functioning. We must ensure that the church is more than just an honorable relic of the past. The church must be more than that. We must produce good fruit each day of the year.
3. Work
To be a witness of Jesus means that we need to live like never before. As the disciples of Jesus lived their lives they made an impact of people everywhere they went. We see this in Acts 3;
Acts 3:1-8 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer--at three in the afternoon. 2 Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, "Look at us!" 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. 6 Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.
Peter and John were just on their way to the temple and came across this hurting person and were able to share the love of Jesus with him. To be an effective witness for Jesus you need to show the love of Jesus in everything you do to everyone around you. Jesus said it this way;
Matthew 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
Will Rogers once said: “So live your life so that you wouldn’t be ashamed to sell the family parrot to the town gossip.”
What does being a Christian mean? Many people today do not even like using that term, they prefer to say that they are a Christ follower over using the word Christian because it is a misunderstood term.
The Chevy Nova was a relatively successful American car for many years. Encouraged by U.S. sales, Chevrolet began to market the American Nova throughout the world. Unfortunately, the Nova did not sell well in Mexico and other Latin American countries. Additional ads were ordered, marketing efforts were stepped up, but sales remained stagnant. Sales directors were baffled. The car had sold well in the American market; why wasn’t it selling now? When they discovered the answer, it was rather embarrassing.
In Spanish, Nova means “no go.” Who wants to buy a car that does not run? Likewise the term Christian is often misunderstood in our culture.
4. Witness
To be a witness of Jesus means that we need to speak like never before. God calls us to worship and to welcome and to work, but there comes a time when we have to share the reason why we are different.
When the crowds saw the disciples filled with the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, peter spoke to them;
Acts 2:14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say.
When the beggar was healed and the crowds were amazed, Peter spoke with them;
Acts 3:11-12 While the beggar held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon's Colonnade. 12 When Peter saw this, he said to them: "Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?
Later, when Peter and John were arrested they were brought before the religious leaders, Peter spoke with them;
Acts 4:8-9 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: "Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed,
In order to be a witness for Jesus you must be willing to open up your mouth and share your relationship with Jesus. You have to be willing to tell your story.
1 Peter 3:15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have…
We need to seize every opportunity we are given to open our mouths and share God’s love to others.
A young soldier and his commanding officer boarded a train together. The only available seats were across from an attractive young women who was traveling with her elderly grandmother. As they engaged in pleasant conversation, the soldier and the young woman kept eying one another, the attraction was obviously mutual. Suddenly the train went into a tunnel and the car became pitch black. Immediately two sounds were heard: the "smack" of a kiss, then the "whack" of a slap across the face.
The grandmother thought "I can't believe he kissed my granddaughter, but I'm proud of her for giving him a slap, he deserved it." The commanding officer thought, "I don't blame the boy for kissing girl, but it's a shame that she missed his face and hit me instead." The young girl thought, "I'm glad he kissed me, but I wish my grandmother hadn't slapped him for doing it." As the train broke into the sunlight, the young soldier could not wipe the smile off his face. He had just seized the opportunity to kiss a pretty girl and strike his commanding officer, and he had gotten away with both!
In order to be a witness you must have first experienced what you are witnessing to yourself.
Imagine if you had a son that went off to college. At Christmas he comes home and informs you that he had a new girl friend. You ask what her name is and he says “I’m not sure.” You ask well what does her family and friends call her and he says no, I have not really met her family or friends yet. OK, so you ask where does she live, what courses is she taking? Well he says, I really don’t know that much about her. OK, so you ask what is she like, what do you talk about when you are together? Well, I really don’t know that either because we really have never spoken, but I saw her walking through campus once and she is really pretty so I know she is my girlfriend.
You would probably say to your son that the girl is not his girlfriend, just someone he is infatuated with. There is no real relationship. After all, if you do not know a person’s family, and you do not know anything about them or even speak with them there really is no relationship.
The same is true of God. If you say that you are Christian but you don’t go to church, that is like saying I have a relationship with a person, but I don’t like to hang out with their family. If you say that you are a Christian but you don’t really read the bible, it is like saying you have a relationship with a person, but I don’t know anything about them. If you say you are a Christian but you don’t pray, it is like saying I have a relationship with a person, but I never speak with them. How can you have relationship without these things? The simple answer is, you can’t.
Matthew 7:22-23 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord’ … 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you’…
Christianity is not a religion. It is not a set of rules or regulations or rituals, it is a relationship with a person. You are not a Christian just because you were born in a Christian culture. You are not a Christian just because you were raised in a Christian home. You are not a Christian just because you went to VBS when you were a kid. It is a relationship.
It was 40 years ago this summer that my parents sent me to camp for the first time. I did not really want to go. When we arrived at the camp I was in my cabin putting away my things when I heard a motorcycle pull up outside. In walked my cabin counsellor. He was a rough looking person. That night before we turned off the lights he turned to the kid in the bunk beside him “tomorrow, when all the others go for swim, you and I are going for a walk in the woods.” That terrified me. What did that mean. Every day another one of my cabin mates was chosen, until the day before camp was over it was my turn. While the others went swimming we walked a short distance to a clearing overlooking Lake Huron. My cabin counsellor told me that he had made many mistakes in his life, but that years before he had given his life to Jesus, and that Jesus had saved him. He asked me if I wanted to receive the gift of salvation that Jesus offered, and I said yes.
That was 40 years ago, and for the last 40 years my life has been different because of that day. For 40 years I have tried imperfectly to make Jesus the center of my life. Because of that day I would move from just being a camper to becoming a cabin leader and later a camp director and input speaker at that camp. Because of that day I went on my first missions trip to Bolivia, and later China and the Yonge St. Mission. Because of that day I went to seminary where I met my wonderful wife who had also made the decision to make Jesus the center of her life. Because of that day I became a pastor and later became a missionary, spending 10 years in Kuwait. Because of that day I am standing up here today.
For the last 40 years my focus has been on trying to deepen my relationship with Jesus. After 40 years I can testify to the fact that God is good. I am witness to the love and power and mercy of Jesus.
I know that there are people here in this room that have walked with Jesus much longer than me. I know that if I was to ask them they could also stand and testify to God’s love and goodness.
Charles Thomas Studd was born in England in 1860, one of three sons of a wealthy businessman. He was saved at the age of 18. He had everything in the world going for him. He was wealthy. He was well known nationally as an outstanding Cricket player. He gave it all up to go to China in 1885 following Hudson Taylor with the China Inland Mission. After years of service he returned to England and eventually toured the US helping to pioneer the Student Volunteer Movement. He would go on to serve in India and later Africa. WHY? Because of his relationship with Jesus. His life was completely turned upside down because he met the saviour. He once wrote “Some people love to dwell near church with choir and steeple bell. But I want to run a rescue station a yard from the gates of hell.’
As we come to the communion table this morning let me ask you a simple question, are you a witness for Jesus? Are you a worshipper? Are you showing love and are you part of the community of the church? Are you living a life so that people see Jesus in you? If so, what kind of a witness are you?
Sunday Morning August 31 1997 we awoke to the news that seemed to rock the world. Princess Diana had died in a car accident. Millions watched as news reporters described in great detail the events that caused that accident. Up dates told every late breaking tidbit of information. For over two weeks the news hour was filled with reports on this tragedy. You would have had to been living under a rock not to know about what had happened. The zeal in reporting this news was riveting. Just imagine if all the time and money that was spent on letting the world know about the Princess Of Wales was spent on letting the world know about the Prince Of Peace, billions would know of the savior’s love.
