Intro: Today Lord willing I want address an issue that is becoming a popular trend among Christians not to do and that is WITNESSING. We are finding ourselves being more like the apostles when Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father; staring up in the sky CATCHING FLIES RATHER THAN MEN!
I. Before they were to go out and spread the Gospel, they needed the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.
A. In verse 4 & 5 of the first chapter of Acts Jesus instructs them not to leave Jerusalem without first receiving the promise of the Holy Spirit. In Luke 24:47-49 Jesus says,” (47) And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. (48) And ye are witnesses of these things. (49) And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.”
1. In the Gospel of Mark 16:15-18 the empowerment is describe as the ability to cast out devils, speaking with new tongues, to be able to take up serpents; now I want to pause here for one moment because this statement alone has caused a lot of controversy as to its meaning. Many have taken it as a literal meaning that one can pick up a snake, and its bite will in no means harm you, but I beg to differ upon studying I have found through studying the Greek that to take up serpents applies to having dominion over Satan and evil. Or in other words when temptation to sin is brought before you; you have the ability to cast it away or to resist evil. As paralleled to Luke 10:19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Now continuing on with the empowerment of the Spirit we are given the power that if we drink any deadly thing it will not harm us, and finally from the text we have the ability to lay hands on the sick and they recover.
2. Now this same empowerment we are given the gifts of the Spirit as found in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, and they are the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, faith, the gifts of healing, the working of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, divers kinds of tongues, and the interpretation of tongues.
3. Now again before I go on, I want to mention briefly the importance of the empowering or baptism in the Holy Spirit. We as the Church of God place a great deal of emphasizes on speaking in tongues, but it’s more than tongues. It is a closer walk with God it is a boast in our prayer life Romans 8:26 ¶ Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
4. Now Jesus backs up these abilities that the Spirit empowers us with His words in John 14:12 ¶ Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater [works] than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. This alone tells me that the gifts of the Spirit are to be in operation in the Church and in us as believers through the unction of the Holy Spirit and LOVE.
II. But with this empowerment we seem to be doing NOTHING with it.
A. As we in the Church watch prophecy fulfill left and right. We seem to be ignorant of the task at hand; God is fulfilling the prophecy of Joel His spirit is being poured out. Yet we indulge ourselves in it, but like greedy children we share it with no one.
1. In Luke 10:2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly [is] great, but the labourers [are] few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.
2. All through scripture we are told to share the Gospel with others. In Luke 14:23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel [them] to come in, that my house may be filled. Once again we compel not!
3. In Matthew 4:19 Jesus calls Peter and Andrew out to be fishers of men. Likewise He has called you out to be. We are not to be pew warmers!
B. On the Day of Judgment, we will give an account of our labors whether we were slothful or assiduous.
1. Ezekiel 3:18 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked [man] shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. This message that you have was given unto you that you may have life more abundantly, and this same message was also entrusted in your care that it may be shared that others may have that same life more abundantly.
2. Now for those of you that may say “that’s old testament it doesn’t apply to now” than I can say to you the words of Paul in Acts 20:25-27; (25) And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. (26) Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I [am] pure from the blood of all [men]. (27) For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
3. It is our responsibility to tell the world about Christ. It is not and I say again IS NOT Gods will that man shall die and go to Hell. 2 Peter 3:9 ¶ The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
C. This message in which was put in our trust to share with others is not to be hid or ashamed of.
1. Matthew 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. (15) Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. (16) Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
2. 1 Peter 2:9 But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
3. Romans 1:16 ¶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
4. Mark 8:38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
III. So now let us do something about it!
A. We now know that we are to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with all. That we are not here to warm a pew and wait for the second coming of Christ, but to occupy till He comes to get us as stated in Luke 19:13 in the parable of The Talents.
B. The message is quite clear and we know it ourselves for we are a testimony of it. There should be no problem in telling others about Christ or inviting them to Church.
1. Just as Paul said unto Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. If we study and read His Word and have daily fellowship with God through prayer and fasting then we should have no problem sharing with someone the Love of Christ.
C. Also remember that the word that is in you when you speak it will not be you be The Holy Spirit guiding your conversation. In Mark 13:11 But when they shall lead [you], and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost. Now I know that this verse speaks of going before a council of those that believed not, but I must say what is in the world TODAY!
1. With the prompting of the Holy Spirit you will be able to testify in boldness Acts 4:31 and they spake the word of God in boldness.
2. Remember that is no reason to fear 2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Fear is of Satan of course its hard to witness cause all Hell is fighting you that is why you are to be prayed up and studied up cause when you go to testify of Christ all Hell will brake loose!
3. And know that no matter how you witness rather its by passing out tracts, telling someone that Jesus Loves them or sharing the Gospel to them etc. No matter how it is done God will honor it; Gods Word will not return unto Him void but accomplish that which He pleases. And know that in Ezekiel 3:19 Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.
4. Also know that when you witness it’s not the number Gods looking for, but your faithfulness. It does not matter if you witness to ten thousand or ten people and only one gets saved you have done what you where suppose to do. For it is the one the Shepherd leaves the others to go find, it’s the single coin you sweep for till it’s found.
Conclusion: In these last days God is calling His people into the Harvest to sow, water, and reap and in whatever part you play in the process know that God gives the increase, and all will be rewarded for there labors whatever they do. Its not about the numbers but your faithfulness and love to God to do His will. When I was doing a study on the FEAR OF GOD I learned that part of that Fear or reverence to God is witnessing look it up its in Deuteronomy 31:12 Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that [is] within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law:
Re 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:
31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
John 20:29-31 (KJV)
