WITNESSES, WE LOVE JESUS, ARE TO BE
WITNESSES, WE WHO LOVE JESUS, ARE TO BE
The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. —Acts 3:13-15
And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. —Acts 4:12-13
When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, “ ‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed’— for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. —Acts 4:23-31
Are you a witness for Jesus (Acts 1:8)? Where and to whom have you borne witness to lately? To whom have you shared the Word of God with lately— either audibly or in written form? These ordinary, every-day people were followers of Jesus and His witnesses. They proclaimed—
- The glorified Servant Jesus
- That the Jews delivered Jesus over to Pilate
- That the Jews denied Jesus in the presence of Pilate
- That Pilate had determined to release Jesus
- That they denied the holy Jesus
- That they denied the Righteous Jesus
- That they asked for a murderer to be released instead of Jesus
- That they killed the Author of Life
- That God raised Him from the dead
- That His followers are witnesses
- That salvation is in no one else, but only in Jesus (John 14:6)
- That Peter & John were bold
- That the Jews knew Peter & John were uneducated men
- That the Jews knew Peter & John were ordinary men
- That the Jews were astonished at them
- That the Jews knew they had spent time with Jesus
- That our Lord is Sovereign
- That our Lord made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them
- That David prophesied “Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain?The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed”
- That Herod was against Jesus
- That Pilate was against Jesus
- That the Gentiles were against Jesus
- That the Jews were against Jesus
- That they carried out what God had predestined to take place
- That His followers desired to continue to speak His Word with boldness
- That they desired Him to do signs and wonders through Jesus
- That the place was shaken after they prayed
- That they were all filled with the Holy Spirit
- That they did continue to speak the Word of God with boldness
Wow! Again, what have you seen and what can you bear witness of or have borne witness of recently? Surely, there is much we can share with others! May we be faithful, lovingly obedient witnesses of Jesus. Yes, Dear Father, may it be so by the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Son Jesus— today and every day. So be it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yBzIt_z8oY