Verses for Vessels
“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.” - Acts 1:8
God needs witnesses.
Throughout scriptures God seems to be constantly seeking, desiring, even demanding, the witness of himself by all to all. From the voice of the rocks to the deep calls of waterfalls; from the brilliant splendour of a starry night, to the ways of the eagle in the sky; God has left a testimony of himself in all of His works. It is a testimony that men and angels are called to continually participate in. But man, due to the fall, has become mostly blind to God’s resplendent glory. People question His reality and power. Regardless of how loudly creation screams God’s glory and manifest wisdom to humanity, humans have found many proud arguments against the knowledge of God. So, it would appear, that he resorts to seeking out and revealing Himself in ever new and refreshing ways to individuals and peoples from time to time, and calling on such people to now be His witnesses to the rest of the world around them. His knowledge and His light has power in itself to liberate and restore mankind to his state of authority and power. No wonder Jesus declared, “… and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” 1. The truth is that God is.
So God needs witnesses.
In Isaiah, God, speaking through Isaiah to the nation of Israel, declared over and over again, “…you are my witnesses that I am God”2. He was soliciting their testimony to the truth of His revelations and His relationship with them. He had redeemed them from Egypt; parted the Red Sea; destroyed Pharaohs army; fed them manna from heaven; gave their fledgling army victories over stronger and older nations; brought them into the land He promised them… and many such great and powerful works. But many were still willing to ignore Him as God and Lord. Most of those who saw these things either refused to testify, or chose to deny that it was God alone who did it. And while He was locked away from their world view, they suffered terribly and wandered away further and further. Isn’t this very much like many of us who have had amazing encounters with the mercy, the power and the grace of God, but reluctant to tell about it. From addiction to freedom; sickness to health; sin to righteousness; blindness to sight; salvation, deliverance, provisions and much more… but not willing to testify. So were the Israelites. Therefore, he sought witnesses from among them- prophets, seers, leaders of repute, Levites, priests, and handmaids. Anyone who was willing to …testify
God still needs witnesses.
The world around us is darkened with sin, oppression and ignorance of God’s love. Even nature itself writhes in agony, waiting for the faithful witness of God’s saints 3. Christ Jesus, the beloved Son of God and lamb of God, was brutally murdered by men, but offered by God as an offering for all our sins. While he lived mortally, he healed the sick, raised the dead and delivered many who were oppressed. He was doing what all the prophets, priests, and servants of God before him had done- bear witness of the living God. Three days after his death on the cross, God powerfully raised him back to life to become the first born from the dead and the high priest of our faith and profession. By His life, death and resurrection he gave the most authentic witness of God to humans across all the ages. It is this resurrected Jesus who in the text before us today, invites us to witness as He did… with Power. He was declared to be the Son of God with power 4. He, in the text above, was making clear the crucial element that made His witnessing possible- The power of the Holy Spirit!
God needs His witnesses to go out and speak up; And WE NEED His Power to do so. By the agency of the Holy Spirit, that same power is ours.
Have you been empowered for your witness since you received Him as saviour? You can ask Him for this empowerment.
References:
1)John 8:32; 2) Isaiah 43:10,12; 44:8. 3) Romans 8:32. 4) Romans 1:4 KJV