Your Witness

Acts 2:^36-37 “So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!” Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”

John 3:^2 “After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.” Who are the “we” that Nicodemus was referring to in this scripture? Even though Nicodemus came alone but he was speaking on behalf of a group of people, the Sanhedrin and the Pharisee. They knew that Jesus was from God and they knew the truth. So why did they kick against Jesus and eventually kill him? Reputation; they had a reputation to protect with the people. Collective reasoning is so dangerous because collectively they refused to accept Jesus. Accepting this Jesus would mean their own popularity will go down as we will see in John 3:23-26.

John the Baptist said, “He must increase, and I must decrease”, “Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.” John’s disciples wanted to go to him, he said, “Go and meet Him.” They told John the Baptist that Jesus was baptizing more than him. John said, “But I told you He is greater than me.” John the Baptist was ready to let go of his reputation for the sake of Christ Jesus. The Pharisees were not, instead they protected their reputation till the end, even at the costs of killing Jesus. The question is, what reputation are you protecting even at the cost of Christ? What image have you put forward that you are ready to maybe not kill but ready to lie to protect the image? You are being a Pharisee, in the negative sense. That is the danger of seeking collective relevance.

John 3:³ “Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” Nicodemus was focused on what God was doing through Jesus [the miraculous signs], and that is important. But Jesus was focused on what God wanted to do in Nicodemus. John 3:³ “…Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (KJV]. He came to Jesus, focused on what God was going to do through Jesus but Jesus did not even ask him what he came for. Jesus just went straight to what God was doing in him. The truth is this, when people see what God is doing through you the door is open for what God wants to do in them. When people see what God is doing through you, your focus should be on what God wants to do in them, not on yourself gloating, “Oh praise the Lord, oh I am very favoured, I am the Kings kid …”.

Then you testify to your spouse or friends about being favoured meanwhile, you have missed a door. When people can see what God is doing in you, a door is opening for what God wants to do in them. This is so huge! When we get this, what is known as evangelism becomes natural. Evangelism does not make your heart skip a beat. When some Christians hear evangelism, they freeze. But when people see what God is doing through you, it is an opportunity for you to partner with God to bring to birth what God wants in them.

Prayer: Father, help me to use every testimony to  witness for Christ, in Jesus Name. Amen!