Sunday, September 13, Bearing Witness

Pastor Andy introduces the new fall sermon series with a sermon based on Matthew 18:21-25, the unmerciful servant. The invitation to bear witness is to receive the gifts that God gives us in Jesus and then to live those out in the world. Too often Christians fail to bear witness to Jesus because they fail to act according to the grace that is given to us.

“To bear witness means to show that something is true, or to state formally that you saw or know something. It moves past passive watching into an active role of providing proof, testimony, or evidence.”

“Go after a life of love as if your life depended on it—because it does. Give yourselves to the gifts God gives you. Most of all, try to proclaim his truth. If you praise him in the private language of tongues, God understands you but no one else does, for you are sharing intimacies just between you and him. But when you proclaim his truth in everyday speech, you’re letting others in on the truth so that they can grow and be strong and experience his presence with you.” 1 Corinthians 14:1-3 The Message

To bear witness means to show that something is true, or to state formally that you saw or know something. It moves past passive watching into an active role of providing proof, testimony, or evidence.   

We are invited to play that role for Jesus with the help of the Holy Spirit.  We are called to point to the presence, grace, and love of God with our actions, our words, and our lives.   Sometimes we lack confidence and other times we just aren’t sure what to do or say that will point others to God, but as Ambassadors for Christ, we need to build up our ability to “Bear Witness” to the Way, the Truth and the Life!

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  Acts 1:8

Easter:  Living Hope