Witnessing
Commentary
One thing is common in all our lessons for this Sunday, witnessing. In every case there is some attempt to say something meaningful about what God has done in Christ.
There are many in the church who are quite uncomfortable with witnessing. They think that they do not know enough and are not sufficiently trained in order to know what to say. As a result, many in many churches are quite content to leave the witnessing to the professionals and they seldom say anything about their faith.
In these lessons we see a people who are groping for ways of saying something about what has encountered them. Note how I put that. As they learn and as things become clear, they are not hesitant to say it.
All of us are learners.
All of us are growing in our understanding.
None of us is expected to be a complete theologian or have all the answers before we speak.
We are like them, coming to a gradual understanding of our faith. All of us can do what they did, we can say what we know. We can tell what it means for us. As witnesses, we are not called to defend the whole faith. We are just called to tell what our faith means to us.
The time has surely come for us to stop placing the matter of witnessing in the hands of the pros and know that all of us have something to say. Perhaps we could put our witnessing this way: I am not sure about all the answers but let me tell you what it means to me.
OUTLINE I
First Things First
Acts 5:27-32
Introduction: Note that it is clear that Luke means to depict the religious leaders who had brought about Jesus' death as defensive and apparently a bit scared. The disciples appear just the opposite and are bold in what they have to say. The outline of a sermon on this material could go something like this.
A. The Defensive Leaders. Note how they put it. They are concerned that Jesus is being proclaimed Messiah, but it seems more important to them that the disciples are trying to pin the blame on them. The manner in which they make their remarks reveals that they are not only powerful but that they are aware of their power and are ready to use it.
B. Bold Disciples. It is clear that the disciples are not threatened by the posturing of the religious leaders. They have seen what has transpired. Moreover, they state the one thing the leaders do not want to hear, that Jesus has been raised from the dead. If they can make that claim stick, their opponents know the jig is up and they are the losers.
C. Why So Bold? They are in league with the Holy Spirit. This claim must have boggled the minds of their opponents who were certain that the spirit had been taken from Israel and had not spoken since the disappearance of the prophets. It was from this certainty of the alliance of the Spirit that they took their courage.
Conclusion: It seems to me that it is relevant to speak to your hearers about what things come first for the disciple of Christ and to remind them of the source of courage when one is called to witness.
OUTLINE II
A Portrait of Jesus
Revelation 1:4-8
Introduction: It is important that you take time to orient your hearers as you begin what may be several sermons of material from Revelation. Be sure to give them background regarding the persecutions that were going on at this time and what has brought John to Patmos. As you no doubt know, there are those who think that Revelation was written as early as the time of the persecutions that were connected with the Roman destruction of Jerusalem and there are those who are certain that the persecutions better represent what was taking place at the time of the Domitian persecutions or at about the same time as Luke-Acts and Hebrews were being written. My preference is for the latter. There are many ways in which to use this material. You can focus on all of it or part of it. My preference is to focus on the three descriptions of Jesus in verse 5.
A. The faithful witness. Jesus is one on whose word they can depend. He has given that word. He was the word embodied in life. He went to the Cross keeping that word. Anyone who did that could surely be trusted.
B. First born of the dead. Here the writer seems to echo Paul's message in 1 Corinthians 15. It is interesting to speculate on whether he had that material, isn't it?
C. Ruler of Kings. Once again echoes. Check out 1 Corinthians 15:20-28 for a broader comment by Paul.
Conclusion: Here we have a description of the faith of the early church. That faith is still alive and well in our own day. Offer it to your hearers and challenge them to make it their own.
OUTLINE III
When Doubt is in Order
John 20:19-31
Introduction: It has become rather habitual and commonplace to call anyone who questions anything a doubting Thomas. It seems that those who use this phrase as an epithet against others are certain that everyone should take what they hear at face value and not ask any questions. I suggest we take a closer look at today's scripture.
A. Tell the Story. It is always in order to give all the details you can muster. As I have said many times before, it is surprising how many in all congregations will seem to be hearing the story for the first time.
B. Check through the gospels and you will find that this is not the first time Thomas has expressed reservations. In fact at the last, it is he who says in despair, “Let us go to Jerusalem and die with him.” Look up those other references. Paint a portrait of this man who could be said to have been from Missouri.
C. Jesus' Response. There are many who seem to read something here that I don't find. They seem to hear Jesus responding negatively to Thomas' questioning. Read it again and you will see that that is not here. Jesus accepts his questions and answers them.
Conclusion: Every congregation has its quota of questioners. They ought to take heart from today's selection. And they ought to have a right to expect answers. God forbid that we just say that they have to take everything on faith and just believe. We are reminded that questions are okay and that they have a right to expect answers.
There are many in the church who are quite uncomfortable with witnessing. They think that they do not know enough and are not sufficiently trained in order to know what to say. As a result, many in many churches are quite content to leave the witnessing to the professionals and they seldom say anything about their faith.
In these lessons we see a people who are groping for ways of saying something about what has encountered them. Note how I put that. As they learn and as things become clear, they are not hesitant to say it.
All of us are learners.
All of us are growing in our understanding.
None of us is expected to be a complete theologian or have all the answers before we speak.
We are like them, coming to a gradual understanding of our faith. All of us can do what they did, we can say what we know. We can tell what it means for us. As witnesses, we are not called to defend the whole faith. We are just called to tell what our faith means to us.
The time has surely come for us to stop placing the matter of witnessing in the hands of the pros and know that all of us have something to say. Perhaps we could put our witnessing this way: I am not sure about all the answers but let me tell you what it means to me.
OUTLINE I
First Things First
Acts 5:27-32
Introduction: Note that it is clear that Luke means to depict the religious leaders who had brought about Jesus' death as defensive and apparently a bit scared. The disciples appear just the opposite and are bold in what they have to say. The outline of a sermon on this material could go something like this.
A. The Defensive Leaders. Note how they put it. They are concerned that Jesus is being proclaimed Messiah, but it seems more important to them that the disciples are trying to pin the blame on them. The manner in which they make their remarks reveals that they are not only powerful but that they are aware of their power and are ready to use it.
B. Bold Disciples. It is clear that the disciples are not threatened by the posturing of the religious leaders. They have seen what has transpired. Moreover, they state the one thing the leaders do not want to hear, that Jesus has been raised from the dead. If they can make that claim stick, their opponents know the jig is up and they are the losers.
C. Why So Bold? They are in league with the Holy Spirit. This claim must have boggled the minds of their opponents who were certain that the spirit had been taken from Israel and had not spoken since the disappearance of the prophets. It was from this certainty of the alliance of the Spirit that they took their courage.
Conclusion: It seems to me that it is relevant to speak to your hearers about what things come first for the disciple of Christ and to remind them of the source of courage when one is called to witness.
OUTLINE II
A Portrait of Jesus
Revelation 1:4-8
Introduction: It is important that you take time to orient your hearers as you begin what may be several sermons of material from Revelation. Be sure to give them background regarding the persecutions that were going on at this time and what has brought John to Patmos. As you no doubt know, there are those who think that Revelation was written as early as the time of the persecutions that were connected with the Roman destruction of Jerusalem and there are those who are certain that the persecutions better represent what was taking place at the time of the Domitian persecutions or at about the same time as Luke-Acts and Hebrews were being written. My preference is for the latter. There are many ways in which to use this material. You can focus on all of it or part of it. My preference is to focus on the three descriptions of Jesus in verse 5.
A. The faithful witness. Jesus is one on whose word they can depend. He has given that word. He was the word embodied in life. He went to the Cross keeping that word. Anyone who did that could surely be trusted.
B. First born of the dead. Here the writer seems to echo Paul's message in 1 Corinthians 15. It is interesting to speculate on whether he had that material, isn't it?
C. Ruler of Kings. Once again echoes. Check out 1 Corinthians 15:20-28 for a broader comment by Paul.
Conclusion: Here we have a description of the faith of the early church. That faith is still alive and well in our own day. Offer it to your hearers and challenge them to make it their own.
OUTLINE III
When Doubt is in Order
John 20:19-31
Introduction: It has become rather habitual and commonplace to call anyone who questions anything a doubting Thomas. It seems that those who use this phrase as an epithet against others are certain that everyone should take what they hear at face value and not ask any questions. I suggest we take a closer look at today's scripture.
A. Tell the Story. It is always in order to give all the details you can muster. As I have said many times before, it is surprising how many in all congregations will seem to be hearing the story for the first time.
B. Check through the gospels and you will find that this is not the first time Thomas has expressed reservations. In fact at the last, it is he who says in despair, “Let us go to Jerusalem and die with him.” Look up those other references. Paint a portrait of this man who could be said to have been from Missouri.
C. Jesus' Response. There are many who seem to read something here that I don't find. They seem to hear Jesus responding negatively to Thomas' questioning. Read it again and you will see that that is not here. Jesus accepts his questions and answers them.
Conclusion: Every congregation has its quota of questioners. They ought to take heart from today's selection. And they ought to have a right to expect answers. God forbid that we just say that they have to take everything on faith and just believe. We are reminded that questions are okay and that they have a right to expect answers.
