Occasionally in life you find something out of the ordinary that
impresses you so much you find yourself wanting to tell everybody about
it. When a new restaurant opens near you and the food is exceptional, you
feel it is almost your duty to tell your friends so they too can enjoy what you
have found. This word-of-mouth advertising is so effective, many
businesses depend on it to build their customer bas
e.
This desire to share with others the good news about what you have found is the
essence of witnessing. I can't think of any better news to share with
people than the fact that they can be forgiven of their sins and can receive
the gift of eternal life. Some New Testament Christians got so excited in
telling others about their beliefs, they sometimes got into trouble with the
religious leaders. Peter and John were called in and threatened with
bodily harm if they wouldn't stop telling people Jesus was risen from the
dead. Their response was as follows:
"But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be
right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.
For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard."
Acts 4:19,20
What they said was simply, "Whether you approve or not, we have to tell what we
have seen and heard." Once you have found your peace with God, you too
will want to tell what has happened to you. While there are many
formalized witnessing plans, the best by far is simply to tell your own
story. You don't have to be seminary-trained to stand between sinners and
a Godless eternity. All you really need is a genuine concern and the
leadership of the Holy Spirit. Remember, one of the main reasons the Holy
Spirit was sent into the lives of believers was to empower them to become
witnesses.
"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is
come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and
in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."
Acts 1:8
It is God's desire that none would perish but that all would have eternal
life. The privilege of delivering this glorious message to the world
falls on us. For this reason, the Holy Spirit was sent into our lives -
to help us be as effective as we can possibly be. One way He helps is by
interacting with us through that still small voice in our inner man that gives
us direction, information or encouragement as we live our lives. Jesus
promised the disciples that when the Holy Spirit was come, He would bring all
things to our remembrance concerning Jesus' teachings.
Two truths are glaringly obvious in the promise of the Holy Spirit's
ministry. First, we will not reach the world with the Good News with
maximum effectiveness unless we have the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our
lives. Second, it will be difficult for the Holy Spirit to bring things
to our remembrance if we have never learned them in the first place. Part
of our preparation in becoming an effective witness is to seek to understand
all we can about our own salvation.
"Study to shew thyself
approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing
the word of truth."
2 Timothy 2:15
If you will be diligent to familiarize yourself with the plan of salvation, the
Holy Spirit will be faithful to help you clearly and effectively communicate
the plan to those who are ready to receive it. The plan is covered in
more detail in Lesson #2, but we list it here again as a means of
reinforcement. By studying these lessons you are applying and preparing
yourself to help someone receive the greatest gift ever offered. Please
take the time to read and meditate on the passages of Scripture listed
below. They will not only help you more fully understand your own
experience, but will also be a resource for the Holy Spirit to use when the
time is right to help others.
Salvation Plan
1. Acknowledge to God that you are a sinner. (Romans 3:10, 23)
2. Repent. (Decide to stop living your own way and submit your life to
God.) (Acts 2:38)
3. Ask God's forgiveness for living outside His laws. (Proverbs 21:2)
4. Accept God's gift of eternal life. (John 10:28)
5. Decide to live the rest of your life in a way that pleases God. (John
14:15)
6. Use the Scriptures to determine how God wants you to live. (2 Timothy
3 :16-17)
7. Tell others about your decision. (Matthew 28:19)
What are the Benefits of Salvation?
1. Forgiveness - guilt free living (1 John 1:9)
2. Healing (Isaiah 53:5)
3. Help in living this life here and now (2 Peter 1:4)
4. Eternal life (Romans 6:23)
The great commission tells us to go into all the world and preach the
gospel. Obviously not everyone can go to every place in the world to tell
the Good News. If you are not called to personally go to reach the
unsaved in the uttermost parts of the earth, then you should help with prayer
and finances in sending those who are called.
You can, however, go into your daily world and share the Gospel there.
You meet and work with people every day who may never be exposed to the Gospel
of Jesus Christ if they don't hear it from or see it in you. Live your
life in such a manner so as to create in others a hunger for the way of life
they see in you. In the fullness of time, the Holy Spirit will arrange
divine appointments to let you know without a doubt it is time to witness to
those around you.
You will find that, when one of these divine appointments occurs, all your
studying, prayer and preparation will merge in partnership with the Holy
Spirit. He will reach through you to offer the gift of salvation to the
needy soul. This experience of working with God to offer eternal life
will be one of the most rewarding of your life as a Christian.
Your life may be the only Bible some people ever read, your words
the only sermon they ever hear, the way you live your life the only witness
they ever know. This realization will cause you to rejoice in the opportunity
to be used by God, to live the life of a witness before your world every
day. When you stand before Him and hear Him say, "Well done
," you will have all the reward you need.
Discussion Points:
1. What does the word witness
mean?
2. What is the role of the Holy Spirit in witnessing?
3. How can you go into all the world and preach the Gospel?
4. What should we do to reach those in the uttermost parts of the earth?
Memory
Verse:
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come
upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all
Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Acts 1:8
