BE A WITNESS

PASTOR RYAN LADEN – DEVOTIONALS

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There are some things in life that we define as essential to our being, and many other things that we define as simply being something that we do. For example, I am a husband. I can act like, or not act like a good husband, but at my core, being a husband is part of what makes me who I am. Today, we are going to hear a teaching from Jesus Christ that speaks to another essential quality that helps define who we really are. 

This teaching was given by the resurrected Jesus Christ, who had gathered his people together in order to give them instructions related to what needed to come next in their journey of faith. One of the core lines from this larger teaching can be heard in the following:

“8 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 NIV)

Big ideas

This simple teaching carries with it some big ideas. 

1.  You – the church. 

Jesus gave this message to the gathered believers. This group was made up of the earliest men and women of faith. They were the ones who did not completely abandon Jesus after the cross. They remained in fellowship, and the Lord rewarded their faithfulness by including them in his glorified ministry. 

It is true that this teaching was given to the first-century church and not in our time today. But, before we say that this teaching does not apply to today, let’s remember that the believers of today are still the same church created by the movement of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. 

We have certainly changed over the years, but at our core, we are still the same as those who stood before the resurrected Jesus Christ in order to receive his final teaching.   

2.  Receive Power 

On our own, we cannot complete the mission that was assigned to us by the Lord. Jesus did not tell the people gathered before him to go get started. Instead, he would go on to tell them to gather together, prepare themselves for what was to come, and to spend time together in prayer. 

The Lord will provide his people with what they need to complete their part of their calling from the Lord. He will give the power: we must receive it. 

3.  Holy Spirit 

We will receive power through the work and presence of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God has a purpose. The purpose of the Holy Spirit is to bring Glory to the Christ in all that the Spirit purposes to accomplish in us. In the same way, the Lord Jesus Christ has the purpose of bringing glory to the Heavenly Father through his ministry and work. And the Father is at work, sending his Spirit into all who will receive his presence and power. 

The true power of the healthy and successful follower of Christ does not come from our strength and effort. In the same way, the true power of the healthy and successful church of Jesus Christ does not come from a good program, a good preacher, good music, or good facilities. The true source of power is the presence and work of the Holy Spirit. 

4.  You will be my witnesses.

This is a noun, not a verb. When we think of who we are, we need to see that the Lord has enabled us through the calling of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit to be witnesses of Christ. Everywhere we go. All we do. This is who we are. 

The believer in Jesus Christ does not DO witnessing. The believer is a witness. The Lord has given us his Spirit and his power so that we can and will bear witness to his glory and goodness as we seek to live out our everyday lives.

5.  Location 

Where will we be witnesses? The Lord Jesus Christ has called his people to go and be witnesses to his salvation, mercy, and grace everywhere that we go. 

If we see that we ARE witnesses and that we do not turn on or turn off our part in God’s plan to bear witness to Christ, then it makes sense that we would be witnesses at home and far away. 

Accept

We need to accept that we have been made into new creations in and through Christ Jesus. We are not the same as we were prior to receiving the truth and glory of his grace. The more that we embrace our new identity as witnesses, the less we will be afraid of sharing our witness with others. After all, we are only sharing our true nature and self. 

In Christ, 

Ryan Laden

PASTOR RYAN LADEN

Senior Pastor at PARK HILL BAPTIST CHURCH

Worked at MTN. CHURCH

Former Senior pastor at Warnbro Community Church

Studies at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Studied at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Studied at Baylor University

Studied at Texas Tech University

Went to Castle Hills First Baptist

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