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
Reflection
These are the last words of Jesus on earth, said shortly before He ascended to heaven. The disciples had just asked when the kingdom would be restored to Israel, and Jesus redirects them: it was not for them to know the times, but to receive a mission. "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me." Notice the order: first the power, then the witness. The mission is not to be accomplished with our strength, but with that of the Spirit.
The word "witnesses" is chosen with care. A witness is not a teacher, a lawyer or a specialist. It is someone who saw, lived, experienced, and tells what happened. The disciples were ordinary fishermen, without theological training. All they needed was to speak of what Christ had done in their lives. The same holds for us: we do not need to win debates or have answers for everything. We need to tell, with honesty and simplicity, what Jesus did for us, and to live consistently with it.
Jesus draws widening circles: "both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." It begins near and goes far. Jerusalem was the city where they were; Judaea, the region; Samaria, the despised people; the uttermost part, the world. Our witness follows the same design. Our "Jerusalem" is family, neighbors, work. Our "Samaria" is the people we avoid or who are different from us. And the "uttermost part" we reach by prayer, by offerings, by supporting those who go. Witness is not only the word spoken: it is the whole life.
Do three things this week. First, write the name of a person from your "Jerusalem" and pray for them daily, looking for a natural opportunity to talk about your faith. Second, prepare to tell your story in two minutes: what life was like before, how you met Jesus, what changed. Third, ask God every day for the power of the Spirit, because without Him the effort is empty. You were not called to be perfect, you were called to be a witness. And whoever witnesses with humility and love is usually heard.
Prayer
Lord, thank You for calling me to be Your witness. Fill me with the power of Your Spirit and give me courage, simplicity and love to tell what You have done in my life. Open doors in my home, my work and my neighborhood, and use my life to point to You. Amen.
Put it into practice
Write the name of someone close to you and pray for them every day. Prepare a two-minute account of how you met Jesus and what changed in your life.
To reflect on
Who in your "Jerusalem" needs to hear from your lips and see in your life what Jesus has done for you?
Bible text: King James Version (public domain).