Be Witnesses

After His resurrection and before Jesus returned to be with His Father, He made a prediction. His disciples would “tell what they know” all over the world.

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Acts 1:1-12

The church has a simple, but comprehensive task
It was personally given by Jesus to us
It was given, not only by commandment from Him (Matthew 28:19-20, Mark 16:15)
But was His prediction or prophecy in this passage of the day, when He essentially says “here’s what is going to happen”

It is not being carried out merely because it was commanded
But also because it is the next logical step for those who know Him
Today, our theme is “Be Witnesses” from Acts 1:1-12

Jesus has proven His identity and kept His promises
We know who He is
We have experienced His life-giving salvation
And it only makes sense because this is the case
That those who know Him would tell
Spread the word
Love others enough, be thankful enough, energized enough to speak up

In our text today, we understand that this will happen (being His witnesses) and are reminded that it must happen
Let’s begin in Acts, where much of the church’s early Great Commission activity is recorded…

Acts 1:1-3

1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,

2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:

3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

We are certain that Jesus rose from the dead, because of many eyewitness accounts
Those accounts are recorded in the other great commission passages, here, and in other parts of scripture
Luke in 1 Corinthians 15:1-8…

1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:

6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.

7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.

8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

For those who saw Him on this day or were acquainted with any who had met the resurrected Christ, this was a simple fact – proven many times over
They were confident in their service to a victorious Savior

We can have just as much confidence – as their words (and His words and deeds) – are recorded faithfully for us in scripture
Let’s go back to our text…

Acts 1:4-5

4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.

5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

The presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit is an important part of this story
Jesus promised “another Comforter” in John 14:16-19…

16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

Because of Him – the Holy Spirit – we have the ability to ask and receive
We have the ability to carry out His commands and live as He would have us to live!

The proof of this is found in our next section…

Acts 1:6-8

6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

8 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.

We are not only empowered to be part of His family, but also to do His work – on His behalf
The work will (and did) begin in their own local area, then expands, reaching out further, until it eventually touches the far corners of the earth

The word goes forth because it is true, therefore it is worth believing
And those who know it cannot help but tell – for they have been so radically impacted
It’s the next logical step

It would be good to pause for a moment and comment on this word “witnesses”
This is an important word and concept in the Great Commission

We take eyewitness testimony very seriously
We’ve just spoken about the resurrection in regard to eyewitness testimony, particularly from groups of individuals who all see things at the same (or even more compelling) at different times

This (witness) is one who observes, one who sees
Three times in the New Testament this word is translated “martyr”

There are three parts to its definition: a witness in a legal sense (we understand this one), in a historical sense, and in an ethical sense [those who, after his example, proved the strength and genuineness of their faith by enduring violence and death]

Being who we are in this world, having experienced what we have experienced
We are going to tell (including living out) what we know

This may mean a lot of things to us, persecution is certainly among them. Martyrdom is possible
Back to our text…

Acts 1:9-12

9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

12 Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day’s journey.

The resurrection and ascension, as events, were finished. Now the plan God had set in place for the world was to be carried out. We can see it in 2 Corinthians 5:17-20…

17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.

Our great commission ministry is “in Christ’s stead.”
It is the next logical step for the dead man that has been made alive – for the new creature
We must point to Him with our actions and words and be witnesses