Witness in Words and Works

“I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me. If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true. There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true. You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me” (John 5:30-36).

The Teacher moved John to record everything Jesus did and said to show the world that God had come to dwell with His people… “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:30-31). In today’s scripture we see two testimonies that affirm that Jesus is both Christ (Messiah) and Son of God. One testimony comes through a man, John the Baptist… You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. The other testimony comes through the works Jesus was doing… the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me. The source of both testimonies was God… Not that the testimony that I receive is from man. Truth seekers learn here that if we are willing, God will use us to testify about Christ to the world today. We also see that true disciples witness in words and works.

How effective are you at sharing the gospel? How often to you tell others the good news? Jesus exhorted His disciples to testify about Him to the whole world. He called His disciples witnesses… “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). A witness is one who testifies about something or someone to others. It often takes place in a court of law where the witness shares what he or she knows or has seen with a judge or jury that will render a decision or response based on the witness’ testimony. As Christ followers and disciples we are called by Jesus to be His witnesses by testifying about Him to others… “God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead” (Acts 10:40-42).

The Teacher inspired Luke to write that Old Testament prophets testified that Jesus would be the Messiah who forgave sins… “To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name” (Acts 10:43). A prophet serves the Lord by declaring God’s revealed truth to others. Every disciple of Christ has received God’s truth… “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children” (Luke 10:21). Every disciple has a testimony to share with the world.

Jesus exhorts us to imitate the Baptist by testifying to His truth with our words… “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation” (Mark 16:15). The Spirit of Truth echoes this commandment to testify about Christ with our words… “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” (Romans 10:14). Jesus also exhorts us to testify to His truth through God’s work in and through us… “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.  Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (John 14:12-13). As disciples of Christ, everything we say and do is a testimony of our faith in Christ.

As we grow up into Christ others will be compelled to seek and find Christ as we learn to…

Witness in Words and Works.