Witnessing - Telling What We Believe and Why

Etching: The Stoning of Stephen, by Rembrandt von Rinj

The William M. Ladd Collection, Gift of Herschel V. Jones, 1916
Minneapolis Museum of Art

While there are members visiting those in the hospital or home ill, and Sunday School teachers reaching out to new people visiting, as well as speaking to neighbors and sharing brochures, our church holds a monthly Outreach program. It has a few differences from the first list of contacting people, but does cover some of the same areas.

There have been as many as 35 people, and as few as a dozen attendees. We divide up into two specifics groups - those who will head out, usually two-by-two, to visit people from specific lists; and those (usually elderly women and a few others), who write letters inviting those moving into the community, and sending cards to those ill and shut-ins.

Those who go to visit go prepared to witness to others. A Christian's witness covers a wide number of subjects, but there are two examples in the book of Acts. I've been thinking about them as I prepare for next week's Sunday School lesson in Acts 7, where Luke recorded the stoning of Stephen.

Chapter 6 covers Stephen's ministry. Early in the chapter, the disciples approached the congregation with a problem, and requested volunteers to help them. Those chosen to do so were:

And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: (Acts 6:5 KJV)

Stephen quickly fulfilled their request:

And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. (Acts 6:8 KJV)

But that created new problems within those who were trying to erase Jesus' name from their history:

Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake. Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council, (Acts 6:9-12 KJV)

That's when I wondered how closely Stephen's witness before the rulers followed that of Paul in Acts 26. There were differences - Paul spent sometime explaining his personal Jewish heritage, specifically explaining how he persecuted Christians. Until he met the risen Christ on the road to Damascus:

At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me. And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. (Acts 26:13-15 KJV)

They both spoke of Abraham and the faithful through the judges, kings, and prophets. They spoke of their following Christ. Paul had years to witness to others before the sentence of death was carried out. Stephen's was much quicker:

Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep. (Acts 7:57-60 KJV)

See the name Saul in that paragraph? Christians know that he changed his name to Paul. He had seen, been a witness to, Stephen's death. I doubt that the thought of becoming a Christian crossed his mind as he kept the clothes free of the blood of an innocent man. However, he changed. He became a witness for Christ.

Every Christian is a witness to others of their belief. It's done by their attendance in a Christian congregation, gathering to worship and learn more about God and His work in Christian lives. However, Matthew 25:31-46 shows us that showing up in a congregation is insufficient.

We must live our faith, know upon what it is based, and witness to others what following Christ has been like in our lives. To do that, we must know what we believe and the base of our belief. For me, it is aa combination of personal experiences with prayers and their answers, knowing the source of my reason for praying as well as the God to whom I pray. I learn more about Him every single day as the days grow closer when I will meet Him.

We all die. It has been that way since time began and there are few stories of  specific people who were close enough to God not to experience death. I prefer to be able to explain to those who will listen why I believe Paul's witness:

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 

(Hebrews 12:2-3 KJV)

Christians, will you share your witness here that others might know that:

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17 KJV)