A Witnessing Community

                                            A WITNESSING COMMUNITY

If you have been a Christian and as long as I have attended Churches, you may have heard Pastors and Preachers hammering a message: you must share your faith. Go and save the world." But that's where things get complicated. Yes, Jesus commanded us to be the salt and the light in our communities. Yes, we must preach the gospel, make disciples of all nations, etc. But how? Our passage in Acts 1:4-8 helps us understand how we do that.

During a meal, Jesus commanded his disciples not to leave Jerusalem until they received the promised gift of the Holy Spirit. He said, "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." The disciples' primary calling was to be Witnesses of Christ.

What does a witness do? A witness is someone called upon to testify to what they have seen, heard, or experienced about a particular crime situation. In the scriptures, the Greek word Martus, translated into English as Witness, literally means, "One who remembers, one who has information or knowledge or joint knowledge of anything and hence, one who can give information, to bring to light or confirm anything."

Jesus told the disciples, "When the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will be empowered to be my Martures or Witnesses." They were to announce the facts to the world about Christ's birth, works, crucifixion, and resurrection, for which they were the eyewitnesses. The first community of 120 disciples was a community of Christ's witnesses. Let's see how the task of witnessing became a central pillar of how the early Church organized itself.

When they wanted to find a replacement for Judas, they chose Matthias. What was his job? It was to join them as a witness of Jesus' resurrection. (Ac 2:22-26). After being empowered by the Holy Spirit, Peter boldly proclaimed who Jesus was and what He had done to save people from their sins to a large group of Jewish people worldwide.

Peter confidently explained that God did not abandon the Messiah to the realm of the dead but raised Jesus to life, and we were all witnesses of it. Acts 2:32. Listening to Peter's brave testimony, 3000 people were baptized after being convinced by the Holy Spirit. They joined the other 120 disciples, forming the first Witnessing Community of Christ. Acts 2:40-42.

Can you imagine the buzz in Jerusalem? People were getting saved daily and joining the witnessing community. They joyfully lived out their newfound faith in worship, fellowship, prayer, listening to the apostles' teachings, and sharing with those in need. As a result, even more people began to join the community, growing it to about five thousand people. (Acts 4:4)

All that did not go unnoticed by the Pharisees, particularly one young Zealous Pharisee named Saul. He tried hard to destroy this community, and in the end, he had a divine encounter with Jesus, the very one he was fighting against. That changed his life, making him an ardent member of the Witnessing Community. Later, this was how he testified, defending his faith in Christ in front of King Agrippa. Acts 26: 9-21, "I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And that is just what I did in Jerusalem.

On the authority of the chief priests, I put many of the Lord's people in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. Many a time, I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. I was so obsessed with persecuting them that I even hunted them down in foreign cities.

"On one of these journeys, I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. About noon, King Agrippa, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.' Then I asked, 'Who are you, Lord?'

'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,' the Lord replied. 'Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me." I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them." True that calling, Paul proclaimed Christ to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and all Judea, and then to the Gentiles, and kept testifying to the ends of the earth.

If you are a true follower of Christ, you are part of that Witnessing Community. You and I are called to testify about who Jesus was, what He did to save sinners, and how remarkably he changed your life. Where do we begin our witnessing? Start at home, among your friends and colleagues, in your neighborhood, and as God leads the rest of the world.

When I first gave my life to Jesus, I started sharing and showing that joy to my family members and college friends. As a result, my family became serious followers of Christ. Later on, I have been in YWAM for twenty years, and now, for the past sixteen years as a pastor, I testify for the Lord. You can tell a story if I ask how God changed your life.

Your story is unique to others. Write a blog, make a Facebook post or a podcast, or share it with others on how God had set you free from addiction, depression, and anxiety and how he met you on a hospital bed when you tried to commit suicide. Whatever your story, please don't hold back but confidently tell it. It is not about you but about Christ, who saved you. It is not how convincing we are that changes a person, but the power of the Holy Spirit convicts someone to repent. As a Witnessing Community, let's boldly testify for our Lord Jesus Christ.

How do we do that practically? Suppose four members were inspired by this sermon and decided to go to Downton to Witness for Jesus. They took four signs with them containing the following messages: 1. "All the LGBTQ people will go to Hell." 2. Baby Killers will not go to heaven. 3. Jesus said, "I am the way, and truth, and the life.

No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6). 4. "Jesus has set me free from…? Which one of these signs will get a positive response? Which ones are repulsive? All four of them are truthful statements. The first two contain a harsh tone that could drive them further away from God and knowing the other half of the truth, which is if they repent and believe in Christ, they too can go to heaven. That is the hopeful message and the Good News.

However, our combative approach and condemnation will prevent the hearers from hearing the most loving and hope-giving message we are called to share. Remember, when witnessing, you represent a loving savior, Jesus Christ, who loved all sinners, so he died on the cross to give them eternal life. That is the Good News! Please share it with a smile on your face.

Scaring and condemning people would further drive people away from a loving God. "For God did not send his Son in the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:17. Apostle Peter shows us a better way to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. I Peter 3:15-16, "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, ¹⁶ keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander."

Regardless of who they are, all people need love and are to be respected, even when we disagree with their ideology and belief system. We are called to be witnesses of a loving and gentle savior, so our approach should be of love, gentleness, and respect. It is love, not hate, that brings people to Christ. So, let's go out and become compassionate witnesses for Christ. 

 

 

 

 

The Unseen Enemy

                                              The Unseen Enemy!

If I asked you who your enemy is in a politically charged country, the Democrats would be quick to point to Republicans as their enemies and vice versa. But are they? Are people our enemies, or do we face a real enemy we don't see? In 1941, three men who escaped from a Siberian gulag trekked 4,000 miles through Mongolia, China, and Tibet to India.

They struggled through savage snowstorms in Siberia, burning thirst in the Gobi Desert, harrowing heights in the Himalayas, and imminent starvation everywhere. Despite the severity of those conditions, the enemy that threatened to destroy them was unseen. Had they surrendered to despair and hopelessness, their dream of freedom would have ended as another nightmare. The movie The Way Back (2010) depicts their journey. 

We can challenge and fight an enemy that is seen and known to us, but how can we fight an unknown and unseen enemy? That was precisely what the Apostle Paul warned the Ephesian believers about when he wrote these words in Ephesians 6:10-12. Why did Paul write these challenging words to the Ephesian believers, and what do we know about our Unseen Enemy?

I. Ephesus: A City of Sorcerers, Exorcists, and Idol Worshipers

Ephesus was the capital city of a Roman province in Asia. Ephesus was a significant center of trade. It was also the location of the great temple of Artemis, or Diana, which was built in 550 BC.  Much of the Ephesian industry was related to this temple. Artisans sold shrines and household images of the goddess so worshipers could take on long journeys. A silversmith named Demetrius made a lot of money by making silver shrines of Artemis. (Acts 19:35).[1] As a Hellenistic city, Ephesus was a home for sorcerers and exorcists. There was even a family business of exorcism by a Jewish high priest, Sceva, and his seven sons (Acts 19:13-16).

To such a pagan city of Ephesus, Paul brought the gospel by teaching about the power of Christ and performing extraordinary miracles for about two years. Even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched Paul were placed on the sick; their illness was cured, and evil spirits left them. The fear of God gripped many Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus. Several sorcerers brought their scrolls worth fifty thousand drachmas (several million dollars) and burned them publicly. (Acts 19:17). The Ephesian Church was born under miraculous circumstances.

The Ephesian believers knew what Paul was referring to when he said, "Vs. 10-12, "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the Devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." The Ephesians knew who their enemy was. Do we know who our Unseen Enemy is?

 

II. The Unseen Enemy

In a success-driven world, people would retort to anything to succeed. They demonize people, casting them as their enemies and even harming them to meet their selfish needs. Paul made the Ephesian believers realize that people were not their enemies but the evil forces were. The unseen enemy of Christians and the Church of Jesus is not the people but the Devil, also known as Satan and his followers. What does the Bible say about our Unseen Enemy?

In our study, we will explore several questions. What is the origin of Satan? How and why did he fall? What is his nature? What is his final destiny? What are the fallen angels called? How do Satan and his followers attack God's People? How can we stand against the Devil?

In Colossians 1:15-16, we read, ^"For in him, all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him." It was Jesus that Paul referred to in these two verses.

Suppose Jesus created all things, which means Satan, as well. However, Satan was not evil as we know now. Initially, he was a beautiful, blameless, anointed cherub holding the highest rank among the angels on the mountain of God. Then why did Satan fall from that lofty position?

Satan fell because of pride. He desired to be God, not to be a servant of God. Notice the many "I will..." statements in Isaiah 14:12-15. Ezekiel 28:12-15. He was not content in his position. Instead, Satan desired to be God, to essentially "kick God off His throne" and take over the rule of the universe. Satan wanted to be God, and interestingly enough, that desire is what Satan tempted Adam and Eve within the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1-5).

Because of Satan's sin, God threw him out of heaven. A third of the angels followed him, and they were what came to be referred to as demons and evil spirits. Rev 12:4. Jesus witnessed Satan's fall, and He mentions it in Luke 10:18, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven." Satan was thrown down from heaven because of his sin. Heaven has no place for sin and sinners.

One day, Satan will be thrown entirely from heaven into a firey lake hell. Until such time, Satan means adversary, the enemy of God, and His people prowl around (restlessly) like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (I Pet 5:8). We have this Hollywood version of the Devil in mind: Strangely looking, with horns on the head, a long tail, and a pitchfork in hand.

Some people keep ghostly decorations during Halloween, such as skeletons and spooky ghosts. But that's not how he presents himself in the Bible. He disguises himself as an "angel of light." II Cor 11:14. The Devil constantly attacks God's people. Here is how he does it.

III. Lying is a powerful weapon in the hands of the Devil

Jesu rebuked the Pharisees, saying, "You belong to your father, the Devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and father of lies." Jn 8:44-45.

Jesus sums up the core nature of Satan and his demonic forces. Lying is a powerful weapon in the hands of Satan. He effectively used it against Adam and Eve, deceiving them into sinning against God. Subsequently, he used it on many people, including Jesus in the wilderness. The only difference in Jesus' case was He did not fall for Satan's deceptive schemes. Luke 4:1-13. Jesus counter-attacked every lie of the enemy by saying, "It is written." When the Devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.

Similar lying tactics Satan uses against God's people. Unfortunately, many believe in the lies of the enemy and sinning against God. How can we repel the lies of the enemy? By using the Truth of God's word. Whether you know the Bible or not, the Devil knows it well. For instance, when the Devil whispers in your ears saying you are ugly and not attractive, you repel that lie by saying, No! "I am fearfully and wonderfully made. (Ps 139:13-14).

When the enemy lies to you, saying you are dumb and can't do anything right, you say, No! "The Lord gives me wisdom (Pro 2:6), and I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." ( Phil 4:13). When he tells you no one loves you, and everyone hates you, You say, God loves me with an everlasting love. (Jer 31:3).

When he frightens you by saying the world's economy is crumbling, the government will get you. Our country is becoming a third-world country. You repel that lie by saying, "Even though when I walk through the valley of shadow death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and your staff they comfort me." Ps 23:4

In this election season, our political leaders are telling so many lies. Remember, whenever someone tells a lie, especially leaders, they are speaking Satan's native tongue, which is lying. What lies are you listening to these days? Every lie of the enemy can be successfully repelled by knowing and speaking the Truth, which is found in God's Word.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[1] https://www.gotquestions.org/Ephesus-in-the-Bible.html

Who Is The Boss?

                                                      WHO'S THE BOSS?

Studs Terkel, the famous Chicago author, interviewed hundreds of people about their jobs and put down what they said in his 1972 book, Working. He wrote, "This book, being about work, is, by its very nature, about violence to the spirit and body. It is about ulcers as well as accidents, shouting matches as well as fistfights, nervous breakdowns, and daily humiliations.

Surviving the day is triumph enough for the walking wounded among many of us. It is about a search, too, for daily meaning as well as daily bread, for recognition as well as cash, for astonishment rather than lethargy. In short, for a sort of life rather than a Monday through Friday sort of dying. Immortality, too, is part of the quest. To be remembered was the wish, spoken and unspoken, of the heroes and heroines of this book."[1]

In a 9 to 5 job world, heroes and heroines get recognition for their work, such as first responders, firefighters, police, doctors, nurses, teachers, military personnel, politicians, musicians, and celebrities. We hold them in high honor and respect for their contributions to society. But let's remember the unsung or unspoken heroes and heroines, such as trash collectors who do janitorial jobs, construction workers, maids who clean our houses, dock workers, etc.

Their work, often overlooked, is crucial to the functioning of our society, and they deserve our utmost respect and appreciation. How do you feel about your job? For some, work is their identity, so they become workaholics. For others, work is a burden; hence, they seldom or never work. Are you working hard or hardly working? Remember, a well-balanced life is the key to happiness and fulfillment. In Ephesians 6:5-9 we will discuss biblical work ethics, our approach to work, and the spirit-guided relationships between employees and employers. The context of Ephesians 6:5-9 was written initially for slaves and masters.

My friend Lee Eclov provided information on Slavery in Greco-Roman times, which was quite different from our concept of Slavery. You will find it at the end of my notes. Though our culture today differs from theirs, this passage speaks to something still true: the complex relationship between workers and bosses. As we read these verses, we notice how central Christ is in these relationships. Before going further, let's examine what the Bible says about work.

I. Work is God-ordained.

            We first read about "work" when God placed Adam and Even in the Garden of Eden and entrusted them with this responsibility. They were to work it and take care of it. (Gen 2:15) In NASB, it is read, To cultivate and to Keep it. Two Hebrew words were used here. Abad means to work, labor, toil, till, plow, serve, and worship. This may be how we got the proverb, "Work is Worship first coined by Mahatma Gandhi, who said it to instill hard work among the people of India. It compares the work of man with the worship of God.

            The second Hebrew word, Shamar, means to hedge around, keep, and guard. From these two words, God ordained man to cultivate the ground and protect the eco-friendly environment. But all that changed after the Fall of Man. God cursed the ground, saying, "Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil, you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow, you will eat your food until you return to the ground since from it you were taken; For dust you are, and to dust you will return." Gen 3:17-19.

 

 

In the Garden, God intended for man to have something useful to do and enjoy it. After the Fall, Mom and Dad worked the fields and raised the cattle, and the children attended household chores for a long time. The rural work environment where everyone worked to survive changed to employment with the Industrial Revolution in the early 19^th century.

Now, we live in a highly competitive job environment where work, once meant to bring joy and fulfillment, becomes a burden and struggle. At times, Christians find themselves in a toxic work environment. How can we derive joy and satisfaction in our work and transform the toxic environment during such challenging situations? The Apostle Paul has some advice in Eph 6:5-9 on how to make our God-ordained work rewarding for ourselves and others.

 

II. Recognizing Who the Boss is makes our Jobs Joyful and fulfilling.

If you work in a job, you might have a boss to whom you are accountable. In general, most bosses are kind and reasonable. On rare occasions, we may have a boss who is uncaring and unreasonable. We live in a culture where many think all authority is evil and no one should tell you what you should or should not do. You can't trust anyone, be your own boss, etc.

On the contrary, Paul tells the followers of Christ in Ephesians 6:5, "In Vs. 5, Paul says, "Obey your earthly masters with respect, fear, and sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ." You can have reasonable conversations about your work and the things you may disagree with. But we do it respectfully. We submit to our leaders recognizing that God appointed them, even when they mistreat us and are unreasonable. Psalm 75:6-7

Another way we can respect our bosses is by doing our assigned work with a sincerity of heart. You are not just doing things to check boxes and check out at the end of the day. In everything you do, you strive for excellence as if you are doing it unto the Lord. Paul's advice to Philippians might help change our unreasonable bosses and toxic work environment.

"Do everything without grumbling or arguing so you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then we will shine among them like stars in the sky as we hold firmly to the word of life." Phil 2:14-15. Paul not only advised Ephesian believers to respect their bosses but also to serve them wholeheartedly.

 

III. Serving others wholeheartedly as if we are serving the Lord.

Jesus, while teaching his disciples not to be like overbearing gentile leaders, laid out a principle of servant leadership. He said, "Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Matthew 20:27-28.

Jesus, our servant King, should be our model in doing our work. Jesus was always looking out for others. In her book Why Work, Dorothy Sayer defines, "Work is the gracious expression of creative energy in the service of others." Our primary motive for work is to serve others, not make a living. Paul brings this principle home by saying in Ephesians 6:7-8, "Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free."

Author and educator Howard Hendricks sat in a plane that was delayed for takeoff. After a long wait, the passengers became more and more irritated. Hendricks noticed how gracious one of the flight attendants was as she spoke with them. After the plane finally took off, he told the flight attendant how amazed he was at her poise and self-control and said he wanted to write a letter of commendation for her to the airline. The stewardess replied that she didn't work for the airline company but for Jesus Christ. She said that just before going to work, she and her husband prayed together that she would represent Christ well."

From working as a flight attendant to waiting on tables in a restaurant, from preaching on the pulpit to handling the media, from homemaking to home cleaning, let's serve as if we are serving the Lord, not people wholeheartedly. Seeing our sincere good works, God will reward us. Paul also has some choice words for the bosses. They were to do their job as God's will. They should treat their workers kindly and not threaten them. In closing, Who's your boss? Our work will be fulfilling and rewarding when we recognize that we serve a higher boss. Amen!

 

Slaves in the Greco-Roman World of the New Testament

In his commentary on Ephesians, John Stott writes, "Slavery seems to have been universal in the ancient world. A high percentage of the population were slaves. 'It has been computed that in the Roman Empire there were 60,000,000 slaves' (Barclay, p.212). They constituted the workforce and included not only domestic servants and manual laborers but educated people as well, like doctors, teachers, and administrators. Slaves could be inherited or purchased or acquired in settlement of bad debt, and prisons of war commonly became slaves." [The Message of Ephesians, p.150]

            Nonetheless, slaves were not the equals of their masters. Aristotle wrote that "a slave is a kind of possession with a soul."

            Dr. Timothy Keller said in a sermon that Slavery in that day was "more like indentured servanthood." he drew on the scholarship of Dr. Murray Harris (a member of VCL when he taught at TEDS). Keller said, "He says that in Greco-Roman times, number one, slaves were not distinguishable from anyone else by race, speech, or clothing. They looked and lived like everyone else and were never segregated from the rest of society. Number two, slaves were more educated than their owners in many cases and many times held high managerial positions. Number three, from a financial standpoint, slaves made the same wages as free laborers and, therefore, were not themselves usually poor and often accrued enough personal capital to buy themselves out. Number four, very few persons were slaves for life in the first century. Most are expected to be emancipated after about ten years or by their late thirties at the latest.

            "In contrast, New World slavery—17th, 18th, and 19th-century slavery—was race-based, and its default mode was Slavery for life. Also, the African slave trade was [started] and resourced through kidnapping, which the Bible unconditionally condemns in 1 Timothy 1:9-11 and Deuteronomy 24:7. Therefore, while the early Christians, like Saint Paul … discouraged [1st-century slavery] … saying to slaves, "get free if you can," [they] didn't go on a campaign to end it. [But] 18th and 19th century Christians, when faced with New World-style slavery, did work for its complete abolition because it could not be squared in any way with biblical teaching.

            "So, the point is that when you hear somebody say, 'The Bible condones slavery,' you say, 'No, it didn't—not the way you and I define 'Slavery. It's not talking about that.'"

 

Timothy Keller, in the sermon Literalism: Isn't the Bible Historically Unreliable and Regressive? Redeemer Presbyterian Church, New York, New York (preached 11-5-06); source: Murray Harris, Slave of Christ (IVP, 2001)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[1] Studds Terkel, Working,  (Introduction) page Xi