The Witness

        I was laying in bed the other night thinking about all of the Christians that I had known in my life when I was young. My first introduction to the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ took place while I was in the U. S. Navy. In my first 19 years, no one spoke to me about the Lord Jesus Christ. I was invited to churches by some people and even went to an evangelistic meeting at Winona Lake, Indiana where I supposedly accepted Christ but it didn't take place there. After that meeting, no one spoke to me about the Bible. I probably wouldn't have listened anyway, but I still wonder if I crossed the path of many believers. In the same sense, I need to apologize to all those people who crossed my path afterwards, when I didn't say a word about the Lord Jesus Christ and salvation. Of course, for most of them, the apology would be too late for they have already passed from this life. Acts 1:8 says, “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.”  
      This verse contains the final words, as we know it, from Christ Himself and in the moments afterwards, He ascended into heaven. Those departing instructions were clear and simple and it was stated that we would end up being His witnesses. As we have mentioned before, the word that is used for “witnesses” is actually the word from which we get “martyr.” For many people they would find that they would be giving up their lives to speak about Jesus to anyone. We have the record of many individuals who died by speaking about Jesus in the book, “Foxes Book of Martyrs.” The book tells the accounts of people who perished for their faith for about the first 1500 years after the ascension. The persecution however, goes on today and in greater numbers than ever before. What has it cost you to speak about Christ to someone in the world today. For many, we have not sacrificed anything. We just hope that someone will tell them before they pass away. God has used the method of personal contact to reach the world with the Gospel. It isn't really a test of our faith, but it does indicate just how much we think about the Gospel message. If we know that heaven is real and that hell is real and that these are the only two destinations for life after death, then we should be concerned about our family, our friends and those we come in contact with today and tomorrow. Who was it that first witnessed to you? It could have been a person, a friend or even a family member. It may have been a radio program or a piece of a tract that you found on the floor. Somewhere, someone spoke to you about the Savior. Don't be silent any longer but put forth the message that “Jesus saves.” Praise God today for the witness of faithful believers. May we be one also.