You are released from the Witness Protection Program!!!!

I love to Tell the Story.  This is one of my favorite songs in church—I particularly love that the song says I love to tell the story for those who know it best, and I love to tell the story for some have never heard.  I sing with gusto when we sing this—but, do I mean it?

Jesus tells his disciples they are witnesses.  We often associate witness with the court system—a witness gets on the stand, as one with first-hand knowledge—what they have heard from others is inadmissible.  We are witnesses with both firsthand knowledge of our experiences with Jesus, and as people who witness to what we know from what the early witnesses recorded.

I wonder how many of us think we are in the witness protection program.

A few weeks ago, we listed the stories that came to mind about Jesus in the gospels.  If we are witnesses to Jesus, we probably should know these stories.  We begin teaching them early in life, as children.  In our congregation, the children receive a children’s story Bible around the age of 3.  It is the time they begin to hear the stories of Jesus, at their level.  They aren’t asked to figure out what it means, just to begin to learn the stories.  It isn’t just the stories of Jesus, but I remember learning about Moses, and Noah.  The creation story.  And yes, the Christmas and Easter Stories repeated every year. 

But as we grow older, we begin to remember these stories and think about what this may mean in my life.  How does this affect how I live out my life?  When I see how Jesus went out to be with people who others rejected, I have to ask myself if I live in Jesus’ name, am I also called to reach out to those that others reject.  I hear the stories of forgiveness, welcome, new life—and I explore them.  And the more I realize the love and joy in these truths from Jesus, the more and more I want to share the message of Jesus, I want to share Jesus with people. 

One of the challenges I have faces in my over 20 years in public ministry, and in my time as a lay leader prior to this is that evangelism, sharing the message often turned into a membership drive. We shared the message not so much of Jesus, but of the church.  Our goal was to get members.  Our thought was members meant more money and more people to do things.  As a pastor, it means my numbers on my annual report would look better. 

That is not the purpose of being a witness.  We are called to witness to Jesus whether or not the person ever steps foot into our church!  Those who tell the story of Jesus, who witness to Jesus are not salespeople.  Our goal in witnessing is to share the good news of Jesus.

Maybe the first place to begin witnessing is to our family —especially if we have children and grandchildren, many of whom do not know Jesus or any of the stories of faith.  Witnessing can be done by telling stories, by reading the Bible stories with them.  The church has covenanted to help with this through our teaching through children’s church, worship, and other ways we gather. You can witness by placing Jesus as a priority in your life and making decisions based on your faith and commitment.  Others are watching what we do, and if we say one thing and do another, our message just doesn’t come through as well.

In the book “We Are Witnesses of These Things” (by Craig and Chelsey Satterlee), we have to ask ourselves what are “these things.” 

For me the key is new life, which flows from the pivotal story of Christ’s suffering, death and resurrection.  In this witness of Jesus, we experience Jesus’ suffering, helplessness, fear, worry shame and death.  Most of us can relate to feeling these things.  And through Jesus’ experience, we can reflect on these passages and on what the significance of Jesus’ experience means.  The author lists “these things:”

Repentance and forgiveness:  Luke 24 tells the disciples to witness to Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection by proclaiming “repentance and forgiveness of sins in his name.”  Jesus offers another way of life, a change in path, a change of heart and mind; and in this we find forgiveness.  This forgiveness is not just for us, but for all nations. 

A Ransom for Many: Matthew 20:28: “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.’ Jesus gave his life in redemption, to make us righteous before God, knowing that as humans alone, we could not do it.  This is a free gift, there is nothing required in return.  This ransom liberates us for the chains and bondage we that we find ourselves enslaved with in the world. 

New Life from Death: John 12:31-32: “Now is the judgement of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. ³²And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.’ This is a reminder that Jesus’ death and resurrection was not for a chosen few, or just those in the church—Jesus is speaking new life into the world, the whole world.  The rulers of this world will not win.  Out of death is life, new life.  It doesn’t make death of anything easier, but there is the reminder that there is hope.

There are many other things we may find important to share about Jesus.  I like to share the unconditional love and commitment Jesus has for us, no matter what! 

What other things are part of Jesus’ story you want to share?

Do you think we have a choice about witnessing to Jesus?

What if anything prevents you from witnessing to Jesus?

What is any way of understanding Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection appeals to you? 

What do you most need Jesus to save your from? To save us from? To save the world from? (avoid churchy words)