December 16 - Witness

December 16 – Witness

I closed yesterday’s blog with the question, “Who do YOU need to tell about Jesus today?” This evening, I was reminded of the importance of that question as I spoke with one of my mother’s best friends. She told me about a vision that mom had regarding the torment of those who are lost to eternal life and our responsibility for their salvation.

Mom and Sonna, along with many others, were sitting in the bleachers at a football game (probably high school – that’s where they have bleachers, right?). The field was filled with people. All of a sudden, the earth cracked open in the field and smoke and fire began billowing around these people. The realization that they were about to face death and that the death would be terrible, leading to eternal torment passed across their faces. The accusation in their voices came at mom as they cried out, “You knew and you didn’t tell us! Why didn’t you tell us?”

When John the Baptist announced the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, he prepared the way for Jesus by preaching repentance to the people. He tells the people right up front who is coming, “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering the wheat into his barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” (Matthew 3:11-12)

Jesus said, “When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me; but you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.” (John 15:26-27)

We must testify. We must share the Good News about Jesus with everyone we know. It is not enough to be busy with church work or to hide ourselves away in our church buildings. Those buildings are nothing in the Kingdom of God if they aren’t being used to draw in those who need to know Jesus. It is so easy to get caught up in the finances and the business, the programs and the craziness, the gossip and chasing one activity after another within the church. We think we are doing God’s work, when what we are doing is acting just like the Pharisees of Jesus’ time.

He doesn’t want us in our church buildings. He wants us to bring people to him.

In the story of Jesus healing the paralyzed man, the man’s friends lowered him from the roof so that he could be before Jesus. Luke tells us that Jesus met the man’s needs when He saw the faith of the friends. (Luke 5:17-26)

Jesus is coming again! We are called to be His witnesses. God’s plan is to redeem everyone on earth. His desire is to gather everyone into eternal life. We are to go into all the world. Witness to the power of Jesus in your life.