Power To Witnesss

Pentecost Sunday

‘Power to witness’

In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to

do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving

instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen

Acts 1:1-2

“ ... Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father

promised, which you have heard me speak about”

Acts 1:4

“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“

Acts 1:8

For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have

eternal life

John 3:16

Proclamation

Personal encounter Personal story

Practical acts of kindness

Pentecost Day

Sound like the blowing of a violent wind

Tongues of fire

New languages

Witness through Proclamation

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said

“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under

heaven given to men by which we must be saved.“

Acts 4:8, 12

Witness through Proclamation

When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realised that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men

had been with Jesus

Acts 4:13

Witness through Personal encounterThe Spirit told Philip,

"Go to that chariot and stay near it”

Acts 8:29

Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news

about Jesus

Acts 8:35

Witness through Personal encounter

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have

…

1 Peter 3:15

Witness through our Personal story

Before Conversion

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

Acts 26:10

Witness through our Personal storyAt Conversion

I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting … ‘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

Acts 26:15b-16

Witness through our Personal storyAfter Conversion

First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all

Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds

Acts 26:20

Never underestimate the value of your story

Your story is unique!

It is personal/easy to understand You are the authority on it

People love personal stories/remember them

People can relate to it

Witness through Practical acts

“ … let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and

praise your Father in heaven”

Matt 5:16

“To go to heaven and take as many people with me as I can”