What is Church all about?Part 1: Witnessing

Acts 1:1-11

Life as a witness

• James Ross “Junior Hero” – showed police where knives were!

Who is on trial?

Jesus is on trial – he is looking for witnesses who will tell the truth about him

1. Who are to witness?• Acts 1:8 are Jesus’ last words

• Speaking with the 11 apostles/disciples

• Acts 1:1 Jesus is leaving – they are to carry on the work of Jesus

• Task spreads to rest of the Christian church

1. Who are to witness?• God’s church is a witnessing church

• Mark 5:19  “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”

• As Christians we have a story to tell, we are personal witnesses of God’s saving power

2. How are we to witness?• V4 “Wait for the promise of the

father…you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit”

• V8 “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you…”

• Being a witness can be scary at times! We are promised we don’t do it alone

2. How are we to witness?• God the Father sends the Holy

Spirit (John 14-16):• 14:16-17 And I will ask the Father

and he will give you another helper to be with you forever, the Spirit of Truth

• 15:26 but when the helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me

2. How are we to witness?• We witness for Jesus with the help

of the Holy Spirit

• We live and speak for Jesus by the guidance of the Holy Spirit

• We co-operate with the Holy Spirit as he works so that the world hears about Jesus

3. What is the content of our witness?• What do we need to know? What

truths can we share?• V3 His life – Jesus taught with God’s

authority; he acted with God’s power

• What he said and did are proof that he really is the Son of God

3. What is the content of our witness?• V3 His suffering and death – death

of Jesus for sinners is a vital part of our message

• Acts 2:23 Jesus was handed over to die by God the Father as part of plan of salvation

• Acts 4:10-12 Only way to be saved is through Jesus who was died for us

3. What is the content of our witness?• V3 His resurrection – Jesus gave

various proofs that he was alive again:

• Appeared to individuals and crowds (1 Corinthians 15:1-7)

• Could show nail marks, and spear hole (John 20:24-29)

• Ate with people (Luke 24:36-42)• Walked and talked with people (Luke

24:13-35)

3. What is the content of our witness?• V9 His return to glory – Jesus taken

up by a cloud, symbol of God’s glory

• Philippians 2:9-11 God has highly exalted him and given him the name that is above every name,  so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

3. What is the content of our witness?• V10-11 His Second Coming – Jesus

will come again as King and Judge• Jesus is ruling now but that

complete rule will come with his return – heaven and earth united, his people with him forever

4. Why do we witness?• We have a lot to talk about! But

why bother?• V8 So that people will hear about

King Jesus!• So that people will turn from sin

and follow Jesus

• Will we as a church take on the task of witnessing for Jesus?