Day 2: You Will Be My Witnesses

Raising three sons was an adventure. They are now grown and have given my wife and me eleven grandchildren—as I’m prone to mention from time to time. Growing up, the boys were good kids, but like any other kids, they could be incredibly sweet and incredibly stubborn.

It was one of those nights when we were all worn out. The boys had had a full day at school followed by sports in the afternoon. Typically, when they came home, they wanted a bit of a break before beginning their schoolwork. Nellie Jo and I tried to be understanding, but there were only so many hours in a day. The homework had to be done.

Like other kids their age, our sons often found a screen to entertain themselves. Whether it was a video game or old-fashioned television, they enjoyed their few minutes of respite. They knew that the moment they heard their mom call, “Supper is ready,” the joy in their lives would come to a screeching halt. And yes, my Southern bride calls it supper, not dinner.

The call to supper meant that screen time was over. After our meal, there would be a shower, homework, and bed. The latter three items were not part of the boys’ fun routines.

When Nellie Jo called the first time, two of our sons dutifully came to the supper table. One son, whose name will not be mentioned, could not pull himself away. Nellie Jo called again, this time using his first and last name before exclaiming again, “Supper is ready!”

There was still no response. The two brothers at the table looked down. I couldn’t tell if they were smiling in anticipation of or simply avoiding the fireworks to come.

This time Nellie Jo left the dining area. She proceeded with authority to the prodigal son’s bedroom, where he was still transfixed to a screen. This time the decibels decidedly increased. It was no longer his first and last name; it was his first, middle, and last name. Then came the declaration: “You will come to supper.”

Her emphasis on the word will made it crystal clear that Nellie Jo was not making a request; she was issuing a command.

You may be curious to know what happened if one of the boys did not obey the third call. I don’t know. None of them had the temerity to find out.

WHEN JESUS SAYS “WILL”

Let’s look at Acts 1:8: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

There it is again: “You will.” There is no second option. There is either obedience or disobedience. You will be his witnesses, or you will be disobedient to your Savior. It is a command, not a request.

On the first day of this thirty-day challenge, you committed to ask God to change your heart so you can become more focused on the Great Commission, on being the witness that Christ has called you to be. Let’s take a moment, then, and unpack this important verse.

START WITH THE SOURCE OF THE POWER

If you had asked me what my greatest fear was early in my adult life, the answer would have been easy. I feared speaking in public. In fact, when I was a businessman involved in a local church, I made sure I arrived at my Sunday school class a few minutes late. I wanted to avoid the opening prayer time lest someone call on me. Seriously.

When it became clear that I was called to vocational ministry, my wife and I stared at each other for a few minutes. I asked her how I could be in ministry if I couldn’t speak in public. She didn’t have an answer.

But God had the answer.

He has given me everything I’ve needed to fulfill his call on my life. As I look back over forty years of ministry, I am amazed at how incredibly well God has taken care of me. I have spoken in all fifty states and many different countries.

If you have any hesitation about this thirty-day challenge, remember that you are not going it alone. You will receive power. In fact, I think you will be amazed by how God will change you in such a brief period.

MAKING THE “WILL” THE “WANT”

As you receive the power of the Holy Spirit, the command to be witnesses will seem less a task to be completed as a joy to be shared. You will want to be a witness for Christ. You will see Acts 1:8 as a joy to be completed rather than a command to be obeyed.

Keep in mind, these were Jesus’ last words before he ascended to heaven. Like a last will and testament, his words had significant import. They were the last words he would speak on earth until we see him face-to-face. He has asked us to do this one thing. Be a witness for him. Tell others about him.

START WHERE YOU ARE

Jesus’ command in Acts 1:8 begins with Jerusalem, where his disciples were at the time. In other words, we are to start by being witnesses right where we are. We don’t have to wait for some spectacular revelation from God. We will hear from him even more clearly as we obey his command to share the gospel in our local community.

I had a phone conversation with my middle son, Art, and he offered some powerful insight. He said, “You know, Dad, I have discovered that I rarely hear from God when I’m sitting around doing nothing. That just doesn’t seem to be the way he wants me to wait on him. I hear from him clearly, though, when I’m doing something for him. It might be as simple as being kind to a server or inviting someone to church. I hear from God when I’m doing. That’s the best kind of waiting.”

He’s right. The purpose of these thirty days is to get you to do something outwardly, to look beyond yourself. Where do you begin? Right where you are. Right in your own Jerusalem.

READ, THINK, PRAY, READ AGAIN

Your assignment today is simple. Read Acts 1:8. Think about Jesus’ words. Think about how those words to his disciples apply to you today. Pray about the passage. Ask God to make it come alive in your life.

Then read it again. And perhaps a third time.

Ask God to show you how to be a Jerusalem witness. He may give you opportunities to witness beyond Jerusalem, but that’s where you begin, right where you are.

You are about to have an exciting new world open up to you because you have chosen to be obedient where you are. This verse is foundational for your thirty days. Though we will deal with other verses as we go along, you might decide to come back to this second day to get your marching orders.

Moreover, you might need to be reminded that the power to move forward on your journey is not your own: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.”

Day 2 is done. Tomorrow we will explore how to become an instrument to pray for your church.