Sermon Tone Analysis

Acts 1:8

*Introduction*

Today we have once again emphasized Operation Andrew and have encouraged you to participate in this opportunity to prepare for the Franklin Graham Festival.

We as a church are promoting the Festival because we believe it will be a great opportunity to share our faith and proclaim the name of Jesus in southern Manitoba.

\\ Today is also Pentecost Sunday, the day on which we are reminded of the coming of the Holy Spirit into the life of the church.

\\ These two ideas of witness and the coming of the Spirit come together in Acts 1:8 which we want to examine this morning.

\\ A few times in my life I have been with people who were on their death bed.

After they passed away, we have had conversations about what they said.

When someone says something at the end of their life, we take those words seriously.

If they are giving final instructions about the disposition of their property or their funeral, if they are expressing love to family, or dealing with spiritual issues, we understand that these are more important words than many others spoken in a lifetime.

\\ These words in Acts 1:8 are the last words which Jesus spoke before he ascended into heaven and so they are important.

They are also important because they mark a significant transition in the life of the people of God.

Jesus was leaving and not returning until he would come in the end.

Yet the ministry which Jesus had begun was not going to be stopped.

In fact, by leaving, Jesus was giving the ministry of proclaiming the kingdom of God over to His disciples.

How would they do it?

This verse speaks about that by pointing to two aspects – the witnessing task and the empowering for the task.

\\ *You Shall Be My Witnesses* \\ The sending aspect comes when Jesus says, “you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem…” \\ *Be Witnesses* \\ John Piper says that being a witness for Jesus fits with the passion of God to bring people to himself.

He writes, “The Spirit's all-consuming passion is to exalt Christ to the end of the earth.”

In Scripture we see this all-consuming passion of God.

Hab.

2:14 says, "All the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord."

In Joshua 4:24 we read that, God brought his people into Canaan "so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty."

David commanded us in Psalm 96:1-3, "Sing to the Lord all the earth … Declare his glory among the nations, his marvellous works among all the peoples!" Isaiah 49:6 gives God's word to his servant, "I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth."

Jesus himself said, "Go make disciples of all nations" in Matthew 28:19 and "This gospel must be proclaimed to all the nations" in Mark 13:10.

God’s desire is to be glorified in all the earth and God is glorified when people accept the forgiveness offered in Christ.

When we are witnesses, we are in tune with what is most deeply in the heart of God.

Do we understand the deep passion God has to make His name known?

\\ If we do, it will come as no surprise that God wants us to be witnesses.

But what does it mean to be a witness?

Witnessing is not something we do, it is something we are.

Notice that Jesus does not say “go and witness.”

He says, “you shall be my witnesses.”

How will we “be” witnesses?

Being a witness is being an example of what God has done.

God redeems, forgives and changes us.

Since we do not save ourselves, whenever people see us they see an example of what God has done and we are witnesses to the power and grace of God.

"Here I stand," says Charles Spurgeon, "myself a proof of what my Lord can do.

I, his servant, saved by him, and renewed by him, washed in his blood, it is I who, while I live, whether I speak or not, am a monument of his love, a trophy of his grace."

When we live in a relationship with God we bear witness to the fact that Christ can remove despair, that Christ can transform character, that Christ can sustain us in temptation, that Christ transforms our thoughts to noble thoughts, that Christ supports us in times of trouble and that Christ sustains us in the hour of death.

\\ *Where?* \\ So as Jesus leaves, he indicates that his disciples will be witnesses.

Then Jesus identifies places.

He mentions that this witness is going to take place in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the uttermost pasts of the earth.

Many have noted that this is an outline of the book of Acts.

Chapters 2-7 describe ministry in Jerusalem and Judea.

Chapters 8-11 describe ministry in Samaria and the rest of the book begins to describe ministry that extends to the ends of the earth.

\\ But we are not in Jerusalem or even Samaria.

What does the “where” question mean to us? \\ The first answer to that question is, “wherever you are!”

At the BGSE they did an informal survey to find out how people came to Christ.

The results were quite interesting.

Can I ask you to respond to the question, “How did you come to Christ?” How many of you came to Christ because you watched a TV program?

How many of you came to Christ because you listened to a radio broadcast?

How many of you came to Christ through the influence of a pastor?

How many of you came to Christ because you read a tract?

How many of you came to Christ through the influence of a Christian friend or family member who either spoke to you or brought you to a place where Christ was being proclaimed?

This survey reveals that the most powerful method of gospel proclamation is when each of us is a witness where we are.

So the first answer to the “where” question is that you have an opportunity to be a witness wherever you have been placed.

\\ Not only do surveys reveal this, but the intention of God also reveals it.

God has created each one of us in a unique way and to live in a particular place.

We are who we are and where we are by the design of God and that is where we are witnesses.

The terms I have heard used are that we are biologically credentialed and geographically positioned.

\\ Do you think that it is insignificant that you have been created with a certain type of racial background, certain physical strengths and weaknesses, abilities and interests?

Whoever you are is a unique creation and God has placed you into this world with your particular mix of gifts, personality and relationships because He wants you to be a witness by the very person you are.

We sometimes think that our personality and background is a random act, but God is in charge of witness in this world and He has given you all that you have and brought you to be who you are so that you, with your unique personality can be a witness to those around you. \\ You have also been geographically positioned by God to meet the people you meet and be seen by the people who see you so that right where you are you can be a witness for Christ in your world.

\\ Biologically credentialed and geographically positioned mean that you are a witness right where you are.

Make it deliberate.

Live in a love relationship with Christ.

Look for opportunities.

Participate in Operation Andrew.

It is a way to recognize that you have a unique opportunity to be a witness for Christ right where you are with the people you meet on a regular basis.

\\ But going beyond where you are is also involved.

John Piper points out that in North America there is one Christian church for every 800 people.

In India, there is one Christian church for every 8000 people.

\\ An article found on the U.S. Center for World Mission web site contained a graph showing that most missionary effort is expended on the people groups already reached or in a Christian cultural area like North America.

Clearly the need is great to send those whom God is calling into areas of mission work among un-reached people groups.

\\ Is God calling you? \\ \\ *You Will Receive Power* \\ As the disciples heard about the task given to them to be witnesses, what was immediately clear is that it was an impossible task.

They were to go “to the ends of the earth.”

How could 12 or even 120 of them go to the ends of the earth?

They had no idea about the task that was to be done.

They were still thinking in political terms when they were asking just previous to this, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” Furthermore, they still lacked strength of character to be witnesses for Jesus.

Just a few days earlier, when Jesus was arrested, they had all fled.

After he had risen, they had spent much of their time hidden because they were afraid of the authorities.

It was, for them, an impossible task.

\\ The only thing that made it possible was that Jesus said, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you.”

The power for witnessing at that time came from the presence of God through the Holy Spirit.

\\ Are we any more courageous or able to be witnesses?

We may be filled with resolve and desire.

We may be well educated and have a good knowledge of the gospel message, but we also are faced with an impossible task.

Our resolve isn’t always there.

Our ability to say the right word is most often lacking until after the opportunity.

The many things which distract us cause us to neglect to see opportunities.

It is impossible for us to be effective witnesses for Jesus!

For us, the power for witness also comes from the indwelling Holy Spirit.

John Piper says, “People are indispensable in world missions, but people alone are useless in world missions.

We must have power.”

\\ *What The Spirit Does* \\ So if it is the power of the Spirit who makes it possible for us to be witnesses, what is the work that the Spirit does in witness?

\\ It is the work of the Spirit to send people.

Throughout Acts, we see that it was the Spirit of God who sent the messengers.

It was the Spirit who sent Philip to meet with the Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts 8.

It was the Spirit who sent Peter to Cornelius in Acts 10,11.