Telling What We Have Seen and Heard

But you will be receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
Acts 1:8

The Lord Jesus Christ had been crucified just forty days earlier. The disciples were still astonished that what Jesus Christ said to them previously – of His dying according to the Scriptures, His burial and His resurrection according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3-4) – as actually come to pass. When walking with Him and listening to His teaching they didn’t really understand what it was that He was teaching them. Over and over again you read in the Gospels how they did not fully understand Him. After all, who would make such claims? John records that there were just so many things that Jesus Christ did that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written (John 21:25). Could it be that the disciples were still just trying to figure out how Jesus Christ did what He did while in His three and half year ministry here on earth?

Dr. Luke is writing a second account of Jesus Christ and His ministry here on earth. You will recall that he also authored the Gospel According to Luke – one of the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke). He is writing to his friend Theophilus and continuing where he left off with Jesus Christ’s resurrection (Luke 24). Jesus Christ had appeared to two disciples that were on their way to Emmaus and they were talking about the current events. They witnessed Jesus Christ die on the cross and they knew that He had been buried. But was it true that some of the disciples snatched His body from the tomb? After all, that was a rumor circulating in the news reports and the city’s gossip columns. Then all of a sudden – as it He came from nowhere, nowhere at all – Jesus Christ started to speak with these two men. Luke records Jesus’ response to them, O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe al that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into His glory? And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself (Luke 24:25-27).

Theophilus had to learn these truths and Dr. Luke had to tell him no doubt out of concern for his salvation. He so wanted Theophilus to know that Jesus Christ really is who He said that He is. That every promise of going to the cross to die and to be raised again was true.

Now in Acts, Luke is wanting to continue his writing on what it is that Jesus Christ continued to do after His resurrection. The Apostle Paul teaches us that there were many witnesses to the fact of His resurrection (Acts 1:3; 1 Corinthians 15:1-11). When Jesus Christ rose from the dead, He just continued to teach the disciples (Acts 1:1-2). In His teaching He gave directions to the disciples to stay in Jerusalem and there the Holy Spirit would come upon them (1:4-5).

But were the disciples concerned about the coming of the Holy Spirit? Well, it appears that they were more concerned still of the coming kingdom of Jesus Christ that would reign here on earth. After Jesus Christ gives them directions, they asked Him, Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom of Israel? (1:6). Again, just as He did with Nicodemus, He points their sights to the proper perspective. They were to remain there in Jerusalem because they were to receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon them and they would be His witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth (1:8). After giving this further instruction to the disciples, the Scriptures tell us that while they were still looking at Jesus, He was lifted up, and a cloud took Him out of their sight (1:9). The amazement never ends with Jesus Christ!

Those who were there were just standing amazed and gazing at the ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ (1:10). And then, all of a sudden, two men who were dressed in white garments informs them of Jesus’ future plans. They said to the disciples, This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven (1:11).

But what does all of this mean for you and me today? There is a very simple answer to this question but sometimes we make it so complex. The answer is this: We are to tell others of what it is that we have seen and known of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are to reach out to those around us – wherever we are – and tell them of this Jesus Christ. We can’t just sit here thinking that people will come to know Jesus Christ unless we are about the business of witnessing and telling others of this saving grace that He gives to all who believe.

Exalting Jesus!

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life.
-John 3:14-15

One of the most inspiring stories in all of Scripture is when Nicodemus meets Jesus. Nicodemus comes to Jesus in the dead of night, most likely because he didn’t want any of the other Pharisees to see him speaking with Jesus. He makes an startling statement when he says, Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him (John 3:2). Now although Nicodemus was concerned with the signs that Jesus had done, Jesus cuts right to the chase and answers him, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of heaven (3:3). No punches thrown – directly to the heart of the issue.

The issue with Jesus is not that He can perform miracles and signs and wonders; He’s God and God can do those things. The issue with Jesus is that He is able to give eternal life to those who would believe in Him. Nicodemus, no doubt being an intelligent man, thinks that to be born again is not only impossible but it is a ridiculous notion as well. But that doesn’t stop Jesus. Jesus begins to tell Nicodemus what He means. In order for Nicodemus to be born again he must be born of the water and the Spirit (3:5). Now there are two interpretations for this saying. One interpretation says that the water refers to the physical birth and the Spirit refers to the spiritual birth. Another interpretation says that the water is representative of the Word of God – the Scriptures – and the Spirit refers to the working of the Holy Spirit in a man’s life. For argument sake, we will move forward with the second interpretation of these words.

Now Nicodemus must have been perplexed at this point because Jesus says to him in 3:7, Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ He apparently was trying to figure out exactly what it was that Jesus Christ was saying. He then illustrates how the Holy Spirit moves in the hearts and minds of men. Just as the wind blows where it does, so the Spirit moves in the way He does. You may hear the sound of the wind but you can’t see the wind; you only see the effects of the wind. So it is with the Holy Spirit. He moves in the hearts of men and you can’t see Him but you can see the effects of the Spirit moving in the lives of men. When the Holy Spirit brings a dead soul to life in Jesus Christ you can see the effects of said salvation.

Nicodemus is still not sure as the tenor of Jesus Christ’s words. He asks Jesus in 3:9, How can these things be? Jesus Christ, who apparently has a great sense of humor, says to Nicodemus, Aren’t you a teacher of Israel? You mean to tell me you don’t have a clue? Now the Pharisees prided themselves on knowing what the Scriptures say, but Nicodemus had no idea that what he knows from the Old Testament Scriptures is all about the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus chides Nicodemus knowing that he doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Remember, Nicodemus was more concerned with the miracles and signs and wonders; Jesus is concerned for His soul.

Now Jesus knows what He’s talking about and it makes it clear to Nicodemus: We speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except He who descended from heaven, the Son of Man (3:11-13). Very clearly stated, Jesus Christ tells Nicodemus who He is. This is the case with all of us who have believed in the Person and Work of Jesus Christ. Without Jesus Christ, we can’t know anything about God. Without Jesus Christ, there is no such thing as knowledge of our need for salvation from sin and self.

So what does Jesus Christ say at this point? And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life (3:14-15). There it is! Exaltation of Himself! Jesus Christ declaring that He is the One who can give life that is eternal, abundant and free from the clutches of sin and self. What Nicodemus failed to know and understand was that everything that he knew about the Old Testament Law and Prophets was lifting up the Son of Man, the Lord Jesus Christ, as Savior. But what does all of this mean for you and for me today?

It simply means that we, too, must exalt the Lord Jesus Christ in every area of our various ministries at the First Baptist Church of Leonard. Our purpose is to lift up the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and to make Him known to as many as we possibly can. This means that whether it is children’s ministry, music ministry, student ministry or adult ministry the Lord Jesus Christ is to be at the forefront of everything that we teach.

Samuel's Growth

Now the young man Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and also with man. 1 Samuel 2:26

Eli's sons were worthless. They were not serving the people of God as they should because they did not know the Lord. They would take food from those who were cooking. If they did not want to go and get the food themselves they would simply send their servants to steal the food even before the fat of the meat was cut off. These young men treated the offering of the Lord with contempt (1 Samuel 2:17).

But there was this little one who did not do what these two did. His name was Samuel. His mother, Hannah, had prayed and asked the Lord for a child. She was barren and the other wife of her husband had born children and harrassed Hannah for not having any. However, the Scriptures record that her husband loved Hannah more than Peninnah (1 Samuel 1:6). This was no small thing! If a woman was unable to bear children in their day it was to her shame -- she must have done something to cause the Lord to close her womb; she must have sinned against the Lord.

But this was not the case with Hannah. She prayed for a child. She went to the temple and prayed and the priest, Eli, saw her praying. He thought that she must have been drunk because she was praying silently yet her lips were moving. She was lamenting; she was mourning for the lack of children. Once Hannah told Eli for what she was praying, he blessed her and sent her on her way.

The Lord answers prayer! He gave a male child by the name of Samuel to Hannah. Hannah in turn gave the male child back to the Lord that he might be used in ministry by Him. She delivered Samuel to Eli when he was young to minister to the Lord in the presence of Eli the priest (1 Samuel 2:11).

Eli, on the other hand, had two boys that were out of control. They would sin against the Lord and against people. They would take forks and take meat from others who were to prepare it properly for the priests but they would eat meat with fat and from every indication, even raw! This was not the case with Samuel: He was ministering before the Lord, as he was clothed in a linen ephod (1 Samuel 2:18).

Eli was now an old man. He knew that his sons were treacherous before the Lord and before the people. But an interesting note is given about Samuel. It is found in 1 Samuel 2:26,

Now the young man Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and also with man.

What a great verse! It is a foreshadowing of One who would come after him. Samuel was grew to be a man who's character had grown to be that of a Godly character. He grew in favor with the Lord and with man. He was a blessed man and a man to whom people could turn in the economy of his day. Samuel knew that his calling was to be a servant of the Lord God -- he knew what he was to do in service to the Lord.

So, why would I even write about all of this? Simply put, we too are to grow in stature and favor with God and with men. It is an unsavory thing to see how some Christians act with others. If we are rude then we have not the favor of God. However, if we show kindness toward others then we have favor with God. Why? Because He has shown us kindness. If we are in sin in the midst of a lost and dying world, then we have no stature or favor. Why? Because if we are living in sin then certainly God is not going to show favor toward sin -- He is holy! As far as others go, we will not gain any favor while living in sin because we claim our faith to be in Jesus Christ.

Basically, what I am getting at is that it is time for us not to be hypocritical and try to disguise ourselves with spiritual terms, but let us be honest enough to admit when we have sinned, when we have fallen out of stature and favor with the Lord and with men. When we confess it and repent of it then the stature and favor returns. I'm so grateful for the Lord who loves me enough to teach me that I still have a lot of growing to do.