The Witness Stand

When the Bible talks about being a witness is not just tell us the facts. It wants you to convince it wants you to reason. It wants you to do whatever you can to convince the other person to change their minds when the Bible talks about witnessing is not just say the fact I'm a Christian. I go to church now yes this out there. Notice more than that. Now we have an obligation to convince the other person by reason, but kindness by invitation by sacrifice, listen, you need to receive this you just heard a portion of the upcoming message titled the witness stand by Pastor Albert Earnshaw of Clearview church in Henderson, North Carolina at Clearview. Our focus is on making Christ visible from the way we worship the way we study God's word to the way we love one another can check us out at 3485 Oxford Rd. in Henderson or visit us online@clearviewbc.org join us for the rest of this week's message.

The Bible repeatedly uses the language of the cultural if in fact if you paid attention. The songs that were chosen for worship today. Had the team of the courtroom. The judiciary lingo, so to speak, and there's a reason for that because swans were saved instead of being executed or being cast away. Now we are not only part of God's family, but the word that is used, to describe us is witness. We are now a witness to the death to the burial to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The first disciples were eyewitnesses, we are faith witnesses and we have an obligation just like a witness.

If you have seen something they are now under obligation to do something. We are under obligation to be a witness to Christ, and we have to do it accurately. We have to do it clearly we have to do it repeatedly and we have to do it unashamedly. We have an obligation to give witness to what is happened because that decides the destiny of someone the gospel. You know, decides whether someone is going to spend the rest of eternity.

And if you believe there is a real heaven and real help and Christ is the only way to truth and life. Now you are a witness cannot speak is to let an innocent person, although they are not die and suffer forever.

Christ has become their substitute you witnessing is telling them now you are set free.

If you accept the substitute, please do so. You have your Bibles with you this morning are messages. The witness stand from acts chapter 26 verse 12. The context is Paul's testimony of how he got saved in the commission that he received from Jesus Christ himself us all stand together. Acts 26 starting in verse 12 pay careful attention to the witness terminology. He's talking to King.

He says while thus occupied as a journey to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priest at midday gives the time of the day okaying along the road I saw a light from heaven he gives the place I would. This would happen in his life and what happened. I saw a line from heaven, brighter than the sun shining around me and those who journeyed with me Ms. this is not an individual testimony.

He is not a phony witness. He is really telling the truth because there were other witnesses as well and when I when we all had fallen to the ground. I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me it is hard for you to kick against the gold school just like a legless long stick with a nail or some have a prick on the and that would keep the animals in line and pulled them back into the herd. Imagine kicking again is that so I said who are you, Lord, and he said I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But arise and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you for this purpose.

The pay attention to the purpose to make you a minister means a servant and a witness both of the things you have seen, and of the things which I will yet reveal to you before, I pray, and we dive into the message. How good is your witness Ben Matlock with his gray suit where to put you in that witness stand because you have claim something when he proved that you are a phony witness if you watch the show. You've seen many times people say things and aggravated biting the court and the judge said Mr. Matlock get to your and he will say something in that instant, and the judge will say please disregard the witness because they were a phony witness on the day of judgment will you be proven phony or are you truly it witness to the death, burial and resurrection of Christ in your life. How is your witness. Are you telling people about what Christ has done in your life because eternity is too long for us to remain silent.

This morning is our final message in our series on the foundational beliefs at Clearview where the foundational beliefs of Clearview is that we are called to be witnesses to Christ. What is the model for church.

Anybody tell me what the model is far church Clearview church, making Christ visible. It means that Christ is invisible.

He's alive. He is here, but he is invisible. Our job is to make him visible novel challenge this morning.

People come to Clearview for various reasons. They come because of the music. People are friendly and I even like the way I preach the like. The programs they see the kids involved somewhere in our behavior.

The supplies I need to be. Please pay careful attention to those words because this is what Clearview is about. This is what is about. So if you're here for other reasons other than this, you may be disappointed. Everything we do is to make Christ visible was the mission of our church. Our mission of Clearview is to lead all peoples into a life changing and ever-growing relationship with Christ and that is the mission of this church and is biblically based really get it from many passages in the Bible were the one that stands out to me is in acts chapter 1 and verse eight when the Jordan Jesus said, as he is ascending into the habit you said, you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, right where they were and it all Judeo spreading out in Samaria further out and to the end of the earth where is the end of the earth.

You and I are the ends of the earth, and Jesus gave this commission we call it the great commission in Matthew where he said now you take what you have seen and what you have heard and experienced and take it everywhere. Let people hear what is happened while I do for the first few moments is talk about what the Bible means by the word witness the Greek word for witness is Margarita or Marta rail where we get the word marker from and that's what people that made witnessing to somebody who is tortured for their faith and they have to give their life man Yosemite witnesses died. That's not really true. The biblical understanding of the witness is the courtroom is a legal understanding. It comes from the Greeks from Plato and Pindar and homework when they use the word Marta rail. They were talking about someone in the witness stand, giving their testimony certifying the facts so that someone can go free or be held accountable. That's the meaning of the word witness when the New Testament writers weathers the Gospels, or that it is Paul when they use the word witness. They're not just going to the Greeks. There also going to the Old Testament. Did you know in the Old Testament was translated from Hebrew into Greek. Many many many many times they use this word Marta rail or Mark to Rio and they used it in the courtroom manner. For example in the Old Testament God says I am going to be a witness against you talking to the people of Israel because of all that I've done to you and done for you. I chose your you grandfather Abraham and then Isaac and Jacob and I brought you out of slavery from Egypt and I fed you in the wilderness and I established you as a nation have done so many things for you and yet you have rejected me.

I am going to be a witness against you. The idea behind it is someone knows what is happened and they are going to tell the truth. Sometimes God even calls the people of Israel to be a witness for him was that mean witness to the pagan world. The pagan world says God doesn't care to make God in our own image and God is telling his people you speak out. You know the truth, you know that I'm holy and you know that I'm righteous. You know what I've done for you. Tell the world what you have seen be witness for me to the lost world with the New Testament writers did is that Chuck that idea of the witness and brought it into the New Testament, but they did something more, which I believe was already there in the Old Testament the witness is more than just a reporter please listen carefully. The witness is more than just a reporter is more than just someone who tells the facts that were also obligated to convince the person to change their minds. Your member dragnet you be telling your age. If you did, member dragnet, just the facts ma'am just the facts was at me just tell us what happened.

Do not put your emotions and therefore do not put your feelings and that. Don't tell us what you think happened tell us the facts, just the facts ma'am when the Bible talks about being a witness is not just tell us the facts. It wants you to convince it wants you to reason. It wants you to do whatever you can to convince the other person to change their minds when the Bible talks about witnessing is not just a the fact I'm a Christian.

I go to church now yes this out there. Notice more than that. Now we have an obligation to convince the other person by reason, by kindness, by invitation by sacrifice, listen, you need to receive this what we have done in Christianity outerwear business came from. Maybe from introverted theologians, or maybe through liberal Chris yeah word came from what we have said, you don't have to push your faith on people just can't try to live it out. That's trash because the biblical understanding of the witness is not just just the facts ma'am know they are to convince not pushing yourself not shoving your faith in the faith, but doing whatever you can to the idea of a witness is much more than a reporter to give you couple examples very quickly.

Our time is short. John chapter 1 there was a man sent from God whose name was John who was weak without about here John the Baptist listen to how John the apostle describes John the Baptist. This man came for witness, to bear witness of the light how to John the Baptist come in this world. They got them to start until your the fact that Saul let me go back to my honey in whatever you Locust no man he came in your fat face telling the gospel repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand, and he was imploring people and when Jesus walked by with the John the Baptist to his disciples was standing there. He said, behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, which means come on guys, it's over with me. Follow him, follow him. Another example in Luke again the great commission is given. Jesus said thus it is written thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, the per day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things he was not saying just tell the people that you saw me crucified, buried, resurrected know he's saying repentance remission convince the world. Tell them, bring them in and accept a further verse 33 it says and with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus does go on the safe. He asked me out tell you but if you don't get but I will leave you alone.

It says, but the great power means that we are enthusiastic they were passionate under the Holy Spirit in trying to convince people to get saved and what happened folks on the day of Pentecost throughout the early church history, not one or two, but thousands upon thousands came into the church body. I believe we have bought into this silly lie that people don't get saved anymore or it's too hard. Folks, it's always been hard right it's always been tough, but we are called with great power to give a witness to Jesus Christ.

Tell the world what is happened in your life through Christ.

When the reference very quickly. Revelation 20 verse four John says that I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus beheaded, it would be heading means they had their heads chopped off. How witnesses were persecuted for sharing the gospel for trying to convince people to be saved. My question to you this morning is as a witness were called to report accurately, clearly, repeatedly and unashamedly. What we have seen and heard. Are you doing that. Are you telling people what is happening your life through Christ last Thursday, a ClearView staff. We went to a conference will be heard. Tom Rayner was pretty well known in church leadership in church growth in evangelism and all these things and I've been following him since 1996 and so he was in Rocky Mount and have some friends there and this in man bring his team in this is a rare opportunity so took the whole team went out to listen and wanting you said I was so it does woke me up and do the same for the other people on the team. He said he had one time you could invite people to church and they would come to church but nowadays the something different because people have never been to a church is very hard for them to say want to walk into a place I've never been to many of us going and walk into a restaurant that we have never been to walk into a department store. We've never been to, because I don't know what the imagine people coming to a church and wondering the same thing they do their they have a little pool in the back where the dumb people benefit walk in there. Then it then applied the snakes and then the target don't mean the pool and then for the snakes in there with you in. You never know what people are thinking, so what he suggested in an all about the team to look at each other. He suggested he said when you tell your people invite people tell them something like this to our pick you up or this NOW drive separate is that you go here and there. Whatever, I see what I'll meet you at the front door and then walk in the building with them. If you never been to a place is very hard to understand. Just sit there or should I sit here is that to close or is that reserve seating.

All these things are right all-purpose monsignor to you is as witnesses we have to do whatever we can to help people find Christ is not just his hands off approach.

I would live the Christian life. And somehow people would get it. They're not getting it was collected Paul for a moment.

Talk about witness before he was a witness. He was a spectator member when Stephen was being stoned to death for the Bible says in acts seven and verse 58 and the witnesses. These are false witnesses against even if they laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. Saul was standing there watching this stoning and they kept putting the close by his feet.

Keep an eye on this for us. It was a spectator, but even remain a spectator.

He went a little further, he became an accomplice because I chapter 8 verse one says now Saul was consenting to his death means. He was much more than a spectator. He was also working towards trying to get Stephen killed an accomplice is not just an accomplice. He was also a criminal because if you read chapter 8 verse one it says that at that time a great persecution arose against the church which was a Jerusalem verse three as for Saul, he made have it of the church, entering every house dragging off men and women committing them to prison. Dragging. How would you drag a woman back then. I mean you just let your imagination help you. I'm sure he grabbed him by the hair and as the tripping and falling.

He doesn't care because ERP is on eighth righteous mission to purify Judaism. You have young daughters. Imagine Paul grabbing them and dragging them probably to be stalled and you want your girl been taken away from you can do anything with other people who are binding you and about to kill you to. He went from being a spectator to an accomplice to a criminal or yell, catching the judicial vocabulary. The courtroom vocabulary but he didn't just remain a criminal. He became a mastermind is moving up the ranks this – Chapter 9, verse one. Then Saul still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus and he is not just a spectator or an accomplice or criminal.

Now he is coordinating this crime, he became a murderer. I want to gloat too far murder. Yet there are times probably Paul stabbed people.

You probably beheaded someone young, old, don't know this was Paul. This is the same man who wrote Romans and Corinthians in Galatians and Ephesians in Philippians and Colossians in the pastoral letters. This is the same man who murdered people he didn't stay a mastermind.

Guess what happened now that he becomes a most wanted when you bring the big guns. When is the most wanted if it was a most wanted. You don't just say all the law enforcement local law enforcement handler they have to say, look, we need the FBI we need, we need some we need some help. Guess who showed up to bring Paul in Jesus himself showed up the big gun himself shows up, captures him on the road to Damascus in acts chapter 9 he says as he journeyed, he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. What's happening is it's a raid. He fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting what I'm trying to get to you is, Jesus took the most wanted and made him a chief witness to the gospel. Folks, that is what the grace of God can do. That's what the gospel can do. Do you know some people in this town in this community your community who are lost and you said yourself that guy will never ever come or she will never turn the life of Jesus Christ could is because we have never shared our witness with them the most wanted became the chief witness to the gospel.

That's what God's will is the purpose of our church. Please listen very carefully everything we do here. Whether it is worship, children's ministry, youth events, you have a fall festival coming up next weekend. We have sports begin the start Clearview sports go start in a couple weeks. Why we do all this, do you really think it's about those activities. Do you really think that I need to make a living as a hard job to make a living. Somebody is always angry by me. Laughter.

This point is on the article. I mean to make you angry.

Somebody is always angry and upset with you because things are not going well.

This is a tough job, but this the calling because God has called us to be witnesses to capture people I don't know whether their spectators were common criminals all or most wanted God wants us to go out and get them saved and folks, I am not satisfied by just trying to win one or two people once or twice a year to the gospel. We need to get as many people as possible before it's too late is that you go that's were clear views about unfortunately. What do most people do the occupies some other spot in the courtroom other than the witness stand. Some people become judges can imagine that if I would walk into a courtroom and walk right past the bailiff and go straight to the judge's bench and be like okay court come to settle the dude I'm sure you tackled me to the ground and then know me in this house they be like something wrong with him over some bite is a miss in his medication something is not working out here and yet many of us the same thing. We played the judge who is going to heaven and who's not and were better than them, and whose folks you are not called to be a judge.

Neither are you called to be a prosecutor was a prosecutor. These are people who don't just charge, but they're always attacking and condemning the culture and the people around them in a prosecutor. Neither are you a defense attorney letter Ben Matlock either done is that someone free of the defense attorneys are eight how the gospel is preached, somebody is to talk about in evangelism all majority what that person whether he will give you the shirt off his back window minutes would use that have to diet is just you just gotta give a shirt off his back. This is get people to give the shirts off their backs and they can go to heaven or radical idea canal just is on the right now the shirt off your back home and I tell you what that she's a sweet sweet lady. I take she brought me pies when I was sick and in case a man she can cook oblate so she can go to heaven by baking pies.

You see is this is why Jesus did not have to die that a charge to the Artemis understand what were doing here is all were rude. This is what is like lately lately, don't. Don't misunderstand, is the whole purpose of what were doing here is to make Christ visible as the people in the sports program will tell you the whole purpose is what to win people to Christ whole purpose is what to tell people about Jesus or the program over the program are doing well. We can do everything we can to run a professionally ultimate goal is for that family to come to know Christ. Some people are just spectators become sick and wants to show and delete.

Our mission is very simple to lead all peoples into a life-changing ever-growing relationship with Jesus Christ.

Thank you so much for joining us today, God hasn't called us to play the role of judge, jury, or executioner is called us to be a witness to testify. His grace is truth. The world around us, so that through our words lost my come to faith in him are you witness for Christ using the testimony of what he's done in your life is when you draw understand.

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