"Ye Shall Be My Witnesses" (Acts 1. 8)

by R. Shaw | Category: General | Nov 1960

The coming and indwelling of the Holy Spirit was to give power to the apostles to bear testimony concerning their absent Lord. It was to the credit of the young church of God in Thessalonica that Paul was able to write to them saying, "From you hath sounded forth the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith to God-ward is gone forth; so that we need not to speak anything" (1 Thessalonians 1.8). Indeed no time need be lost after being born from above before the young child of God should begin to testify of and for his new Master.

We read also concerning the Samaritan woman, to whom the Lord Jesus revealed Himself as the Christ, when she had come to the well to draw water, that she "left her waterpot, and went away into the city, and saith to the men, Come, see a Man which told me all things that ever I did: can this be the Christ? " (John 4. 28, 29). A simple testimony indeed, but what blessed results followed!

Confessing Him before men is spoken of by the Lord Himself as that which honours Him and brings the assurance of a full reward in the great day of recompense. It is important to observe the references to prayer on the part of those who were to be the Lord's witnesses, both prior to Pentecost and after the Holy Spirit was given. After their return from Mount Olivet to Jerusalem, "they

went up into the upper chamber, where they (the apostles) were abiding." "These all with one accord continued stedfastly in prayer, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brethren" (Acts 1.13, 14). So also in regard to the appointment of one to take the place of Judas Iscariot we read, "they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew of

these two the one whom Thou hast chosen" (verse 24). Again, when about 3,000 were baptized and added to the 120, it is recorded that "they continued stedfastly in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and the prayers " (Acts 2.42). Later still, when opposition to their witness-bearing was encountered, and they were forbidden by the Jewish rulers to continue testifying of the Lord Jesus, they had recourse to prayer, as we read in Acts 4.23-31. In addition to the immediate response to their prayer it is recorded that the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and soul" : and that with great power gave the apostles their witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus : and great grace was upon them all" (Acts 4. 32, 33). Often have we heard the saying No prayer, no power: little prayer, little power: much prayer, much power." We must seek God's face before we go forth to bear witness in Spirit-given power to our absent Lord. The fruitfulness of our collective testimony in the gospel will largely depend upon our following their example.

Whilst men, specially gifted in preaching, may form the spearhead of our service they should have with them consecrated men and women, of one heart and soul, seeking the honour of the Lord Christ and with a burning desire for the salvation of perishing sinners. We should value more highly than we do the opportunity to join in the inside prayers before going forth to sow the good seed of the word.

Peter's work was not always preaching to large companies, as recorded in Acts 2, where many were saved; nor yet to a select company, as in the case of Cornelius and those he had gathered together to hear words whereby they would be saved, and who were saved. When he was going "throughout all parts, he came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda. And there he found a certain man named Aeneas, which had kept his bed eight years; for he was palsied. And Peter said unto him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ healeth thee: arise, and make thy bed. And straightway he arose "(Acts 9.32-34). The subsequent result is told in few words, "And all that dwelt at Lydda and in Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord" (verse 85). This was followed by Peter's being called to a house of mourning in nearby Joppa, where the divine power that operated through him, enabling him to say to the eight-year sufferer, "Arise," and he arose, is again displayed, for he said to the dead disciple, whose departure to be with Christ many were mourning, "Tabitha, arise." " She opened her eyes ; and when she saw Peter, she sat up." As in the case of Aeneas, the effects were far-reaching, for "it became known throughout all Joppa: and many believed on the Lord." (See Acts 9.32-42.). Think, too, of Paul's work in Philippi! As he and his companions sat down at a place of prayer by the river side they "spake unto the women which were come together." Amongst these was "a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira ... whose heart the Lord opened, to give heed unto the things which were spoken by Paul." Thus began the work which eventuated in the planting of the church in Philippi. (Acts 16.18-45).

Later, when Paul came to Corinth, "he found a certain Jew named Aquila ... lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla, and because he was of the same trade, he abode with them, and they wrought; for by their trade they were tentmakers" (Acts 18.2, 3). We may be well assured that he who wr6te to the church, later planted in this city, "Woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel" (1 Corinthians 9.16), would not be slow to buy up the opportunities their working together gave him of speaking of the Saviour. In the main, the Jews in the synagogue had no ear for his message, and when they blasphemed he left them, with the solemn words, "Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean:

from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles." It was very different from his home-talks with Aquila and Priscilla. In them he found responsive listeners, so much so that when he left Corinth for Ephesus they accompanied him. Here they were able to pass on to the eloquent Apollos the truth they had received from Paul, thus fitting him to follow Paul's "planting," with his own "watering," when he left Ephesus and came to Corinth (Acts 18.27, 28; 1 Corinthians 3.6). Thus the witness-bearing spread from one to another, from Paul to Aquila and Priscilla, from them to Apollos, and of the latter we read, "When he was come (into Achaia), he helped them much which had believed through grace: for he powerfully confuted the Jews, and that publicly, shewing by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ" (Acts 18.27, 28). When we think of Paul's life and testimony, his constant labours and the great sufferings he endured (see 2 Corinthians 11), and contrast therewith our own feeble efforts in testimony, may we not hang our heads in shame? How near to his heart lay the progress of the gospel!

In his second epistle to Timothy, to which we would give heed as to his last words, he says, "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season ... suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist " (2 Timothy 4.2-5). Through it all, as here, he proved the faithfulness of the One who had called him to His service, and thus he writes, "At my first defence no one took my part, but all forsook me: may it not be laid to their account. But the Lord stood by me, and strengthened me; that through me the message might be fully proclaimed, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. The Lord will deliver me from every evil work, and will save me unto His heavenly kingdom: to whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen" (2 Timothy 4.16-18).

Patient plodding often produces results that are lacking in a spasmodic big effort. So Paul wrote, "Let us not be weary in well-doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not"

(Galatians 6.9).

R. Shaw | Nov 1960
General