In Acts, Jesus tells his disciples they will be “BAPTIZED
in the Holy Spirit not many days hence” and “receive
power,” enabling them to be “MY WITNESSES in Jerusalem, and in
all Judaea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth.” Spirit
baptism equips and motivates the church to proclaim the gospel “to all
nations.”
In his sermon at the house of
Cornelius, Peter explained how God had “anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the
Holy Spirit and power: who went about doing good and healing all that were
oppressed of the devil.” And Peter and his compatriots were “WITNESSES”
of these things, not only of the miraculous deeds done by Christ but also of
his crucifixion “on a tree” and subsequent resurrection – (Acts
10:38-40).
WITNESSES
“Witness” translates
the Greek noun ‘martur,’ the same term from which the English word
“martyr” is derived, though it did not yet have martyrdom as its primary sense when
Luke penned Acts. That would come later after many Christians had paid
the ultimate price for their “witness.”
The calling to become “witnesses”
is central to the purpose and theology of the book of Acts. While the
presence of the Spirit often enables a believer to engage in supernatural acts
and displays of power, that is done to confirm what God has accomplished in His
Son, especially in his death and resurrection.
It is the Spirit that enables disciples to become effective witnesses.
As Peter reiterates in his sermon on the Day of Pentecost - “This Jesus did
God raise up, whereof WE ARE ALL WITNESSES,” and especially of his
resurrection from the dead:
- (Luke 24:46-49) - “So, it is written that the Christ should suffer, and rise again from the dead the third day and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name unto all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I send forth the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”
- (Acts 2:29-32) - “Brethren, I may say unto you freely of the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us unto this day. Being, therefore, a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins he would set one upon his throne. And he, foreseeing this, spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was he left unto Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus did God raise up, whereof WE ARE ALL WITNESSES.”
- “Of the men, therefore, that have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and went out among us, beginning from the baptism of John, unto the day that he was received up from us, of these must one become a WITNESS OF HIS RESURRECTION. And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias” – (Acts 1:21-23).
BOLDNESS
When the fledgling church found itself under
pressure from the Temple authorities, rather than flee Jerusalem or seek relief
from the pressure, the assembled saints prayed for God to enable them to
proclaim the gospel despite the words of the Sanhedrin:
- “And when they had prayed, the place was shaken wherein they were assembled; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness. And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and soul… And with great power gave the apostles their WITNESS OF THE RESURRECTION of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all” – (Acts 4:31-33).
Noteworthy is the declaration that the
Spirit-enabled apostles are “witnesses” of Christ’s resurrection. And
though supernatural miracles accompany their preaching, more important to the
narrative is the “boldness of speech” the Holy Spirit has granted them
in gospel proclamation.
The gospel includes more than the raising of Jesus from the dead, but, in Acts, the stress falls especially on testifying about this aspect of his life. And even when his death is mentioned, it lays the grounds for testimony concerning his resurrection.
Not many days later, Peter and the apostles found
themselves hauled before the High Priest, where they were ordered to cease and
desist from preaching Jesus. To this, Peter responded - (Acts 5:30-32):
- “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you killed, hanging him on a tree. Him did God exalt with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins. And WE ARE WITNESSES OF ALL THESE THINGS; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to them that obey him.”
Once again, front and center is the claim
that God raised His Messiah from the dead, and, once more, we read the
affirmation that, under the empowerment of the Spirit, the disciples are “witnesses”
of this, and of all that God did through Jesus Christ.
WITNESSES OF THE RESURRECTION
Years later, when Paul and Barnabas arrived in Antioch of Pisidia, the apostle
spoke in front of the local synagogue. Among many other things, he declared to
his audience:
- “And when they had fulfilled all things that were written of him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead. And he was seen for many days of them that came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, WHO NOW ARE HIS WITNESSES unto the people. And we bring you good tidings of the promise made unto the fathers, that God has fulfilled the same for our children, in that he raised up Jesus” - (Acts 13:30-31).
Not only does Paul refer to the testimony of eyewitnesses
to the resurrection, but he also affirms that many others saw Jesus alive AFTER
God raised him from the dead.
In the book of Acts, “signs and
wonders” do occur. Miracles confirm that the promised gift of the Spirit
has been released. But such things are a means to an end but not the end itself.
The Spirit empowers the church to bear witness
to all men about what God has done through His Son, and especially to testify
to his resurrection from the dead.
And it is not coincidental that at the end
of the book we find Paul under house arrest, where, despite his confinement, he
“received all that went in unto him, preaching
the kingdom of God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ WITH ALL BOLDNESS.”
The call for the church to proclaim the gospel is
foundational to the book of Acts, and to do so whether in times of peace
or persecution, or whether the message is accompanied by confirming “signs
and wonders” or not, the Spirit summons Christ’s disciples to become “his
WITNESSES” by proclaiming him “with all boldness,” even to the “uttermost
parts of the earth.”