“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”” (Matthew 28:18-20)
As I was reading through the Book ‘What is the Great Commission?’ by R. C. Sproul, I was struck by the words in the opening chapter that explained Martin Luther’s urging that “every Christian must become Christ to his neighbour.”
R. C. Sproul explained the above statement as such: “Christ is invisible to our unbelieving neighbours. They don’t see the cross, the empty tomb, or the transfigured Jesus. They don’t see Him in His ascended glory, and they don’t see Him at the right hand of the Father. All they see is you—and in seeing you, they must see Christ.”
As I reflected on the above, I was reminded of my conversion experience.
It was through a team of Christian carolers singing and sharing a short message of Christ in the prison courtyard.
And though I could not recall the whole message other than the Scripture passage in John 3:16, the experienced of the power of Christ through the worship team is unforgettable.
Even though I could not see the worship team in the prison courtyard as I was being locked up in the cell upstairs just as I could not see the visible Christ but their presence has brought Christ into my heart.
Needless to say, they are faithful witnesses for Christ.
So, what does it mean to be a witness to Christ?
The Bible teaches that evangelism is the proclamation of the Gospel to the whole world. That task is still central to the mission of the church. But Matthew’s account goes beyond evangelism. It includes the making of disciples to all nations (v. 19)
The Greek word translated disciple as “one who is a learner or student.”
Hence, it is part of the church’s mission to be involved in discipling in order that believers would mature in the faith. Encountering and experiencing God in their lives’ journey.
That as we grow in maturity as a disciple, our witnessing for Christ will be more evident, our passion for Missions will be kindle and aflame.
As Jesus prepared to ascend into heaven, He gathered His disciples around Him for the last opportunity to speak to them as a person on earth.
What He says is very important for understanding the mission of the church. Jesus says, “But you will 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)
To bear witness to something, according to the New Testament, is to call attention to it. The word for “witness” in Greek is martyria, from which we get the English word “martyr.”
That is to say, to be a witness for Christ entails a posture of willing sacrifice.
To witness means that you show people something they don’t see.
Jesus explained to the disciples a way to witness in practical terms in John 13:35, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
The way Christians relate to each other—which is something that people can see—bears witness to Christ. For example, when we feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and visit the imprisoned, we bear witness to the compassion of Christ.
Even if we did not share the Gospel of Christ, we can still bear witness to who Jesus is and what He is like.
Let us pray in unison and persevere on to mature as a disciple of Jesus and to grow as a faithful witness for Christ.
In Christ love,
Rev Daniel Lee