STUDY No. 34 - WITNESS FOR CHRIST

One Monday morning in business many years ago I entered a lift to reach a higher level in an office building. The lift operator, knowing me a little, asked if I had had a good weekend. I replied: "Yes thank you," and then began to summarise a good sermon I had heard in church the previous day. "Why is it", he said, "you always take the opportunity to speak about your faith and Christ?" I thought for a moment and said: "Well I am very conscious of the greatest problem in the world today, and I know the remedy. If you had found a cure, would you keep it to yourself?"

Is it not true that the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is far too valuable to be kept from others? Yet far too many Christians never think of sharing it.
Have you ever wondered why this is?
Having conducted hundreds of meetings, seminars, schools of evangelism and counsellor training classes where we have thought about this question, we have seen four answers:

Some would excuse themselves by saying: "Evangelism is a special gift of God isn't it?" This is true - but who mentioned evangelism? The Lord Jesus Christ said to His disciples: "Ye (that is the old English plural word meaning "you all") shall be my witnesses". As we used to say: "We are called to confess Christ, saved to serve Him, and won that we might be His witnesses!"

Our Lord Jesus Christ said: "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15). The early Christians obeyed this command - "they.. were scattered abroad... every where preaching the word." (Acts 8:4).

Unfortunately this command has been interpreted by most churches to mean: "Invite them in to hear the gospel". Our responsibility is not to bring the lost to the gospel but to take the gospel to the lost.

Consider the following scriptures carefully:

 Romans 10:14, 15  Matthew 13:3  Psalm 126:6

There are places to fish, but not in a bath in the bathroom. Is it not fair comment when our Lord said: "GO..." He meant, "where the fish are to be found."

WHY THEN SHOULD WE WITNESS?

John 15:16 What does 'fruit' mean here? Ever heard of the law of first reference? It refers to the first use of a word in the Bible in a meaningful context. What does the word 'fruitful' imply in Genesis 1:28?  Compare this with Proverbs 11:30.

FRUITFULNESS can imply likeness to Christ (Galatians 5: 22-26) but also multiplication!
WITNESS IS EXPECTED. (Matthew 4: 19-20). Peter and Andrew were called for a purpose. What was it?  But they were fishermen!  The Lord had in mind a different kind of fishing!
WITNESS IS ENCOURAGED. Does Mark 16:15 apply to us today?
WITNESS IS COMMANDED. Where is your world today?  Is it not the office, the factory, the school, the hospital, the home, the market?  There are parts of your world that other Christians can never reach.

HOW CAN WE BEGIN TO WITNESS?

The following examples of approaches used by our Lord are noted for your consideration. When you have in mind a service for Christ, then what better teacher can you have?
Take each in turn and discover what is the main lesson in approach that I can learn here.
 
 John 1: 35-42  The INFORMATIVE question  verse 38
 John 1: 43  The AUTHORITATIVE command
 John 3: 1-13  The UNEXPECTED statement  verse 3
 John 4: 4-42  The simple REQUEST  verse 7
 Matthew 4: 18-20  The SIMILAR interest  verse 19
 John 5: 1-47  The direct CHALLENGE  verse 6
 Luke 10: 25-37  The SCRIPTURAL reply  verse 26

[Do take the time to read what actually happened in each case.]

MAKING YOUR WITNESS EFFECTIVE

OUR SUFFICIENCY IS OF GOD (James 5:15, 16)
Therefore we must cultivate a prayerful attitude at all times.

THE PRAYERS OF FAITH (Acts 4:13).
What we ARE speaks louder than what we say. Our lifestyle must shine.

LIVE THE TRUE LIFE (Titus 1:9)
The ONLY authority we have is in HIS WORD.
It is living, it is faith-imparting, it is regenerating (1 Peter 4:11).

QUOTE THE WORD OF GOD

Some to whom you witness will show more interest than others. Yes, of course, many will show little interest at all; some may even be antagonistic (Proverbs 15:1). But through your prayers, the consistency of your life, and your sowing the seed of God's word, some people could come under what is known as "conviction of sin and need."
You should then be prepared to share with your friend the content of the gospel. (See STUDY 32). If your friend is really open to God then you could go through this study with him or her, looking up and reading each verse in turn, If he/she is willing to attend church, invite him/her to hear the gospel.
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. (Philippians 4:6)
What can lessen anxiety? - Faith in His love and care;
What can give constant victory? - Sincere and humble prayer.

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