Title I Have Realized
Contents
I understood/Acts 10:34-43 (see Isaiah 43:8-13)
What an amazing history. Although they are a very small nation, because of their love for them, He saved them from Egypt with all kinds of signs and wonders and made them live in the promised land flowing with milk and honey. Through this amazing work of salvation, the Israelites experienced God who is always with them. Couldn't this be confirmed by the questions Moses confidently asked the people? “What country has found the LORD our God to be as near as he is to us whenever we pray to him?” (Deuteronomy 4:7)
They clearly saw God who came to save and help them whenever they prayed. If so, what do they do next? It's about being a witness. If we look at the words of the book of Isaiah today, God is bringing the Israelites out of the court of justice. He also makes all the people of the nations come to the court of justice. Each of the people must be a witness. The testimony of each people determines the character of the god they worship. The real God will be revealed.
God speaks to the people of Israel. "You have been chosen to be my witnesses and my servants..." Therefore, in the courtroom where all the people of the nations are gathered, they must testify that God is the true God. God earnestly desires for all people to cast away false gods and believe in God and be saved by testifying to the fact that there is no other god but God and no savior. That is why he emphasizes once again, “You are my witnesses, and I am God!” (Isaiah 43:12, the second half).
Now is the time for them to repay God's wonderful love and the grace of salvation that they have seen, heard and experienced. The time has come to testify to the whole world what you have seen and heard. If you have seen it, it is the right thing to do. Even people in the world know that it is the right thing to tell them what they see when they see it. In the words of the Acts of the Apostles, we see that Peter is willing to carry out the mission of a witness for the Lord who wants him to be a witness.
Peter is preaching in the house of the centurion Cornelius. This sermon is Peter's testimony. What is he testifying? “Truly, I realized that God is no respecter of persons, but that among all nations, the one who fears God and works righteousness is acceptable to God.” (Acts 10:34-35) This is where we became clear. In addition to the fact that all ministry, including sermons, testify to the events that one has experienced, it is clear that God will save everyone as long as they live uprightly with the fear of God.
Peter continues his testimony. It is a testimony about Jesus Christ that he experienced firsthand. He asserts that there is solid evidence that Jesus is the Christ sent by God. God poured out the Holy Spirit and power on Jesus. That Jesus went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil. Then, if this is not the sure evidence that God is with Christ, what is it?
And he also testifies of the resurrection of Jesus. He boldly introduces what he saw firsthand. They say "we" because they are not the only ones who have seen it. “We are witnesses of all that he did in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they put to death by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him to life on the third day and revealed him, not to all the people, but to the chosen witnesses, who rose from the dead. He did it for us who ate and ate with him!"
(Acts 10:39-41)
Peter also talks about their mission. They say that God has personally commanded them to proclaim and testify that Jesus has been ordained to be the Judge of the living and the dead. In this way, Peter and the disciples testified because they had seen it themselves, and they were able to testify because God Himself commanded them.
Testimony is by no means subjective. So Peter concludes his sermon like this: "All the prophets testify of him, saying, 'Through his name, all who believe in him, their sins are forgiven'" (Acts 10:43). is.
The witness who appears in the book of Acts today is Peter. But he is not alone in witnessing. He says that everyone has met Jesus and that everyone has been instructed to testify. As he was giving this testimony, the Holy Spirit came upon all who were listening to the sermon. The people were once again amazed by this coming of the Holy Spirit. Everyone was amazed to see the Holy Spirit Himself confirming their testimony.
Isn't it right to believe that people close to you, such as friends or family, have seen it? But even if you saw it, there were times when you didn't believe it at all. That was the case with Thomas. When the resurrected Jesus came to the disciples, Thomas was not there. The other disciples said they had seen the risen Jesus, but he shook his head and said he couldn't believe it. “Unless I see the prints of the nails on his hands, and put my finger into the marks of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe” (John 20:25).
Eight days later, Jesus came again. He greeted the disciples with a greeting of peace and asked Thomas to check it out for himself. To be honest, oral testimony is less credible in court. Because it can be reversed. But the physical evidence does not. It plays a decisive role. Thomas has secured the proof. He finally admits it and confesses frankly. “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28)
Then Jesus said, "Do you believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who believe without seeing!" (John 20:29) It sounds like a rebuke, but it doesn't seem like a real rebuke. If the purpose was to rebuke you, you would not have even touched your body in the first place. Legend has it that Thomas lived and died as one of the most loyal Witnesses. Because he had more solid evidence than anything else.
But why does the Bible tell us these stories? There is only one reason. Doesn't the Bible clearly say that this is so that we may all believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that we may have life in the name of Jesus Christ?
Now the purpose of our life is also clear. It is the purpose of our life that all people may have true life in the name of Jesus Christ. Especially if we have neighbors who are dying because we are deeply immersed in the pit of sin, we must more diligently testify of the life of the Lord who has been resurrected. The Bible clearly asks of us. If you have seen it, you must testify what you have seen.
If so, how can we prove that life? The answer is simple. Our lives as witnesses must be full of life. Evil thoughts must disappear and good and right thoughts must rule our lives. Body, mind, and spirit must all be restored to health. The glory and power of the Lord's resurrection must also be revealed in us. We must know that the overflowing life itself is the best evidence of the Lord's resurrection and life. When our lives overflow with life, why not share that overflowing life with our neighbors?
Dear saints! Just as the Holy Spirit confirms our faith, he himself helps our witness! It seems we do it ourselves, but the mission of a witness is only possible when the Holy Spirit works from beginning to end! So let's pray more earnestly! Let's earnestly pray that the Holy Spirit promised by the Lord will come to us in fullness today! With the power of the Holy Spirit, I sincerely hope that all the precious workers who preach and testify of the true life to the ends of the earth as witnesses of the gospel!