Strengthening Our Witness
Pastor Josh Dremsa
08/17/2022
1. Appointed to be a Witness
- Appears unto us
- Changes us
- Uses us
2. Strengthening our Witness
3. Preserving our Witness
Objective of our Witness
…to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me. —Acts 26:17-18 ESV
Believe
a. Open their eyes
b. Metaphor to understand there is a spiritual war. No longer ignorant.Respond
a. Turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God
i. Respond with repentance
b. Receive forgiveness of sins
i. Respond to baptism of water
c. Receive a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me
i. Respond to baptism of Spirit and a life committed unto faithfulness
1. Strengthening our Witness through
Reference: John 14:1-14
a. When our witness through our word isn’t enough, some will believe on account of the
themselves. John 14:11 b. Note it is
! It is not only those who are of the “five-fold ministry.” John 14:12 c. The intention of works are to
. John 14:13-14 *Note: Our witness through works is for the unbeliever.
The account of the official in Capernaum.
So Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” John 4:48
2. Strengthening our Witness through
Reference: 2nd Corinthians 11:1-30
a. When our witness through our word isn’t enough to established believers, some will get back on track because of what sets you apart through what you
. 21 But whatever anyone else dares to boast of—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast of that. 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. 24 Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; 26 on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; 27 in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. 28 And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant? —2nd Corinthians 11:21-30
b. Note that suffering is a witness for the
. 3 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough. —2nd Corinthians 11:3-4
c. Ultimately, God’s power is made perfect in
. 7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. —2nd Corinthians 12:7-10
3. To preserve our Witness, we must
a. After mentioning that God would works through us, God wants to work in us! It is more to see God, but to also know Him!
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. —John 14:16-17
b. Why would we need a helper?
26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. —John 14:26-27
Notes: