Can I Get a Witness?

Jesus Taken Up Into Heaven

1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” 6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
What a prosecuting attorney needs the most when trying to convict someone is a credible witness.  Someone who will convince the jury that they are telling the truth.  Before Jesus went back to heaven to be with his Dad, he wanted to make sure there were credible witnesses to who He was and what He had done.  Without reliable witnesses Jesus didn't have a case to make with the world about God's great love.  
Today Luke (who wrote the gospel by the same name) begins the book of Acts, or more aptly titled "the Acts of the Apostles".  After all, this will be what this book is all about, "the acts" of Jesus' apostles.  What makes this book so exciting is that these disciples of Jesus (less Judas) begin to do the same things that Jesus did, and told them they would do in the power of the Holy Spirit.  They were now "baptized" in the Holy Spirit, which means they were filled with the Spirit's power.  And before Jesus leaves he tells them they will be his witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth.  
As I taught our ESL students (mainly Korean) yesterday we could say today this might mean being Jesus' witnesses in Irvine (where I live), Orange County, California and to all the ends of the earth! The bottom line is that we are Jesus' witnesses.  Though we did not literally witness the resurrected Jesus like the original apostles did, we have witnessed what He has done in our lives.  Jesus says to us today, "Can I get a witness?"  
Let's not make this too complicated.  What do I mean?  Being a witness simply means sharing with others what Jesus has done in your life.  It doesn't mean you are perfect.  It doesn't mean a miraculous "coming to Jesus story" (although it could).  It doesn't even mean you have memorized the whole bible.  What it does mean is that you know Jesus, you love him, and you want to be His witness in a world that needs credible witnesses.  
Can I get a witness?

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