The Power of Personal Witness
I still remember the day when I concluded God is dead. That was during my senior year of high school. As a pastor’s kid, I always grew up in the church and attended all the church activities. But the older I got, the more skeptical I became. Praying to God felt like talking to a wall. Reading the Bible seemed like reading fairy tales. It became painful to listen to my father’s sermons. There were even times even when I left during the service. I was restless, wandering and searching. I felt like a hypocrite.
Finally, one day I shared my feelings with my mother. She was wise. As a pastor’s kid herself, she understood. After listening to my story, she shared her own faith journey – how she came to believe. She told me about a person who had harmed the church and particularly her family. She was deeply upset and angry. She couldn’t forgive him or what he had done. So she prayed. While praying, she saw a vision – at first, that man’s face appeared, then his face turned into the face of Jesus. Eventually, God gave my mother the strength to love that person. She also received the gift of speaking in tongues that day. After hearing her story, I thought myself, “Okay. I will keep trying, because the person I love and respect most said so.” Eventually, God restored my soul and drew me close to him. And so – here I am today.
To Theophilus
Starting this Sunday, we will explore the Book of Acts. This book is the second volume written by Luke. Both books – Luke and Acts – are dedicated to one particular individual: Theophilus. In other words, these books are Luke’s personal witness.
Who is Theophilus? Luke begins both his Gospel and Acts with a greeting to him, “Most excellent Theophilus” (Luke 1:3). Though we don’t have much information about him, many scholars suggest that Theophilus was a real person – likely a Roman official. To this influential figure, Luke now begins to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. Luke’s version of the Gospel can be summed up in three simple statements: God came to our place, God took our place, and God will take us to his place.
Christ Has Come
First, Christ Jesus the Savior has come to our place. “Look! The virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means “God is with us” (Matthew 1:23). When the time had full come, God’s Christ came to our place to live among us. John 1:14 says, “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood.” (MSG)
Recently, I was inspired by the story of Ben Carson. He is known for leading the first successful surgical separation of conjoined twins. But when Dr. Carson was young, he was called the class dummy. Many, including himself, doubted he would ever amount to anything. But his mother, Sonya Carson, believed in him before he believed in himself. Her faith, discipline, and resilience shaped his life more than anything else. Although Ms. Carson was not formally educated, she did her best to encourage Ben, helping his homework, taking him to the public library, and walking alongside him. She gave herself to her son. What she gave him was the present of presence.
That’s what Jesus did for us. Though he was God, Jesus gave up his divine privileges and became human! He was not only born as a human being – He was born in a lowly manger to embrace all humanity. Jesus, God-in-flesh-and-blood, still comes to our place, loving us just as we are. The greatest gift Jesus gives us is the present of presence. Immanuel, God with us!
Christ Has Died
Christ came to our place. But he not only was with us – He also took our place. This is God’ way to fix our broken relationship with him. Sin is when people try to take God’s place and act like they are in charge instead of him. That was what happened in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve wanted to be like God. But salvation is the opposite—when God lovingly took our place by sending Jesus to die for us. We tried to be like God, which we shouldn’t have done. But God chose to become like us and take the punishment we deserved. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (NIV) Jesus became our sin, so we could be his righteousness.
The prophet Isaiah describes Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes our place in this way (53:3-6, MSG):
Jesus has died on our place. He was buried. And he was raised from death on the third day. Just as the Scripture says, the risen Christ appeared to his disciples over a period of 40 days, eating with them and talking with them again! Afterwards, Jesus ascended into heaven. The disciples stood there, staring into the empty sky. Then they heard two men in white robes say, “Galileans, why are you standing here, looking toward heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you saw him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11, CEB)
We live in the last days, because all of God’s promises have been fulfilled – except one. Jesus has come, Jesus has died, Jesus was risen, Jesus has ascended into heaven. Only one promise is left: Jesus will come again. Daniel in his vision saw one like a Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence (7:13). Jesus himself promised, “When I go to prepare a place for you, I will return and take you to be with me so that where I am you will be too.” (John 14:3, CEB) Jesus is coming soon.
God with Us: Here and Now
But in the meantime, we are not alone. Before Jesus was taken into heaven, he said to his disciples, “Don’t leave Jerusalem, but wait for what the Father promised.” Then he continued, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8, NRSV)
One day we will see Jesus face to face. But until then, Jesus is with us through the Holy Spirit. He gives us power to live boldly and faithfully as his witnesses here and now. He gives us power to face any future uncertainties. When Corrie Ten Boom was a child, she struggled with the idea that her farther would die one day. Corrie burst into tears, “I need you! You can’t die! You can’t!” The father sat down on the edge of her bed and said gently, "Corrie, when you and I go to Amsterdam-when do I give you your ticket?" She sniffed and said, "Why, just before we get on the train." The father said, “Exactly. And our wise Father in heaven knows when we're going to need things, too. Don't run out ahead of Him, Corrie. When the time comes that some of us will have to die, you will look into your heart and find the strength you need – just in time.”
In her eighties Corrie had a major stroke and became bedridden and mute for about five years. In her final months on earth, Corrie was virtually helpless. She needed assistance just to turn over in her bed. She could barely speak. She had become skin and bone. One day, all of sudden, Corrie surprised her caregiver by saying a word in Dutch (her native language): “Blij” (“Happy,” more literally, “joyful”). Her caregiver, Rosewell, asked, “Are you happy, Aunt Corrie?” “Ja [yes]” she replied. On the morning of Corie’s ninety-first birthday, April 15, 1983, she breathed her last. Today, her grave is marked with her name, her birth and death dates, and three simple words: “Jesus Is Victor.”
Corrie’s life is a shining example of how Jesus is with us, giving us strength to live abundantly and face any future uncertainties. The Apostle Paul describes life with the Spirit here and now this way: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” Then he adds, “We do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16).
Jesus Christ is with us always – He came to our place, he took our place, and he will take us to his place. Let us treasure Christ, honor him, savor him, and make much of him. “If we look at the world, we’ll be distressed. If we look within, we’ll be depressed. If we look to Jesus, we’ll be at rest.” Amen.
To Theophilus
Starting this Sunday, we will explore the Book of Acts. This book is the second volume written by Luke. Both books – Luke and Acts – are dedicated to one particular individual: Theophilus. In other words, these books are Luke’s personal witness.
Who is Theophilus? Luke begins both his Gospel and Acts with a greeting to him, “Most excellent Theophilus” (Luke 1:3). Though we don’t have much information about him, many scholars suggest that Theophilus was a real person – likely a Roman official. To this influential figure, Luke now begins to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. Luke’s version of the Gospel can be summed up in three simple statements: God came to our place, God took our place, and God will take us to his place.
Christ Has Come
First, Christ Jesus the Savior has come to our place. “Look! The virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means “God is with us” (Matthew 1:23). When the time had full come, God’s Christ came to our place to live among us. John 1:14 says, “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood.” (MSG)
Recently, I was inspired by the story of Ben Carson. He is known for leading the first successful surgical separation of conjoined twins. But when Dr. Carson was young, he was called the class dummy. Many, including himself, doubted he would ever amount to anything. But his mother, Sonya Carson, believed in him before he believed in himself. Her faith, discipline, and resilience shaped his life more than anything else. Although Ms. Carson was not formally educated, she did her best to encourage Ben, helping his homework, taking him to the public library, and walking alongside him. She gave herself to her son. What she gave him was the present of presence.
That’s what Jesus did for us. Though he was God, Jesus gave up his divine privileges and became human! He was not only born as a human being – He was born in a lowly manger to embrace all humanity. Jesus, God-in-flesh-and-blood, still comes to our place, loving us just as we are. The greatest gift Jesus gives us is the present of presence. Immanuel, God with us!
Christ Has Died
Christ came to our place. But he not only was with us – He also took our place. This is God’ way to fix our broken relationship with him. Sin is when people try to take God’s place and act like they are in charge instead of him. That was what happened in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve wanted to be like God. But salvation is the opposite—when God lovingly took our place by sending Jesus to die for us. We tried to be like God, which we shouldn’t have done. But God chose to become like us and take the punishment we deserved. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (NIV) Jesus became our sin, so we could be his righteousness.
The prophet Isaiah describes Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes our place in this way (53:3-6, MSG):
He was looked down on and passed over,a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand.One look at him and people turned away.We looked down on him, thought he was scum.But the fact is, it was our pains he carried—our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us.We thought he brought it on himself,that God was punishing him for his own failures.But it was our sins that did that to him,that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins!He took the punishment, and that made us whole.Through his bruises we get healed.We’re all like sheep who’ve wandered off and gotten lost.We’ve all done our own thing, gone our own way.And God has piled all our sins, everything we’ve done wrong,on him, on him.
Christ Will Come Again
Jesus has died on our place. He was buried. And he was raised from death on the third day. Just as the Scripture says, the risen Christ appeared to his disciples over a period of 40 days, eating with them and talking with them again! Afterwards, Jesus ascended into heaven. The disciples stood there, staring into the empty sky. Then they heard two men in white robes say, “Galileans, why are you standing here, looking toward heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you saw him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11, CEB)
We live in the last days, because all of God’s promises have been fulfilled – except one. Jesus has come, Jesus has died, Jesus was risen, Jesus has ascended into heaven. Only one promise is left: Jesus will come again. Daniel in his vision saw one like a Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence (7:13). Jesus himself promised, “When I go to prepare a place for you, I will return and take you to be with me so that where I am you will be too.” (John 14:3, CEB) Jesus is coming soon.
God with Us: Here and Now
But in the meantime, we are not alone. Before Jesus was taken into heaven, he said to his disciples, “Don’t leave Jerusalem, but wait for what the Father promised.” Then he continued, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8, NRSV)
One day we will see Jesus face to face. But until then, Jesus is with us through the Holy Spirit. He gives us power to live boldly and faithfully as his witnesses here and now. He gives us power to face any future uncertainties. When Corrie Ten Boom was a child, she struggled with the idea that her farther would die one day. Corrie burst into tears, “I need you! You can’t die! You can’t!” The father sat down on the edge of her bed and said gently, "Corrie, when you and I go to Amsterdam-when do I give you your ticket?" She sniffed and said, "Why, just before we get on the train." The father said, “Exactly. And our wise Father in heaven knows when we're going to need things, too. Don't run out ahead of Him, Corrie. When the time comes that some of us will have to die, you will look into your heart and find the strength you need – just in time.”
In her eighties Corrie had a major stroke and became bedridden and mute for about five years. In her final months on earth, Corrie was virtually helpless. She needed assistance just to turn over in her bed. She could barely speak. She had become skin and bone. One day, all of sudden, Corrie surprised her caregiver by saying a word in Dutch (her native language): “Blij” (“Happy,” more literally, “joyful”). Her caregiver, Rosewell, asked, “Are you happy, Aunt Corrie?” “Ja [yes]” she replied. On the morning of Corie’s ninety-first birthday, April 15, 1983, she breathed her last. Today, her grave is marked with her name, her birth and death dates, and three simple words: “Jesus Is Victor.”
Corrie’s life is a shining example of how Jesus is with us, giving us strength to live abundantly and face any future uncertainties. The Apostle Paul describes life with the Spirit here and now this way: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” Then he adds, “We do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16).
Jesus Christ is with us always – He came to our place, he took our place, and he will take us to his place. Let us treasure Christ, honor him, savor him, and make much of him. “If we look at the world, we’ll be distressed. If we look within, we’ll be depressed. If we look to Jesus, we’ll be at rest.” Amen.
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