You are witnesses of these things

The texts for Sunday, April 22, 2012: Acts 3:12–19; Psalm 4; 1 John 3:1–7; Luke 24:36b–48

… Witnesses.
That’s an interesting designation.
a witness sees something, experiences something.

It’s kind of a passive thing, being a witness.
Something happens and you simply observe it. And that makes you a witness

Yet, we don’t tend to leave it like that.
We tend to think of one being a witness as someone who
is compelled to speak about the witnessing
and more than compelled to speak
to testify
to make claims
to have had the experience of simply observing change one’s life.

Witnesses.

The Greek word for witness is the same root word from which we get martyr.

One whose life bears witness
One whose life is changed by witnessing
and whose life is given to witnessing.

You are witnesses…

It’s as much a promise—of transformation that we have simply in seeing God at work

as it is an obligation
a call, a command,
a need placed on our hearts
first of all, to just simply notice what is happening
and then
to tell SOMEBODY what we’ve seen
what has changed us
what has made us new.
witnesses.

You are witnesses…

***

Featured image “Cloud of Witnesses” from the blog: leave it lay where Jesus flang it

Published by jabbokdawn

I am, well ... me. I am probably most defined by my diversity of experiences: I have lived in three countries and visited (or lived on) six continents. I love to garden and take pictures and think about theology (and grace and justice and all that jazz) and I love Jazz (and a whole lot of other music too) ... and I do yoga and go hiking and enjoy meeting new people and talking international politics and working on justice issues and watching wildlife in my yard and wandering in NYC and kayaking. I especially love sitting in coffee shops and talking to friends. I hate sitting in my office. Oh, and they call me "Pastor," at least some of the time. View more posts