“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8 NKJV

Acts 1:22 “…witness with us of his resurrection.”Acts 2:32 “This Jesus hath God raised up….”Acts 3:15 “…whereof we are witnesses”Acts 5:30-32 “the God of our fathers raised up Jesus”

“and we are witnesses of these things”

Acts 13:30-31 “But God raised him from the dead: 31 And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.”

Acts 10:34-43

v. 38 “who went about doing good”

v. 39 “And we are witnesses of all things which he did”

v. 40 “Him God raised up the third day” v. 41 “Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.”

“one who has personal knowledge of something”

Share their own experience about accepting Christ Telling of their conversion = witnessing Personal testimony of what they believe Jesus has

done for them. Used to convince prospect of power of Gospel New Converts encouraged to develop own witness.

Acts 1:8 “You shall be witnesses to me”

Does this refer to all Christians?What did they witness?

Context shows that the witnesses were the apostles

Four specific qualifications:1. Be with Jesus from beginning of ministry

John 15:26,27

2. From John’s baptism until ascensionActs 1:21-22

3. Had to have seen the resurrected ChristActs 1:27

4. Inspired witnesses - perform miraclesLuke 24:48-49Baptized with Holy Spirit - Acts 1:8 2:1-4

We are not witnesses of the Resurrection

We can pass on the testimony of others

They left a record of his resurrection.

Romans 10:17 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

Does it have an acquired meaning ?To convert souls

Terms used in the New Testament: “teach” or “make disciples” Matt. 28:19 “teach and preach Jesus Christ” Acts 5:42 “preaching the word” Acts 8:4 “converteth” James 5:20 “preached unto him Jesus” Acts 8:35

Some want to tell about their experiences

We are saved by the gospel - - - not our experience1 Cor. 15:1-4 Gospel -- Death, burial, resurrectionRom. 1:16 the Gospel is the power of God that can

save us

“But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine.” Titus 2:1

Jesus tells us that people would believe in Him through the words of his apostles

John 17:20 “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word.”

Do not need the “witnesses” of today

We have the witness of the apostles We decide on obeying Christ based on the testimony of these inspired witnesses

Faith = based on evidence Heb. 11:1

Romans 10:17 - faith comes by hearing the word

Sermon by Arthur Pigman

Evans Church of Christ

515 Gibbs Road

Evans, Ga. 30809

706-855-1249

arthurpigman@bellsouth.netarthurpigman@bellsouth.net

www.evansgachurchofchrist.orgwww.evansgachurchofchrist.org

Sunday Morning January 27, 2013