Big Rocks for Strong Christ-Followers
Today’s Big Rock: Jesus Wants Witnesses – Part I

Scripture Foundation: Acts 1:8

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

I wanted the title of this devotion to be “Jesus Wants Witnesses Not Crusaders”. But it seemed too long.

A witness is simply a person who has seen something and they are willing to tell others the truth about what they have seen.

A crusader is intent on telling others about their agenda and insisting that they must agree.

If you take time to look in the New Testament, you will find that the story of Jesus and the way He gathered followers was never about finding crusaders.

Our Scripture Foundation for this section is Acts 1:8. Jesus is about to go back to Heaven, and He wanted to give this last bit of instructions to His Followers.

A witness is not a person who runs around pushing his theories. He is a person who simply gives an answer for the hope that they feel in their hearts. The Apostle Peter wrote:

And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it.

But do this in a gentle and respectful way. (1 Peter 3:15b-16a).

Think about three important concepts in the above verse.

First, Peter says, “if someone asks you”. Peter is not wanting Christ-followers to be crusaders but witnesses that simply respond when someone asks them a question about their faith.

Second, Peter is wanting Christ-followers to be ready for those questions. Peter expected that people would ask these kinds of questions of Christ-followers.

Third, Peter wanted people who claim to be followers of Jesus to answer these questions in a gentle and respectful way.

(Continued.)

Father, help me to be ready to respectfully answer any questions others ask me about my faith in You! In Jesus’s name, amen.