“We must obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29)
If you’ve ever watched a court room drama in which an eyewitness is brought in to testify, you’ve probably heard the phrase: “I know what I saw!” Usually in such stories, the defense attorney will do his or her best to prove that the witness is mistaken. Human memory is very fallible, and witnesses can be wrong—their testimony can result in the wrongful conviction of an innocent man. But it’s very hard to tell people who are convinced they saw something with their own eyes that it really didn’t happen!
The apostles who stood before the Sanhedrin in today’s reading were just those kind of witnesses. They had been ordered to stop talking about Jesus, but they couldn’t see any reason to comply. They had given up everything to follow him. They knew who he was and why he had come. They had heard the news of his crucifixion, but then they saw him—alive! Nothing could convince them to stop spreading the good news.
What about us? None of us was present at the resurrection. We haven’t seen Jesus with our own eyes. So who is going to believe us? Lots of people! We have a witness to speak for us: the Holy Spirit. He comes to testify to the truth of the gospel. He comes to reveal Jesus as the Son of God. He comes to bear witness “with our spirit that we are children of God” (Romans 8: 16). He is an expert witness we can all rely on!
Like the apostles, we too can say, “I know what I saw!” We can ask the Spirit to open the eyes of our hearts so that we can see Jesus. We don’t have to rely on our own speaking skills or intelligence to share the gospel. Instead, we can relax, act naturally, and share the truth of what the Lord has done in our lives.
So let the Spirit take care of the supernatural part. Let him reveal his presence through you. Don’t be afraid to speak the name of Jesus, for he is always with you—and his love can move mountains!
“Come, Holy Spirit, and make me a vessel for your grace. Teach me how to witness to Jesus in a way that stirs people’s hearts.”
--that in all things God may be glorified--
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