Cloud of Witnesses: Evangelism

Hebrews 12:1-2; Matt. 28:16-20

 

Can you imagine what it must have been like

          To be those first disciples with the resurrected

                   Christ on the mountaintop in Galilee.

          Three of the disciples had been with Jesus

                   On the Mount of Transfiguration

                             When Moses and Elijah appeared

                                      And when God revealed who Jesus was.

 

When we reflect on that event in light of the Hebrews passage

          And the “cloud of witnesses” that surround us

                   We can’t help but to think of Moses and Elijah

                             As those witnesses par excellence.

                   We have been studying the Book of Revelation

and where it speaks of two witnesses in Chap. 11

          most commentaries assume those witnesses

                   to be Elijah and Moses.

                   And yet in the mountaintop transfiguration

The witness of Moses and Elijah pales

                                       In comparison to the real witness, God.

                             “This is my beloved Son, listen to him.”

                   In the Transfiguration God is the real witness.

 

So when we think of the cloud of witnesses who surround us

          We think not only of the giants of the faith.

               We think of the one who is not only the object of faith

                   But the one who is the subject and author of faith,

                             God revealed in Jesus Christ.

          When Hebrews talks about Jesus

as the pioneer and perfecter of the faith,

it uses the Greek words, archagon and teleiotain.

                   Archagon is the same root as “archeology”

                             And means “Author”, “founder’ or “leader”

          And teleiotain can be translated as:

                   “fulfillment”, “success”, “completion”, “perfection”.

                             So Jesus himself is the best witness.

                                     

          A quick look at different places that

                   Archagon is used reveals that Biblical truth:

                             Hebrews 12:1 calls Jesus “archegon” of faith;

                             Acts 3:15 calls Jesus the “archegon” of life;

                             Hebrews 2: 10 calls Jesus “archegon” of salvation.

                   He is the one who will seal the deal

                             On our faith, our salvation,

                                      Our life.

 

But today’s Gospel text reminds us that even though Jesus

          Is the primary witness, we too are witnesses to Christ.

                   He takes the disciples to a mountain and

He challenges them and us:

“ Go therefore and make disciples …

baptizing…and teaching…and lo I am with you.”

 

Jesus was calling his disciples

in the middle of their worship

and even in the middle of their doubt

          to be witnesses.

He calls them to witness in making disciples, teaching

          And baptizing. 

What a great understanding of evangelism:

          Discipling, teaching and baptizing.

 

And if you don’t believe Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew

          Look at the Gospel of John 15:27-

                   “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf.  You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning.”

 

In the Gospel of Luke 24:48,

 the Resurrected Christ says to his disciples-

                   “You are witnesses to these things. And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised, so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

 

And in Acts 1:8, the Resurrected Christ says:

          “But 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.”

 

The answer seems clear.

          While Christ is the primary witness to the Gospel,

                   We also are called by Christ to be witnesses.

                             We are called to witness

what we have have seen and heard.

 

That was the calling for those ancient people of faith

          And that is Christ’s call to us today.

                   Our fear is that we aren’t good enough to witness.

                             The fact that we aren’t good enough

                                      Is actually a powerful part of the witness.

                                                We aren’t.

But with Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit

          We can do it. Or better yet, God can do it through us.

                   So we are not only surrounded by a cloud of witnesses

                             But we are part of that cloud of witnesses.

          And how do we witness today.

We do it by telling the stories of faith that we know.

          We can’t tell other peoples stories but we can

                   Tell our own.

          We can tell about the miracle we are witnesses right now

                   As a young women in our congregation receives

                             Five transplanted organs.

          We can tell about our Youth Group in which kids can come

                   And share their fears about school or life

                             And know that what they say is heard and valued.

          We can tell about the card we received

 from the children in Alaska who received

the offering from Vacation Bible School.

          Our children are connected to their children

                   Through this vacation Bible School and

                             Through gifts offered to God.

          We can tell about the chickens that our Vacation Bible School

                   Sent to China with our missionaries last year

                             Or the cow that our youth sent with those same

                                      Missionaries.

          We can use the Presbyterian Symbols to talk about

                   Different parts of our faith: the cross, the Trinity,

                             The Cup of Communion, the Bible,

                                      The Flames of the Spirit.

 

Jesus isn’t telling us what to say.

          Jesus is telling us to say something to someone.

                   He is telling us to be a witness- a martyrion.

                             If you are afraid that the Greek word for witness

                                      Sounds an awfully lot like “martyr”

                                                You are right- that is the root.

And it derived it’s root from the ordeals of the early Christians

          Who are part of the cloud of witnesses that

                   Surround us today.

          It is sometimes uncomfortable witnessing to Christ

                   So practice right here in the church.

                             Practice witnessing by teaching a children’s class.

                   Practice witnessing by driving the Youth to a Retreat

                             And spending a night with them.

                   Practice by visiting a person who is shut in.

 

                   Practice by volunteering to do nursery.

And what you will discover is that you aren’t actually practicing

          But you are doing evangelism:

                   “Go and make disciples…teaching…baptizing…

                             and lo I am with you to the close of the age.”

Evangelism is sharing the good news of Jesus Christ.

          Evangelism is entering into the cloud of witnesses.

                   Evangelism is seeing the hand of God at work

                             In the world and telling others.