ACTS 1:8

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

TO PONDER

If you read our daily devotions regularly, you might find this verse familiar. It comes up quite a bit around LifeWay because it is one of the verses of scripture from which we derive our mission statement, "to live Jesus' love, share his hope with all, and grow in his grace together". All three of those things are the ways in which we bear witness to Christ in the world.

Sometimes we make the mistake of tinking that only the way we 'share' Jesus with others is important when it comes to our witness to him. Our sharing is certainly an essential part of it. As we heard in yesterday's devotion, how are people to hear if no one tells them. However, the way we enact the sacrificial love of Jesus towards others in our own lives is a large part of what adds credibility to our words.

We all know people who can 'talk the talk' but don't seem to 'walk the walk'. We usually call these people hypocrites. Jesus also called some people hypocrites, most frequently he used that term for the religious elite of his time. They put on a thin facade of holiness but just below the surface they were as decietful and self serving as everyone else around them. What Jesus wanted to see was a people whose hearts had been changed and were turned outwards, towards others, the way that his was.

Similarly our lives together in community are just as important when it comes to our witness to Jesus. Jesus also said, "by this will people know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." In a world that is full of self interest groups, divisive factions and angry voices, an authentic Christ centred community that genuinely cares for one another, accepts one another and each other's differences while working together to become more like Jesus is a powerful witness to the power of Jesus to transform human community.

The Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts to the church in whatever way he sees fit. It is together, as the whole Body of Christ, that we can most effectively carry out the role of being a witness to Jesus in our communities. One person may make a difference to one other, but a whole church community working together to live Jesus love, share his hope with all, and grow in his grace together, well the book of Acts shows us what can happen when God's people do that together empowered by the Holy Spirit.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for the way you have established your church here on earth and equipped and empowered us with Holy Spirit to bear witness to Jesus in the world. Please continue to lead and guide me in the role you have for me to play in my local church to bear witness to Jesus in our community. Amen

Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle