Acts 22:15 “For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.”
Have you ever been called to jury duty? If so, did you enjoy it? That is probably a loaded question! The truth is, most people have an aversion to being involved in a process such as jury duty. It is interesting to note that much of Acts is spent in the courtroom! You won’t find jury duty, but you will find several instances of folks like Paul standing before leaders like Felix, Festus, and Agrippa. Each time Paul was a witness, God put him in the court of public opinion for a purpose. It wasn’t a bad thing that Paul was continually hauled before these magistrates. The Gospel witness spread quicker and more effectively than it ever would have!
What we learn from Paul’s testimony in Acts 22 is that God puts the world on trial when we are His witness. Every time Paul stood to answer questions, God was putting Felix, Festus, and Agrippa on trial. Notice that Paul was a witness of what he had “seen and heard,” not just something he had read or heard about. Even when Paul told about his being a witness, he was being a witness!
Earlier in the book of Acts, Peter said, “For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:20) We should have this same approach to whatever our calling is today. If you have seen and heard the truth, you should simply be a witness. Uncomfortable and undesirable situations can actually be good for us because they could allow us to be a witness for God. Remember that when we are a witness for God, He puts the world on trial.
At the end of the day, it is important that we not only know what we’ve been taught but also what we’ve seen and heard personally. God chooses to spread His truth through witnesses, and you can be a witness of His truth today by telling what God has done in your life. If you will be a witness, God will use your witness for His purpose and glory.
Prayer Requests:
1. Service tonight in Clio, MI
2. West Branch on the Move Deaf Rally in Phoenix, AZ tomorrow
3. Ranch evangelists preaching this weekend in Fairless Hills, PA; Geneva, IL; and Medina, OH