FBCWest 525 | Witness
Recorded On: 10/16/2022
Bulletin
Hymn # 473 “Heavenly Sunlight”
SCRIPTURE READING – Psalm 34:1 - 9
Giving of Selves and Our Offerings
OFFERTORY PRAYER
OFFERTORY MUSIC – Pru Hungate
Praise and Worship
“Battle Belongs”
“Great Things”
“With Everything”
Proclamation of the Word
Message by Pastor Joe
“Witness”
PRAYER TIME / Time of Reflection
“Let It Be Known”
Benediction “God Really Loves Us”
Acknowledgements and Announcements
Sermon Notes
Matthew 28:18 - 20 You shall be His witnesses
Scritpures
Transcript of Service
Pastor Joe Davis
Today's hearing is to determine exactly who Jesus is called, the Messiah or the Christ is, so we'll be taking testimony from various witnesses.
Pastor Joe Davis
And so if I have the better off coming story, you all in. So if you please stand, everyone. And raise your right hand.
Bailiff
Do you solemnly swear or affirm that the testimony you are about to give better now? Can you, buddy? That's true. The whole truth. Nothing public.
Pastor Joe Davis
I didn't hear Bernie. I do. I do. I do. You may be seated. Oh, my first witness I like to. Call Elizabeth Davis. To the stand. I want you to remember that you've been. Sworn to tell the truth. You understand, yes. And would you please state your name for the record? My name.
Elizabeth Davis
Is Elizabeth Ann Davis?
Pastor Joe Davis
Now, there is a lot of different terminology used for people who are followers of Jesus. Some people say that they're Christians, others say there's disciples. Others say that that they recognize that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah. Would you consider yourself one of those, a Christian?
Elizabeth Davis
Yes, I would.
Pastor Joe Davis
When did you become a Christian?
Elizabeth Davis
Just before my 17th birthday, I accepted Christ.
Pastor Joe Davis
And where did you become a?
Elizabeth Davis
Christian at First Baptist Church, Westminster, it was. A Sunday morning and they. Had a call to. Accept Christ and I walked down the. Aisle and accepted Christ.
Pastor Joe Davis
And why did you become a Christian?
Elizabeth Davis
I had fought for a about a year asking. God, why? And just questioning him all the time and then I.
Pastor Joe Davis
All of a sudden, one day, I said.
Elizabeth Davis
Does all that matter? If Christ is the son of God, he's the son of God. So I just. Gave up and. Just accepted him and quit fighting plate fighting.
Pastor Joe Davis
Is there paper? Is there a particular verse that means something?
Elizabeth Davis
To you, Romans 10-9 says, if thou shalt confess with that mouth. The Lord Jesus Christ, and believe that he. Has risen from the dead. Thou shalt be saved. And that was the verse that was read to me that morning to accept Christ into my heart.
Pastor Joe Davis
You believe that Jesus is the son. Of God, yes, I do. Do you really believe that Jesus rose from the dead?
Elizabeth Davis
I do believe he rose from the dead when the women went to the tomb, they said he is not here and I really believe that.
Pastor Joe Davis
Is Jesus the Lord of your life?
Elizabeth Davis
Jesus is the Lord of my life.
Pastor Joe Davis
So you are. Fear confessing? That Jesus is Lord.
Elizabeth Davis
I am confessing that Jesus is the Lord of my life. Not only did he become the Lord of my life, but then I committed my life to him and to me. That was a big difference. When I was 16, I accepted Christ as my savior, but at 18, I committed my life to him. A revival had happened at our church, and the pastor got up to talk, and he talked about not just accepting Christ as your Savior, but committing your life to what Christ is all about. Teaching others, wanting others to know about Christ and going and just being part of his life and knowing that this is the path. God wanted you to be on.
Pastor Joe Davis
So you're convinced that Jesus is the.
Elizabeth Davis
Son of God, I am convinced Jesus is the son of God.
Pastor Joe Davis
And would anything change your mind? OK, now this witness may be excused. But let me remind. You that I might. Call you at another time. Thank you. And now for my next witness. Could you call let me consider who that should be? I'll put you off. The spot I won't call in. But the scriptures tells us. When Jesus was getting ready to be with us into his father. And they were asking about was this the time that that they were going to restore the Kingdom to Israel? Jesus said it's not for you to know none of your concern, but he says something in acts chapter one, verse 8 and the response event that applies to us today. This is you shall be my witnesses. In Jerusalem, in Judea and Samaria and their mottis parts. Would be or. Now let's take a look at that sentence. Says you shout, which means it's a command. He could have said you may be my witnesses, or with that case you could at times either be his witness or not be his witness. It would be up to you. It would be permissive. But Jesus says you shall be. So that is for men. Oftentimes people says, well, what's the will of God? But there's one very obvious if you're a believer, you shall be a witness. But what is a witness? A witness is someone who's observed something or who knows something, who can accept who came up. Affect and help the Trier of fact, if you will. And so, for instance, if you observe a motor vehicle accident, you can, as a witness tell how fast the person was driving, whether they made our illegal turn, or whatever was, and that would help the Trier factory established. Who was at fault for the accident? And sometimes what they'll call experts and they'll say they'll have reconstruction experts who will say, OK, based on this big Marks and the impact, I believe vehicle is going X number of miles an hour prior to this big mark and then wide mile an hour at impact and that person would. As an expert, give testimony to assist the Trier of fact. So he says that we are to be witnesses. Which means is we are supposed to tell others what we know. We don't. Make up things. We don't go beyond what we know. We tell them what we know and most of us know as believers how Jesus impacted our lives. We can tell people how we became a Christian when we became a Christian, where we became a Christian. But the most important one is why. Why did you? Because that's what's going to. Go to the heart of people who are questioning whether they should accept Jesus or. Even consider at all. And so we are able to say, God came into my life and I had guilt and shame and whatever. And God did these various things for me. And he is the son of God as as the witness said, the women were there. They testified, she believes because something happened to her and she says. He is, and there is no doubt. But we are to be witnesses now. And witnesses are more credible than other ones. But Jesus didn't say you shall be only a credible witness. He says you shall be my witness, so you may be the worst witness in the world. Your life may deny what you believe. And unfortunately, many times most of us are that way, at least at some point in their life. But we tend not to be excellent, credible witnesses. But Jesus didn't say only when you were credible, he tells us. We shall be witnesses. We shall tell people what we have observed about. Or to be his witness, or not to be the. Witness to the world. We're supposed to be his witness to Steven, and I want to bring this notice, he said. You shall be my witness. He didn't say you should be my theologian. A lot of people think, well, I can't really give my testimony because I don't have all the answers. But guess what, even theologians don't have. All the answers. A matter of fact, all you gotta do. Is read the. Commentaries, and they have more questions than answers. Then call us to be theologians. He didn't call us to be experts, he said. Just observe what you've seen and do it. He's not that difficult. You just tell people what Jesus has done for you and. Who he is? It's up to the trial to factor whether to believe you will not believe you, but we are when called to be witnesses, and he has said you shall be. That's what we do. Would it be his witness? He also talks about where. He says in Jerusalem, well, that's where they started out, because at this place he was at the Mount of Olives being ready to ascend. But they're in Jerusalem, says when you're in Jerusalem, testify. Be my witness when you, Judy, when you're in the bigger part of the country. Where to be my witnesses. When you're in Samaria, the place that you don't like. Here to be my wife. When you go to the remotest parts of the world, here to be my witnesses, wherever you are, that is for you. To be his witness. So many times people would say, well, I want to be a missionary and go whatever wonderful being this year and go wherever, but we're still called to be a witness wherever we are. Now a lot of people say, well, the remotest part of the world is like, you go to Africa. Which of the thanks a moment. We are. When Jesus spoke this. After we noticed part of the world. He was in Jerusalem. If you want to get to where we are today, you can go E we go all the way across Asia. Be there in a boat. We go all the way across the Pacific Ocean. We land up here. Or you could go rest. We go either all the way across Africa. Or go up to. Air Europe and will always cross Europe though all the way across the Atlantic Ocean. We go all the way across the Continental North America and lined up here. But when you're thinking about Jerusalem, we are the most unnoticed part of the. So God has placed you exactly where he wants you to be. As his witness here. If you want to go to Africa, wonderful broadspeed we wanted. We have churches who speak Spanish and when they want to reach Mexico and Central America and South America, God bless them, they ought to do that. But there's also Spanish people speaking people here. We have English speaking people on this premises and they go to Vietnam and God bless and and the author when they need to lead them to there, but they're also being these people speaking here. Wherever we are, that is where we are. To be his witness. There's no reason that you have to go anywhere. Unless God has. Called you. But let's face it, if you're not willing to be his witness here. What makes you think you'd be a? Good witness elsewhere. Again, it's not complicated, not a matter of knowing all the Bible facts and figures and and know all about soteriology and all what you say. This is what Jesus did in my life. I was once a Sinner. And now I'm righteous. Because of the blood of Christ. Doesn't take. Years and years of degrees in theology. Just tell people what God did for you. And then they. Will decide. And that's not your problem. You will never save a single person, no matter how wonderful your testimony is. Now the person here who happened to be my wife who testified, said that she came to a saving knowledge although she. Had some information and a commitment at 17. And made that commitment. There are others who made their commitment. Maybe 789. I've known others who made that commitment in their 80s. Now the problem with people in the 80s is usually they're so cynical and whatever, it's hard to reach him. But whether they're 7 or 87. Our testimony will not save them. Our testimony will be a thought why they should be safe, and then the Holy Spirit will convict them and bring them to new. Don't take on your responsibility more than you are. It's simply to testify. If you go to court and somebody goes. I swear and and I saw a red power girl across the street and he was going whatever. And I believe that driver B was at fault. And the jury comes back with a different conclusion. The jury came back with a different conclusion. You simply told what you saw and observed. We are the greatest acts. Of hate. Is not to share your testimony. Yes, they may accept the Lord, and no they may not. But it's not for you to determine whether that's going to be the case. He didn't say you shall be my witnesses if you're successful. He says you shall be my witnesses wherever you are, and that's what we will do. Now, once we're successful and somebody says yes, I want to be a believer, I want to be a Christian. But he also comes up with when he says in Matthew Chapter 28, which we called the Great Commission. And I don't like that term because Jesus says all authority has been given to me. He never gives me any. Because all authorities be given to me. You go. I'm a buck private in his army. That's why I don't like Commission. It's like I'm a commissioned officer. But no, no, I just do what God tells me to do. I'm an unprofitable servant. And then come in with my idea. It's not my idea. It was his command. And he says we are to make disciples. But once the person becomes a believer, then we are obligated to teach them so that they might become believers, not just the leaders, but that they might become mature believer. We said we're to teach them. All that he's coming. If you see churches today, they're not doing that. They kind of emphasize one thing or another. Some churches will emphasize you need to be a good little boy and good girl. You can't do this thing and you can't do that thing, and you should do this and you shouldn't do that. And we're all worried about Legalism. Or you'll see another. Church who will say God is love by loving and so don't ever send anybody to hell one image dollars blah blah blah blah it's all wonderful. Roses, it's wonderful. Well, if Don won't send anybody to help, let me just ask this question. Then why the heck did? He send Jesus. The dire, cruel death. B Martin spurge. Humiliated and beaten. If there wasn't a necessity. Yes, God is love. He hates sin. And there is a penalty to it. We told him right off the bat. When you do this.
Speaker
You die.
Pastor Joe Davis
We've all had spiritual death. So he says, we are again to do this. We're to make disciples. As we are going. Teaching them. Baptizing them to preserve all that he's from, then. Then it makes a very great problem. And though I will be with you always. Even to the end of the age. And for most of us. We're hoping that's right now. 'cause it doesn't seem that the world can get much worse, but as soon as we say that it's like anything else you say, well, it can't get any worse until it does. And so we'll plan. It's the entry age, but whatever it is, what it is that he's. Going to be with us until then. Trust him. Do what he said. You don't need to read. 47 books on the will of God. Just gave you 2 today. He's given us more like, well, one another and all, but I gave you 2 today. P the. We go to the next.
Speaker 1
And the next?
Pastor Joe Davis
But but, Pastor, it's hard. People may. Not like me. Well, right. People don't like Jesus. The centers love him. Religious people didn't. In our rules today, all the religious people and the centers don't like us. Because we don't fit in either category. But if you truly believe. But Jesus is the son of God. And if you truly have confessed that Jesus is Lord, that means he's my boss. And I will. Do what he tells me to do. Whether I like it or not, but it makes me uncomfortable or not. I think I'm the best witness or not. Zidane gave us any exceptions. You say you always. All you disciple, not just at the 11 or Samuel, all the people were there at the Mount of Olives. On his ascension he goes all y'all are to be my disciple. These are all your e-mail or your. You didn't say all y'all except. Bam there Sam, you're excused 'cause. You don't talk, right? Michelle, people think you're ugly. You don't have to talk. Or frank. After things you say or why, so people never believe me. He didn't give any exception. And you ain't got one. You mean we all are to be his witnesses? When Alan Druce. We're not in Judea. We're not even in Samaria. But we are in remotest parts of the Earth. Let's get after it. And all God's people said.