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02 Acts 03 11-26 BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING 01 Acts 03 11-12 Witnesses
📖 Acts 03:11-26
01 – 26Nov2022 – *Witnesses* - _Acts 03:11-26, 04:04_ - BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING - Bible reading: _Acts 4:13-14_
“Lord Jesus, we commit ourselves into Your hands to be Your witnesses. In Your name, we pray. Amen.”
*_Act 3:11-12 Now as *the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John*, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon's, greatly amazed. (12) So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: "Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?_*
The man who was healed was walking, leaping, and praising God but he also held on to Peter and John. We can imagine the joy of this man. Peter and John were larger-than-life figures to him, at this time.
We considered yesterday that Peter and John were not carried away by the excitement of the crowds. They brought this gathering to the lordship of Christ. Peter and John also had another task, which was to empower this man to be a witness for Christ. It was not enough that he had come to the fullness of life.
This was another lesson that we learn from the life of our Lord. _Luke 8:38-39 Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him. But *Jesus sent him away, saying, (39) “Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you." And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him*._
The man who was healed had to go to his own people and tell them what great things God has done for him.
Peter and John, entered the next phase of the ministry, which was to make *this Jewish audience know that God had blessed them for them to be a blessing to the nations of the world*. This man’s healing would be central to the process.
God gives us the fullness of His Spirit so that we will be His witnesses. *_Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."_*
Our witnessing must begin from amongst our own people, where the Lord has placed us before we go to the ends of the earth. The genuineness of our faith walk with Jesus is put to the test amongst our own people, who know us well. We must never forget that the Gospel message cannot be separated from us. *We are not just messengers of the Gospel but we are a part of the message.*
The man, who was healed, had to let go of Peter and John and he had to learn to be a witness to Christ. As Peter and John got into the next task of leading this crowd to the lordship of Christ, the healed man was getting his first object lesson, in witnessing.
*_Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come._*
The preaching of the Gospel must be as a witness. Imagine a courtroom scene and the role of a witness in a case that determines life or death for the accused. This is how we must see ourselves in the task of sharing the Gospel with people. It is a matter of life or death for the person(s) involved.
The healed man was learning what it meant for him to be a witness to Jesus. _Act 4:13-14 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. (14) And *seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it*._
Nebuchadnezzar, the emperor was a witness to the glorious work of God in his life.
_Daniel 4:34-37 And at the end of the time *I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever*: For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom is from generation to generation. (35) All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand Or say to Him, "What have You done?" (36) At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles resorted to me, I was restored to my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to me. (37) Now *I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice*. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down._
```Let us be witnesses to the Gospel and also raise up many others to be witnesses, just as Peter and John empowered the healed man to be a witness for Christ.```