Witnesses for Christ
Noong mga bata pa, bago kami aalis sa mga pinapasyalang lugar, gumagawa kami ng mga marka tulad ng pagsulat ng aming mga pangalan sa mga balat ng puno o sa mga bato sa pader ng bundok. Noong tumanda na ako, naisip na mali ang aming pag-iwan ng marka sa aming mga napuntahang lugar. Maganda siguro, nagwalis na lang kami, o nagiwan na lang ng magandang mensahe tulad ng "Bawal magtapon ng basura dito."
Bago tayo aalis sa mundong ito, maganda rin naman na mag-iwan din tayo ng marka, ng mga ala-ala. noong bago umalis ang Panginoon, nag- iwan siya ng mabuting ala-ala upang hindi siya makalimutan at upang lumago pa ang kanyang ministeryo sa lupa. Itinalaga niya ang kanyang mga alagad upang patuloy na magpatotoo bilang mga saksi.
Luke 24:44-53
Upang maging matagumpay na saksi, tinuro ng Panginoon ang mga sumusunod:
1. Witnesses of Christ Understands the Scriptures
Jesus' Life and Resurrection are Proven by the Scriptures
The first listeners of the Gospel were Jews. The Jews had the Scriptures and all Scriptures are pointing to the coming of the Christ. And these prophesies were fulfilled by the Scriptures.
24:44 Then he said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you--that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled."
24:45 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures,
24:46 and he said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day.
We as witnesses of Christ nowadays do the same, we must understand the link between Christ and the Scriptures. Because the life of the Messiah is a plan of God, since the beginning. And this plan is contained in the Old Scriptures. This plan was already introduced by the prophets, and found in the psalms.
2. Witnesses Proclaim the Life, Death and Resurrection of Jesus
24:47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
3. True Witnesses of Christ are Taking Stand
24:48 You are witnesses of these things.
4. True Witnesses of Christ are Empowered to Be Sent
24:49 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."
24:50 Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them.
5. True Witnesses are Blessed by God
Jesus never ignored his disciples to bless them and empower them in witnessing. He was carried to heaven, but never passed his witnesses.
24:51 While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven.
6. Finally, true Witnesses Worship Jesus and never doubt his divinity.
24:52 And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy;
24:53 and they were continually in the temple blessing God.
Noong mga bata pa, bago kami aalis sa mga pinapasyalang lugar, gumagawa kami ng mga marka tulad ng pagsulat ng aming mga pangalan sa mga balat ng puno o sa mga bato sa pader ng bundok. Noong tumanda na ako, naisip na mali ang aming pag-iwan ng marka sa aming mga napuntahang lugar. Maganda siguro, nagwalis na lang kami, o nagiwan na lang ng magandang mensahe tulad ng "Bawal magtapon ng basura dito."
Bago tayo aalis sa mundong ito, maganda rin naman na mag-iwan din tayo ng marka, ng mga ala-ala. noong bago umalis ang Panginoon, nag- iwan siya ng mabuting ala-ala upang hindi siya makalimutan at upang lumago pa ang kanyang ministeryo sa lupa. Itinalaga niya ang kanyang mga alagad upang patuloy na magpatotoo bilang mga saksi.
Luke 24:44-53
Upang maging matagumpay na saksi, tinuro ng Panginoon ang mga sumusunod:
1. Witnesses of Christ Understands the Scriptures
Jesus' Life and Resurrection are Proven by the Scriptures
The first listeners of the Gospel were Jews. The Jews had the Scriptures and all Scriptures are pointing to the coming of the Christ. And these prophesies were fulfilled by the Scriptures.
24:44 Then he said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you--that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled."
24:45 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures,
24:46 and he said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day.
We as witnesses of Christ nowadays do the same, we must understand the link between Christ and the Scriptures. Because the life of the Messiah is a plan of God, since the beginning. And this plan is contained in the Old Scriptures. This plan was already introduced by the prophets, and found in the psalms.
2. Witnesses Proclaim the Life, Death and Resurrection of Jesus
24:47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
3. True Witnesses of Christ are Taking Stand
24:48 You are witnesses of these things.
4. True Witnesses of Christ are Empowered to Be Sent
24:49 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."
24:50 Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them.
5. True Witnesses are Blessed by God
Jesus never ignored his disciples to bless them and empower them in witnessing. He was carried to heaven, but never passed his witnesses.
24:51 While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven.
6. Finally, true Witnesses Worship Jesus and never doubt his divinity.
24:52 And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy;
24:53 and they were continually in the temple blessing God.
