A WITNESS FOR JESUS

To be

Time with Jesus - Friday, 19 April 2013

Hi all,

“I promise that the evidence I give will be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help me God”. Familiar words from the much loved Springbok Radio show, “Consider Your Verdict” The show was on the radio for half an hour every Tuesday and ran from 1954 to 1985 (±31 years) when Springbok Radio was closed down. I can still remember the “tune” that went with it. I’m not certain, but I think the programme aired at 20h00

Or not to be

In the UK in the early 1960’s, Perry Mason was very popular. Perry was a US attorney who specialized in defending seemingly indefensible cases. With the aid of his secretary Della Street and investigator Paul.Drake, it starred Raymond Burr, (Perry Mason) Barbara Hale (Della Street) and William Hopper (Paul Drake) You can still see some of the shows on the internet.

All this means. I cut my teeth on courtroom drama. I became aware of some of the permitted procedures in court. It also means that what goes on in a courtroom is not unknown.

That is

In today’s meditation, I’ve tried to clarify what it means to be a witness. Incidentally, Jesus commanded us to be a witness. He said nothing about our going out witnessing. If you have been told that you must go out witnessing, please be aware that our leaders have always taught us that. The command is to be a witness.

the Question

St Francis of Assisi put all this in its right perspective. He said to his followers, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel. Speak only when you have to!”

This advice applies to us today and is the topic of our meditation.

Blessings

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Time with Jesus – Friday, 19 April 2013
INTRODUCTION	DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES	A WITNESS FOR JESUS
Before going any further, please be aware that I have no formal legal training and am not a lawyer. Having said that, please be aware that I’ve learned a little bit about the legal system and courtroom procedure. Any person who was an avid listener to “Consider Your Verdict” on Springbok Radio, knows something about what happens in court. When this is followed up by years of watching TV programmes like Perry Mason, Midsummer Murders, A Touch of Frost, Foyle’s War etc. it means I must have learned something. Even if it has been by osmosis through being seated. One lesson is that you do not volunteer information in court. When you are called as a witness, you are required to answer questions. To begin to talk about your Grandmother’s bunions would not be well received. You would be told, by whoever it is in charge of the court, to “shut up and answer the questions”. Very often the answer is “Yes” or “No”. No rambling on or irrelevant comments. It must be understood that the courts did not develop this fascinating procedure, in complete isolation. Much of it comes from the Bible! The term the courts use for those who give evidence, is usually “witness”. Biblically, a witness was someone who has/had seen or heard something relevant about a situation. Indeed, digging back into Biblical History, we will find that a witness didn’t necessarily have to be a person. Very often, people would set up a pile of stones as a witness; a testimony to what had taken place. For example, the Hebrews set up a pile of stones taken from the Jordan river. They erected them as a testimony to having crossed the river. Even today, we do much the same with grave stones. Have you heard a gravestone speak? It is a witness to the living. South Africa is littered with witnesses of the dead. They may have words chiselled on them, but they say nothing. It is high time Christians begin to realise, they should be like the Biblical or Courtroom witness. They should not volunteer information. They should only answer questions. In other words, don’t run round volunteering information about Jesus. That is not being a witness. It’s being a pain in the rear end and achieves just about nothing. People say anything, to get rid of such people. First you must earn the right to speak. You do this, by being a living testimony to Jesus, in every aspect of your life. When you begin to behave and look like a Christian, people will want to know more about you. Then you have earned the right to answer their questions. Yes, it’s hard. But Jesus commanded us to be a witness. When others have seen it in you, they will want to be His disciple! Jim & Phyllida Strickland	Sometimes I think, "I won't talk about him anymore. I'll never speak in his name again." But then your message burns in my heart. It's like a fire inside my very bones. I'm tired of holding it in. In fact, I can't. Jeremiah 20:9 NIrV If I proclaim the Message, it's not to get something out of it for myself. I'm compelled to do it, and doomed if I don't! If this was my own idea of just another way to make a living, I'd expect some pay. But since it's not my idea but something solemnly entrusted to me, why would I expect to get paid? So am I getting anything out of it? Yes, as a matter of fact: the pleasure of proclaiming the Message at no cost to you. You don't even have to pay my expenses! 1 Corinthians 9:16-18 MSG Once again the leaders called in Peter and John. They commanded them not to speak or teach at all in Jesus' name. But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves. Which is right from God's point of view? Should we obey you? Or God? There's nothing else we can do. We have to speak about the things we've seen and heard." Acts 4:18-20 NIrV For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 2 Corinthians 5:14 ESV I was afraid I might disappoint you, so I found a good hiding place and secured your money. Here it is, safe and sound down to the last cent.' "The master was furious. 'That's a terrible way to live! It's criminal to live cautiously like that! If you knew I was after the best, why did you do less than the least? The least you could have done would have been to invest the sum with the bankers, where at least I would have gotten a little interest. Matthew 25:25-27 MSG As Jesus was getting into the boat, the demon-delivered man begged to go along, but he wouldn't let him. Jesus said, "Go home to your own people. Tell them your story--what the Master did, how he had mercy on you." Mark 5:18-19 MSG	Talking about Jesus. Do you think it is hard? When, with unbelievers, are you constantly on guard, In case you just might mention that Jesus is your Lord, Or people turn their noses up and look as though they’re bored? Do you get embarrassed when someone speaks His name? What about expletives? Is blasphemy the game, That people stumble into. Is His name used to curse! But everybody does it, and you are not their nurse. I’ve seen so many Christians who have fallen in this trap. If you are among them, don’t get into a flap. Let us have a little look at what is going on. Then say if you really think that I have got it wrong. First I have a question, for your consideration. Something to cause you to think; some needed information. Have you ever heard a peach ask “How are you today?” Have you watched a pineapple and listened to it pray? Apple or banana; have you ever heard them chat? Has a lemon asked you, what are you looking at? If you’ve ever heard them, then here’s what you should do. There is a place in “Tara” made especially for you. Of course, it’s very obvious that fruit don’t say a thing. How you recognise them, is not the words they bring. You know exactly what they are. You know them by the look. That’s what Jesus told us within God’s Holy Book. The same is true of Christians. It isn’t what they say. It’s watching their behaviour and how they look each day. We can train a parrot to say the Nicene Creed, But it is not a Christian by way or thought or deed. You recognise a Christian by the way that he’s behaved. It is by his lifestyle he shows that he is saved. Of course He loves Christ Jesus. He walks as Jesus walked. His “witness” is quite obvious and not the way he talked. That’s why I appeal to you, say nothing when you meet. Let him watch you love him and think, “The guy acts sweet! “He’ll ask, “Why do you do it?” ”Why do you live that way?” You’ve have earned the right to speak of Jesus on that day! It will be effective. He will not make a fuss. Very soon, that person will be at one with us! Jim Strickland Written 19th April 2013