Daily Devotions
John
John 15:18-27 "THE MINISTRY OF BEARING WITNESS"
Day 230 – John 15
THE MINISTRY OF BEARING WITNESS
Jesus had taught such deep things! Would the Disciples be able to understand and remember all that He taught them? Jesus had absolute confidence in the Holy Spirit who would be sent to guide and to teach the Disciples. Once again, He made reference to the Spirit of God.
“But when the Helper comes, whom I shall
send to you from the Father, the Spirit of
truth who proceeds from the Father,
He will testify of Me. And you also will bear
witness, because you have been with Me
From the beginning.”
John 15:26-27
THE MINISTRY OF BEARING WITNESS
The Disciples were already familiar with what Jesus taught concerning His “witnesses”. He had appealed to a number of witnesses. With this text, the Disciples may now count up to seven witnesses!
1. The witness of John the Baptiser. John 5:32-33
2. The witness of the works of Jesus. John 5:36
3. The witness of the Father. John 5:37-38
4. The witness of the Scriptures. John 5:39-40
5. The witness of Jesus Himself. John 8:14
6. The witness of the Holy Spirit. John 15:26
7. The witness of the Disciples. John 15:27
Jesus intimated to His Disciples that they would have an important ministry ahead of them. They would be His witnesses! They had been with Him all this while. They had been taught much. They had experienced much. They must ready themselves for the ministry that would be entrusted to them! They would become His witnesses!
The Disciples however need not fear that they would be inadequate. They would be more than adequately helped by none other than the Spirit of God Himself. He too would “bear witness” for Jesus. He would work conjointly with the Disciples and together they would bear powerful witness to the fact that Jesus was indeed the Saviour sent by God to the world!
THE MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AS WITNESS
Jesus began by introducing the Spirit of God to His Disciples along the following lines.
1. He would be their “Helper”. John 14:16
2. He would abide with the Disciples. John 14:16
3. He would actually take up residence in the lives of the Disciples.
John 14:17
Jesus went on to speak about the fourth way in which the Spirit of Truth would function in the lives of the Disciples. He would be a Witness to Jesus!
THE MINISTRY OF THE DISCIPLES AS WITNESSES
The Book of Acts reveals the fact that the Disciples had learned this lesson rather well. The challenge to be Witnesses for Jesus was well understood. The following references demonstrate that they had indeed comprehended Jesus’ command to bear witness.
In the selection of another apostle to take the place of Judas
“Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time
that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
beginning from the baptism of John to that day
when He was taken up from us, one of these must become
A WITNESS with us of His resurrection.”
Acts 1:21-22
“But you denied the Holy One and the Just,
and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,
and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead,
of which we are WITNESSES.”
Acts 3:14-15
“The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered
by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to His right hand
to be Prince and Saviour, to give repentance to Israel
and forgiveness of sins. And we are His WITNESSES
to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has
given to those who obey Him.”
Acts 5:30-32
“WE CANNOT BUT SPEAK…”
How powerfully the Disciples bore witness of the Risen Saviour. They did more than just preach the Gospel. Hearers may dispute with them if they offered only sermons! However, there is no way in which a witness can be denied his right to speak of what he has seen. How we must desire to have the same spirit of faith and courage!
The power to witness so courageously came from the Spirit of God. While the Disciples bore witness, the Spirit of God empowered them so that they were very effective in their ministry of bearing witness for Jesus. The courage of Peter and John to continue to bear witness for Jesus despite persecution is well borne out in this statement they made before the Jewish Sanhedrin Council of Jerusalem.
“Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you
more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak
the things which we have seen and heard.”
Acts 4:19-20