The Best Type Of Witness

Judgment trials always use witnesses.  A witness is someone who has first-hand knowledge about a crime or dramatic event through their senses (e.g. seeing, hearing, smelling, touching) and can help certify important considerations to the crime or event. We know that lawyers – on both sides - use witnesses to testify either for or against the defendant.  We have also learned that there are different types of witnesses.  A witness who has seen the event first-hand is known as an eye-witness. A material witness is an individual who contains information "material" to a criminal proceeding.  Character witness talk about the defendant to convince the jury that there is no way this person could have done what he or she is accused of.  Than there are these expert witnesses.  They do not know the defendant, nor did they see what happened.  They take the evidence found in the crime scene, which technically speaking was there, and in a sense, speak what the evidence says in words the jury will understand. 

 

The Spirit is to testify of Jesus.  Let’s read John 15:26,

 

John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

 

In the Biblical Greek, to testify means to be or bear witness, give testimony, have a good report, to affirm that one has seen or heard or experienced something, or that he knows it because taught by divine revelation or inspiration.  Who best to testify than the One who was there through out the whole process?  Let us look at this list that shows how the Spirit was involved with Jesus. 

 

1. The Holy Spirit conceived Jesus (Matthew 1:18, 20). 
2. He filled Jesus with His presence (Luke 2:40). 
3. The Holy Spirit was there when John baptized Jesus giving His approval to Jesus (Matthew 3:16). 
4. The Spirit led Jesus where He should go (Luke 4:1,14). 
5. Jesus performed miracles through the power of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:28). 
6. Jesus admitted that all He was able to do was due to the Spirit being upon Him (Luke 4:18). 

 

It is the Spirit’s desire to with us as He did with Jesus.  The Holy Spirit is responsible for our new birth.  One cannot be born unless one is conceived first.  It is the Holy Spirit who spiritually re-conceives us for our new birth experience (John 3:5-8).  He fills us with His presence.  The sign of this are the Gifts and His fruit (1 Corinthians 12:4; Galatians 5:22-24).  He leads us where we should go.  Because, of the Spirit we will do even greater things than Jesus. 

 

We need not worry about what to say.  The Father and Jesus both want to send the Holy Spirit to us (Luke 1:13; John 14:26; 15:26; 1 Thessalonians 4:8).  The Holy Spirit will bring to remembrance what we are to say (Mark 13:11).  The Holy Spirit is our seal of promise unto the day of redemption.  What is a beautiful and reassuring promise: that He, who brought Jesus forth, will also bring us forth to Jesus? 

The Best Type Of Witness

Judgment trials always use witnesses. A witness is someone who has first-hand knowledge about a crime or dramatic event through their senses (e.g. seeing, hearing, smelling, touching) and can help certify important considerations to the crime or event. We know that lawyers – on both sides - use witnesses to testify either for or against the defendant. We have also learned that there are different types of witnesses. A witness who has seen the event first-hand is known as an eye-witness. A material witness is an individual who contains information "material" to a criminal proceeding. Character witness talk about the defendant to convince the jury that there is no way this person could have done what he or she is accused of. Than there are these expert witnesses. They do not know the defendant, nor did they see what happened. They take the evidence found in the crime scene, which technically speaking was there, and in a sense, speak what the evidence says in words the jury will understand.

The Spirit is to testify of Jesus. Let’s read John 15:26,

John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

In the Biblical Greek, to testify means to be or bear witness, give testimony, have a good report, to affirm that one has seen or heard or experienced something, or that he knows it because taught by divine revelation or inspiration. Who best to testify than the One who was there through out the whole process? Let us look at this list that shows how the Spirit was involved with Jesus.

1. The Holy Spirit conceived Jesus (Matthew 1:18, 20).
2. He filled Jesus with His presence (Luke 2:40).
3. The Holy Spirit was there when John baptized Jesus giving His approval to Jesus (Matthew 3:16).
4. The Spirit led Jesus where He should go (Luke 4:1,14).
5. Jesus performed miracles through the power of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:28).
6. Jesus admitted that all He was able to do was due to the Spirit being upon Him (Luke 4:18).

It is the Spirit’s desire to with us as He did with Jesus. The Holy Spirit is responsible for our new birth. One cannot be born unless one is conceived first. It is the Holy Spirit who spiritually re-conceives us for our new birth experience (John 3:5-8). He fills us with His presence. The sign of this are the Gifts and His fruit (1 Corinthians 12:4; Galatians 5:22-24). He leads us where we should go. Because, of the Spirit we will do even greater things than Jesus.

We need not worry about what to say. The Father and Jesus both want to send the Holy Spirit to us (Luke 1:13; John 14:26; 15:26; 1 Thessalonians 4:8). The Holy Spirit will bring to remembrance what we are to say (Mark 13:11). The Holy Spirit is our seal of promise unto the day of redemption. What is a beautiful and reassuring promise: that He, who brought Jesus forth, will also bring us forth to Jesus?

The Special Insights web page resides at:
http://www.1888message.org/sabbathschool/

Longsuffering

Longsuffering is a compound word in English. It is also a compound word in the biblical Greek. In the Greek longsuffering is composed of two words, one meaning long, the other word meaning passion, hard breathing, indignation, and or wrath. This second term is derived from a word that means rush to kill, sacrifice, or immolate. This second word gives a connation of someone who reacts by rushing to lash out when they feel wronged. The first word - long- modifies this word to mean the opposite. Longsuffering can be defined as a trait of someone who when wronged responds by not lashing out at those who wronged them. Or, in other words, a longsuffering person takes a long time before they lash out.

This is not a trait that is admired in our society. We tend to admire those who lash out and put others in their place. Even those of us who seem calm secretly rehearse in our minds what words we will say and how we will say them in case we feel wronged by anyone. The sad part is that we feel justified in doing this while professing to be Christians. So we secretly wish to be like those who lash out immediately, instead wishing to be like Jesus.

However, the Bible says that God is longsuffering (Exodus 34:6, Romans 2:4). He waited at least 80 years before executing judgment on the Amorites (Genesis 15:16). Forty years the Lord tarried with Israel in the wilderness. Thousands of years he waited for Israel to repent and turn to Him. He said to them though the prophet Hosea,

Hosea 11:8 How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.

God is still longsuffering with us. God gives us time to repent and turn to Him, but He will not delay forever. Being that He wants us to reproduce His character in us, He wants us to be longsuffering. And, it is possible for us to be longsuffering, if we follow the advice of Jesus. Let us read in John 15: 4- 8

John 15: 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
John 15: 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
John 15: 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
John 15: 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
John 15: 8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

Jesus could have lashed out at the Jews and Romans, but instead chose to respond by yielding to His Father’s will. This same trait can be ours if we abide in Him. We abide in Christ by allowing the indwelling Spirit of God to bring forth His fruit, as we submit to His work in us. This Godly attribute of longsuffering is part of the Spirit’s fruit (Galatians 5:22).

Longsuffering – and the rest of the attributes that form the fruit – will become evident in us, as we allow the Spirit to sanctify us. So when others frustrate us we will not lash out, we will respond lovingly and forgivingly. When others are hard to love, we will respond in a loving way toward them. In fact, those thoughts of rehearsing how to lash out to others may eventually disappear as we yield them to the Lord. We will long to be like Jesus, instead of longing to be like those who lash out immediately.

The Special Insights web page resides at:
http://www.1888message.org/sabbathschool/

The Right Gift

Ralph was invited to a wedding shower. As was the custom the guests were asked to bring a gift to the marrying couple. He, and the other male guests, was to bring a gift for the groom. Ralph new that the groom – Peter - enjoyed working with computers and perhaps needed disks to store some of the work Peter had done on his computer. He decided to buy Peter a package of CD-R’s (Recordable CD’s.) Some of Ralph’s friends sneered when they heard which gift he bought for Peter. Ralph replied with a smile, “Wait and see.”

While at the gathering Peter and Brenda – the bride – opened their gifts. They were the usual wedding shower personal gifts: soaps, candles, lotions, and underwear. Brenda was very excited about her gifts. Peter was polite but not excited in his response. He just nodded to the gift giver saying quietly, “Thanks.” This was the case until he opened Ralph’s gift. He saw the CD-R’s, opened his eyes, his mouth smiled wide open, and said loudly and with excitement, “CD-R’s? Gee, Ralph thanks. Wow CD-R’s!” Looking now at his fiancé he said, “Honey, we can burn the pictures of the wedding and the honeymoon on these.” Then he looked at Ralph and said, “Thanks again, Ralph.” Almost everyone in the room, including Brenda, was stunned looking at each other, trying to understand Peter’s response. One of the female guests said tentatively, “It must be a guy thing.” All of the other guests laughed quietly in agreement. Then an older lady responded to that comment, “Yes that may be, however I just think Ralph got the right gift.” Ralph new Peter well enough to get Peter a gift Peter would really like. That is perhaps the biggest requirement in giving out the right gift, knowing the person you are giving it too.

We know from the Bible that the Holy Spirit gives gifts to those who are willing to serve. We also know that the Holy Spirit distributes these gifts to His individual servants as He wills (1 Corinthians 12: 11). We do not choose our gifts. The Holy Spirit chooses the gifts He gives to us. This fact has two implications: one is for the receiver and the other for those surrounding the receiver.

The Holy Spirit is God. We would all agree that God knows us better than we know ourselves. After all, He takes time to number the amount of hair in our body (Luke 12:17.) If there is Some One that can follow the greatest requirements to give out a gift is the Holy Spirit. He knows our life, our circumstances, and us better than anyone else. So who are we to question the gift given to us? The Spirit is not trivial in His giving. He gives with a purpose. He gives for the profit of all, and “For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:” Ephesians 4:12, 13. This answers the implication for the receiver of the gifts.

The following answers the implication for those surrounding the receivers of the gifts. If the Holy Spirit is God -who knows best and gives with a purpose - who are we then to question the gift given to our brother or sister. Remember, that the recipient of the gift did not choose his or her gift; God did and does the choosing. Sometimes we think we know someone as Ananias thought he knew Paul. Let us read in Acts 9,

Acts 9:13 Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:
Acts 9:14 And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.
Acts 9:15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
Acts 9:16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.

God may have formed Paul in the womb for the very job he was to do, such as Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:5). Just like Paul and Jeremiah were formed and ordained for the work God chose them to do, so are you and I. If we like Paul and Jeremiah are willing, the Holy Spirit will enable us with His gifts to do the work He has us do. If the gift comes from God, then it is the right gift indeed.

The Special Insights web page resides at:
http://www.1888message.org/sabbathschool/

Hanging onto Every Word

A very well known and popular scholar was invited to speak at a prominent university. The word concerning his visit spread like a wild brush fire around the campus. Many admiring students and professors outside of this scholar's field came to hear him address the topic at hand. Figuring this was the opportunity of a lifetime, they didn't want to miss out. Soon the auditorium was so full, people were sharing seats as well as standing in the back, and along the aisles. A student who was there said, "the occasion was so solemn, every one was in awe, listening and hanging on to every word he said."

If only we gave to God the same type of attention; and would be willing to hang on to every Word He says. How sad that we give more credence to a mere man with impressive credentials than we do to God. You know, despite the audience's attentiveness to the scholar's words, despite their desire to make sure they understood what he said, probably very few of them actually were willing to put that information into practice. And yet, more than anything else, this is what God desires from us, to attentively listen, willingly, eagerly, with the willingness to do. Interestingly, the word translated as obedience from the Greek means exactly this.
And a similar word - akouo - is used in Romans 10:17,

Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.

Faith comes to us by attentively listening to the word of God, pondering its meaning, and with the willingness to put that Word into practice. To have faith we are to "feed ourselves on every word that comes from the mouth of God." This is what gave power to the words of Jesus as He responded during His temptations to the Devil, "It is written ..." The mere reciting the Word of God will do nothing unless the power of God is in it. The Devil can recite Scripture word for word. The power of the Word comes from and through God Himself.

The word akouo is also used in Galatians 3: 1-5, and refers to the manner in which we receive the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 3:1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
Galatians 3:2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Galatians 3:3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
Galatians 3:4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.
Galatians 3:5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

Paul questions the Galatians and us, asking if we have received the Holy Spirit by our own efforts, doing what the letter of the law says, or by attentively listening to the word of God, with the willingness to put it in practice. In essence Paul is telling us that the same type of hearing that leads to faith, is the same type of hearing that allows us to receive the Holy Spirit. Not that the Holy Spirit is faith, but it is the Holy Spirit Who provides the Faith that works miracles and the faith that sanctifies us. Folks, let us hang onto every Word that God says, listening eagerly, straining to hear with the willingness to do.


Raúl Díaz & MAria Greaves-Barnes

The Special Insights web page resides at:
http://www.1888message.org/sabbathschool/