“I-Witnesses” for Christ

By Beth Fore

Jesus chose 12 men to be his apostles.  It was important, and necessary, that each one of these men was an “eyewitness” of Jesus. An “eyewitness” is a person who has personally seen something happen and can give a first-hand description.  These twelve apostles walked and talked and lived life with Jesus for three years of their lives.  They saw Him turn water into wine, heal the blind man and make him see, raise Lazarus from the dead, and perform many miracles right before their eyes.  They also saw their Master and Savior be crucified and resurrected.  These men were eyewitnesses to the words Jesus spoke and the miracles He performed.

These apostles, or eyewitnesses, shared the things they witnessed first-hand with other people so that they could come to know Jesus and believe that the miracles and teachings of God could be made known to all people. Everyone could hear the “good news” and know that Jesus became the lamb offered as a sacrifice on the altar to forgive all of our sins and to cleanse and sanctify us and make us holy in the eyes of our God.  As long as these apostles were alive, there was at least one eyewitness who could verify that Jesus came to earth and lived as a human being, subject to all the trials and temptations of human beings.  They could also verify his divinity as the Son of God who chose to live and to die for all people who would believe in Him and follow Him.

John the Baptist was an eyewitness to the divinity of Jesus, and we read of one very important event he witnessed, along with many other people, where John is baptizing Jesus.  “Then John gave this testimony; ‘I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him’.  And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’  I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen one” (John 1:32-34, New International Version).  John, and other people, witnessed the Holy Spirit of God remain on Jesus as He was baptized and declared to be God’s Chosen one.

Today, Christians cannot be eyewitnesses because Jesus left the earth and returned to heaven and resides there with the Father in His divine spirit.  So, how can Christians witness to people who do not know, or accept, Jesus as our Lord and Savior?   We can be “I-witnesses” for Christ by witnessing the ways we see and experience Him in our everyday lives and the many ways He blesses us and abides with us in every aspect of our lives.

A very effective way to witness for Christ to other people we encounter is to share with them our experiences with Him.  We can converse with people at work, at the grocery store, at the doctor’s office, at a restaurant, or any place where we interact with other people.  When we go somewhere that we will have some time to interact with others, it would be good for us to pray that God will lead us to someone present in that place whose heart is open to receive the gospel.  Then we should seize the moment and call upon the Holy Spirit to speak through us to share the gospel with this person.

There are many ways to open the opportunity to share our own experiences with Jesus with other people.  Here are a few ways you might consider.

1. The weather is always an easy topic of conversation.  We can thank God for blessing us with rain, pleasant temperatures, or escaping harm in a tornado or hurricane.  God also shows His power and control over the weather.  Include Him in the conversation.  “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow or seen the storehouses of the hail, which I reserve for times of trouble, for days of war and battle?” (Job 38:22-23, NIV).
2. Nature is all around us, and it is an easy topic to share.  We can talk about the beautiful flowers and trees blooming in the spring and share how we marvel at God’s creativity in the colors and shapes of plants and animals.  We can praise God for a beautiful orchid in the grocery store or a colorful crepe myrtle blooming in summer.  “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities–his eternal power and divine nature–have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse” (Romans 1:20, NIV).
3. Our jobs and interests often come up in conversation.  We can thank God for leading us to a particular job or group of people who share a mutual interest.  We can talk about praying to God in times of conflict and asking God for peace and wisdom in dealing with it.  “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.  Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others” (Philippians 2:3-4, NIV).
4. Shared experiences allow us to connect with others on a personal level.  If the person you are talking to has a friend who has recently died, has been diagnosed with a disease, or is going through a divorce, you can share how God helped you through a similar time and how you can see His handiwork now that some time has passed.  “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4, NIV).
5. We often reminisce about things that have happened in our past that were difficult and challenging at the time, but now we can see that they were an important part of our life story, and we need to share them.  God has a plan for each one of our lives, and He adds pieces to the puzzle along the way.  He unveils the mysteries of how all of these events in our life are part of His plan to bring us to maturity in Him so that we can glorify and honor Him and His Son Jesus above all else.  “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13, New King James Version).
6. Ask the person if he or she would like you to pray for them for something specific.  If it is convenient, pray for them in place; if not, tell them you definitely will pray for them some time that day.  “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.  With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people” (Ephesians 6:18, NIV).
7. As you visit with this person, look for openings to invite them to a church event or Bible study.  Suggest a good spiritual book you have read lately or a good gospel music CD.  Tell them how these things have helped you mature in the Lord.  “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15, KJV).

These are some of the ways you can share your faith with other people.  You are the best witness for Jesus Christ.  People want to see people who live lives of faith and truly experience a meaningful relationship with Him.  They are more likely to listen to you when you share the ways God has blessed you and been present in every aspect of your life than they are when you try to teach or preach to them.  You will most likely feel more comfortable, more vulnerable, and more passionate when you speak to others from your heart and share the most important person in your life.

It is our purpose in life to bring honor and glory to our God, and the best way to do this is to share all the good things God has done for us and give him the credit and honor for every good thing in our lives.  “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (I Corinthians 10:31, NIV).