Witness: 7 Week Church Wide Initiative
We invite you to embark on our 7-week church wide journey into what it means to be Christ’s witnesses. This series is an opportunity to reflect, engage, and grow alongside your life group or ministries as we explore this calling together. Jesus has called each of us to be His witnesses—not merely through our actions, but through the very essence of who we are. While our behaviors may change, this isn’t a course on how to witness; it’s an invitation to embody the role of a witness.
When we prayerfully consider the places and people God has positioned us among, we’ll find countless opportunities to share the life-changing good news of Jesus. Together, let’s embrace this calling and trust that God can use us to impact lives for eternity!
Weekly Resources
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Sermon Summary
We are all called to be witnesses of Jesus and the Good News He brought to the world. To do that effectively we need a clear understanding of who Jesus is and what His plans and purposes were.
In Acts 1:8, Jesus commissions His disciples to be His witnesses. As followers of Christ today, this call is for
us as well. All of us, as Christ’s followers, are to live in such a way that our lives bear witness of what we have seen and heard about Jesus and His message of Good News. But, if we want to be effective witnesses, we need clarity on what or who we are bearing witness to. So, let’s take time getting to know Jesus and His mission. And as we do, let’s consider how the Holy Spirit can help us be effective witnesses. Being Christ’s witnesses is not just something we do, this is who we are. If this seems difficult, let’s remember that God promised His to give us the Holy Spirit to help us live as His witnesses wherever we go and whatever we do.
Reflection Questions
- In Acts 1:8 we read some of Jesus’ final words before He ascends into heaven. In this moment Jesus commissions His followers to be His witnesses after He is gone.
- What do you think the mood of the disciples would have been in this moment? What was Jesus asking of them when He calls them to become His witnesses?
- How do the circumstances in our lives impact our interest or willingness to intentionally be a witness today? What does it mean to be a witness of Jesus today?
- In Matthew 11:2-6 we find the account of when John the Baptist asked for clarification
about who Jesus was.- Why do you think John the Baptist needed clarification about who Jesus was?
- Have there been times in your life when you have struggled to fully grasp who Jesus is?
- How can clarity about of who Jesus is strengthen our ability to be His witnesses? What are some practical ways to deepen our understanding of who He is?
- What difference does having clarity about Jesus’ mission make in our motivation and expression of being Jesus’ witness? How would you describe Jesus’ work of introducing God’s kingdom? What makes this good news?
- In Acts 1:8 Jesus says that the Holy Spirit will empower His followers to be His witnesses.
- Why do we need this help?
- How can we seek the Holy Spirit’s help? What does it look like to live fully surrendered to the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives?
Practical Application & Reading Reflections
Who is one person in your life God may impress on your heart to be praying for and who you could be a witness to?
Sunday: Acts 1:8; Matthew 5:23
Monday: Romans 1:16-17 – The power of the Gospel.
Tuesday: Luke 24:45-49 – Jesus commissions His disciples.
Wednesday: Psalm 96:1-3 – Declare His glory among the nations.
Thursday: 2 Corinthians 5:17-20 – Ambassadors of Christ.
Friday: Isaiah 52:7 – How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.
Saturday: Reflect on how the Gospel shapes your life and relationships.
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Sermon Summary
Jesus calls us to be all in on his mission to reach the world.
Some of Jesus’ last words reveal the mission of the church: make disciples. The task would take great commitment, and it’s a heritage that has been passed on to all followers of Christ. The close of Matthew’s gospel encourages us to put our faith in the authority and constant presence of the risen Jesus as ruler of all and as our companion through the Spirit. This conviction demands that disciples of Jesus would reorient their identities around God’s desire that his people would be a blessing to the world, sharing the hope of Jesus in word and deed. For this, God’s people must rally together as a community to make decisions for our neighbors who are strangers to the life-changing hope of salvation.
Reflection Questions
- We may be tempted to read these words of Jesus as simply one amongst many, but we would do well to remember that Jesus at this point has died and resurrected. This forces his audience (us included) to think of him differently.
- Why is Jesus’ authority important to Christian thinking? What encouragement can we take from his claim to authority?
- How might we communicate this idea of authority to someone without a Christian or faithed background who has become suspicious or skeptical towards authority?
- Read 2 Corinthians 5:11-21 and discuss how Paul’s conclusions to Jesus’ claims changed how he lived and how we could start imitating him.
- Colossians 1 is also a great supplementary reference point!
- We put a lot of weight onto the word ‘disciple’, but here the primary focus is about welcoming people into becoming followers of Jesus.
- What hurdles do we face incorporating ‘disciple-maker’ into part of our identity in Christ?
- Read Joshua 1:5-7 and compare the similarities to our Matthew 28 text. How might the backdrop of God leading Israel into the Promised Land help us understand what Jesus is calling us into? How are the two different from each other?
Practical Application & Reading Reflections
Where and when can you have your conversation with your one? How can you take action?
Sunday: Matthew 28:19.
Monday: Mark 16:15 – Proclaim the Gospel to all creation.
Tuesday: Genesis 12:1-3 – Abraham’s call to bless the nations.
Wednesday: Psalm 67:1-7 – God’s blessing and mission.
Thursday: Acts 13:47 – A light to the Gentiles.
Friday: Jonah 3:1-10 – Obeying God’s call.
Saturday: Reflect on God’s call in your life and pray for courage to follow.
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Sermon Summary
The ability to fulfill our mission as Christ’s witnesses flows from our ability to embrace our identity as Salt and Light.
In the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7 Jesus makes some incredible statements about who His followers are. In the beatitudes Jesus describes people who are pure in heart, and peacemakers. This is what it looks like to be blessed – to have the favor of God on your life. And, these are characteristics which show up in the lives of citizens of God’s kingdom. After these startling statements Jesus describes His followers as salt and light. In these descriptions we find clarity about our identity as Christ’s followers and the way we are to fulfill our mission as His witnesses. When we embrace our identity as salt and light, we discover value, purpose and meaning in our lives. And, we discover how we can impact the world around us by being seasoning and a bright light guiding others to Jesus. When we do this, God is glorified!
Reflection Questions
- Take a moment to read Matthew 5:3-12, which are commonly referred to as the beatitudes.
- How do Jesus’ words in the beatitudes help us understand what a follower of Jesus should look like today? Why would Jesus words have been shocking to his original audience? How do they challenge you today?
- As Jesus talks about His followers as salt and light, he is making a significant statement about our identity in Christ.
- How does the image of salt clarify our identity as Christ’s followers today? Why is this so important to remember if we are going to be effective as Christ’s witnesses?
- Two ways which salt can be used are as a seasoning or a preservative. How does the imagery of being seasoning or a preservative help us understand how we can live as a witness today? How can it be hard to be salt today?
- What is Jesus saying about our identity when He says we are the light of the world?
- What are some ways we can practically live out our identity as light in a dark world?
- Both of these images are powerful affirmations of our purpose and identity as Christ’s followers, but they also both come with a warning.
- What are the practical implications from Jesus statement that salt can lose its saltiness?
- What does it look like to hide your light? Why would anyone hide their light?
Practical Application & Reading Reflections
What situations where living as salt and light is important today? How can you be intentional about being Christ’s witness as salt and light?
Sunday: Matthew 5:13-16
Monday: Colossians 4:5-6 – Seasoned with salt.
Tuesday: Daniel 1:8-16 – Daniel as salt and light in Babylon.
Wednesday: Psalm 119:105 – God’s Word as a light to our path.
Thursday: 1 Peter 2:9-12 – Living as God’s chosen people.
Friday: Proverbs 4:18 – The path of the righteous is like the morning sun.
Saturday: Reflect on how you can be salt and light in your community.
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Sermon Summary
Each of us have the opportunity and responsibility to be a witness to our families.
In the book of Deuteronomy God instructs, through Moses, the people of Israel about how they are to live as the people of God. Included in these instructions are some very specific challenges related to families. Whether that is honoring your mother and father, or impressing God’s word on your children, we are reminded of the importance of being a witness within our families. The challenge for each of us is that if we are going to do this well, we need to develop a deep relationship with God, be intentional in our actions, and be consistent in our faith. If we do this, we will give our families the opportunity to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
Reflection Questions
- In the book of Deuteronomy Moses instructs the people of Israel about what it looks like to live as God’s people.
- Why do you think it was so important for Moses to go over God’s instructions for living as His people before the people entered the promised land?
- What is the correlation between how God was shaping the people of Israel into a nation and how we live together as a biological family, or a church family?
- As we consider Moses’ instructions about families there are three elements of his discussion that were highlighted in this message: developing a deep relationship with God, being intentional in our actions, and staying consistent in how we live out our faith.
- What should our motivation be for developing a deep relationship with God?
- What are some practical and intentional actions you can take to encourage your family to get to know God? How does this apply beyond the parent/child relationship?
- Why is it so important to be consistent in how live out your faith within the context of your family? What are some practical ways to help us stay consistent?
- When we consider being a witness within our families, a very practical application for everyone is to think about how we interact and connect with our spiritual family.
- How can the different generations within the church express the heart of the teaching on family found in our Deuteronomy text?
- What can we do to encourage those within our church body who may be struggling with the reality of unsaved family members, or conflict within their families?
Practical Application & Reading Reflections
What steps can you take to be a more effective witness within your current family situation?
Sunday: Deuteronomy 5:16 & 6:1-9
Monday: Ephesians 6:1-4 – Instructions for families.
Tuesday: Ruth 1:16-17 – Commitment in family relationships.
Wednesday: Psalm 127:1-5 – The Lord’s blessing on the home.
Thursday: Colossians 3:12-17 – Love and harmony in the home.
Friday: Proverbs 22:6 – Train up a child in the way they should go.
Saturday: Reflect on how you can honor God in your home life.