Witnesses Together: You, the Apostles, and the Holy Spirit
Saturday’s Verse:
From Acts 5:32 ESV
“And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
Peter and the apostles speak these words in a tense moment. The rulers had just finished threatening them not to speak in the name of Jesus. Speaking was not safe. By worldly standards, it was risky for them to open their mouths. And yet Peter and the apostles responded boldly. Because they had seen the works of God. They could not deny Him.
Peter says something else about witnessing. The apostles are witnesses…but so is the Spirit.
That’s important for us. Often, when we think about witnessing or sharing our faith, we get worried. Will we say the wrong thing? Will we stumble over our words? Will we know all the answers? The Spirit of God witnesses to Christ. The burden of proof is not on us.
This ties in with Lutheran theology on the formation of faith. The Holy Spirit convicts us by working through the Word of God. When the Gospel is preached, read, or heard, the Spirit is powerfully at work. Our job is to preach the truth about what Christ has done for us. The Spirit works in the heart.
Peter also says that the Spirit is given to “those who obey Him”. This is not the obedience we work for to earn God’s favor. This is the obedience of faith. As we hear the Gospel, faith obeys that promise and follows after Christ.
Therefore, Christian living is not about acting courageously or saying the perfect thing. It is about remaining faithful. We preach the Gospel. We live as those whom Christ has forgiven. And the Holy Spirit is a witness with us along the way.
✝️ A Prayer for Today:
Dear Jesus, You commissioned Your apostles to preach the Good News that You had risen from the grave. Grant us faithful hearts that we might boldly speak Your truth. Let us not fear, for Your Spirit is at work through Your Word. Keep us in the obedience that is faith in You and strengthen us by Your grace. Amen.
Apostles’ Creed:
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Luther’s Morning Prayer:
I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.
The photo above is licensed through Unsplash+