What was the last recommendation you made to a friend? That
they just had to read the Divergent trilogy of books? That they just had to see Frozen or 12 Years a Slave? That they just had to hear the Kacey Musgraves or
Paul McCartney album? Or did you share the cute YouTube video of the shark cat riding
a Roomba?
When we recommend a great book or movie to a friend, we are
bearing witness – we are testifying from our own experience, we are claiming a
power that has to be shared, a truth that we have uncovered. We share our
witness because we want our friends to experience those same feelings. We just
cannot keep it to ourselves!
Nicodemus comes to Jesus at night, testifying to his beliefs
about Jesus. As a rich and powerful man though, he was probably hedging his
bets – not wanting his eyewitness of the Good News to spread too far. Nicodemus
has a face-to-face encounter with Jesus, an encounter that makes him confess
his beliefs, ask good questions, and patiently listen for answers – answers that
may be clouded in mystery.
Have you had an iWitness experience with Jesus? Have you
encountered the wonder working power of God in your life? If so, have you
testified – have you borne witness to the saving love of Jesus Christ? These
phrases may be less familiar to Presbyterians, but no less important.
When we feed the hungry at Let’s Help, we are sharing our
witness. When we invite our friends to Fellowship Friday, we are testifying to
the love we experience in community. When we stand up with other Topeka congregations
in the name of justice with JUMP, we share our testimony that our God cares
about the least of these. When we teach and learn in Sunday School, when we
work out with the Heat, when we fold Talking Trinity newsletters – through all
of those we are bearing witness to the love of God, the love that gave us God’s
only begotten Son, the promises that harken back to the God of Abram.
So come and bear witness to the light, even in the middle of
the night. Come and witness the truth of the teachings of our Rabbi Jesus during this Lenten season. Come
and witness God at work through us by the power of the Holy Spirit. Come and
hear, sing, speak, pray the Good News, so that the entire world might know their
salvation is at hand.
Grace and peace,
Pastor Kate
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