The Responsibility of Witnessing

TEXT: Acts 16:13-32; Mark 16:15; Luke 15:1; 24:47

In the first chapter of Acts we are told that Jesus, shortly before leaving this earth to go back to Heaven, commanded His disciples not to depart from Jerusalem until they were baptized with the Holy Ghost who would give them power to witness. Christ’s purpose for His followers today is that they witness to the unsaved and endeavor to win them for Him. All of us cannot be missionaries in foreign lands, but we can help to spread the Gospel. The man across the street needs to hear the story of Jesus just as much as the man on the other side of the ocean.

QUESTIONS

1. Define witness as pertaining to the Gospel. Why cannot a sinner be an effective witness for Christ?
2. Verbal communication is one way of witnessing. It can be used as an objective approach (one which points to Christ), or a subjective approach (one which points to one’s own experience). Which approach is used in Mark 5:18-19? in Acts 8:35? Which of the two approaches can be used by all Christians? Why?
3. In our text, Paul is the chief speaker. As pertaining to objective and subjective witnessing, to which was he ordained? Along with the text, refer to Acts 26:9-19 for your answer.
4. Prior to the earthquake, we have no record of a verbal witness to the jailer by Paul and Silas. Yet there must have been something which prompted him to ask the question, “What must I do to be saved?” What might this have been?
5. Name some opportunities for nonverbal witnessing other than in times of persecution.
6. What kind of testimony might the former demoniac of Gadara have given to his friends at home? (Mark 5:1-20) Contrast this to the testimony given by the little maid to Naaman’s wife. (2 Kings 5:1-3) What would be the main point of difference?
7. In our text, we are given the admonition to “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” How might this apply to those who do not have the privilege of standing in the pulpit to preach?
8. Witnessing! Is it a spiritual gift given to some or a commandment to all Christians? See 1 Peter 3:15.