Acts 1:8 – "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."
Jesus Christ unequivocally stated, concerning His servants, that "ye shall be witnesses unto me". It is every Christian's life-long spiritual responsibility. Witnessing Christ to others is inherent in a Christian’s make-up.
The task of witnessing is to make Christ and His truths known to those who know Him not. As Peter points out, the apostles "were eyewitnesses of his majesty" (2 Pet. 1:16). Jesus’ own words in Matt. 28:19-20 tell us what it is to be witnesses for Him - "Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you".
In recording his witness of Christ in 1 Jn.1:1-2, the apostle John wrote, "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)". Our witnessing should bear testimony to Christ and urge others to put their faith in Him as their Saviour and Lord, that they too become partakers of the eternal life He gives.
Christian witnessing includes bearing testimony about Christ, and our submission to and partaking of all things Christ has instituted. Bearing witness to others about Christ is done verbally and visibly to all who have not heard, understood, or experienced His greatness and goodness. Our words and actions must manifest Christ and His truths to all around us. Those who defy Christ and live a disobedient life will fail to be faithful witnesses of Christ. The apostle Peter urged, "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). The manner of Christians' living and service should lay a solid and sound platform of charity, integrity and purity, on which they can stand boldly and preach Christ and His truths.
Jesus said, "ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me". The assurance of our Saviour to all His servants is that in the new dispensation of the Holy Spirit's work that would follow the ascension Christ, all of them will receive the power to be His witnesses. It is to enable all His people to be witnesses that He sent His Spirit into us.The word "power" translates the Greek word (dunamis), from which is derived the English word "dynamite". All genuine believers have the “spiritual dynamite” (the Holy Spirit's power) to enable them to be witnesses of Christ. No believer is denied the power of the Holy Spirit; hence every believer who yields to the Holy Spirit would be thus activated by His power to be witnesses of Christ. Believers must be careful not to grieve the Holy Spirit (cf. Eph. 4:30), but to be filled with the Spirit (i.e. to be under His direction that He gives through His Word [Eph 5:18b-19]). When a believer is under the complete control of the Holy Spirit who guides him by His Word, the life of that person will be an amazing witness to Christ.
Paul's prayer in Ephesians 3 shows the power of the Spirit-filled church. He prayed "that [God] would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; …. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen" (vv. 16, 20-21). When the Holy Spirit increasingly strengthens the church, its life and ministry will be radiant with the glory of Christ. A people yielded to the Holy Spirit will be a powerful witness to Christ!
Jesus said, "ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." The Lord's mandate to the apostles was to begin their witnessing in their current locale ("Jerusalem"), then to their neighbourhood ("Judaea"), and further to the next region ("Samaria") and distant lands ("unto the uttermost part of the earth"). The Book of Acts shows how the apostles executed their Gospel mission from Jerusalem unto the earth's remotest parts.
As witnesses of Christ, we must first declare Christ to those who are close by – to our relatives, friends, colleagues, neighbours, etc. We also have the responsibility to spread the truths of Christ throughout this world. Near and far, we must go as witnesses of Christ. While Jesus prayed, He said, "As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world" (John 17:18).
Christians are the Lord's agents of a worldwide geographical expansion of Christianity. With the direction and empowerment of the Holy Spirit, they will reach people near and far with the Gospel. Like ripples on a pond, their witnessing will spread outwards even to the farthest place where the Lord may send them. Wherever the Spirit leads us, we must speak a word in praise of our wonderful Saviour and Lord. We cannot be silent, but must be witnessing Christians in our homes, schools, workplaces, market, and journeys. We must bring the truths of Christ to every place – islands, cities, towns, villages, camps, resorts, companies, palaces, parliaments, etc. – where the Lord will direct our paths.
The history of the church tells us the story of Christians, who, for the most part, were unlearned men and women, propagating the Gospel rapidly through their witnessing of Christ. More than missionaries and preachers, Christians, who took their Master's calling to be His witnesses, became informal evangelists and contributed more to the rapid spread of the Gospel. That was the secret of the sudden global expansion of Christianity in the first century, and other flourishing times of church history.
The Lord Jesus Christ demands that every Christian fulfil his or her obligation - to bear witness to the Saviour everywhere!