“Be A Witness For Christ!”

“Be A Witness For Christ!(Jn.10:40-42).
“Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. Here he stayed and many people came to him. They said, ‘Though John never performed a miraculous sign, all that John said about this man is true.’ And in that place many believed in Jesus.”
Recently in African Christianity there is a paradigm shift from testifying about the Lord Jesus Christ to miraculous signs as a means of witnessing.
Africa, a continent already impoverished by neo-colonialism is further impoverished by Christian prostitution in search of the miraculous. Note that we believe in miracles and we give glory to God for genuine miracle workers.
The Lord asked that those who are weary and heavy laden should come to him and have some rest. But when people spend their meagre resources to fly from one country to the other in search of the miraculous, that is no longer a search for the Lord Jesus Christ. On the other hand when miracle ministers leave their countries of operation for other countries, the Christians of the visiting country who throng the place are not there to receive any new message about Christ, rather, they go to experience the miraculous. These crowds often tripple and even quadruple their offerings as a means of securing the miraculous.
The threefold ministry of our Lord was preaching, teaching and healing. Preaching that teaches heals the soul because it helps listeners to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. And when you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour, the miraculous begin to manifest in your life. Or you begin to experience the miraculous which you were hitherto blind to its presence.
As the text states, John did not perform any miraculous sign, but when the people met Jesus they acknowledged that all what John said about him was true. And so in that place many believed in Jesus.
Dear friend, we are called upon to be witnesses to, and to testify convincingly about Christ so that when he comes many should believe in him.
Witnessing for Christ which leads to believing in him is a major concept in the gospel of John.“There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light”(Jn,1:6-7). “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life”(Jn.3:16).
In fact, witness is an important concept in John’s gospel. And the testimony of a witness is to lead to belief by those who hear the testimony.
As John wraps up the story of the ministry of Jesus he writes, “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name”(Jn.21:31).
We who have believed should continue to be witnesses testifying about Jesus so that many should believe that he is the Christ. And that by believing they too may have life in him.
Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God. Give me life in your name. Amen!
Have a blessed day! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.