Can I Get a Witness?
By Jill Newman
Growing up in the Bible Belt of the Deep South, I occasionally heard this phrase when I would attend a friend’s church. The pastor would be praising God for all He had done, and then would suddenly say, “Can I get a witness?”. He was asking if anyone in the congregation would stand up and share something that God had done in their life.
Recently while reading my Bible, I’ve noticed that the term witness pops up more often than I realized. I tend to only think about the disciples of Jesus being witnesses in the New Testament, but the Old Testament also talks about witnesses. For example, in Joshua 24, Joshua gathers all of the Israelites together before he dies and tells the story of their journey from Egypt through the wilderness, as well as the battles they fought and the new fruitful land they claimed. He exhorts them to choose between the “gods” of their new land and the one true God of Israel who protected and cared for them through it all. Then he does something strange.
And Joshua said to all the people, “Behold, this stone shall be a witness to us, for it has heard all the words of the Lord which He spoke to us. It shall therefore be a witness to you, lest you deny your God.” Joshua 24:27
Wait, what? The stone heard the words? How on earth can a hunk of rock be a witness? But Joshua was actually reminding the Israelites to share with their families what Joshua just shared with them. Essentially he was saying, “When your children ask you why this stone is here, tell them the story of your journey out of Egypt so these things aren’t forgotten.” The stone was the reminder for them to be a witness of the things they had seen and heard.
The Christmas song Go Tell it on the Mountain is like that stone for me. It’s a reminder to me to think of all that the Lord has done in my life, and then share it with others. The song tells the story of the shepherds abiding in the field with their sheep that dark and silent night.
Go, tell it on the mountain over the hills and everywhere
Go, tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born
While shepherds kept their watching o'er silent flocks by night
Behold throughout the heavens there shone a holy light
The shepherds feared and trembled when lo above the Earth
Rang out the angel's chorus that hailed our Savior's birth
Down in a lowly manger the humble Christ was born
And God sent us salvation that blessed Christmas morn
Go, tell it on the mountain over the hills and everywhere
Go, tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born
You can read the whole account of Jesus’ birth in Luke 2. These humble shepherds were chosen to be the first eyewitnesses of the greatest miracle of birth ever known — a baby born of a virgin. And not just any baby, but God’s one and only Son. Luke 2:17 tells us the very first thing they did after seeing the newborn Savior of the world.
“When they had seen Him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this Child.”
The shepherds immediately went out and shared the good news that Jesus was born. As Christians, we are commanded by Jesus to go and share the gospel. But, how do we do that?
Well, actually, we already act as witnesses in other areas of our lives. Have you been to an awesome movie that you just had to tell your friends about? You seek them out, and tell them what you saw and heard. That’s a witness. Or when two people fall in love, they have so much happiness that they can’t wait to tell the world the reason for their excitement. That’s a witness too. It’s the same when you first ask Jesus to be your Lord and Savior; you can’t wait to share what He has done for you.
In a court of law, witnesses come forward and share what they have seen and heard. They don’t have to know all the rules of the law like an attorney, and they don’t cast judgment like the judge and jury. They simply share their testimony. Your testimony is nothing more than the story of what Jesus has done for you. It’s the gospel wrapped up in your eyewitness account.
Go Tell it on the Mountain is a wonderful reminder that we weren’t meant to bottle up all the joy of Christmas for ourselves, but to go and share it. And, in the sharing, we remind others of the good news of great joy that is for all people. Not only was Jesus born as Lord and Savior, He also died on the cross for our sins and rose again. And the very best news is that He is coming back for us! That’s truly a message that needs to be shared. I love how
Romans 10:14-15 puts it.
“How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things?’”
If you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, in effect He is asking you, “Can I get a witness?” Will you take your “beautiful feet” and go tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is Lord?
REFLECTION:
Read Acts 22:1-21 and Acts 26:1-29
What are some of the things in Paul’s testimony that he saw and heard about Jesus?
In which verses does Paul share the gospel (that Jesus is the Son of God, died for our sins and rose again) within his testimony?
Write out a brief version of what Jesus has done and is doing in your life, then pray about who to share it with.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: