Last Sunday's Sermon
You Shall Be My Witnesses
May 4, 2008“You shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
When we hear these words about witnesses, we think about witnesses in a court of law. Most of us have seen television shows with eyewitnesses and expert witnesses. Witnesses are respected and necessary parts of a trial.
After all, the testimony of a witness can make the difference in whether a person is found guilty or innocent of a crime. Anybody can be a witness in court – especially an eyewitness. It doesn’t matter if you are rich or poor, young or old, or have expert knowledge or no clue about the topic.
The only thing of interest when we are witnesses is the simple ability to tell the court what we saw and heard in a given situation.
That wasn’t true in Jesus’ time. In the Hebrew legal tradition, a witness was someone who, because of experience and observation, was able to tell the truth without reservation or question in matters of high importance.
Being a witness carried with it certain obligations, as well as sanctions if they failed in their obligations. Deuteronomy 19 laid out explicit rules for witnessing, including a provision for punishing false witnesses with the same punishment that would have been intended for the accused person.
In those days, being a witness was serious business and the price for perjury was high. It was about putting your word of honor, your seal on an event.
“You shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
With this simple phrase – Jesus prepares the disciples for Pentecost and changes their lives forever, just as he changes ours when we allow him to do so.
Christ has commissioned them. He’s commissioned them to witness – with words and actions – what has happened in their lives because of their interactions with him.
It was their primary focus from then on – and it’s the primary business of the church now. Our La Mesa First mission statement says, “To share the love of God with the world through worship, nurture, witness and service as taught by Jesus Christ.”
How well are we doing? Would someone who watched you know that Christ is part of your life? Do visitors to our church or any of our events realize that we are sharing God’s love in Christ? You shall be my witnesses in La Mesa, El Cajon, San Diego, and all of California.
The disciples GOT the message. They became witnesses and began telling others what Jesus said and did and how he changed their lives.
WE know about their witness because we have the New Testament which includes stories about Christ’s actions and the actions of his followers – the disciples. Some of these disciples may never have seen Jesus but they are still witnesses his power and his influence because they have heard the stories about him and they’ve felt his presence with them.
At General Conference this past week, the United Methodist church acknowledged the importance of witness in our lives together. The delegates voted to change the pledge that new members make when they join a local church.
In the past – and today – we have promised to be faithful with our prayers, our presence, our gifts and our service. Beginning with the new 2008 Discipline, the language will change. Now, new members will also promise to be faithful in their witness when they make a profession of membership. AND, we who are members will have to promise to be witnesses right along with them.
This promise had been the same since 1932, and this change was received unanimously by the General Conference. It indicates that we are aware of the need for each person to be a witness for the faith in the larger community.
WE, as a church, are witnesses with the many ministries we offer. Today we are witnessing to our support of missionaries with the breakfast on behalf of Terry and Muriel Henderson. Our ongoing support of the Interfaith Shelter and the many ministries here and abroad makes a difference.
You also witness with your visits at nursing homes, hospitals, and through your prayers and your presence with all those who face illness and difficult transitions.
“You shall be my witnesses…” means that we witness as individuals – as well as in our church activities. Being a witness is more than being nice to visitors – though that is an important aspect of witness. It means going the extra mile to help someone at the grocery store or the bank when they need help.
It may mean listening to a story from someone on the trolley who really needs to talk even when you want to nap. How you live every day is how you witness. You witness with your words and your actions even when you aren’t involved in “church” activities.
Being a witness may involve costs that you don’t anticipate. You may be challenged to do things that you never imagined. Christ reminds us that we are called to be witnesses wherever we live and wherever we go.
Whether they knew it or not, the women of the Central Washington University softball team were witnesses to “doing the right thing” a week ago. You may have seen the article in the Union-Tribune or on the news, but it bears repeating here as a reminder of the cost and the necessity of witnessing.
The Central Washington women’s softball team was playing Western Oregon’s women for the conference championship and the opportunity to advance to the playoffs.
With two runners on base and a strike against her, Sara Tucholsky of Western Oregon University uncorked her best swing and did something she had never done, in high school or college. Her first home run cleared the center-field fence.
It appeared to be the shortest of dreams come true when she missed first base, started back to tag it and collapsed with a knee injury.
She crawled back to first but could do no more. The first-base coach said she would be called out if her teammates tried to help her. The umpire said, a pinch runner could be called in, and the homer would count as a single.
Then, Central Washington University first baseman Mallory Holtman, the career home run leader in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, asked the umpire if she and her teammates could help Tucholsky. The umpire said there was no rule against it.
So Holtman and shortstop Liz Wallace put their arms under Tucholsky's legs, and she put her arms over their shoulders. The three headed around the base paths, stopping to let Tucholsky touch each base with her good leg.
"The only thing I remember is that Mallory asked me which leg was the one that hurt,'' Tucholsky said. "I told her it was my right leg and she said, `OK, we're going to drop you down gently and you need to touch it with your left leg,' and I said `OK, thank you very much.'''
"She said, `You deserve it, you hit it over the fence,' and we all kind of just laughed.'' "We started laughing when we touched second base,'' Holtman said. "I said, 'I wonder what this must look like to other people.'''
"We didn't know that she was a senior or that this was her first home run,'' Wallace said Wednesday. "That makes the story more touching than it was. We just wanted to help her.''
Holtman said she and Wallace weren't thinking about the playoff spot, and didn't consider the gesture something others wouldn't do.
As for Tucholsky, the 5-foot-2 right fielder was focused on her pain. "I really didn't say too much. I was trying to breathe,'' "I didn't realize what was going on until I had time to sit down and let the pain relax a little bit,'' she said. "Then I realized the extent of what I actually did.'' "I hope I would do the same for her in the same situation,'' Tucholsky added.
As the trio reached home plate, Tucholsky said, the entire Western Oregon team was in tears. Central Washington coach Gary Frederick, a 14-year coaching veteran, called the act of sportsmanship "unbelievable.''
The home run sent Western Oregon to a 4-2 victory, ending Central Washington's chances of winning the conference and advancing to the playoffs. "In the end, it is not about winning and losing so much,'' Holtman said. "It was about this girl. She hit it over the fence and was in pain, and she deserved a home run.''
You shall be my witnesses.