Our Life Is Our Witness
Living a conspicuous life of faith, hope, and love
This article is based on the second sermon in the “Be the New” series I preached this past fall at Kuna Church of the Nazarene.
View this sermon below, starting at minute 27:06. Keep scrolling to read the article.
Crossing cultures
Living in a new culture requires learning a new way of life.
A new lifestyle, if you will.
More than 20 years ago, we moved into an eastern, communal culture where everybody knows what everyone is doing all the time. That took some getting used to!
One of the first things we had to learn was NOT to use the left hand in public. It’s the dirty hand (if you catch my drift)! If you’re a left-hander like my wife, that’s a challenge.
As a man in a Muslim culture, I had to learn quickly not to offer my hand when greeting a woman. If she offered her hand, fine, but if not, it was not appropriate to touch a woman that was not my wife, even for a handshake.
Like many places on this earth, food is super important. That is where I found my cross-cultural superpower. I will eat the stinky fruit when offered, despite the pungent odor, and eat more of it than anyone else. I will eat the spiciest sambal and enjoy it, even if I pay for it later. And you don’t have to ask me twice to take a bite of whatever is on the plate of mystery meat at the after-church meal. For good or bad, I’m gonna take a bite…or two.
Learning to live a new way of life in a new culture is hard, but if you give it enough time, it begins to sink in and become a part of you. All the strange things start to become normal. What once was a new and peculiar way of life became a part of our identity.
A kingdom culture
When we are born from above, we become citizens of God’s kingdom. God’s kingdom has its own culture with different expectations and values than whatever country or culture we call home.
Part of being a holy people is being set apart with different values, priorities, and ways of life. Being set apart doesn’t mean isolating ourselves and never letting ourselves get muddied by the messiness and sin of people’s lives. It doesn’t mean that we join people in their sins. Instead, God has sent us out into the world to be a soapy disinfectant in and among the mud and dirt of the world in which we live.
Our witness, then, begins with our way of life—a cross-cultural lifestyle with counter-cultural values, lived out in the place where we live, wherever that may be.
Unprecedented growth
In Acts 1:15, we read that about 120 believers gathered together in the upper room. That’s not very many people, as least not compared to the enormous promise and commission that Jesus had given them—that he would be with them as they became witnesses near and far, across the vastness of the known world and beyond!
Jesus had promised that if they waited, they would be given power to become such witnesses—in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. And so they waited together. And then it happened—Pentecost.
The Holy Spirit came, and they left the upper room with Jesus on their tongues and the power of the Holy Spirit surging through their lives.
So, check this out:
At Pentecost, 3000 new believers were added. Then, by the year 100 AD, historians estimate approximately 25,000 Christians. That’s some impressive growth!
Then, by 300 AD, there were approximately 20 million Christians. Again, that is some INCREDIBLE growth!
More incredibly, this is all new believer growth. There was no transferring of membership or church hopping going on here…no one was moving from Antioch to Jerusalem because the Jerusalem church had better music or a better Sunday School program.
It's also worth noting that during those first 300 years of the church, the early Christians:
Faced rampant persecution—Paul’s directive to “overcome evil with good” was not hypothetical.
Had no freedom, no promise of safety, and no legal protection.
Had no significant wealth, power, or social capital.
Had no church buildings, which might have been great when you think about it—no mortgages or electric bills.
Had no seminaries to attend, no paid pastors, and no denominations.
No access to the Bible as we now know it. The gospels and letters were being written and spread, but nobody had access to them all, and nobody had a personal copy of their own until much later.
And, despite all of this, by the year 312 AD (or thereabouts), Rome, the unconquerable kingdom that had crucified Jesus, becomes the center of Western Christianity.
How in the world did this happen? This question is still debated even today, but one factor seems to be significant –
The early believers were “a community who were living in a radically different way.” (NT Wright)
Their marriages looked different.
They were kind to the poor and treated their servants fairly and respectfully.
Whether they knew it or not, they lived out Micah 6:8 — They acted justly, loved mercy, and walked humbly with God.
The early Christians lived out the parable of the sheep and the goats – they loved their neighbors by taking care of hungry and thirsty, the foreigner and the one without home or shelter, the one without clothes, and the prisoner.
Their life became their witness by ministering to those in need, by focusing their attention on the least of these.
Paul’s counter-cultural instructions to the Ephesian Church
Let’s take a look at Paul’s letter to the church at Colossae. Remember, the church in the New Testament is not a building, a location, or an address. It is God’s people gathered and God’s people scattered, carrying out God’s plan and purpose.
The “church” of Colossae likely consisted of several small groups that each met in different places at different times, and collectively they were known as the church, the people of God in and around Colossae.
Let’s take a look at Colossians 3:11-4:1 —
3:11 — Here [the church, the people of God set apart to be holy] there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
God’s grace is free and available to all! Like was saw last week, God is not partial and does not show favoritism. Not only that, but when we gather together in Jesus’ name, we all stand on level ground, no matter our background or our pedigree.
3:12-14 — Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
This is not a complete list, of course, but Paul is telling us how to love our neighbor and how to let our life be our witness. This, Paul is writing, is how we overcome evil with good.
Christlike love is the foundation of every relationship we undertake
3:15-17 — Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Wherever we go, and whatever we do, these are the kinds of things we do live a holy life, a life that becomes a positive witness for Jesus Christ.
And then Paul gives three examples of how this plays out in human relationships. These are three common applications that Paul gives to the people living in his time and place, but we can apply them to any relationship in which we find ourselves.
3:18-19 — Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.
When two people are in a Christian marriage, they have a unique, spousal relationship. They are also brothers and sisters in Christ. Their marriage is a foundational part of their Christian witness. The way we treat our spouse says something about who we are in Christ.
In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul begins his advice for marriage with these words, “Submit to one another in reverence to Christ” (Eph 5:21). Submission and love — each to the other, are to be the foundation of Christian marriage.
This expectation (particularly for the men) was counter-cultural, representing a new sexual ethic and a different way of living as husband and wife. In a culture that expected and encouraged sexual promiscuity and the open and frequent sharing of one’s body, this lifestyle others would quickly notice. This is holiness lived out in marriage.
3:20-21 — Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.
In the same way, how we treat our children and parents is a part of our witness to the world. Like marriage, Paul leaves no room for abuse in the parent-child relationship.
This, too, was counter-cultural, representing a different way of being a parent and a child. In a culture where unwanted children were left out to die by exposure and fathers beat their children into submission and obedience, this is different. This is holiness, our lives becoming our witness.
3:22-25 — Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality. Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.
Paul is not endorsing slavery or forced servitude. Just as Paul would undoubtedly have condemned abusive marriages and abusive parenting, he would also condemn abusive forms of slavery and servitude, such as the kind as we have known all too well in our own history.
Paul’s concern here is to show Christians how to live holy lives in whichever social situations they find themselves. These were the social and economic realities of the time, and Paul is concerned with helping the church live holy lives, regardless of their temporary circumstance. And again, Paul leaves no room for abuse or mistreatment.
This expectation was counter-cultural, representing a new way to exercise social and economic power, and a new way to live within such structures, too. This is holiness …the way we treat people and the value we give to them, no matter what social norms might dictate.
Counter-cultural living in the early church
Before we ever say a word, the way that we conduct the relationships in our lives tells people something about us (for good or bad), about the God we worship, and about the church, of which we are a part.
It’s fascinating to me to read some of the writings of the early Christians and to read what people wrote about the way the early church lived out their cross-cultural and counter-cultural calling in a world that neither believed them nor accepted them.
They lived radically different lifestyles based on the culture and expectations of God’s kingdom, even in the midst of seemingly impossible odds. Consider Tertullian, a North African church leader, sometime around 160-225 AD, who wrote:
“We pray, too, for the emperors, for their ministers and for all in authority, for the welfare of the world, for the prevalence of peace, for the delay of the final consummation.”
[Tertullian, church leader from North Africa, 160-225 AD]
The emporers Tertullian spoke of were not kind and peace-loving leaders. These authorities did not treat them well, yet they prayed that Jesus would NOT return too soon because they were praying for these people!
They seem to be looking out at the world as Jesus did — weeping, their hearts moved, and realizing that the people who mistreat them are like sheep that have no shepherd to show them the way to the life-giving water!
How often do we pray for our leaders, at all levels of government — for their well-being, both personal and public, and for Jesus to not return too soon?
This is one of my favorite passages from “The Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus,” written sometime around 130-200 AD. I have paraphrased it for clarity, and it’s absolutely fantastic:
Christians are differentiated from other people not by their nationality, nor language, nor their customs. They do not retreat to their own cities or use peculiar speech, nor lead a life distinguished by any sort of oddness.
In other words, they look and sound like ordinary people. They don’t isolate themselves or create exclusive Christian utopias, separate from the communities and the people where they live.
But as they inhabit either Greek or barbarian cities – where they follow the customs of that place with regard to clothing, food, and their daily conduct – they display to all a wonderfully conspicuous way of life.
They live in the world, fully engaged in the society in which they live, wearing normal clothes and eating normal food. But as they do these things, they also live a kind of life that is exceptionally unique and good — wonderfully conspicuous.
As citizens, they share in all the responsibilities of citizenship, and yet they are treated as foreigners without rights. They marry and have children, but do not destroy their children. They share their table with all, but not their marriage beds.
They live a counter-cultural lifestyle aligned with kingdom priorities and expectations. This is what makes them stand out like a neon sign on a dark street.
They obey all laws, and at the same time go above and beyond the letter of the law in their lives. They love all people and are persecuted by all; they are poor, but they give to all; they are reviled and yet they bless others; they are dishonored, and repay the insult with honor; they are criticized by the Jews as foreigners, and are persecuted by the Greeks; yet those who hate them are unable to give any reason for their hatred.
They give no one any reason to doubt their sincerity, motives, faith, or love as they live out the teachings of Jesus and the apostles.
Then this final statement—
To sum up all in one word—what the soul is in the body, that is what these Christians are in the world.
That, my friends, is incredible.
Our lives here and now
Jesus, in Matthew 5:13, called his followers the preserving SALT of the world. But, Jesus warned, if the salt loses its saltiness, it is no longer good for anything. Ouch!
Friends, we live in a culture that values privacy, individual rights, and doing things “my way.” But in the kingdom, our faith and our witness are not intended to be private. Instead, they become our way of life and begin to play the primary role in the way we live, the decisions we make, the way we communicate, and the way we relate with other people.
A set free, born-from-above follower of Christ whose life is NOT a wonderfully conspicuous witness of God’s grace is missing something. It’s like a pie without any filling, playing basketball with no ball, or marriage with no laughter.
It just doesn’t feel quite right.
Somethings missing.
In fact, it’s missing the most important part.
Our context is very different than that of the believers in the first three centuries, no doubt about that, but our calling and purpose are the same. ‘
Our lives are the foundation of our witness.
We must learn what this looks like in our day and age. We must contextualize it into our situation here and now. I don’t know where this message hits you today. It hit me right where I live, and my prayer is that it hits you, too, right where you live, because that’s where our witness and our life of faith begins—right where we live.
That same Spirit that came at Pentecost and was with the early believers…continues to live and move in our world today. We are called to be witnesses through our lives and the way we relate with people.
May our lives be wonderfully conspicuous for all the right reasons —
uncommon compassion,
uncommon mercy,
uncommon love,
uncommon grace, and
uncommon forgiveness.
Let’s finish with the great promise found in Philippians 4:3 —
I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
This verse has been misquoted and misused as much as any verse in Scripture. I’m sorry to tell you, but this verse does not mean that you will be given supernatural strength and the ability to do anything you want — to become an NBA superstar, to be the next Scotty McCreary, to ascend to the presidency of the United States or America, or even to be an “A” student in math.
It does mean that with Christ, and in Christ, we can have the strength to endure and to be a witness for Christ in difficult circumstances. It does mean that in our weakness, his strength is perfect and that he will be walking with us as our life becomes our witness.
Dear Steve, I absolutely love your way of sharing how Jesus wants us to live. Ken and I try to live that way everyday with everyone we meet. We actually have our one and only former foster kid living in our basement right now. He came to us November of 2021 asking if he could stay here to get off drugs. It's been a journey but he's been clean for over a year and growing spiritually. He is working and paying rent and hopes to be on his own soon. I will be in your church this Sunday the 26th with a gal who used to go to Tree City and is now in Kuna. She is about to be homeless. She is working at Albertsons in Kuna and can 't find anything she can afford. I let her know that sleeping in her car in Albertsons parking lot isn't the worst thing that could happen and God will be sleeping in the car with her. She has been working every Sunday but just started getting every other Sunday off. I told her I would meet her there for church. In talking to Eric I found out that you are preaching, that excites me.
We lived in Kuna for 22 years before moving to Emmett for 20 years and now in Boise for 4 1/2 years.
See you Sunday. Ruth Anne Inselman