The testimonies and evidence of the witnesses
1John 5:9-11.
Hallelujah! May the grace, peace, and mercy of the Lord be upon all who worship Him today. I want to share a message with you that is based on the testimony of witnesses. This is so that you may stand firm in your faith.
A testimony is simply telling the truth about something or someone you have personally witnessed. When we testify, it must be based on accurate and credible evidence to guarantee that what we are saying is true. If that testimony is false, it brings legal, moral, and spiritual responsibility. What I am testifying to you about today is Jesus Christ. I have found the evidence of who Jesus is in the Scriptures. But my assurance of this testimony comes from the Holy Spirit’s witness within me. The evidence from the Bible can be shown to you, but it is the Holy Spirit within me that testifies through my life.
The Old Testament contains many records of Christ’s birth, His death, and His resurrection, and the Gospels show us how these were fulfilled through Jesus. This is why we testify that Jesus is the Christ. In the law, even the testimony of two or three witnesses is enough to establish the truth, but the Gospels contain countless testimonies. Therefore, we can know that the claim of Jesus being the Christ is not some story fabricated by man. And yet, despite the overwhelming evidence, people still refuse to believe unless the Holy Spirit reveals the truth to them.
Today, I want to share with you how the apostles testified about Jesus. Throughout the New Testament, the testimony about Jesus is consistent. Their testimony tells us who He is, about His death, resurrection, and His return. Let us stand firm on this testimony, trusting that the Holy Spirit will reveal the truth of Christ to us, and through our lives, we too can testify of His grace and truth.
1) The Apostles Consistently Testify About Who Jesus Is. The apostles testified that Jesus is the Christ prophesied in the Old Testament. In Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost, he declared, “God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah” (Acts 2:36), emphasizing that Jesus Christ came from the line of David. This aligns with the Messianic prophecies recorded in Isaiah 53 and Psalm 110.
The apostles also testified that Jesus is the Son of God. In John 20:31, the purpose of the Gospel of John is stated: “These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God.” Additionally, in Matthew 16:16, Peter confesses, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Paul, too, introduced Jesus as the “Son of God” (Romans 1:3-4), underscoring His divine identity.
The apostles testified that Jesus is the Savior of humanity. In Acts 4:12, they proclaimed, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” This emphasized that Jesus is the only Savior who came to save humanity from sin.
The apostles also testified that Jesus’ death was a sacrificial act of atonement for the sins of humanity. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:3, “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,” highlighting that His death fulfilled Old Testament prophecies. Peter similarly stressed that Jesus’ suffering and death were for our sins (1 Peter 2:24), testifying that His death was an atoning act.
Jesus’ resurrection is a central element of the apostles’ testimony. In Acts 2:32, Peter declared, “God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it,” making it clear that Jesus’ resurrection was at the heart of their preaching. Paul emphasized that the resurrection of Jesus is the foundation of the Christian faith (1 Corinthians 15:14-17), arguing that without the resurrection, faith would be meaningless.
In Acts 1:3, it is recorded that Jesus appeared to the apostles over the course of forty days after His resurrection, providing many convincing proofs of His resurrection. Additionally, Paul listed the eyewitnesses who saw the resurrected Christ (1 Corinthians 15:5-8), asserting that their testimony was trustworthy.
This consistent testimony from the apostles affirmed that Jesus Christ is the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament, the Son of God, and the Savior of humanity. Their testimony remains foundational to our faith and continues to hold great value today.
2) The Apostles Consistently Testified About the Teachings and Ministry of Jesus Christ. Jesus proclaimed the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, and the apostles continued to spread this message. In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus commanded the apostles to go and make disciples of all nations, teaching them to obey everything He had taught them. The book of Acts and Paul’s letters show that the apostles faithfully carried out this mission, preaching the Gospel and proclaiming the Kingdom of God according to Jesus’ teachings.
Jesus’ teachings centered on God’s love and grace, and the apostles consistently testified to this message. In John 13:34, Jesus commanded, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” Paul emphasized the importance of love in 1 Corinthians 13. Similarly, John continually preached the significance of a life centered on God’s love (1 John 4:7-21). This consistent testimony highlights the apostles’ dedication to spreading the teachings of Jesus, which were grounded in love, grace, and the Kingdom of God.
3) The Apostles Testified That the Second Coming of Jesus Christ Is a Certain Promise. In Acts 1:11, angels told the apostles, “This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven,” affirming the promise of Jesus’ return. Paul explained in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 that the second coming of Jesus will be accompanied by the resurrection of the dead and the transformation of the living.
The apostles frequently warned believers to prepare for Jesus’ return. In 2 Peter 3:10-12, Peter stated that Jesus’ return would come like a thief, urging believers to live holy and godly lives in anticipation. This shows that the apostles taught hope in the Kingdom of God with the return of Jesus at its center.
Thus, the apostles’ testimony about Jesus consistently declared who He is and affirmed that through His death and resurrection, He is the Christ. They also provided a clear and consistent message about His return. This testimony offers a unified understanding and interpretation of Jesus Christ. The apostles’ testimony forms the foundation of the Christian faith, providing trust and assurance for the faith community that follows Jesus Christ.
I have briefly examined the Scriptures regarding this testimony. Through the Old and New Testaments, we find countless undeniable proofs that the prophecies about the birth, death, resurrection, and return of Jesus Christ were fulfilled exactly as foretold in the Gospels. The apostles’ testimony, based on their firsthand experiences of what they saw and heard, shows a remarkable consistency among multiple witnesses. This consistency confirms that the events of Jesus’ birth, death, resurrection, and return are not cleverly fabricated stories.
After being born again through water and the Holy Spirit, I came to truly believe in the testimonies and evidence recorded in Scripture. This conviction comes through the confirmation of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit testifies that Jesus came by water and blood. When Jesus was baptized and came up out of the water, a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love.” On the cross, He shed His life-giving blood for us. For this truth to deeply resonate within one’s heart, the Holy Spirit must enter that heart. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit who testifies about Jesus, making the Scriptural testimonies and evidence of Jesus’ life real and meaningful to us. I bless you in the name of the Lord, that we may all be filled with this Holy Spirit.
Here is the conclusion of today’s message. Dear brothers and sisters, today we have explored the depth of truth through the testimony of the apostles about Jesus Christ. Their testimony is not simply a historical record or a story made up by human reasoning; it is the evidence of God’s redemptive plan, which He Himself orchestrated and fulfilled. The birth, death, resurrection, and return of Jesus Christ align with numerous prophecies, and at the heart of it all is God’s plan of salvation.
However, what is most important is that the Holy Spirit assures us of this testimony within our hearts. Without the work of the Holy Spirit, all of this truth would remain mere knowledge. But when the Holy Spirit comes upon us, we can truly encounter Jesus Christ personally. This is a truth that becomes real and experiential in our lives.
The apostles saw, heard, and touched Jesus, and their lives were a living testimony of Him. Through their testimony, we can stand firmly on the rock of faith. Today, I hope that we too will be led by the same Holy Spirit to know Jesus more deeply and to be assured of His living presence. I pray that each of you will become witnesses of Jesus Christ. May our lives testify to Jesus, and may His love and the Gospel of salvation shine through our words and actions. I bless each of you to live a life filled with the Holy Spirit, being used for God’s glory. Let us all pray together.