TESTI M
Primary witnesses from the first Century who testified of Jesus
These are the words of John, the Apostle, testifying that Jesus was the Son of God, the giver of eternal life. 1 John 1:1-4
‘ The Word that gives life was from the beginning, and this is the one our message is about. Our ears have heard, our own eyes have seen, and our hands touched this Word. The one who gives life appeared! We saw it happen, and we are witnesses to what we have seen. Now we are telling you about this eternal life that was with the Father and appeared to us. We are telling you what we have seen and heard, so that you may share in this life with us. And we share in it with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. We are writing to tell you these things, because this makes us truly happy.”
John the Baptist, who sensed the presence of the yet unborn Jesus, leaped in his mother Elizabeth’ s womb. John the Baptist also testified of Jesus when he grew up and started His ministry.
“ The next day, John saw Jesus coming toward him and said: Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! He is the one I told you about when I said,‘ Someone else will come. He is greater than I am, because he was alive before I was born.’ I didn’ t know who he was. But I came to baptize you with water, so that everyone in Israel would see him. I was there and saw the Spirit come down on him like a dove from heaven. And the Spirit stayed on him. Before this I didn’ t know who he was. But the one who sent me to baptize with water had told me,‘ You will see the Spirit come down and stay on someone. Then you will know that he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I saw this happen, and I tell you that he is the Son of God.” John 1:29-34
Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, also testified of Jesus.
“ One of the two men who had heard John and had gone with Jesus was Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother and tell him,‘ We have found the Messiah!’ The Hebrew word‘ Messiah’ means the same as the Greek word‘ Christ.’” John 1:40-41
Next, read the insightful testimony of a man born blind who was healed by Jesus and went to show himself to the leaders of the time.
“ Some of the Pharisees said,‘ This man Jesus doesn’ t come from God. If he did, he would not break the law of the Sabbath.’ Others asked,‘ How could someone who is a sinner work such a miracle?’ Since the Pharisees could not agree among themselves, they asked the man,‘ What do you say about this one who healed your eyes?’‘ He is a prophet!’ the man told them. But the Jewish leaders would not believe that the man had once been blind. They sent for his parents and asked them,‘ Is this the son that you said was born blind? How can he now see?’ The man’ s parents answered,‘ We are certain that he is our son, and we know that he was born blind. But we don’ t know how he got his sight or who gave it to him. Ask him! He is old enough to speak for himself.’ The man’ s parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. The leaders had already agreed that no one was to have anything to do with anyone who said Jesus was the Messiah. The leaders called the man back and said,‘ Swear by God to tell the truth! We know that Jesus is a sinner.’ The man replied,‘ I don’ t know if he is a sinner or not. All I know is that I used to be blind, but now I can see!’‘ What did he do to you?’ the Jewish leaders asked.‘ How did he heal your eyes?’ The man answered,
‘ I have already told you once, and you refused to listen. Why do you want me to tell you again? Do you also want to become his disciples?’ The leaders insulted the man and said,‘ You are his follower! We are followers of Moses. We are sure that God spoke to Moses, but we don’ t even know where Jesus comes from.’‘ How strange!’ the man replied.‘ He healed my eyes, and yet you don’ t know where he comes from. We know that God listens only to people who love and obey him. God doesn’ t listen to sinners. And this is the first time in history that anyone has ever given sight to someone born blind. Jesus could not do anything unless he came from God.’ The leaders told the man,‘ You have been a sinner since the day you were born! Do you think you can teach us anything?’ Then they said,‘ You can never come back into any of our meeting places!’’ John 9:16-34.
Finally, the woman at the well ran and told her whole community that Jesus was the Messiah.“
The woman left her water jar and ran back into town. She said to the people,‘ Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! Could he be the Messiah?’ Everyone in town went out to see Jesus … A lot of Samaritans in that town put their faith in Jesus because the woman had said,‘ This man told me everything I have ever done.’ They came and asked him to stay in their town, and he stayed on for two days. Many more Samaritans put their faith in Jesus because of what they heard him say. They told the woman,‘ We no longer have faith in Jesus just because of what you told us. We have heard him ourselves, and we are certain that he is the Savior of the world!’” John 4:28-30, 39-42. p
18 | SHARE | MAGAZINE April- June 2016