lambs and lions

Wednesday April 3^rd, Acts 10: ³⁹ "We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree, ⁴⁰ but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. ⁴¹ He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen--by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. ⁴² He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. ⁴³ All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name." We are the witnesses of everything he did.  The pastor is not the witness, the evangelism committee is not the witness, the church building is not the witness.  We, the people of God in every walk of life are the witnesses whom God has already chosen for the task.  And what are we witnesses too?  We are called to be witnesses of and participants in forgiveness, healing, turning from feelings of fratricide to fraternity. That is our job; that is what it means to be the church of Jesus Christ.  We are the ones who offer forgiveness and hope and life and wholeness and the message of God’s love.  We are the ones who call out violence when we see it.  We all are the witnesses, the ones chosen by God.  Our message is to be one of grace, forgiveness, and a calling of the lambs and lions among us to sit down together and recognize one another in the breaking of the bread.