April 27, 2025

We Are Witnesses

Pastor Rok Lee

Acts 5:27-32

27 When they had brought them, they had them stand before the council. The high priest questioned them, 28 saying, “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you are determined to bring this man’s blood on us.” 29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than any human authority. 30 The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”

We are disciples of Jesus and witnesses of His resurrection. Right? But has anyone here actually seen the resurrected Jesus with their own eyes? Or has anyone met Jesus 2,000 years ago? A witness is someone who was at the scene of an event. In other words, if you weren’t there, you can’t really be a witness. Imagine a witness testifying in court. But what if that person wasn’t even there when the event happened? Then whatever they say would be considered false. Still, we call ourselves witnesses of Jesus. But to people in the world, our words can sound like nonsense.

So why do we call ourselves witnesses? Or, at least, can we prove that Jesus really rose from the dead? According to a 2017 survey, one out of four Christians in the UK said they do not believe in Jesus’ resurrection. A 2022 survey in the US showed similar results: 23% of American Christians said they don’t believe in the resurrection. Even so, many people do believe that Jesus’ resurrection is real. I say “many” because, honestly, no one today can prove the resurrection.

Let’s say that yesterday, on my way home, I met a zombie wandering around a cemetery. I was afraid it might hurt someone, so I quickly stopped it and locked it back inside the cemetery. If I told you this story, would you believe me? I’m a pastor—surely I wouldn’t lie during a sermon, right? Even if only ¼ of you believed me, that would still be amazing!

Of course, I never actually saw a zombie. The reason I tell you this is because to many people, the story of Jesus’ resurrection sounds just as crazy as fighting a zombie.

Then what’s the life of the witnesses of the resurrection and what says on it? Let’s explore together.  First, we must have certainty about the resurrection in our hearts. If we don’t believe in the resurrection ourselves, we cannot be true witnesses.

When two sides tell conflicting stories in court, the judge must figure out who is telling the truth. But since the judge wasn’t there at the scene, they can’t know for sure. What they rely on is consistent and confident testimony.

Have you ever told a lie and had to keep making up more lies to cover it? When you lie, eventually your stories don’t match up. But when you tell the truth, you speak with boldness and consistency. Likewise, to witness to Jesus’ resurrection, we must be sure of it inside us.

Now, think about the witnesses recorded in the Bible. On the night Jesus was arrested, His disciples all ran away to save themselves. One disciple even ran away so fast that he left his clothes behind. Peter denied Jesus three times. But later, these same people changed completely. They risked their lives for Jesus and boldly testified about Jesus’ resurrection. What caused such a sudden change? They met the risen Jesus. After seeing Jesus alive, even the fear of death disappeared. Their testimony was full of certainty because they had seen Jesus with their own eyes.

Peter says in today’s Scripture: “We must obey God rather than human beings. The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging Him on a tree.” (Acts 5:29-30) At that time, the leaders of Israel were arresting, beating, and even killing people who spoke about Jesus. Even in that dangerous situation, Peter stood firm and said, “God raised Jesus from the dead.” Peter, who once denied Jesus to save himself, now spoke boldly and consistently. Why? Because he had witnessed the resurrection. If he hadn’t, he couldn’t have spoken with such confidence.

Next, to be a true witness of the resurrection, we need to experience the Holy Spirit. In the 2012 movie Fire with Fire, the main character, Jeremy, accidentally witnesses a murder. The murderer tries to kill him to cover it up. The movie shows Jeremy running for his life, with the help of a policeman named Mike. Like this, being a witness to a major event can put you in great danger. That’s why many people are afraid to testify. So, where does the strength to overcome fear come from? It comes from the Holy Spirit.

Did you know that one person can harvest about 220 lbs. of wheat by hand in a day? But with a tractor, they can harvest 10 to 20 times more. It’s the same with the Holy Spirit. What we can’t do alone, we can do with the Spirit’s help.

Look at the disciples. They didn’t start preaching immediately after Jesus rose again. Jesus told them, “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised… in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 1:4-5) They waited. And after receiving the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, they rushed out into the streets to preach about Jesus. Before receiving the Spirit, they were still full of fear. But after the Spirit came, they were full of power. Peter, who once denied Jesus, now preached boldly in front of huge crowds.

Receiving the Holy Spirit was the key to becoming true witnesses. Jesus even said, “The Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.” (Luke 12:12) Witnessing is not about using our own clever words—it’s about speaking what the Spirit gives us.

Peter was not a naturally smart or polished speaker. If you read the Gospels, you’ll see he often acted thoughtlessly and made mistakes. But when the Holy Spirit filled him, he spoke clearly and persuasively. Today’s passage says, “The Holy Spirit is also a witness.” (Acts 5:32) In the end, it’s the Holy Spirit who makes us true witnesses. Like the disciples, we need the Spirit to overcome fear and boldly proclaim Jesus’ resurrection.

Finally, true witnesses of the resurrection are people whose lives have been completely changed. It means their purpose in life has changed. In today’s Scripture, Peter confidently proclaims Jesus’ resurrection. This is the same Peter who once ran away to save himself. But now, even facing death, he proudly declares that Jesus is alive.

Before seeing the risen Jesus, Peter’s main concern was his own safety. But after encountering the risen Christ, he valued sharing the Gospel more than his own life. Peter’s life’s purpose shifted from self-protection to spreading the Good News.

Think again about the movie: the main character’s life changed completely after witnessing a murder. It’s very rare to witness such a thing, so it makes sense that it would change someone’s life forever. Imagine meeting an alien like in the movie E.T.. If you really met one, your life would never be the same, right? You would want to tell everyone.

Now think: how much more life-changing would it be to see a dead person come back to life? That’s why the disciples were willing to risk everything. You cannot go back to your old life after witnessing the resurrection. It is such a powerful and gracious event that it changes everything about you.

People who witnessed the resurrection no longer chased after the things they once thought were important. They realized that Jesus was the true center of life. That is what it means to be a witness of the resurrection.

Now, we may not be witnesses like Peter, who actually saw the risen Jesus. In the same way, we aren’t direct witnesses to Lincoln winning the Civil War, yet we don’t doubt it. There is overwhelming evidence, and we can teach our children about it with confidence.

In the same way, although we have not seen the resurrection with our own eyes, through the testimony of the Bible, the transformation of countless lives, and the Holy Spirit speaking within us, we can confidently witness to the resurrection. Therefore, we are truly witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection.

So then, how should we live as witnesses? What should our lives look like as we testify to the resurrection? It is crystal clear. Just like the people who witnessed the resurrection in the early church, we must live our lives for Jesus. If we truly believe in the resurrection, then we must use our entire lives for Jesus. Like the disciples, like Paul, and like countless faithful believers who came before us, we must live wholeheartedly for Christ.

Shouldn’t we, at least once in our lives, risk everything for Jesus? Shouldn’t we, at least once, live as though we would even lay down our lives for Jesus? That is the life of a true witness to the resurrection.

Dear church, let’s throw our lives into the hands of Jesus at least once. I truly hope that you will stake everything you have on Jesus. I hope that you will be the ones who would even step into a blazing fire for the sake of the Lord. Even if it feels like your life might fall apart and be ruined, I hope you will still willingly give your life for Jesus. May Jesus be the very center of your life.