Strong Forward: Witness to the Ends of the Earth

A witness is someone who sees/experiences something that has taken place. How often do we live as a witness for a professional sports team or athlete? Even the NBA player LeBron James had an entire Nike campaign centered around the phrase, “We are all witnesses.” The world clearly knows the value of individuals claiming witness.

In the world of athletics, we are witnesses of all sorts of things. We are witnesses of our teams. We are witnesses of our favorite professional teams/coaches. We are witnesses of iconic moments. The times we witness an incredible moment in sports, we find ourselves talking about for weeks and maybe even years. We may even fall into the trap of becoming “self-witnesses,” and allow pride to dictate how we talk about our own success or achievements. We must identify our natural desire to talk about what we have witnessed and ask God to use that desire for the sake of advancing His Kingdom.

In Acts 1:8, Jesus encourages the believers right before His ascension when He said, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere--in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” The amazing thing about this passage is how it reveals God’s mission and His plan for believers to participate in it. Jesus is leaving the disciples to be with the Father in Heaven, and He leaves them with a task. Yet, He does not leave without a promise of empowerment. God is in such pursuit of genuine relationship with His creation that He sent the Holy Spirit to dwell within believers so that they may be empowered to share what they have seen and experienced through Christ Jesus. Believers are called to be Christ’s witness wherever they are.

As coaches and athletes, we must take a hold of this call to be Christ’s witness. The truth of the Gospel should be at the center of every aspect of our lives through every season of life. God seeks to redeem our works and passions for the sake of advancing the Kingdom. So, let us live as witnesses for Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.