When I read a book like this I do so with a highlighter or at the very least a pen to mark the passages that resonate with me. I have to be careful not to over-highlight as I try to set apart those thoughts that I want to be reminded of the next time I pick up this book. I thought it might be interesting to review some of those highlighted excerpts with you.
In just the introduction here are the insights I noted:
'You need others to get the job done. And it's also a lot more fun that way.'
Sweet adds a quote from Larry Crabb a psychologist who said, 'The church is a community of people on a journey to God.' I liked both those thoughts as I am a firm believer in the power of people when they come together. Reminds me of the great concerts and balloon events and sold out dinner theatre events we did together as a church. Most of all I am reminded of the power and beauty of encouragement that believers offer each other.
Sweet adds, 'Disciples of Jesus are "finishers", sprinters who finish races, who "press toward the mark", toward "what lies ahead" and end up at the places to which they are summoned.' And I think how cool it would be to be a part of a congregation, or just a group of people who fit that description. How great it would be to 'end up at the places to which we are summoned' by God. How fulfilling would it be to be able to say 'Okay here we are, made it, got that done for You, now what?'
Another '11' introductory insight: 'The Greek work "morturos" means witness from which we get our word martyr. Martyrs were people who "witnessed", who put their lives where their lips were. Sweet writes a sentence later, 'But before the apostles could be "witnesses to Him" they first had simply "to be with" Him, to be "Withnesses".' I'm sure Sweet would agree that 'witness' and 'withness' are one in the same. I don't think we can be hit and run witnesses - we need to be 'love and stay' withness witnesses, people who 'care and then share' God's great Gospel news.
One last fun quote, 'Yes, sometimes we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. Other times we are surrounded by a great cloud of witlesses. But most of all we need to be surrounded by a great cloud of 'Withnesses'. I believe that. We need each other as Paul wrote in Romans 1:12 'I'm eager to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours. In this way, each of us will be a blessing to the other.'(NLT) Paul calls us Withnesses for each other and to be 'Home on the Range' where 'Seldom is heard a discouraging word'.
These highlights come just from the introduction- and I marked even more in this opening chapter - so there are plenty of things for me to forget and then be reminded of later. The good news is we should all be encouraged by our time together, as we work towards presenting a thankful response to God's great free gifts of love, grace, and eternal life. Here's to each of us being a 'withness' to someone today, an encourager, a care-er, a share-er. See you at the finish line!
Blest Regards,
kp
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