Solemnly Testifying

17 From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. 18 When they arrived, he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. 19 I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents. 20 You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. 21 I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.

22 “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

Acts 20:17-24

Hello!

My name is Colton Bryson. I have been going to the Wesley Foundation at Louisiana Tech since I was a freshman, and now I am in my fifth year. In that time, I have gone on a mission with the Wesley every year since I started college. I have been to Haiti and Romania previously, and I went to Mexico this past summer. What I have learned from these missions and from meeting my brothers and sisters around the world is how to see and love them. I have seen them gather in anticipation on the pier of a fishing village to welcome and share their lives with strangers. I have seen children laughing at simple things, and yet I’ve seen their bones through their skin due to starvation. I have seen Roma ( which we here in the States unknowingly call the slur ‘gypsies’) be called thieves and liars simply because of the color of their skin. I have witnessed children being torn away from those who love them and never returned. I have sat with families in Mexico who accepted me as one of their own even though my country calls them criminals.  I tell you all these things because I have also learned the importance of solemnly testifying to the gospel of the grace of God. To tell the truth about the love that Christ died for in our place.

For you see, on mission our work is to live life among the people as the church. We laugh with them, we cry with them, and we share our lives with them. We ask them what they need and help in every way we can whether that means simply sitting with widows and orphans, telling them how much they are loved, or breaking bread in their homes. Because of this work, because of what I’ve seen, I can no longer ignore my brother and sisters when I see them, and I cannot help but love them now.

If there is one thing that I most want you all to see and hear it is this, the good work that Jesus calls us to do requires this type of solemn testimony, of witness, and of the sharing of our lives with those that we meet so that we can spread the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. To love our neighbor as ourselves, knowing their humanity as we know ours. We are called to be disciples, and that means going out to the forgotten places. Places that no one wants to stay in, showing the same love that Christ first showed us. To let ourselves die to the world so that we may live again in the Love that is God. This is the foundation of my testimony to you all, that Jesus died for us sinners, and commands that we follow him and take part in the life that is given in our discipleship to Him.  I hope that you see this, and carry this with you in your prayers, hearts, and minds. Do not be afraid, go in peace, and love your neighbor.