Witnessing to an Invisible Audience

Our vision of witness is often too small. We need to have our imaginative coordinates expanded.

As an example, who was the story of Job for? God, Job, us, yes. It was also for the “sons of God” and “Satan” (Job 1:6). God was making a point with Job to an audience that Job never saw. Job’s three friends learned a lesson, plus Elihu, and probably his wife. But the witness of God’s work went to a crowd invisible to men, to the spiritual beings in the cosmos.

So also, “as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26). Who are we proclaiming for? For our own remembrance, for our kids who ask what it’s all about, perhaps for visitors/outsiders (think 1 Corinthians 14:24-25). But there’s an additional layer/level of witness far beyond us.

The gospel of grace that includes the unsearchable riches of Christ makes a people that make a point.

so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in heavenly places. (Ephesians 3:10)

My friend Jonathan wrote a song in 2006 called “Wind and Rain.” He added a second verse a few years ago and it reckons with God’s witness through the church.

Creation still groans while dominions and thrones
Praise the Ruler of angel and man
In Your Church you display all Your wisdom and they
Learn of grace they cannot understand
And Your saints are the ones You’ve adopted as sons
By the Spirit we answer Your call
Now Your merciful vessels with spirits do wrestle
The outcome is sure for us all

Of course it’s not limited to when the church shares the Lord’s Supper, but there’s no reason to exclude mealtime. The Lord’s death has paid for our sins, we are forgiven, reconciled, made alive, united to Him and each other. Who would have thought? Not the cosmic forces. But they get a front row seat week by week. We are all witnesses of the gracious hand of our God on us.