What is the story of your life, both pre-Christ and since you put your trust in Him? The apostle Paul considered his life prior to the encounter with Jesus on the Damascus Road to be terrible. He said that he was the worst of all sinners! But that was not his testimony about his life after he met Jesus! We know Paul as the evangelist who, empowered and directed by God’s Holy Spirit, turned the word upside down by proclaiming the Good News about salvation in Jesus Christ all over Asia Minor and eastern Europe.
That was 2000 years ago. What about now? What about you and me? How have we used our story to introduce people – our families, friends and neighbors – to our Lord Jesus Christ? Each of us has our pre-Christ story and our story about what Jesus has done for and with us since we met and trusted Him. I know people who won’t share their story because they think their life pre-Christ isn’t all that interesting. I also know men and women whose story would curl your hair. I would classify my story somewhere between these extremes. It doesn’t matter. God can and will use your testimony about what Jesus has done and is doing in your life to draw people to faith in Jesus. Your pre-Christ story is only important as a tool to get people’s attention and give them a hook to connect with you and your story. The real power of your story is how Jesus has been at work in you. How He has changed you. How He has used you in the lives of others.
In the scripture above, Paul declared that Jesus came into our world to save sinners. His purpose was to SAVE SINNERS. Jesus cares about sinners. That’s why He brought His message to you and me – to save us! Who was it in your life who shared Jesus and His love with you? In my life there were several. They told me the story of what Jesus had done for and in them and the Holy Spirit made it ring true in my mind and heart so that I chose to trust Jesus. Where would I be if no one had told me their story about how Jesus reached them? LOST and WITHOUT HOPE – that’s where!
I am so glad that God led these people to share their stories with me so that I could come to faith in Jesus as my Lord and Savior.
Jesus told His disciples, and by extension, us, ““Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” (Mark 16:15-16) Most of us are not “preachers”, so how do we do this? How do we preach the Good News to our family, friends and neighbors? By telling them our story! We have no idea how powerful our story is when we trust Jesus with it and simply tell it.
The neat thing about sharing our story with people is that we don’t have to memorize anything or be a great speaker. Each of us knows our own story of what we were like before we met Jesus and how He has changed us for His glory. You may think it is scary to do this and that no one would want to listen to us, but such thinking discounts the power of God to make people receptive. I have often gone door to door doing this. I would simply introduce myself and tell them, “Jesus has done some pretty great stuff in my life. May I tell you my story?” Surprisingly, some of them said, “Yes!” and some of them put their trust in Jesus!
Let’s get busy and tell our story to all who will listen.
Where would you be today if someone had not shared their Jesus story with you?
Who can you seek to share your story with? Make a list and work your way through it.
Lord Jesus,
I recognize that you intend for me to tell other people how they can know you. You have given me the simple tool of telling my story of how I met you and what you have been doing in and through me. Please fill me with your Spirit and give me courage to become your storyteller. Let me have the joy of leading people to you for your glory and their good. Thank you, Lord.
Amen!!!
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