Thursday, April 17, 2014

Sharing Your Story

How would you like to share the story of what God has done in your life? Start by looking at Paul’s story of how he became a believer in Jesus.

In the story of Acts 26 Paul was telling King Agrippa how he became a believer in Jesus. You will notice that Paul was used to be called “Saul.” He was the same person, just two different names. What was Paul like before he became a believer in Jesus? (v.9-11). He arrested Christians and even agreed to killing Christians. What happened that got Paul’s attention? (v.13-14)? Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus.

In this chapter Paul was telling the story of how God changed his life. He turned from his sins and put his faith in Jesus as his Savior.

What did Paul hope to happen to King Agrippa? That he too will become a believer in Jesus.

God uses the story of our conversion to faith in Christ to help others to put their trust in Him. God wants us to tell our story to others (even if it is not as dramatic as Paul’s).

Paul’s life was radically changed by his encounter with Jesus. To him it was the difference between life an death!

In Ephesians 2:1-10, Paul told us what happen to a person who becomes a believer in Jesus. He said before we believed in Christ we were all dead in sin, following the ways of the world and Satan. But God in His mercy made a way for us to be made alive! The way is explained in verses 8 and 9.

Pray: Name three people you will likely see this week who needs new life in Jesus. Ask God for the opportunity to share your testimony with them this week. Pray about a personal need.

Go: Share your testimony with 3 people who need to hear about Jesus. Take 3 minutes to tell your story of how you came to trust in Christ. In two sentences tell them what you were like before you came to Christ. Then in 3 or 4 sentences tell how you came to believe in Jesus. Then in one sentence tell how your life has changed since. It is very important that this testimony be no more than 3-4 minutes. Keep it short!

28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?”
29 Paul replied, “Short time or long—I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.”
- Acts 26:28-29 (NIV)

1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,
2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.
3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.
4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,
5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,
7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—
9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. 
- Ephesians 2:1-10 (NIV)

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