Share Your Story

Introduction

Sermon Series: Unhindered

Sermon Text:

Introduction

Today, we are going to finish our series on the New Testament book of Acts called Unhindered. We have been looking through this book that has shown how the church got its start and how the gospel of Jesus Christ went forward breaking down any barrier that stood in its way.

Last week, we saw God using a hard situation for His glory. Paul and Silas had been sharing the gospel and even was used to deliver a young lady from a demon that controlled her. You would think that this would be a time of rejoicing, but the people did not understand what God was doing. They had Paul and Silas beaten and thrown into prison.

God had other plans though. As Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises to Him, God brought deliverance. It wasn’t necessarily for Paul and Silas but rather for the jailer and his family as they heard and responded to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Where we are going to be looking at this morning takes place about 5-7 years after where we saw Paul last. We know that Paul was released from that prison we last saw him in. He went on to finish his missionary journey and returned to Antioch in . Paul would set out on another missionary journey that would take him around to many of the places he had been before.

This third missionary journey though would be the last one that we know about in the book of Acts. It would end with Paul once again in chains and headed to Rome. This came about because, as a Roman citizen, Paul appealed his case to Caesar.

Paul brought before King Agrippa

While Paul was awaiting being transported to Rome, we was brought before some of the leaders of the area. These leaders would not be able to decide Paul’s case because he had appealed to Caesar, but they wanted to hear it. It was a show for many of them.

Sadly, many in our world today treat God’s workings much the same way… a show. The appetite to be entertained is at an all-time high in our culture. Preachers are asked not to bring the life-changing Word of God to people as much as they are to keep them entertained either by stroking the people’s egos and making them feel better about themselves in a relevant manner or “stepping on their toes.”

When we look to the first-century Christians like the Apostle Paul, we see that they had no interest in entertaining people. They were sold out to the command of Jesus to take the gospel to all who needed to hear it. They didn’t mind so much how it came across — if it would get a lot of “shares” or “retweets” on social media. They simply took the opportunities given to them and faithfully shared the gospel. As Christians today in the 21st century, we are called to do the same thing.

As Christians, many of us know that we should share the gospel of Jesus Christ with other people. One big hindrance that comes with that task is that many do not feel that they know how to do that. There are many ways in which a person can share the gospel with others, but what I have found to be the easiest way is to simply share your story.

In as Paul is brought before a political leader of the area known as King Agrippa, we see a “how to” in sharing the story that God is authoring with our lives.

Sharing Your Story

Your life before meeting Jesus

As you begin to share your story, start with what your life was like before you came into a relationship with Jesus.

Acts 26:4–11 CSB

4 “All the Jews know my way of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own people and in Jerusalem. 5 They have known me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived as a Pharisee. 6 And now I stand on trial because of the hope in what God promised to our ancestors, 7 the promise our twelve tribes hope to reach as they earnestly serve him night and day. King Agrippa, I am being accused by the Jews because of this hope. 8 Why do any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead? 9 In fact, I myself was convinced that it was necessary to do many things in opposition to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 I actually did this in Jerusalem, and I locked up many of the saints in prison, since I had received authority for that from the chief priests. When they were put to death, I was in agreement against them. 11 In all the synagogues I often punished them and tried to make them blaspheme. Since I was terribly enraged at them, I pursued them even to foreign cities.

Paul shares what his life was like before he met Jesus. He shares that he was a religious man. He was a Pharisee in the Jewish faith — one of the teachers and keepers of the Torah. He did everything he could to wipe the name of Jesus off the face of the earth. He persecuted Christians greatly and even was for seeing them killed for their faith.

Some feel that they do not have much of a “story” because there may not be much to this chapter of their story. You may have come to faith early in life. There may not be instances of wild-living, addictions, and other “big sins.”

Can I tell you a truth? This chapter does not “make” your story. This part of your story is simply to show others that God calls all kinds of people to Himself — the blatant sinners and those who are perceived as good. This part of your story is to build a bridge with someone and show them that this isn’t some rehearsed sales pitch — this is what has happened in your life.

The meat and miracle of any Christian’s story does not come in this chapter. That comes in what Paul Harvey would call, “…the rest of the story.”

How you met Jesus

After you share with someone what your life was like before meeting Jesus, tell them about how you came to faith in Christ. This is how you came to realize that you needed Jesus.

Acts 26:12–15 CSB

12 “I was traveling to Damascus under these circumstances with authority and a commission from the chief priests. 13 King Agrippa, while on the road at midday, I saw a light from heaven brighter than the sun, shining around me and those traveling with me. 14 We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice speaking to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15 “I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ “And the Lord replied: ‘I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting.

Paul moved to sharing about his experience on the Damascus Road. He shares about the bright light and Jesus speaking to him. Up to this point, Paul had been fighting against Jesus. It was at this point that Paul realized that the very One he was fighting against was the One that he needed most.

You may not have had an experience like Paul. There may have been no blinding lights and audible words from God. Just because those elements are not in your story does not mean that your story is not worth sharing.

There are some people that can tell you the day, the time, and the exact place when that moment happened — when they called out to Jesus and were saved. Others it was more of a process.

The key question to this part of a person’s story is: was there a time when you realized that you were a sinner, your sin separated you from God, you trusted Jesus by faith for the forgiveness of your sins and to give you a new life together with God?

This chapter of your story is the most important part of the story. This is what makes the story worth sharing.

Your life since you met Jesus

Coming to Jesus by faith is the greatest part of your story, but it is not the end of your story. One question that is in the hearts of many you share the gospel with is: Does it work? Does it make a difference? This is where you can share that the answer to that question is a resounding, YES!!!

Acts 26:16–23 CSB

16 But get up and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. 17 I will rescue you from your people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ 19 “So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. 20 Instead, I preached to those in Damascus first, and to those in Jerusalem and in all the region of Judea, and to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works worthy of repentance. 21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and were trying to kill me. 22 To this very day, I have had help from God, and I stand and testify to both small and great, saying nothing other than what the prophets and Moses said would take place— 23 that the Messiah must suffer, and that, as the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light to our people and to the Gentiles.”

Paul shows us that when Jesus comes into our lives it is not just to forgive us of our sins and reserve a spot in heaven for us; He enables us to live as God wants us to and impact this world for His glory during the time He gives us.

God was calling Paul to take his talents/abilities and use them for pointing people to God. He wants the same from our lives. He has created you uniquely with talents, abilities, and influence. He wants you to use those as He desires.

In verses 19-23, Paul shares that he is now living out the calling that God placed on his life to the best of his ability. We will not be perfect this side of heaven. We may still struggle with certain things from time to time. If Jesus has truly come into our lives, then there will be a change from who we were to who God is making us to be. If there is no change, then we might need to have a reality check of the heart.

In sharing that truth that Jesus brings the change we need, we show people that Jesus does work… He is the real deal… it is working in me!

Conclusion

Most Christians know that they should be sharing the gospel with others. It can be harder for some. We might encounter those who want to argue our knowledge of the Bible… we might encounter those who have questions that are above our pay-grade… we may not be very out-going… but the truth is that no one can argue a first-hand experience.

= They conquered him (Satan) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; for they did not love their lives to the point of death.

Revelation 12:11 CSB

11 They conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; for they did not love their lives to the point of death.

God is authoring amazing stories for His glory through the lives of those who simply trust and follow Him. If you have trusted in Jesus, He has given you a story worth sharing. You may not think that it is much, but it might just be the one thing that speaks to the heart of someone else like nothing else can.

You may wonder, can God really us my story? Remember these two things. First, the gospel is what makes a story worth sharing. Second, as the whole book of Acts has shown us, the gospel will go forward unhindered.

You may be here and realize that you do not have the story that we are talking about. You have never had that encounter with Jesus where you realized your sin and that it has separated you from God… that you have never trusted Jesus to forgive you of your sin and make you a new person in Him and committed to follow Him the rest of your life.

While you may have never done that before, today can be the day that chapter of your story is written.