Two Minute Testimony (1/2)

Acts 26

How many of you are pretty handy? And I mean by handy that you tend to be able to fix things without asking someone for help, whether that’s your husband, dad, wife, or a service person like a plumber or repair man?

Now handy people tend to be resourceful and are able to use various things to make improvements, although it may not be a permanent fix.

How many of you have ever used something other than a hammer to drive a nail?

Shoe? Or pipe? a board? a rock? the nearest hard object?

Driving a nail is like giving the gospel to someone. There are a lot of ways to get it into the wood, but some tools are more effective and efficient than others.

Our Wednesday night teen Bible Study has been working on a semester long project to write out their faith story.

Today, we’ll be emphasizing the importance of knowing and being able to tell your faith story.

As I was discussing with Chris about what the theme of this message will be, we went back and forth between

It may not necessarily be

because, there are several things that your faith story needs to include to be really effective.

Just like a hammer has a long handle to hold, generally it has a nice grip so it wont slip, it has a solid head with a fork for balance and pulling nails, as well as the famous rounded narrow face to drive the nail.

Your faith story will include your life before, during and after your encounter with Jesus. And every good faith story will include the gospel.

Acts 25.

Context:

you can look at your handout. This is adapted from a summary sheet pastor Chris has been working on.

Look at the thesis:

To be a good summary of Acts, it has to have

Word

Spirit

Church

Jesus is building His Church through the Spirit empowered proclamation of the Word amid, and even through, the many conflicts of a fallen world.

Look at the progression

Jesus ascends giving them the great commission: Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. baptize and teach them to do what I’ve said. And I will be with you in power to be my witnesses not just in Jerusalem, but Samaria and to the ends of the earth.

Pentecost comes and this amazing display of supernatural Holy Spirit power where all the disciples are speaking the gospel in languages they’ve never learned and about 3,000 people are baptized and added to the church that day.

Jerusalem: church is growing like crazy. The apostles and many disciples are doing miracles and signs in front of everyone. No one can deny this supernatural power.

However, many people, especially the religious leaders were so angry with them that they dragged a Christian named Stephen out of the city and stoned him to death.

And the persecution of believers begins to ramp up.

One of the key players in the persecution is Saul, who is gloriously converted from trying to imprison and kill Christians TO be a Christian: a disciple of Jesus in chapter 9, where he begins to proclaim the resurrection of Jesus Christ. ((some of us may know what that feels like…at one time we are fighting the things of God and then all of a sudden God grips our hearts, and spins us around and uses us make Jesus famous right where we are.))

But the persecution doesn’t slow down much and the Christians begin to leave Jerusalem and migrate to Samaria and Syria.

Paul begins to travel as a missionary to Antioch, Cyprus, and modern day Turkey, then all over the world that is becoming increasingly modernized and connected by these brilliant Roman roads.

Luke is setting the stage for all the epistles to be written

corinthians, ephesians, galatians

To whom?? TO churches

Planted right here in Acts

You see the progression eventually reaches Rome with the implication that there is nothing that can stop it—the Gentiles, which really includes us today, will be reached with the Gospel.

Let’s look specifically at chapter 25

Paul is arrested by governor Felix, who throws Paul in jail hoping for a bribe and to do the jews a favor.

Paul sits in jail for two years until Felix is replaced by Festus.

As soon as he comes to power, the Jewish leaders beg Festus to move Paul from Caesarea to Jerusalem because they want to ambush him on the way.

They can’t prove even one of their accusations, but Festus wants to do them a favor.

Festus asks Paul if he would be willing to be tried in Jerusalem?

Paul replies in

Acts 25:10–12 ESV

10 But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s tribunal, where I ought to be tried. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you yourself know very well. 11 If then I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I do not seek to escape death. But if there is nothing to their charges against me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar.” 12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go.”

Roman citizens had the option to appeal to a higher court, similar to how we understand appeals here. The Roman judicial system had served Paul well before, but if he stayed here in Judea it was certain he wasn’t going to get a fair trial.

As soon as Paul appeals to Caesar, God’s plan to send the gospel to Rome is set in motion.

Festus doesn’t think Paul has done anything worthy of death, but doensn’t know how to handle all these people shouting for him to be killed. So he asks if King Agrippa will assist saying that the Jews want to kill him over disputes about their own religion, where a certain Jesus, who was dead, but whom Paul asserts to be alive. v19

So Agrippa asks to see Paul himself.

And tells Paul he can speak freely.

Paul begins to speak very shrewdly. He says glad he’s standing before King Agrippa because he’s heard that Agrippa knows and understands the customs and controversies of the Jews and is a believer in the prophets.

Paul takes this perfect opportunity to give his testimony.

He begins with his life BEFORE his encounter with Jesus.

He begins by saying (v4) he grew up in the strictest part of the Jewish religion and says, that he is on trial for one reason: he believes in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

v7b-8

Then he continues by describing how opposed he used to be the Jesus. He used to punish and persecute any followers of Jesus of Nazareth, even travelling to different cities to arrest them.

Acts 26:12–20 ESV

12 “In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. 13 At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. 14 And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15 And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, 17 delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you 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 place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ 19 “Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance.

If you’re looking for a micro gospel in your Bible, you can highlight the end of v18 and then v20.

THE GOSPEL CHANGES EVERYTHING !!

We had our Youth CLUE Live activity last night and shut the lights off in the whole building so all the teens had to run around with a flashlight. Without those lights, without the candles, they couldn’t make it through the game. They couldn’t have found the secret rooms or solved the mystery.

When the gospel enters your life it transforms you. It’s such a radical transformation that Paul describes it as light and darkness.

It changes their

heart: belief in God and turning away from sin

life: matches their faith and repentance

When I’m working with the teens, we used this template for our testimonies:

An introduction

Life before you were converted

Your encounter with God

Life after your encounter with God

Challenge to your listener

The teens made sure that their testimony ALWAYS INCLUDED THE GOSPEL.

We’ll have a few teens give their testimony as the conclusion of the message today.

So think about your faith story. Where does your journey to faith start?

You know where you ended up:

You believed in Jesus

Who were the key people or places involved?

What were you going through at the time?

What truths did God use to really grip your heart?

Did it happen in a lightbulb moment? Or did it happen over time?

Think about if someone asked you, how do you know you’re a Christian?

You could give them your faith story

HERE are some ways NOT to give your testimony: BOOOO

I’ve always believed in God, and I try to do the church thing.

I’ve really tried to be a good person and you, know believe in God.

I’m not really a spiritual person but I think church is a good thing, you know.

I really feel like my family needed some church.

I’ve not always been the best Christian, but I do my best and really hope God will understand.

ALL OF THESE fall into the trap of

NO GOSPEL

There is no JESUS

There is no turning from darkness to light

There is no evidence of that change!

If this is your faith story, it will be about as effective as a driving this nail with a Krispy Kreme Donut.

Your personal testimony needs to have the gospel in it.

WHAT is the gospel? What elements have to be included for it to be the full gospel?

5 things, 5th is a 2-sided coin

Jesus, his perfect life, death, and resurrection, faith/repentance.

Jesus (not just God)

lived a perfect life I cant live

died as a sinner in our place

rose again

offers his righteousness to anyone who turns away from sin (REPENTS) and believes in Jesus.

a. Lot’s of people believe in God, but that doesn’t make them right with God.

The bible says that while we were still sinners, enemies of God, he died for us.

There has to be a shift FROM the power of Satan TO GOD

b. Jesus was not just a normal person, he was God, the perfect human. Fully God, Fully Man. Never separated from God by sin.

c. The bible says the punishment for sin, any sin, is death physical death and spiritual death: eternal separation from God. So when Jesus died on the cross, he got the punishment of a sinner. He was MADE to be sin. (2 Cor 5:21) SO THAT

d. when he rose again from the dead, he broke the power of sin and death and can offer eternal life with God to all who call on his name.

The way we say it in Youth Group is that you must desire to be close to God. You have to see your own sin and how it separates you from the Holy God. And the only way to fix that divide is to turn to Jesus to save you.

There is nothing you can do for yourself.

No amount of church attendance or good works will fix your relationship with God.

Even the smallest sins condemn us. When we’ve broken even the tiniest part of the law with a little lie, or a little gossip, or a little pride, or a little lust, WE ARE GUILTY of the whole law.

Think about the law of God like a ceramic crockpot.

My wife and I got a used crockpot that from every appearance was in great shape. The first time we used it, however, we realized why we got such a great deal…there was a hairline crack that we could barely see. It had to be in just the right light to see it. But our soup found that crack and spilt right out the bottom.

We’ve all broken the law of God. But through Jesus Christ our sins can be forgiven.

This is why its so important to include the gospel in your testimony.

What people have you given your testimony to?

Who could you give your testimony to this week?

Some of us may be thinking, no way.

I don’t know enough about the Bible.

It may be true, that you feel like you don’t understand the whole Bible yet and would feel awkward if the person asks you questions.

But here’s something amazing: there is something you can do that no one else can do. NO ONE.

Me, Pastor Chris, Mark Dever, John Piper, Billy Graham or the apostle Paul. No one can do what you can do.

Give your personal testimony.

You’re the only one who knows how God moved your heart to hate sin and love Jesus.

Maybe you think, you know, my personal relationship is just that, personal, and its nobody’s business.

There’s just one problem with that. God commanded all believers to give the gospel to others Matthew 28:18-20

He commands us to be ready to tell people with gentleness and respect about the HOPE that is in us. 1 Peter 3:15

Maybe you say, well, I’m not really good with words.

Consider writing it out. These teens spent about four hours over the course of six months writing theirs. Maybe you should get started on it.

Come to us pastors. We’d love to help you talk through it and we’d love to hear your faith story. I can’t express the joy it gives a pastor to hear how Jesus changed your life.

It doesn’t have to be a pulitzer prize winning thing.

Don’t get paralyzed by imperfection.

That would be like never nailing in the nail with the hammer because you haven’t had a lot of experience swinging a hammer.

Maybe you’re not sure that you have a very exciting story at all. You believe the gospel, but you just didn’t have a lightbulb moment of prayer.

That’s ok. Everyone is different. God works at different paces and in different ways for each one of us. There is no right or wrong way to give your testimony.

The template I’m suggesting is just to help you think through the progression of faith.

What was your life like before you became a Christian?

What did you do that you know was sin?

What helped you understand the gospel?

What things did God change in your heart?

Was your encounter with Jesus sudden or gradual?

How has your faith changed your life?

End with a challenge to your listener as Paul did.

Look at Paul’s challenge in Acts 26:25-29

Festus accuses Paul of being crazy, but Paul replies, v25

If Jesus has given you new life. If he has forgiven you for your sin. If he has given you hope of eternal life with God, HOW can you NOT tell others about it?

It should be the desire of every Christian to give others the Gospel. ESPECIALLY those they love. Maybe you want to tell someone about Jesus, but you’re not sure how.

I have an idea for you.

I think I know something that could potentially be the very best way to share the gospel with someone:

your personal testimony.

********IF I EVER PREACH THIS AGAIN********

You must call the audience to respond in faith and repentance. I did not call those who may have never accepted salvation.

********IF I EVER PREACH THIS AGAIN********

What is conversion? Is it important? Have you been born-again? How do you tell people about it?

Have teens give testimonies

encourage them to write out their testimony and give it to the pastors -great thing, encouraging

our spiritual testimony is for all to know

be ready to give an answer

confess with your mouth you

deny before my father

Matthew 10:30–33 ESV

But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

Background

24 to 25 has two years

Old governer felix got replaced with festus

Jewish leaders immediately ambush him

but all accusations can’t be proved

Festus wants to do the jews a favor, but

Paul says if i’m worthy of death, just kill me don’t send me to Jerusalem. Keep me in ceasarea

Festus talks to Aggrippa that Paul hasn’t done anything worthy of death

application

-let us help you. we pastors would love to sit d

-tell someone this month

-ask your parents