Gospel in a Minute
Paul continued his testimony by introducing the supernatural part of his story.
As I was on the road, approaching Damascus about noon, a very bright light from heaven suddenly shone down around me. 7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ 8 “‘Who are you, lord?’ I asked. “And the voice replied, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, the one you are persecuting.’ Acts 22:6-8 (NLT)
Principle: Share How God Showed Up
A testimony is essentially the relating of how God intersected a life.
Unless God intervenes, we are headed for hell. We don’t need any help to pull that off. That was certainly the case with Paul. He was “hell bent” on persecuting Christians in an attempt to stamp out what had become known as the Way. He was the chief enemy of the faith and perhaps the most unlikely of all people to have an encounter with the risen Christ, and that is exactly the point.
This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. 16 But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. 1 Timothy 1:15-16 (NLT)
A good testimony invites people to consider that God is real, cares about us, and is able to communicate effectively. Most people are unaware that this sort of thing can happen, and, even if they know it can, they do not believe it will.
If we have successfully made people realize we were just as unlikely a candidate for divine intervention as they are, our testimony may require them to come to terms that the gospel might be for them, too. When I share with people how God intersected my life and revealed to me that Jesus is truly who the Bible says he is, I always tell them that God does not turn away any sincere seeker. If our listeners will honestly turn to God and ask him for help, the Lord will not turn his back on them.
A testimony offers people hope that God will intersect their lives, too.
However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. John 6:37 (NLT)
