Welcome back to the podcast! One of the most powerful tools we have as believers is our personal testimony—our story of encountering Jesus and experiencing His transforming power. In today's episode, we'll look at Paul's approach to this while he stood trial.
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The Apostle Paul provides a masterclass in sharing one’s testimony in Acts 25–26 when he stands trial before Governor Festus and King Agrippa. His defense is not just a legal argument but a compelling gospel presentation. Today we’ll talk about five steps to sharing your testimony effectively. But first, a couple of introductory comments to set this thing up…
Some people wait for the perfect opportunity to share their testimony, but it never comes. They expect a “divine encounter” to be obvious and heavenly, but usually it’s just another moment in an otherwise ordinary day. In fact, it could even be on your worst day that God drops an opportunity on your lap. That’s what seemed to happen with Paul:
Acts 24:27 (NLT) 27 After two years went by in this way [Paul in prison after being falsely accused], Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. And because Felix wanted to gain favor with the Jewish people, he left Paul in prison.
Paul didn’t take a break from sharing his faith when he was imprisoned and on his way to Rome for trial. Every step of the way, wherever he found himself, he looked for opportunities to tell people his story - and more importantly the gospel story. Here’s how he said it to his understudy:
2 Timothy 4:2 (NLT) 2 Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not….
Swan - Possibly ref. Peter as well for those who believe they have screwed up too badly to credibly share the Gospel???
1 Peter 3:15 (NLT) …And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.
When it comes to sharing your testimony, don’t wait for the perfect opportunity. Be ready to share your story on the good days and the bad days. Any moment can be a divine encounter; you just have to be looking for it.
Great conversation starters:
Paul was a genius when it came to communicating the gospel to different types of people. He started with his people, the Jews. Then he moved on to the Gentiles. In these chapters he’s…
Acts 25:17-19 (NLT) 17 When his accusers came here for the trial, I didn’t delay. I called the case the very next day and ordered Paul brought in. 18 But the accusations made against him weren’t any of the crimes I expected. 19 Instead, it was something about their religion and a dead man named Jesus, who Paul insists is alive.
1 Corinthians 9:22-23 (NLT) 22 … Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. 23 I do...
