Summertime StoriesSample

Acts 26:16 

16 Now get to your feet! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant and witness. Tell people that you have seen me, and tell them what I will show you in the future.

Here we have the Apostle Paul brought to trial before King Agrippa and Governor Festus, two prominent local officials. Paul stands accused by the Jewish leaders of treason and blasphemy for his faith in Jesus. Agrippa is a man of faith himself, a follower of Judaism, while Festus is a pagan Roman. Both are curious to hear from Paul about Christ, and so he is given the opportunity to share about the Lord with everyone in the court.

What a scene! The most successful minister of the Gospel who ever lived now has the chance to deliver the sermon of a lifetime! He can say anything here, any doctrinal teaching, any dynamic exposition that he chooses to convince these powerful men that Jesus is the only way.

What would you say? Would you try to amaze them with your knowledge? Intimidate them with dire warnings of fire and judgment? Would you expound the Scriptures and construct an air-tight logical argument? Would you poke holes in their own religions and worldview to show that yours was superior?

Paul could have done all that and more, but he doesn’t. Instead, he simply shares his own story of how he met Jesus and the change that moment brought to his life. Imagine! Paul is more than capable of preaching an eloquent, moving sermon, but instead falls back on the power of his own testimony.

What a great comfort for the rest of us. We don’t have to be able to preach great sermons in order to see God use us to bring others to the saving knowledge of Christ. All we have to do is share the story of what Christ has done in us. 

That’s what Jesus meant when He said we would be His witnesses. A witness is someone who testifies regarding something they experienced. They don’t have to be an expert, they just have to share what happened to them, and the same is true for the people of God.

Today, pray for an opportunity to share what Christ has done for you. It is your story and your testimony, not your sermon and your theology, that will spark faith in the lives of others.