This is My Story of Jesus in Me

Paul the Evangelist • Sermon • Submitted 3 months ago • Presented 3 months ago

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Learning to share your story about your encounter with Christ is much different than trying to convince people of the truth of the scriptures. Salvation is just as much an emotional experience as it is a mental one. In Acts 26 we see Paul simply telling the story of his encounter with the resurrected Christ and desires all to have this same experience.

Notes

Transcript

Introduction

Last year, the pastors went on a planning retreat to map out the year ahead. We were convinced that God would move through our church and many people would come to Christ in 2024. The theme for this year is relational evangelism - understanding how to share faith in a world that is hostile to the gospel.

The church began the year with a continuation of the book of Acts, with a focus on the evangelistic work of Paul through his discipleship efforts. Today, we conclude this series on Paul the Evangelist, and next week, we will move on to Jesus the Evangelist. The passage of Acts 26 serves as a great transition as it showcases both Paul and Jesus doing evangelistic work.

I think the benefit for us today is to see how Paul, over and over again, shares his faith by telling his story.

His story and our story should start something like this: “Let me tell you what happened to me and introduce you to the resurrected Christ that saved me.”

There were times for doctrinal debates that he would have in the synagogue and some would be saved.

There were times of sharing the truth of the gospel through the lens of the scriptures.

But the beginning work of evangelism is recounting your story of when you met the resurrected Christ.

Paul had a physical encounter with Christ on the road to Damasus that transformed him completely. This encounter altered his purpose and plans in life, making him a different person. As a six-year-old boy in my first-grade classroom, I realized that I had sinned and needed a Savior. Although I don't recall the scriptures that were read to me that day, I met the Savior and was saved from my sins. I walked out of that classroom in a covenant relationship with the risen Savior that I still cherish today. I was redeemed and changed forever.

When many people think of evangelism, they often imagine a strategy that involves presenting the truth of the Bible in a way that will convince others to accept it. However, the issue lies in the fact that salvation is not merely a matter of intellectual understanding, but rather a spiritual experience that cannot be attained through logical reasoning alone. The most powerful evidence of one's salvation is the personal testimony of the individual encounter with the resurrected Christ.

Please take a moment to reflect on your relationship with Christ. Before we delve into Paul's encounter with Christ, let's revisit the moment when you first came to know Him. Try to recall the period before you accepted Jesus into your life as your Lord and Savior. Think about your life at that time, your emotions, and the feelings you experienced. Then, remember the day you prayed and accepted Jesus into your life. Think about the sense of freedom and joy that the Holy Spirit brought into your life. Remember the numerous occasions when Jesus has spoken to you and directed you as you sought to live your life for Him. This is the beginning of your story. Paul never forgot that moment and neither should we.

As we look at Pauls testimony of salvation in the courtroom, I want to share with you four steps to sharing your encounter with the resurrected Christ.

Recount your past before Christ.

Share your encounter with the resurrected Christ.

Declare your encounter with others.

Invite others to encounter the resurrected Christ for themselves.

Context: Acts 26

Paul, a Roman citizen, was arrested by the Jews. He appealed to the Roman courts to be heard by Caesar. However, before being heard by the Supreme Court, he had to go through the lower courts first. He would be heard by the regional king Herod Agrippa II and the province ruler Festus.

The Resurrected Christ

Acts 26:1–8 ESV

1 So Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense: 2 “I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am going to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews, 3 especially because you are familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently. 4 “My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews. 5 They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee. 6 And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, 7 to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king! 8 Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?

Paul, as a good apologetic, goes immediately to the crux of the issue: The resurrection of Jesus!

1 Corinthians 15:16–21 ESV

16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. 20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.

Hymn: He Lives

I serve a risen Savior He’s in the world today. I know that He is living, Whatever men may say. I see His hand of mercy; I hear His voice of cheer; And just the time I need Him He’s always near.

He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today! He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way. He lives, He lives, salvation to impart! You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart.

Four Steps to Sharing Your Faith

Recount your Past before Christ

Acts 26:9–11 ESV

9 “I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. 11 And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

In the first lesson of “The Potter’s Clay,” we ask you to write a paragraph about your life before Christ, how you came to Christ, and what your life is like now with Christ.

If you have not done so yet, write out your story hitting the highlights of each section.

Share your Encounter with the Resurrected Christ

Acts 26:12–18 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.’

Believing in Jesus and Receiving Jesus are two different things.

Believing is understanding the truth of the gospel.

Jesus is God in the Flesh

Jesus paid the penalty for our sins on the cross

Jesus was buried in a borrowed tomb.

Jesus rose from the dead on the third day conquering death and the grave.

Receiving is the willful submission to the Lordship of Christ.

Confession that Jesus is Lord

Romans 10:9–10 ESV

9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

Living in relationship with Christ.

Revelation 3:20 ESV

20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

Declare your Encounter with Others

Acts 26:19–23 ESV

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. 21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. 22 To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: 23 that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.”

Be faithful to share your relationship with Christ.

Follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Invite others to Encounter the Resurrected Christ

Acts 26:24–29 ESV

24 And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.” 25 But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words. 26 For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.” 28 And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?” 29 And Paul said, “Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am—except for these chains.”

The Holy Spirit is preparing hearts in front of you.

We are asking people to receive the person of Jesus and not our message.

RGroup Questions:

How comfortable are you with recounting your story of our encounter with Christ?

What are some pieces of evidence you have of walking with the resurrected Christ?