Lesson 11: Sharing the Story of Jesus
There's a gospel song called "I love to tell the story." The verses go like this: "I love to tell the story of unseen things above ... of Jesus and His love." Telling the "story" of Jesus is essential to outreach and evangelism. It was the story that the first disciples told beginning with their first sermon and Bible lesson on the day of Pentecost. Jesus gave the disciples this promise: "Ye shall receive power, after the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:8).
It was the story of Jesus' life, death, resurrection and ascension into heaven as our High Priest that transformed people by the thousands from scoffers and doubters into to humble, believing followers of Jesus. This story gave people the confidence to face lions in the Coliseum, and to bravely endure unjust condemnation and death. It empowered a "few good men" to stand for truth though the heavens fall. It is what God is searching for today among His people.
"The greatest want of the world is the want of men,--men who will not be bought or sold; men who in their inmost souls are true and honest; men who do not fear to call sin by its right name; men whose conscience is as true to duty as the needle to the pole; men who will stand for the right though the heavens fall" (Ellen G. White, Education, p. 57; 1903).
The "power to witness" came upon the disciples because they finally came to know who Jesus really is. For three and a half years, they had followed Jesus, listened to Him give His powerful sermons, and teach lessons through the use of parables about His Father's love for the lost world, about salvation, and the coming kingdom. But they really didn't truly know Him until after they were confronted with the depth of their sinful doubts about Him.
Saul, who would become Paul the apostle, knew who Jesus was. He had seen Him teaching in the temple, and was well aware of the influence the itinerant Preacher from Nazareth had on the "common people." But the knowledge possessed by Saul/Paul at that time did nothing to convert his heart to the truth of Jesus as his Saviour from sin.
Saul/Paul knew "the story" of Jesus, but resisted it because the "story" he knew was lopsided, containing erroneous elements that led to a false view of Jesus and His mission. Saul's view was so misinformed that he was willing to not just speak out against Jesus and His followers, but "breathing out threatening and slaughter" (Acts 9:1), he was eager to arrest the followers of Jesus, and even to put them to death.
Whether or not we are able to share the story of Jesus--the story of Him that brings salvation to the world--depends upon whether or not we truly know who He is, what His character is really like, and understand what He came to this benighted world to accomplish. It is only when those indisputable facts transform your heart and mind and character that you will be able to share the story of Jesus with others in a convincing and winning manner.
"If we do not have the personal assurance of salvation in Jesus, it is not possible to share it with someone else." We cannot share with any one else what we do not know about a person's character. We may gossip, we may tell a story that we heard somewhere about that person, but we cannot tell the truth unless we know the facts about the person, and have an experiential knowledge of that person.
"God is love" is the fundamental fact of the Gospel's message. But many in the world today have grave doubts about the veracity of this fact. So, what we are we to do?
"If I should express to an infidel my doubts as to the integrity of one of his friends, he would say: 'That's because you don't know him; just try him, and you will find him as true as steel.' This would be a fair reply; and so we say to the infidel who doubts the promises of God: 'O taste and see that the Lord is good ... there is no want to them that fear Him.' Ps. 34:8, 9." (E. J. Waggoner, The Bible Student's Library, "The Full Assurance of Faith," June 16, 1890; p. 8).
In this little booklet, Waggoner quotes from a poem, the last stanza of which says: "Perhaps he will admit my plea/Perhaps will hear my prayer ... ," to which Waggoner answers: "such language might be excusable in one who knew nothing of God; but uttered by one who had known God, or rather, is known of God, it can be regarded only as libel upon God's word." He goes on, "There is no such thing as 'perhaps' with God. His promises to the penitent, and His threats to the impenitent, are equally positive. 'He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.' Mark 16:16." (Ibid., p. 11, 12).
The apostle James wrote that with God there is "no variableness, neither shadow of turning" (James 1:17). When we witness to others about what God has done for us, we cannot project any doubt about His faithfulness to perform His promise "to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them" (Heb. 7:25).
Too often we hear people say, "Yes, you have conquered that problem in your life, but we know that you will stumble and fall again and again. We all do. Don't worry about it. When Jesus comes, all sin will be taken away from us."
Such language is discouraging to people who want to be fully free from the sins that beset them. And such language is casting doubt upon the power of God to deliver "to the uttermost" those who come to Him in faith that He will deliver them from every sin, right now, in this world fallen as it is. We do not need to wait a single moment longer to have the full assurance of salvation. "Have you repented of your sins? Do you hate them, and long for a better life? Have you confessed them? Then take the assurance of God's word as evidence that your sins are forgiven, and that you are entitled to peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Ibid., p. 15).
Our faithful witness for God cannot contain any element of doubt about His power to one hundred percent deliver us from sin now, not later, but right now. And if we know Him as He wants us to know Him, then we will not project any doubts about His character when we tell the "old, old story of Jesus and His love." We will testify with full assurance and confidence of God's power over sin and death, and we will win souls for the kingdom of God.
--Ann Walper
Notes:
Pastor Paul Penno's video of this lesson is on the Internet at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFnlE8oGhGU
Many of Pastor Penno's sermons are on YouTube in Spanish. Just type pastor paul penno en español in the search bar.
"Sabbath School Today" is on the Internet at: http://1888message.org/sst.htm
| RR |
