Becoming a Fully Devoted Follower of ChristSample

Today we will discuss the T in habits: telling your story. Every person has a name, every name has a story, and every story matters to God! I like to remind myself that God doesn’t want to be a chapter in my story, He wants me to be a chapter in His. As a new follower of Christ, your story is a chapter in God’s story that He is writing. God wants to use your story to share His love with those around you. I also believe it’s important to point out that your past doesn’t have to be extreme for your story to be powerful. We all have a unique story and a very important spiritual habit is to be prepared to share your story. 

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. 1 Peter 3:15

We want to help you be prepared to tell your story. We will do this by reading about Paul’s story in Acts 26. You’ll notice there are three parts to Paul telling his story. These three parts will also help you tell yours. 

Part 1: Life Before Jesus (Acts 26:4-11)

Part 2: Encounter with Jesus (Acts 26:12-18)

Part 3: Life following Jesus (Acts 26:19-23)

So this week I’d like to encourage you to take some time to write out your story. Use these three parts as headers. We want to be prepared to share our story in around 5 minutes. 

Part 1: Life Before Jesus: (1 MINUTE) What was life like before Jesus? Maybe you felt guilty, struggled with an addiction, or maybe you grew up in church but lived as if God didn’t exist. 

Part 2: Encounter with Jesus: (3 MINUTES) This will be the longest part of telling your story. How did you encounter Jesus? What made you realize you needed a Savior? When, where, and how did this take place?

Part 3: Life Following Jesus: (1 MINUTE) Write out what life has been like following Jesus. What change have you experienced in your life? Maybe you’ve experienced no more shame, no more guilt, a true sense of purpose and joy. 

You are on your way to telling your story! I encourage you to write it out and then share it with someone as soon as possible. If you are also looking to be prepared to share the GOSPEL (which means Good News) here’s how I like to remember it:

God created us to be with Him. (Psalm 100:3)
Our sins separate us from God. (Romans 3:23)
Sins cannot be removed by good deeds. (Isaiah 64:6)
Paying the price for sin, Jesus died on the cross. (Romans 5:8)
Everyone who trusts in Him alone has eternal life. (John 3:16)
Life with Jesus can start now and lasts for eternity. (John 17:3)

Next Steps:
    1. Write out your story.

    2. Work on telling your story.

    3. Pray and ask God who you should tell your story to.