11. A Growing Movement - Acts 22-23 - Tell Your Jesus Story

All of us who have placed our faith in Jesus have a story in common. It’s a story that includes our life before Jesus, then what Jesus did to bring us to Himself, then an after-Jesus ending that is still being written and will be fulfilled in eternal life in Heaven. It’s an exciting story that shouldn’t be kept to ourselves. When we bury our story, how does God get the glory for the redemption He accomplished in our life and how does the world hear the message of hope so they can enter into new life? As we look at Acts 22-23 this weekend, we see Paul not shying away from telling the shameful things he did before Jesus but rather using these things to show his need for a Savior. He gives God credit for intervening and changing the course of his life. Jesus himself then ministers to Paul after his testimony and encourages him to “[t]ake courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome” Paul is just telling his God story and testifying about God, then he is entrusting the results and his future up to God - he is commended by Jesus Himself for doing this! We are so tempted to try to orchestrate everything going on around us rather than trusting God and walking in simple obedience to what he has called all believers to do. Can we take that next step of faith together as a church family and walk into what God has for us, even if it means we don’t know what that exactly looks like? We will be faithful to God’s call and will watch for what He does. We will trust Him and His plan for us and tell of all He has done in the meantime! Key Verse: Acts 23:11 - The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.” For Scripture, notes, upcoming events, & more: http://bible.com/events/49387601