Your Story Matters

• We want our lives to be so attractive that people who meet us who don’t know God would will want to know God because they know us
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God will leave the found things to go find the lost things.

Luke 15: Lost coin, lost sheep, lost son. this is the heart of God, and if it is his heart it must become our heart.

Mark 16:15 – “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

Jesus didn’t just give this command to pastors or missionaries—He gave it to disciples. That means every believer has a mission: to share the good news.

• God doesn’t need perfect people to change the world—He uses ordinary stories to share an extraordinary Savior.
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1 Pet 2:     But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted

• You Have a Story Worth Sharing

Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

You are not the judge, or the Jury, or the prosecutor. You are not even called to be the defense.  You are just the witness.

Mark 5:1 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. 2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him.

 

3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. 4 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.

 

6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. 7 He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!”

8 For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!”

18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. 19 Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis x how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.

There is power in our story

• “Your story may be the only Bible some people will ever read.” – D.L. Moody
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….Here are three things that we need to do.

• Share the hope we have
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1 Peter 3:15 – “15 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,

We share this hope by communicating these 3 things. Our story:

• How I realized I needed Jesus
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• How I committed my life to him
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• The difference Christ has made in my life.
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• People can argue with your opinions, but they can’t argue with your story.

 

Your Story Shows God’s Power in Real Life

Jesus makes our lives come alive…

• 2 Corinthians 5:17 – “If anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation.”
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• Ephesians 2:4–5 – “But God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ.”
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• Quote: “God turns your mess into your message.” – Rick Warren

 

• Share my Church
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Luke 14:23 23 So his master said, ‘Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full.

• pray for them.
• Add value to them
• Invite them to church.

Here in AZ 50% of people say the will never go to church which means we need to learn to:

• Share Christ
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• How do I share Christ
• The Problem
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Sin Problem

Rom 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

This is everyone’s problem, and we all know it. Because of our sin, we cannot be in his presence.  He is perfectly Holy and requires holiness to be in relationship with him.

Not only does our sin separate us, but it has a price that needs to be paid.

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Nothing can fix our sin. Good deeds, giving, trying to do right, going to church…the only way to satisfy the penalty of sin is with death.

That is why the message is so amazing.  Jesus came to die in our place. You deserved the penalty, but Jesus took it on himself. (good news)

1 Pet 2: 24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.

The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus.

• Jesus is the Solution:

Rom 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

He took our spot, paid our price of death.

John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Acts 4:12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.,

• What is your response?
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What do I do?

John 1: 12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.

Rom 10:9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

Rev 3:20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.