The Anatomy Of A Testimony

TITLE: THE ANATOMY OF A TESTIMONY

SCRIPTURE: GALATIANS 6:10-17

When God began to reveal Himself to the world, He did not send down bookshelves filled with outlines – theologies – lectures - he began with a story. As a matter of fact, He created a huge picture of His love, which is creation, and then placed a man and a woman inside that picture. Adam and Eve were the first recipients of God's story!

The Bible is filled with the most powerful stories, I prefer saying narratives we will ever read or hear, but it isn't just a storybook!

• It is God's testimony to each of us

• Now we are all part of God's story

If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, you are the reason that He sent His Only Begotten Son to Calvary 2000 years ago!

• If you are a believer, then you are also a part of God's story

• As Christians we are to repeat the story of God's love to others who need to hear

• That includes the nations around the world

• That includes the neighbor across the street

• That includes the stranger you just met

Let’s take a look at I JOHN 1:2-3 “FOR THE LIFE WAS MANIFESTED, AND WE HAVE SEEN IT, AND BEAR WITNESS, AND SHEW UNTO YOU THAT ETERNAL LIFE, WHICH WAS WITH THE FATHER, AND WAS MANIFESTED UNTO US; THAT WHICH WE HAVE SEEN AND HEARD DECLARE WE UNTO YOU, THAT YE ALSO MAY HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH US: AND TRULY OUR FELLOWSHIP IS WITH THE FATHER, AND WITH HIS SON JESUS CHRIST.”

• In this passage we find that John, who walked with Jesus, was now sharing that story with his readers

• He was testifying, announcing the Good News of Jesus to those who would listen

Did you catch the word - Testify? One of the TV programs that I grew up with was Perry Mason. If I heard the swearing-in of a witness once, I heard it 100 times. 'Do you solemnly swear that the testimony that you are about to give is the truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God'?

• What does that tell us?

• That I watched too much TV?

• Yes, but it tells us something about giving testimony

• We are to tell the truth!

There is something else we need to understand about testimony. It is about what we know to be the truth. Not what we think or what we have heard. It is all about what we know! That's exactly what God expects from each of His followers - to simply share what we know - to testify to others of what God has done in our lives. to what we have seen Him do in our lives.

• We don't have to have the Bible memorized or be able to answer every question that someone might have about God

• We only have to be willing to share the story of what God did in our life!

• Just tell what you know about the Lord

• All of us know something about the Lord and what He has done in our lives

• Tell your Story

If you are a Christian, your testimony — the story of how God stepped in and changed you through His Son — is a direct reflection of the undisputable, life-changing power of the gospel. It’s one of the most effective tools in our evangelism toolbox. Before you got saved, there was an “old you” who was caught up in sin and didn’t know or have a relationship with the Lord. But now you have been changed by the goodness and mercy of the Lord. You can glorify God and magnify His message by telling others about how He changed you.

• II CORINTHIANS 5:17 -- “THEREFORE IF ANY MAN BE IN CHRIST, HE IS A NEW CREATURE: OLD THINGS ARE PASSED AWAY; BEHOLD, ALL THINGS ARE BECOME NEW”

“Old things have passed away.” The “Old” refers to everything that is part of our old nature —

• Natural pride

• Love of sin

• Reliance on works, and our former opinions

• Habits and passions

Most significantly, what we loved has passed away, especially the supreme love of self and with it self-righteousness - self-promotion - self-justification.

• The new creature looks outwardly toward Christ instead of inwardly toward self

• The old things died, nailed to the cross with our sin nature

Along with the old passing away, “the new has come!” Old, dead things are replaced with new things, full of life and the glory of God. The newborn soul delights in the things of God and abhors the things of the world and the flesh.