Power of a Sincere Testimony John 4
The story of the Woman at the Well demonstrates the power and far-reaching influence of a sincere testimony.
But first we must note who was sharing the testimony. A woman with a sullied reputation. She had had five husbands and was shacking up with a man at the time she met Jesus at the well.
Too often the dark experiences of our lives convince us to keep quiet. It's not always our consciences alone that seek to silence our testimonies. There are professed followers of Christ who think that our sins disqualify us from sharing our testimonies with other sinners.
The story of the woman at the well seems to indicate that there's actually power in the testimony of the person whose life is really changed by contact with Christ. Why is that? Well, the Woman at the Well is not the only woman who has lived "in sin" with a man who was not her husband. And if she hears that the woman at the well could find fulfillment in the Man Christ Jesus, she too can have hope that there's more for her than failed relationship after relationship. When she has that life-changing experience with Christ, she should tell somebody else.
Please note that the Woman has not yet had a chance to work out the details of her living arrangement with her current "live-in." But we are confident that the encounter with Christ was enough to know that when opportunity afforded itself, she would work things out so that she could be right and live righteously.
We want to make people wait before they share their testimony. Nah! Your testimony is just that -- your testimony! It doesn't have to be laced with some well-studied airtight doctrinal points. It's your testimony! And if you've been changed by contact with Christ, it will be a blessing to somebody else. Your testimony is only to get people onto base 1. When the folk hear the message and experience the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, they'll go from second to third and on home. Sure, there's more to getting folk to mature in Christ than just a testimony. But let's not discount the power to get the ball rolling.
Look at what happened! "Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said. . ." (John 4:39). Oh! The Power of a sincere testimony! The text goes on to say that they came out to see him (at the Woman's invitation), begged him to stay, and he stayed long enough for many of them to hear his message and BELIEVE.
The Enemy is just a mess. Folk need to know what God can do. Lives are all messed up and mired in sin. How dare we who have received so freely the liberating grace of Jesus Christ keep silent! We ought to tell it, tell it, tell it like this Woman at the Well and just see what God will do with a sincere testimony.
But first we must note who was sharing the testimony. A woman with a sullied reputation. She had had five husbands and was shacking up with a man at the time she met Jesus at the well.
Too often the dark experiences of our lives convince us to keep quiet. It's not always our consciences alone that seek to silence our testimonies. There are professed followers of Christ who think that our sins disqualify us from sharing our testimonies with other sinners.
The story of the woman at the well seems to indicate that there's actually power in the testimony of the person whose life is really changed by contact with Christ. Why is that? Well, the Woman at the Well is not the only woman who has lived "in sin" with a man who was not her husband. And if she hears that the woman at the well could find fulfillment in the Man Christ Jesus, she too can have hope that there's more for her than failed relationship after relationship. When she has that life-changing experience with Christ, she should tell somebody else.
Please note that the Woman has not yet had a chance to work out the details of her living arrangement with her current "live-in." But we are confident that the encounter with Christ was enough to know that when opportunity afforded itself, she would work things out so that she could be right and live righteously.
We want to make people wait before they share their testimony. Nah! Your testimony is just that -- your testimony! It doesn't have to be laced with some well-studied airtight doctrinal points. It's your testimony! And if you've been changed by contact with Christ, it will be a blessing to somebody else. Your testimony is only to get people onto base 1. When the folk hear the message and experience the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, they'll go from second to third and on home. Sure, there's more to getting folk to mature in Christ than just a testimony. But let's not discount the power to get the ball rolling.
Look at what happened! "Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said. . ." (John 4:39). Oh! The Power of a sincere testimony! The text goes on to say that they came out to see him (at the Woman's invitation), begged him to stay, and he stayed long enough for many of them to hear his message and BELIEVE.
The Enemy is just a mess. Folk need to know what God can do. Lives are all messed up and mired in sin. How dare we who have received so freely the liberating grace of Jesus Christ keep silent! We ought to tell it, tell it, tell it like this Woman at the Well and just see what God will do with a sincere testimony.
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