Just Walk Across the Room – The Power of a Story (Part 2)

The first thing about the power of a story – is God’s story:

1. God has a story: We need to learn to tell it well.

Christ came to earth to be our bridge. Whoever makes the decision to cross the bridge will live with God forever.

John 5:24 “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.”

2. You have a story: Don’t be afraid to share it!

Not only does God have a story, which is what we just looked at. But you have a story as well. A powerful story. And your job is to learn to tell it well! Do you believe what I just said … that you have a powerful story to tell? Friends, if you have come into relationship with God through his Son, Jesus Christ, then you have a wonderful, redemptive story to tell. Here’s why that’s true … Regardless how old you were when you came to faith, hopefully you were different before Christ than you are after Christ invaded your world and beautifully wrecked it with things like grace and mercy and love.

Remember the encounter that Jesus had with the guy in Mark 5 who had a number of demons inside of him?

Can you imagine what that experience would have been like for him? What do you think he told every, single person who would listen from that point forward?! “I was demon-possessed …. But then I met Christ! And now I’m healed … totally and completely healed.” His self-talk was probably fascinating in the hours following Christ’s act of healing. “This is unbelievable! Just moments ago, I was a totally different person … But now look at me! I’m in control … I’m peaceful … content – full of joy … I’m healed! It’s as if I were never sick! This is unreal. Absolutely unreal! Where did my hopelessness go? My helplessness? They vanished when Jesus set me free! They’re not here anymore. Jesus fixed all of that. I have hope! I want to live! I finally feel … whole.”
Do you see a before-and-after here?
I was sick. But now I’m well.
I was alone. But now I’m loved.
I was outcast. But now I’m accepted.
I was defiled … tainted. But now I’m good as new.
I was tarnished. But now I’m clean.
I was left for dead. But now I have … a future.

Here’s the point: This is a major transformational story – that most of us don’t have … but, for the vast majority of you sitting in this room, the same pattern is true for you. You also have a before … and an after … no matter how simple or basic it is …

And that’s about all people need to hear right out of the blocks … what you were like before you came to Christ. What the experience was like of embracing faith in him. And what you are like after that decision.

His message was very simple, but very powerful …

“I was striving … but now I’m at peace.”
“I was self-destructive … but now I’m healthy.”
“Guilty, but now liberated.”
“Fear-stricken, but now confident.”
“Despairing, but now hopeful!”

You also have a before and you have an after.

Your own before-and-after doesn’t have to be more complicated than this, friends. It just has to be simple, humble, succinct … and true.

How do I tell someone my faith story?

1. Be more of a listener than a talker.

John 4:29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?”

2. When you do share your story, use the Before – How – After method.

3. Make sure you present the “how” part clearly, simply and succinctly.

4. Pray as you’re sharing.

I think it’s really helpful to shape our own story in a way that’s clear and passionate as we experience opportunities to share it with someone.

Are we ready to be walk-across-the-room people? As a church? We all have two stories to share … His story and our story …

Remember this …

Romans 10 [14] But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? [15] And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” [16] But not everyone welcomes the Good News, for Isaiah the prophet said, “Lord, who has believed our message?” [17] So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.