The Value Of Your Testimony Series

1) HOST: "It’s a real thrill to have you on the show, Paul; or should I call you Saint or Apostle? Which do you prefer?"

2) PAUL: "Just Paul would be fine."

3) HOST: "Very well, Paul. We’re all eager to hear what you, a great servant of the Lord, might have to say to us! Tell us about the wonderful things that happened to you when you invited the Lord Jesus into your life!"

4) PAUL: "Well, let’s see. First I was struck blind. I got over that but then somebody tried to kill me and I had to escape in a basket. Then they stoned me, threw me in jail, beat me with rods ..."

5) HOST: "Uh, Paul, heh, heh, I think you misunderstood. Tell us, what has the Lord done for you?"

6) PAUL: "That’s what I was doing! Then the Romans arrested me, I was shipwrecked--a night and a day I spent in the deep ..."

7) HOST: "Uh, excuse us folks. It’s time for our first commercial break."[Roddy Chestnut. “What Has God Done for You.” Acts 26:15-19 Sermon Central (Sermon ID = 9656 & Contributor ID =380)]

Paul tells his listeners that being saved changed his life, but he does not tell them that it was that things have always been great since he was saved. He did not say, “I just wanted to tell you how the Lord has blessed me materially. My tent making business has never been better.” He does tell them;

4. IT IS THE POWER OF CHRIST THAT MAKES US DIFFERENT.

Every conversion story is as dramatic as that of Paul, but every testimony is a “before and after” account of the transformation of a human life by Jesus Christ. Paul described the man that he was and the man that Christ had enabled to him to be. Paul was not saying how good he was, or what he had done, but how good Jesus was and what he had done. All though his witness he clarified that it was Jesus who had changed him. In verse six he says, “And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me. (7) And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? (8)

And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. (9) And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me. (10) And I said, What shall I do, LORD? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do”

“A missionary who was speaking to a group of Hindu women was surprised to see one of them get up and walk away. Soon she returned and listed more intently than before. ‘Why did you leave in the middle of my message?” asked the missionary. ‘I was so interested in the wonderful things you were saying that I went to ask your servant if you live like you teach. He said you do. So I came back to hear more about Jesus,’ said the woman.” [Spiros Zodhiates. Illustrations of Bible Truth. (Chattanooga: AMG Publishers, 1995). # 895]

Paul life displayed the changes that had been made in his life and so should ours.