W5D3 Telling Others

READ THE BIBLE

Acts 9:19

Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. All those who heard him were astonished and asked, ‘Isn’t he the man who caused havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?’ Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah. After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him, but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.

REFLECT ON WHAT IT MEANS

Years ago, in the 19th Century, a defence lawyer tried a new tactic to win the case for his client. The lawyer was convinced that the prosecution case against his client was weak and totally unconvincing. When the judge asked the defence lawyer to speak he went forward and announced to the jury that the case against his client was so weak that he would present nothing and say nothing. He felt he didn’t need to, so he would present silence and leave it up to them. The jury were sent out to consider the verdict and within minutes found the defendant guilty! The lawyer was shocked and couldn’t believe it! After the court was dismissed he asked the jury foreman, “Why did you find him guilty?” The foreman replied "We all agreed that if anything could be said for the case, you would say it. But since you didn't present any evidence, we decided to rule against you." Silence had lost.

In today’s reading, we find Saul being the very opposite of this lawyer. He couldn’t wait to tell anyone and everyone about his new faith in Jesus. This caused quite a stir in the city. People were shocked, people were amazed, people couldn’t believe it. Everyone knew that his guy had come to their city to arrest any followers of Jesus. So what’s he doing now saying, in public, that we should all follow Jesus? Saul wasn’t relying on silence to convince people, he was ready to tell anyone who would listen and even those who weren’t so keen! Like the jury in the story above, Saul took the view that if anything could be said for the “case” about Jesus, then it should be said. And he was going to do it.

The other option was silence and that certainly loses the day - every time! I’m sure the poor defendant in our story would rather have had the totally convincing and passionate Saul to speak up for him. Saul, as defence lawyer, would surely have had a much better effect on the jury, and the defendant would have been found “not guilty.”

Life Class and your Encounter will tell you some more things about this church including what’s our vision for our church and for each person who is a part of it. One of the key things we believe is that if there is anything to be said for the “case” about following Jesus we, too, should be like Saul and say it. And of course there is so much to be said for following Jesus. Like Saul, if we have truly asked Jesus into our lives and committed everything to him, we are the best possible people to speak up about it.

RELATE IT TO YOUR LIFE

Here are some simple pointers as to how we can share our experience of Jesus, and what the Bible says to people:

1) Care: show concern for the person, yours and God’s.

2) Dare: it takes courage to tell others - courage if the person is a stranger to you, and even more if the person is a close friend or relative.

3) Share: If you want to make a lasting impression, share yourself with the person. Show a genuine interest in them and their life, get your shoulder under their burdens, be genuinely glad when they have a success.

4) Prayer: Remember the effectiveness of prayer in the preparing people's hearts to hear about Jesus.

RESPOND WITH A DECLARATION

“Jesus is changing me and I have a new life to start all over again with.”