Personal Experience
Peter and John answered them, “Whether it’s right in the sight of God for us to listen to you rather than to God, you decide; for we are unable to stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.
Acts 4:19-20 (CSB)
Peter and John spoke confidently and passionately about Jesus because of their own encounters with Him. They walked alongside Him during His ministry, witnessed His powerful deeds, and saw Him rise from the dead. These personal experiences shaped their lives. Similarly, for us, our own encounters with Jesus should influence us and motivate us to share Christ.
Our experience with Jesus fuels us. John and Peter were motivated to share Jesus because of their personal encounters with Him. Their passion was rooted in what Jesus had done in their lives. They desired the entire world to experience what they had in Christ. They wanted everyone to know. When Jesus transforms us, we must let this experience drive us in evangelism. Our passion for Jesus should inspire a desire for others to develop that same passion. The motivation for evangelism is not something we invent but is built from our personal experience with Jesus.
Our experience with Jesus gives us strength. Peter and John encountered many challenges: threats from political leaders, imprisonment, and ridicule. Despite these hardships, they stayed committed to proclaiming the Gospel. Their resilience didn’t come from their own strength but was sustained by the Lord. They found joy and victory in difficulties because of Christ’s support. When we let Christ sustain us, we can face hardships and remain faithful, as we declare Christ in the power He provides, who continually sustains us.
Our confidence in Jesus encourages us. John and Peter were told to stop sharing the message of Christ by the authorities of their time. They ignored the orders because obeying the earthly rulers would mean disobeying God. The courage they displayed did not come from their own strength but from the Holy Spirit within them. They relied on the boldness that comes from God. When we talk about Jesus, we should do so with the boldness that the Holy Spirit gives us.
Our personal experience with Jesus carries the promise that He is present when we share Him with others. In Matthew 28, the Great Commission reminds us that He is with us, and Acts 1:8 assures us that the Holy Spirit will empower us to be effective witnesses for Christ. Observing John and Peter, we should stay reminded of these truths and aim to declare Jesus boldly, relying on the power of the Holy Spirit.
QUESTIONS
In what ways does the promise that the Lord will sustain us encourage us in our walk with the Lord and in our evangelistic endeavors?
In what ways can we establish a life that trust in the Lord for the needed boldness to declare the Gospel to those we encounter?
