Everyone loves to hear a great story. The greatest story is the story of Jesus and His love for mankind. Will you pray for opportunities and take the opportunities that are before you to tell the greatest story ever told?
Notice the way that Paul told the story of Jesus.
Acts 17:1-4
1 Then they traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia and came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2 As usual, Paul went to the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and showing that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead: “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah.” 4 Then some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, including a great number of God-fearing Greeks, as well as a number of the leading women.
Open doors (vv1-2). Paul prayed for open doors and went through them. One regular place in each city that he found open doors to talk about spiritual matters and the Scriptures was the synagogue. Paul went there. He went there with a purpose. He walked through the open door. If you pay attention, you will realize that God opens doors all of the time for you to tell the greatest story.
Open mouths (vv2-3). Paul went to the synagogue with the intent of talking to people about Jesus. He went to tell them the greatest story. Paul realized that not only was it important for him to live a life of faithfulness to Christ and to go through the open doors, but it was also necessary to tell people that they needed to place their eternal hope and trust in Jesus Christ. Paul was always ready to share the greatest story. Paul opened his mouth with good news.
If you have an open door, what would you share with people? Start with a favorite verse such as John 3:16 or Romans 6:23, and tell the good news of Jesus. You could even share the story of how Jesus changed your life. However you tell it, God will use your words to help others see the offer of eternal life available to them.
Here are some posts that I’ve shared that may help you as you open your mouth to tell the greatest story, the story of Jesus:
- Leading Someone to Faith in Christ
- Who Will Enter the Kingdom of Heaven?
- Questioning Evangelism: Using Questions to Share the Good News
Open hearts (v4). Not everyone who heard the story of Jesus responded in faith. Many rejected the message. Some of those who rejected even persecuted the believers (see Acts 17:5-8). However, there were many who opened their hearts to the message that Paul shared and were gloriously saved. Their lives were changed forever.
Sharing the story of Jesus is like a farmer sowing seeds. If you sow a small amount, you will have a small amount of harvest, but if you sow many seeds, you will see an abundant harvest. To say it another way: some people have never had the privilege of seeing anyone open up their heart to trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior because they have never shared the story of Jesus with anyone or only with a few people.
Take the time this week to pray for open doors, to open your mouth to share the story of Jesus, and to pray for people to open their hearts to Jesus. This week, tell somebody the greatest story ever told.