Would You Mind If I Shared My Gospel Story

Mark 10 puts Blind Bartimaeus on the side of the road, begging while Jesus walks by with a crowd. Bartimaeus cries, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me,” because he knows Jesus is the only One who can do what nobody else can do. The crowd tries to shut him down, and that picture is real because people in pain often get ignored, dismissed, or even blocked from getting to Christ.

God sees people who are begging for peace, clarity, relief, purpose, and hope. Pain does not always look like somebody sitting on a sidewalk. Pain can look like a broken marriage, a worried coworker, a struggling waitress, a person who gossips all the time, or somebody carrying a burden nobody else can see. The Holy Spirit calls believers to stop getting anesthetized to pain and to see the people God puts right in front of them.

Bartimaeus receives Jesus’ attention because Jesus stops and asks, “What do you want Me to do for you?” Christ does not treat desperate people like interruptions. Christ calls them near, hears their need, and gives sight to the blind. The same Christ still meets people who are lost and gives them a new life.

The gospel story gives believers a simple way to step into those moments: “Would you mind if I shared?” That question is not an argument, a lecture, or an attack. That question asks permission to offer another perspective and opens a door for a real conversation. Most people are willing to listen when somebody speaks honestly about what Jesus has done.

Personal testimony carries weight because it is not theory. “I was, then Jesus, since then” tells the truth about a life that Christ has changed. The gospel also moves beyond a person’s story and offers Christ to the listener through the ABCs: admit sin, believe that Jesus died and rose again, and confess Him as Savior. Jesus does not merely improve people a little bit. Jesus makes people new.

Christ calls His people out of the closet and into bold faith. Social media, conversations, restaurants, workplaces, schools, and everyday encounters can become places where the gospel goes out. God can use one testimony, one invitation, one question, and one act of courage to bring somebody closer to salvation.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. See the people who are begging God sees the burdens that crowds overlook. People may not say, “Have mercy on me,” but their anxiety, anger, addiction, loneliness, and confusion can be a cry for help. Spiritual boldness begins with spiritual sight, asking God to reveal the pain behind the faces encountered every day. [27:55]
• 2. Ask permission before sharing hope “Would you mind if I shared?” gives someone dignity instead of treating them like a project. That simple question opens space for trust, conversation, and a personal witness without forcing an argument. God can use a respectful invitation to move a guarded heart toward Christ. [24:26]
• 3. Your testimony is not just theory A changed life tells people that Jesus is real. Imperfection does not disqualify a believer from sharing because the point is not perfection, but transformation: “I was blind, now I see.” The blood of the Lamb and the word of testimony expose the lie that nobody can really change. [37:05]
• 4. The gospel offers more than advice Christ does not merely give better habits or positive thoughts. Christ forgives sin, defeats death, fills believers with His Spirit, and makes new creations. The ABCs keep the invitation clear: admit, believe, and confess. [35:53]
• 5. Boldness lets God do His work God does not require perfect delivery, perfect timing, or perfect answers. Faithfulness means opening the mouth, sharing the story, and letting the Spirit work in the listener’s life. One step of courage can become a life-changing moment for somebody else.
  
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Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [13:26] - Ready to Be Challenged
• [14:39] - The Just One Challenge
• [16:48] - Going Public With Your Gospel Story
• [19:55] - How to Record Your Story
• [22:38] - Start With Questions
• [24:00] - Would You Mind If I Shared?
• [26:11] - Blind Bartimaeus Cries Out
• [27:33] - Seeing People Who Are Begging
• [29:20] - Share How Jesus Helped You
• [34:52] - Share How They Can Know Christ
• [36:53] - The Power of a New Life
• [38:27] - Put Your Testimony Into Action
• [41:18] - The Simple Gospel Invitation
• [42:27] - A Call to Bold Faith

Bible Reading

Mark 10:46–52
“And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’ And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’ And Jesus stopped and said, ‘Call him.’ And they called the blind man, saying to him, ‘Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.’ And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ And the blind man said to him, ‘Rabbi, let me recover my sight.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Go your way; your faith has made you well.’ And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.” [26:26]

2 Corinthians 5:17
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” [37:01]

Romans 10:9
“Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” [42:20]

Revelation 12:11
“And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.” [33:52]

Observation questions

1. What does Bartimaeus call Jesus, and what does that title show he believes Jesus is able to do?
2. What do the crowd and Jesus do differently when Bartimaeus cries out for mercy? [26:47]
3. What are some forms of “begging” that may not look like someone literally asking for money or sitting by the road? [27:55]
4. According to the ABCs, what are the three clear parts of responding to the gospel? [36:01]

Interpretation questions

1. Why might Jesus ask Bartimaeus, “What do you want me to do for you?” even though Jesus already knows that he is blind? What does this show about the way Christ treats people in need?
2. Bartimaeus kept crying out when others tried to silence him. What kinds of pressures can keep a person from seeking Jesus openly today?
3. Revelation 12:11 connects victory with the blood of the Lamb and the word of testimony. Why does a changed life make the gospel more than merely an idea or religious advice? [33:58]
4. If salvation involves confessing Jesus as Lord and believing in His resurrection, why is it important to offer people Christ Himself rather than only practical help, positive thoughts, or better habits? [41:45]

Application questions

1. Who is one person in your life who may be “begging” for peace, clarity, relief, purpose, or hope—even if they would never use those words? What have you noticed in their life? [27:40]
2. Is there anyone whose pain you have become used to seeing—at work, in your neighborhood, at school, online, or in your family? What might it look like to slow down and truly see them this week? [28:44]
3. Think through your own story using “I was, then Jesus, since then.” What specific part of your life can you honestly share that shows Christ has changed you? [38:27]
4. What makes it difficult for you to ask, “Would you mind if I shared?” Is it fear of rejection, fear of not having answers, fear of saying it wrong, or something else? [24:29]
5. How could asking permission before sharing give dignity to someone and help them feel heard rather than treated like a project? Who might you ask that question this week? [24:41]
6. If someone gave you permission to share, how would you explain the ABCs in your own natural words: admit sin, believe Jesus died and rose again, and confess Him as Savior? [35:53]
7. Where could you take one small step of public faith this week—through a conversation, a text, an invitation, a social-media post, or checking on someone who is hurting? [40:35]