Share Your Story: Who You Were, Who You Are

Jun 21, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: A Child’s Unashamed Song

A baseball field becomes holy ground when a boy chooses the doxology as his walkout anthem. His unselfconscious joy in what he loves—Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost—exposes the discomfort adults often feel when faith spills into public spaces. This moment reveals how sharing good news starts not with strategy, but with childlike delight in God’s worthiness. The kingdom belongs to those who, without shame, let their joy sing louder than their fear. [48:01]

“They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” (Revelation 12:11, ESV)

Reflection: What part of your faith story feels too “weird” to share publicly? How might embracing childlike boldness disarm others’ assumptions about Jesus?

Day 2: Mercenary to Missionary

A drug smuggler reads a smuggled Bible under stars, his hands still dirty from crime. Testimonies like Bob’s—raw accounts of grace meeting us in our mess—carry unique power. Paul’s violent past as a persecutor turned apostle reminds us no one is beyond redemption. When we share our “before and after,” we don’t glorify sin; we magnify the Savior who rewrites identities. [01:01:17]

“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.” (1 Timothy 1:15, ESV)

Reflection: Which parts of your “before Jesus” story feel hardest to share? How might your vulnerability become someone else’s hope?

Day 3: Prison Walls and Heart Songs

Dmitry’s 17-year prison sentence becomes a cathedral as he scrawls Scripture on damp walls. His daily sunrise worship—met with mockery and waste—eventually transforms 1,500 criminals into a choir. Testimony isn’t just spoken; it’s lived through defiant joy in suffering. Our consistent witness, like chalk on stone, etches truth into hostile spaces. [01:12:05]

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.” (Acts 16:25, ESV)

Reflection: Where do you feel called to “sing” through actions when words feel risky? What daily practice could quietly testify to Christ’s lordship?

Day 4: The Woman’s Well and Our Wells

A Samaritan woman’s shame—five husbands, a sixth not hers—becomes her evangelism tool: “Come see the man who told me everything.” Jesus doesn’t air her secrets to condemn, but to commission. Our watering holes—coffee shops, gyms, PTA meetings—become holy ground when we let Christ turn our mess into a message. [01:05:05]

“Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, ‘Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did.’” (John 4:28-29, ESV)

Reflection: What relational “well” has God placed you near? How might your healed wounds help others thirst for living water?

Day 5: One Meal, Unshakable Faith

A Congolese pastor refuses three meals in Seattle to stay faithful to his calling. His testimony—“God is faithful”—sticks deeper than theology when spoken by someone choosing daily dependence. Like Paul content in plenty or want, our sacrifices become living parables of Christ’s sufficiency. [56:16]

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation.” (Philippians 4:12, ESV)

Reflection: What comfort might God be asking you to release? How could your joyful simplicity point others to eternal treasure?

Sermon Summary

The call to open up is simple. Good news begs to be shared. A kid picking the doxology as a walkout song shows it. It is weird not to share something loved. Testimony sits right there. Revelation 12 says the dragon is conquered by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of testimony. Testimony speaks truth in a world fathered by lies. Romans 1 says the gospel is the power of God. So a real story of Jesus’ work puts that power on display.

Paul gives a clear pattern in 1 Timothy 1. Share who you once were. Share what Jesus did. Share who you are now. Paul names himself a blasphemer, a persecutor, a violent opponent. Acts remembers Stephen’s stoning and the road to Damascus. The risen Jesus says, Why are you persecuting me. Attacking the church is blaspheming God’s work. If Christ can show mercy to the chief of sinners, then no sinner is beyond hope.

What Jesus did is mercy and grace. Mercy is not getting what was deserved. Grace is receiving what was never earned. The blind man in John 9 keeps it simple. Once I was blind, now I see. The Samaritan woman finds a love that names everything she ever did without crushing her. She runs home free. A heart laid bare by Jesus does not bolt. It breathes.

Who a person is now sounds like humility. Paul keeps it present. I am the foremost among sinners. The Spirit grows a saint out of comparisons. The tax collector goes home justified, not because he is better, but because he is honest about need. Identity is not sinner. Identity is washed, sanctified, justified in Jesus. Love overflows. This is how Dmitry could sing his heart song for seventeen years and answer, I am the son of the living God. Evangelism is not complicated. Point people to Jesus. Welcome them into the family name Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit handles the middle.

Key Takeaways

1. Testimony confronts the serpent’s lies [51:18] Testimony is truth spoken into a world discipled by deception. Revelation ties spiritual victory to the cross and to a believer’s honest witness. A life named by Jesus becomes a living contradiction to the enemy’s accusations. The church does not out-argue darkness so much as out-witness it. [51:18]
2. Tell the three-part story simply [57:52] Who you were, what Jesus did, who you are now is enough. Precision lives in honesty, not polish. The believer’s task is to name sin clearly, grace clearly, and identity clearly. That pattern keeps Jesus at the center and keeps the ego out of the way. [57:52]
3. No sinner is beyond hope [59:51] Paul calls himself the foremost and then holds out mercy as the headline. That posture disarms shame and pride at the same time. Testimony from hard places proves that grace runs lower than any pit. Hope stays real when it is carried by repentant people, not triumphant experts. [59:51]
4. Humility is the mark of maturity [01:07:14] As knowledge of God grows, so does awareness of need. Comparisons fall away, and confession becomes normal speech. That humility opens ears in a cynical age because it refuses to perform. God entrusts much to those who stop pretending. [67:14]
5. Point to Jesus, welcome them in [01:15:43] Evangelism is testimony and invitation, not control. The Spirit does the convincing while the church tells the truth and sets a place at the table. Family language matters because salvation is adoption. Belonging is the fruit of believing. [75:43]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[46:02] - Series intro: Don’t Be Weird
[47:06] - Malachi’s doxology walkout
[49:53] - Evangelism kept simple
[50:55] - Testimony overcomes the serpent
[57:52] - Three-part way to open up
[58:25] - Paul the violent opponent
[59:51] - No sinner beyond hope
[63:26] - Once blind, now I see
[64:42] - Come see the man
[65:50] - Seen and loved by God
[67:14] - Foremost of sinners humility
[71:28] - Dmitry’s heart song in prison
[75:43] - Point to Jesus, welcome in
[76:58] - Communion: trust and confession

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
1 Timothy 1:12-17 (ESV)
12 I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, 13 though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, 14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. 16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. 17 To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Observation Questions

According to 1 Timothy 1:13, what three labels does Paul use to describe his past? How does this contrast with his identity after encountering Jesus?
In the sermon, what simple three-part structure is given for sharing a testimony (e.g., "who you once were, what Jesus did, who you are now")? [57:52]
How does Revelation 12:11 connect believers’ testimonies to overcoming spiritual opposition? [51:18]
What example does Paul give in 1 Timothy 1:16 to emphasize that no one is beyond hope?

Interpretation Questions

Why might Paul emphasize his past as a "blasphemer" and "violent opponent" (1 Timothy 1:13) when sharing his testimony? How does this highlight the nature of grace?
The sermon mentions that Paul says, "I am the foremost of sinners" (present tense) in 1 Timothy 1:15. What does this reveal about humility and self-awareness in the Christian life? [01:07:14]
How does the story of the Samaritan woman in John 4 (referenced in the sermon) demonstrate the power of a testimony that is both honest and hopeful? [01:04:42]
Why is it significant that Dmitry’s identity as "the son of the living God" impacted his persecutors, even after 17 years of suffering? [01:14:16]

Application Questions

Reflect on the three-part testimony structure: "Who you once were, what Jesus did, who you are now." What specific part of your story feels hardest to share honestly? How could you practice sharing it with a trusted friend this week? [57:52]
Paul’s humility in calling himself the "foremost of sinners" disarms shame and pride. Is there an area of your life where you struggle to admit your need for grace? How might acknowledging this deepen your reliance on Jesus?
The Samaritan woman’s testimony invited others to "come see" Jesus (John 4:29). Who in your life needs to "come see" Jesus through your story? What practical step could you take to open up to them? [01:04:42]
Dmitry’s perseverance in worship for 17 years showed his identity in Christ. What daily habit could you cultivate to remind yourself of your true identity as a child of God?
The sermon emphasizes that "no sinner is beyond hope." Is there someone you’ve written off as "too far gone"? How could you pray for or serve them this month? [59:51]
How does comparing yourself to others (e.g., "I’m not as bad as…") hinder your ability to share your testimony with humility? What would it look like to let go of comparisons this week?

Sermon Clips

34s

#MercyGraceIdentity

“Paul says that he received mercy. That's not getting what I deserved. He deserved death. He deserved a stoning because he had blasphemed against God. But instead, he received grace, getting what I don't deserve, a gift. He received love. He received freedom. He received a new identity in Jesus. See, we are not only saved from judgment, we are also we are also blessed with all the gifts that come in Jesus.”

34s

#NoOneBeyondHope

“So what Paul, I think, is saying with all this is, listen. If Christ can save me, the chief of sinners, then no sinner is beyond hope. No matter what you have done, no matter where you are at, just know you are not beyond hope. There's no sin that Christ's love has not gone deeper still for. And whenever I think of sharing about your brokenness and being really honest about who you once were, I think of my friend when I lived in Somaliland for a while after college.”

32s

#TestimonyOvercomesEvil

“See, there's something powerful about your testimony. In fact, he's saying that our testimony is how the the evil one is overcome. And why is that? Why is that? Well, I think testimonies are powerful because first off, it is the truth. And if you're speaking the truth, the truth of Jesus and who he is and what he's done in your life, that goes directly against the father of lies, the serpent, the devil.”

28s

#TestifyWhoYouAre

“This terrified the prison guards. They could not believe it, and they were in so much terror that they let go of Dmitry. He says he he said they jumped away from him, and they asked, who are you? And Dmitry responded, I am the son of the living God, and Jesus is his name. So who are you? You testify to who Jesus is when you tell people who you are.”

29s

#SavedByGraceFound

“we are no better than anyone else, but but we know the one who is better than anyone else, and that is Jesus. We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus who came into this world with a mission. He says, to seek and to save the lost, and that is us. We were once lost, but now we have been found. I was blind, but now I see.”

28s

#GraceLevelsTheField

“And this is important. Well, first off, because it's true. We all need grace, everyone equally. But second reason is it puts us all on a level playing field. We're not better than anyone. We're not better than the person that we want to share the gospel with. It's like the Pharisee and the tax collector. They both went and were praying. The Pharisee looked at the tax collector, and he prayed to God, thank God I'm not like this guy.”

30s

#ConvictedNotComparing

“Now you might you know, is he saying, like, literally, if you line up every person in the world, he would be the worst sinner of all? I don't think that's what he's going for. What he's saying is that when we're convicted by sin, when we're convicted of sin by the Holy Spirit, we give up all those comparisons. We become so vividly aware of our own brokenness, of our own need for Jesus that we realize we're no better than anyone else.”

30s

#OverflowingWithLove

“And he says Paul says that Jesus overflowed him with faith and love. I love that. We're not just forgiven for our sin and and saved from judgment, but we're filled with the love of Jesus. The love of Jesus that tells us who we are. The love of Jesus that tells us whose we are, that we are sons and daughters of the most high. Yes. We are sinners, and we realize that more and more every day.”

23s

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