I've Already Tried to Share My Faith & It Doesn't Work

Devotional

Day 1: The Urgency of Sharing the Good News

We live in a time of great spiritual openness, yet many remain hesitant to share their faith. The good news of Jesus is meant to be proclaimed, not kept to ourselves. Consider the vast number of people in our own communities who have not yet heard this life-changing message. There is a beautiful opportunity and a profound responsibility to be the one who tells them. The mission field is immense and ripe for harvest. [23:31]

“For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’” (Romans 10:13-15 NIV)

Reflection: Who are three people in your life who do not yet know Jesus? What would it look like to begin praying for them regularly, asking God to open a door for you to share His love with them?

Day 2: Overcoming the Fear of Rejection

It is natural to fear rejection when we consider sharing our faith. We worry about damaging relationships or facing awkwardness. Yet, we must remember that people rejected Jesus Himself, and He told us to expect the same. Our calling is not to guarantee a positive response but to be faithful messengers of the truth. Even the most successful people experience more failure than success, but they keep trying. [33:34]

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” (John 15:18-19 NIV)

Reflection: When you think about past experiences where you felt hesitant to share your faith, what was the specific fear holding you back? How might remembering that our role is simply to be faithful, not to secure a particular outcome, change your approach?

Day 3: Our Role is to Plant and Water Seeds

We often feel discouraged if our efforts do not lead to an immediate decision for Christ. However, Scripture reminds us that spiritual growth is a process. One person may plant a seed, another may water it, but it is always God who causes the growth. Our calling is to be faithful in our part of the process, trusting that God is at work even when we cannot see the results. [44:27]

“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.” (1 Corinthians 3:6-7 NIV)

Reflection: Can you think of a relationship where you may have already planted a spiritual seed through an act of kindness or a brief conversation? How can you trust God with the outcome of that seed instead of feeling the pressure to make it grow yourself?

Day 4: Jesus Commands Us to Be Fishers of People

Following Jesus involves joining Him in His mission. He explicitly calls His followers to be "fishers of people," inviting others into the abundant life found in Him. This is not a suggestion for a select few but a central command for all who claim Him as Lord. It is an invitation to participate in the most important work happening on earth. [39:32]

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” (Matthew 4:19 NIV)

Reflection: In what practical ways does your current daily life provide natural opportunities to "fish for people"? How can you adjust your routines or conversations to be more intentional about this calling?

Day 5: Cast Your Net on the Other Side

Past failures or rejections do not have to define our future efforts. With Jesus, everything changes. He invites us to try again, to cast our nets where we have fished before but with renewed faith in His power. He can bring a harvest from places we have given up on, turning our past disappointments into future testimonies of His grace. [38:21]

He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. (John 21:6 NIV)

Reflection: Is there a specific person or relationship where you have felt like your efforts to share faith have failed? What would it look like to prayerfully "cast your net on the other side" and engage with them once more, trusting the outcome to Jesus?

Sermon Summary

Lincoln Glen Church issues practical invitations and frames a missional urgency as Easter approaches. The congregation learns about upcoming opportunities—Discover classes, baptism pathways, midweek worship, and a large neighborhood Easter outreach—while staff emphasizes hospitality and preparation. Attention then turns to evangelistic discipleship: Christ’s final commands in Acts 1:8 and Matthew 28 define the mission to witness locally and globally. The gospel gets summarized simply—God the Creator, human rebellion, Christ’s atoning death and resurrection, and the invitation to abundant life through Jesus—calling believers to share that story because it is uniquely salvific.

Statistical realities sharpen the call. The Bay Area counts hundreds of thousands who do not attend church, yet surveys show many people remain open to spiritual conversation. Christians often hesitate to invite others, hampered by fear of rejection and past failures. Yet biblical examples and everyday metaphors reframe failure: elite athletes miss far more than they make; the disciples fished all night and caught nothing until Jesus told them to cast the net on the other side. That image stresses persistence and divine possibility—past attempts do not limit future fruit when Christ intervenes.

Practical theology follows practice. First Corinthians treats evangelism as a team process—some plant, others water, and God alone causes growth—so faithful labor matters even without visible results. Colossians 4:2–6 offers a behavioral blueprint: devoted prayer, watchful gratitude, wise conduct toward outsiders, seizing opportunities, and speech seasoned with grace. The congregation receives a simple discipline: pray for three specific people, watch for open doors, and invite again, especially during seasons of increased spiritual curiosity like Easter, Christmas, and times of crisis. The conclusion issues a sober encouragement: rejection will occur, but obedience to the Great Commission carries eternal significance, and God can reach those with the hardest hearts. The local context becomes a vast mission field; believers get a clear next step—pray, persist, and cast the net anew.

Key Takeaways

1. Cast the net on other side Casting the net on the opposite side reframes ministry as a posture of obedience rather than a replay of past failures. This image insists that human methods have limits but Christ redirects outcomes when invited into the work. Persistence combined with dependence on Jesus opens space for unexpected harvests. The narrative discourages resignation and invites another attempt rooted in faith. [38:21]
2. Pray for three people regularly Narrow, disciplined intercession sharpens long obedience in evangelism and prevents diffuse, sentimental prayer that fizzles. Committing to pray for three names cultivates attention, affection, and action toward specific neighbors, friends, or coworkers. This rhythm converts vague concern into consistent petitions that prepare hearts and eyes to spot gospel opportunities. Small, sustained prayer investments often precede unseen spiritual fruit. [49:36]
3. Plant seeds; God causes growth Evangelistic work operates as a cooperative economy: some plant, some water, and God produces growth. This framework removes the burden of immediate results from any single person and honors faithful, often anonymous labor. Patience and persistence in ordinary relationships serve kingdom purposes even when visible conversion does not follow quickly. Trusting God’s sovereignty preserves joy in stewardship. [43:44]
4. Embrace rejection and keep going Rejection accompanies faithful witness because the world rejected Christ first; expecting otherwise misunderstands gospel history. Viewing refusal as an inevitable cost reframes courage as obedience rather than success metrics. Endurance in the face of “no” keeps mission momentum and honors the fragile dignity of those still wrestling with faith. Perseverance preserves the possibility of future openness. [34:03]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[07:00] - Midweek Worship & Invitation
[09:07] - Easter Egg Hunt Details
[17:33] - Series Transition: Preparing for Easter
[21:03] - Romans 10: The Need to Hear
[27:37] - Acts 1:8 and Matthew 28 Commands
[29:06] - What the Gospel Is
[31:18] - Failure, Fear, and Perseverance
[38:21] - Cast the Net on the Other Side
[43:44] - Planting, Watering, and Growth
[49:36] - Pray for Three People
[54:15] - Commission and Closing Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading: Acts 1:8 (ESV)
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

Observation questions

According to Acts 1:8, what is the source of the power given to believers to be witnesses?
What are the four geographical areas Jesus mentions where his followers are to be witnesses?
In the sermon, what statistic was given about the number of people in San Jose not in church on a given Sunday? [23:31]
What did the professional fishermen do all night before Jesus told them to try the other side of the boat? [37:04]

Interpretation questions

Why is it significant that Jesus' command in Acts 1:8 was one of his last instructions before ascending to heaven?
The idea of "casting the net on the other side" was presented as moving from a posture of past failure to one of obedience. What does this shift in perspective look like for someone who has felt unsuccessful in sharing their faith? [38:21]
How does the concept of some planting seeds and others watering them (from 1 Corinthians 3) change our understanding of what "successful" evangelism looks like? [43:44]
If people in our area are statistically more open to spiritual conversations than Christians are to initiating them, what might be some of the heart issues or fears that create this gap? [24:42]

Application questions

The call is to pray for three specific people to know Jesus. Who are three people in your life that you can begin praying for regularly, and what would it look like to commit to this? [49:36]
"Casting the net on the other side" means trying again after past attempts that felt like failures. Is there a specific relationship where you've felt rejected or unsuccessful in sharing faith, and what would it look like to obediently "cast the net" there again with a posture of dependence on Jesus? [38:21]
The process of evangelism is described as a team effort where some plant and others water. How can you better see your role as part of a broader community effort rather than carrying the burden of someone's entire spiritual journey on your own? [43:44]
Rejection is an expected part of faithful witness because the world rejected Christ first. How can you prepare your heart to embrace potential rejection without letting it deter you from future obedience? [34:03]
Seasons like Easter present a unique opportunity as people are more spiritually open. What is one practical step you can take this Easter season to invite someone into a spiritual conversation or to a church gathering? [26:06]
Colossians 4:2-6 calls for watchfulness and making the most of every opportunity. This week, what would it look like to be more intentionally watchful for the open doors God might provide in conversations with coworkers, neighbors, or family?
The local context is a vast mission field. How does this truth change the way you view your daily routines, your neighborhood, and your city? What is one way you can engage your mission field this week?

Sermon Clips

Most people or many people are open to spiritual conversations, especially post COVID, and amazing things are happening on college campuses right now in the name of Jesus. Some people are debating whether or not you could call this a revival. I don't care what you call it. We're not seeing the levels that we did in the great awakening as you read in history books and all that kind of stuff, but there is a spiritual openness. Whatever you want to call it, there is a spiritual openness right now. And so in this season of openness, cast your net on the other side of the boat. Try it again. Try sharing your faith with someone again. Try inviting someone to church again. There is a season of openness, and Jesus says, cast your net on the other side. [00:40:07] (46 seconds) #CastYourNet

And so just that we have this realistic idea that just like the greatest athletes in sports are gonna miss more than they're gonna make, you and I may go out there, and we may find that we're gonna miss more than we make too as we share the gospel with people. But that for us, do we still have the calling of Jesus to go and to tell others about him? If you don't share your faith, you won't get rejected, but you also won't get to help people come to know Jesus. And there is a great joy in helping others come to know Jesus. [00:35:11] (31 seconds) #FaithfulWitness

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