Can I Get A Testimony?

The last couple of weeks have been very busy.  Between meetings, school activities, and spring break, it has been difficult to get everything done.  But it has been good.  Recently, I looked back over my time in Haskell and it amazed me how active God has been in the life of our congregation.  We have ministered to others, loved our brothers and sisters through some difficult times, and remained faithful to God as his children.

One of the texts that I studied for this week's sermon is found in Jeremiah.  In this promise, God declares through the prophet that a new time is coming.  The people God called turned their back on him and his Law. They refused to allow the Law to penetrate their hearts.  Because of their unfaithfulness their hearts were as stone cold as the tablets that the 10 Commandments were written on.

So God's promise is of a new covenant.  Through that covenant God says, "I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people."  Of course, this promise was fulfilled through the only Son of God, Jesus Christ.  He came and taught, modeled, and witnessed to the love of God that inspires and ignites people to go forth and to testify to the amazing transformative love that comes to people through the Holy Spirit.

In the early days of Methodism, it was common for there to be a testimony time during the weekly worship service.  One of the questions the Methodists were asked in their small groups was "How goes it with your soul."  Part of the meaning behind that was how have you seen God active in your life recently.  These people were willing to get up in front of others and tell how God had been putting his law within them.  They were excited about God writing his law on their hearts.

For some reason we have lost this aspect of our history in our church.  Most churches no longer allow a regular time of testimony from the people and most people are hesitant to get up and testify about how God has been active in their life.  Maybe we are afraid of what the Holy Spirit will do in our midst.  Perhaps we don't want to lose control of the service.  It could be that we are afraid of becoming vulnerable in front of others.  But whatever the reason, we simply don't do it much anymore.

But this past week in our Methodist Beliefs class, several of the ones who attend the class volunteered to give a testimony of God's activity in their life.  As their pastor, I sat back and listened with great pleasure to my flock's stories.  There were some tears and there were some shaking voices, but everyone simply sat and listened.  When the testimony was over, there were "amens" and many smiles around the table.  I was truly moved and blessed during our time of sharing.

One of the keys to evangelism and faith development is the testimony.  People can doubt Scripture.  People can refuse to believe in God.  People can even make fun of us for our beliefs.  But the one thing they cannot do is discount our testimony.  I know without a shadow of a doubt that God has been active, caring, and encouraging.  I know what he has done in my life and how he has transformed me from a hate-filled, repugnant, know-it-all.  I know where he continues to work in my life.  And I know that God's love has penetrated my heart.

In St. Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, he talks about ministers.  He states, "We are fools for the sake of Christ..."  I have learned that he is describing me.  I am a fool for the sake of Christ.  But I've also learned something else.  I'd rather be a fool for the sake of Christ than to be the person I was before God's love penetrated my evil heart.

So I encourage you to go forth and tell your story.  Testify to God's activity in your life.  Don't be afraid of being honest with people.  Be truthful.  Be genuine.  But most importantly, testify to God's love for you and his desire to work in the lives of everyone.  Until next time...





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