He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed and received my sight.” John 9:11
D.L. MOODY
He told a straightforward story, just what the Lord had done for him. That is all. That is what a witness ought to do—tell what he knows, not what he does not know. He did not try to make a long speech. It is not the most flippant and fluent witness who has the most influence with a jury.
This man’s testimony is what I call “experience.” One of the greatest hindrances to the progress of the gospel today is that the narration of the experience of the church is not encouraged. There are a great many men and women who come into the church, and we never hear anything of the Lord’s dealings with them. If we did, it would be a great help to others. It would stimulate faith and encourage the more feeble of the flock. The apostle Paul’s experience has been recorded three times. I have no doubt that he told it everywhere he went: how God had met him; how God had opened his eyes and his heart; and how God had blessed him.
Depend upon it, experience has its place; the great mistake that is made now is in the other extreme. In some places and at some periods there has been too much of it—it has been all experience; and now we have let the pendulum swing too far the other way.
ERWIN LUTZER
Have you ever asked, “When it comes to witnessing, what is the most important: my life or my lips?” If you share the gospel but don’t have the integrity to back it up, people won’t listen. They’ll say, “Even if it’s true, I don’t want to hear it from you.” Yet, if you’re kind but don’t tell people about Jesus, they’ll simply attribute your niceness to your DNA.
Like wings on a plane, we bear witness with both a spoken and lived testimony.
PRAYER
Father, may I witness to my friends and coworkers and tell them what Jesus has done for me.REFLECTION QUESTIONS
Who have you recently told of God’s saving work in your life?Is your life and witness worthy of the Gospel you have received?