Turning Around, Encouragement, Warning, Unanswered Questions (Testimony Sunday)
Testimony Sunday – September 29th, 2024
We’ve been doing “Testimony Sunday” for almost five years here at Liberty Vineyard Church. It has become so much a part of us, hasn’t it? I want to start by reading you an excerpt from how I introduced it the first time we tried it out, on Sunday, December 29th, 2019:
“A brief Scriptural basis for why it’s good to give testimonies is that we are told in Revelation 12 that “they [that’s us] have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” Also, chances are that whenever we share with someone something that God has done, it will encourage those who hear it. In the early church, the apostle Paul told them to ‘encourage one another daily, as long as it’s called Today.’ What day is it today? That’s right – Today!”
Even though this is the twentieth or so time we’ve done “Testimony Sunday”, I think it’s always a good idea to have some rails to run on. As I pondered and prayed about our focus for today, I landed on inviting us to share testimonies in which we notice some kind of change in our lives. Living things grow. Growing things change. Every single one of us is changing constantly, whether we are aware of it or not. I want to remind us that in everything, God is at work, and we are at work, hand-in-hand, together. We are not passive observers or bystanders to whom life happens. We are active participants with God in our own lives and in the world around us.
Our triune God works with us, in us, through us, before us, behind us, inside us, around us. Sometimes our choices move us in a direction that we later regret, so we may have a testimony of turning around. Sometimes our choices move us in a direction that increases our love, joy, peace, and so forth, so we may have a testimony of encouragement. Sometimes our choices move us in a direction that increases our anxiety, fear, distress, and so forth, so we may have a testimony of warning. Sometimes we can’t figure out what direction we’ve been heading in, so we may have a testimony of unanswered questions. Sometimes we find ourselves at the end of a story or chapter in our lives. More often than not we find ourselves in the middle of the story or chapter. There are all kinds of testimonies, all kinds of stories. Be open to what the Holy Spirit nudges you to share today. And be as open as you can be in sharing authentically and vulnerably, so that we may together grow as we walk with God and one another in the world. We are not recording anything in this service, and I encourage us to guard one another’s hearts and protect one another’s reputations. I encourage us to speak honestly and in great love.
I’d like to pray for us before we get started:
Lord God, we thank you that you are always working and that you invite us to work together with you, hand-in-hand, as active participants with you in our own lives and in the world around us. Holy Spirit, help us to pay attention to what you are showing us, to hear your whispers, to follow your direction, to receive your encouragements, to heed your warnings, to hold all of our unanswered questions before you in the light of your presence. Would you please help us to share authentically and vulnerably, guard one another’s hearts, protect one another’s reputations, with honesty and in great love. We ask you for the grace, strength, and courage that we need to keep doing small things with great love, reaching out to neighbors and nations, for the greater glory of God! Amen.
1 Thessalonians 5:23 (The Message) – “May God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together – spirit, soul, and body – and keep you fit for the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ.”
Prompts to get us thinking about stories we might want to share today:
- In what way have you shifted your approach in connecting with another person?
- What have you learned recently?
- In what communication skills have you become more effective?
- What has helped you to become a better listener?
- How have you grown in offering friendship to someone?
- In what beneficial way have you changed your approach to life?
- How have you been surprised in your experience of God?
- What has helped you to better experience the peace of Christ?
- In what way have you changed as to how you react to stressors in your life?
- How have you grown in managing your feelings and reactions to a situation you’ve been in?
- What has helped you to remain calmer under pressure than you have on previous occasions?
- How have you grown in how you respond to or work towards resolution of a conflict in your life?
- In what healthy choice have you grown in better caring for your body or your mind?
- What change in your diet has been beneficial for you?
- What exercise routine has been helpful to you?
- In what way has your quality or quantity of sleep improved?
