What is your testimony about Jesus?

No matter where you are in your faith journey, God is developing a powerful, influential testimony in you! In John 1:19-42, we discover three testimonial truths from John the Baptist and Andrew that can be part of every Believer’s testimony… Jesus removes the pride that infects us, the sin that plagues us, and the doubt that inhibits us.

1. Jesus removes the pride that infects us. (John 1:19-34)

When a group of religious leaders asked John who he was, he made clear that it wasn’t him they needed to be concerned about; he was just a humble voice with a clear message, “‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’” (John 1:23). What does that mean? It means to remove any barrier that may be keeping you from surrendering or fully committing your life to Christ. What a great message for any time, but especially in the new year!

Two questions to consider: What barriers may be holding you back from fully committing to Christ? And, how will you be a “voice” for Christ in 2022? God can use you to be a huge influencer for Christ in the new year! We live in a dark world that needs light. Our message is no different than John’s. Humbly point others to Jesus in the same way John did. It was never about him, but always about the One he proclaimed.

Pride loves to creep into our lives. If we aren’t careful, it can sneak in and cause all kinds of problems in our relationships, including our relationship with God. How many times has pride caused conflict in your life? So how can we keep pride at arms length?

Antidote to Pride: Confess your sins to God daily. That will keep you humble! Check out a parable Jesus shared about this in Luke 18:9-14. We all sin and fall short of the mark God sets for us. But we aren’t always honest with God about that. Why not? Pride. I want to challenge you in the new year to daily review your heart and behavior and humbly confess to God where you have blown it; then repent. This is an essential practice of humility. Make that a daily practice in 2022.

Jesus will remove the pride that can infect us. Like John, we will be humbled by Jesus! That is an essential part of our testimony. It’s never about us; always about Him.

2. Jesus removes the sin that plagues us. (John 1:29-34)

John offered another powerful testimony when he shared that Jesus is the “Lamb of God who bears the sins of the world.” (John 1:29). Jesus became the ultimate sacrificial lamb for the sins of all who believe. (John 1:12). This vital truth is an essential element in the testimony of all Believers. If we are going to shine light in the darkness, this is a message that we must share with those who don’t yet believe. It is great news that people are desperate to hear. And, you don’t go alone either; the Holy Spirit inspires and empowers all who believe!

3. Jesus removes the doubt that inhibits us. (John 1:35-42)

When John pointed two of his disciples to Jesus, they followed Him immediately. There seemed to be no hesitation or doubt. Why did they do that? I can think of a few reasons… 1) They believed John’s testimony about Jesus! No doubt, they trusted John. 2) John had been “paving the way” for Jesus… talking about Him, teaching about Him, taking opportunities to share about Him. 3) John made sure that it was never about him; he humbly deflected any attention, always pointing to Jesus.

We can learn a lot from John about how to be an effective witness for Christ….

Build trust with your lost friends and family so they will believe what you say about Jesus.
Take advantage of opportunities to talk about the difference Christ has made in your life.
Stay humble and give Christ the credit He deserves.

Then, when those folks close to you come face to face with the chance to follow Jesus, they will have no doubts about following Him. Jesus removes any doubts that might inhibit people and He uses us to influence others for His sake. At Watermark, we call it making an impression and leaving a mark for Jesus Christ!

In the verses that follow, we learn a few more valuable lessons:

No one with a sincere desire to know Jesus as Savior is ever turned away. (John 1:35-39), When these men showed interest, Jesus invited them to get to know Him! Jesus meets anyone where they are, but He doesn’t leave them there; He will make them just like Him! These men became devoted disciples of Jesus.

When you meet Jesus, you’re compelled to bring others to Him! (John 1:40-41). After Andrew met Jesus and spent the day with Him, the first thing Andrew did was find his brother and tell him, “We have found the Messiah!” What a simple, powerful testimony! Andrew’s brother wanted to meet Jesus.

Jesus sees into our hearts and can transform us into who He wants us to be! (John 1:42). Jesus knew the foundational role that Andrew’s brother, Simon, would play in Jesus’ ministry and ultimately in the New Testament Church! So Jesus gave him a new name, Peter, which in Aramaic means “rock.”. Jesus will transform you into who He wants you to be too!

Faith in Christ was contagious in the early church! God used the testimonies of John the Baptist and Andrew to change the world. He can use your testimony too! Will you commit to share it in 2022 every opportunity you have? For much more, click here to listen to: Light in the Darkness - Part 1a - Sharing Your Testimony.