Sharing Your Faith Like the First Christians

“You want me to share my faith with someone?”

“What if they de-friend me?”

“I might get fired.”

“They will make fun of me.”

These are some of the common reactions people have when encouraged to share their faith with someone else. As intimating and scary as it can be, it is something that we are called by Christ to do. However, it is more than just a calling. It is a privilege to share the life changing hope of Christ to others. In fact, as we read the book of Acts and study the lives of the very first Christians, we find powerful examples and encouragement of how to be bold witnesses for Christ to others.

First Christians Sharing

The early church was marked by passion and an unwavering commitment to making Christ known to others. After all, like us, their lives had been transformed by Christ. So, just days after Jesus’ ascension into heaven, Peter courageously preached to crowds, calling them to repentance (Acts 2). When threatened and beaten for proclaiming Jesus, the apostles “rejoiced because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name” (Acts 5:41). They weren’t going to let physical harm dissuade them from sharing about Jesus.

The took serious the calling of the Great Commission Jesus gave them (Matthew 28:19-20). They would go about and “preached the word wherever they went” (Acts 8:4). Paul’s life was defined by taking the gospel to the Gentiles at all costs (Acts 9:15). Moments after his supernatural deliverance from prison, we find him declaring, “The Lord’s message must be preached!” (Acts 16:10).

What inspired such bold evangelism? For starters, they had personally encountered the risen Christ and were understandably set ablaze to share this reality with others. But they were also empowered by the Holy Spirit, who gives us the courage and words to be Christ’s ambassadors (Acts 1:8). The Spirit compelled them with a profound sense of urgency for the lost. While we have never seen Christ as these first believers did, we have experienced life transformation from him. He has brought us from lost to being found. And, we can encourage others by sharing our faith with them.

Conclusion 

As modern-day disciples, may we replicate the first Christians’ uncompromising proclamation of Christ’s message of hope, love, grace and forgiveness. Let us be driven by the same spiritual fervency, boldness, and deep burden for the salvation of the world around us. Our neighborhoods, workplaces, and communities need to encounter the transformative power of Jesus through our faithful witnessing.

At New Life, we offer a variety of Bible reading plans for exploring God’s word and practically applying it to our lives today. If you would like to be part of a Bible reading plan, check out the different options here.