Summary
What if the most powerful thing we could say to someone searching for truth is simply, ‘I was blind, and now I can see’? In John 9, we encounter a man born blind whose healing sets off a chain of arguments, investigations, and family betrayals — yet through it all, he holds to one unshakeable reality: his life has been transformed. This story pulls back the curtain on something we all carry but rarely take time to articulate — our own testimony. The Greek word behind ‘testimony,’ ‘witness,’ and ‘evidence’ is the same word, and that is no accident. We are living proof of God at work. People cannot see the wind, but they can see the leaves it moves. In the same way, the world around us may not be able to see God directly, but they can see what he has done in us. This message challenges us to stop skimming past our own story and start recognizing it for what it is: evidence that cannot be argued away, a witness that no debate can silence, and a testimony that has the power to open doors that theological arguments never could.
Key Scripture – John 9:1-38
Complete My 15-second testimony
- There was a time in my life when…
- …but God…
- …now I am filled with…
Discussion Questions
- When you heard the sermon was going to be about sharing your faith and your testimony, what was your initial reaction? Excitement, anxiety, relief, dread?
- Think about the man born blind in John 9. The best day of his life was met with arguments, skepticism, and his own parents throwing him under the bus. Has there ever been a moment in your spiritual life where you expected celebration but got resistance instead? What happened?
Going Deeper
- The man born blind could not answer every theological question the Pharisees threw at him. His response was essentially, “I don’t know enough to debate you, but I know what happened to me.” How does that free you up when you think about sharing your own faith with someone?
- Pastor Stephen made the point that it is easy to argue theology, but it is hard to argue a changed life. Do you agree with that? Have you ever seen that play out in a real conversation?
- The sermon drew a comparison between ‘knowing how to drive home’ and ‘being able to give someone turn-by-turn directions’. In other words, we live our story without thinking about how to clearly communicate it. What felt most difficult about actually writing your testimony down on the card?
- Pastor Stephen said that “if Satan cannot have your allegiance, he will gladly take your apathy”. How does that land for you personally? Where does apathy tend to show up in your own life when it comes to sharing your faith?
- The sermon outlined four steps: engage with people, read where they are spiritually, take the shot and share, and trust the Spirit with the results. Which of those four is the hardest step for you, and why?
- Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 9 that he became all things to all people for the sake of the gospel. What would that look like practically in your everyday life — at work, in your neighborhood, or in your family?
Personal Reflection
- The sermon noted that a person hears the gospel on average seven times before placing their faith in Christ. How does that reframe what it means to be faithful in sharing, even when you do not see immediate results?
- The three examples of 15-second testimonies at the end of the sermon belonged to Paul, Timothy, and Peter — people who shaped the history of the church. One was dramatic, one was quiet and shaped by fear, and one came through failure and restoration. Which of those resonates most with your own story, and why?
Scripture Reference
- John 9:1-38 – The healing of the man born blind, the central passage of the sermon
- Acts 1:8 – The promise of the Holy Spirit and being witnesses
- John 3:16 – God’s love and the gift of eternal life through his Son
- Romans 3:23 – All have sinned and fall short of God’s glory
- Romans 6:23 – The wages of sin is death, but eternal life is a gift through Christ
- Romans 10:9 – Confessing Jesus as Lord and believing in the resurrection leads to salvation
- 1 Corinthians 3:6 – Paul planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth
- 1 Corinthians 9:22-23 – Becoming all things to all people for the sake of the gospel