In this fourth part of our series, we are going to look at how Jesus told his story.

Jesus was one of the best communicators that ever lived.

Firstly, I believe it was because of what we have already looked at in previous lessons. He was a man of prayer, and he would bring people before His Father in prayer. I might sound repetitive when it comes to praying, but it is the key to how anointed your ministry will be.

Secondly, he had a heart for people. Again, I believe that his heart for people came from the Father’s heart for people. As we pray about people and talk to God, he will soften our hearts. We cannot be effective until our hearts are softened.

But Jesus also had methods of evangelism.

He was an evangelist at heart, with this desire that men and woman, boys and girls, the deepest sinner and the most self-righteous of people, should be brought into a relationship with God.  He excluded nobody as we see from the scriptures.

He ministered to his friends and family. We can safely assume as we read through John 2:1-11, where Jesus turns water into wine, that the earthly family of Jesus were connected in some way to this family hosting the wedding, otherwise they would not have been guests. 

By performing this miracle, Jesus would not have gone unnoticed by at least some of the guests, therefore his family. 

I was speaking about this one night, and my mind was taken back to Jesus’ family.  We all know how hard it can be to witness to our families, and I began to wonder did Jesus have the same issues?

It would be fair to assume that he had.

We know that some of his earthly brothers, especially James, did not come to faith until much later in their lives.

In fact, at one point his brothers referred to him as being out of His mind.

“When his family heard what was happening, they tried to take him away. “He is out of his mind,” they said”.

Mark 3:21 (NLT)

But I am sure as they saw him minister to others they too were challenged.

Jesus didn’t exclude anyone.

He spoke with the sick, the poor, the rich, with people in society who held no privilege, and with people who were rulers in society.

He made no difference to anyone, and he treated everyone the same.

He used the methods that were at his hand.

He called at people’s homes to eat or share a drink.

He talked to people as he walked the streets.

He thought nothing of praying for the sick in public (an excellent form of evangelism). 

He used the word of God with people.

He told stories and he used illustrations.

The first recorded evangelism in the Bible is in Matthew 4:18-19. Jesus was by the sea of Galilee, and he sees Simon and Andrew and calls them to follow Him. He then had a similar experience with James and John.

This is one form of evangelism that sadly has been lost in recent years.

I think the devil has many believers convinced that they could not just walk up to someone and start talking about Jesus.

Satan has created a fear in our hearts. I used to fear this but today it is my favorite form of telling my story. 

I was out one Monday morning looking for someone to talk to. The town seemed very empty and after an hour I had not actually spoken to anyone. As I was heading back to the car, I spotted a man sitting on the windowsill of a closed public house. So, I went over to him and simply sat down on the windowsill beside him.

I greeted him with a good morning and asked him had he been sat here long. “No, I’m just waiting for the pub opening to go in and play the gaming machine”, he said.

He then asks me was I waiting for a drink.

“No”, I said “but if you have a couple of minutes I would love to tell you a story”.

I started to tell him my story of how God had set me free from so much trouble in my life and we had a good talk. 

A seed was sown.

Now even as I write this it sounds a bit easy, but in truth it is never easy to just walk up to someone.

I would encourage you to pray about it and then try it.

It is one form of evangelism that will bring you so much blessing, and you are following in the footsteps of Jesus.

If I thought that I had to go out and “do evangelism” I think it might make it difficult for me too. This is why I refer to it as telling my story.  As a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, you have a story to tell.

Always remember that God has given you your story, so don’t hold onto it.  Take it and share it and see what God can do through it.

Next time we will look at the Holy Spirit and how He helps us and indeed how we can pray for people on the street.

Written by Willis McDowell