The man went away and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had made him well. (John 5:15)
Expanded Passage: John 5:15
Every year, my wife and I like to take a small vacation for ourselves, just a few days away without the kids. We never thought it was possible—until we saw an ad for Costco Travel Services. How did they convince us? Marketing! An ad with testimonials from regular people, just like us: mothers and fathers, able to leave their responsibilities (and kids) behind for just a few days for a nominal cost. It was far more affordable than we’d ever dreamed, and the return on investment was amazing. In short, we’ve become repeat customers. More importantly, we tell all of our friends that they should check it out as well. Many of them have since booked vacations because of our experience.
The transforming power of the gospel is the same. Few stories are as powerful as our own, because people can see their own lives in ours. They believe that if God can change our lives, he can change theirs as well.
You are the truth of Scripture come alive! People want a gospel story they can believe in—and you are the change they can see.
Irenaeus, the early church father, said “The glory of God is man fully alive”—which means that when our hearts are fully surrendered to God, we are transformed by the gospel, and that inspires people. Our healing can become their healing too.
Tell your story to someone who needs to hear it.
Jareb Collins is a senior pastor in Warrenton, Missouri, in the Tri-State District of The Wesleyan Church, and the author of Handbook for the Broken Hearted.
© 2025 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
