The Power of Unspoken Testimony

The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.
They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.

– Psalm 19:1-4

The picture above is of, from left to right, my mom, my sister Karis, my aunt Debbie, and my father, from the 1980s. All her life, my aunt was physically and mentally handicapped. And my grandparents can attest to how people in the church blamed them and their lack of faith for her being this way, just like how Job’s friends blamed him for his suffering, too. But we know from God’s word that this is not the case:

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.

– Genesis 50:20

We know that our afflictions and persecutions will bring about new life for those dead in sin. On Monday this week, I gave sermon #2 in prison. We’re preparing for some men to be baptized there, and so I was compelled to speak on the power of our testimony. And first off, why should we even have one? God’s word makes it clear:

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.

– 1 Peter 3:13

We must always be ready to give our testimony. And God was able to help my aunt give one, too, because she couldn’t do it on her own. Her testimony is that my grandparents faithfully put in the work to bring her to church when she was a child.

That act of obedience allowed a man living with a cognitive delay to see her from across the street, and think to himself, “If God can love her, maybe he can love me, too?”

There is nothing that can stop real testimony from shining through, not even a lack of words.

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

– Romans 1:20

If you have been saved by God, then you were once dead and are now alive. Our testimony is meant to share this simple fact. And if we don’t, then are we alive? Jesus explains:

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

– Matthew 5:14-16

To those on the fence, who hesitate because you think your testimony, or your story, is boring, then know this:

Because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

– Revelation 3:16

Weren’t you dead? Weren’t you a slave to sin? Didn’t Jesus raise you to life? If not, then I can understand the lukewarm hesitation. This isn’t a joke, Jesus said that a town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Being once dead, and now alive in Christ, is evident and your story has real power. My aunt couldn’t speak and her story still brought life to people around her. Imagine what you can do if you speak? Did Jesus die on a cross just for you to say that it was not interesting enough to share?

Now, perhaps you’re not sure what to say. Should you have a 30 minute testimony? Or 5 minutes? I will say that you can do it in 5 seconds. In fact, the Bible is filled with 5 second testimonies. So what’s in those 5 seconds?

And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

– 1 John 5:11-13

If we’re called to be like Jesus, what was his testimony?

Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”

At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus.“

– Revelations 19:9-10

So Jesus’ testimony is the spirit of prophecy. What is that?

“The one who prophesies speaks to men for edification, and exhortation, and consolation.”

– 1 Corinthians 14:3

Edification means “to build up,” exhortation means “to call near,” and consolation means “to cheer up.” That is what prophecy is, and that is what Jesus’ testimony is. Our testimony, therefore should have the spirit of prophecy. Our testimony should build up the church, to call us near to God, and to cheer up the low in spirit with new hope. If our testimony fulfills this, then it is surely a good testimony.

So how do we do that in 5 seconds? Here’s 3 examples:

Here is a saying that you can trust. It should be accepted completely. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. And I am the worst sinner of all.

– 1 Timothy 1:15

Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God. He stood before him and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel.”

– 2 Kings 5:15

“By the decree of the king and his nobles:

Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence.

Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.”

– Jonah 3:7-9

When we die and stand at the judgement seat, the accuser will say that we have sinned and deserve to go to hell. Our testimony acknowledges God before the world, and sharing that we were once dead but are now alive means that Jesus will speak on our behalf, and give his own testimony, the spirit of prophecy, to save us:

“Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.”

– Matthew 10:32-33