Sometimes the best way to take the scriptures to heart is to teach them to someone else.

A Pioneer named Hannah has been working through a study of the gospels. She is looking for passages to discuss with her local friends she gathers for “story nights.” Most of those who come have shown interest in Jesus, and some are actively pursuing Him. But Hannah finds the Lord working in her own life, too, as she grapples with what she finds in scripture.

“I’m convicted by how many people had confidence that Jesus could change their lives,” she says. “Most of the time they didn’t fully understand how much they needed Jesus, but they longed to be made whole.”

In each encounter, Jesus met people where they were and spoke life over them. He saw their physical needs and their spiritual ones.

“I wonder if I live with the same confidence—or desperation—we see in the gospels?

• Do I push through the crowds because I’m desperate to touch the hem of His garment? (Mark 5)
• Do I risk everything to speak with Jesus during the cover of darkness like Nicodemus? (John 3)
• And what about faith? Do I believe like the four men who lowered the paralyzed man through the roof because they knew their friend needed Jesus? (Mark 2)

Asking Jesus to Work on Someone Else’s Behalf

“I’m struck by how many times in these stories people asked Jesus to work on behalf of someone else,” says Hannah. Do I do the same thing? Do I pray with the same desperation for my friends? And do I walk with my friends to His feet so they can encounter His goodness?

“The same Jesus who walked this earth some 2,000 years ago is actively working today. I know from those stories He responds to those who come to Him. I’ll try to leave the details and the timing to Him, but I want to be faithful to cry out on behalf of those who are hurting, who don’t know His goodness and perhaps don’t even know they need Him.”

Going Deeper with Jesus Stories

• Pick out a story or two from the gospels that stands out to you. What are the key points? What are the important details? Practice retelling that story in your own words. Try it out on a friend or family member. Then pray for an opportunity to share it with someone who may not know it!
• To see a gospel story through the eyes of someone who’s never heard it, read The Earth-Shattering Parable of the Prodigal Son.