Your personal testimony is powerful evidence that Jesus is alive and still transforming lives today. In this encouraging devotional, Whitney Hopler reflects on 1 Corinthians 15:6 and the 500 witnesses who saw the resurrected Jesus—reminding believers that authentic faith stories still matter. Christians don’t need to be theologians or pastors to share the Gospel; they simply need to honestly share how Jesus has worked in their lives.

Through relatable storytelling and biblical encouragement, this devotional challenges believers to overcome fear, embrace authenticity, and confidently witness to others about God’s faithfulness. Whether through answered prayer, peace during hardship, or everyday moments of hope, your story can help others discover the living presence of Jesus Christ.

Highlights
Why your personal testimony carries spiritual impact
The significance of the 500 witnesses to Jesus’ resurrection
How authenticity builds credibility when sharing faith
Why Christians don’t need all the answers to witness effectively
Overcoming fear and hesitation when talking about Jesus
Simple ways to share the hope of Christ in everyday conversations
How your story can encourage others to seek God personally

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Full Transcript Below:

Your Witness Matters
By: Whitney Hopler

Bible Reading:
“After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.” – 1 Corinthians 15:6, NIV 

When I was first learning about journalism – as an editor for my high school’s newspaper – I read a story that my fellow student Scott submitted and marveled at all the great quotes he had included. But none of those quotes featured names. They were all followed by the phrase “one student said.” So, I asked Scott to attribute the quotes. It was then that he revealed the “one student” was himself! I had to explain to him that he couldn’t just make up the quotes he wanted to feature in the story. Scott learned about the importance of authenticity and credibility that day, and I had to laugh that he had even considered we might run his story without proper attribution. 

I love reading the Bible’s stories of Jesus’ appearances to many different people after his resurrection. One of my favorite reports is in 1 Corinthians 15:6, which mentions that the resurrected Jesus appeared to more than 500 people at once – and that many of those people were still living at the time this verse was written, so those who read it could seek them out and hear their own stories of witnessing Jesus personally. All of those witnesses together offer credible evidence that Jesus really was resurrected from the dead and visited many people afterward.

You are also a witness to the fact that Jesus is alive. While you didn’t see him appear physically during biblical times, you’ve seen Jesus at work in your life. You’ve experienced how Jesus answered your prayers in all sorts of ways, such as by sending you guidance, giving you peace, or encouraging you. By sharing your stories of witnessing Jesus’ work in your life, you can help other people discover that Jesus is still living and active. 

Sometimes you may hesitate to share your stories because you’re afraid someone will ask a hard theological question you can‘t answer. But look back at that group of 500 people. They weren’t experts; they were witnesses. A witness’s job isn’t to be the judge, the jury, or the lawyer. A witness’s only job is to say: “This is what I saw, and this is what happened to me.” 

When you dare to share honest stories about how Jesus meets you in your struggles, you give others permission to be honest, too. Your authenticity can inspire others to walk closer to Jesus themselves. 

This verse mentions that most of those 500 witnesses were “still living.” This was an open invitation for skeptics to go and investigate by talking to them directly about their experiences with the resurrected Jesus. Today, you are the “still living” proof for the people in your own life. You’re the witness in your office, in your gym, in your family group chat, and wherever else you can share your stories of Jesus at work in your life. 

Jesus wants you to share his Gospel message in fresh ways whenever you have opportunities to do so. Just sharing simple ways that Jesus has given you hope lately or answered a specific prayer to help you can make a significant positive difference in other people’s lives. You don’t have to give people a sermon. Just witness authentically how Jesus is working in your life.

No one else can tell your stories of what Jesus is doing in your life. If you stay silent, some credible reports of God’s goodness stay hidden. But if you witness to others about how you’ve seen Jesus, you can point many people toward hope. 

So, go ahead and share what you’ve seen. You never know whose life might be changed by your witness! 

Intersecting Faith & Life:

As you consider how important it is for you to share your authentic stories of faith in God, reflect on these questions: 
When was a time you saw Jesus at work in your life that you haven’t yet shared with anyone? 
What’s the biggest fear that holds you back from talking about your faith with others? How can you overcome that fear, with God’s help? 
Who in your life right now needs to hear you witness about the hope that Jesus offers? How can you share a story with that person about how Jesus has given you hope? 
How does the idea of being a witness – who just says what you’ve seen – put less pressure on you than being a teacher or preacher? 
What credible evidence can people see that shows them Jesus is alive and active in your life right now? 

Further Reading:
Acts 1:8
1 Peter 3:15
Psalm 107:2
Revelation 12:11
Mark 5:19

Your personal testimony is powerful evidence that Jesus is alive and still transforming lives today. In this encouraging devotional, Whitney Hopler reflects on 1 Corinthians 15:6 and the 500 witnesses who saw the resurrected Jesus&mdash;reminding believers that authentic faith stories still matter. Christians don&rsquo;t need to be theologians or pastors to share the Gospel; they simply need to honestly share how Jesus has worked in their lives.
Through relatable storytelling and biblical encouragement, this devotional challenges believers to overcome fear, embrace authenticity, and confidently witness to others about God&rsquo;s faithfulness. Whether through answered prayer, peace during hardship, or everyday moments of hope, your story can help others discover the living presence of Jesus Christ.
<hr data-start="964" data-end="967">
Highlights
<ul data-start="988" data-end="1430">
<li data-section-id="9nrijz" data-start="988" data-end="1044">Why your personal testimony carries spiritual impact</li>
<li data-section-id="c0wh0v" data-start="1045" data-end="1109">The significance of the 500 witnesses to Jesus&rsquo; resurrection</li>
<li data-section-id="bvf6i8" data-start="1110" data-end="1168">How authenticity builds credibility when sharing faith</li>
<li data-section-id="zcjdq3" data-start="1169" data-end="1237">Why Christians don&rsquo;t need all the answers to witness effectively</li>
<li data-section-id="1bhcdir" data-start="1238" data-end="1297">Overcoming fear and hesitation when talking about Jesus</li>
<li data-section-id="hemow1" data-start="1298" data-end="1367">Simple ways to share the hope of Christ in everyday conversations</li>
<li data-section-id="h4wbbk" data-start="1368" data-end="1430">How your story can encourage others to seek God personally</li>
</ul>
Do you want to listen ad-free?
When you join&nbsp;Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors&mdash;resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts!&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.crosswalk.com/subscribe/?utm_source=subscribe_page&amp;utm_medium=YDBV&amp;utm_campaign=YDBV_PLUS">Sign Up Today!</a>
<hr>
Full Transcript Below:
Your Witness Matters By: Whitney Hopler
Bible Reading: &ldquo;After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.&rdquo; &ndash; 1 Corinthians 15:6, NIV&nbsp;
When I was first learning about journalism &ndash; as an editor for my high school&rsquo;s newspaper &ndash; I read a story that my fellow student Scott submitted and marveled at all the great quotes he had included. But none of those quotes featured names. They were all followed by the phrase &ldquo;one student said.&rdquo; So, I asked Scott to attribute the quotes. It was then that he revealed the &ldquo;one student&rdquo; was himself! I had to explain to him that he couldn&rsquo;t just make up the quotes he wanted to feature in the story. Scott learned about the importance of authenticity and credibility that day, and I had to laugh that he had even considered we might run his story without proper attribution.&nbsp;
I love reading the Bible&rsquo;s stories of Jesus&rsquo; appearances to many different people after his resurrection. One of my favorite reports is in 1 Corinthians 15:6, which mentions that the resurrected Jesus appeared to more than 500 people at once &ndash; and that many of those people were still living at the time this verse was written, so those who read it could seek them out and hear their own stories of witnessing Jesus personally. All of those witnesses together offer credible evidence that Jesus really was resurrected from the dead and visited many people afterward.
You are also a witness to the fact that Jesus is alive. While you didn&rsquo;t see him appear physically during biblical times, you&rsquo;ve seen Jesus at work in your life. You&rsquo;ve experienced <a href="https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/prayer/does-prayer-really-work.html">how Jesus answered your prayers</a> in all sorts of ways, such as by sending you guidance, giving you peace, or encouraging you. By sharing your stories of witnessing Jesus&rsquo; work in your life, you can help other people discover that Jesus is still living and active.&nbsp;
Sometimes you may hesitate to share your stories because you&rsquo;re afraid someone will ask a hard theological question you can&lsquo;t answer. But look back at that group of 500 people. They weren&rsquo;t experts; they were witnesses. A witness&rsquo;s job isn&rsquo;t to be the judge, the jury, or the lawyer. A witness&rsquo;s only job is to say: &ldquo;This is what I saw, and this is what happened to me.&rdquo;&nbsp;
When you dare to share honest stories about how Jesus meets you in your struggles, you give others permission to be honest, too. Your authenticity can inspire others to walk closer to Jesus themselves.&nbsp;
This verse mentions that most of those 500 witnesses were &ldquo;still living.&rdquo; This was an open invitation for skeptics to go and investigate by talking to them directly about their experiences with the resurrected Jesus. Today, you are the &ldquo;still living&rdquo; proof for the people in your own life. You&rsquo;re the witness in your office, in your gym, in your family group chat, and wherever else you can share your stories of Jesus at work in your life.&nbsp;
Jesus wants you to <a href="https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/fresh-ways-to-spread-the-gospel.html">share his Gospel message in fresh ways</a> whenever you have opportunities to do so. Just sharing simple ways that Jesus has given you hope lately or answered a specific prayer to help you can make a significant positive difference in other people&rsquo;s lives. You don&rsquo;t have to give people a sermon. Just witness authentically how Jesus is working in your life.
No one else can tell your stories of what Jesus is doing in your life. If you stay silent, some <a href="https://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/crosswalk-devo/give-thanks-for-gods-constant-goodness-the-crosswalk-devotional.html">credible reports of God&rsquo;s goodness</a> stay hidden. But if you witness to others about how you&rsquo;ve seen Jesus, you can point many people toward hope.&nbsp;
So, go ahead and share what you&rsquo;ve seen. You never know whose life might be changed by your witness!&nbsp;
Intersecting Faith &amp; Life:
As you consider how important it is for you to share your authentic stories of faith in God, reflect on these questions:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">When was a time you saw Jesus at work in your life that you haven&rsquo;t yet shared with anyone?&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">What&rsquo;s the biggest fear that holds you back from talking about your faith with others? How can you overcome that fear, with God&rsquo;s help?&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Who in your life right now needs to hear you witness about the hope that Jesus offers? How can you share a story with that person about how Jesus has given you hope?&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">How does the idea of being a witness &ndash; who just says what you&rsquo;ve seen &ndash; put less pressure on you than being a teacher or preacher?&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">What credible evidence can people see that shows them Jesus is alive and active in your life right now?&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Further Reading: Acts 1:8 1 Peter 3:15 Psalm 107:2 Revelation 12:11 Mark 5:19

Are you a Christian looking for a daily devotional podcast to encourage, inspire, and convict you in your walk with Christ? 7 days a week, The Crosswalk.com Daily Devotional Podcast offers wisdom and insight for applying Biblical truths to the ups and downs of everyday life. Let's study the Bible together and through the experiences of other believers, learn how to apply the Word of God to our lives.

Here’s just some of what we cover in The Crosswalk Daily Devotional Podcast:

☕️ Why the Tongue Can't Be Tamed (And What to Do about It)
☕️ The Quickest Way to an Attitude Adjustment
☕️ Your Birthday: The Most and Least Important Day of Your Life
☕️ Noticing God's Blessings in the Hardest Moments of Life
☕️ One of the Sneakiest Lies Satan Is Telling the Church
☕️ How to Push Through the Weariness of Prayer
☕️ 3 Steps to Take When Facing Temptation
☕️ What to Remember during a Stressful Election Year

If you love what you're listening to on the podcast, be sure to check out our companion devotional at https://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/crosswalk-devo/.

Are you a Christian looking for a daily devotional podcast to encourage, inspire, and convict you in your walk with Christ? 7 days a week, The Crosswalk.com Daily Devotional Podcast offers wisdom and insight for applying Biblical truths to the ups and downs of everyday life. Let's study the Bible together and through the experiences of other believers, learn how to apply the Word of God to our lives.
Here’s just some of what we cover in The Crosswalk Daily Devotional Podcast:
☕️ Why the Tongue Can't Be Tamed (And What to Do about It) ☕️ The Quickest Way to an Attitude Adjustment ☕️ Your Birthday: The Most and Least Important Day of Your Life ☕️ Noticing God's Blessings in the Hardest Moments of Life ☕️ One of the Sneakiest Lies Satan Is Telling the Church ☕️ How to Push Through the Weariness of Prayer ☕️ 3 Steps to Take When Facing Temptation ☕️ What to Remember during a Stressful Election Year
If you love what you're listening to on the podcast, be sure to check out our companion devotional at <a href="https://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/crosswalk-devo/">https://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/crosswalk-devo/.</a>

7 days a week, The Crosswalk.com Devotional Podcast offers wisdom and insight for applying Biblical truths to the ups and downs of everyday life.

The Crosswalk Devotional: A Daily Devotional Christian Podcast

The Crosswalk Devotional

Your Witness Matters

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/1aa91c92-a156-43d8-8595-b457012bc4bd/transcript