L3 | AUGUST 3, 2025

You Have A Story – David Nasser

Sermon Highlights

Key Passage: Matthew 14:22-33

David Nasser grew up in Iran during the revolution, where religion brought fear, not hope. After fleeing to the U.S., he still felt like an outsider, misunderstood, mislabeled, and unsure of who he really was. He wanted nothing to do with God until a local church showed up with unexpected kindness. They didn’t condone sin, but they showed compassion. One night, while reading the Bible, the story of Peter stepping out of the boat toward Jesus came alive, and David realized Jesus was calling him too. In that moment, he didn’t want religion. He wanted redemption. And for the first time, he experienced hope, peace, and a Savior who knew him long before he knew Him.

David’s story is powerful, but it points to something even greater—the gospel: that we are sinners in need of a Savior, and Jesus is the only one who can make us whole. The gospel isn’t about making bad people good; it’s about bringing dead people to life. And the truth is, every person has a story, and it’s still unfolding. The real question is whether Jesus is at the center of yours. When He is, even the darkest chapters become part of a redemption story, one that’s marked by grace, filled with hope, and worthy of being told. Your story becomes a hallelujah. A living testimony to the power of the gospel.

INTRO

Icebreaker

What’s the most ridiculous or embarrassing story you wish people would forget, but your friends love to retell anyway?

Transition to Discussion

We all have stories. Some are funny, some are painful, some are life-changing. This week, we heard David Nasser share how God met him in the middle of his broken story and gave him a new one centered on Jesus. Let’s take some time to talk about what that means for us.

GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. What was your life like before you began walking with Jesus, and what started to change afterward? (If you’re still figuring that out, what’s drawing you toward Him?)
  2. Where can you look back now and clearly see God’s hand at work, even if you didn’t recognize it at the time?
  3. Read Matthew 14:22–33, when Peter steps out of the boat to walk toward Jesus. What part of that story speaks to you most, and how have you experienced Jesus asking you to step out in faith?
  4. What’s the difference between religion and redemption? How have you experienced that in your own story?
  5. Have you ever believed your story was too ordinary to matter? How does knowing Jesus is at the center change the way you see its value?
  6. John 3:16 is one of the most well-known verses in the Bible. What stands out to you about it when you read it through the lens of your story?
  7. Think about “the hour you first believed.” What did you feel in that moment, and how has your relationship with Jesus grown since then?
  8. What part of it would you most want someone else to hear? What could encourage or help someone else who is walking through a similar chapter?

NEXT STEP

As we wrap up, I want you to think about this: Who can you share your story with this week? It doesn’t have to be polished or perfect, just real. Ask God to show you one person who needs to hear how Jesus has changed your life.

And if you’re still figuring out your story, or you’re unsure whether Jesus is truly at the center of it, please don’t leave tonight without talking to me. I’d love to listen, pray with you, and help however I can.

PRAYER

Let’s close by thanking God for the way He writes stories of grace and redemption.

God, thank You for meeting us where we are and calling us into new life. Thank You for turning our brokenness into beauty, our tragedy into testimony. Give us boldness to share what You’ve done in our lives. And for anyone still seeking or unsure, would You make Yourself known in a real and personal way. Write Your name into the center of every story in this room. In Jesus’ name, amen.