Acts 21:37 - 22:16

                                                         Acts 21:37 – 22:16

As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune, “May I say something to you?” And he said, “Do you know Greek? Are you not the Egyptian, then, who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?”  Paul replied, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no obscure city. I beg you, permit me to speak to the people.” And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great hush, he addressed them in the Hebrew language, saying: “Brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now make before you.”

And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet. And he said: “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day. I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, as the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them I received letters to the brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished.

“As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone around me. And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.” Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me. And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.” And since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came into Damascus.
“And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that very hour I received my sight and saw him. And he said, ‘The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth; for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard. And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’

Paul has just been beaten by a mob of people and rescued from death by the Roman soldiers.  Nobody would blame him for simply walking away from this situation thankful to have escaped with his life.  Instead, Paul decides to use this opportunity to share the Gospel with the mob of people and the soldiers who were gathered in this place.  It is clear God had prepared him for this moment.  I am anxious to learn how many people began their walk of faith in Christ that day because Paul refused to take the easy way out and go quietly into the “safety” of a Roman prison.  

BE BOLD TO SPEAK: I wonder what the soldiers were thinking when Paul asks to speak to the crowd.  I’m pretty sure they didn’t read him his Miranda rights telling him he had the right to remain silent.  However, they must have thought he was crazy to expose himself in that way to this mob.  What stands out in this passage is that the soldiers were surprised he could speak Greek and the Jews were surprised he could speak Hebrew.  Greek was, likely, his native language but those hours of Hebrew lessons sure came in handy this day.  We never know how our education is preparing us for the life and ministry God wants to give us.  We all face times where it might be very hard to speak up for the cause of Christ.  May God give us Paul’s courage to speak up even when it is dangerous.  No matter how boring the job we have or classes we are taking may seem, we must complete them to the fullest because God is likely preparing us for something special.

BE CLEAR IN SPEACH: The crown starts listening to him because he is using their language.  His first language might have been Greek, and the crowd probably could understand Greek but preferred Hebrew, so Paul considered his audience and wanted to relate with them.  He also related to them by talking about his past credentials as a student of Gamaliel and even a persecutor of the Way.  He wanted them to know that a few decades ago he had been exactly where they were.  He called them brothers and fathers. Not sure that is what I would call a mob of people who had just pummeled me for something that I hadn’t even done.  If we expect people to hear the Gospel from us, we must learn to relate with them.  We do that by using language they understand and by demonstrating that we are cut from the same cloth.  Theological language and a holier than thou attitude will close doors to the Gospel.

BE OPEN TO SHARE: Paul’s strategy of evangelism is to simply tell people his testimony.  He could have argued from Scripture about the identity of Jesus or used any number of other means, but he chose to tell them about what God had done in his life.  He rehearsed how God got his attention by blinding him and confronting him as an enemy of God.  He told them about how God used a respected member of the Jewish community to heal him and then to call on the Lord to wash away his sin and be baptized.  He is simply sharing about his experience to the crowd.  It is very hard to argue about someone’s experience.  Paul uses his conversion story as a means of both proclaiming and illustrating the Gospel.  As we seek to reach others with the Gospel our own testimony is one of the most effective tools we can use to witness to others.  Judging and debating are not nearly as effective or biblical as simply telling other of what God has done and is doing in our lives.   

APPLICATION: Have the courage to speak and tell others about Jesus even in dangerous situations.  Do all you can to relate with the people you want to reach for Christ.  Use words that others will understand and look for things that you have in common with their background.  Constantly tell others of what God did to bring you to Himself and how that has changed you.