FIVE VITAL TAKEAWAYS!

Acts 21-22

Got lazy last week. Sorry – well, a little.

1 – Remember each chapter is part of a section, and each section is part of the book. Always keep in mind for your Bible study that the author has some specific goals in mind and often one over-arching goal for the whole book. Most everything in the book contributes to that goal.

Acts tells the story of the Gospel traveling from Jerusalem to Rome. One may argue that the church began at Pentecost and by the time Paul was in Rome that body had reached “the ends of the earth,” the center of power.

We saw early on in Chapter 6 men with Greek names were appointed as the Seven to solve a dispute. Later we find Philip preaching in Samaria and baptizing an Ethiopian eunuch. Then Paul leaves a racially mixed church in Antioch and makes a ground-breaking missionary trip establishing churches. Then he returns twice, looping back to establish those churches more securely and begin more. Twice he returns to Jerusalem to “report” what's happening back to the original Jewish source. That second trip is where we find him today.

This trip launches that final trip to Rome. To all appearances Paul is in serious, even life-threatening trouble to crowds and Authorities. But behind it all, God is working to impel Paul to Rome. Note especially 22:22. The Jews listened to his conversion experience just fine until he mentioned that Jesus was sending him to the Gentiles. This enraged them. To that crowd, Jews were special. The rest of humanity was dogs created to fuel the fires of hell.

>Can you recall incidents in your life you did not understand at the time, but later the Spirit showed you how it prepared you or set you up for other things?

2 – Paul was always ready to witness. When Roman troops had to save him from a mob, his first reaction was to ask permission to address that same blood-thirsty mob. And guess what? He did. And I bet at least a few of them became believers as a result. Looking again at the whole story, Paul spoke to individuals, small groups, friendly congregations, and hostile opponents. He spoke to the poor and to kings. The spirit impelled him so he could not be silent.

>How alert are you to opportunities to share your story?

>When was the last time you witnessed?

3 – One can witness in multiple ways. I've been certified to teach several types of witnessing courses, and all have helped people. Most Christians know the “Roman Road,” although it's a pick and choose set of verses from Romans. Both the SBC and other groups have published booklets you can read to a non-Christian that leads them into understanding how to be saved and offers the opportunity. But years ago I noted that in the Gospel of John, Jesus approached each person in a different way: Nicodemus and the new birth, the woman at the well and the water of life.

Likewise the Book of Acts presents the gospel in relation to where the listeners are. Peter at Pentecost and the early Paul summarize Jewish history and present Christ as the fulfillment of prophesy. This was of supreme importance to Jews (see above that thought they were privileged.) In Athens, Paul used a very different approach with a Greek audience – the unknown God. Now Paul in giving his personal testimony makes the gospel impact very personal.

Consider how to tell the gospel story in terms that your audience will understand. Do you think a youth director, a college minister, and senior adult leader would present the same basic message in the same or different ways?

>How might you share your faith with a neighbor, a friend, a co-worker?

4 – Recognize that in many cases an “interim report” is of more value and applies to more people than a gospel presentation or a conversion experience. An interim report is a testimony of what God has done in your life lately. How has He helped you get through difficult situations or led you to new service? Baptists have a temptation to live off the memory of a public commitment years ago. But healthy and mature Christians regularly update their experiences as they grow in grace.

5 – Note some things in Sunday's lesson often missed: Paul was incredibly willing to go back out and preach to the crowd who had just tried to kill him! He was not above playing off one side against another – Pharisees who believed in resurrection and Saducees who did not. Paul had a nephew, ergo at least one brother or sister.