Posted by I have been teaching a Bible study group on Wednesday night on the Book of Acts. I have found it to be very rewarding. I really love the historical narratives found in the Bible, and we have naturally focused on Paul’s story in this study. Last week we got to Chapter 22 of Acts. It takes place right after Paul had been attacked by a mob inside the Temple grounds in Jerusalem. He had been falsely accused of bringing a Gentile beyond the area where they were allowed to come in the Temple complex. It was basically a trumped-up charge to get him in trouble, and maybe even killed because of how seriously the Jewish people took this situation.
After being arrested and taken away by Roman soldiers, as much for his protection as for any law that was broken, Paul asked to speak to the crowd that had followed him to the Roman soldiers’ fortress in the city of Jerusalem. It was an interesting request since these people had just tried to kill him. I might want to say something to them, but it wouldn’t have been what Paul said to them. Paul broke out into a sermon on the steps of the Roman fortress. I’m absolutely astounded by this. His dedication to the Gospel and love for people is only explainable as the work of God in His life.
When you read what he said to the crowd in front of him it was what we would expect from Paul. It was his testimony. What really grabbed my attention as I read it was how Paul related to the crowd he was speaking to. He started in verse 2 by speaking to them in Aramaic. It quieted the crowd. He was coming to them in a way they could understand. Then in verses 3-5, he went on to give them his Jewish background. He told them about his birthplace, how he grew up in Jerusalem, and how he was trained by Gamaliel, a leading teacher and Pharisee of his day. He then went on to explain how he had condemned, jailed, and even murdered Christians.
He shared his testimony about his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. The blinding light, his blindness that followed, how he regained his sight, and his call to be a missionary. It’s a beautiful testimony, but the most important thing to me as I read it wasn’t what he said, but how he said it. What Paul did was relate to his audience. He spoke their language, and he explained his background. He explained how he honored the Jewish laws and customs. This helped the crowd identify with him. He spoke to them in a way they could understand. Paul did this everywhere he went. He speaks about it clearly in 1st Corinthians 9:19-23 “19 Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ. 20 When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law. 21 When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law,[a] I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ.22 When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. 23 I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.”
What Paul did in Acts 22 is live out what he wrote in 1st Corinthians 9. He met his crowd where they were. My question to the church today is are we still doing that? He makes it clear in 1st Corinthians 9:21 that he in no way compromised the Gospel. He “obeyed the laws of Christ,” but he spoke and acted in a manner that allowed him to have access to the people he wanted to reach. I worry that the church too many times doesn’t speak and act in a way that allows it to have access to those they wish to influence. The church is many times structured to speak to those already inside. This is seen in music choices, dress, language used from the platform, language used by the people in the congregation, and the format of the worship service.
I’m concerned that as the culture has changed, and cultural Christianity has ended that the church hasn’t adjusted. People don’t see church membership or attendance as a necessity anymore for social standing in the community. This means that the church has to truly speak to the unchurched and de-churched in a manner that they can relate to and find value in. We have something incredible for them, the message of Jesus Christ, but is the church missing them because of how we do things? The heart of Paul’s message never changed. It didn’t matter if he was speaking to a Jewish audience, a Greek audience, or a Roman audience. What did change was how he would convey that central message. He never compromised the Gospel yet he was able to appeal to a wide audience from vastly different cultures because he spoke to them in a way they could understand and relate to.
Next time you sit in a worship service ask yourself could a person that has never been in church relate to what is happening during that time? Are the words that they are hearing easily understood without any church background? Are “churchy” words and phrases being explained? How are they being made to feel comfortable and welcome? Can someone walk in and feel comfortable in more relaxed clothes? Paul dealt with people that had no background in Christianity, and yet he got the message across to them because he was willing to change what he was doing to reach them. You see that all throughout the Book of Acts. The church has to grab onto this idea and change to what we are doing to reach our communities and as Paul said, “bring many to Christ.”
A Christian in the World 