Sharing our Story October 1st, 2023
O God, by your gifts of Word and Spirit, open our minds to greater understanding, our hearts to deeper love, and our wills to eager service, through Christ, your Living Word. Amen.
As I’ve been working my way through the book of Acts, chapter by chapter, verse by verse, I’ve noticed that the bulk of my messages seem to be about the Apostle Paul. So, I decided to check back on my sermons just to see when he first came into the picture. And much to my surprise, Paul first became the central figure of Acts in chapter 12. And guess what, we started going through that chapter back last November, so that’s been pretty well 11 months of all Paul, all the time.
And unfortunately, as I looked ahead in the book of Acts, it seems that the remaining chapters are also all about Paul, so I guess we’ll just have to grin and bear it. Paul was such a central figure of the early church and documented so much about the life of Jesus. His faithfulness was incredible considering the times and the opposition he faced. That’s why as one of the early followers of Jesus, it is so important to learn as much as we can from his example and teachings.
So, let’s start with our passage this morning which opened with these words from Paul, “‘Brothers and fathers, listen to the defence that I now make before you.’” What had taken place was that Paul had been accused of bringing a Gentile, that is non-Jewish person, into the Temple in Jerusalem. According to Jewish laws at the time that would have defiled the Temple and thus such an offence was punishable by death. Imagine the times and animosity present. Much like some places still in the world today. While in fact he didn’t actually do that, the leaders manage to stir up the crowds to the point that they seized Paul and were planning on having him executed. Fortunately for him the Roman authorities got wind of the commotion and rescued Paul, bringing him to their headquarters.
But before arriving there, Paul said this to his rescuers, “‘…I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of an important city; I beg you, let me speak to the people.’ When he had given him permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the people for silence; and when there was a great hush, he addressed them in the Hebrew language,” And that was typical Paul, he was never one to back away from defending his sole purpose, which was spreading the Gospel message to both Jew and Gentile. He had been given the mission by Jesus himself and he was not about to turn tail and run.
Paul stood on the steps leading to the Temple and addressed the crowds there in that Jerusalem square with these words, “‘I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, educated strictly according to our ancestral law, being zealous for God, just as all of you are today. I persecuted this Way up to the point of death by binding both men and women and putting them in prison, as the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify about me. From them I also received letters to the brothers in Damascus, and I went there in order to bind those who were there and to bring them back to Jerusalem for punishment.’”
Now what’s important to us today in Paul’s speech is not so much the story of how he became a follower of Christ, but rather the way he reached out to that angry crowd who only a few moments before were planning on putting him to death. We’re going to see how Paul managed to turn the situation around into a teaching opportunity to present to them the Good News of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. There’re some good tips for us today as we try to reach out to people in our own country which is becoming more secular and more hostile to us as followers of Christ.
So how do we make disciples? Well, it's not as hard as you might think. All you need is a genuine love for God and for people, a willingness to share your faith and life, and a commitment to follow Jesus' example and teachings. Discipleship is not a program or a curriculum, but a relationship. It's about helping others grow in their love for God and equipping them to do the same for other people. Discipleship is a journey, not a destination.
And in our reading, Paul tells how to do just that. The first thing we see is that we have to make a connection to whoever we’re talking to. We need to be open and willing to walk with them on their journey of faith.
In his opening words Paul makes these points, ““‘I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, educated strictly according to our ancestral law, being zealous for God, just as all of you are today.”
What Paul is doing is the telling the people listening to him just how much he actually has in common with them. First of all, he tells them that he is a Jew, who although not born in Jerusalem, came to this city as a child and was educated by Gamaliel, who was a very well-respected rabbi. Paul then continues on to say that he was, “zealous for God, just as all of you are today.”, thereby complementing them on the commitment they have for God, just as he has.
And in fact, he was so devoted to the Jewish faith, that he tells them, “‘I persecuted this Way up to the point of death by binding both men and women and putting them in prison, as the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify about me.’” Now the expression, “The Way” was the first method of describing the faith of the followers of Jesus. It was used before they became to be known as Christians and came from the words of Jesus when he described himself as being “the way, the truth, and the life.”
As proof to just how devoted he was, Paul tells them that the high priest and the council of elders of the Temple will vouch for him. As a Pharisee, Paul was trained according to the strictest law of the Jewish fathers. And his zeal to preserve the ancient traditions led him to persecute to the death this new sect, known as the Way, going so far as to imprison not only men, but also women. He was heartless, even if it meant taking mothers away from their children. The fact that Paul did this to women really shows the intensity of his persecutions. But Paul recognized his sin, admitted it, asked God for forgiveness, and moved forward as a disciple of Christ. He was truthful and open with the people making him a credible witness of Jesus.
Now that Paul has made a connection with the crowd, and they can see that he is one of them, he continues on to give them the details of his life changing experience. He tells them, “‘While I was on my way and approaching Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone about me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ I answered, “Who are you, Lord?” Then he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth whom you are persecuting.’”
And he had witnesses to this dramatic change in his life, Paul says, “Now those who were with me saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me.” So, his travelling companions, who were helping him in his mission to persecute Christians to the death, did not hear Jesus speak, but were witnesses to what had taken place. Like the high priest and the council of elders, they could vouch for Paul.
And what do they do? Paul says, “Since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, those who were with me took my hand and led me to Damascus.” No doubt Paul told them what Jesus had said to him, and they could see that he had been blinded by the bright light, which they had witnessed, and so they supported Paul and helped him get to Damascus where he would find out what Jesus had planned for him. So, they went from persecuting Christians to helping a newly converted follower of Christ. God had brought another astonishing change of events.
And upon arrival in Damascus, Paul meets another person who would vouch for him, he tells us, “A certain Ananias, who was a devout man according to the law and well spoken of by all the Jews living there, came to me; and standing beside me, he said, “Brother Saul, regain your sight!” In that very hour I regained my sight and saw him. Then he said, “The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear his own voice; for you will be his witness to all the world of what you have seen and heard. And now why do you delay? Get up, be baptized, and have your sins washed away, calling on his name.”
So, this Ananias was a devout Jew and was well respected by the Jewish community of Damascus, yet, like Paul, he had now come to believe that Jesus was the both the Son of God and the long promised Messiah for Israel. In summary, Paul had the high priest and elders, his fellow persecutors of Christians, and now Ananias who could vouch for him. What more proof would that hostile crowd standing in front of Paul in that Jerusalem square need in order to understand that Jesus was the Saviour?
Paul was changed. He was no longer the person he used to be. In this passage, we saw how God transformed the life of Saul, a zealous persecutor of the church, into Paul, a passionate preacher of the gospel.
This is an amazing story of God's grace and power. God can change anyone, no matter how far they are from him or how much they oppose him. God can use anyone, no matter how unworthy they feel or how much they have sinned. God has a purpose for everyone, no matter how hopeless they seem or how difficult their situation is. God wants everyone to know him personally, no matter how lost they are or how different their background is. God loves everyone, no matter what.
And just like Paul, the people we encounter need someone to help them see Jesus in a new way, to see the church in a new way, to see the world in a new way. They need to have someone who is following Jesus so that they too can follow him. The Apostle John said this to his readers, “How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help?” (1 John 3:17)
So, what are we to do? Number one, accept the situation from God. Number two, create an opportunity. Number three, when you get that opportunity, be loving and welcoming, and do everything to show God’s love and forgiveness. And number four, when you begin to talk about the transformation, talk about it from God’s side. “Here is what God did.”
We should always remember what God has done for us and thank him for his grace and mercy. We should also be ready to share our story with others, as Paul did in this passage. He told his story of how he met Jesus and how Jesus changed him. He didn’t hide his past or his present struggles. He didn’t boast about his achievements or his abilities. He simply gave glory to God for his salvation and his calling. We can do the same. We can tell others how Jesus found us and how he is working in our lives. We can be a witness for him wherever we go. The good news is that God has changed us for the better and may He bless us as we follow him and serve him.
Let us Pray:
Heavenly Father, thank you for your love and grace that saved us from our sins. I pray that you would fill us with your Holy Spirit and give us wisdom and courage to share the gospel with others. Help us to be a faithful witnesses of your goodness and mercy, and to lead others to Jesus by our words and actions. We ask this in Jesus' name, Amen.