Reading 29

Acts 24-27

In Acts chapters 21 through 24, Luke describes events surrounding Paul’s arrest in Jerusalem and trials in both Jerusalem and Caesarea. At the end of chapter 20, Paul tells the Ephesian elders that the Holy Spirit has compelled him to travel to Jerusalem and has warned him of hardship once he arrives there. Drama is nothing new to Paul. The Spirit warns him whenever he travels from city to city that times will be rough because of his dedication to spreading the gospel, and we might be tempted to think that the primary purpose of Luke’s writings is to chronicle the difficulties and persecution faced by Paul and the other early believers because of what they are preaching—something we may also face in our daily lives. But Luke also shows us, through Paul’s actions, some practical tools that aide him in spreading the gospel.

First, he goes the extra mile to make sure he doesn’t offend the Jews by dispelling a rumor about his teachings and participating in purification rites that he didn’t have to participate in. This shows he was not only dedicated to keeping the peace in the Jerusalem church, but willing to compromise on minor details that were non-essential to faith so that, as he later writes to the Corinthians, he can become all things to all people in order to save some (1 Cor. 9:19). This example can help us keep perspective on the important things in faith and not let our personal preferences about small details divide a church body and hinder God’s work.

Then, he demonstrated an ability to meet people where they are by speaking their language. Paul did this literally after his arrest by impressing the Roman commander and speaking Greek, which showed that he was an educated and cultured man, earning him protection and permission to address the crowd. When he spoke to the Jews, he used their native Aramaic, which let them know that he was a devout Jew himself and had utmost respect for the laws and customs. Like Paul, we can speak different languages to connect with people, but we can also modify our English vocabulary to relate to all the unique personalities around us.

When Paul did address the crowd, before diving into his testimony, he established common ground with the Jews so that they would listen to him. He let them know where he was from and who he was trained by in the law, and explained that he was such a zealous Pharisee that he persecuted Christians to their death. He also named names so that people could investigate this truth for themselves. He did all this so that they could then hear what God had done in his life and how he had been changed forever.

These three examples can be very useful to us in spreading the gospel, but the one thing that captured me most and that was present throughout these four chapters is Paul’s awareness of and obedience to the Holy Spirit. Before traveling to Jerusalem, many believers prophesied that Paul would be in danger there. They thought that the warnings they received from the Spirit meant that he shouldn’t travel there, and so they urged him not to go. They were fearful for his safety and perhaps fearful of losing someone in a leadership role, just as they had lost Jesus. But Paul knew that he had to be obedient, even in the face of hardship, opposition, and pain. He truly wanted to please God just as Jesus had done, and as a result the Spirit enabled him to be a witness to the Jews who wanted to kill him as well as powerful people in the Roman government. By being sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leadings, we too can know God’s will, be obedient, and then be confident that in times of trial and trouble, we will never be alone.

Stacey

Reading 29 (audio)