2013 Acts #33: an exposition of Acts 21:37-22:21. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, February 9, 2014.
Intro:
I was in the third grade. It is a day forever seared into my conscience. There I stood in front of my class, forced to participate in what is without a doubt the most grueling, demanding and demoralizing spectacle conceived by man…the spelling bee. Humiliated, I slumped back to my seat knocked out in the first round. I chocked. I froze. I couldn’t handle the pressure. To this day I hate to be put on the spot. From that day on I did my best to remain hidden during class. No matter how well prepared, no matter how versed in the subject, I sought to remain a spectator rather than a participant. Even during seminary days I sought to keep my head down and avoid eye contact with the professor. Do you like to be put on the spot? Do you appreciate being vulnerable? All eyes and ears trained on you waiting to have your ignorance exposed to the world? Yet, as the people of God, we are to seek such opportunities.
We are called to be vulnerable. We are to be ready in season and out. “Prepared to give a reason for the hope that is in us” (1 Peter 3:15). We are to eagerly, willingly and gladly speak to anyone who will listen of the wonder of the Gospel. Jesus said to his followers, “You will be my witnesses when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.”
He stubbornly went to Jerusalem. Though repeatedly warned of the danger that awaited him, the great apostle was determined to march into the holy city. Once he arrived he sought to appease those who were angered by his radical message of freedom from the yoke of the law. Even to the point of compromising his message. But before he could make the sacrifice he was rushed by a mob. A near riot resulted. A Roman tribune had to intervene. It is here, in the context of this angry mob and threatened violence, Paul ask for an opportunity to speak. Our text this morning is found in the 21st and 22nd chapter of Acts.
Text: Acts 21:37-22:21
The missionary journeys are over.
Paul is on his way to Rome.
How he gets there is the focus of the last 8 chapters of the book.
In today’s text I want us to consider Paul’s defense before this angry mob.
Here Paul gives his “testimony.”
We are familiar with this language. We have testimony services or we ask someone to share their testimony. My concern about such sharing is that too often it seems we brag about how bad we were. I’ve been in services when someone shared their testimony and their testimony was about 40-45 minutes about their wayward life before coming to Christ and then they say, “Then I met Jesus and everything changed.” How did everything change? What was different about it? Why is that a good thing? Where is the Gospel in all of this?
As we consider Paul’s message in this text we are reminded…
Thesis: When given the opportunity to testify, don’t waste the opportunity by dwelling on your life story but rather your life story in the context of the Gospel.
Granted this may be a fine distinction but nonetheless an important distinction.
That distinction being the centrality of the Gospel.
That all of life is to be seen in relation to the Gospel.
This is part of what it means to be a “Gospel people.”
There are 3 things I want to point out from the text.
- Zeal, passion and religion without Christ is a vain thing. (22:1-5)
- Knowledge of Christ is everything. (22:6-16)
- Serving Christ is a glorious thing. (22:17-21)