Engaging Scripture

What do you do when it seems like the storm of life is pounding you, and it won’t let up? – Acts 27, Part 1

I’ve been listening to a podcast called Deep Cover, the wild, true story of an FBI agent who, in the 1980s, goes undercover, posing as a member of a biker gang, digging up info about drug trafficking the gang is involved in. As the months go by he earns the trust of numerous people in the gang, all the while learning about their supply chain and the people involved. Their drug ring is deeper and wider than he ever imagined. He goes on trips with them to various parts of the USA to meet the suppliers, and he gains their trust too. The months turn into years, and he just keeps rising up the ranks, learning how far-reaching this drug scheme goes. Three years in, some FBI agents show up at his door, surprising him and his wife with the news that members of the biker gang have discovered his true identity and they are out to kill him. He and his wife have to leave immediately to a secure location, while the FBI tries to deal with the threat. After three years, most of which was an adrenaline-soaked life undercover, he is now alone with nothing to do in the middle of a secluded forest, just waiting for a phone call from the FBI to say they are in the clear. You’d think he would feel a sense of relief or peace, now that he was away from the storm of undercover life. The opposite happens. The storm of anxiety breaks over him with ferocity. He struggles hard with uncontrollable anxiety.

Ever had that happen to you? That is literally what happens to me. I make it pretty well through tough situations, but it sure hits me hard when a bit of calm might come. What do you do when it seems like the storm of life is pounding you, and it won’t let up? Turn to Acts 27, because Paul was in both a literal and figurative storm. What he says just might be what we need to hear today.

Last week we studied Acts chapters 24-26, all of which took place in Caesarea, the Roman town on the northwest coast of Israel. There Paul testified before two Roman governors and King Agrippa. At one point, Paul, a Roman citizen, appealed to Caesar, an appeal which the one governor, Festus, granted. We learned at the end of chapter 26 that Festus and Agrippa agreed that Paul had done nothing wrong, and he could have gone free, if he had not appealed to Caesar. Now Paul will continue his journey to Rome, right in line with the vision Jesus gave him in chapter 23 verse 11, when Jesus said to Paul, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, you must also testify in Rome.” But Rome is very far from Israel, even by today’s standards. Given the transportation technology available in the first century AD, it felt like a world away.

So turn to Acts 27:1. In verses 1-12, Paul’s journey to Rome takes to the seas. First of all, in verse one, notice the word “we.” The author is including himself among the group sailing with Paul. Luke was on the boat! We also learn that Paul is not the only prisoner, and a Roman centurion named Julius commands of a group of soldiers guarding the prisoners. The group of travelers also includes one of Paul’s friends, Aristarchus, from Thessalonica, who we met before, though briefly.

In verse 3 we learn that they stop in Sidon, and the centurion Julius allows Paul’s friends to care for his needs.

They soon sail again, eventually making it to the port of Myra, where they board a different ship. The author of Acts, Luke, tells us that it was an Alexandrian ship, which is a reference to the city of Alexandria in Egypt. So the ship was coming from Alexandria, heading to Italy.

Scan down to verse 18, and we learn that this was a cargo ship, a freighter. I also want us to peak ahead to verse 37 where we learn that not only was it carrying grain (some scholars believe it was probably corn), but there were also 276 people on board.

Hearing that I have a whole different vision in my mind of what kind of boat this was. When I think of ancient boats, with the exception of Noah’s Ark, I think of small boats, like Jesus and his disciples would have used to catch fish on the Sea of Galilee. But this is some boat. Think about how big that ship would have to be to carry 276 people and a load of grain? I had to know. So I did some digging.

One author notes that, “There is little doubt that the ship in question was one of a very special fleet, designed and constructed by the Romans expressly to transport grain from the fertile land of the Nile to Italy, particularly to Rome.” (Hirschfeld) She goes on to cite ancient sources which describe the immense size of these grain boats. If you’ve ever been to Boston and seen the USS Constitution, one of the huge US Navy battleships that fought in the War of 1812, it is about the size of the boat Paul was traveling on. This is a big, big ship Paul is sailing on.

That raises a question: why was a cargo ship carrying that many people? Sailing was a major method of transportation in the ancient maritime world, such as the Roman Empire. In our day and age, when we think of ocean travel, we think of cruise ships, traveling the ocean for pleasure. When we think of transportation from country to country, we are used to traveling by air. Can you even travel on a passenger ship anymore simply for the purpose of transportation over any distance beyond a barge that carries cars across a river? The days of the Titanic are over! But in the ancient world, because sea travel was so prevalent, even cargo ships would carry passengers, as a way to make additional profit. That means this was not a passenger ship with rooms below deck. The passengers likely spent most of their time on deck, in the open air, a reality that will become very important in this story.

Back to the story, it seems that they boarded the grain boat in hopes of a quicker journey to Rome by sea. They could have taken the land route from Myra to Rome, but it would have taken much longer. Unfortunately, the sea route turns out to have terrible weather. They suffer through head winds and the going is slow. At the port of Fair Havens on the island of Crete, Paul warns the people that if they proceed further, it will be disastrous for them. This doesn’t seem to be a prophetic warning, but instead a reading of the meteorological situation. Paul has now added “weatherman” to his resume!

But the Roman centurion, Julius, believes it best to keep sailing to a better port on the island of Crete, one that they could pause their journey for the winter. That port is named Phoenix. Considering how far they had sailed already, this would only be another 50 miles or so by sea. No big deal, right? The majority agrees, against Paul’s warning of a bad weather forecast. What happens? Check back tomorrow and we’ll find out.

Why Christians should be talking about the resurrection constantly – Acts 24-26, Part 5

Though he had previously persecuted Christians because he thought they were followers of a false teacher, when he met the risen the Jesus, Paul was totally changed. There was no denying this story of Paul’s life history. The resurrection of Jesus changes everything. I wonder if we have taken Jesus’ resurrection for granted? I wonder if it has become ho-hum to us?

If the resurrection of Jesus really happened, it changes everything.

What does that mean? “If Jesus really rose from the dead, it changes everything.” How does it change everything?

First, imagine if the resurrection is false. What would we be left with? As Paul himself says in 1^st Corinthians 15, if the resurrection didn’t happen, or as he puts it, if resurrection is not possible, then our preaching is useless, our faith is futile, our sins have not been forgiven, and we are to be pitied above all people. In other words, we’re believing a lie. And we should stop believing the lie. We should stop being Christians, if Jesus did not really rise from the dead.

But if Jesus really did rise from the dead, then hold on. Stop everything. Life cannot go on business as usual. If Jesus really did rise from the dead, then Jesus is God. He is the way, the truth and life, like he said he was. He is a massively big deal. We should give our lives to believe in him, follow him, and live for him.

So how about taking part in a social experiment this week with your family and friends, neighbors and co-workers. Ask them what they think about Jesus’ resurrection. First, do they believe it actually happened? Or do they think it didn’t happen? Second, ask them, if it did happen, what does it matter? What is the significance of Jesus’ resurrection? Does it matter only to Christians? Or does it matter to everyone?

Paul clearly thought the resurrection mattered to everyone. When the risen Jesus proved to Paul that he, Jesus, was alive, Paul did a complete turnaround. Paul went from persecuting Christians to being a passionate Christian, giving his life to talk about how Jesus was alive, and how Jesus’ resurrection makes it possible for a whole new life, a whole new world.

Consider what he said in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. I life I live in the body, I live by faith in the son of God who loved me and gave his life for me.”

Or Philippians 3:10-11, where Paul writes, “I want to know Christ, and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so somehow to attain to the resurrection of the dead.”

Or consider Ephesians 1:19, continuing a prayer starting in verse 17, where Paul prays that Christians might know God’s “incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead.”

Just as God raised Jesus to new life, he wants to raise us to new life as well, and amazingly, as Paul says, he wants us to experience his new life by living in us. His new life, his power, is in us, at work in us.

That’s why I have come to emphasize, in the last 15 years or so, what Jesus called the abundant life, which is his life in us, by his Spirit. I still very much appreciate the hope of eternal life, a concept that is important. But I appreciate Paul’s vision for human transformation now, which is possible only because of the resurrection of Jesus, and the power that God wants to work in our lives.

We need to talk about this! Do you need to start talking about it?

The transformative power of the resurrection available to all people is how we talk about Jesus! We tell the story of how he is alive and well and still at work in our lives, and he wants all people to know him and experience the abundant new life that only he can bring.

How to talk with famous people – Acts 24-26, Part 4

*Photo by HIVAN ARVIZU @soyhivan on Unsplash*

Have you ever had the chance to talk with someone famous? Did you feel nervous? Star struck? Sweaty and anxious?

Christians reading this post, do you get excited when you hear that famous people become Christians? Or do you get excited when you hear that a president or star athlete or other celebrity is already a Christian? I have felt that sense of excitement within me many times in the past. Why? Because I have hopes that the famous person in question could help many other people become Christians too. It’s rather opportunistic, isn’t it? Of course, it is not wrong to want anyone to become a follower of Jesus, because we Christians believe that following Jesus is what Jesus called, “the way, the truth and the life.” We want everyone to experience that abundant life. But do we get starstruck by famous people? Do we have too much hope and expectation for their potential influence? What is the right perspective Christians should have about reaching famous people? In this next post in our five-part series on Acts 24-26, I believe Paul is a great example for how to approach famous and influential people.

As we saw in the previous post on Acts 24-26, Paul’s conversations with the two Roman governors and one King focused on the most important Christian topic, the resurrection of Jesus. In Acts 26, Paul told his story to Governor Festus and King Agrippa. When he mentioned the resurrection, Festus interrupted him, calling Paul insane. After assuring them of his sanity and reasonableness, Paul continues, now addressing Agrippa, “The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.”

Paul’s comments to Agrippa are a bit vague. What is he talking about, that these things were not done in a corner? Remember that Festus is new to the nation of Israel. He had only just arrived to take over for the previous Roman governor, Felix, a few days before Paul’s speech in chapter 26. But King Agrippa has been around for a long time.

We know from historians that Agrippa was 17 years old when his father Herod Agrippa I died. We met the father, Herod Agrippa I, in Acts chapter 12 when God broke Peter out of prison. There we talked a bit about the many King Herods in the Bible. Agrippa I, the king who put Peter in prison, had an uncle who was the Herod that put Jesus on trial. Now Agrippa I’s son, Agrippa II, is here listening to Paul talk about Jesus. That means Agrippa II was very possibly alive when Jesus was alive. Paul would have known all those details about the kings and when they were alive, as that kind of thing is common knowledge, just as most of us can recite from memory who was president of our country, and what years they were in office, going back to the 1960s. Wait…can you?

So Paul is saying to Agrippa, “You are aware of this. This is not insane. This happened.” In other words, Paul is saying, “Okay, Festus, I get it that resurrection sounds insane, but Agrippa was here when it happened, and he can vouch for it.” In the book of Acts, the author, Luke, never tells us what Agrippa’s personal beliefs are regarding the resurrection of Jesus. But Paul seems to think that Agrippa might have good cause to admit that the resurrection of Jesus really happened. And if Agrippa can admit that, he is not far from the Kingdom.

In fact, Paul looks directly at Agrippa and says, “Do you believe in the prophets? I know you do.” Whew. That is a bold statement from Paul, in which Paul is basically trying to get Agrippa to believe that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophets because Jesus rose from the dead.

At that moment, Agrippa has a choice. Whether or not he believes the resurrection of Jesus happened or not, he could have a discussion with Paul about the events. If I’m Paul right then, inwardly I think I would be brimming with nervous excitement. I would be thinking, “I might be able help a king become a Christian!” But should I be thinking like that?

Sadly, just like that, the moment passes, as Agrippa chooses not to engage Paul in a discussion. I wonder if Agrippa was feeling embarrassment, given that Festus, the new Roman governor, is right there too. Agrippa probably wants to impress Festus, so Agrippa doesn’t give Paul any ground. Remember, Festus has just called Paul insane. Imagine how emotionally and relationally difficult it would be for Agrippa to throw his lot in with Paul, just after this new powerful Roman governor, Festus, called Paul insane. The peer pressure on Agrippa was probably intense. So Agrippa plays it off. I can imagine him doing an eye roll to Festus, “Can you believe this Paul guy, thinking he is going to convert me? Yeah, right.” Yes, adults face loads of peer pressure too, and we often give in to it! Even powerful kings and leaders can succumb to peer pressure.

Paul seems unfazed by the peer pressure, though. Paul just keeps going, saying that he is praying that all those listening would become followers of Jesus like himself. He seems not to be in awe of the big name leaders in the room, like Agrippa seems to have been of Festus, even though Agrippa is also a big name leader!

Interestingly, twice Paul has mentioned something that shows he is aware that though he has an audience of elites, he is not star struck by them. First in Acts 26:22, he mentions his desire to testify to small and great alike. Here in verse 26:29, he says he is praying for not only the king, but for everyone listening to him. Of course we don’t know who in the audience that day. In addition to the elites, the governor, the king, and their wives, the audience likely included aides and assistants and soldiers, some of whom would not have been elite. Paul wants all to be saved, because people are people, whether big or small. He is trying to reach all, and it was the resurrection that was central to his mission and message.

In our final post on Acts 24-26, tomorrow, we’ll discuss the significance of the resurrection of Jesus in our day.

The most important topic of Christianity that rarely gets talked about – Acts 24-26, Part 3

What do you think is the most important topic of Christianity? Perhaps it would help to consider Christian symbols. The cross and the Bible are probably to two most prevalent. They are both very important, but are the most important? I think there is a topic that is more important.

If we dig deeper into the conversations that Paul has with the two Roman governors, Felix and Festus, and with King Agrippa (which we started studying in the first post in this five-part series here), he talks about that most important topic. If you want you can pause reading this post, open a Bible and scan Acts chapters 24-26 to see if you can determine what that topic might be. Then continue reading below.

There are potentially multiple candidates for “most important topic” in Acts 24-26, such as Paul’s life change, commonly referred to in Christian lingo as salvation, but the topic that the author of Acts features, and that I want us to examine more deeply because I would argue that it is the most important topic of Christianity, is resurrection. We Christians talk about it on Easter, of course, but how often do we talk about the resurrection throughout the rest of the year? How often should we talk about the resurrection? If Paul is any indication, and I think he is, we should talk about the resurrection often!

How many times is resurrection mentioned in these chapters? Let’s look at each specific reference.

First in chapter 24:15, Paul talks about his hope in God, that there will be a resurrection. Paul seems to be talking about a future resurrection more than about Jesus’ resurrection. But they are connected. In other places like 1^st Corinthians chapter 15, Paul says that Jesus’ resurrection is a kind of first-fruits that points to the future resurrection of all those who are true followers of Jesus.

Next in Acts 24:21, Paul says that it was his comment about the resurrection that got him in trouble with the Jewish Sanhedrin in Jerusalem. He knew some in the Sanhedrin disagreed with the concept of resurrection, but he challenged them to examine his life and produce any evidence that he had done anything wrong.

Jump ahead to chapter 25 verse 19, where Festus tells Agrippa that Paul claims Jesus has been risen from the dead. Paul has made the resurrection such a focal point of his teaching that other people are now talking about it! Probably not because they agree with it. But it is an example showing us that Paul’s focus on resurrection was noticed by his Roman audience too.

In 26:8, when Paul tells his story to the Roman rulers he says, “Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?” He goes on to ground his claim in the historical expectation of the Jews that God would send a savior, a Messiah to his nation Israel. For Paul, the Old Testament prophets talked about this coming Messiah in such a way that made it entirely reasonable to believe in resurrection. But how would these Roman leaders respond to Paul’s claims about resurrection?

What Paul goes on to say in 26:22-23 is crucial: “I have had God’s help to this very day, and so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen—that the Christ would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to his own people and to the Gentiles.”

At that statement, the Roman governor Festus interrupts Paul, accusing Paul of having gone insane from his great learning. Kind of a like a person who has earned advanced degrees but doesn’t have common sense. What is Festus getting at?

Try to put yourself in Festus’ shoes. Festus is thinking, “Resurrection is impossible. Things which are dead do not come to life.”

Keep Festus’ interruption in mind, and then let me ask you if you’ve ever heard something like this, “In the ancient world, people believed in miracles because they didn’t know any better. But we live in the modern world, with advanced science, and we know that miracles like resurrection are just not true. So therefore the Bible is an antiquated artifact that we need not rely on.”

Yet look what we just read. Festus, one of those people in that ancient world, did not believe in resurrection. He thinks Paul is insane. Last week we talked about how the two Jewish religious groups, the Sadducees and Pharisees had divergent viewpoints on resurrection. The Sadducees didn’t believe in resurrection while the Pharisees did. So the resurrection was debated in the ancient world too. That tells me that people like Paul and the early Christians had just as much reason to disbelieve in the resurrection as we do, and yet they didn’t. Why? Because they met the risen Jesus! Why else would Paul do a 180 degree change in his life? Why else would he endure so much persecution around the Roman Empire? Why else would he present his case so strongly in these various trials before Jews and Romans alike? Because what Paul was saying about Jesus actually happened!

So of course, Paul responds in Acts 26:25, “What I am saying is true and reasonable.” Thus far, though, Paul has not convinced the Roman governor, Festus. What about King Agrippa? In the next post, we’ll learn if Paul can reach him.

For now, I encourage you to reflect on the reality of the resurrection of Jesus. If you’d like read more about it, check out posts here and here.

Paul…on trial again – Acts 24-26, Part 2

Have you ever been on trial in a courtroom? I was once. I was 17, scared, nervous, and very guilty. I wrote about that story here. This week we’re learning from the Apostle Paul how to talk about God, and in Acts 24-26 he’s back on trial, but this time Paul testifies before the bigwigs in Israel, two governors and a king. I wonder if Paul was scared or nervous. He seems quite bold and courageous, and as we observe what he says, we’re going to learn how to talk about God.

We last left Paul in Caesarea, one of the many towns across the Roman Empire named in honor of one of the Roman Caesars, the emperors. This port city of Caesarea is located in northwest Israel, along the Mediterranean Sea. Acts chapters 24-26 take place while Paul is in prison in Caesarea.

We start in Chapter 24. Throughout verses 1-23, in Caesarea, Paul is on trial, and the Roman governor Felix hears arguments from both the Jews, who have traveled from Jerusalem to present their case, and from Paul, who makes his defense. Basically, each side makes the same arguments we heard in Acts 22-23 when Paul was on trial in Jerusalem. The Jews accuse Paul of being a law breaker, and Paul retorts that he is innocent. The Roman governor Felix adjourns the trial, saying that he will wait to make a decision until the Roman commander arrives from Jerusalem. We met that Roman commander in Acts 22-23, the soldier who protected Paul, and eventually sent Paul to Caesarea. In the meantime, Governor Felix keeps Paul under guard, but with the allowance of freedom so that Paul’s friends can care for his needs.

But the Roman commander never arrives. Instead in verses 24-26, Felix and his Jewish wife, Drusilla, spend time with Paul, who ends up teaching and preaching to them. This results in Felix feeling afraid, probably because Paul is talking about judgment, maybe leading Felix to experience some guilt, so Felix puts a stop to Paul’s teaching. The author of the book of Acts, Luke, reveals that Felix was looking for a bribe from Paul, so Felix calls for Paul often.

This goes on for two years! Luke never mentions the Roman commander further, the guy Felix was waiting for to make a ruling on Paul’s case. In verse 27 we learn that Felix is succeeded by a new Roman governor, Festus. Paul has remained in prison this whole time, two years, because Felix wanted to grant a favor to the Jews, but there’s a new governor now. How will Festus treat Paul?

This brings us to Chapter 25. In verses 1-5, the new governor Festus goes to Jerusalem, where, even though two years have gone by, the Jewish leaders are still making accusations against Paul, urging Festus to have Paul brought to Jerusalem, though of course the Jews don’t tell Festus that they are plotting to kill Paul. Festus, instead, invites the Jews to Caesarea for another trial.

At the trial the same thing happens as in the trial before Felix. Look at verses 6-12. Paul and Jews again make opposing statements. This time, Festus tries to get Paul to go to Jerusalem, but Paul appeals to Caesar, which Festus honors. The vision in 23:11 is coming true. That was the vision I mentioned earlier, in which Jesus told Paul that he would preach in Rome.

But right around that time, another ruler shows up. In verses 13-27 the author of Acts, Luke, tells us that King Herod Agrippa II and his wife, Bernice, arrive to greet the new governor, Festus, and they all end up discussing Paul’s case. Agrippa is curious, and he asks to hear from Paul. Festus agrees and the next day brings Paul in for an audience before Agrippa.

Now we have come to Chapter 26. Verses 1-23 should be very familiar. Paul retells his story of salvation. It’s the same story that we first heard in chapter 9, and that we heard last week in chapter 22, when Paul told his story to the angry crowd in Jerusalem. It is the story of how Paul, a zealous Pharisee, was persecuting Christians, and Jesus appeared to Paul, changing his life. Paul now became a vigorous missionary preacher for Jesus.

This time, though, Paul is not talking to Jews. He is talking to Roman governors, their wives, and perhaps attendants and soldiers in the palace. Look at verses 24-32. In verse 24, Festus interrupts Paul, saying Paul is insane. Why? What had Paul just said? Most likely Festus is referring to Paul’s claims about Jesus’ resurrection. Paul turns to Agrippa, because he knows Agrippa is acquainted with the events Paul is talking about, and Paul says, “The King,” meaning Agrippa, “is familiar with these things…because it was not done in a corner.” In other words, Paul is saying, Agrippa should be able to verify that these events he is talking about are true because they are well-known.

Really? Paul thinks Agrippa will back him up on this? Hold that thought. We’ll come back to it in future posts. For now, let’s see how this chapter finishes. Paul presses Agrippa, particularly on prophecy. Read verse 27, where Paul urges Agrippa to agree with him. Agrippa deflects the question, asking Paul if he thinks he could persuade Agrippa to become a Christian in so short a time. Paul essentially says yes, but that the timing doesn’t matter. Rather Paul’s desire is that those listening would become what he, Paul, is, except of course for the chains. When Paul mentions his chains, I suspect he has a sly grin on his face and twinkle in his eye. I also have a feeling that joke might have been well-received, probably getting some laughs from the rulers. Of course I don’t know that, but when Agrippa, Festus, and Bernice leave, Agrippa says, “Paul hasn’t done anything deserving of death.” Festus responds that Paul could have been set free, except that he appealed to Caesar. That’s how chapter 26 ends. To Rome Paul will go.

Considering these various interactions that Paul has with Roman governors, what can we learn about how to talk about God? In posts three through five of this series, we’ll take a closer look at what Paul says, and a theme will emerge. I’m convinced that this theme is a key for how we can talk about God in our day. Frankly, I wonder if we’ve taken it for granted, and we need to recover the theme. What is the theme? Check back tomorrow!

How not to talk about God – Acts 24-26, Part 1

How should we talk to people about God?

A friend of mine recently told the story about how when he was growing up, his parents faithfully took he and his siblings to church on Sunday mornings. As their family drove to church, he remembers driving by people on their bikes, out for a ride on the country roads. One time, with the windows of the car rolled down, he and his siblings yelled out, “You should be in church!”

Why would they do that? You can imagine a child repeating the words they heard from their parents, probably many times: “Look at those people, they should be in church,” a parent might say. I don’t know if my friend’s parents said that. But I have heard adults say that. It takes child-like freedom, however, to actually yell it out to people.

Were either the kids or the parents right? Is showing up for a church worship service all that Jesus actually wants? No. While Jesus clearly wants Christians to gather and support one another, there is more he desires. How we talk about God reveals what we believe about what Jesus desires. So how do we talk about God in a way that is consistent with Jesus’ desires?

Too often we are like the kids who yell out, “You should be in church!” Think about how you talk about God to people. Do you communicate that following Jesus amounts to doing certain things and not doing others? If so, why do some of us feel comfortable with talking about God that way? Is it possible that we are talking about God and what it means to believe in and follow him in the wrong way?

In this series of five posts on Acts 24-26, we’re going to look at how the Apostle Paul talked about God. No longer is he with the Jews, as we studied in the previous series. In Acts 22-23, Paul spoke with Jews, his own people, with whom he had much common ground. In their sacred scriptures, the Hebrew Bible, which we Christians call The Old Testament, Jewish prophecies foretold of a Messiah, a savior who would come to rescue Israel. Paul declared to the Jews that Jesus was that promised Messiah. As we learned last week when we studied Acts chapters 22-23, the crowd of Jews in Jerusalem wasn’t buying it. In fact they wanted to kill him. So the Roman military escorted Paul under cover of night to the Roman city of Caesarea. Now, as Jesus told Paul in a dream in Acts 23:11, Paul has begun a journey that will take him to the capital of the Empire, Rome. How will he talk about God to the Romans? In the rest of this week’s blog series, we’ll find out, and we just might learn from Paul how to talk about God in our day and age.

What to do if talking about Jesus feels awkward – Acts 22-23, Part 5

Talking about Jesus with our family, friends, neighbors and co-workers is one of the most awkward experiences. It find it much easier to talk about faith with people I don’t know. I marvel at how bold I could be on mission trips. I felt so empowered. Was it the Holy Spirit? Maybe, sure. But also, there is very little risk in talking to strangers. They don’t know me, I don’t know them, and I will never see them again. So on past trips, I felt emboldened and was willing to talk with them. Or maybe that’s just me.

But at home? With people I see every day? Totally different, way riskier, and often awkward. That gets me thinking about Paul. There he is in the city he grew up in, surrounded by his own people, knowing they are very upset at him. Talk about awkward. Yet Paul dives right in!

Are you and I willing to enter into the unknown and potential awkwardness to tell the story to the people around us because we love God, we love people, and want them to have the life of Jesus that we have? I don’t think we will actually do this until we are living it. Until we know God and are interacting with him and his Spirit on a deeply personal way. Paul knew God that personal way. We are often bold on topics that we believe passionately about. I have heard a lot of bold, excited passion about sports and about TV shows. I have heard a lot of bold, excited passion about politics, about the coronavirus. And that’s all okay.

Remembering, of course, that when we are bold we do not have the freedom to be unkind. We should always be loving and gracious in our boldness.

But are we passionate telling the story of Jesus? Are our lives, our hearts, our actions, our attitudes so passionate about him that we can’t help it? We are often passionate about the things he is passionate about, but are we as passionate about Him?

This isn’t about church growth, or getting higher attendance at worship services. Not at all. This is about people. It is about actual human lives. So let us enter the potential awkwardness, out of love, and allow the story of Jesus flow from us.

But that assumes we are excited and passionate about Jesus. I get excited about a TV show because I actually spend time sitting down and watching it. Michelle and I have started rewatching The West Wing. Believe it or not, it came out in 1999. I remember watching it then on-air, and since then we’ve rewatched it through once or twice, and now we’re watching it again. We’re amazed anew by how witty, how relevant, and how good it is. Great writing, great acting, and all very inspiring. Guess what? Of course we’re going to be excited about it and feel passionate about talking about it, because we’re spending time with it almost every day. A TV show.

How are your interactions with Jesus? Not just what are you reading, but how are you interacting with Him? It is a real relationship. What is the story you have to tell? Who is Jesus to you? How has he been, and still is, at work in your life?

Tell that story, the story about how he wants to bring new life to everyone!

You don’t need a dramatic life story to be a true follower of Jesus – Acts 22-23, Part 4

*Photo by Lilibeth Bustos Linares on Unsplash*

Have you ever thought about the Christian rationale for why Christians are trying to invite other people to become followers of Jesus as well? Some Christians seem to be rather lax about it, almost to the point where you wonder if they don’t care about whether or not other people become followers of Jesus. Other Christians say they have a desire for others to become followers of Jesus, but rarely muster up the courage to actually say anything. Then you have Christians who aren’t shy about Jesus, and regularly include him in their conversations, graciously, lovingly. Finally there are some who are quite bold and even pushy about it, the hard-core evangelists who don’t seem to care if they offend anyone with their methods.

Of course, I’ve generalized quite a bit, as there are people who don’t fit nicely into any of these four categories above. The categories give an overview, though, of how many Christians feel about talking about their faith. Do any of these four describe you, at least somewhat? How should we talk about our faith? As we continue to study Paul’s example in Acts 22-23, I think we’ll have much food for thought.

We last left Paul in Jerusalem, under protective custody of the Romans, the commander of which is trying to figure out what to do with a group of very angry Jews who want to kill Paul. The commander decides to take Paul to the Jewish ruling council, the Sanhedrin. Again, it doesn’t go well. Read verses 23:1-10.

How about that exchange in verses 1-4? Whew! Paul and the high priest have a testy interaction, though Paul in verse 5 says he didn’t know this man was the high priest, or he, Paul, wouldn’t have been so in-your-face. As the drama continues, once again Paul is focused on the story of Jesus. He speaks about resurrection, which leads to a theological debate between the Pharisees and Sadducees, who disagree about the validity of resurrection. The Pharisees support Paul, as he was a Pharisee, and they believe in resurrection, but the debate gets so intense, the Roman commander orders Paul to be taken back to the barracks for his safety.

That night the Lord gives Paul a vision saying, “Take courage, you will testify in Rome.” That’s like hearing that you just got an invitation to go to meet with a world leader. Paul is headed to talk with the most powerful person in the known world, the Roman Emperor, the Caesar. Jesus does not say how he will get there, however, or how long the journey will take. In fact, we will finish the book of Acts before Paul gets to Rome. He eventually ends up there as we read in some of his other letters like Philippians, which seems to have been written by Paul from house arrest in Rome as he awaited trial. But back in Jerusalem, things are still very prickly.

The remainder of chapter 23 makes for a great story of intrigue at the very beginning of Paul’s journey to Rome. Read 23:12-35, and once again drama follows Paul around. The Jews plot to kill Paul, but the plot is foiled, and Paul is safely transported to Caesarea to Governor Felix. There he awaits trial again, and we’ll find out how that goes in next week’s posts.

What have we seen in chapters 22-23? No matter the situation, Paul is on the ready to tell the story of Jesus. And that challenges me. We, too, can be on the ready to tell the story of Jesus.

We Christians want more people to know the unconditional love of Jesus, but not because we earn a commission off anyone who becomes a Christian. This is not a multi-level marketing program. We’re not getting a better home in heaven if we help more people become Christians, kind of like the bonus club that pays you money and perks for getting more people to sign up. You get ten people to become Christians, and you get a heavenly mansion upgrade. No!

Instead, we want more people to know God (really KNOW him, not just know about him) because believing in and living the way of Jesus in the world is the best possible life. We want people who are stuck in selfishness, people who practice destructive ways of thinking and living, people who have little hope, to live and dwell in Jesus’ vision of the new life, the abundant life.

That was Paul to a T in this story. He shares how Jesus met him and transformed him and gave him a new outlook, the true outlook, a new hope, and Paul was thinking, “I’ve hit the jackpot of life, and guess what guys, in Jesus everyone else can hit that jackpot too!” Thus Paul was passionate about sharing Jesus. There was nothing better, and he wanted everyone to know it.

Because of that amazing gift that we have in Jesus, we, too, want to tell the story all the time.

Except that we don’t always want to tell the story all the time. We don’t always feel passionate about it. What’s missing? Why are we different from Paul?

I wonder if it is the encounter with Jesus. I wonder if we had an encounter with Jesus, and even ongoing, repeated encounters with Jesus, if we, too, would be more apt to tell that story?

But there is something about those dramatic stories, like Paul’s story, that might not resonate with you. While we love to hear stories of people that make a 180 degree life change, do you feel a disconnect? For most of us, it is not our story, is it? Most Western Christians have a different story of Jesus. Ours is a story of ease, comfort, maybe culture wars, but not a radical change for Jesus. What do we do with that? Are we sub-tier, lower-level Christians? No! We have a story to tell as well, and quite frankly, our story will likely resonate with most other people who have lived a fairly easy comfortable life. My point is this: we don’t need a dramatic life-altering experience to be a true follower of Jesus.

Therefore all of us have an important story to tell, and we should be ready to tell it! What, then, does it look like for us American Christians to be on the ready to tell our story at a moment’s notice? We’ll talk about that more in the next post.

Does the Apostle Paul make a grave mistake when telling his story? – Acts 22-23, Part 3

I wonder if the Apostle Paul made a big mistake. I say that hesitantly, cautiously, only speculating, but as I read what he says to his fellow Jews one day in Jerusalem, I can’t help but think, “Paul, that is a really bad move.” What did he say?

As I mentioned in the previous post, Paul is in Jerusalem standing before a hostile crowd. The Roman military had stepped in to save Paul from the crowd as they were beating him, but before the Romans usher Paul into their barracks, Paul surprisingly asks to talk with the crowd. So far we heard him tell the amazing story about how Jesus appeared to him and changed his life. He has the rapt attention o the crowd, and then he decides to accuse the Jews listening to him. Believe it or not, Paul keeps going down this negative road, and what he says next is the clincher for the crowd. Pause here and read Acts 22, verses 19-21, and see if you can discover what might be so disastrous for Paul.

What’s the big deal? All Paul mentions is that Jesus told Paul that he was going to send Paul to the Gentiles. So what? Well, read verses 22-24 to see how it works out.

The idea that God would give a vision in the temple in which he was sending Paul to Gentiles? That’s just too much for the Jews. In their minds, that is heresy and blasphemy. Why?

Because Paul basically chucks a cultural/theological grenade right into the crowd. How so? Wouldn’t the Jews want to reach out to the Gentiles too, just like Jesus said in the vision? They should have, as God’s mission all along, from the early chapters of the book of Genesis was that his people would be a blessing to the whole world. But the Jews didn’t look at the mission that way. Sadly, they saw themselves as God’s chosen people, and everyone else as unclean pagans that they had to stay away from. At Paul’s description of the vision that counteracts their worldview, they explode.

I have to think that Paul knew this would happen. Everything Paul said was true, but did it need to be said? It reminds me of when people point out a negative aspect of another person, and of course it makes the other person quite mad, but the original commenter says, “What?” as if they are innocent. “I’m not wrong. What I said was true.” Or at least they believe their comment to be true in their viewpoint. Certainly the other person disagrees. “I was NOT chewing too loud.”

In our house, we call it poking the bear. It happens quite frequently between the siblings.

The Jewish crowd that day is like a whole group of bears that has been poked and are ready to tear Paul to shreds.

The Roman commander is in a tough spot. The outraged Jews ask the Romans to kill Paul. He wants to settle down the crowd, but he doesn’t know what Paul has done that is wrong. The Roman commander, perhaps to appease the crowd, orders Paul to be flogged and questioned.

It’s not looking good for Paul, but Paul has an ace up his sleeve. Read what happens in verses 25-29.

Paul’s surprise? His citizenship. Just as he is about to be whipped, he intervenes by saying that he is a Roman citizen, and thus a flogging would not be legal prior to finding Paul guilty. The commander immediately stops the flogging from happening. In our day and age, we would say in a disbelieving way, “Yeah, right, Paul, you’re a Roman citizen?” It is amazing that commander just believes him. We do hear a hint of disbelief in the commander’s voice when he says, “I had to pay a lot of money for my citizenship.” Paul replies, “But I was born a citizen.” How could he prove that, though? Did Paul whip out a passport or something? Nope. Paul could only stake his claim on the honor system. That makes me think, isn’t it really convenient of Paul to claim citizenship at that precise moment? You’d think every single person would say that just as they are about to be whipped. But the truth about Paul’s citizenship could still be found out, even if it took longer to discover.

Thus, Paul is given a stay, and the Roman commander takes up his case. First step, figure out why the Jews are so outraged at Paul. Read verse 30, where we learn what the Roman commander decides to do next.

While the Romans are in control of the land, they did allow the Jews some measure of self-rule, and the Jewish council that handled that limited amount of self-governance was called the Sanhedrin. As we read, there are priests, Pharisees, and Sadducees who are part of this ruling council. The Roman commander brings Paul there hoping to get more understanding about why the people are so upset with him. Again, it doesn’t go well, which we’ll see in the next post.

For now, when you are telling the story of Jesus, I encourage you not to poke the bear. Instead focus on the grace and love of Jesus. Focus on the story of how Jesus has changed you. Focus on the hope Jesus brings for abundant life and eternal life.

What kind of life counts as memoir-worthy – Acts 22-23, Part 2

I recently read former Secretary of State Madeline Albright’s memoir covering the years 2000-2020. Since leaving office, Albright has continued to lead a fascinating life, seeking to make an impact around the world. Her memoir got me thinking about my own story, and wondering what kind of life counts as worthy of a memoir. Do we all need to be world travelers, rubbing shoulders with international leaders and celebrities like Albright does, in order to have a life that qualifies as memoir-worthy? Unless you are a book publisher with the goal of making a profit from book sales, the answer to that question above is a resounding, “NO!” In other words, all of us have a memoir-worthy life. What I mean by that is this: all of us have an important story to tell. Sure, some people have a story that is very dramatic, what many people would say is, “interesting.” The Apostle Paul is a case in point.

As we will see in Acts 22-23, Paul tells his story, and it is a page turner. But all of us, even those who believe our lives have been and maybe still are boring or run-of-the-mill, have an important story to tell. The question is not about whether our story is good enough, the question is whether we are ready to tell the story, because anytime Jesus impacts a life, it is a wonderful story to tell. To that all-important attitude of being ready to tell our story, Paul is a great example for us.

Go ahead and read the first 16 verses of Acts 22. In these verses under protective custody of the Roman military, Paul talks with a hostile crowd in Jerusalem. First of all, I’m thinking, “Really? He wants to talk with the crowd?” If that were me, would I want to do that? Or would I think, “Roman commander, get me in the barracks, and as soon as possible, get me as far away as possible from these people who are trying to kill me.” There were plenty of places Paul ministered where he wouldn’t have to deal with this madness. But Paul doesn’t think like that, does he? Instead, he sees this as an opportunity to tell the story. For Paul, nearly every situation was an opportunity to tell the story.

And that’s exactly what he does. He retells the events of Acts chapter 9, about how he was a zealous Jew, persecuting the Christians, but Jesus changed his life. Everything he says through verse 16 is a story that would likely pique the crowd’s attention. Whether or not they would have believed him when he talked about Jesus speaking to him, we don’t know. That Jesus spoke to him from heaven is a story that would likely have been very hard for them to swallow. Maybe they thought Paul was lying. Maybe they thought he was deluded. What they cannot deny is that whatever happened to Paul, it radically changed his life.

Why would anyone do a lifestyle 180, like Paul did, if it was for a lie? Why would anyone give their life, almost dying multiple times, for a lie? Yet here is Paul before a hostile crowd that wants to kill him, and he isn’t backing down from the story. Paul is not stupid. He has known for months that his return to Jerusalem could easily lead to his death. He knows how the Jews will most likely respond to him. They’ve been at him nearly every city he ministered in. Still he is focused on telling the story of Jesus right here in their headquarters, the city of Jerusalem. Paul is still believing that the Spirit is at work. Paul is still believing that God could use him at this moment to share the story of Jesus. Even in the face of a crowd that wants to kill him! Paul trusts in the power of God, continuing to hope in a God who is in the business of changing lives. For Paul, every moment is a moment where the power of the story of Good News in Jesus can be unleashed to change lives. How are we thinking about all the moments of our lives?

As Paul tells the story of Jesus changing his live, the once-raging crowd has quieted and is listening. A good story will do that. Especially a true story of life change. That’s why your story is important. It doesn’t have to be as dramatic as Paul’s was. Your real story, even if you think it is boring or bland, is the story of God at work in you, and God uses those stories to impact people. Are you ready to tell the story?

Unfortunately for Paul, things take a turn. Read verses 17-18. I wonder if Paul thought this story in verses 17-18 would help him reach the Jews. Did he make a mistake in choosing what he wanted to share? Did he purposefully incite them?

What he says is inflammatory. He tells them about how after Jesus changed his life, Paul traveled to Jerusalem where he reveals that while praying in the temple, Jesus spoke to him, saying that the Jews would not accept his testimony. Maybe it’s just me, but if I was a Jew in the crowd that day listening to Paul’s story, that detail would make me angry. I’d be thinking, “What do you mean we wouldn’t accept your testimony?” Even if they actually wouldn’t accept the testimony, and it was pretty obvious to all that they wouldn’t, the words of the vision from Jesus could be perceived as very confrontational to the Jews. Who likes to be told what they will or will not think about something? In no uncertain terms Paul is essentially telling the Jews that they are stubborn, proud, arrogant or unteachable. No doubt, when it came to the story of Jesus, many Jews truly were all those negative things. But if you want to reach their hearts and minds, why would you tell them a part of the story that is so off-putting? I don’t know why Paul chooses to tell this part of his story. We can learn from it, though. It is not advisable to make people mad when you’re trying to tell the story of Jesus. Instead, be ready to tell the story of God’s love and grace for us all.

Believe it or not, Paul keeps going telling his story with more negativity, and what he says next is the clincher in the minds of the people in the crowd that day. Clincher? Is that a good thing or a bad thing? More on that tomorrow!