Acts 22:1-5

Summary retelling of Acts 22:1-5

Paul addresses the crowd in a familial manner.  He prepares to defend himself in Hebrew, and the crowd grew even quieter once they knew that he spoke the language of the Jews.  Paul talks about how he was born a Jew and was educated under a famous Pharisee named Gamaliel.  Paul says that he was taught to strictly obey God’s Law.  He tells the crowd that he persecuted the followers of Jesus Christ harshly – delivering both men and women over to the Sanhedrin.  He also speaks about how he received letters from the High Priest to carry out his persecution away from Jerusalem.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Paul speaks to the crowd by calling them brothers and fathers.  Remember what has just happened.  These are the people that wanted him arrested – and perhaps would’ve killed him if given the opportunity.  The typical human reaction would not be to think of them as family.  However, this goes to show what we began to study yesterday.  Paul isn’t speaking to save his own skin.  Paul is speaking out of a genuine love for the people to whom he is speaking and out of a genuine love for God’s calling.  Paul’s ability to look at His accusers and love them is solely rooted in God’s love.

Is it easy to love our enemies?  What does the Bible say with respect to how we should think about our enemies?  How does this concept tie in with why we need to follow God and be in a relationship with Him?

Second Thought:

Paul begins to speak about his past.  Before we actually talk about his past, though, let’s focus on the fact that Paul doesn’t hide his past.  He’s made mistakes.  People can learn from them.  When we bury our past, we end up burying one of the greatest tools that God can use to help others see Him through us!  Paul doesn’t bury his past, he uses it!  Paul opens up his past to the crowd knowing that it can be used against him.  But he does it so that there might be some who hear his past and it might make sense to them.  They might come and find the path to Christ by hearing about Paul’s journey through disobedience and his repentance into obedience.

Why do human beings want to bury their past so readily?  Does it make sense to think of our past mistakes and failings as a great tool for God to use?  Why is this true?

Third Thought:

Paul did persecute the church.  Paul was very intense about his persecution.  However, Paul was also intense about his promotion of Christ once he was converted.  We can see that Paul gives his all with respect to God.  He doesn’t hold back at all.  As fervently as he persecuted Christ’s followers, he is a fervent warrior for the cross of Christ once his conversion happens.

What can we learn from Paul’s example here?  Does God call us to be urgent and passionate about taking His salvation to the world?

Passage for Tomorrow: Acts 22:6-11