Topic: Paul’s Faith made Public
Acts 9:22, “But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ.”
- Right after Paul’s conversion, Paul threw the Jews in Damascus for a loop by being difficult to refute. The verse above presents Paul arguing like a lawyer. He was able to examine evidence, compare that evidence, and find what best explains the facts to prove that Jesus is the Christ.
Acts 17:2-4, “And according to Paul’s custom, he visited them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.” And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and a significant number of the leading women.”
- Paul’s custom was to go into the local synagogues wherever he traveled and reason with them from the Scriptures. He would provoke people to think, evaluate things, and form judgments through the process of logic.
Acts 19:8-9, “And he entered the synagogue and continued speaking out boldly for three months, having discussions and persuading them about the kingdom of God. But when some were becoming hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the people, he withdrew from them and took the disciples away with him, and had discussions daily in the school of Tyrannus.”
- He used argument and persuasion regarding the kingdom of God for three straight months in Ephesus. He formed a church there and wrote a rather famous letter to that church, therefore he must have had results. After Paul left the synagogue, he began speaking in a lecture hall where thinkers of the day could share their ideas (school of Tyrannus). In this daily teaching, Paul would have accomplished three things: preaching, teaching, and having a Q&A with the Jews and Gentiles that attended.
Acts 28:23, “When they had set a day for Paul, people came to him at his lodging in large numbers; and he was explaining to them by solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning until evening.”
- Acts ends with Paul filling up his days trying to persuade people about the truth of:
The existence of God
The resurrection
The fulfillment of messianic prophecy
His own personal testimony
Let us learn from Paul regarding the importance of making our faith public and not giving up because some do not listen.
See you Sunday!
Dr. Scott Kallem