Opening: Ever been mistaken for someone else? Do people tell you that you remind
them of a family member or a famous person?
Scripture: Read Acts 21:37-22:29.
Insights:
- Here was a case of mistaken identity. The commander thought Paul was a noted Egyptian revolutionary who three years before had appeared in Jerusalem claiming to be a prophet. He led a large group to the Mount of Olives and told them to wait until the walls of Jerusalem fell at his command.[1] His followers had been Dagger-bearers, violent nationalists who were deliberate assassins. They concealed daggers in their cloaks, mixed with the mob and struck as they could. The Romans had dealt swiftly and efficiently with his followers but he himself had escaped. The commander thought Paul was this revolutionary Egyptian come back.
- Acts 22:14 is a summary not only of the life of Paul but also of the Christian life. We are:
1.
To
know the will of God. It is the first aim of the Christian to know God's will
and to obey it.
2.
To
see the Righteous One. It is the aim of the Christian daily to walk in the
presence of the Risen Lord.
3.
To
hear God's voice. It was said of a great preacher that in his preaching he
paused ever and again as if listening for a voice. The Christian is ever
listening for the voice of God above the voices of the world to tell us where
to go and what to do.[2]
- The crowd of people listened to Paul, but then he said “Gentiles” and that did it; they blew a gasket again. The Bible told them that they were supposed to be a light to the Gentiles, telling them about the one true God.[3] But they had renounced that mission by becoming separatist and exclusive. They thumbed their nose at God’s mission and purpose for their nation. As a result, the Gentiles (including us) would receive the message of salvation and be accepted into God’s family.
- The commander tells Paul he bought his citizenship. He was probably Greek by birth.[4] Persons who obtained Roman citizenship other than by birth usually took the name of their sponsor. The commander’s name was Claudius Lysias (see Acts 23:26) which may indicate he purchased his citizenship through the sponsorship of the emperor Claudius. Being a citizen by birth was especially prestigious.
Life
Questions:
- Paul was given the opportunity to share his testimony, all while chained between two Roman soldiers. (Can you imagine how that looked, especially if Paul was a speaker who moved his arms and hands!) What life experience have you been through that you could use to share your faith with someone else?
- What is your mission and purpose? What is the universal Church’s mission and purpose? What is our church’s mission and purpose? Don’t know? Don’t you think you should find out?
Prayer
Focus: That we would know God’s will, see Jesus working
in our midst, and hear God’s voice telling us where to go, what to do, and what
to say.
