Acts 17:1-15
Paul, Timothy, and Silas are on the road, building up the local churches and doing their best to plant new ones. Everywhere they can, they stop at the local synagogues and share with the Jews their understanding of Scripture.
Notice how important the Scriptures are to Paul’s proclamation. We don’t read of him sharing personal stories. There are no heroic tales of suffering from his past. We don’t hear of his adventures being shipwrecked or put in prison. Instead, Paul reads and discusses Scripture over and over again. Clearly, the Scripture is central to who he is, his understanding of Jesus and his method of outreach.
Of course, these are not Gentiles. These are Jews who know their sacred text and want to discuss it. They might be moved by Paul’s passion and exploits. But that won’t be enough to convert them. They want more. They want to understand their Bible.
Paul’s results are mixed. Some take to his message readily and wholeheartedly. Others are uncertain. And there are always a few who take such mortal offense that they create an atmosphere of violence.
Paul knows what we, also, know. Not everyone will read their Bible the same way we do. Even if we agree on basic terms or general principles of biblical authority there will still be disagreements among us. It’s only natural. We are all human, prone to seeing things our own way.
In the end, though, what will win these arguments? Proving our point from the Bible is only the beginning. What matters more is how we behave. Do we really act the way we say Jesus wants us to act? How we live our lives – both as individuals and as a church – is what draws people to the good news.
Yes, we need to know our Bibles and what we believe. When someone at work or our social group asks a question about the Bible, we need to be able to answer it. But we can’t stop there. We also have to live it. Not necessarily heroically. I hope none of us will ever be shipwrecked, stoned, or thrown out of town. But we can live the self-giving love of the Messiah we proclaim.
God’s peace to us all,
Pastor Ken.