Acts 27-28

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2027-28&version=ESV

Acts 28:25-31 "And disagreeing among themselves, they departed after Paul had made one statement: “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet:

“‘Go to this people, and say,
You will indeed hear but never understand,
and you will indeed see but never perceive.
For this people's heart has grown dull,
and with their ears they can barely hear,
and their eyes they have closed;
lest they should see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart
and turn, and I would heal them.’

Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.” He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance."

As we finish our readings in the book of Acts, we read that Paul has finally made it to Rome.

He has met with the Jews and he has preached the Gospel to them. Let's look at how he evangelized.

First, he evangelized Biblically. Acts 28:23 states, "When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers. From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets."

Friends, this is how we are to evangelize as well. You might say. "Well what about what Jesus has done in my life? Or the experiences I have had?"

Those can be shared no doubt, but of first importance is the Biblical Gospel message. Evangelism today in many aspects is man centered and not God centered. People want to be saved not to glorify God but to have their needs and wants met. Friends, this is not what salvation is for. Salvation is to bring glory to God.

As we have been reading the Bible through this year, the knowledge we are gaining from our time in the Word will help you in becoming a more effective evangelist. When you speak the Word of God, you come across more authoritative and persuasive, than if you merely speak of personal experiences.

Paul also preached boldly. Acts 28:30-31 states, "He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance."

Friends, knowing the Word of God enables you to preach Christ boldly. I can attest to this personally. Before I studied the Word, I would try to talk to others about Christ. I would tell them that Christ loved them and that He died for their sins. But that is about all I could share with them. I knew minimal Scripture.

Now, by the grace of God, I can share with people about Jesus directly from His Word. I can tell people what God says about His only begotten Son. And then I can share personally how the truths of God's Word have transformed and are continuing to transform my life.

I am nowhere near as bold as the Apostle Paul. But I strive to be. After all, Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 11:1 "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ." Did you get that?

Not only are we to strive to live a sacrificial life like Paul, we are to love like Paul, and evangelize like Paul.

Man made evangelistic methods will come and go. But evangelism based on the Word of God and modeled after Apostolic teaching will endure.

As Isaiah wrote,

"A voice says, “Cry!”
And I said, “What shall I cry?”
All flesh is grass,
and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.
The grass withers, the flower fades
when the breath of the LORD blows on it;
surely the people are grass.
The grass withers, the flower fades,
but the word of our God will stand forever." (Isaiah 40:6-8)

Friends, thank God today for the example of the apostle Paul. We should strive to imitate his holiness, godliness, and efforts to evangelize the world.

Soli Deo Gloria.

Today's post was submitted by Russ Shellhamer.