(Read Acts 16:1-3)
This morning we continue our series “Grace that is Simply Amazing.” In yesterday’s message I told about Paul’s second missionary journey. After splitting up with Barnabas, Paul partnered with Silas and the two took off for Derbe and Lystra. In Lystra Paul met a young disciple named Timothy. Timothy’s mother was a Jewish believer and his father was a Greek. Timothy was well thought of by the believers in Lystra and Iconium. Paul immediately took a liking to young Timothy. Maybe it was because Paul saw a little of himself in the young man. Like Paul, Timothy had a mixed background. Paul’s father was a Jew (a Pharisee) and his mother a Roman. But unlike Paul Timothy was not circumcised. Paul’s father, being a Jew, made sure he was circumcised on the 8th day of his life. But Timothy’s father, being a Greek, did not force the tradition on his son. Paul was considering taking Timothy along with him and Silas on the trip, but he knew the issue of circumcision would be an issue.
If you have been following this series you know that Paul was clearly not an advocate of the Law and he vehemently argued against anyone who made circumcision a requirement of Christianity. But with Timothy he had another issue. See, Paul and Silas were Jewish-Christians. They were raised as Jews and they were circumcised. Their Jewish background helped them get an ‘open-door’ into synagogues, where they could in turn preach the Gospel of Christ, offering salvation by Grace. Paul considered the fact that if he brought an uncircumcised person with him on the journey, it would be more trouble than what it was worth. Young Timothy seemed like he could make a great assistant, but if Paul was going to take him on the journey, Paul thought it best for Timothy to get circumcised. So, the Bible says, “In deference to the Jews of the area, he arranged for Timothy to be circumcised before they left.”
While the issue of circumcision might seem trivial to you and I today, I want you to know that these traditions were no small matter to the religious zealots of the time. Some were so connected to their traditions that they refused to hold any sort of meaningful conversation with anyone who did not abide by them. This meant that if Paul was going to reach people, he was going to have to meet them on their level, at least to get the conversation going. Paul wrote the following about this: “When I am with the Jews, I live like a Jew to win Jews. They are ruled by the Law of Moses, and I am not. But I live by the Law to win them. And when I am with people who are not ruled by the Law, I forget about the Law to win them. Of course, I never really forget about the law of God. In fact, I am ruled by the law of Christ. When I am with people whose faith is weak, I live as they do to win them. I do everything I can to win everyone I possibly can. I do all this for the good news, because I want to share in its blessings” (1 Cor 9:20-23).
So what does this mean to you today? Two things:
1. It takes wisdom to reach the lost. Solomon said, “He that wins souls is wise” (Prov 11:30). Paul wanted to reach Romans, Africans, Arabs, and Asians, while at the same time knowing that he had to deal with Law-minded Jews. So Paul had to be led of the Holy Spirit concerning how to maneuver through the social and religious landmines he encountered on his missionary journeys. Although he knew Timothy did not need to get circumcised to be saved, Paul required Timothy to get circumcised, just so it would not become a hindrance to the Jews he was attempting to reach. This is an example of being led of God and doing what God wants you to do, so that He can get the glory, even when you would never do it on your own. The message for you is this: just like God gave Paul wisdom, He will do the same for you. The Holy Spirit can and will lead you concerning how to reach the people you are Graced to reach. It might mean you do something you would not normally do, but that is the cost of discipleship and it is a small price to pay for becoming a conduit of God’s glory.
2. You won’t reach someone you can’t relate to. When Paul was attempting to reach non-Jews he never brought up the Law of Moses or the rules and regulations the Jews lived under. When he wanted to reach hard-core religious Jews, he met them where they were and he did not offend their religious traditions, in order to offer salvation by Grace in Christ Jesus. Paul said, “I do everything I can to win everyone I possibly can.” God can Grace you to do the same thing. While some might see this as comprising what you believe, Paul saw it as reaching people where they were. Jesus did the same thing. Jesus did not sit behind the walls of a synagogue and expect people to come to Him. No, Jesus went out and met people where they were; and He dealt with them on their level. Jesus spoke to fishermen about fishing, to a woman at a well about water, to people at a meal about bread, and to a family mourning the loss of a loved one about eternal life. Paul did the same thing. Paul was not offering a distant or despondent religion. No, Paul visited people where they were, he came to their towns, and he met them on their level. If you truly want God to touch someone’s heart through you, then ask God to give you the Grace to relate to their situation and to meet them where they are. When people can relate to you, they are much more apt to open their hearts and hear what you have to say.
Closing Confession: Father, You cared enough about me to send people to me to share Your loving kindness and tender mercy with me. You sent people who had a genuine concern for my well being. You sent people who were able to relate to me, on my level. You sent people who met me where I was and I was able to see You in them. I came to You as a result of the many people You sent to me. I had questions, fears, and doubts, but the people You sent to me kept working on me and I eventually accepted Your Son Jesus as my Lord. Thank You Father for being patient with me and for not giving up on me while I rejected You time and time again. I now surrender myself into Your hands to be the conduit through which You can reach others. I give myself to You. I ask You to use me to meet people where they are. Your Holy Spirit leads me to the right people, at the right times, in the right places, and He gives me the right words to say. I don’t judge them or their actions, and I don’t approach them with a judgmental spirit. I allow Your light and Your love to flow through me and to meet them wherever they are. You want people to come as they are, because if they do, and they accept You as Lord, You will in turn work in them to bring about holy change from the inside-out. I don’t need to force change on anyone. I trust You to effectuate divine change in Your sons and daughters. But I do need wisdom concerning how to approach the lost. I ask You for that wisdom and You freely provide it to me. You Grace me to reach those I am anointed to reach and You put Your Super on my natural, enabling me to have Supernatural encounters with people during the divine-appointments You place on my calendar. So Father, I am open, willing, and available to be used of You to reach the lost. If I need to change something in my approach, I am willing to change. If I need to wear something I don’t normally wear, I am willing to wear it. If I need to say something I don’t normally say, I am willing to say it. Bottom-line Father, I am committed to being used of You to reach people where they are. You love the lost just as they are, but You also love them too much to leave them that way. They can come as they are, because they won’t stay as they are too long, once they are IN You and You are IN them! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
