Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev19980830.htm

ACTS: THE LOCAL CHURCH AS GOD'S AGENCY FOR DISCIPLING MEN
Part LII: Testifying Our Beliefs With VERIFIABLE Evidences Before Doubters
(Acts 22:1-22)
  1. Introduction
    1. When a believer must testify to those who doubt his beliefs or character, it may seem his effort is hopeless.
    2. Such is not the case, for Paul supplies us with a pattern on how to witness when our credibility is suspect:
  2. Testifying Our Beliefs With VERIFIABLE Evidences Before Doubters, Acts 22:1-22.
    1. Just before Paul gave his testimony to the crowd at the temple in Acts 22:1ff, that same crowd had tried to beat Paul to death to the extent that the Roman guard had to carry him aloft to keep him alive, 21:31, 35.
    2. When allowed to address the crowd (Acts 21:39-40a), Paul gave evidences that his hearers could verify:
      1. First, Paul testified with easily and much verifiable evidence that he once opposed Christianity, 22:1-5:
        1. In saying that he was a Jew, Paul displayed that fact by speaking to the crowd in Hebrew, 22:1-3a.
        2. Paul said he was taught by Gamaliel (22:3), a great teacher they could question for verification, 5:34.
        3. In saying that he had once opposed and killed Christians (Acts 22:4), Paul claimed the witness of the high priest for the crowd's easy, quick and credible verification, Acts 22:5a.
        4. Paul had the witness of the whole Sanhedrin to verify this fact of his past persecution actions, 22:5b.
        5. Finally, Paul had documentary proof: he received authoritative letters from the Sanhedrin giving him permission to bind Christians. Possible copies of these on file could be checked, Acts 22:5c; 9:2.
      2. Second, Paul testified with VERIFIABLE evidence that his partners in his former persecution efforts witnessed Paul's life-changing encounter with a Supernatural entity on the Damascus road, 22:6-11; 9:7.
        1. When journeying with Paul to persecute Damascus Christians, Paul's godless partners witnessed a bright light and heard a sound, becoming speechless and afraid, Acts 9:7; 22:9.
        2. They witnessed Paul's falling down and saying, "Who art thou, Lord?" and his trembling and saying, "What wilt thou have me to do?" Acts 22:8a, 10a; Acts 9:6.
        3. They saw that this event left Paul blind, and escorted him in this condition into Damascus, 9:8; 22:11
      3. Third, Ananias of Damascus, a Jew held in high regard by all Damascus Jews, witnessed a vision from the God of Israel's fathers that Paul was chosen to proclaim His teachings, Acts 22:12-15.
      4. Fourth, this respected Ananias had Paul baptized as a convert to this newly revealed faith, Acts 22:16.
      5. Fifth, the controlled demeanor of Paul amidst the crowd's uproar contrasted with his verifiable record as a spiteful persecutor of Christians! This visible evidence the crowd could see, Acts 21:32, 35-36!
    3. Armed with these verifiable credentials, Paul told the crowd that he had a vision in the temple upon his return from Damascus of God telling him to leave the city and testify to Gentiles, 22:17-21. The crowd, having opposed the truth that Gentiles did not need circumcision, inexcusably rejected Paul's claims, 22:22.
Lesson: Paul gave STRONG and MANY evidences that his HEARERS could CHECK to offset their disbelief of his person and teachings. Their rejection of his word was thus indefensible.

Illustration: (1) Josh McDowell reports (A Ready Defense, p. 433) he once spoke with a university student who said there was no historical evidence for Christianity. Josh noted the student carried a Roman history textbook, and the student a dmitted it had a chapter on Paul and Christianity. The chapter described Paul's change from persecutor to Christian missionary, but the student said the textbook was unclear as to what made that change. McDowell turned to the Book of Acts and described th e appearing of the risen Christ to Paul, and the student admitted such an appearance was the most logical explanation for Paul's conversion. He later believed on Christ! (2) In defending Christianity to the Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius around A.D. 150, Justin Martyr, in his Defense of Christianity, in speaking about Christ's crucifixion, said, " . . . That these things happened you may learn from the 'Acts' which were recorded under Pontius Pilate." (First Apology 35.7-9 as cited in F. F. Bruce, Jesus & Christian Origins Outside the N.T., p. 19)

Application: Providing evidence the doubter can verify is an effective way to testify to the truth!