Gospel in a Minute

Paul was in Jerusalem when hostile Jews attacked and falsely accused him. In order to quell a riot, Roman soldiers took him into custody. On his way to the military outpost, the commander granted Paul permission to speak to the crowd.

Paul provides us with a model for sharing our own testimonies.

Then Paul said, “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, and I was brought up and educated here in Jerusalem under Gamaliel. As his student, I was carefully trained in our Jewish laws and customs. I became very zealous to honor God in everything I did, just like all of you today. Acts 22:3 (NLT) 

Principle: Establish Solidarity

People generally think that followers of Christ are at least a little weird. I became a disciple during what was called the “Jesus Revolution” or “Jesus Movement” back in the early seventies. Society labeled those who turned to Christ during that great awakening as “Jesus Freaks.”

Anyone who is not like everyone else arouses suspicion. When we promulgate a message that runs counter to the accepted norm, we become a threat. Gospel communicators must be aware of these two barriers by first establishing solidarity with the audience.

Since Paul was addressing Jews, he first established that he was a Jew. People need to know that we understand them. Not only was Paul Jewish, he also had been a man of stature in the community, having studied under the finest teachers. In other words,

Paul told his listeners that he understood them and was like them.

Secondly, Paul complimented them on their zeal, however misplaced. As mentioned in a previous article, if we can find common ground with our listeners, it helps a lot. It is rarely a good idea to launch an attack on those whom we are trying to convert. Even though his antagonists were in the wrong, he found something for which to praise them: their zeal for Jewish beliefs.

We also should look for what we can acknowledge as being good in our listeners in an effort to establish solidarity prior to sharing the gospel.