On Mobs and Mission Fields

Turning Mobs into Mission Fields

Acts 21:27-22:21

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SERMON

There’s an old story about a young, successful couple who found their dream home. Shortly after purchasing it, the couple sat at their kitchen table to indulge in a delicious breakfast. The wife looked out the window, and to her surprise, she saw her neighbor hanging dirty laundry on the clothesline.

'That laundry isn't clean, it's still dirty!' she said to her husband. 'Someone needs to teach her a thing or two when it comes to washing her clothes!'

A couple of days later, the couple sat down at their kitchen table for another meal. The wife saw her neighbor hanging clothes on the clothesline. But this time something was different.

'Wow, look!' the surprised wife said to her husband, 'Her clothes are clean! Someone must have taught her how to wash her clothes!' Without raising his head from his plate, the husband kindly responded, 'Actually, honey, I got up early this morning and washed the window.'i What we see when watching others often depends on the window through which we look.

Turn in your Bibles to Acts 21:27. Like the woman in the story, we are often tempted to look at others through dirty windows. But when we look at others through the lens of the Gospel it changes what we see. That’s the lesson I want us to learn from the Apostle Paul this morning. But first, let’s review where we’ve been.

Acts is the second book in Luke’s two-volume work. In volume one (the Gospel of Luke) he records the works that Jesus began to do during His earthly ministry. In volume two (the book of Acts), he records the works that Jesus continues to do through His church. The big idea of Acts is that the risen Jesus gives the Spirit to His church so they will give the Gospel to the world.

That’s exactly what we see happening throughout the book of Acts. Jesus ascends into heaven. The Spirit descends into the hearts of God’s people. God’s people begin taking the Gospel to the world. They start in Jerusalem, go to Samaria, and then begin moving to the ends of the earth.

The main character responsible for spreading the Gospel to the ends of the earth is a man named Paul. In the span of about twenty years he’s taken three different missionary trips throughout the known world to tell people the Good News about Jesus.

We last left Paul in the city of Jerusalem. He completed his third mission trip before visiting James, the Lead Pastor of the church in Jerusalem. While there, James gave Paul some advice. “People are spreading rumors about you, saying you’re telling Jews to stop following their customs and traditions. To show these rumors aren’t true, here’s a few steps to show your respect for the Jewish people and their temple.” Paul complied with Pastor James’ request, but in the end it didn’t matter. Our story ends with Paul in chains. From this point on Paul will be a prisoner.

But despite the violence he endured at the hands of an angry mob, Paul continued to look at people through the lens of the Gospel. And because he did, he was able to see the mob as a mission field.

Let’s begin by looking at the opposition that Paul faced. Our story begins in the temple of Jerusalem during the popular Jewish feast of Pentecost. Read what happens in verses 27-39: “When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, (28) crying out, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place. Moreover, he even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” (29) For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. (30) Then all the city was stirred up, and the people ran together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut. (31) And as they were seeking to kill him, word came to the tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. (32) He at once took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them. And when they saw the tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. (33) Then the tribune came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. He inquired who he was and what he had done. (34) Some in the crowd were shouting one thing, some another. And as he could not learn the facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks. (35) And when he came to the steps, he was actually carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd, (36) for the mob of the people followed, crying out, “Away with him!”

Two thousand years later, this type of violence against God’s people continues. In the past 90 days we’ve rightly focused on pandemics and protests but don’t forget many Christians are still being opposed all over the world. Fulani Islamic militants are burning churches and killing Christians in Nigeria. A woman in Uganda was abandoned by her husband and her house was set on fire, all because she trusted Jesus. In Guinea, new believers were kicked out of their homes by their families. A couple in Laos lost their citizenship for converting to Christianity. In Virginia Beach, a friend of Don Karns was recently arrested for inciting a riot because he had the audacity to preach the Gospel on the boardwalk. Countless other Christians are mocked and belittled across the world every single day.

But it’s important to notice that not all opponents are created equal. If you look carefully at the text, you’ll notice Paul faces at least three different types of opponents. First, there’s the agitators that start the riot in verses 27-29. These people hate Paul. They want him dead. Second, there’s the mob itself who are the followers. These people aren’t motivated by a hatred of Paul, but by groupthink. Verse 31 says they’re caught in confusion. Their behavior is still wrong, but the reason for their behavior is different. Finally, there’s the Roman peacekeepers. It’s unjust that they stop the riot by arresting the innocent, but again their reason for opposing Paul is different. Their goal is just to keep the peace, no matter what it takes.

I believe we face similar opponents today. There are undoubtedly agitators who hate Christians. People who want our churches to close. People who want us dead. If you don’t believe there are people who utterly hate Christians, you’re blind. Jesus Himself said “If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before it hated you” (John 15:18). Yes, this group exists. But much like in Paul’s day, I believe this group is a tiny minority.

Most people who oppose Christians don’t do it because they hate us. They’re more like the crowd. They’re confused followers who oppose us because they don’t understand. Maybe they’ve heard we’re backwards-minded bigots. They’ve never taken time to examine what Christians believe, they just trust what they’ve heard. Maybe they’ve heard many professing Christians support Donald Trump. They look at some of the things the President does or says, then dismiss Christianity outright.

Then there’s also the peacekeepers. These opponents really aren’t motivated by anger or hate towards Christians at all. If anything, they’re indifferent. But they want to keep the peace. They don’t want their businesses to be affected, they don’t want their comfortable lives to be upended so they oppose Christians to keep life comfortable and peaceful.

But here’s the question: how do you view your opponents? Do you view them all as angry agitators? Do you have a nuanced view of those who oppose you? What is your goal? To refute them? To belittle them? To win the argument? To take cheap shots at those you consider enemies?

That’s not what Paul does. Rather than attacking his attackers, he asks for an opportunity to speak to them. Not to refute them, belittle them, or take cheap shots. He wants to speak to them so he can tell them about Jesus. And in so doing, he shows us how to turn a mob into a mission field. With God’s help, I want to show you three Gospel truths that turn mobs into mission fields.

Remember What You Were Saved From. (22:1-5)

Acts 22:1-5 — “Brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now make before you.” (2) And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet. And he said: (3) “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day. (4) I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, (5) as the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them I received letters to the brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished.

Notice how Paul’s treating his opponents. He speaks to them respectfully, referring to them using the honorary titles “brothers and fathers.” He’s speaking their language. He commends them for their zeal for God’s law. He personally and publicly relates to their opposition to Christianity. He too once persecuted Christians.

Paul can treat his opponents this way because he remembers the Gospel. He remembers what he’s been saved from. The Gospel reminds us that all of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. The Gospel teaches us that God loved the world so much He sent His only Son to die in our place. If you’re a Christian, you weren’t born that way. You didn’t become one because you were smart enough to “figure it out.” Your relationship with God was bought and paid for with blood.

Paul was able to treat his opponents with such gentleness because he continually reminded himself of this Gospel. He put it this way in 1 Timothy 1:15—The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer put it this way: “To forego self-conceit and to associate with the lowly means, in all soberness and without mincing the matter, to consider oneself the greatest of sinners. This arouses all the resistance of the natural man, but also that of the self-confident Christian. It sounds like an exaggeration, like an untruth. Yet even Paul said of himself that he was the foremost of sinners . . . .

If my sinfulness appears to me to be in any way smaller or less detestable in comparison with the sins of others, I am still not recognizing my sinfulness at all. My sin is of necessity the worst, the most grievous, the most reprehensible. Brotherly love will find any number of extenuations for the sins of others; only for my sin is there no apology whatsoever. Therefore my sin is the worst. He who would serve his brother in the fellowship must sink all the way down to these depths of humility. How can I possibly serve another person in unfeigned humility if I seriously regard his sinfulness as worse than my own?” He then quotes the Medieval theologian Thomas a Kempis who wrote, "Never think that thou hast made any progress till thou look upon thyself as inferior to all"ii

What about you? Do you believe this? Do you remember what you were saved from?

Years ago, I was working at a doctor’s office in Louisville. One day I was having a hard time getting along with one of my co-workers, let’s call her Diane. I vented my frustrations about Diane to another co-worker on our company instant messaging system. . . . or so I thought. Within a few minutes I realized I had sent that slanderous message to the wrong person. I sent a message complaining about Diane to Diane. To make matters worse, Diane was one of the only unbelievers in our office. How could I possibly reach her with the Gospel if I were going to behave like that?

Listen to me, dear Christian. Think about the types of people you post about on Facebook. The people you angrily tweet about. Those who are the subjects of your angry text messages, or your rants on the phone with your friends. Those who occupy your bitter, angry thoughts. What if we could invite them in this room this morning. What if—like my message to Diane—they were able to read what you wrote about them or said about them or thought about them. What if they did that and then looked you in the eyes. What would that do to your witness?

Would progressive liberals want to hear about your Jesus? Would conservatives think they need to? Would people in the LGBTQ+ community believe that Jesus loves them based on what you think, post, and say? Would protestors and looters know that you care about them? What about government officials?

Hear me, Christian. I do not ask these questions to cause you to feel shame. I ask these questions so you will remember what you were saved from. The goal is not to stop sharing hateful posts on social media. The goal is to be so consumed by the reality of your own sin that you don’t want to. How could you? How could you possibly throw a stone at the sins of others when you know that Jesus died for you?

If you remember what you were saved from, you’ll begin to see mobs as mission fields.

Remember Who You Were Saved By. (22:6-16)

Acts 22:6-16 — “As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone around me. (7) And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ (8) And I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’ (9) Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me. (10) And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.’ (11) And since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came into Damascus. (12) “And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, (13) came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that very hour I received my sight and saw him. (14) And he said, ‘The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth; (15) for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard. (16) And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’

In Paul’s testimony he shares three titles for Jesus. First, He is Lord (v. 8). This means He is God. He is sovereign. He’s the boss. He’s worthy of following. He demands your life! Second, He is Jesus of Nazareth (v. 8). He is man, raised in a tiny backwater town. He was humble. He was tempted. He got tired, sick, angry, sad, hungry, and thirsty. He is human. Third, He is the Righteous One. He is holy. He is without sin. He is pure. His presence is like a blinding light.

What about you? Do you believe this? Do you remember Who you were saved by? Do you believe your sin was so great that it required the death of the Lord? The death of Jesus? The death of the Righteous One? Do you believe that you were so sinful that Jesus had to die for you, yet so loved He was glad to die for you?

Value based on price paid

1 Peter 1:18-19 — “. . . you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.”

A 17th century English pastor named George Swinnock wrote this: “What manner of love has the Father loved you with? He gave His own Son to be apprehended, that you might escape; His own Son to be condemned, that you might be acquitted; His own Son to be whipped and wounded, that you might be cured and healed; . . . His own Son to die a shameful cursed death, that you might live a glorious blessed life forever.”iii

Here’s the key that turns mobs into mission fields: God paid the same price to redeem all His people, regardless of how sinful they appear.

If you remember who you were saved by, you’ll begin to see mobs as mission fields.

Remember What You Were Saved For. (22:17-21)

Acts 22:17-21 — “When I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance (18) and saw him saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ (19) And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you. (20) And when the blood of Stephen your witness was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving and watching over the garments of those who killed him.’ (21) And he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”

Explanation

What about you? Do you believe this? Do you remember what you were saved for?

Ephesians 6:12 — "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

Illustration

Application

If you remember what you were saved for, you’ll begin to see mobs as mission fields.

“Martyrs did not die because they believed the Gospel, they died because they broadcast the Gospel. They didn’t die because they studied the Gospel, they died because they spoke it. Persecution only rises when proclamation resounds. If you stay silent about your faith, you stay safe from persecution. It’s when you speak about your faith that you now step into persecution.”iv

CLOSING CHORUS

O praise the name of the Lord our God

O praise His name, forevermore

For endless days we will sing Your praise

Oh Lord, oh Lord our God

BENEDICTION

Romans 8:35-39—Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

ENDNOTES

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i Dirty Laundry, https://wisdomshare.com/stories/dirty-laundry/#:~:text=A%20young%2C%20successful%20couple%20found,clean%2C%20it's%20still%20dirty!' Accessed June 10, 2020.

ii Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Christian in Community, (New York, HarperOne, 1954), 96-97. Emphasis added.

iii George Swinnock, as quoted in Feasting With Christ: Meditations on the Lord’s Supper (Darlington, England: EP Books, 2012), 138. Language modernized.

iv David Platt, “Martyrdom and Mission: Why Reformers Died In Their Day, How We Must Live In Ours” https://t4g.org/resources/david-platt/martyrdom-and-mission-why-reformers-died-in-their-day-how-we-must-live-in-ours/. Accessed June 11, 2020.