How to Be an Ineffective Christian
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Last week, we talked about obedience.
Not the convenient kind. Not the conditional kind.
We saw Paul, bound by the Spirit—not led by comfort, emotion, or public opinion, but by a deep, settled yes to God.
Even when the warnings were heavy. Even when the cost was clear.
Paul didn’t waver—because obedience had already won the argument in his heart.
And we asked ourselves:
Are we living with that kind of obedience?
Or are we still negotiating with God where He’s asking for surrender?
This morning, I want to keep going in Acts 21.
Last week, we left off as Paul was preparing to head to Jerusalem—fully aware of what was waiting for him.
Now, he arrives.
And what happens next isn’t dramatic or violent—yet.
It’s political. It’s relational. It’s strategic.
And if we’re not careful, we’ll miss one of the clearest pictures in Scripture of how spiritual obedience plays out in real-world tension.
Let’s pick it up in verse 17…
17 When we had come to Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly. 18 On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. 19 After greeting them, he related one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. 20 And when they heard it, they glorified God. And they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed. They are all zealous for the law, 21 and they have been told about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or walk according to our customs. 22 What then is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. 23 Do therefore what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow; 24 take these men and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, so that they may shave their heads. Thus all will know that there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself also live in observance of the law. 25 But as for the Gentiles who have believed, we have sent a letter with our judgment that they should abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality.” 26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day he purified himself along with them and went into the temple, giving notice when the days of purification would be fulfilled and the offering presented for each one of them.
Now this moment doesn’t look like a disaster.
There’s no riot. No arrest. No major drama.
Just a friendly meeting. Some church leaders. A little strategy session.
But what actually happens here?
It’s a masterclass.
A quiet, subtle, textbook example…of how to completely waste your calling without ever realizing it.
If you’ve ever wanted to look spiritual while avoiding obedience
If you’ve ever wanted to keep everyone happy and Jesus quiet
If you’ve been wondering, “How can I make sure I have zero spiritual impact but still look holy doing it?”
This is your blueprint.
So I’m calling this message: How to Be an Ineffective Christian.
Because this passage doesn’t just show us what went wrong in Jerusalem.
It shows us the exact steps we still take today when we choose appearance over obedience.
Pray
Alright—let’s talk about how to get this whole thing wrong.
Because this passage?
It’s quiet. It’s respectful. It’s polite.
And it’s a masterclass in how to completely miss the heart of God while still looking like you’re doing everything right.
It’s not dramatic.
It’s not explosive.
It’s subtle.
And that’s what makes it dangerous.
It’s not a story about open rebellion.
It’s a story about quiet compromise.
Nobody’s cussing. Nobody’s bailing on the gospel.
They’re just… playing it safe.
Managing perception.
Trying to keep things calm.
And the scary part?
They don’t even realize they’re becoming ineffective because of it.
And if we’re not careful, we’ll do the exact same thing.
Not because we’re rebellious—But because we’re afraid to rock the boat.
So if your goal is to be faithful, this passage is a warning.
But if your goal is to be ineffective?
This is your blueprint.
I want to give you five steps this morning to be an ineffective Christian.
Let’s break it down.
Step One: Celebrate the move of God—then Immediately change the subject.
Look at verse 20. Paul rolls into Jerusalem, fresh off a wave of revival.
God has been doing incredible things among the Gentiles—miracles, conversions, full-on breakthrough.
So he shares it. He lays it all out. Testimony after testimony.
And what do they say?
20 And when they heard it, they glorified God. And they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed. They are all zealous for the law, 21 and they have been told about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or walk according to our customs. 22 What then is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come.
“When they heard it, they glorified God. And then they said to him…”
That’s it.
One sentence of praise.
One breath of celebration.
Then boom—straight into damage control:
“Paul, people are talking. There are rumors. You’re making people nervous.”
No follow-up. No “Tell us more.”
No “What’s God saying next?”
Just: “Let’s shift the focus back to us.”
The Spirit’s moving—and they’re managing PR.
They hear that God’s flipping the world upside down…and they’re worried about losing their grip on the system.
Because when your priority is perception, even a move of God feels like a threat to your brand.
The lesson?
Don’t sit in what God’s doing. Don’t celebrate it.
Just nod politely… and pivot.
Acknowledge the miracle—then go back to keeping everyone comfortable.
Because in ineffective Christianity, the mission is always optional…but maintaining control? That’s non-negotiable.
So that’s Step One: celebrate what God’s doing—then immediately change the subject.
This leads us straight into step two…
Step Two: Obsess over what people might think.
Because what matters now isn’t the mission.
It’s the opinions of others.
It’s not “What is God doing?”
It’s “What are people saying?”
verse 20: “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews who have believed. They are all zealous for the law…”
Verse 21:“They’ve been told you teach all the Jews among the Gentiles to forsake Moses…”
Verse 22: “They will certainly hear that you have come.”
In other words:
“Paul, you’ve got a PR issue. You’re trending for the wrong reasons.
There’s tension in the room. You’ve made the wrong people nervous.”
And instead of asking, “How can we reach even more people?”
They ask, “How will it look that we reached those people….?”
That’s the move:
Shift from obedience to perception.
From truth to image management.
Don’t confront the lie—just tiptoe around it.
Because when your goal is to be ineffective, what people think becomes more important than what God said.
So what do you do after you’ve obsessed over what people think?
Step Three: Let fear—not the Spirit—set the strategy.
Because now that the rumors are out there, they’ve got a plan.
Not a word from God. Not a prophetic directive.
Just a really reasonable solution designed to calm everybody down.
23 Do therefore what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow; 24 take these men and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, so that they may shave their heads. Thus all will know that there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself also live in observance of the law.
Translation?
“Paul, go prove you’re not a problem.
Play along.
Jump through the hoops.
Show them you still know how to follow the rules.”
This isn’t about mission. It’s about maintenance.
This isn’t Spirit-led obedience—it’s fear-based politics.
And it sounds so wise, doesn’t it?
So responsible.
So… mature.
But it’s driven by fear, not faith.
By pressure, not prayer.
By perception, not obedience.
And when you’re aiming to be ineffective?
That’s the sweet spot.
Just keep the peace—even if it costs your clarity.
And what does Paul do with that plan?
He goes along with it.
26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day he purified himself along with them and went into the temple, giving notice when the days of purification would be fulfilled and the offering presented for each one of them.
Now let’s be clear—Paul’s not being fake.
He’s not backpedaling on the gospel.
He’s not trying to save his reputation.
He’s being Paul.
The same guy who said, “I’ll become all things to all people that I might save some.”
He’s trying to build a bridge.
Trying to protect the unity of the Church without compromising the truth of the gospel.
And honestly? That’s what effective Christians do.
They don’t quit when it gets messy.
They lean in.
They look for a way to hold conviction and compassion in the same hand.
But today…we’re not talking about how to be effective.
We’re talking about how to be ineffective.
And if that’s your goal?
Here’s the next step:
Step Four: Go through the motions—and hope it works.
He does it.
Not because he’s scared.
Not because he’s selling out.
Because he loves the Church.
Because he wants unity.
Because he’s hoping this will de-escalate the tension and keep the mission moving forward.
But by verse 27, we get the result:
27 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,
Now just to clarify—this was not the spiritual kind of “laying on of hands.”
This wasn’t a moment of ministry.
This was a mob moment.
They weren’t trying to bless him.
They were trying to beat him.
So, bonus step
Step Four-and-a-Half: Lay hands on people… aggressively.
Because nothing says “kingdom of God” like throwing elbows in the church.
Back to step four…..
They did the plan, the did the ritual….
It didn’t work.
It didn’t fix the tension.
It didn’t silence the critics.
It didn’t protect the mission.
Why?
Because they built a plan around perception instead of a call from the Spirit.
They tried to solve a spiritual problem with a political strategy.
Sound familiar?
We’ve taken what’s spiritual—like justice, truth, sexual integrity, the value of life, care for the poor— and yes, how we treat immigrants—and we’ve turned them into political talking points.
Now—hear me clearly:
Some things in Scripture are black and white.
God is clear about the dignity of every human being.
He commands us to care for the outsider, the orphan, the widow.
There’s no negotiating that.
But when it comes to issues like immigration—it gets more complicated.
Because we’re not just dealing with compassion.
We’re also dealing with law.
We’re not just called to care for the vulnerable—We’re also called to submit to governing authorities.
To pursue justice and order.
Mercy and wisdom.
This isn’t easy.
And it’s not supposed to be.
So no—I’m not offering a simplistic solution.
But I am pushing back on the lie that says,
“This is just a political issue.”
Because once you label something “political,”
you give yourself permission to tune out the Spirit.
You stop listening.
You stop wrestling.
And eventually—you stop obeying.
And that’s the real danger.
Because when we build our responses around perception instead of the Spirit,
when we trade conviction for comfort,
we don’t just become politically neutral—We become spiritually ineffective.
And that’s the trap.
Not just in Acts 21.
Right now. Right here. In us.
Because when we silence the Spirit to protect our comfort—when we substitute faithfulness with strategy—we start living like the Church in this passage.
Still busy. Still religious. Still very sincere—but completely ineffective.
So if that’s what you’re aiming for—if you want to keep your faith neat, clean, and utterly powerless?
Just keep doing what they did.
Go through the motions.
Check the spiritual boxes.
Manage the optics.
And hope nobody asks if you’re actually obeying God.
That’s Step Four:Go through the motions—and hope it works.
Spoiler alert…It won’t.
Step Five: Be shocked when it all falls apart.
Now—this one isn’t immediately obvious in the text.
Nobody panics.
Nobody yells, “This wasn’t supposed to happen!”
But if you slow down, you can feel it in the narrative.
They had a plan.
It was well thought out.
It was structured, strategic, and spiritual-sounding.
They did the ritual.
They followed the customs.
They tried to manage the tension, smooth things over, protect the mission.
And what happens?
27 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.”
Boom.
Mob mentality.
The exact thing they were trying to avoid—erupted anyway.
And here’s the thing:
Ineffective Christianity is always surprised when the world doesn’t respond to our compromise.
We think if we’re nice enough, if we stay quiet enough, if we manage the optics enough—
we’ll never have to suffer.
We’ll never face opposition.
We can skip the cost of conviction.
But then reality hits.
And we’re shocked.
Because we forgot:
You can’t negotiate spiritual authority.
You can’t appease your way into effectiveness.
You can’t avoid opposition and still carry a cross.
Jesus didn’t say,
“If anyone would come after me, let him find a peaceful workaround and avoid all controversy.”
23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
We weren’t promised comfort.
We were promised a cross.
And that’s why Step Five might just be the most important if your goal is to be an ineffective Christian:
We have to Be shocked when it all falls apart.
Because ineffective Christianity builds its confidence on outcomes, not obedience.
It depends on applause, not surrender.
And when the outcomes collapse?
So does the faith.
Listen to me life doesn’t always turn out happier ever after…
Acts 21 doesn’t end with a resolution.
It ends with confusion.
With chaos.
With Paul in chains.
But it also ends with a choice—ours.
Do we keep playing the game of image management, fear-based strategy, and quiet disobedience?
Or do we wake up to what’s actually at stake?
Because make no mistake—the world isn’t looking for a Church that’s safe.
It’s looking for a Church that’s surrendered.
Not a Church that fits in—but one that stands out.
Not a Church that trades its voice for acceptance—but one that speaks with clarity, compassion, and courage.
And let’s be honest—this world is on fire.
Evil, Division, confusion, injustice, fear—it’s everywhere.
Yet you know who Jesus spent his last moments praying for in the garden before his arrest? Not the Evil, Division, confusion, or injustice in the world….
20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
He prays for the church….
He prays for unity among believers…..
Why? So that the world would believe that we are sent by Him.
The credibility of the church’s witness is tied to the church’s unity.
But not a unity built on silence or superficial agreement—A unity built on surrendered obedience to Jesus.
So let’s not be ineffective.
Let’s not settle for managing optics and missing our moment.
Let’s be the Church the world needs
A Church that’s clear.
A Church that’s courageous.
A Church that’s unified by the Spirit—not divided by fear.
Let’s be people who don’t just look faithful—But live surrendered.
Because when we stop trying to be safe…
And start living surrendered…
That’s when the world starts to see Jesus.
Pray
