August 19, 2010 – Acts 21:27 - 22:16

Picture the scene of Paul preaching. The Roman guard, it says, stopped the mob from beating him. Then, the crowd is so thick they have to carry Paul. When he ask to speak, he still has enough authority over the crowd, just because of his reputation, to quite the mob. And he starts out saying I was one of you. Putting himself in their shoes. Basically saying if not for my great change, I would be leading this mob, not its victim. But there is a reason why he is being beaten, why he still preaches, why the Jewish leadership does not want you to hear what I am saying. You can picture a beaten Jesus and the angry mobs from the Passion of Christ movies. Paul wasn’t scourged, but I am sure he was severely beaten, with that many people going at him. There is a saying about the Church being fertilized by the blood of the martyrs. Paul was not killed here, but this example of someone preaching without regard for himself is a very similar fertilizer. Most in the crowd would have only been there because they had been stirred up by the Jewish leadership, perhaps paid or threatened. Their hearts were not fully there. Then, seeing this man be beaten and continue to preach, that can be very persuasive to someone who may be searching. So to with us, when we continue to live a Christian life when we are in the midst of struggle.