Tell the Story

DEVOTION

                                                                       THE BOOK OF ACTS

TELL THE STORY

Acts 26:9-11

9 "I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. 11 Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. In my obsession against them, I even went to foreign cities to persecute them.

NIV

Here is where Paul testifies as to just how bad a man he was, although he is making the case he was just like those who are bringing the charges against him. But in some sense he is saying he was even worse in his opposition to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. The point here is that he is telling the details of his former life, as he is going to get to the place or his experience of conversion. This is our life lesson in a nutshell. So often we do not include just how bad a person we were, at least not the details. Some believers might think by doing so, we give Satan too much credit, others might think they actually were not such a bad person but merely had not made a complete commitment to Christ. But the point here is that we all are sinners saved by grace. All of us were at one time really bad people, opposed to the name of Jesus of Nazareth, in fact some of us actually used his name in vain. The point is that if we are not born again than we are opposed to the name of Jesus. We are also encouraged here to tell the story of our past or former life, even if it is bad. Paul was identifying himself with those who oppose what he now stands for. He was just like them. We were just like the people we talk to who have yet accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Sure many people are basically good people, not murderers, thieves, rapists, adulteress or liars, sneaks and cheaters. But everyone is a sinner and some are if not in actual behavior, in attitude, totally opposed to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. In all actuality many have an obsession against Jesus, and might think we are such a goody two shoes, because of our higher then mighty appearance. Yet if we were to tell them of how we were before we accepted Jesus, it might help them to see we are not much different than them, but that we have experienced Jesus in a personal way and he changed our life. Of course they might be just as those Jews were that opposed Paul’s belief in Jesus. They did not see themselves as bad men, but as holy and righteous before God, and Paul is the one who has left the right way to live. Some people we encounter might think they are good people and do not need to be born again, for they believe they believe in God, and in Jesus and even go to church some times. But that does not or should not deter us from telling them the story of our life and how we encountered Jesus in a personal way. We do not know what is in their heart, only God does, and they may need to hear a real story of conversion to see the truth of their life. We are not giving Satan any glory for our past life, but we are giving God all the glory for his intervention and our salvation. So let us tell the story.