Do you remember the Lone Ranger? I watched the television show when I was young. There is an old comedy skit about Tonto, and the Lone Ranger. The comedian said that every time Tonto, the Lone Ranger’s Native American friend went to town, he was beaten. “Don’t go to town,” the comedian suggested. Do you remember that part of the story line?
Similarly, everyone said Paul was going to be beaten, imprisoned, and perhaps killed if he went up to Jerusalem. They told him not to go. But he went anyway. Why did he do it? In Paul’s letter to the Romans (9:1-5), we learn that he would have willingly given up his own salvation so that his own people might believe that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah. Paul risked his life in hopes that he would have the opportunity to share Christ.
Opponents from Asia preceded Paul, falsely accusing him and warning the Jews in Jerusalem he was coming. The people who attacked Paul assumed the worst: that he had abandoned Judaism and defiled the temple with Gentile converts. Paul explained that he went up to pay a vow and present offerings to the poor. His detractors from Asia did not show up in front of Felix. But the members of the mob from Jerusalem could have made their complaint.
Paul saw this moment as another opportunity to proclaim the good news. Once again, he preached the resurrection as the reason for the riot and his ensuing imprisonment. The apostle never missed a chance to speak up for Jesus.
Recently I spoke to an acquaintance who is angry at Christianity. As we talked about the growth of Christianity in the world, he said the message was different in these growing areas. I explained that the message of Christianity has been the same for two thousand years: we are worse off than we thought, and more loved than we have ever dreamed.
Paul’s singular purpose defined his life. He was willing to become all things to all people to save some. So am I. Are you? Go ahead and talk to people who are enemies of Christ. Tell them that they are worse off than they think, and more loved than they ever dreamed. Who knows what God might do in their lives if they hear and believe the truth about Jesus? God knows. Tell them.
