PLEASE LET US SPEAK TO THE PEOPLE ABOUT THE LORD

Proclamation:

“As the soldiers were about to take Paul into the barracks, he asked the commander, ‘May I say something to you?’ … ‘Please let me speak to the people.’ … Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd.  When they were all silent, he said to them in Aramaic: …”  Acts 21:37-40 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by Luke, the physician, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Here Luke records that the apostle Paul, after making several stops while travelling to Jerusalem, finally arrived there and was seized by the crowd of Jews. (Acts 21:1-27)  They dragged him out of the temple and began beating him in order to kill him but were stopped by the Roman soldiers. (Acts 21:27-32)  Paul was arrested, for his own protection, and taken to the soldiers’ barracks but he still wanted to speak to the people. (Acts 21:33-40)

Application:

The apostle Paul still wanted to tell his story to the people who tried to kill him.  During difficult times, in bad situations, and to a non-receptive crowd, we should not shy away from speaking up for The Lord God.  Believers are called to witness for The Lord, (Isaiah 43:12) to tell others about His goodness towards us.  No one can tell our individual personal story better than we can.  We need not be ashamed or afraid to speak, even to people who are not our friends.  Jesus said that if we deny Him before men, He will deny us before His Father in heaven. (Matthew 10:33)