Reading Plan: Acts 22

Your Story

Author: Pamela Brinson

In Acts 22, we learn more about Paul’s visit to Jerusalem. He was very eager to speak to his fellow Jews and eventually got permission to speak to them. He was able to command their full attention, but in the latter part of the chapter, we see that their attention takes a negative turn and becomes life-threatening for him.

Before everything breaks loose, Paul spoke to them in Hebrew, addressing them as brothers and fathers with great respect. Paul wanted to convert them to The Way. He wanted them to see that they could move from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light because of the work of Jesus Christ. So what did Paul do? He began telling them his God story, his Jesus story.

For me, that’s the big takeaway from this chapter. To carry out the great commission and make disciples as I go, I need to tell my God story - daily. If I'm going to be salt and light in this broken, hurting world, I need to tell my Jesus story - everywhere I go. Most of us don’t have a conversion story as dramatic as Paul's. I doubt that any of us saw a bright light, heard an audible voice, or had our face thrown in the dirt on that day Jesus set us free. What we do have, is a story that needs to be told in our homes, at school, as we work, and where we play.

My Jesus story needs to be current. The story of my conversion decades and decades and decades ago might be an interesting story to some, but it would have a limited impact. I will have a greater impact for the Kingdom of Jesus when I allow Jesus to have an impact on me. Prayer, Bible reading/study, and community (we used to say fellowship in the old days) are an absolute necessity for me to be the salt and light God intended for me to be. I was quite content lounging in that “death chair” Pastor Jeff talks about, but God loved me too much to let me stay there!

What about you? What’s your God story? How is God currently moving in your life?

Reflection:

Take a moment and write down your testimony. Use the following outline to help you.

What was your life like before you trusted Christ as your Savior?

-What was your spiritual condition? What were your thoughts, attitudes, and actions?

How did you come to the point where you trusted Jesus as your Savior?

-Was there a key passage or people who God used to reach you?

What is your life like after you trusted Christ as your Savior?

-What is God currently doing in your life? What is He currently teaching you?

Family Content: 

Author: Carrington Stuart

Today we’re reading a passage from the book of Acts about a very famous man in the Bible. His name is Paul! In our story today, Paul was telling a group of people a story about his testimony. A testimony is a story that you tell about how Jesus changed your life and how you decided to follow Him! Paul talked about how he used to want to hurt other Christians and put them in prison. But then he decided to follow Jesus, and he started telling everyone about how much God loves them!

Some of the people there did not like Paul’s story because they did not follow Jesus. They began to yell and scream at Paul and told the city’s leaders that they wanted him to be thrown in prison! The city’s leaders took Paul, tried to hurt him, and asked him questions about why he made everyone so upset. Paul answered that there is nothing wrong with telling others about Jesus!

Sometimes other people will not understand your testimony. Remember, that’s a story about how you began to follow Jesus and how He changed your life! Does that mean that you should stop telling others about Him? No! There is nothing wrong with telling others about Jesus, even when it is hard. Just like Paul, you can be brave and tell people your story every day.

Today, tell someone the story of how you came to know Jesus and how He changed your life! He loves you so much and wants you to tell everyone about Him!

Prayer: God, thank You for sending Jesus to change my life. Help me to be brave and tell others the story of how I began to follow Jesus. I want to tell everyone about You and how much you love them! You are awesome, God. We love you so much! In Jesus’ name, Amen.