The Case For Hope: “Making Your Case”
By David E. Owen
Pastor – Piney Grove Baptist Church, Acworth
Acts 21:40–22:10; 1 Peter 3:15–17
Family Bible Study Lesson for September 5
Have you ever offered someone an apology? Usually, when we use that word “apology,” we are referring to an acknowledgement of guilt expressing remorse or regret. But this word “apology” can also be defined as the defense of one’s position, particularly a religious position, through the systematic use of reason. It is essentially a legal term suggesting the defendant’s reply to the prosecution’s charges. In offering an apology then, the defendant is acting as an apologist and “making his case.”
Every Christian should be an apologist and be able to give an answer regarding their faith. In the early church, two men were especially notable and effective as apologists and defenders of the faith: Simon Peter and Paul. How did these two men make their case and respond to those who were either curious or critical of Christianity? We learn from the epistle of Peter and the example of Paul that making your case involves…
I. Showing A Pure Conscience
(1 Peter 3:15–17)
A. When They Ask, Make Sure You Are Ready (vs. 15).
If someone should want to hear your personal account of faith and why your hope is in Christ, Peter said we should be ready to respond to those honest inquiries with the appropriate “answer” (the Greek term apologia from which we get our word “apology”). How can we be “ready to give an answer”? We should remember that while we are presenting a defense of our faith, we should not be defensive. Peter prescribed a response robed in a gentle and reverent spirit. He also said to sanctify the Lord in our hearts. Being prepared to share our faith means that we are consecrated and compassionate.
B. When They Accuse, Make Sure You Are Right (vss. 16-17).
How can our testimony have credibility if our lives do not back up what we say? When the critics of Christianity are firing their weapon of slander at you, make sure you have a clear conscience and a right relationship with God so that they are only firing blanks. As Peter noted in verse 17, if it is God’s will that we go through suffering, it is better to suffer for living a life of purity and doing good than for doing something bad.
Speaking of suffering for doing good, few Christians ever had more experience with that than the apostle Paul. In Acts 21, as Paul was in the Jerusalem temple, he was violently apprehended by a Jewish mob angry with him because they believed he was turning people away from Judaism. They were about to kill Paul when he was rescued by a Roman commander named Claudius Lysias. When the dust had settled a bit, Lysias allowed Paul to answer his accusers. And from Paul’s answer, we learn that making your case involves…
II. Stating The Personal Commonalities
(Acts 22:1–3)
A. Paul Spoke In A Familiar Language (vss. 1-2).
Journalist and author Rusty Wright said, “When you seek to communicate the message of Jesus to those outside the faith, do you ever feel like you’re not getting through? … A major reason might be that you just aren’t speaking their language.” When Paul had the opportunity to address the mob and present his “defence” (Acts 22:1 – again, the Greek word apologia), they listened because he was literally speaking their language (vs. 2). A flurry of ‘Christianese’ and theological language may be off-putting to non-Christians. We communicate more effectively if we share the truth of Christianity simply and sincerely.
B. Paul Spoke Of A Familiar Life (vs. 3).
When Paul began to defend his faith, he mentioned several things with which his audience could relate. He declared his Jewish ethnicity and his education at the feet of the renowned teacher Gamaliel. He mentioned having the same type of religious zeal demonstrated by those that had apprehended him. Paul highlighted these factors to show his accusers that his life had been, in many respects, no different than theirs. Are we connecting with people when we talk to them about our faith? Paul attempted to do just that by finding common ground with his listeners.
Finally, making your case involves…
III. Sharing Your Phenomenal Conversion
(Acts 22:4–10)
A. Notice How Paul Remembered His Terrible Errands (vss. 4-5).
In order to defend his Christian faith to the Jewish mob, Paul revealed his personal history as a Hebrew. He then reflected upon the hostility that had led him to persecute and apprehend others in the same way that this critical crowd had persecuted and apprehended him. Though he had been very religious, Paul had also been a sinful man who treated Christians in a violent, brutal manner. When we talk to unsaved people about our faith, we should remember as Paul did that we too were “without Christ … and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12).
B. Notice How Paul Reflected Upon His Transformational Encounter (vss. 6-10).
You may feel like your conversion experience was not as phenomenal as Paul’s was. But to be saved and have a personal relationship with God is an extraordinary thing for anyone. Like Paul, a great light shone into your life. You heard a voice that nobody else could hear (vs. 9). He spoke directly to you, and He knew your name (vs. 7). He knew what your next steps should be (vs. 10). Who is this intervening individual that transforms lives? He is the same One who said, “I am Jesus of Nazareth” (vs. 8).
Recently, I heard someone say that the greatest thing a Christian can do for another person is to share their story. Being an apologist and a Christian witness is not as complicated as it may seem. Just tell people your story. Just tell them about Jesus and what He did in your life.