Acts 22 "Self-Deception"

Acts 22 – Brandon Hatmaker “Self-Deception”
Monday, May 12, 2008

"Then the Lord said to me, 'Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.' "The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they raised their voices and shouted, "Rid the earth of him! He's not fit to live!" – Acts 22:21-22

And they meant it.

All that Paul had been saying was received. Verse one says that the crowd became very quiet. So at the least, they were listening intently. He shared the miraculous experience on the road to Damascus, his intersection with Ananias, the visions he had at the temple, and the stoning of Stephen as he stood by.

I wonder if at this point they were thinking that maybe, just maybe, there was some hope to be found in Paul’s words. I wonder if they were digging in getting ready for something fresh, something new, and/or something that would complete what their religion had pointed them towards since the beginning.

Then he dropped a bomb on them. He told them that it was inclusive, not exclusive. He told them that God actually loved people that were not of Jewish descent and that Salvation would be for all those who believe. Ouch. And they completely lost it.

What is it with our exclusivity?

The heart behind the very fact that Jesus would reach out across faith backgrounds, across cultures, across genders, across ways of life and love all should saturate every aspect of our lives. It should change the way we think about people. It should change the way we look at scripture (especially the law). It should change the way we “do” church.

So here’s a recap; one of their “own” is telling them about this craziness. He’s talking about another guy named Jesus who was also Jewish. Paul reminded everyone of his heritage constantly. In 2 Corinthians 11:22 he said, “Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham's descendants? So am I.”

On three levels Paul is reminding him that he is from “within”. The three words he uses all have their own meaning. A "Hebrew" was a jew who could still speak the language in contradistinction to the Jews of the Dispersion who had forgotten their native tongue. An "Israelite" was specifically a member of the covenant nation. To be “of the seed of Abraham” was to have absolute racial purity. Paul’s claim was that there was nowhere in the world a purer Jew than him.

He did so again in Philippians 3, Romans 11, 1 Corinthians 10, Romans 4, Romans 9, Galatians 6, he did it in Acts 21, here in Acts 22, and will do it again in Acts 23.

The reason I over-emphasize this notion is to make this point: It’s supposed to come from within. It has to start with us, the Church. We have been chosen to share the Good News to a dying and hurting world. Not just the good news of a better life, but the Good News of eternal life, redemption, because of Jesus. As the Church, we have to ask the question, “Are we looking out, or are we looking in?” Are our programs and events focused on us who know Christ or on others who might not? Are we “going” or are we “staying”. Are we a sent people on mission or a content people who are staying put? Do we believe mission exists for the church or the church for mission?

Pardon the cliché’s. I just can’t help it.

I’m reading a book called “Leadership and Self-Deception”. The obvious premise is the fact that we all have a “problem”. That problem is the thing we personally lack in leadership that we don’t see ourselves. Typically everyone else sees it and knows it. But to us, we are so blind of it that we are not only oblivious but we are defensive, respond and react ignorantly out of it, and naively allow it to saturate all areas of our lives (everyone except me, kidding). It’s one of those concepts that make you realize the areas in which “we” are the problem, not others. The author goes so far to say that it starts with a sort of "self-betrayal". It's really profound.

Since the Church is made up of all us humans and sinners (although forgiven) alike, I think we would fair well to think about where and how we deceive ourselves. I think this is one of the biggies. We like things, the way we like things. Just food for thought. I’m glad we don’t fight change in the church today (smile).

Father, show us greater ways to live for you and for others. Show me the shortfalls in my own logic. Teach me your ways. God, protect us against self-deception in our faith and our leadership. Thank you that you allow us to be a part of your plan. What a humbling thought. Amen.