The Impact of Personal Testimony | Acts 22 | Dec 28, 2025

“Good news of great joy” is not seasonal sentiment but the center of history: a Savior has come for all people. That conviction frames the scene in Acts 22, where Paul, bruised and bloodied, asks to speak to the very crowd that just tried to kill him. He offers a reasoned defense—an apologia—tailored to his hearers. Addressing them in Aramaic and with respect, he seeks common ground, not compromise, modeling how truth should be spoken: clearly, contextually, and with love. He reminds them he is no enemy of Israel: a Jew, trained under Gamaliel, zealous for God. Yet zeal aimed at the wrong target becomes violence; he once hunted “the Way” because he was sincerely wrong.

Everything changed on the Damascus road. The risen Jesus of Nazareth confronted him and identified himself with his church: “Why are you persecuting me?” Conversion was not a vague experience; it was submission to a living Lord, crystallized in the question, “What shall I do, Lord?” Ananias—devout according to the law—confirmed the continuity of God’s plan from the patriarchs to the Just One, Jesus, and commissioned Paul as a witness to all people. The call to salvation is exclusive and inclusive: there is only one Way, and that Way is open to everyone. Sins are washed away by calling on the name of the Lord; baptism follows as obedient sign, not saving cause.

When Paul’s testimony reached the word “Gentiles,” the crowd erupted. Prejudice masquerading as piety could not bear the wideness of God’s mercy. Rome intervened again, preparing to scourge Paul—until he invoked his Roman citizenship, not merely to spare himself from unlawful torture, but also to spare the soldiers from committing a capital offense. Through it all, several anchors emerge: zeal must be yoked to truth, language must serve love, testimony must be Scripture-shaped, and courage must seek the good of both neighbor and enemy. Those who have been found by Christ are sent to speak—creating opportunities, not merely waiting for them—to tell what the Lord has done and invite all to call on his name.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Speak their language with love Contextual clarity is not compromise; it is care. Paul’s respectful address and choice of Aramaic built a bridge without diluting the gospel. Words become instruments of grace when they are both truthful and intelligible. Love labors to be understood so that Christ can be heard. [40:18]
• 2. Zeal needs truth’s direction Passion without discernment can become cruelty in religious clothing. Paul was sincerely devoted—and sincerely destructive—until the light of Christ reoriented his zeal. Wisdom aims fervor at what God calls good, not merely at what feels righteous. The test of zeal is whether it yields love, humility, and obedience to God’s Word. [49:06]
• 3. Conversion bows to Jesus’ lordship Meeting the risen Christ turned a persecutor into a servant with a simple, lifelong posture: “What shall I do, Lord?” Real conversion is not merely relieved conscience; it is surrendered will. The Lord who saves also directs, assigns, and sends, often beyond our preferences. Obedience becomes the mark of new life. [56:32]
• 4. Persecution of saints targets Christ Jesus personally owns the wounds of his church; to strike believers is to strike the Head. This union dignifies suffering and warns persecutors, but it also steadies courage: no pain is unnoticed by the Lord. If Christ is with his people in their afflictions, they can endure without bitterness and witness without fear. [55:46]
• 5. Salvation by calling, then baptism Scripture places cleansing in calling on the name of the Lord; baptism follows as public obedience, not as the cause of forgiveness. This guards the freeness of grace and the centrality of faith in Christ’s finished work. Baptism matters profoundly—but as sign and seal, not substitute Savior. [60:44]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [28:01] - Good news for all people
• [29:07] - Continuing in Acts 22
• [31:27] - Fort Antonia and Roman rescue
• [37:42] - Paul’s apologia explained
• [40:18] - Speaking their language
• [47:20] - Paul’s Jewish pedigree and zeal
• [50:13] - The Way: exclusive and inclusive
• [53:33] - Jesus of Nazareth confronts Saul
• [56:32] - “What shall I do, Lord?”
• [58:08] - Ananias and the Just One
• [60:44] - Saved by calling, then baptized
• [64:47] - Fury at the word “Gentiles”
• [69:18] - Roman citizenship averts scourging
• [72:01] - Practical applications for witnesses

1. What language did Paul choose and how did he address the crowd at the start of his defense? What does that show about his approach to them? [40:59]
2. Which parts of Paul’s background did he highlight (place of birth, teacher, training, zeal), and why would those details matter to his hearers in Jerusalem? [47:20]
3. What exact words did Jesus speak to Saul on the road—especially the surprising line about persecution—and what does that imply about how Jesus views His people? [55:46]
4. What single word in Paul’s testimony turned the crowd violent, and what did the Roman commander intend to do next to “examine” Paul? [01:04:47]

1. How does speaking in a hearer’s heart-language (and with respect) demonstrate love rather than compromise? Where is the line between clarity and dilution of the message? [40:18]
2. What does the response, “What shall I do, Lord?” reveal about the nature of true conversion—especially regarding surrender, guidance, and ongoing obedience? [56:32]
3. How should Jesus’ words, “Why are you persecuting me?” shape a believer’s view of suffering, courage, and the dignity of Christ’s church? [55:46]
4. What does Paul’s use of Roman citizenship show about stewarding rights for the good of others—even for those who are about to harm him? [01:10:10]

1. Speak their language with love: Who in your life needs you to “translate” Christian words into everyday language so they can truly hear you? What terms do you often use that might confuse them (e.g., justification, sanctification), and how could you rephrase them this week? [41:32]
2. Zeal yoked to truth: Where might your passion be aimed at the wrong target right now? What fruit (love, humility, obedience) would show that your zeal is rightly directed, and what fruit might show it isn’t? [49:06]
3. A surrendered posture: In what area do you need to pray, “What shall I do, Lord?”—and then do the next clear step He puts before you? Pick one decision this week to pray over and obey promptly. [56:32]
4. Union with Christ in suffering: If ridicule or pushback comes because of your faith, how would remembering that Jesus personally owns His people’s wounds change your reaction—tone, timing, and words? [55:46]
5. Freeness of grace, then baptism: Have you called on the name of the Lord to be saved? If yes, have you been baptized as a public step of obedience? If not, what’s one concrete next step you can take (conversation, class, date)? [01:00:44]
6. Create, don’t just wait, for witness: What’s one simple way you could initiate a gospel conversation or share your testimony this week—like asking to speak, inviting a question, or offering to pray? Set a time, place, and person. [01:12:01]
7. Steward rights for others’ good: Where might you use your position, relationships, or legal standing to protect someone vulnerable (at work, in the neighborhood, at church), not just yourself? Name one action you can take. [01:10:10]