Before I began teaching full-time, I substituted for seven years in a K-12 school. My days with kindergarten children found me counting objects, naming colors, giving sounds to letters, tying shoes, and wiping noses. I soon learned that staying aware of middle-schoolers’ raging hormones was essential. And a week with twelfth graders required extra study time between classes to explain the assignments. I often transitioned from “see Spot run” to “Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears” in a matter of days.
Making those drastic transitions requires that the person in front of the class understands their audience’s maturity and skill levels, has some background knowledge, and relates to students through common experiences. (If you have a child in school, you should send their teachers a thank-you note, especially their substitute teachers! Just sayin’.)
Perhaps, in all of Scripture, no one understood their audiences (except for Jesus) better than the apostle Paul. His speeches in the book of Acts serve as master classes in understanding who you’re speaking to.
In Acts 13, Paul entered the synagogue, which was filled with Jews and Gentiles who worshipped God. He reminded them of their common Jewish history as God’s people and His promise of a Messiah. Then, he shared everything he had learned about the wonderful news of Jesus.
In Acts 17, we find what I believe to be Paul’s best speech. He traveled to Athens, Greece, where he encountered a city filled with numerous idols. Right where they were, he met his listeners who worshipped man-made gods. He complimented them on their willingness to worship, but beautifully gave the name Jesus to the one they had labeled “the unknown god”. Paul connected with them before he corrected them.
While in Ephesus, as recorded in Acts 19, Paul met believers who were unaware of the Holy Spirit. They had followed John the Baptist’s teaching on repentance. So, Paul, realizing their faith’s immaturity, explained their need to believe in and follow Jesus and receive the Holy Spirit. He identified their level of understanding and then built on it.
We read in Acts 20 that Paul sent for the Ephesian elders to meet with him before he left Miletus for Jerusalem. Knowing he would never see them again, this was his most tender message. He recalled their time together and reviewed the lessons he had taught them about God’s incredible grace. He encouraged them to respond to their calling as shepherds of the church by protecting the truth and serving those who were weak. Paul knew when to be tender and when to be bold.
After being arrested on false charges, Paul had to defend himself to Felix, the governor of a Roman province, and then again to Festus, his successor. Because Paul had appealed to Caesar, Festus wanted input from King Agrippa when he came for a visit. Interestingly, Herod Agrippa came from a long line of flaming arrows slung by Satan’s bow. His great-grandfather tried to kill baby Jesus when all the innocent baby boys were massacred; his grandfather had John the Baptist beheaded; and his father had killed the apostle James. Still, Paul showed respect for the office held by Agrippa and considered it an honor to testify before such an expert in Jewish customs and religious matters.
Paul knew the importance of establishing good relationships. He spoke to commoners and kings, Jews and Gentiles, the illiterate and the learned, as well as friends and foes. He wisely connected with his audience before he corrected them. He identified their level of faith and met them where they were. He wasn’t timid about the affection he felt for his friends, nor was he shy about taking a stand for the truth. After all, Jesus had met him where he was, shined the light on his mistakes, tenderly showered him with mercy and grace, infused him with His Spirit, and called him to be His voice in dark places.
Jesus does the same for you and me. Do you KNOW who you’re talking to?
“‘Don’t you believe the prophets, King Agrippa? I KNOW that you do.’
Agrippa responded, ‘In such a short time you are nearly persuading me to become a Christian.’
Paul replied, ‘I pray to God that both you and those here listening to me would one day become the same as I am, except, of course, without these chains.’”
(Acts 26:27-29 TPT)
