Acts 21:37 – 22:2
37 “As the soldiers were about to take Paul into the barracks, he asked the commander, “May I say something to you?” “Do you speak Greek?” he replied. 38 “Aren’t you the Egyptian who started a revolt and led four thousand terrorists out into the wilderness some time ago?” 39 Paul answered, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Please let me speak to the people.” 40 After receiving the commander’s permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd. When they were all silent, he said to them in Aramaic: “Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense.” 2 When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet.”
As I was reading this portion of scripture a question popped into my head. “Do I speak the language of Jesus?” Now of course I don’t speak Aramaic, but is my language full of life, filled with joy, hope, peace, love and victory, and everything that Christ has given me?
In Acts 21v37 – 22v2, Paul is taken captive by a roman commander and held for questioning. The crowd was against him and his situation seemed dismal. He then asks the roman commander if he could address the crowd. After getting the go-ahead from the commander Paul speaks to the crowd in Aramaic (the language of Jesus). When I read this there were 2 things that stood out for me.
1- Paul chose to speak the language of Jesus.
Although Paul had the ability to speak to the roman commander in Greek he CHOSE to speak to the crowd in Aramaic, the language of Jesus. Being a roman citizen by birth Paul could have easily gotten out of this situation, he just needed to plead his case with the roman commander and let him know that he was born a roman. He could have spoken out his birth right. He could have spoken in the language of his capturers but instead he chose to speak in the language of Jesus to the crowd.
When Paul addresses the crowd there is another interesting thing that happens. He does not plead his case to the crowd telling them why he is right and should not be locked up. He doesn’t even threaten them and say he can get off because he is a roman citizen. Instead he begins to speak from the platform given to him by Jesus. He begins to give his testimony of who he was (his past), his road to Damascus experience (encountering Jesus) and then what he has been doing, what he has been preaching and the gospel that has been given to him (his present and future). He just speaks Jesus language the whole time. Language of victory, purpose, hope, love and a living God. He doesn’t allow his circumstance to overwhelm him but rather is overwhelmed by Jesus and what He has done.
2- Paul speaks from his position in Christ not his right as a Roman citizen
Although Paul was born a roman citizen, he doesn’t use that to speak to the crowd about Jesus. He speaks from his experiences and encounter of who Jesus is and what He has been doing in Paul’s life. He had all the rights of a roman citizen to be free and possibly get the crowd in trouble, yet Paul rather chose to speak from his position in Christ and preach Jesus instead.
As I read over these 2 points, I realize that in my own life I have often spoken the language of my oppression rather than the language of my savior. Often the words that come out of my mouth are how insecure I am, that I am not the best, that so-and-so is better than me. Captive language. Jesus language is that I have been chosen by Him for Him, that I am a new creation, that I have been set free, that I am worth it because of Him. My language needs to change.
Finally, I am realizing that I have too often spoken from my rights rather than my position in Christ. I didn’t get where I am because I am good, kind, gracious or loving. I battle with most of those attributes. I got where I am because God is good, kind, loving, merciful, gracious and so much more. I don’t speak from my rights but from who He is and what He has done. I need to continually speak Christ first and then what He has done through me.
As we go through life, let’s speak the language of Jesus in every circumstance from the platform of love, kindness, peace and everything that Christ is. Let’s stop speaking the language of our captives and start speaking the language of Jesus.
Lee Lubbee is on staff at Life Changers, over-seeing our worship and youth ministeries.