It is important to know the person(s) to whom we are speaking.
Acts 18:28 – For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.
____________________
To whom are you speaking on a regular basis? Answer that same question as it regards your Christian witness. To whom are you speaking? Are you speaking to a lost person who has never heard a true witness of the Gospel? Are you speaking to someone who has heard repeated witnesses of the Gospel? Are you speaking to a babe in Christ? Are you speaking to someone who has been born again for some years? Are you speaking to a Spirit-filled believer? Are you speaking to a mature, Spirit-filled believer who is truly anchored in the Word? Depending on who it is to whom you are speaking should, in large part, establish the manner in which to speak to that person.
You don’t speak to a non-believer about the spiritual matters the same way you would a mature, Spirit-filled believer. These two people are at totally different ends of the spectrum. You would not likely approach someone who had heard multiple witnesses of the Gospel the same way you would a mature Christian. The influences in their life have likely been diametrically opposed to each other.
Now look back at our Text for Today. We see that Paul “mightily convinced the Jews…that Jesus was Christ.” That was the whole point of this exercise of faith to which Paul was giving himself. Now note two more things. It happened “publickly.” That indicates that what Paul was doing, he was doing openly, not behind closed doors, nor in a way that would preserve any of his anonymity. He was not hiding who he was, nor was he hiding his intent. And the second thing we need to see is the basis from which Paul “mightily convinced” the Jews. He convinced them by using the Scriptures; the very Scriptures they held so dear as the rule book by which they should live. You see, Paul had kept his own counsel. He had studied to show himself “approved unto God, a workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.”
Paul was effective because he “rightly divided the Word.” He didn’t just start throwing Bible verses at them. He used the Word skillfully, like a master surgeon plying his trade. He used the Scriptures, obviously under the leadership of Holy Ghost, but in a precision manner to do the work that needed to be done. That does not mean that any believer is excused from the work of being a witness. What it does mean is that it is the responsibility of every believer to be as prepared as possible for the work at hand, and then one can legitimately depend on Holy Ghost for the rest.
Manna for Today – Acts 18:24-28; Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-20; 2 Timothy 2:15
My Second Miler by Dr. Beechard Moorefield 