Acts 22
The Power of Story: Reflecting on Acts 22
As we sit with Acts 22, we’re struck by how Paul chooses to engage an angry crowd—not with sharp intellect, not with Scripture-heavy debate, but with his story. In this chapter, we’re reminded that God uses the most unlikely parts of our past to shine a light on His grace. Let’s unpack this powerful testimony and see what it reveals about our own lives.
Paul’s Story: From Zealot to Witness
Paul doesn’t start his speech with theological arguments. Instead, he begins with his background—where he was born, how he was raised, and who taught him. He tells them: “I’m a Jew, from Tarsus, trained by Gamaliel,” one of the most respected Pharisees of that time. He speaks with humility and clarity, recounting how he once hunted down followers of Jesus. That had to be a deeply vulnerable moment—publicly revisiting the darkest parts of his story.
And then comes the encounter. On his way to Damascus to continue persecuting believers, Jesus interrupts his life: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” In that divine confrontation, his life changes forever. Ananias enters the picture, God restores Saul’s sight, and what began as a mission of persecution turns into a mission of salvation. Paul’s story is not about how he got it right, but how Jesus made him new.
Why Our Story Matters—But Isn’t About Us
What we see in Acts 22 isn’t just historical—it’s deeply personal. Paul’s story reminds us that testimony has incredible power, especially when it's rooted in God's work rather than our own efforts. His transformation wasn’t the result of five self-improvement steps or moral discipline. It was Jesus. Pure grace.
That truth challenges us to reflect on how we tell our own stories. Are we tempted to make ourselves the hero? Or are we pointing people to Jesus? We live in a world saturated with self-help content, but none of it compares to the transforming grace of God. We saw that during Easter too—believers publicly sharing not how strong they were, but how God met them in weakness and brought them out.
Stories resonate when they are honest, raw, and centered on Christ. Paul didn’t shy away from sharing what he was most ashamed of. Neither should we. When we bring our pain and past into the light, it becomes a stage for God’s healing and redemption.
The Ordinary Turned Extraordinary
One of the most surprising moments in Acts 22 comes near the end. Paul is about to be flogged, and casually mentions that he’s a Roman citizen. That simple, ordinary fact stops the whole process. No angel. No miracle. Just a well-timed reminder of citizenship—and God uses it to preserve Paul.
That’s a great reminder for us. Sometimes we wait for big signs or supernatural interventions, when in reality, God has already equipped us with the “ordinary” things we need to do extraordinary work for His kingdom. Our backgrounds, talents, jobs, relationships—these aren’t random. They’re tools in God’s hands.
So we’re asking ourselves this week: What are the ordinary things in our lives that God might want to use in extraordinary ways? Maybe it’s your story, your voice, your experience. Maybe it’s a conversation you're hesitant to start, or a skill you've overlooked.
Revisiting the Past, Glorifying Jesus
As we wrap up, Acts 22 leaves us with a powerful challenge: to tell our stories, but to make them about Jesus. We may have to revisit parts of our past that still sting. But when we do so with honesty and a desire to glorify God, those wounds become signs of His healing.
So let’s reread Acts 22 this week. Let’s ask God to show us the story He’s been writing in our lives. And when we share it, let’s remember—our story matters most when it points people to Jesus.
