What is Your Reputation Worth?

 Acts 18:8 (ESV) – Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized.

Most of us care what others think of us. There are some positions in society that are bestowed on those loved and respected by the majority. These always indicate real influence and usually come with power to make decisions on behalf of others. They sometimes come with significant financial remuneration, too. As synagogue leader, Crispus had a position like that. He was seen as the leader by the Jewish people of Corinth. He had probably dreamed of holding that position since he was a boy. He worked hard to show himself a trustworthy, credible leader. That must have been worth a great deal to him.

Then one day he heard something that he wanted even more. When Paul came to his city and told him and the rest of the synagogue about the life changing forgiveness and power and eternal life available through the long promised Messiah Jesus, he believed. Unfortunately, though, most of his Jewish friends did not. It was not that they just did not believe, they fought against Paul and those who chose to believe in Jesus (Acts 18:6, 12-17). Suddenly, Crispus found himself with a choice: Would he renounce the Christian message so he could hold onto his cherished position of influence in the community of his birth or would he give it all up to follow Jesus? He chose the latter.

Paul mentions Crispus’s faith and decision to believe and be baptized in a letter he wrote to his church a few years later (I Corinthians 1:14). He chose eternal life over popularity. It looks like his successor Sosthenes did, too, as he was beaten by his fellow Jews (Acts 18:17) then later traveled with Paul to Ephesus (I Corinthians 1:1) to help share that good news he received that was worth more to him than the accolades of the crowd. Whose approval do you value more?

How to Speak to Those Who Are Different from You

Acts 17:28 (ESV) – ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’

Not everyone thinks like you do. Many people trust different sources and have a different view of the world. They may or may not accept or even understand what is most important to you, at least initially. They will be more likely to listen to you if you start the conversation with things they care about and believe then take evidence they accept as reliable to support your argument. This pathway will be more likely take them to the place of understanding and, possibly, embracing your perspective.

This is just what the Apostle Paul did with the Athenian philosophers on Mars Hill. Unlike his other messages to primarily Jewish audiences, he did not choose to start with the ancient Hebrew prophecies (in what we now call the Old Testament) that Jesus fulfilled. The Athenians did not know about them, understand them, or accept them. They would not likely have followed Paul’s discussion or responded.

Paul did not accept their view of the world. Luke records Paul was not at all happy seeing all their idols (Acts 17:16), but he found one he could use as at a starting place in his talk that was dedicated to an unknown God. He used that as a connection with the one true God who “made the world and all things in it.” (Acts 17:24) He even cited the Greek poets Epimenides and Aratus who would have been known, understood, and accepted by the Athenians, though not on the same level as the Jews would have accepted their scriptures as God’s authoritative word. (Acts 17:28) Next, he showed the weakness in believing that any human created image could have created the universe. (Acts 17:29) He then culminated his talk with the main point, bringing them to Jesus and his resurrection. (Acts 17:31) Several believed in Jesus that day and even others invited him to discuss this message further again. (Acts 17:32-34)

It is usually best to speak to others in ways they will understand and be likely to accept as much as possible without compromising your message.

Check Before Cancelling

 Acts 17:11 (ESV) – Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

We have seen a new phenomenon explode in 2020. The pandemic-induced isolation has forced people online and brought Twitter, Facebook, and other media into a place of greater influence. Election campaigns are increasing the vilification that is dividing the world and protests at a level unseen for decades. As the emotion increases, dividing lines sharpen, and the question of “in or out?” determines whether you will have the support and respect of those who were once your friends. A new label has emerged for this reality: “Cancel Culture.” It seems there is a new “orthodoxy” for each side of any issue. If you do not embrace every aspect of that orthodoxy, you will be cancelled – excommunicated – by the rest in the group.

The intimidation is strong. The fear of rejection can drive many accept, without question, every tenet of the new orthodoxy of whatever group they consider themselves a part of or aspire to join.

Although Cancel Culture may be a new buzz phrase for 2020, the concept itself is much older. As the biblical book called Acts of the Apostles describes the Apostle Paul’s second journey, he faced opposition from the established Jewish community in city after city until he arrived in Berea (now known as Veria and still a center of regional influence in northern Greece). The writer, Luke, uses an interesting description for those Jews. “They were more noble than those in Thessalonica.” There was something that set them apart from the rest of their generation. They did not embrace the Cancel Culture of their day. They took what they heard and they checked it out against the most authoritative source possible – the Holy Scriptures. They found what Paul said was true, and they received it gladly.

Let’s be more like these Bereans and check things out before accepting or rejecting something for fear of being canceled. When we do, let’s make sure we compare it against something trustworthy. When we can, let’s take it to the most trustworthy source of all: the Bible.

Some

Acts 17:4 (ESV) – And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women.

I have a weakness. I want everyone to be happy. I am tempted to believe I have not succeeded unless everyone agrees with me, but that is not usually a realistic expectation. Most of the time, some people will not accept what we say. However, if we do our part, some will believe.

Paul, Silas, and Timothy arrived at what is still Greece’s second largest city, Thessalonica, and immediately followed their pattern of going to the Jewish synagogue and showing from the Jewish scriptures (what most Christians now call the Old Testament) that Jesus was the long promised Messiah and he needed to be crucified and rise from the dead (Acts 17:3). There is solid evidence for his claim, but as he reflected on this time in his first letter to those who did believe, Paul said there was more than just his own human words at work in the persuasion process. The Gospel came “not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit with full conviction.” (I Thessalonians 1:6) Yet, in spite of all Paul’s humanly persuasive power and, more significantly, the Holy Spirit’s full conviction, only some believed. Yet, some did believe.

Although we may want everyone’s approval, we cannot use the rejection by some as a sign of failure or falsehood. It seems Paul and his friends were only able to be in Thessalonica for a few weeks on that first journey before those who rejected their message drove them out of town (Acts 17:5-9), but those who did believe experienced lasting life change and together became a great church. The mission was accomplished.

Not everyone will probably accept you and what you have to say, but some will. Say it.