"Now it happened, when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance and saw Him saying to me, 'Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not receive your testimony concerning Me.' So I said, 'Lord, they know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believe on You. And when the blood of Your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by consenting to his death, and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.' Then He said to me, 'Depart, for I will send you far from here to the Gentiles.' " Acts 22:17-21
First, let’s remember that in Acts 22, Paul was recounting his conversion experience that happened back in Acts 9. This passage in Acts 22 is, as we may say, a flashback.
Last time we pointed out that the Lord told Paul (Saul when it happened) that people would not receive his testimony regarding his conversion. From that, we were encouraged to speak of Christ and leave the saving to the Holy Spirit. This time let us learn another related message.
Paul was as Jewish as it gets! When he was converted, he wanted to tell his Jewish brethren about Jesus. The Lord was not only saying that “people” wouldn’t listen to him, but more specifically that the “Jewish people” would not listen to him! Paul tried to reason with the Lord that because of his history of persecuting Christians, the Jews would listen to him. But the Lord had other plans for Paul. Paul was to become the chief evangelist to the Gentiles! Two lessons:
Sometimes the Lord sends us to speak with people we would not naturally want to speak with. In Paul’s case, he didn’t even like Gentiles! We must be prepared to go where the Lord sends us, to speak with those to whom He sends us. After all He is the Lord!
Additionally, some of us may be used by the Lord to lead family to Christ. But frequently we are the last people family will listen to. When that is the case, once we have said what we can say, if the door is closed to us, let us pray that the Lord will cause our loved ones’ paths to cross with other believers they will listen to. God will save His people, but it may be that He will use others.