Know Your Audience

Read the Text: Acts 17

Memorize the Text:   Therefore, having overlooked the times of ignorance, God now commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has set a day when he is going to judge the world in righteousness by the man he has appointed. He has provided proof of this to everyone by his raising him from the dead. (Acts 17:30-21)

Consider the Text: Acts 17

The ability to talk about Jesus effectively centers on the aptitude to know the audience. When we understand the backdrops and influences of the audience we speak to, we gain the power to communicate with clarity and impact. For example, in Acts 17, the apostle Paul spoke to a variety of individuals that had a multitude of cultural and personal backgrounds. When we read Acts 17 in its entirety, we find that the apostle declared the message of Christ to the religious and the unreligious, to the Jew and the Gentile, and to the general population and the elite in society. In each moment of declaration, the apostle understood his audience and declared with clarity and impact.

Paul modeled the importance of understanding CULTURE. The apostle spoke to both Jews and Gentiles in Acts 17. We find that he spoke to individuals at the temple. The gathering at the temple would have consisted of both Jews and God-fearing Gentiles. This audience would have known the Old Testament scriptures and been familiar with the prophecies concerning the Messiah. Paul’s backdrop of a religious leader of the Jews facilitated the ability to communicate clearly with those living in this cultural backdrop.

As we continue to read Acts 17, we find that the apostle Paul declared the gospel to the pagan Gentiles in Athens. These individuals did not have the same scriptural understanding or religious backdrop as the people gathered at the temple. As a result, we find that Paul shared the gospel in a manner that included words from philosophers the audience knew and used the cultural norms around him to share Christ.

Today, we need to understand the cultural dynamics at play around us. Though we speak truth into the flawed ways of life, we can follow the model of Paul and speak the truth in a manner that listeners receive. The ability to use culture rest in our willfulness to understand the culture. We need to know the thought process and beliefs of those outside of Christ to share Christ with them effectively.

Paul showed the importance of remaining FLUID IN SHARING CHRIST. When we understand different cultural backgrounds, we recognize that sharing Christ includes an array of methods that declare the unchanging message. The apostle Paul knew the backdrops of the Jews, God-fearing Gentiles, and the pagans. He used their understandings and perspectives to speak truth into their lives. Instead of getting angry with the culture around him, the apostle sought to engage it in a manner that proved effective.

Today, we often become discouraged and angry concerning the culture around us. We must disagree and not like the things of this world that exists in complete opposition to the gospel and the truth of God’s Word. At the same time, we need to understand how these realities impact our ability to share the truth and aid in forming a methodological approach to sharing Jesus. Thus, we need to be fluid in our approach to evangelism by allowing the context to drive the method of sharing Christ. Though the method remains fluid and flexible, we must hold and declare the unchanging and nonfluid message of the gospel.

The apostle Paul demonstrated the importance of flexibility in communication when sharing the unchanging message of the gospel. Paul did not allow a rigid approach to become a barrier between his sharing and the audience receiving the gospel. As we reflect on the apostle Paul in Acts 17, may we find a deep passion for evaluating our willfulness to participate in a fluid nature of sharing Christ. How are you finding ways to know your audience for effective and impactful gospel engagement?

This blog is part of the Coffee and Quiet Time with Jesus Devotional Series found at equippingfaith.com. Join the journey of reading through the New Testament this year. More information can be found at equippingfaith.com.