Acts 28:17-22

Acts 28:17-22
English Standard Version (ESV)

 How many items are competing for your attention at any given time?  It's likely that there is a television and a phone and several people, all of them vying for your limited attention.  In these busy times, the quicker we can make decisions, the better we are -- if we can quickly disprove or approve of something, we can turn our attention towards other, more pressing matters.
  Here, the local leaders do the opposite.  They've heard lots of negative things about the sect, but they want to hear from Paul what his views are.  And this, I believe, is the opportunity for the Gospel.  The great thing about the Gospel is that it is the single greatest Truth in the universe -- there is no argument that can prevail against it, for everything else falls short.  And so when people open themselves up to consider it, to hear the Gospel message, there is a chance for the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth and beauty of the grace of the Gospel.  But people have to be willing to hear it, rather than to just listen to the various bad news and discard the opportunity.
  The Good News for you and I is that the truth of the Gospel doesn't depend on the speaker -- it shines through us, no matter how sinful we may be.  God uses clay vessels to deliver this wondrous message, and so we are presented with a great opportunity -- to be used by God to deliver the message of God's great love to the world around us.