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In Acts 21:27-39, the Apostle Paul is literally being assaulted by a mob. He's being beaten within an inch of his life. Some naïvely believe that this type of violence against Christainity is a relic of a more primitive past. But two thousand years later, this type of violence against God’s people continues.

In the past 90 days we’ve rightly focused on pandemics and protests but don’t forget many Christians are still being opposed all over the world. Fulani Islamic militants are burning churches and killing Christians in Nigeria. A woman in Uganda was abandoned by her husband and her house was set on fire, all because she trusted Jesus. In Guinea, new believers were kicked out of their homes by their families. A couple in Laos lost their citizenship for converting to Christianity. In Virginia Beach, a friend of one of our missionaries was recently arrested for inciting a riot because he had the audacity to preach the Gospel on the boardwalk. Countless other Christians are mocked and belittled across the world every single day.

But it’s important to notice that not all opponents are the same. If you look carefully at the text, you’ll notice Paul faces at least three different types of opponents. First, there’s the agitators that start the riot in verses 27-29. These people hate Paul. They want him dead. Second, there’s the mob itself who are the followers. These people aren’t motivated by a hatred of Paul, but by groupthink. Verse 31 says they’re caught in confusion. Their behavior is still wrong, but the reason for their behavior is different. Finally, there’s the Roman peacekeepers. It’s unjust that they stop the riot by arresting the innocent, but again their reason for opposing Paul is different. Their goal is just to keep the peace, no matter what it takes.

I believe we face similar opponents today. There are undoubtedly agitators who hate Christians. People who want our churches to close. People who want us dead. If you don’t believe there are people who utterly hate Christians, you’re blind. Jesus Himself said “If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before it hated you” (John 15:18). Yes, this group exists. But much like in Paul’s day, I believe this group is a tiny minority.

Most people who oppose Christians don’t do it because they hate us. They’re more like the crowd. They’re confused followers who oppose us because they don’t understand. Maybe they’ve heard we’re backwards-minded bigots. They’ve never taken time to examine what Christians believe, they just trust what they’ve heard. Maybe they’ve heard many professing Christians support President Trump. They look at some of the things the President does, says, or tweets then dismiss Christianity outright.

Then there’s also the peacekeepers. These opponents really aren’t motivated by anger or hate towards Christians at all. If anything, they’re indifferent. But they want to keep the peace. They don’t want their businesses to be affected, they don’t want their comfortable lives to be upended so they oppose Christians to keep life comfortable and peaceful.

But here’s the question: how do you view your opponents? Do you view them all as angry agitators? Do you have a nuanced view of those who oppose you? What is your goal? To refute them? To belittle them?  To win the argument? To take cheap shots at those you consider enemies?

That’s not what Paul does. Rather than attacking his attackers, he asks for an opportunity to speak to them. Not to refute them, belittle them, or take cheap shots. He wants to speak to them so he can tell them about Jesus. And in so doing, he shows us how to turn a mob into a mission field.