What Would You Do to Reach Others for Christ? - Acts 16

16 Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer but whose father was a Greek. ² The believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. ³ Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. ⁴ As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. ⁵ So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.

There are several things in this first paragraph that I find incredible.

Back in chapter 14, we read where Jesus healed a man through Paul who had been lame since birth in the city of Lystra.  It was there that the townspeople wanted to worship Paul and Barnabas as gods.  It was there that Paul had been stoned.  It is to this city that Paul goes!  That is amazing to me.  How bold Paul was to disciple those early believers and strengthen the early churches!

Timothy is half Jew and half Gentile.  I would imagine that makes him an outcast to the Jews.  Yet, God will use Timothy and Paul thinks enough of him to take him along. 

It is very hard for me to imagine this circumcision as adults.  Timothy was at least older than 12 or 14.  Paul wasn’t a doctor.  How does this happen?  I might let a guy sew up a cut on my finger, but he’s not going down there.  Certainly not with a knife.  I just find this astounding.  

Also, why did Paul consider that it was necessary?  My only reasoning is that Paul thought that when they went from town to town and spoke to Jews first, they would not listen to Timothy if he had not at least gone through Jewish rituals.  He would be asked if he had been circumcised and if he had not, he most certainly wouldn’t be allowed to preach or teach in a Jewish synagogue.  Paul basically writes this sentiment in 1 Corinthians 9:19-20, “For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.  And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law.”  Circumcision has no merit regarding salvation.  Paul didn’t want it to be a reason that Jews might not listen to Timothy.  

I am not sure I know of anyone who would go to such a length with the sole purpose of reaching people for Christ.  This is certainly convicting of the church today.  Most believers I know today will not give up their one personal sin, much less do something to themselves for the singular reason of reaching others.  This is why the church is so weak today.

The churches in this area of Galatia grow.  Their faith is established or strengthened.  Paul, Silas, and Timothy are witnessing people be saved and added to the churches.  This must have been exciting to them.  It would certainly be exciting today as this is not what is happening in the American church regularly.