Reasoned from the scriptures

Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ." – Acts 17.2-3

We come across all kinds of preachers and teachers in the Christian life. Being in church as long as I have I have pretty much heard it all. I have heard lecturing preachers. I have heard preachers that sounded like there were teaching a class. I have heard preachers that pull on the emotions. I have heard preachers that tried to shout his hearers into submission. I have heard preachers who tried to guilt the listeners into responding. I heard preachers use logic and human wisdom to get their point across. I guess it takes all types.

But I really think Paul had it figured out.

Paul, as his custom was, went in and...reasoned from the scriptures.

He took them to the one thing they cold not argue with. They could not argue with the Bible. If we were talking about today's setting we would say that 'Paul opened his Bible and discussed the matters with them from the Scriptures.'

When it comes right down to it that is all that is ever going to have any impact. Human wisdom and intelligence and logic is always going to fall short. Our skills and abilities are never going to get the job done.

All we can do is open the scriptures and reason from them that Jesus is the Christ and the only hope of salvation.

I tend to think that people are not going to listen if I delve straight into the word of God when trying to reason with them. But it is the scriptures and the scriptures alone that have the power to draw men to Christ.