Chained to A Madman

Having just finished our series, "Journey With Paul", 13 sermons based on Paul's journey through The Book of Acts, I found the poem below to be poignant and appropriate. It is written by our own John Boswell.

Chained to a Madman

Chained was I, to a madman of sorts

He followed the one who had been crucified

Chained was I, a Roman soldier in port

To a man who prayed to this One who died

Chained was I, to a man they called Paul

A troublemaker from this new Jewish sect

“Why me?” I cried as I suffered this gall

Hearing him talk wildly of God’s own elect

Chained hand and foot to this crazy old fool

Who claims to be a citizen of Rome

Forced to listen to this stubborn old mule

Who claims that heaven is his real, true home

Singing and praising and praying I endured

Becoming the prisoner whilst he seemed free

With joy and laughter he seemed so assured

That his God would save him from hanging on a tree

I questioned him as to his foolish, blind hope

A tale of God’s slain Lamb he answered me

His words gripped my heart like a hangman’s rope

And all I wanted to do was to hide or just flee

But there were the chains that held me in place

And I could not hide nor flee from this Jew!

I was chained to him whilst my heart did so race

And his smile disclosed what he already knew

That I was deeply troubled by the words he had said

And he clapped and laughed as he looked in my eyes

As tears of grief began to pour out of my bowed head

As I saw that my heart was black and full of lies

All of the things that I cherished the most

Were now open graves, I could plainly see

My pride, my arrogance, my self-centered boast

All that was once pleasurable and first with me

Convicted was I of the dark sins of my flesh

In despair I cried out, “What must I do?”

“For I am nothing but a filthy, dirty, old wretch!”

And he answered back, “This is true, son, this is true!”

Then he told me my need for a Savior and Lord

And I grabbed him and asked him just how

He said, “Repent and believe!” and my heart truly soared

And I shouted, “I want Him, I want Him right now!”

I was chained to a man of God, I could now see

A man who was anointed from high above

These external chains were all that now bound me

For the chains of my sin were broken by God’s love

This madman was mad in the eyes of the lost

But in his eyes, I saw truth and heavenly wisdom

For he told me just how much my sins would have cost

And that Christ was my atonement and my ransom

Chained was I, to a madman of sorts

Madly proclaiming the good news of the King

Chained was I, a Roman soldier in port

A soldier of Christ, with a new song to sing!

Chained now to my Christ, my Savior, and Lord

Forever adopted and forever set free

Chained to my Master by a thin blood-red cord

That He purchased while hanging on a cross of a tree

Glad that I was chained to that wild man named Paul

Glad for the time we were given, well spent

Glad for his obedience to his Lord and his call

Glad that the Spirit brought me to my knees to repent

Acts 28:16