Christ and His Church 40

Introduction

“Out of your mind”

Maybe others have said this about us or we have said this about others

Me moving to Saskatoon

I’m sure the believers in all the churches Paul visited on his way to Jerusalem thought this of him

Particularly after Agabus’ prophecy of Paul’s imprisonment in Acts 21

And while the pleas of the church in Caesarea broke his heart he knew he must follow Christ to Jerusalem

And so attacked, imprisoned the Lord met him, as we saw last time, to encourage him in his testimony in Jerusalem and the promise to do the same in Rome

Little did any of them really realize that this journey woulid lead him before the “biggest players in the game”

2 govenors, a King, and Caesar himself

Quick covering of story up to our passage

Read 26:19-32

How did this all happen? Not only was Paul out of his mind but how did he stand through all of this?

vs 22

I.God’s Help

“the help that comes from God”

Paul knew it was God who lead him and walked with him through all that he had faced

Jesus’ words in Mark 13 are pertinent here

Mark 13:9–11 ESV

“But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them. And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.

God had given Paul the words to say

God had given these leaders understanding to realize Paul’s innocence and continually used them to protect Paul

God had put Paul’s brother-in-law in the place to overhear the plot to kill him

And it was God who encouraged Paul in prison

And Paul trusted God!

We can struggle with this

Can I really be obedient to what Christ is asking me to do?

Who am I that I should ....?

Can I really trust him?

It’s too uncomfortable, what if it goes poorly.

Paul didn’t always get it right but God continued to work

So how do we grow in this?

A. While Mark 13 wasn’t given specifically to us, we can believe that God leads and helps us.

B. We can pray for courage, boldness and then willingly step out in trust.

And so in this, Paul saw not only God’s help, but also as God’s opportunity

II. God’s Opportunity

It is through God’s help that Paul says he “stand here” to testify to both small and great

Paul has had the opportunity to testify to the Jews, the Council, to Felix - then Festus and King Agrippa and we have to believe eventually to Nero, who church history tells us, took Paul’s life.

But also as we will see Paul will testify many more times and to various different people on his way to Caesar

This was because of God’s help

I believe God gives us opportunities to testify all the time

Some times I know that they are so clear and some times we falter

I wonder however how many we neglect to see, maybe just the people he puts in our lives are those opportunities

It seems with Paul it wasn’t always that people opened the door but rather he just testified

Here Paul’s moments of defense became opportunities “to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.” I Peter 3

It’s the hope that Paul had that drove him to speak

Are we filled with hope so that we might share?

If not it can be because:

A. We don’t understand or fully believe what Christ has done and who we are in Him.

B. Or our life is not reflecting who we are in Christ

Either way there IS hope!

Jesus answers both of these

A. He stands fully available to all who seek him and has accomplished victory

B. He stands available for us to come to confess and repent and forgive

III. God’s Message

That is God’s message

vs 22b, 23

A. First to rise from the dead

hope for the future

I Cor 15 Paul extensively lays out this hope

B. Light to Jew and Gentile

Hope now

Galatians 2:20 ESV

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Again we must believe:

A. If our life is to reflect this

B. If we will witness to it

Peter says to give a reason for the hope that is in us

Does our heart and life reflect this?

This isn’t to guilt us but to call us to truly believe

This is what I see in me - it becomes all about what’s happening to me, in my life

I’m pretty sure Paul could have gone there as well

But his hope was not in “the good life” but in Christ’s life and eternity that awaited him on the other side.

vs 27-29

Conclusion