Acts 22-23
Notes
Transcript
Paul before the Crowds
Paul before the Crowds
Good morning everyone, I hope and pray you all are doing well today.
In the course of our week, I believe, we can testify that God has been so good to us…
We have been provided for, kept safe, had the ability to get up, go and do what was required of us that day. Our families are safe and blessed...
And more than all this, we have a Savior, We are forgiven, made acceptable in His sight, wow! And so much more awaits us... God has been so good to us my friend.
I say this to remind us of this truth.... no matter our circumstances, I believe we can praise the Lord, in fact it is the right thing to do!
We should always strive to give our Lord Praise, and to glory His name...
I say this to remind us, those before us lived and praised the Lord for His faithfulness.
And looking at the life of Paul, I believe he did his best to give thanks, and praise God each and every day.
So this morning as we move into chapter 22, we find Paul before his brethren in Jerusalem, told of God’s goodness and saving power.
So here, having been treated very poorly, beaten, accused of wrong doing and finally the Roman soldiers have taken hold of Paul in hope of quieting the crowd. Paul asked to speak to those religious leaders at the end of chapter 21.
Let’s look at Paul’s testimony as he speaks to those who previously treated him more like a gentile than a Jewish brother.
1. Paul Address the Crowd...
You know one might ask, why would Paul continue to try and share his testimony and witness with his Jewish brothers, they keep rejecting him?
The answer is simple, love! Jesus Christ loved Paul and Paul loved those around him, Jew and Gentile alike. He wanted his ancestral brothers and sisters, the children of Abraham to understand what they waited for had indeed come, and it was Jesus.
So lets open our text here…verses 1-5 Acts 22:1-5
Acts 22:1–5 (ESV) Sil -lish uh
1 “Brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now make before you.”
2 And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet. And he said:
3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day. 4 I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, 5 as the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them I received letters to the brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished.
So lets break this down for you today....
Paul begins by addressing the men… that is who would have been in that portion of the temple when all the commotion began.. and he addresses them not in the language of Rome, he speaks to each of them in the native tongue of the Jews, Hebrew.
Speaking in their native tongue got their attention quickly and would help them listen to him and truthfully, Paul counted on this as he spoke to them.
1. As Paul begins, he starts first with his pedigree. Look at what he says, I am a Jew. This is correct, he was from the line of Benjamin, a 8th day child according to the law of Moses.
Paul shares this to the church at Philippi, in Phil 3:5
5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;
You see the law required that every male child be circumscribed on the 8th day according to Leviticus 12:3 …
Paul says that he was born in Tarsus in Cilicia, and raised in this city, speaking of Jerusalem. So he had made this place his home.
2. Secondly, His education… Why he was qualified to speak to them. Paul says that while being a jew, raised in the Jerusalem, he was educated at the feet Gamaliel, one of the great Hebrew scholars of the day. And studying under his teaching, Paul was part of the more traditional religious group there, the Pharisees. They were a very pious, conservative group.
3. Finally, Paul shares his past work.... Paul reminds them he was zealous as to the law and in the past persecuted the church, those followers of Jesus. So much that he was even given the opportunity to extend his reach, he took warrants from the High Priest to seek to arrest those of the way.
He served faithfully if even in darkness....
Yet Paul never knew that God was talking his past and using it to prepare his future.
Paul was very educated in the law and the traditions, so in coming to Christ he understood perfectly how God had prepared for Jesus from the foundation of this world.
Think of that for a minute my friends, God was taking your past and preparing your future. All that you have experienced God can and will use for His glory if we will allow it.
Then secondly today, as Paul is speaking he shares his Salvation
2. Paul Shares His Salvation.....
Paul continues his story, and the day he met Jesus on the road to Damascus.
Look at the text.. VV6-8 Acts 22:6-8
6 “As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone around me. 7 And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ 8 And I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’
On that day, as he and his companions road to Damascus to inflict even more damage upon the church, to arrest those early believers.
Jesus showed up… Are you glad, aren’t you thankful for the day Jesus showed up in your life?
A light shown from heaven Paul said, so bright, so intense that even in the mid day sun, it blinded and knocked Paul off his horse.
And as he lay there on the ground, Jesus spoke to him.. “...Saul, Saul why are you persecuting me...” can you imagine, there is a audible voice calling out to him, and his reply is simple, humble, “…Who are you, Lord?...” and our Lord replied to Him, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting...
Wow… what a moment to come face to face with the Lord Jesus...
The people with Paul saw the light, but saw or heard no one, the appearance and message was Paul only.
Now look at verses 10-11 Acts 22:10-11
10 And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.’ 11 And since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came into Damascus.
Paul is now blind, now helpless, no longer in pursuit but the one who is being led into the city where Jesus had already prepared a place for him to stay and pray…
Now Acts chapter 9, verse 11 tells us Paul was directed to the home of one called Judas, who lived on a street called straight.
Now some might not pay any attention to this, but Paul was not on the straight path, He was on a crooked path, one that led to death,, lost and needing help.
And help he got…
The Lord prepared his servant Ananias, one who would come and deliver sight unto Paul, but not just sight, he would bring him hope.
Look at verses 12-15.... Acts 22:12-16 Now we know from Acts 9, Ananias wasn’t keen on the idea of seeing Paul, but the Lord assured him it was indeed His plan to use Paul for His glory.
12 “And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, 13 came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that very hour I received my sight and saw him. 14 And he said, ‘The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth; 15 for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard. 16 And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’
So Ananias went and laid hands on Paul. And immediately he received his sight and was saved and baptized...
He was lost in darkness, believing he was going God’s will but Suddenly, ----suddenly He found Jesus
Here is where it is beautiful my friends, finding Jesus changed his life, his direction and his future.
And that is what Jesus does, He changes us, body, soul and mind…
When Paul found Jesus he didn’t understand how God would use his life, but His life was used of God and Paul loved serving Him
My friends, we do not understand how many lives we will touch living for Jesus, but thank God our lives are able to be used for His glory.
Paul was so thankful for the calling God placed in His life.
And just like Paul, God has called you, how are you serving the one who has given His all for you?
Now, this brings me to one last thought for this morning.
3. The Jews Rejection of Paul....
I think there were most certainly Jewish men who remembered the old Saul and they couldn’t believe this new Paul they had heard so many things about through the voices of others.
But there he was, back in the Holy City of Jerusalem and having just been dragged away from the Temple mount when these Roman soldiers intervened in how the men were mistreating Paul.
And after taking time to address the men of the city, sharing how the God of their forefathers had reached out to Paul in the work of God’s Son Jesus Christ.
The men cannot stand to hear more, their hearts are hardened. Listen to their words...
22 Up to this word they listened to him. Then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live.” 23 And as they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air, 24 the tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks, saying that he should be examined by flogging, to find out why they were shouting against him like this.
it really doesn’t surprise me that these men quickly turned on Paul. He has shared his conversion by Jesus and now how God had sent him to minister to the Gentiles.
The Jews would have nothing to do with the Gentiles, even if it benefited them. They disliked them, considered them nothing more than dogs.
And with hearing Paul’s words they cried out, away with him, a man such as this shouldn’t be allowed to live. They threw off their cloaks off, and threw dust into the air… The are disgusted with Paul.
Why did they cast off their clocks and cast dust into the air? It was a reaction to perceiving Paul had committed blasphemy… Paul was a heretic…
They has rejected him yet again, they could not wrap their heads around Jesus being the Son of God, the long awaited Messiah or the fact that God was calling all the world, Jew and Gentile to be saved.
The scene was unsafe for Paul and the tribunal bring Paul into the barracks, but they believe he needs a "little intense fellowship” -- (torture) if you will., lets go back to our text again...
Verses 25-29 Acts 22:25-29
25 But when they had stretched him out for the whips, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?” 26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the tribune and said to him, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen.” 27 So the tribune came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” And he said, “Yes.” 28 The tribune answered, “I bought this citizenship for a large sum.” Paul said, “But I am a citizen by birth.” 29 So those who were about to examine him withdrew from him immediately, and the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him.
As they were about to flog Paul, which isn’t a nice experience. Paul asked them, is it legal, lawful for you to flog a Roman citizen and one who hasn’t even been found guilty?
That got their attention, you see if they had carried that out, and been found guilty of treating Paul wrongly, well they would experience the same treatment under their own law.
So the soldier reports it to the Tribunal,to Lysias, who was commander of the Roman garrison in Jerusalem.
Now Lysias doesn’t know what to think, He asks Paul, did you buy this? Lysias tells Paul he bought his for a large sum.
You see Claudius, Emperor of Rome had allowed so much corruption, that even citizenship's were able to be purchased. In times previous, it was only awarded to special or distinguished people who had faithfully served or protect the Kingdom.
But Paul ensures Lysias that his citizenship was natural, citizenship was his birthright.
And with that, the men withdrew wanting nothing to do with Paul…
Lysias, he’s completely puzzled as well, here is Paul, a Jew and a citizen of Rome, what could he have done that the religious leaders of Jerusalem wanted him dead...
It really made no sense but Lysias wanted to find out and begins to make plans to speak with the religious leaders with Paul to sort it all out…
Verse 30 tells us Acts 22:30
30 But on the next day, desiring to know the real reason why he was being accused by the Jews, he unbound him and commanded the chief priests and all the council to meet, and he brought Paul down and set him before them.
So the commander, Lysias commanded those leaders come to him and bringing Paul before them.. He wanted to sort out what was happening...
Now lets look at verses 1-5 in Chapter 23 Acts 23:1-5
1 And looking intently at the council, Paul said, “Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day.” 2 And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. 3 Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you sitting to judge me according to the law, and yet contrary to the law you order me to be struck?” 4 Those who stood by said, “Would you revile God’s high priest?” 5 And Paul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’ ”
Paul, as a faithful servant, as he has always been, even when he played for the other team declared he has fulfilled his duty before God...
And at those words the High Priest ordered what was unlawful, thinking perhaps they speak and act for God ordered Paul to be punched in the mouth..
But Paul notices in their midst there are two religious groups there, the Pharisees and the Sadducees… and Paul cries out to His brethern.
6 Now when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.”
Well this started a debate unlike no other, you know why> The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection from the dead. Death was the end…they didn’t even beleive in spirits or angels. Which the Pharisees did by the way..
Lets look at verses 9-11
9 Then a great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees’ party stood up and contended sharply, “We find nothing wrong in this man. What if a spirit or an angel spoke to him?” 10 And when the dissension became violent, the tribune, afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him away from among them by force and bring him into the barracks.
11 The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.”
Do you see, the Pharisees stood with Paul, we find nothing wrong with him,.. They were divided and the arguing so intense that Lysias thought Paul might be harmed so he had the soldiers bring him back into the barracks...
Now that night, the Lord Jesus stood with Paul, and listen to his words
11 The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.”
In the midst of all that had happened to Paul over the last couple of days, where was it all leading? The Lord takes time to stand with him and assure him that Paul was there for His divine purposes.
Above all else, be courageous… take courage is to be able to face and deal with danger or fear without flinching...
So many times we are called to Stand strong, be courageous, to be of good cheer…
The call is to stand strong the Lord has you regardless of what you see the world threatening ...
I am often reminded of John 16:33
33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Why should we fear if Jesus has already faced our worst and now has promised to never leave us or forsake us.
We can stand my friends because Jesus stand with us..
The other key word here is Testify… All that had happened is because of the testimony he had delivered about Jesus. And he was to keep on declaring the name of Jesus no matter what he faced.
This was Paul’s calling and it is ours as well, until we go to him or he comes to us. The world needs to hear about Jesus.
The people might have rejected Paul, but God hadn’t
The world might reject you for being a Christian in some places, But God hasn’t, in fact he has received you as His own child, as a prized possession…
He has called you, committed unto you the message of the gospel to share with others and then, He is coming to bring you home with Him.
How great is that...
God loves us and no matter what the world thinks, what God thinks is all that matters, so then Live for God!
Your faithfulness does not go unnoticed before God...
Do you have trouble, difficulty being strong and courageous in the world you live?
And if you do, if fear hurts your witness, if the lack of courage keep you from living and telling..
You can start over today, you can tell the devil you are not accepting his fear, you are not putting up with the spirit of doubt he brings to our lives and Jesus is going to stand with us. And he will help us.
Today, if you say, that has been me… today, come to this altar and pray for courage, pray for peace and strength to stand and be faithful for the one who has loved you from the foundation of the world.
Lets pray