We’re Still Standing (94th Church Anniversary).

Text:

Acts 26:22 KJV

Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:

There are five notable sections of within this text that I want to deal with.

I. How Paul deals with trouble.

Paul is standing before King Agrippa, bound in chains and is facing trouble.

The reason Paul is in trouble is because of his testimony and his witness. Paul had been preaching and testifying of Christ crucified and risen from the dead.

Many of his friends and colleagues whom he once ran with, prior to his salvation has now turned against him. Hmmm sounds very familiar doesn’t it?

Paul who beforehand was named Saul was a chief enemy of the church. But after the Lord had mercy on him, the one who was a chief enemy became a chief ally. Let me stop to say that if God can save Saul of Tarsus, forgive him of his many wrongs and sins, give him new life, change his name and give him a fresh start, then the God that I serve is able to save anybody!!!

Chapter 21 Paul returns to Caesarea after a missionary journey from Ephesus. While there a prophet by the name of Agabus came down from Judea and takes Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, “This is what the Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’

The Bible then says that the disciples began to beg Paul not to go to Jerusalem in which Paul proclaims “I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus”. Trouble was heading his way, yet his faith was unshakeable. See there are some troubles that come in life that God wants you to face it head on.

This is what is wrong with the church today…..WE HAVE LOST OUR VOICE!!! We are so busy compromising, so busy shouting and ignoring what is going on in the world, we have salvation and we no longer care that our neighbor is on their way to the lake of fire, our friends, and even our very family members while you shouting and speaking in tongues, you have family members, that you won’t open your mouth to that will go into judgement because YOU ARE SCARED TO FACE TROUBLE HEAD ON!!!

Now here it is, the devil is attacking the church, he’s attacking your family, he’s attacking your family, has you intimidated and you won’t open your mouth. And here it is some of us are in the CHURCH, WE ARE AT CHURCH AND WE ARE SCARED TO OPEN OUR MOUTHS IN THE CHURCH. IF YOU CAN’T OPEN YOUR MOUTH IN THE CHURCH OF ALL PLACES….MY GOD THEN THE DEVIL REALLY HAS YOU BOUND!!

YOU NEED TO PUT YOUR FOOT DOWN AND REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE THE CHILD OF THE KING AND YOU HAVE RIGHTS AND I HAVE A RIGHT TO OPEN MY MOUTH, I HAVE A RIGHT TO PRAISE HIM, I HAVE A RIGHT TO TALK ABOUT MY FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN, I HAVE A RIGHT TO MAKE MY BOAST IN THE LORD, I HAVE A RIGHT TO TALK ABOUT THE PERSON THAT LOVED ME WHEN I DIDN’T LOVE MYSELF, THAT FORGAVE ME AND GAVE ME ANOTHER CHANGE, THAT SHED HIS BLOOD FOR ME AND PURCHASED MY SALVATION WITH HIS BLOOD……ALL THE BOLD SAINTS OPEN YOUR MOUTH AND TELL SOMEONE I HAVE RIGHTS!!!! BECAUSE I’M HIS CHILD.

Paul is not swayed, because it might look one way…..but sometimes God allows trouble to come your way in order for doors of opportunity to come open……ahhhh yall missed that. You might lose your job only for God to bless you with something better. You might lose your friend only for God to open your eyes and you realize if you kept going down that road it could have cost you your life.

So now Paul goes to Jerusalem and meets with the elders, they tell Paul there are rumors going around that the Jewish believers in Jerusalem had been told that you are teaching all Jews who live among Gentiles to turn their backs on the laws of Moses. They have said that you have told them not to circumcise their children or follow other Jewish customs…..and then they ask “what should we do?” We know that many Gentiles have been saved by your preaching but brother you are in trouble how do we deal with this trouble. They will find out that you are here and act on it.

So they came up with a plan, they had four men who had completed their nazarite vow (verse 23) they said go with them and join in with them in the purification ceremony, paying for them to have their heads ritually shaved, then everyone will know that the rumors are all false and that you yourself observe the Jewish laws.

Because the fact remains that sometimes when you try to do the right thing people will lie on you and they will twist the story. Paul said “when I would do good, evil is always present.”

Is there anyone in here that has tried to live saved, tried to live sanctified but been lied on since they’ve been saved? There have been people who have viciously lied on me, they probably lied on some of you too…..but testify to someone and tell them “We’re Still Standing!”

Today we celebrate, because they lied on Bishop Jones, they lied on Pastor Ingram, they lied on Bishop Adkins, they’ve lied on the church, they’ve talked about our church, they said our church would die, they said the church would no longer grow, they said it was over for us, the enemy tried to come in amongst us and wreck havoc, the enemy tried to kill some of you on the bus, he tried to disrupt your lives by the bus accident, the enemy tried to disrupt the legitimacy of the church by having one of our own commit a heinous crime, we’ve had people leave our church and talk about us, we’ve had people leave our church and tried to pull our members……BUT BY THE GRACE OF GOD WE’RE STILL STANDING!!! Come on and celebrate for a moment…..you deserve it…..come on and give God praise HE DESERVES IT…..GRAB SOMEONE BY THE HAND AND CELEBRATE WITH THEM AND TELL THEM NEIGHBOR….BY THE GRACE OF GOD WE’RE STILL STANDING!!!! THE DEVIL TRIED TO KNOCK ME DOWN BUT I’M STILL STANDING, THE DEVIL TRIED TO KILL ME BUT I’M STILL STANDING, THE DEVIL THREW EVERYTHING BUT THE KITCHEN SINK….BUT BY GOD’S GRACE AND BY HIS STRENGTH AND POWER…..WE’RE STILL STANDING!!!

I need to cut across the field to tell you how to face your troubles head on. Paul ends up getting arrested at the temple….the prophecy was starting to come to past. The accusations against Paul the lies leaked out into the city and the scriptures declare in verse 30 that a riot ensued. They grabbed Paul and dragged him out of the Temple and the gates were closed behind him. They were going to kill Paul, they started beating Paul but a Roman commander caught wind of what was happening and came to Paul’s rescue.

The Bible then declares that the crowd became so violent that they had to put Paul on their shoulders and escort him to safe while the mob is chanting behind them “Kill Him”. But Paul speaks to the commander and convinces the commander to let him have a word with the people. WHAT!?!?

So how does Paul deal with his problem….he grabs his testimony and shares his testimony with the very ones who are trying to kill him. Sometimes, to deal with your problem all it takes is for you to reach back and grab a testimony of something that the LORD has done for you!

So now in chapter 23 Paul is standing before the Jewish Council, Paul wittingly pits the Pharisees against the Sadduceeds resulting in a near riot in which the Roman commander ordered his soldiers to pull him out. And the Bible says in verse 11 that the Lord that night, appeared to Paul. Do you hear me this morning the Lord showed up while he was in trouble, the Lord showed up while he was discouraged. Why do you say he was discouraged? Because if you read everything he went through and if you went through what he went through you would be discouraged too. YES MEN OF GOD GET DISCOURAGED TOO….but thank God….that the Lord has a way of showing up. Jesus said “Be encouraged, Paul. Just as you have been a witness to me here in Jerusalem, you must preach the Good News in Rome as well.”

See yall missed it, Paul thought he was going to die in Jerusalem, but God says the trouble that you are in right now is only opening a door of opportunity for you.

So the next day, 40 men took a vow not to eat nor drink until they killed Paul, they were going to lie in wait to ambush Paul but word got back to Paul’s nephew who told the commander and they shipped Paul out at 9 o’clock at night with 200 spearmen and 70 mounted troops. When the enemy sets a trap for you, God will make a way of escape for you…..you must believe that when trouble comes….God will make a way. Come on a flex your faith muscle and tell someone God will make a way!!!!

So now Paul appears before the governor Felix, who brings him to King Agrippa…..I can’t cover all the story, you’ll have to go home and read it for your self.

Chapter 26 our text and we’re closing. King Agrippa tells Paul that he may speak his defense in which Paul says “I think myself happy, king Agrippa. WHAT!?!? How can you think yourself happy, while you are in chains, how can you think yourself happy when you have trouble in your life, how can you think yourself happy when you are possibly looking to face death face to face. I tell you how, your TESTIMONY!!!!

See one of the reasons why some people have lost their joy is because they have forgotten their testimony. You’ve got caught in the moment, you’ve got duped by the devil. The situation that you’re in has blindsided you and now you have forgotten about your testimony.

But no, no, no, not Paul….Paul jesters with his hand he is excited that he is given a chance to share his testimony and he shares it unapologetic, he shares it not ashamed or embarrassed, and some of you are missing your blessing because you won’t share your testimony. It is Paul’s testimony that extended his life, it is his testimony that brought him before great people and kings.

Does not the scripture declare that they over came him (the serpent….the dragon, by the blood of the lamb and by their TESTIMONY!!! Brother, sister, you gotta start opening your mouth because when you open your mouth and start telling your testimony the favor of God will begin to rest on you….doors will start to open for you!!!!

II. Paul’s testimony

Paul begins to have church right there in the throne room. He tells Agrippa about his past, how he persecuted the church, how he was doing things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth, how he had saints shut up in prison, how he signed their death warrants and gave voice for them to be put to death, how he punished them to get them to renounce the name of Jesus and to blaspheme, he persecuted them so much that chased them to strange cities.

But then one day WHILE HE WAS IN THE MIDST OF HIS MESS…..OH GOD….THAT SOUND LIKE SOME OF US IN HERE. IS THERE ANY WITNESSES OUT THERE THAT’S NOT ASHAMED OF THEIR TESTIMONY THAT THE LORD CAUGHT YOU IN THE MIDST OF YOUR MESS!!! HE COULD HAVE KILLED YOU, COULD HAVE PUT YOU IN HELL, BUT HE HAD MERCY ON YOU, HE KEPT YOU WHILE YOU WERE MESSING UP AND CHANGED YOUR TRAJECTORY IN LIFE. HE TURNED YOU FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT, AND FROM THE POWER OF SATAN UNTO GOD SO THAT YOU COULD RECEIVE FORGIVENESS OF SINS AND INHERITANCE AMONG THEM WHICH ARE SANCTIFIED BY FAITH IN HIM!!

PAUL THEN SAID “I WAS NOT DISOBEDIENT UNTO THE HEAVENLY VISION” BUT HE BEGAN TO PREACH JESUS HIMSELF AND THAT PEOPLE SHOULD REPENT AND TURN TO GOD, AND O WORKS MEET FOR REPENTANCE! AND SAINTS OF GOD THAT IS WHY SOME PEOPLE DON’T LIKE US…..THEY HATE US FOR WHAT WE PREACH, THEY HATE US FOR WHAT WE STAND FOR AND SOME HAVE EVEN TRIED TO KILL US, SOME HAVE EVEN TRIED TO KILL THE CHURCH.

PAUL SAYS “FOR THESE CAUSES THE JEWS CAUGHT ME IN THE TEMPLE, AND WENT ABOUT TO KILL ME.”

BUT THEN HE SAYS THESE WORDS “HAVING THEREFORE OBTAINED HELP OF GOD!” THEY ONLY REASON WHY YOUR STILL HERE IS BECAUSE GOD HAS BEEN YOUR HELP. THE ONLY REASON WHY YOU DIDN’T LOSE YOUR MIND IS BECAUSE GOD HAS BEEN YOUR HELP, THE ONLY REASON YOU MADE IT, IS BECAUSE GOD HAS BEEN YOUR HELP, THE ONLY REASON WHY YOU’VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IS BECAUSE GOD HAS BEEN YOUR HELP.

BIBLEWAY THE REASON WHY WE’RE STILL STANDING IS BECAUSE GOD HAS BEEN OUR HELP……GOD IS MY REFUGE AND STRENGTH AND VERY PRESENT HELP IN TROUBLE!!!

HAVING OBTAINED HELP OF GOD I CONTINUE UNTO THIS DAY, WITNESSING BOTH TO SMALL AND GREAT!!!!