Acts 21:37-22:16

God’s word.

Acts 20:32 “And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”

Gods word is the source of spiritual understanding, faith, fulfillment. God is able to speak into your life, in the middle of whatever you are going through, and build you up.

Are you in the the middle of trial? Be in the Bible.

Psalm 119:50 “This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.”

Gods word, His promise sustains us.

Psalm 119:28 “My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word!”

Gods word is our strength.

The Bible is God’s book, His word…if it is God’s word, we should be consuming every single bit of it.

Here is a tool to encourage you. R.E.A.D.

Ready yourself- Prepare your heart and mind before you read. God is wanting to speak to you, are you ready?

Engage- Get into His word, be fully present in your reading time. Give Him all of your attention when you read.

Apply- What He reveals to you, apply to your life. Apply to your heart. This is why we need to be ready to listen….

Desire- Hunger for more, thirst for more… trust Him to fill you and build you up. This is a daily desire.

Acts 21:37-22:16

Paul had just been beat, is currently in chains between two Roman Soldiers, carried up the steps into the barracks…falsely accused, in danger of being blamed for the uproar. The Crowds all the while shouting “Away with him!”

This chant was not a chant of get him out of here, it was away with him from the this world. The mob wanted Paul dead…

Acts 21:37–39 “As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune, “May I say something to you?” And he said, “Do you know Greek? Are you not the Egyptian, then, who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?” Paul replied, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no obscure city. I beg you, permit me to speak to the people.””

Paul politely asks permission to speak to the commander.

Paul waits, and before he was carried away Paul politely asks to have a conversation with the commander.

Much to the commanders surprise, Paul asks in Greek…shocking information for the commander.

For 2 reasons. One: Paul knew Greek. 2: Paul asked politely.

So what He said, and How he said it mattered.

What you say and how you say it….matters.

The commander had thought that Paul was a terrorist from Egypt.

There was an Egyptian man that led 4k men to the mount of Olives, where he declared that they were going to take over the temple mount. The Roman soldiers made quick work of the men, but never found the leader.

The commander was under the impression that Paul was this missing leader, and was surprised to hear “Can I speak to you” in Greek.

Paul was not a desperate criminal crying out help me, he was not overreacting shouting to defend himself…Paul was calm, collected and acted like a decent human being.

You can be wronged, and still be polite. You can be beat, and still lead with Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Gentleness, Faithfulness and self control.

The Fruit of the Spirit.

The commander was now able to learn the truth…the truth that came in still voice.

Paul revealed that he was no terrorist from Egypt…but that he was a Jew from Tarsus of Cilicia…no mean city.

His citizenship proved to the commander that Paul was not there to cause trouble.

Paul is safe and secure in God’s stronghold. Paul was built up by God’s word, and found that God had definition and purpose for him.

When the enemy throws chaos and confusion at you, stand firm in God’s Truth and peace.

Someone get’s angry with you…defuse it with peace and self control…

Paul knew where he was from, and his citizenship saved him.

When it gets hard, and you feel lost, or without hope remember that in Christ you have heavenly citizenship. You are from this Earth, but not of…

some times all you have to do is know that Jesus is preparing a place for you where have eternal citizenship in Heaven with Him. Find hope and peace in that! Know that heaven is waiting….

Revelation 21:3–8 “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.””

We get a glimpse of what Heaven is going to be like…just a small, wonderful taste of what God’s people await…then there is a warning for those who are not God’s people….

For Paul Citizenship mattered. It saved him….the same is true for us. Who we belong to matters…and will save us.

Its also worth taking note that as christians, we dont have to get loud to defend ourselves, Like Paul didn’t shout for justice…calm word’s spoken in Truth was all that was needed.

There is also a great opportunity, great power in the question: “Hey…can Speak to you for a moment?”. Spoken with peace, and politeness.

When your spouse says something to you, bringing up something hard…listen to what they have to say, and then wait until you can ask to talk about it calmly…

When you are hanging out with your buddies, or co workers and your faith comes up (It should) a simple “Hey can I talk to you about that for a moment?”

Not everyone is going to be stubborn to those moments where we can share about our faith…lean into those moments, and discern when to go ahead.

God and His word will help you discern these moments. Often times what I read and my time spent in reflection and prayer with God will come out in conversations, or speak to a questions someone asks me. God’s timing is perfect, let’s spend more of our time with Him.

Acts 21:40 “And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great hush, he addressed them in the Hebrew language, saying:”

The commander is now convinced! Truth has won again! Paul is now given the chance he asked for, to speak to the people. To give a response to the people who had just beat him, hurt him, wrongly accused him…

In the middle of all that…Paul has the presence of Mind to do one thing…Preach the Gospel.

Lets really try and put ourselves in that situation…a couple people saw you dedicating yourself to the Lord, interrupted you during it, laid hands on you and got a whole bunch of people to throw you down and beat you, trying to kill you. Shouting all kinds of lies while doing so…then to your surprise what saves you is getting arrested…that somehow the ruckus is looking like to be your fault…and you get carried away about to be taken inside…then a door opens for you to speak, and praise be to God you clear yourself of being charged of terrorism and now have a chance to respond to the people…remember Paul begged to speak to the people…this was urgent.

It was urgent to Paul to share the gospel…but how? After all that…after all that wrong, can someone get up and keep going…by faith In Jesus Christ, and with the power of the Holy Spirit.

Do you want that? Do you desire to reflect Jesus like that? Then you have to welcome trial, and you have to open yourself up to God with everything you got in you. You have to read like your life depended on it, and trust me it does. You have to pray like that is the only thing that satisfies your soul….Jesus saved your spiritual life! It still needs care, and nourishment. This is done through reading and praying. Your worship to God is your desire to know Him, respond to Him and live in accordance to what He tells you…all of that is wrapped up in our reading and praying.

You want God to do a deeper work in your life? GO deeper in His word….surrender more in prayer. Offer up everything until all that is left is God’s complete will.

Paul switches from Greek to Hebrew now…

relating to who you are speaking with. Paul spoke Greek to a Roman, and Hebrew to the Jew.

Know your audience! What you say and how you say it matters.

You need discernment to know what and when and how to share…you don’t copy and paste…

The crowd is now hushed, and all that is on Pauls heart is to share the gospel with these people.

We need to share the gospel to people we love, to people we struggle to love, to people who hurt us, the Gospel message is for everyone.

Your first thought reveals your true heart….

What’s the first thing that pops in your head when someone hurts you? Or when they don’t listen to you?

Is it fruit of the Holy Spirit or flesh?

Paul stands before them beaten and bruised…

Paul is good with bruises because those heal….

Paul is good with death because it’s the doorway to Glory! He is convinced!!!

Preach the Gospel!

Live the Gospel!

Let God use His word to help you become more like His Son Jesus…to give you such understanding and clarity that you live into your created purpose as His child. Citizens of His kingdom.

Paul is operating from this! He has been radically changed by Jesus and he is not threatened by worldly things. He is convinced that Jesus is the Way the Truth and the Life! His life shows this!

Are we convinced? Does our life show this? Can we share about love when all we get is hate? Can we look at the people who bring us harm, spew lies and see children of God, lost…in need of a Savior? LOVE! Paul is seeing as the father sees!

And he is going to show us how and why…

Acts 22:1–2 ““Brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now make before you.” And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet. And he said:”

Paul first grabs their attention, addressing them as brother’s and fathers. Showing a deep love for them and declaring a great love for them.

showing by not giving in, declaring by calling them family.

Paul is saying: You see me as enemy and want me dead…I see you as brother and sister and want you made alive in Christ!

Paul is locked in right now…he knows who he is by God’s grace, and God has filled his heart and consumed all the areas that Paul surrendered and from that Paul is operating in purpose.

Its time to lock in…its time to be serious…Let God give you purpose…love Him, and those around you.

Paul preaches the Gospel from the overflow of God’s love…surrendered to God and His will.

Acts 22:3–5 ““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. I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, 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.”

Paul identifies with the people. I am like you…I thought like you and in some ways, he was more zealous than you.

Paul followed through to beating those who followed the Way to death. The same Way that God is advancing with Paul.

He killed both men and women…

Want proof? Go ask the High Priest, the whole council…they will bear witness

In fact the council gave me orders to go as far as Damascus to bring back Christians to Jerusalem to be punished.

Paul is sharing his testimony.

You have a story to tell, and a StoryTeller to share about. God has redeemed you…cleansed you…and saved you…while you were His enemy…How much more will He equip you to share now that you are His child?

Acts 22:6–16 ““As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone around me. And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ And I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’ Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me. 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.’ 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. “And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, 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. 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; for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard. And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’”

Paul gets to the good part…something about this trip was different…Paul would encounter Jesus.

Paul, who was then Saul…was operating in his truth…affirmed by like minded people…and was causing great harm to the people…until the light of Jesus Christ and a voice from Heaven stepped in.

Paul goes into great detail, to help the people see…he testifies about the light of Jesus Christ.

This path that Saul was on, his truth…was wrong. Only by the light of Jesus Christ would he know this…for it revealed Saul’s sin…

Jesus reveals our sinful state to us…showing us that we were wrong and we need saving.

Saul met Jesus on the path that was hurting him…and the light of Christ exposed Sin, and revealed Jesus as Lord…others witness this, saw the light but did not understand the voice.

When Jesus changes us, people around us will see it…but only those who have experienced what we have will understand it…

in Paul’s blindness, he found Spiritual Sight…

Our own path, apart from God…is harmful to us, and we are blind to it…until we encounter Jesus and Truth is revealed. Everything about Saul was changed by Jesus, He was made new! Saul was now Paul…

You dont need to change your name, just Let God change your nature…let Him transform you from the inside out.

God has something appointed for each of us, and sometimes we need to be led by others to see it.

Paul was as new christian and needed help…this was each of us, I needed someone to walk with me in the bible to help guide me to the Father.

In Paul’s case, God used the devout Jew Ananias. Well known and respected. Ananias was obedient to God, and was used to help Paul.

God uses us, those who love Him, to encourage and help those around us. Help hurts sometimes to…are you ready for it?

Ananias knew of Saul, and how damaging he was…and called him brother…

In the middle of the hurt, Ananias acknowledges Paul the same way Paul acknowledges the mob…as kin.

Paul receives forgiveness, identity, and mission from Jesus.

From this, Paul is sharing the Gospel. The power of Christ. That if Paul, the most zealous Jew can come to see, so could you.

Let the light of Christ reveal all that you need to surrender, repent, confess…let His word soak deep within your hearts.

Paul is sharing this with a body bruising up, sharing it to people he loves…who showed hate.

Get into God’s word, let Him shape you and fill you. Let the light of His word reveal things in you that need to be surrendered, or things you need to repent of…and from His word let Him lead you into green pasture, and into stillness and peace. Stand firm from His truth…from the overflow of His love share the gospel!