Standing for the Hope of Christ

Acts 23:1-11

Introduction

Brian “Head” Welch wanted to die.

He began his career as co-founder and lead guitarist of the heavy rock band Korn here in Bakersfield. Even though he was essentially a millionaire, Welch’s life was marked by emptiness and substance abuse. He struggled with suicidal thoughts and credited his daughter for being the only reason he wanted to live.

Long story short, in 2005 he gave his life to Jesus Christ and his life was instantly changed. Not only did see the change from within himself, his fellow bandmembers did too, and they did not like it one bit.

You see they were at the height of their career and attaining worldly success, everything was going well for them - that was until he got on this Jesus kick and went, in their words, “cuckoo”. Brian chose Jesus over the band and left shortly thereafter.

That band was not just his friends but basically his family as well.

While that was hard, he found that Christ was with him. He kicked his meth and alcohol addictions and started writing music to the glory of God. He actually reunited with Korn in 2013, with the understanding that he was now a Christian and that there would be boundaries to that end.

You see, Brian did not know what would come next when he chose to follow Jesus over those closest to him. He endured criticisms from his friends. But he chose to stand for Christ even though it was hard. While Brian was standing for Christ, he could have the courage that Christ was standing with him.

In the world we live in, truly living for Christ is very difficult because the world does not applaud you. In fact, the world will despise you. However, we can take comfort that Jesus has promised that he will be with us, even until the end of the age.

Just as it was with Brian, so it is with you:

As you stand with Christ, you can take courage that Christ will stand with you.

By standing for the sake of Christ…

1.) Live your life before God by maintaining a good conscience. (v.1)

Explain

Paul was arrested by the tribune in the Temple as the Jews accused him of bringing a Gentile into the Temple.

Paul made his defense to them, giving them His testimony about how God saved him through Jesus Christ, but then was thrown into uproar when he said he was called by God to the Gentiles.

The tribune turned Paul over to a centurion to be interrogated by flogging, but then stopped short once Paul revealed that he was a Roman Citizen

Now the tribune know that he must find out the reason another way and orders the Sanhedrin to meet together to give Paul a hearing.

Paul , addressing them as “brothers”, declares “I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day!

Paul uses this word a lot in his Epistles.

Romans 2:15 talks about Gentiles having the law written on their hearts while their conscience bears witness.

1 Timothy 1:5 “The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”

Conscience is the inner faculty that distinguishes right and wrong.

What do you mean good conscience? Does this mean that he had a good conscience when he breathing murderous threats and persecuting the people of God?

What he was merely doing here was declaring his innocence before them, that he had done nothing wrong in the eyes of the Sanhedrin. The way he did it was to say that he had a clear conscience.

The thing with conscience is that it can be calloused over time and seared. The idea comes from a branding iron cauterizing an animal hide, rendering it numb to further pain.

Pause

Illustrate:

In 1984, an Avianca Airlines jet crashed in Spain. Investigators studying the accident made an eerie discovery. The “black box” cockpit recorders revealed that several minutes before impact a shrill, computer synthesized voice from the plane’s automatic warning system told the crew repeatedly in English, “Pull up! Pull up!”

The pilot, evidently thinking the system was malfunctioning, snapped, “Shut up, Gringo!” and switched the system off. Minutes later the plane plowed into the side of a mountain. Everyone on board died.

Just as the pilots switched the warning system off, so it is a dangerous thing to live your life before God and switch your conscience off to the things of the world

(Pastor Roger saying there is nothing like a clear conscience months before he passed away.)

Apply:

How do we maintain a clear conscience?

a.) Just as the warning system was programed to alert the pilots at incoming danger, so our consciouses must be “programmed” by the Word of God.

Listen to Psalm 119:9–11

“How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”

b.) A second way is by renouncing hidden sin in your life.

Hebrews 12:1–2

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

The author of Hebrews is saying that sin holds us down from running the race, so let us throw it off. Get rid of anything that is keeping you from living an undivided life for Christ.

c.) Thirdly, pay attention to a guilty conscience. Stop, ask, “why am I feeling guilty?”

Perhaps you are watching a show where all of the sudden you don’t feel right watching it. If you cannot participate in something in which you can bring glory to God, then abstain from it!

Point repeated: Live your life before God by maintaining a good conscience.

Transition: In standing for the hope of Christ, we learn from this passage not only to maintain a good conscience by his grace, but we are also to...

2.) Respect the governing authorities as God’s institutions. (vv. 2-5)

Explain

Paul appeals to the Sanhedrin to hear him out, but as soon as he got those words out the High Priest Ananias ordered him to be struck on the mouth! Not just a light tap, but a full on blow.

Interesting enough, this is the third Ananias mentioned in the book of Acts.

There is Ananias and Sapphira who both were killed by God for their deception.

Then there was Ananias to whom Jesus appeared in a vision, to pray over Saul and to heal him of his blindness.

Also there is the High Priest Annas that is mentioned in the book of Acts, so it’s not him either!

This Ananias was known to be a cruel and violent person. Though he was a High Priest, he basically was a thug. He was also very pro-Roman, which caused the Jews to hate him. When the Jewish rebellion happened close to when the Temple was destroyed, it is said that angry mobs hunted Ananias down and killed him.

In this case we see his violent tendencies on display as the guard walks up to him and basically backhands him on the mouth.

Then Paul, his mouth probably bloodied, retorts back, “God is going to strike YOU, you whitewashed wall!!”

This is similar to when Jesus said the same thing of the religious leaders in Matthew 23, called them hypocrites who resembled whitewashed tombs which were beautiful and put together on the outside, but were filled with rotting corruption like dead men’s bones on the inside.

He then adds that are hypocrites because they are judging him according to the law, but then breaking the law by striking him.

Those standing next to Paul are shocked at the way Paul is talking, asking him, “are you seriously going to revile the High Priest?”

Paul’s response is interesting, because he says, “I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest...”

Then he quotes Exodus 22:28 ““You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people.”

What Paul? You did not know he was the high priest!? How could you NOT know that?!

Few possibilites:

a) Bad eyesight - Galatians 6:11 “See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand.”

b) Was meant to be sarcastic - I didn’t know he was the high priest! He sure wasn’t acting like one!

c)Most likely - he really did not know Ananias was the high priest because he had been away for a while, also the fact the meeting was called together so quickly might have not been wearing the garments of the high priest.

Paul quickly shifts gears upon realizing he was overstepping biblical principles.

Pause

Illustration: David always showed King Saul respect as the King of Israel even though he knew that he was the rightful King. There were times where he could have easily killed Saul, but chose to not lay a hand on him because he was God’s anointed.

Ronald Reagan was nearly assassinated during his presidency by being shot at point blank while climbing into his limbo. The man was quickly subdued and President Reagan was immediately rushed to the hospital. As he was being moved into the emergency room he said to the doctors, “I hope you all are Republicans!”

The surgeon smiled and replied, “Mr. President, today we all are Republicans.” The surgeon himself being a registered Democrat.

Application:

We are to respect the position of authorities above us, even if they are morally corrupt.

This doesn’t mean that we never speak up. Certainly there are times where we must speak out against the authorities.

Example of teacher telling her students to pledge allegiance to the Pride Flag.

We must also be praying for those in authority, especially if they are immoral.

1 Timothy 2:1–2 “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.”

Point reiterated: Respect the governing authorities as God’s institutions.

Transition: So far we learned from Paul’s example that we are to stand for the sake of Christ by living our lives with a good conscience, respecting governing authorities, and...

3.) Stake your claim on the hope of the Resurrection. (vv.6-10)

Explain

Jesus tells his disciples

Luke 21:12–15 “... they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake. This will be your opportunity to bear witness. Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict.”

I bring this up because of what was to take place next.

Paul already can tell that he is not going to get a fair trial after being essentially punched in the face after he only got one sentence out.

Paul perceives that the Sanhedrin is made up of Sadducees and Pharisees, he understands that they have a deep hatred for each other even though they are sitting in the same room together.

So he cries out, “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!”

By saying this he was pouring gasoline on an already smoldering fire!

That which caused them deep division was brought to the forefront.

Why?

Because the Sadducees were like the theological liberals of their day, they only believed that the first five books of the Bible (the Torah/the Pentateuch) were inspired by God. Therefore they did not believe, as it says in v.8, in the resurrection, angels, or spirits.

The Pharisees, on the other hand, did believe the whole of the Old Testament and believed in all of those things.

Immediately there was intense arguing and even the side of the Pharisees rose up and said similar to what was said of Jesus, “We find nothing wrong with this man!” What if a spirit or angel DID speak to him?!”

Notice they nearly come short of defending Paul completely!!

After they said this things escalate to the point of violence and the tribune, Claudius Lysias, has to rush in to rescue Paul yet again from being torn limb from limb!!The soldiers took Paul out of their by force and placed him back into the barracks.

Now I don’t believe Paul merely brought up the Resurrection of the dead (the Resurrection of Christ) merely to get out of an unfair hearing. This certainly worked in his favor, but notice that he connects this with the party of the Pharisees, declaring that the hope he has based on Resurrection of Jesus is a continuation of God’s promises already given in the OT.

He killed three birds with one stone. On one hand he realized he was not going to get a fair trial, on the other he knew how to rile the Sanhedrin up, thirdly, he was able to stake his claim on the hope of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. He made that a priority to put that front and center.

Pause

Illustration: Think of the times the American flag was used to stake our claim: the Battle of Iwo Jima, the first man on the moon, 9/11.

Like wise we need to stake our claim on the hope of Jesus’ Resurrection.

Because he has risen, he have hope.

He has defeated sin and death, he has secured us a future with him in eternity. Our entire faith is founded upon this essential truth!

We don’t stake our claim when times are good and when it is easy to be a Christian, but especially when it is hard to be a Christian.

Application:

My encouragement to you is to boldly declare your faith.

I see too many Christians not talk about what they believe because it might make things uncomfortable. What if so and so gets mad at me, etc. We almost end up apologizing for what we believe.

We have the most precious possession of all and sadly many Christians do not share it with others.

Many read about Paul and Christians that have given their lives for the sake of the Gospel like Jim Elliot and Nate Saint, and think that’s what they were called to but not me.

Somehow we got in our minds that God wants us to have a cushy life, one without problems and suffering.

If persecution were to suddenly break out in this country, sadly very good portion of professing Christians in America would fold.

Transition: But don’t let that be you! Be willing to follow to Jesus even if that means persecution. This leads to my last point…

4.) Take courage in God’s sovereign plan for your life. (v.11)

Explain:

It says the following night Jesus stood by him.

Telling him to take courage or be courageous.

The reason is that he is unveiling His purpose for him: “for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.”

This shapes Paul’s journey for the rest of the book of Acts. No matter what comes Paul’s way he can take courage that God will fulfill his purpose in his life. And it wasn’t that he was going to live a comfortable life, we know from history that he was to beheaded under the reign of Nero. Bu the fact didn’t change that as Paul stood for the sake of Christ, testifying about him and staking his hope on His Resurrection, Christ stood with him.

Application:

We as well can be certain that, as God’s children, God will fulfill his promise in us. The road will not be easy, in fact it may get more difficult. Being a Christ follower is not for the faint of heart, because it takes courage.

There will be times where you be discouraged and maybe even feel distant from God. What you must do is to pray that God would give you the courage to tell your loved ones about Him, your friends, etc.

We have no promise that society will never turn on Christians. If your faith became illegal, would you have the courage to stand up for the truth?

Conclusion

I ask Christ for this one thing only, that He will enable me to endure all things courageously, and that He break me as a potter’s vessel or make me strong, as it pleases Him.

Ulrich Zwingli