Acts 22:22-23:11

Devon Varnam

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If you are a Christ follower you will face trials and sometimes you will face trails because of the Gospel.

Last week we looked at how to respond to a hostile world by looking at Paul respond to the Hostile situation he was in.

Paul tells his story of how he came to Christ. While bound in chains and standing before the crowd of Jews who have just attacked him..

In the

As we look at our country we see many people hurting. We see many who are going through trials.

It seem like in ministry you go through seasons as a church where you go from one trial to another.

This year so far it seems our church members are going from one trial to the next.

So how do we handle trails and adversities in a hostile world?

When Paul told them that God had called him to go to the gentiles we pick up in verse 22

Let’s see how Paul handles this Trail.

Today we are going to see Paul

Acts 22:22–23 ESV

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,

Acts 22:22–23 ESV

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.” And as they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air,

Seems like Paul is going through a trial. It seems he is at a low point. We pick up in verse 22 and it does not seem it is getting in better.

The Jews raised their voices.

The Jews raised their voices after Paul says God called up to go to the Gentiles.

The Jews raised their voices.

Shouted Away with such a fellow from the earth

Shouted he should be allowed to live.

Threw their cloaks and flinged dust into the air.

They couldn’t stone him so they took their cloaks off and flug dust in the air as a symbol you are dead to us.

He is going through this trial because of the gospel.

Examples of this: Tim Teabowed was criticized because he would not have sex with his girlfriend before marriage. So she left him and the news media made it into a big thing.

As I have said the gospel is offensive.

In light of the gospel and the change that Jesus made in Paul’s life he was commanded to go to the Gentiles and share the gospel.

This was not a rejection of Paul as much as it was a rejection of the gospel to the Gentiles.

Acts 22:24–26 ESV

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. 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.”

The Commander still has not figured out what the commotion was all about.

At the uprising the Commander of the guard orders for Paul to be brought into the barracks and be examined by flogging.

Flogging is where they take a cat of 9 tails that has lead and nails and they would beat someone up to 40 lashes.

In flogging a lot of times the person would not be recognizable when finished. They could be dis-embowed.

This is the same flogging that Christ recieved in Matthew 27:26

They want to flog Paul to see if he will confess

Through our trials and pain a hostile world will watch to see how we handle it.

They want to examine Paul by flogging.

Those like Demetry in the book Insanity of God

Second, in our trials and pain we are like Christ.

Romand

Romans 8:28–29 ESV

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

Romans 8:28–29 ESV

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

The pain and suffering. The trial that you are going through is for your good if you are called according to His purpose.

Your pain and suffering, Your trail is not for nothing it service as a purpose. Your pain and your suffering according to verse 29 makes us more like Christ.

Sometimes we are most like Christ when we are at our weakest.

On the other side of this trial I would say I would never want to go through that trail again. But yes, because of that trial I am more like Christ. I am more loving, more compassionate, more humble.

On this

Sometimes we are most like Christ when we are at our weakest.

Acts 22:27–30 ESV

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. 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.

Paul is tied up about to be flogged by this man who is an expert in pain. Think Jack Baur back in the day on the show 24. Paul looks at him and in verse 26 Paul ask is it lawful for you to flog a Roman citizen who has not had a trial.

This Centurian went to the Commander of the guard and asked what he had done. Because if he had flogged Paul the Centurian could have been put to death.

Acts 22:27–29 ESV

So the tribune came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” And he said, “Yes.” The tribune answered, “I bought this citizenship for a large sum.” Paul said, “But I am a citizen by birth.” 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.

Acts 22:27-

The Commander comes to Paul ask about his citizenship and then brags about how he bought his Roman Citizenship.

You could become a Roman citizen but it cost a great deal of money.

You could in those days bribe officals and through the bribe become a Roman.

The Commander i

He assumes Paul is lying or has bribed someone as well.

Paul looks and tells him that he is a citizen by birth.

His father was a Roman citizen.

Upon learning this knowledge they where afraid because they had bound him

Verse 30 shows us the Commander curiosity of why the Jews where accusing him.

He is still trying to figure out who this guy is.

As one preacher said I picture his wife saying how are things going at work. And this Commander goes off and says I can’t figure who this guy named Paul is. The Jews want to kill him, I almost flogged him and then he tells me he is a Roman Citizen by birth.

So he calls a meeting, with the chief priest and all the council (Saddduccess and Pharisees) with Paul

Acts 23:

Acts 23:1–5 ESV

And looking intently at the council, Paul said, “Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day.” And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. 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?” Those who stood by said, “Would you revile God’s high priest?” 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.’ ”

In this meeting, Paul still refers to them with respect Brothers

He tells them he has lived his life in good conscience.

Paul is referring to his life after he met Jesus on the Damascus Road.

He looks at the Sanhedrin, his brothers and says I can say you I have a clean conscience. I lived a life worthy of my calling.

Paul in Philiipians 1:27 encourages the church to live a life worthy of Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Can you say as Paul that you are living a life of good conscience. That you are living a life worthy of the gospel of jesus Christ.

That you are living a life worthy of Jesus coming and paying the price for your sins.

I am not talking about being a good person. I am talking about how is your love affiar with Jesus. How are you loving your neighbor?

The high Priest Ananias commands that he be stroke on the mouth

This was illegal.

The stirke on the mouth was a hard blow to the head.

It is the same language they used when they attacked Paul in the temple and when they hit Jesus as recorded in the gospel of Matthew

Historians describe Ananias as Hot-tempered, profane, greedy

Thrid, in our trials we should not respond immediately or make rash decisions.

Calls the high priest whitewashed wall.

He was saying what is one the outside does not match what is on the inside.

He was saying you may look clean on the outside but the inside is unclean.

I know what some of you are saying. This guy had it coming. If I was in Paul’s situation I would have said a lot more.

Paul lost his cool. He didn’t follow Christ example here.

1 Peter 2:23 ESV

When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.

Many times we make people in the Bible to be super hero’s. But they are human like you and I. Even Paul.

Paul made a mistake. He sinned

He says they want to judge him by the law and yet they are not following the law

Matthew 18:21–22 ESV

21 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

I am not saying you should let someone run over you or take advantage of you. I am saying that when someone does wrong to you to forgive them and to be respectful.

He says they want to judge him by the law and yet they are not following the law

Double standard

They ask Paul why he is speaking agianst the High Priest

Paul says he didn’t know He was the High Priest.

Scholars have speculated why he didn’t know

Wasn’t official meeting and High Priest didn’t have robe on.

Paul’s eye sight was poor

Early in the morning and the room was poorly lit.

You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.

Many who are Christ followers should remember this.

We are to respect those that are in authority.

We should respect the office of President no matter the political Party

With Social Media, blogs, and videoing blogging it has become worse. Cowards who would never say something to someone man to man hide and use Social Media as a weapon.

If you will not say if face to face you should not say it or post it.

Notice he spoke to them with respect like last week. Now he is going to relate to them in verses 6-10

Acts 23:6–10 ESV

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.” And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all. 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?” 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.

Acts 23:6–9 ESV

Paul points out that he is Pharisee and that his father was a Pharisee.

Then tells them the reason he is on trial is because of the hope he has in the resurrection of Christ.

Notice where Paul hope is found.

Paul was accussed of bring gentiles into the temple. Now the Pharisees and Saducees are arguing over the resurrection.

The Pharisees beleived in the resurrection but the Sadducees didn’t.

So they begin to argue over these points. Some of the Pharisees then said that Paul is innocent because Paul could have heard from a spirit or angel.

Paul would later admit that he regretted turning the conversation the way he did.

The group became violent.

Have you ever seen in England or a foreign goverment become hostle and they start throwing chairs and such. That is what I picture here.

The commander is most likely now more fustrated. He still does not know what there problem with Paul is.

The guard take Paul back to the barricks before they can ripe him to pieces.

Acts 23:11 ESV

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.”

That night the Lord stood by him.

This is just Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, when Jesus stood by them.

The former African Slave Thomas Johnson who was trained in C.H Spurrgeon School of theology asked Spurgeon who do you think tied the hands of Sahdrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Spurgeon said the King. Thomas said no it was Jesus that allowed it to happen. Had they not gone into the furnace they would have never experienced God like they did.

Had Paul not went through this ordeal he would have missed out on having Jesus stand beside him that night.

Some of you are in a Storm had you not gone through the storm you find yourself in this morning you would not have experinced Jesus in the way that you are.

I want to remind you the Christ follower something.

Not only are you like Christ through your suffering. He is there standing beside you.

As Tony Merida said The same Christ that stood for you on the cross, is the same Christ that stands with you through trials.”

As you go through your trial and others may run. Christ is there standing with you.

As you go through your trial and you feel you can’t go on and are lonley I want to remind you that Christ is with you.

Christ has promised to never leave or forsake us.

Hebrews 13:5 ESV

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

That is a promise from God. We don’t have to worry or fret about being alone in our trails for God is with us.

In your trials you can call on the name of the Lord and he is there with you.

Because Christ is beside us we can take courage. That is what he tells Paul

We can have courage in the middle of our trials. We don’t have to be afraid. We don’t have to give into our fear.

We can be men and women of courage. No matter the trial.

Last, we see that Paul trail is not over. He is at the midway point.

Their was nothing they could do to Paul. His mission was not completed. God Promised Him that he would make it to Rome.

As Christ followers we can live our lives fearless even in the midst of the storm because they can’t lay a hand on us that is not allowed by Jesus.

They can’t end our journey early, because Jesus is the one who decides when we take our last breath.

Just because God is standing with you. Just because you have courage does not mean the trial is over.

For some of you your trial will continue. You may only be at the halfway point.

Paul job in the middle of his trial was to keep testify to those around him about Jesus.

I want to encourage you to keep testifing, keep being a witness, keep sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. Until the trumpet sounds or you breath your last breath. Because Jesus is with you dear saint.

In the middle of this trial Paul has leaned on Jesus because he was with him. He has shown courage as he has continued to speak the gospel in the face of persecution. And he has contineued to be a witness by his actions and words.

We must do the same in the middle of our trials. We must lean on Jesus as he stands beside us. We must show courage to keep fighting the fight and we must keep on being a witness.