Sermon Tone Analysis
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Introduction
As we have worked our way through the book of Acts there have been several times we have noted that we have an enemy.
When the child of God lives out the will of God as revealed in the Word of God, our enemy brings active opposition.
That is why I have chosen this picture for today’s message (S).
In we are commanded to put on the whole armor of God.
That is why I have chosen this picture.
Throughout the years that Christianity has existed it has been noted by commentators that the majority of our armor is defensive, not offensive.
Our armor is defensive because we have an enemy constantly attacking us.
Satan is not occasionally flicking half hearted darts against us!
On a daily basis he is sending specific targeted attacks!
Consider (S).
This is such a powerful passage.
We need to be on our guard, diligently watching because we have an adversary!
Don’t buy the lie that Christianity is supposed to be easy.
We have an opponent, an enemy.
Make no mistake!
Our adversary is out to devour us.
The enemy of our souls diligently seeks our destruction.
That is why we need armor.
Peter commands us to resist the devil.
We do not flee from our enemy.
We stand against him (S).
He rages and attacks, we stand firm in our faith.
We stand firm, knowing and believing that God can and will sustain us!
Put on the whole armor of God and stand against our enemy.
Our enemy is crafty.
He disguises himself as an angel of light.
He does not always attack directly.
He often uses others to attack for him.
That is what we will consider today.
When we are attacked, we are to stand against the devil.
We are to exercise self-defence.
This saga of Paul’s arrest and trial has been going on since ch.
21.
Today we will begin a study of his second encounter with the Spiritual leaders of Israel.
This passage reveals 3 requirements of Biblical self-defense.
We will only make it through 1 1/2 today.
Learning these requirements will better equip us to face persecution.
Growth and opportunities are found in the midst of persecution.
Requirement #1…
1. Self-Defense Requires Accusation vv.
1-9
We already mentioned that our enemy uses various means to attack.
In this ongoing story of how Paul gets to Rome, we have been examining an attack through the spiritual leaders in Jerusalem.
In this portion of the story we find them making accusations against Paul.
Later in the story we will find Paul defending himself.
For Paul to defend himself, there must first be an accusation.
There are two essential parts of an accusation.
The accuser and the actual accusation.
Therefore, if we are going to defend ourselves we must accomplish two goals.
Goal #1…
a. Disclose the accuser vv.
1-4
We need to know who is accusing us.
Paul has had several different accusers throughout the course of the this arrest.
Now we find out which of them are willing to come before the governor and bring their accusations against Paul.
READ v. 1
Paul is in the house of Felix for 5 days when the leaders from Jerusalem arrive.
With them is Tertullus a lawyer trained in rhetoric and speech.
The high priest, elders, and this man accuse Paul before the governor.
In order for us to have opportunities to defend ourselves, this is what has to happen.
There must be accusers.
From this verse we learn a valuable lesson.
Our enemy is organized and prepared.
He has the leaders and Tertullus all ready.
This is why we are told to put on the armor of God.
We need to be prepared!
This is why we are told to gather together more often as the return of Christ draws near.
We need to be organized!
Without proper preparation and organization we have no hope of standing against our enemy.
Turn to (p. 1306).
(p.
1306)
We are in a battle!
Wake up!
Cast off those works of darkness.
Put on your armor!
Walk as you have been called.
Put on Christ.
We have an enemy.
He is coming at us with everything he has (S)!
Be prepared.
READ vv.
2-3
Tertullus begins with flattery.
He credits the planning ability of Felix for their peace and prosperity.
The idea of this word “prosperity” is that Felix has made reforms that have improved life for everyone.
Last week we mentioned that history reveals Felix as a terrible governor.
Craig Keener writes
Although flattery was sometimes true, this example is blatantly false: revolutionaries had escalated under Felix’s corrupt and repressive administration, bringing neither peace nor reforms.
Although flattery was sometimes true, this example is blatantly false: revolutionaries had escalated under Felix’s corrupt and repressive administration, bringing neither peace nor reforms.
The bottom line is that the religious leaders of Jerusalem have brought a trained speaker to come and lie so they can get their way.
Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993), .
[1] Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993), .
The bottom line is that the religious leaders of Jerusalem have brought a trained speaker to come and lie so they can get their way.
Beloved.
This is the kind of opposition we will face.
This is the kind of opposition believers have faced since Christ walked this earth!
Our enemy is the father of lies!
He has lied since the beginning!
We need to be prepared for that kind of an attack.
The gist of verse 3 is “Oh Felix, you are so wonderful.
Thank you!”
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