For Doing Right

Introduction

Palm Sunday - The Triumphant entry. .

The people were crying out in a loud voice, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

On that Friday, five days later, the people in Jerusalem are shouting again, but their message is drastically different: “crucify! crucify!”

And why? The Jewish leadership in Jerusalem was intimidated at how many people were following this man who had called them out for their hypocrisy. So, they lied about him, paid others to lie about him, until both the Jewish population and Roman officials were ready to put him to death.

Jesus is the only one who could claim absolute innocence and yet how was he treated? Beaten, ridiculed, and crucified.

Jesus endured this so that we could receive forgiveness of our sins.

But, as Jesus suffered, so we also see how other believers through history have suffered.

Namely, Paul.

Ignored Evidence

Last week, when Paul arrived in Jerusalem - the false accusations and the plan of James to silence the liars.

But, at the end of those seven days, when Paul was going to go pay for their offering, something happened.

It didn’t matter what Paul had done. Remember he had taken a collection to help the hurting people in Jerusalem?

Yeah, they didn’t.

They even create more lies about him on the spot!

The contentious culture that we live in today, where the mudslinging between Ross Perot, George Bush, and Bill Clinton now seems quaint.

We live in an argumentative society. From social media to the news or our own families.

We as the church are called to be different. To stand for truth.

We need to be very careful about what we say, about what we post (or re-post).

Unlikely Rescue

Paul was seized and they were attempting to kill him.

And who comes to his aid? The Tribune of the Cohort. A Roman guard.

God sometimes will use an unlikely source to rescue us.

A bird flying south for the winter.

Sometimes, we don’t realize the good that is being done for us.

This particular helper will be with Paul for several chapters to come!

God will use unlikely sources to meet our needs.

Are you looking for it? Ready to receive what God sends your way?

Consistently Loud

Loud is going to be loud.

Even when the people didn’t even know what they were there for! (v. 34)

They were just there to be loud.

Interviews at a rally… people don’t really know. They just want to scream.

It’s something about life, isn’t it? sometimes people are just going to be loud.

We can’t let loud win. Instead, we want compassion to win.

Paul waits for his time to state truth.

There is the temptation to reply by being just as loud!

But not what will help. Instead a Christlike response.

Conclusion

All are in a battle.

This is not something new that we are the first to experience. Hardships.

Before Paul, Stephen.

Hardships.

The same pattern - false charges in .

Acts 7:59 ESV

And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

Acts 7:60 ESV

And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

A pattern set by Jesus Himself ().

Paul was in the same pattern.

Philippians 3:10–11 ESV

that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Are you willing to suffer for the one who suffered for you?

We shouldn’t be surprised when that suffering comes, but we know how to respond to it.

How do we glorify Jesus in it?