Paul Speaks to the Crowd

HOOK

DO NOT FORGET TO UNMUTE

It’s the 4th day of February— THURSDAY— Jun Cruz & Aurelio Sisalvo

The other day right here at “The Message” we through the text about the arrest of apostle Paul— fully aware of the danger that awaits him in Jerusalem— he came back to Jerusalem against the advise of all his friends and fellow disciples— when he arrived in Jerusalem, James and other leaders of the church advised him to go along with the 4 men who vowed to purify themselves for God— by doing this, it will show to the Jewish community that he did not abandon his Jewish heritage— that made us wonder why Paul did what he was advised to do— was he afraid?— No— he did it in obedience to the Lord Jesus— to unify humanity— from this we learned:

WE MUST BE WILLING TO SET ASIDE CULTURES AND TRADITIONS TO UNIFY HUMANITY

THE ONLY THING THAT COUNTS IS FAITH EXPRESSING ITSELF THROUGH LOVE

Now let’s see what happened after Paul was arrested— open your Bible to Acts 21:37 to Acts 22:21

When studying the Bible, look for words that defines the CHARACTER of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit— keep an eye on COMMANDS to obey— good EXAMPLES to follow, and bad examples to avoid— PROMISES that you could claim— sins to CONFESS— CHALLENGES you encountered— and ENCOURAGEMENT to keep you going

READ ACTS 21:37-22:21

BOOK

Acts 21:37–22:21 NIV

37 As the soldiers were about to take Paul into the barracks, he asked the commander, “May I say something to you?” “Do you speak Greek?” he replied. 38 “Aren’t you the Egyptian who started a revolt and led four thousand terrorists out into the wilderness some time ago?” 39 Paul answered, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Please let me speak to the people.” 40 After receiving the commander’s permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd. When they were all silent, he said to them in Aramaic: 1 “Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense.” 2 When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet. Then Paul said: 3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. I studied under Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors. I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today. 4 I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison, 5 as the high priest and all the Council can themselves testify. I even obtained letters from them to their associates in Damascus, and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished. 6 “About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. 7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’ 8 “ ‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked. “ ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. 9 My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me. 10 “ ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked. “ ‘Get up,’ the Lord said, ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.’ 11 My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me. 12 “A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there. 13 He stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very moment I was able to see him. 14 “Then he said: ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth. 15 You will be his witness to all people of what you have seen and heard. 16 And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.’ 17 “When I returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance 18 and saw the Lord speaking to me. ‘Quick!’ he said. ‘Leave Jerusalem immediately, because the people here will not accept your testimony about me.’ 19 “ ‘Lord,’ I replied, ‘these people know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison and beat those who believe in you. 20 And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’ 21 “Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’ ”

WHAT: Peter spoke to the crowd who incited his arrest

WHERE: Jerusalem

WHEN: AD 57-59

WHO: Paul, Commander, Soldiers, Jewish Crowd

WHY: Paul tried to defend himself to the crowd

LOOK

BROTHERS AND SISTERS LISTEN NOW TO MY DEFENSE

He tried to defend himself by telling them his personal testimony— he started by telling them who he was before coming to know the Lord Jesus

I PERSECUTED FOLLOWERS OF THIS WAY TO THEIR DEATH, ARRESTING BOTH MEN AND WOMEN AND THROWING THEM INTO PRISON

He stared by telling the crowd who he was, and what he did before encountering the Lord — and then Paul told them how he encountered Jesus

ABOUT NOON AS I CAME NEAR TO DAMASCUS, SUDDENLY A BRIGHT LIGHT FROM HEAVEN FLASHED AROUND ME

Here, he told them about his actual encounter with the Lord Jesus— he was very detailed in his story— we must also remember our own personal encounter with the Lord— after that, he told them what the Lord commanded him to do— before, during and after

God told Paul through Ananias that...

YOU WILL BE MY WITNESS TO ALL PEOPLE OF WHAT YOU HAVE SEEN AND HEARD

Not just Paul but all of us followers of Jesus must be witnesses for Him— Acts 1:8

But when Paul went back to Jerusalem after his encounter with the Lord on his way to Damascus— he had a trance [day dreaming]— the Lord told him this…

LEAVE JERUSALEM IMMEDIATELY, BECAUSE THE PEOPLE HERE WILL NOT ACCEPT YOUR TESTIMONY ABOUT ME

Because he is a Jew, a student of Gamaliel— a teacher of the law— a member of the Sanhedrin— it will be hard for the people in Jerusalem to believe in his transformation— perhaps that’s why the Lord sent him to the gentiles… Jesus also said— John 4:44, Matthew 13:57, Luke 4:24

Even Jesus was rejected in his own hometown

I WILL SEND YOU FAR AWAY TO THE GENTILES

And that far away places are places Paul covered during his 1st, 2nd and 3rd missionary journey

Now let me put the lessons we learned from this in sentences we can all easily remember as we walk our Christian journey

TOOK

MY BEST DEFENSE IS MY PERSONAL TESTIMONY

I WILL SHARE WHO I WAS, HOW I ENCOUNTERED JESUS, AND WHO AM I NOW

SING

Agape Worship Team— Another in the Fire