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Introduction:
Introduction:
I want to welcome you again this morning.
First, to those joining us online, we are so thankful for our online technology that allows you to be a part of our church family today.
I also want to welcome those who may be joining us for the first time today. I hope your time with us today is encouraging and helpful, and I look forward to meeting you.
I would also say if you are new to our church today, it would be helpful for you to know that we practice a form of preaching called “Expository Preaching”. What that means, is we believe the Bible is best taught by taking books of the Bible and then breaking them down from beginning to end, chapter by chapter, verse by verse. Our goal, to better understand not only what God’s Word says, but what it means in our lives today.
Over the past couple of years we’ve been doing that through the NT book of Acts. A book written by a First Century disciple named Luke who wrote it for a couple of reasons:
First, to give us a history of how the church started, who was there, and the circumstances that surrounded it.
Second, in a way, to give us a template on how to accomplish the mission that Jesus gave us to take the gospel to the entire world.
With that said, if you haven’t been with us I would encourage you to go online to http://www.mcf.life or to our Facebook page where you can watch previous messages leading up to today.
Today however we are picking back up in Acts 22 as we rejoin the Apostle Paul once again in the Jewish city of Jerusalem. His home city that the Holy Spirit has led Paul to on his journey towards Rome.
However, as we’ve learned, it’s not a city that was receptive to Paul’s arrival. Why? Two reasons:
First, the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem had heard Paul was teaching Jews who came to faith in Jesus to disregard the Jewish faith of Judaism. And for them, that was sacrilege.
Second, they were bothered by the fact that Paul was leading Gentiles to faith in Jesus without requiring that they also convert to Judaism. Which again infuriated them.
As a result, upon arrival in Jerusalem, Paul’s Jewish enemies didn’t waste any time in accusing and physically attacking Paul, which then led to a full blown riot in the city which led to Rome’s involvement and Paul’s arrest by a garrison of Roman soldiers.
And that’s where we last left Paul as the Roman soldiers were carrying him up to the barracks to be interrogated, and it was at this point that Paul requested to speak with the Roman officer in charge.
So, what did Paul want to ask him? Luke records Paul’s words in 21:39:
“...I beg you, permit me to speak to the people.” Acts 21:39b ESV
Luke says Paul’s request is to speak to the angry mob that had just attacked and tried to kill him.
So, why does he want to speak to them?
Well, as we learned last week, Paul sees this as an opportunity to share the gospel. And so taking advantage of the opportunity, he pulls out his best sermon. He pulls out his personal testimony.
And when I say testimony, I ‘m talking about the story of how he came to faith in Jesus. A story that includes his life before Jesus, his encounter with Jesus, and what Jesus had done in his life since then. Which as we learned last week is one of the best ways to lead somebody to faith in Jesus.
And the fact is, if you’re a Christian, then just like Paul, you have a testimony. You have a personal story of how you came to faith in Jesus. A story that includes who you were before Jesus, how you met Jesus, and what Jesus has done in your life to date.
And what a powerful story it is. And it’s powerful because nobody can discount your testimony. Nobody can say, “It didn’t happen”. Because it did happen and it is happening. Which means, your testimony is one of the most powerful tools you have to lead somebody to faith in Jesus.
Now, does that mean people are going to always listen and respond positively to your testimony? Unfortunately no. But the fact is, our job isn’t necessarily to convince people of the truth, but to simply tell people the truth about Jesus, and then let the Holy Spirit take over from there.
And in a way that’s what happens to Paul in his circumstance, because as he shares his testimony, the crowd that was trying to kill him begins to cry for his death once again. Luke puts it like this:
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.”
Luke says it’s a no go with the crowd, and now they are once again calling for his death.
And now Paul will be taken into the Roman barracks, where it appears nothing good awaits him. Because Luke goes on to write:
23 And as they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air, 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.
Luke says as the crowd begins to intensify again, the Roman officer orders Paul to be brought into the barracks where he will now be interrogated in order to determine why the people are shouting against him.
So, here’s what I want to do. Before we get into what happens next, I want to spend a few minutes setting up where we are going. Because what is about to happen to Paul and how Paul handles it is more applicable to you and I than you might imagine.
And so to help us get our hearts and minds around what we are about to learn, I want to begin by asking you a question that I think I already know the answer to, but I think it’s a question worth asking. And my question is this:
Question - How many of you would say that your American rights are important to you?
Yeah, I would say most of us would agree that our American rights are important to us.
And the fact is, they should be. I mean, people have fought and died for them, right?
Not only that, but our American rights have given us the freedom to thrive as individuals, as a country, to worship God as we see fit, and become one of the greatest countries on the planet.
And so like you, I am thankful for our American rights.
However, there are some challenges that come with our rights.
You might be ask, “What challenges?”
The challenges that come when it comes to our American rights and our faith in Jesus. Because while we are citizens of the United States with all the rights that come with that citizenship, the fact is, through our faith in Jesus, we are also citizens of heaven. Paul puts it like this in Philippians 3:
20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
Paul says through faith in Christ, that we have a new citizenship in heaven. A citizenship that transcends any other citizenship.
What that means then is, our first hope shouldn’t be in what our American citizenship provides us, but in what our heavenly citizenship provides and promises us.
Which means, how we live our life, what we put our hope in, what we base our rights on, and how we use our rights, shouldn’t be based on what the constitution says, but ultimately on what the Bible says.
And to be honest, I think American Christians struggle with that idea. And we struggle because too often our hope lies in what the constitution says versus what our Bible says. As a result I think we often miss out on how God may be leading or directing us as heavenly citizens versus American citizens.
You might ask, “Ok pastor, I kinda get that, but can you give me a specific example of what you’re talking about?”
Well, I think everything that’s happened over the past year with Covid is a prime example. Because if I’m being honest, most Christians haven’t handled the last year very well, myself included.
Because as mandates were handed down, as businesses were forced to close, and as churches weren’t allowed to meet, our first go to wasn’t based on our heavenly citizenship, but on our American citizenship as many Christians started pointing to their constitutional rights.
And please hear me, I’m not saying we shouldn’t do that. There’s a place for that. But I do think we need to take into consideration what the Bible says first and what our first response as heavenly citizens should be.
I think another example would be respond and handle the hot topics of our culture.
For example, when we should exercise our American rights when it comes to homosexuality, transgenderism, and the many other unbiblical ideas that we see our culture so quickly assimilating and trying to force on people of faith.
For instance, I just saw an article last week that the College of the Ozarks, a faith based college, filed a suit against the Biden Administration. The lawsuit challenges a directive from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which forces religious schools to violate their beliefs by opening their dormitories, including dorm rooms and shared shower spaces, to members of the opposite sex.
And what the school is contending is that this is a violation of the 1st Amendment when it comes to freedom of religion.
The question the is, “Is that the right course of action for College of the Ozarks? Are lawsuits and calling on our constitutional rights the best way for us to fight back when it comes to maintaining our beliefs and standing our ground.”
That’s a great question.
That being said, my hope today is to bring some clarity to what I believe to be a very relevant topic in the world we live in today. The topic being, “As a Christian, when should I capitalize on my American Rights?”
And the good news is, to some degree I believe Paul answers that question in our passage today. Because while Paul wasn’t an American citizen, he does possess a citizenship that might surprise you. At least it surprised those who were about to interrogate him.
And so as we approach our passage today, I have two goals:
First, we’re going to read through the passage and find out what Paul’s citizenship entailed and when and how he used it.
Second, as we discover Paul’s citizenship and his use of it, we are going to answer the question:
Main Question - When is it appropriate for us to capitalize on our American rights?
And my hope is, after answering this question, you and I will have a better understanding of not only when we should capitalize on our American rights, but to also be aware of how those rights work with our heavenly citizenship and our ability to reach people with the gospel.
So, with not further adieu, let’s pick back up with Paul as the Roman officer orders him into the barracks. Look again at what Luke tells us:
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.
Before we get to answering our question, I want to spend a few minutes explaining what is happening here, because it plays a big part in what Paul does next.
Luke says as Paul is brought into the barracks, the Roman officer orders him to be examined by flogging.
So, a great question would be, “What does that mean?”
Let’s start with what it means.
First, it means that in order to get the information they are looking for, which is why this riot started, they are going to torture Paul. Which believe it or not was a common and acceptable practice for prisoners who weren’t Roman citizens.
Second, it means the torture will involve whipping Paul with what was none as a “flagrum” and it often came in one of two forms.
One consisted of three elements: “a handle of twisted iron metal, small iron chains and then terminated by heavy metal balls which dangled at the end of the small chain”.
Another form consisted “of a leather strap, interwoven bones and small pieces of metal.” The lashes could also be knotted cords or wire having bristled ends or strung with knucklebones and lead pellets.
Picture of each of them.
And although meant for interrogation, torture with these whips was potentially deadly because it would often rip flesh off the subjects back producing crippling affects or death from blood loss before the whipping was over.
Just to give you an idea of how horrific it was, this is the same type of flogging that Jesus recieved prior to his crucifixion. So, if you’ve ever seen the Passion of the Christ movie where they are whipping Jesus, that’s a great graphic representation of what took place as metal and bone ripped flesh from the back and legs of Jesus. It was a bad deal.
And now Paul is about to face the same type of flogging.
This now leads us to another question, “Why did the Roman soldier order this type of whipping?”
Well, as I said, it was common practice in order to obtain information, but it was typically used as a last resort to obtain information. But as we’ve seen, Paul has been nothing but compliant up to this point.
Which begs to question, why is the Roman officer so quick to flog Paul?
More than likely, he needs answers fast due to the level of rioting that is currently taking place in Jerusalem. Because the last thing this Roman officer wants is his superiors coming down on him. Which means, the quicker he can figure out what is going on, the better.
And so to get to the bottom of it, he decides to go right to the flogging, which as I said, is his prerogative to do. Nothing uncommon or illegal about it, or at least that’s what he assumes at this point.
Which leads us to answering the first question, when is it appropriate to call on our rights? Because as they prepare to whip Paul, Paul has a question. So, what’s his question? Let’s find out. Verse 25:
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?”
Luke says as they prepared Paul to be whipped, Paul asked the centurion supervising the whipping if it was legal to whip a Roman citizen that has not be tried and found guilty?”
So, why would Paul ask that?
He asks it, because it’s not just meant to be a question, but a statement as well.
Because by asking this question Paul is implying something. He’s implying that he’s a Roman citizen.
You may ask, “Ok, so why is that important?”
It’s important for several reasons:
First, it’s important because being a Roman citizen meant you were at the top of the societal to-dam pole with all the rights that came with being at the top. Because with Roman citizenship came:
The right to vote.
The right to hold office.
The right to make contracts.
The right to own property.
The right to have a lawful marriage.
The right to not pay some taxes.
The right to sue in court and be sued.
The right to defend oneself.
The right to have a legal trial with a judge, and the right to appeal a decision.
And maybe most importantly in Paul’s current situation, the right to not be tortured, whipped, or receive the death penalty.
In fact, it was a crime to whip a Roman citizen without a legal trial and a guilty verdict. And even then it was frowned upon.
And so, when Paul asks this question and implies he’s a Roman citizen, you can bet it got the Centurion’s attention. In fact, we know it did, because Luke goes on to write:
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.”
Luke says after hearing Paul’s claim to be a Roman citizen, he quickly goes to tell the Roman officer who ordered the flogging. Why? Because if what Paul says is true, then what they are about to do is illegal.
So, what did the Roman officer do in response to this news? Luke tells us:
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.”
As you might imagine, Paul’s claim is concerning, and so the officer goes to Paul and asks two important questions.
Question #1 - Are you a Roman citizen?
Why this question? Because at this point the officer needs a straight answer. Is Paul a citizen or not. He’s implied it. But this is serious business and he needs a yes or no answer. So he asks, “Are you a Roman citizen or not?” And Paul’s answer is an affirming yes.
This leads to the second question:
Question #2 - How did you get your citizenship?
So, why this question? He asks it because in the Roman world there were various ways to obtain Roman citizenship. For many it was obtained through birth, for others it was bought, and then for some it was obtained by a bribe. And apparently in the case of the Roman officer, he says he bought his for a large sum.
So, why would he want to know how Paul obtained his citizenship? He wants to know because within Roman citizenship there were different levels of social status, which were often determined with how one obtained citizenship.
For example, if you were a naturally born Roman citizen, your social status outranked someone who bought their citizenship.
So, in Paul’s case, he socially outranks this Roman officer because when asked how he obtained his citizenship Paul says, “I am a citizen by birth.”
What that means then is, this Roman officer is in deep water. Why? Because not only has he illegally bound a Roman citizen, but he’s bound a Roman citizen of a higher social status. Not a good day for this Roman officer. And so based on what he’s just learned about Paul, look at what he does next:
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.
Luke says at this point the Roman officer knows he’s in hot water, in fact he’s afraid, and so they quickly unbind Paul.
This now leads us to question, “As Christians, when is it appropriate to call on our American rights?”
And in order to answer that question, we are going to look at how Paul has handled the use of his Roman citizenship, which in many ways is similar to our American citizenship.
So, based on what we’ve learned from Paul so far, I want to give you three general principles this morning on when it is appropriate to utilize our American rights. Here’s the first principle:
Principle #1 - We should capitalize on our American rights typically as a last resort.
Now, I know when I say that some of you are probably thinking, “Come on Pastor Brad. Only as a last resort? What kind of an American are you? Pastor, who did you vote for back in November? You can’t be serious?”
Please hear me out. Because I think after a little explanation, you might have a better understanding of what I mean by that.
Because here’s what we need to understand when it comes to how Paul viewed and handled his Roman citizenship.
First, as a naturally born Roman citizen, Paul sits at the top in the 1st century world. Especially in the Jewish world where Jews rarely achieved Roman citizenship. Which means, Paul has advantages and rights that a majority of the people in the 1st century did’t have. Because just like the American dream, the Roman dream is at his disposal.
Second, while Paul has this privilege, rarely if ever as a Christian does he utilize it or put his hope in it.
In other words, based on everything Paul says in his letters, he doesn’t view his Roman citizenship as the source of his hope. In fact, outside of Acts, he never mentions it.
Why? Because his hope isn’t in his earthly status, but his heavenly status. His hope isn’t in what Roman citizenship can provide him but in what God promises him. Look at how Paul puts it in Romans 15:
13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
Pauls says his hope is in the hope that God provides through faith in Jesus.
In Philippians 4 he says it like this:
6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Paul says when the going gets tough, his first defense isn’t to call on his Roman citizenship, but instead he makes his request known to God.
All that to say, Paul doesn’t find his hope, peace, or well being in what his Roman citizenship can provide or do for him, but in what God provides and promises him.
And we see that in this story because Paul could have called on his Roman citizenship at any point in the midst of his hardship. And in doing so he might have avoided the riot. And he probably wouldn’t have been arrested. And he most definitely wouldn’t have been bound for beating. But he doesn’t. Instead he waits and only calls on it as a last resort.
So, a great question would be, “Why does he wait?” Is it because he doesn’t trust God to deliver him in this moment? NO. We’ll get to the why in a minute, but first let’s think about how this first principle applies to our lives.
I think if we’re honest, for most American Christians, our American rights aren’t a last resort, but our first go to.
Again, I think we’ve seen that with covid. Because as mandates started being handed down, Christians were quick to cry foul ball. Christians were quick to point to the first amendment. Christians were quick to say, “I have rights!” That was our first go too.
Why do you think what was?
What I’d like to suggest to you, is that for many American Christians, we went there first, because that’s what we’ve based our faith and ability to worship on. That’s what we’ve put our hope in. On our freedom of religion.
In fact, I would go as far to say, that for many American Christians, our freedom to worship is what we worship. What we’ve put our hope in order to have the kind of relationship with God we prefer to have.
And can I tell you right now, that’s a mistake.
Why? Because the reality is, we may not always have those rights.
In fact, I don’t want to scare anyone, but I think in the future there’s a good chance we could lose some of the rights as Americans that we’ve put our hope in. And that’s going to be a real wake up call for a lot of Christians who have based their faith on a man made document called the constitution instead of a supernatural document called the Bible.
Because I can tell you right now, the 1st amendment is not the basis for our faith and our ability to worship God. And if you don’t believe me, talk to somebody who lives in China or India, because they don’t have the first amendment. Which means, their hope isn’t in their rights as earthly citizens. Their hope is in their rights as heavenly citizens. And as heavenly citizens their hope is in Jesus and what he can provide and how He can help them overcome the obstacles and challenges they are facing.
But not us. No. When our faith is challenged. When we feel like our ability to worship is in jeopardy, when our church is threatened, our first line of defense is to go to a man made document versus an all powerful God.
And please hear me, I’m not saying I don’t appreciate the constitution or the first amendment. But what I do recongize is that they are not an eternal guarantee.
Now, you might be thinking, “Oh come on pastor, I think you’re being a little over dramatic and I don’t think we are going to lose our rights.”
Well, if you don’t believe me, turn on your television, take a good listen and a long look at where our country is headed and what is being said.
For example, concerning the second amendment, President Biden recently made a startling statement. He said: “No amendment — no amendment to the Constitution is absolute.”
Those are concerning words, right? Which means, if your hope is in an amendment, then your hope is not absolute.
But, if your hope is in God’s Word and your heavenly citizenship and all the rights and promises that go with that, then your hope is sure and secure.
Paul understands this which is why Roman citizenship is a last resort for him. It’s not where his hope is.
Which begs to question, “Then why in the midst of this hardship does he turn to it?”
This leads us to the second principle, and I would state it like this:
Principle #2 - We should capitalize on our American rights when its strategically advantageous.
Here’s what I mean by that. The reason Paul waits as long as he does to proclaim his citizenship is because he’s being strategic.
I mean think about it. When’s the best time for Paul to proclaim his citizenship?
Is it when he first enters the city? Probably not.
Is it when the crowd begins to get riled up? Possibly.
Is it when the Roman guards arrest him? You would think.
Or is it when the Roman guards have already broken the law by binding a naturally born Roman citizen in preparation for an illegal whipping?
I’m going to say it’s the latter. Why? Because laws have been broken, and now Paul, a Roman citizen has the advantage. Paul waited for the opportune moment to pull the citizenship card out. And now the Roman officer is scared because of the recourse Paul could take.
You see how that works?
Here’s how this applies to us. The truth is, because we are so quick to point to our American rights, I think we sometimes give away future advantage over our opponent and our circumstance.
In other words, we don’t give our opponent enough rope to hang themselves.
For example, I think we are starting to see this when it comes to how the government treated churches during the pandemic. Because from the start churches were declared as being what? “Non-essential”, right?
And as a result churches weren’t allowed to meet as “essential businesses” stayed open.
So, how did the church respond? Well, it varied from state to state and from community to community.
For instance, some churches responded rebelliously and declared they were meeting no matter what, and even went as far to sue and take it to the supreme court.
Others didn’’t agree with the non essential classification or forced closure, but reluctantly complied, went online, and waited to see what would happen. That’s pretty much what we did.
And some churches just rolled over without even thinking about the ramifications of what closing church doors would do.
So, which churches did it right?
Honestly, I don’t think it matters, because I believe what the pandemic has proven is that the church is essential. Because without the church, there is no true hope.
And if you don’t believe me, then why are suicide rates up. Why are divorce rates up. Why is mental health at an all time low.
Is it because people didn’t have enough to eat during the pandemic? No, grocery stores were open.
Was it because people didn’t get enough zoom and facetime? No, we had plenty of that.
Was it because the government didn’t provide enough stimulus money? No, they dumped billions into the economy.
So, what has caused the suicidal tendencies. What has caused the depression. Why are divorces surging?
Could it be it’s because the most essential aspect of a persons life, their spiritual life, was deemed as “non essential”. Could it be it’s because in the midst of a pandemic, instead of trusting God and looking to Him for hope, we put all our trust in science?
I think that’s a big reason why. At least, that’s my opinion. And I think time will prove it to be true.
And as a result, I believe the pandemic and the governments non essential classification of the church has given the church a future advantage. Because I believe we have more of an advantage now than ever before. More opportunity than we’ve ever had to show people how essential the church is.
Because at the end of the day people need hope. And guess what, hope isn’t found on Fox News or CNN. And it’s not found in government mandates and stimulus packages.
And as great as online church was and is, it isn’t found while sitting at home alone.
Hope, true hope, can only be found in Jesus and in the gathering of God’s people together. In a place called the church.
And in my opinion, we now have an advantage. Because thanks to our 1sts amendments rights being disregarded in the beginning of the pandemic, people now understand how important the church is. We’ve discovered that. And I don’t think moving forward it will be as easy as it was to classify the church as non-essential. I truly don’t believe people will stand for it again.
My point is, sometimes we jump the gun. And in doing so we don’t give our opponent enough time to put themselves in a position where it’s apparent they were wrong or are in the wrong.
Because I truly believe time will prove how necessary the church is in the midst of a national crisis. And now we have greater ground to stand on. Now we have proof and evidence that the church is essential.
Paul was smart. He knew if he waited to declare his rights, he’d be in a place of advantage. And I think if we were just patient, and not so quick to point out our rights, we might be surprised to find we now have an advantage. Because I’m going to tell you right now, the world gets it wrong most of the time. Which then gives us the opportunity to point them to truth.
Now, I will say this, how we present our rights in that moment is just as important as when we present them.
Because what I want you to notice is when Paul pulls out his Roman Citizen Card, he doesn’t do it in arrogance. He doesn’t do it in anger. He doesn’t cry out, “I am a Roman citizen, don’t you know I have rights!”
So, how does he present it? He simply asks a question. He asks, “Is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman Citizen?”
So, what kind of question is that? It’s a diplomatic question. Which means, Paul presents his rights diplomatically as a question and not as a challenge. In other words, instead of demanding his rights, instead of doing a Facebook rant, he chooses to dialogue concerning them. He decides to have a civil and reasonable conversation.
And again, if we are going to present our American rights at an opportune time, the best course of action is always going to be to choose civil versus confrontational conversation.
But again, I think we struggle with that as American Christians as we tend to respond aggressively, arrogantly, and angrily.
I’ve noticed this when it comes to how so many Christians have treated and viewed our Governor, Governor Kelly during the pandemic.
I’ve seen this especially on Facebook as I’ve watched professing Christians go after her in the comments, calling her names, belittling her, and referring to her as a nazi dictator.
And then I’ve watched as Christians and non-Christians go at it in the comments section as each angrily and aggressively expresses their view and rights.
Can I just tell you that’s now how you win with people? That’s not how you get people to listen to your side or consider your view, your rights, or your opinion.
So, how do you get them to listen? You do it by being diplomatic, reasonable, and civil. You do it by treating people who disagree with you with honor.
Paul puts it like this in Colossians 4
5 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.
Paul says when you engage with someone who doesn’t believe like you or is in opposition to you, do it in a way that makes the best use of the time. Do it in a way that is gracious. In a way that makes your words meaningful and impactful.
He goes on to write in Titus 2:
7 Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, 8 and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.
Paul’s point here is when we treat people with respect and honor, not only does it open the door for better dialogue, but in the end, if they respond negatively, they are the ones who are put to shame or look foolish.
And that’s exactly what happened with this Roman officer. Because even though Paul had the right to go after the officer and demand justice, demand retribution, he doesn’t. Instead Paul treats him with honor, dignity, and respect, not demanding his rights, but seeking to have a discussion that in the end would be mutually beneficial for both.
And to be honest, that’s how our rights should be used when we call on them. Not to disgrace people, shame people, or belittle people, but instead to honor people. And if any shame comes, it comes as a result of their own behavior.
The fact is, I don’t agree with much of anything that Governor Kelly has done through the Pandemic or her policies that support abortion and transgenderism. But I can telly you this, I pray for her everyday. And if given an opportunity to speak with her, it wouldn’t be so that I could condemn her and accuse her of taking my rights.
Instead, I would see it as an opportunity to have a civil conversation to advocate for what I believe to be true concerning my beliefs and my rights. In fact, one question I would have for her is, “Governor Kelly, do you think it’s right for a place of hope to be designated as non essential?”
I think that’s a great question that would lead to some productive conversation that would work towards our advantage. Because at this point, I don’t think she could say the church is non-essential. And quite honestly, the Supreme court would agree, which leads us to our next principle:
Principle #3 - We should capitalize on our American rights when the gospel is impeded.
What I want you to see here, is that not only does Paul use his rights as a last resort and for strategic advantage, but he also uses them when his ability to share the gospel and accomplish God’s plan is in jeopardy.
Because at this point, Paul knows one thing. He knows that God has called him to go to Rome. But standing between him and Rome is a flogging. A flogging that could result in his death or serious injury to his body, which would keep him from journeying to Rome.
As a result, he waits as long as he can. He waits until they have him strapped down with his back bare. And it’s at that point he pulls out the Roman Citizen Card. Why? Because he knows his Roman citizen rights will stop the flogging and allow him to keep advancing the gospel forward towards Rome. This is his supreme court appeal.
Here’s what this means for us. While our rights shouldn’t be our first go to, they are something we should go to when it’s apparent there’s no other way forward. To use them in a situation where somebody or something is trying to put a roadblock in between us and our ability to do what God has called us to do.
Which is exactly what some churches have had to do in some states in the midst of the pandemic. Why?
Because their rights were being disregarded. And as a result, it was impeding their ability to be the church and reach people in the way God has called us to reach them.
For example, in California, from the beginning of Covid, California has been overly hard on churches and has done everything it can to keep them from meeting. Even telling them if they did meet they couldn’t sing or worship.
So, some of the churches in California took it to the Supreme Court, and the Supreme court blocked California’s ban on indoor worship. Which was a clear violation of the 1st amendment, and as we’ve seen through this pandemic, has been something some states have taking advantage of while allowing other businesses and organizations they deemed as essential to remain open.
All that to say, if our rights are being infringed on to the point we can’t do what God has called us to do, then we need to take full advantage of the rights we have to push back. Which is exactly what the churches in California were doing and what Paul was doing.
However, I will say this. He only pulled that card out as a last resort. He only pulled it when it became apparent this was the only course of action he had in order to keep moving forward. And he also did it with a right spirit. And again, I think we need to take a lesson from that.
So yes, when push comes to shove, we should call on them. But ultimately our hope needs to be in what our heavenly citizenship provides us. And what it provides us is an all powerful God who is in control of everything.
I love how the Psalmist puts it:
19 The Lord has established his throne in the heavens,
and his kingdom rules over all.
Which means, as great as our American rights are, they are nothing in comparison to the rights and promises we have as children of God.
With that, I’d like to close by asking you to consider two questions in relation to your American rights.
Question #1 - What rights do you put more hope in? Your American or your heavenly rights?
I think that’s a great question for all of us to consider this morning. Because the fact of the matter is, while the 1st amendment is a wonderful thing, I’d have to agree with President Biden, no amendment is absolute. In other words, when it comes right down to it, this life doesn’t offer us any guarantees.
I’ll never forget visiting Israel in 2006 and standing at an archeological tel sight of Megido where 40 civilizations had existed over thousands of years. And in that moment I realized two things. First, I realized that the USA as a country is a blip on the map of history. An infant. Second, I realized that nations come and go, and that no nation had lasted forever. I was standing on living proof of it. And what it caused me to realize is that the USA as we know it won’t always be as we know it.
And what it’s helped me recognize is that as great as America is, and as much as I love being an American, it’s not what my hope should be in. That my hope needs to be in God and what he promises me. Because unfortunately man made documents don’t last forever, but God’s promises do.
Question #2 - How Christ like are you when you feel like your American rights have been violated?
In other words, when the government or a group pushes against what you perceive as your rights, how well do you respond to that?
As I pointed out earlier, I don’t think we generally respond well. And I could point to a lot of Facebook posts made by Christians that would back that up.
Here’s what I’d like you to consider. That maybe there’s a better way to respond. That instead of getting angry. Instead of trying to stick it to people who come against you. That instead you be patient, be respectful, and wait and see what God might do and the advantage He might give you.
I close with an illustration of what I mean by that.
I recently read an article about a church in China called Early Rain Church. I’d like to read you the article, it’s short, because I think it may give you a perspective that many of us as American Christians don’t have.
Read Story
What I found convicting about that article, is that in the midst of extreme persecution, and frankly no rights, this church continues to trust God. This church prays that God will help them to respond to their opponents with gentleness and respect.
Why? Because someday, and I don’t know when, that’s the kind of Christ like attitude that’s going to win China to Jesus. Because when they had no rights, and push came to shove, instead of rebelling, they prayed. Instead of attacking their opponents, they showed them respect. And I believe that’s what is going to win those who oppose them to faith.
And I truly believe what is true for them is true for us as well. That our best recourse when our rights are threatened isn’t to shout out our rights and threaten, but instead to pray and show the love of Christ in the way we respond. As we seek to be civil. Because I can tell you right now, as the American church faces greater persecution, and we will. It won’t be our rights that save us and lead people to Christ. Instead it will be our Christ like response that allows us to show people who Jesus is. Amen?
Let’s Pray
Paul utilizes his citizenship when kept from accomplishing God’s plan and purpose.
For Paul it’s not about being able to vote, own land, etc… it’s about being able to proclaim the gospel and accomplish God’s plan and purpose in his life.