The Gospel on Trial - Acts 21:37-23:11

We're going to cover quite a bit today, but we're going to start 21:37 are the focus of our sermons, 22 1 through 23:11. It seems like a lot but is really, it's really a lot of riding. But which there is not as not as much as what is written. If that makes sense. He sometimes, I could preach 3 sermons on one verse and other times, I can take two chapters and preach one serving. It really depends on the weight of the passes the way to the text.

Alright, so let's begin reading in verse 37 of the 21st chapter. Now, this is Paul was about to be brought into the barracks. You said to the Tribune. May I say something to you? And you said, do you know, Greek, are you not the Egyptian then who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the assassins out into the Wilderness? For replied. I am a Jew from Tarsus in cilicia, a citizen of no obscure City. I beg you permit me to speak to the people when you give him permission Paul staying on the steps motions with his hand to the people. And when there was a great hush, he addressed them in the Hebrew language. That's right. Heavenly Father, we thank you once again for this privilege and opportunity to come to worship you in spirit and in truth. Oh Lord, our lips, Proclaim your praise. Now, as we sit attentive to your word, we pray. Holy spirit, that you would illuminate the Bible before us, give us understanding and wisdom and pray that our ears would hear. What you have to tell us that our hearts would be tender to receive. And holy spirit. We pray that you would use the ministry of the word to conform us to the image of Christ Jesus. Oh, Lord. We ask now that you would, please be with me. Give me wisdom. Give me an option. My mind, my lips be consecrated unto you for your glory. We ask in Jesus name. Amen.

The Paul last we left off. Was nearly killed. He was rushed in by a mob of angry juice. It's sort of like if I could tell you this is what happened on last week's episode. Call was nearly beaten within an inch of his life. When some juice from Asia episodes that is saw him and realize this is the same all who had been preaching and teaching in the horseradish for 3 years. And they were in range member. Paul is persona, non. Grata. He's in Jerusalem. He didn't have the warmest of Welcome from the church in Jerusalem. The Jews in the church. They're skeptical of them. The Jews from Asia, don't like him. In fact, he's kind of made enemies with Jews all over the Roman Empire when he gets to Jerusalem. It's really not the safest place to be in shortly. After going to the temple after agreeing with James to take a few men to be cleansed of them into offer, sacrifices in accordance with the nazirite vow in is detected by these Asian Jews. They call him out and the crowd is ready to Lynch him more or less at which point. Drew the attention of the Roman Tribune, whose name was Claudius lysias and immediately comes out with some of the soldiers in in troops. We see centurions are brought out. There was a large that they do not sell them, but rather a large contingent of Roman soldiers that come out and rescue. Paul, they rescue Paul and they bring him into the Fortress. I'm Antonia where he is now in safety. However, Claudius lysias, who is the Roman Tribune is Bob. What is this big upheaval? Romans? Do not like riots. And usually when there's a riot in a Roman city and ends with a lot of Bloodshed and crucifixions. And so lysias knows that if it gets word gets back to Rome, that there's a riot. It could mean his head. And so therefore he's responsible for keeping the order and he wants to know what's going on. Mediately, he approaches Paul and Paul. He is because he speaks Greek lysias things. He is the Egyptian. Who's the Egyptian hear the Egyptian in, in reference here, just to give you a little background, and I know it just jump in into this. I don't have much to staying. In terms of giving you an illustration. We're jumping right into the text. I want to give you the background of what's going going on here. So immediately, he is interviewed by lysias. And then she just wants to know, are you the Egyptian God who stirred up a Revolt in LED four thousand men of the assassins out into the wilderness. Josephus tells us who this Egyptian was. He was an Egyptian Jew and he was a terrorist. He was a terrorist who was known for leading the sicarii. I spoke a little bit about that. Last week, the sicarii were a group of terrorists and assassins who are known to Target certain individuals and large crowds. The word Sakari comes from or dagger. That would carry short daggers in while they were in the midst of a crowd there, basically. Stab you in your gut and kill you and they would move so quick. No one would know who did it and so they didn't vote Terror and fear into people and other suggestion who led this contingent of sicarii wanted to overthrow Rome and led a revolt against the Roman government in Jerusalem. It failed. And they were chased out of Jerusalem. Several of the sicarii were killed. Some of them were imprisoned, and some of them escaped, the leader. We do not know the name, but he was Egyptian, god away, and nobody ever knew it. Survived or not? So course with all the Ruckus going on. Lysias is concerned. Is this Egyptian terrorist? Is this another upheaval? In other words? Do I have a problem on my hands bosses? Listen to worry about it. I'm a Jew on from Tarsus in cilicia. A, no obscure sitting. Silicia was a region that was known for some of the greatest University in the Roman Empire. Paul is an educated man, which is why he speaks Greek who is highly educated both from a Roman perspective. And from a Jewish perspective is will see and he is parsis, Garcia's was the area where many Jews had aboard engaged in the trade at making? Like, Paul was those tents were made for the Roman military and so many of those Jews who made tents for the Roman army were given Roman citizenship. And as we see later, Paul invokes is Roman citizenship, which he inherited by. Right from his father to his father was also a tentmaker. But Paul is is is living in this world where he really is a dual citizen. He's straddling, Two Worlds. He has Roman credentials as a Roman citizen and he's a, he's a Jewish the Hebrew of Hebrews. He's a Pharisee. He studied under, Lyle and all of these things come together at this Crossroads here, where Paul now is under arrest, the Jews. Want him dead. The Romans want to know what's going on. And this Begins the trial phase of the book of Acts for the next few weeks. We're going to be looking at three successive trials. First, the trials of the Jews, then the trials of Felix and Festus. And then, finally, the trial of Herod Agrippa and on, Paul goes to Rome to stand trial before. Caesar the big thing that we have to see here. It is not Cool was on trial, although he is the person, but in fact, it is the gospel that's on trial and is Christ. Who is on trial? And Paul is being called to give a testimony to testify and be a witness for Christ. Poor is not the defendant. Paul was the witness. And in this courtroom drama, that will unfold over the next several weeks. Paul gives a defense and our defense as an attorney representing the Lord Jesus Christ. Do this first trial comes before his own people, the Jews. What are their accusation? What are their issue with Paul their issue with Paul is that they do not think he is a true. Joe is a Trader. He's guilty of treason. He's betrayed his people. Remember, this is Pentecost. This is a high. Holy day. It's not just a high. Holy day. It's a patriotic celebration. It's like saying, Fourth of July, every Jew from the Roman Empire's, come to Jerusalem celebrate Pentecost. There's a, there's a fervor for Jewish nationalism. There's a fervor for this ethnic celebration of Jewish identity. And the only thing we know where the Jews know about Paul at this point and at least as the rumors have been Twisted is that Paul speaks against the law? Paul speaks against our people, and Paul speaks about against the temple. He's anti-jewish. That is the reputation that Paul has at this point and that is tantamount to treason. It's tantamount to blasphemy. And as far as the Jews are concerned, how dare you step foot into Jerusalem. How dare you go near the temple? You treasonous traitor? Good morning, Jay.

Paul speaking in his Hebrew tongue addresses. The crowd in the quiet themselves. Let's look first at his defense before the juice.

He says, brothers and fathers hear the defense that I now make before you. When they heard that he was addressing them in Hebrew language. They became quite instead. I'm a Jew born of Tarsus in cilicia. What brought up in this city educated at the feet of gamma Lyle according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers being zealous for. God is all of you on this day. I persecuted this way to the death binding, delivering to prison, both men and women as the high priest, in the whole Council of Elders, can bear me Witness. I'm gonna receive letters to the brothers and I journey to Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished. It is, I was on my way to join here, to Damascus. About noon, a great light from Heaven. Suddenly showing around me and I fell to the ground and Heard a Voice sing to me. So also, why are you persecuting me? And I answered? Who are you? Lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting. Now those who were with me, saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one. Who's speaking to me. And I said, what shall I do? Lord? The Lord said to me, Rice, go to Damascus. And there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do. Since I could not see because of the brightness of that light. I was led by The Hand by those who are with me and came to Damascus and one and an is a devout man. According to the law. Well, spoken by all the Jews who live, there came to me and standing by me said, brother, Saul receive your sight and at that very hour, I received my side and I saw him. He said the god of our fathers appointed, you to know, his will to see the righteous one to hear a voice from his mouth, but you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard. And now why do you wait rise and be baptized wash away? Your sins calling on his name? And when I return to Jerusalem, I was praying in the temple. I fell into a trance and saw him saying to me, make haste, get out of Jerusalem quickly cuz they will not accept your testimony about me. And I said, Lord. They themselves know that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned in beat those, who believe in you. And when the blood of Steven, your witness was being said I myself was standing by an approved and watching over the garments of those who killed him. And he said to me go, I will send you far away to the Gentiles. In this passage for bass, 4 arguments to defend himself against the accusation that he is an anti-semite.

He does them for actually five reasons why he is not an anti-semite 5 defenses here. The first one is his training.. Goes back to his original. Training goes back to his birth. He goes back to his background. He is a Jew in Philippians chapter 3. Tells us. He's bored of The Tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrew. He was born in Tarsus in cilicia, and he was educated at the feed tube, Lyle. Now, it's interesting. I read into the background of this, but in ancient Israel, when you learned under a rabbi, the rabbi literally sat on an elevated platform, while his students at the floor on the floor by his feet. And so, it was in this context that he reminds everybody who he was educated under. And the rabbi gamma. Lyle was a name. That was a household name. It was a well-known name. It was a respectable name. In fact of all the rabbis in ancient Israel. Jamal's one of the best-known rabbis. He studied under. Hello, who was probably the chief Rabbi who develop rabbinical Judaism of what we know today, Lyle was his chief do, didn't pull study directly under him. It would be like, saying. Oh, I studied as an understudy as a under John MacArthur 000. I was, you know, I had a, a Ministry, pastoral internship with d a Carson. He's like, let me just remind you. If you don't think I'm Jewish, I studied under the most pre-eminent rabbis in Judaism. Don't you forget that? And most people who knew salt because he was very prominent in the Jewish circles. 25 years earlier would have known that, we just remind them of his background and it wasn't just any background, but gamma Lyle like his teacher. Well, what's of the strictest manner of the law of their fathers and zealous for the law of God Hillel was a very conservative Theologian, as well. As Paul was no rinky-dink scholar. This was a man in order to get an internship in order to become a student of gamma out. You had to be top in your class. You had to have a 4.0 GPA. You need it to be a good student. You didn't just spend not. Anyone could be accepted. You couldn't bribe your way to be gum, Lyle student. You had to be a prodigy someone that showed great promise, and that was Paul. Paul was above all his contemporaries. As he says in Galatians 1, he excelled above the mall. Just in case anybody question. Let me remind you. He says, he goes on to talk about his deal. He's as yours else with those for the law. Don't you forget? I'm the one who persecuted the way which is Christianity before Paul was ever Christian. He was so jealous for his Jewish Traditions. He persecuted and pursued Christians to their death. In case anyone's forgotten his oh, by the way, the chief priests and the scribes they're here and they can bear witness. They're the ones who gave me the papers to go out and to arrest both men and women dragged them into jail and kill them if necessary.

Cuz you guys are so sweet law. You forgot who I was. You forget how jealous I was.

Philippians 3 5 through 6 Red Bluff. He says circumcised on the eighth day of the people of Israel. The Tribe of Benjamin the Hebrew Hebrews as to the law of Pharisees to seal a persecutor of the church as to righteousness under the law blameless. This is a man with a pedigree record, an impeccable record in Judaism.

What is he saying? Philippians 3 or which I once counted as gay 90 count, as rubbish. For the surpassing worth of knowing Christ. Jesus, So, it's Paul list his resume to his Jewish accusers. Imo's nylon to his conversion for that infinitely worthy call but you have to focus here because what he's doing and recounting his conversion, they'll be several accounts of Paul recounting his conversion for the next three. Chapters. He wants to demonstrate the continuity between Judaism and Christianity. See, they see that Christianity is something distinctly different. He wants to remind them. Me being a Christian does not mean I'm anti-semite. Doesn't mean I'm a Jew, and it died Jewish. If anything, I am more Jewish than you are.

What's the point? He's arguing here until he gives in to his testimony and verses 6 through 16. And I'm not going to read through that all again, but he reminds them that it was Christ. When he met on the Damascus Road, it was not only Christ but it was and he uses the phrase Jesus of Nazareth. He wanted to remind me please where people who were alive when Jesus was ministering. They would have remember Jesus. And he said his conversion story at which is true. Is this a word for word brought over from shop tonight? Was it takes lost. Soul isn't a God calls? His servants, Abraham, Abraham, Moses, Moses, Isaiah, Isaiah. God calls out. When he calls someone, he repeats the name to demonstrate the importance in to demonstrate the passion in which he's calling the person. Why are you persecuting me? Who my purse key? Look? Jesus of Nazareth shows. How much Christ identifies with his church don't ever forget an offense against his church is offense against Christ. When we hurt the church, you hurt Jesus. When you interfere with the work of God, you are directly in God's. Crosshairs. You are drawing a sword on God.

But Christ was gracious. It could have executed instruct Paul dead. But instead, he saved him. He turned a terrorist into an evangelist. He took someone. Who should have been consumed instead? He was commissioned? Commissioned to carry out his will. And so we see that he goes to ananias and Ed and I was instructed to in. Damascus will be the one who baptizes and instructs him in what to do next. But notice what he says about a nice a devout man, according to the law or just in case, you're worried about my juice crew schedule. It was another very law-abiding Jewish man who baptized me who disciples me who brought me into the faith.

Not only that but he says he says it was. This righteous man knows not only development according to a but respected by other Jews.

You make it a very good case if any says that I did and I told him was the god of our fathers. It was a god of our fathers was the one who called him. It was the god of our fathers. You can't help us. If you parallel in, Exodus 36, when God revealed himself to Moses at the burning bush. Most as who's there. He says the god of your fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

And a nice. As the same thing, the god of our fathers has appointed you to know, his will verse 14 and to see the righteous one again taken right out of the prophet. Isaiah. The righteous one, the righteous Branch. This was the term used to describe the Messiah who was to come and you heard his voice from his mouth and you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard. He was appointed to be God's Witness.

so here he Wants his audience to know that this call this commission was not something he contrived on his own. This wasn't Paul sitting at home saying, what can I come up with and starts a new religion? This was God's call. God's intervention. And finally, he talks about his vision in the temple bar from defiling it is he was accused verses 17 through 21. We are told that when he went to Jerusalem after he was converted, he fell into a trance and we're trance is interesting, and it's translated ecstasy in English. And so, Paul had an ecstatic experience in the temple while praying and similar to Peter Peter had an ecstatic experience. In Acts chapter 11, when he's praying in the midday nice or scroll come down from heaven that we can't really let you know. It's hard to look at these experiences and call it a normative. We have to see more descriptive of what Paul experienced at that moment in his walk. The pole in the praying in the temple. And this is the first time we were learning of it. In the book of Acts is directed by Christ himself to leave Jerusalem without the Lord tells us make haste and get out. Why? Because people will not accept your testimony.

Well, you know, they know. Anxious to go and I will send you far away to the Gentiles. So any issue at this point pause building up his pedigree background, he demonstrates that his clone conversion and his commission were orchestrated and ordained by Jesus Christ. Himself, who is the Jewish Messiah. He's demonstrating that rather than being anti-semitic rather than being is someone who speaks against the law. Paul, if anything has fulfilled, the law, he is the one who is, is following the launch with truest extent in that he believes in Christ and it Christ is sending him to the Gentiles.

You think the people are going to have that though? Absolutely not. It's a 22 up to this point. They listen to him and then they raised their voices and said away with such a fellow from the earth. He should not be allowed to live and that's it was shouting and throwing off their cloaks and clean dust in the air. The Tribune order, them to be brought into the barracks saying he should be examined by flogging. The riot resumed. And by the way, the Deep shall hear of them tearing off their their garments and throwing dust up in the air. That's not there just to give you some but they were acting irrational or Tantra me or anything. This was this was a deliberate, a very specific dramatic expression of their disapproval. Remember, when Jesus, stood before, Caiaphas the high priest to Bear witness and testimony of himself, and he said to Jesus, the son of God. And Jesus says, I am right? Invoking, the statement of God, the self Declaration of God, I M. Caiaphas knew exactly what Christ was saying? What did he do? Ripped His Garment Cried Out blasphemy. You see it was a Jewish expression of anger and disgust when you tore up your garments just threw dust in the air. What they were saying is that Paul was guilty of blasphemy. It's interesting. They will listen to everything. You had to stay up until the word. Gentile came out of him, their mouth.

See, what really was at stake here. Was there other hatred for Gentiles? The going, the scum of the Earth? More context. They do not like Gentiles very much. It was first, the Babylonians, then the Persians. Then the meats. Alright, then we get into, we get into later in the Greek Empire. And finally, we have the Roman Empire. For 400 years, that Jews have been under Gentile oppression. Jerusalem, pays tribute to Rome is Roman garrisons. In Jerusalem, the Gentiles represent oppression. They represent tyranny. Wilson the dirt of the Gentile World encroaching on us juice. And you go out to them and you want to bring them here and make them equal with us. See, that's what was at stake. Sing. The Gospel is about how how every human being has equal access to God. It doesn't matter who you are or what your National athletic background is with your socioeconomic status. Is it doesn't matter, male, or female, Jew, or Greek slave or free, or are one in Christ. And the Jews would not have in that.

That was a pension. That was Blasphemous. Are you? But what they were reading about wasn't against Pole. They were raging against Christ. They were raging against the gospel.

They were blinded blinded by their ethnic Pride. They were blinded by their spiritual pride and they were blinded by their hatred. For non-jewish people. It's interesting because I think that Christians could also be blinded. We could be blinded by. Ethnic Pride. We could be blinded by spiritual Pride. We can be blinded by a sense of resentment. We could be blinded.

By hatred.

And all those things, keep us from the kingdom.

Pause free from all that. You see the Jews were enslaved. I didn't want to be free.

So, once again, the Tribune rescues pull. The Tribune must be vicious. Must Be Wondering. What is this all about?

It says he brought him into the barracks was going to have ordered him flogged to find out what this commotion was about first 20 and flogging was an awful things. So this brings us to the middle point of his trial. Paul's interrogated by the Romans in end we have to remember something that in a Roman Empire. Flogging was definitely was a little handle with little leather thongs that came out and at the end of each song, was a piece of stone or bone. And when you whip someone with it, you get about 56, really harsh lashes. That little rock or bone would last rate your skin. And would be brutal. Most people did not survive a Roman flogging. And so, if you couldn't get answers out of someone, beat the right going to your store to get the truth. That's one of the crazy things about torture, right? You think, if you could torture, someone you'll get the people say anything to get out of torture. Right, you'll tell him anything. But anyway, they were about to flog pull. This could have been the end of him. Priceless flogged. All right, you're not in that state, where he nearly died. Two crucified him afterward. All of this. You can see the parallels between Jesus and Paul. And it's at this point that Paul invoked is Roman citizenship. Roman citizens were not permitted to be flogged. In fact, they were exempt and if you was a Roman soldier, didn't do your due diligence and you flog the Roman citizen gets what happened to you? You got flocked. So that's why I soon as Paul invokes is Roman citizenship. Lithia says he was afraid and everybody backed off because everybody knew what the penalty was Nepal. Could have been to citizenship anytime but it's at this point. He invokes is citizenship and reminds Lucy's loosen. You may have paid for yours, but I inherited my citizenship by birth, right? He had a higher Social Status in the Roman hierarchy than even the Tribune so they had to back off Paul immediately. Tells us here when verse 26 from the century heard, he went to the Tribune. Said, to me, why are you bout to do this? Man's a Roman citizen and the Tribune came tell me you were Roman citizen said, yes, and should be answered. I bought the citizenship for a large. Sum. Paul said, I am a citizen by birth. So those were about to examine him with Drew immediately and Tribune was afraid. We realized what was a Roman citizen and how to bound him. But the next day Desiring to know. The real reason why he was being accused by the juicy, Unbound, them and commanded the chief priests, and the council to meet in the wall down and said in before them. So let's just has to get to the bottom of this. He's in charge of keeping order in city. So he tells the the Sanhedrin to have a counseling. He's going to bring Paul to them. I ran out of try. We're going to find out what's going on here. Now, the Sanhedrin is a group of seventy Elders, in Jerusalem. They make up. It's pretty much like think of it as a senate right there. The the Jewish legal Scholars, they they govern the religious community of Israel, and they are made up very differently. So, so the Sanhedrin is made primarily of Sadducees.

The minority of the saying he was Pharisees. Those were the two ruling parties think of them as Democrats and Republicans. The Sadducees would have been more the liberal. They would have been more than Democrats. They, they didn't really believe in the full Old Testament. They believed it a tore up, but they believe everything else was not written or inspired by God. I can't believe the Canon of the prophets in the sounds. They didn't believe in anything Supernatural. They didn't believe in life after death. I can't believe in angels, and they certainly did not believe in the resurrection. They were very friendly were wrong. They believe that the Jews needed to learn to assimilate and get along with the rest of the Roman Empire. And then you had the Pharisees, the Pharisees. They were more, the concerns and will the Republicans. And in they, they were very, they were strictly, you know, biblical Bible people. They, they were Orthodox Jews. They believe in the whole Canon of the Old Testament. They believe in angels, they believe in the resurrection of what they were mine. Scholars. The theologians. They were the ones who were the scribes, who copy scriptures of the Old Testament. So you decide to cease their more. The politicians are Savvy. The world that the Pharisees, there more, the scribes in one of the Orthodox, religious Jews, and the Sadducees make up a majority. And then you have the chief priests and you have the high priest and they're just totally corrupt, and we're introduced to ananias again. Just to give you a little background and a nice. It's been a chief priest. He's the hype in the high priest for very long time. He was the high priest who oversaw the trial of Jesus Caiaphas was his son-in-law who was, who was sort of like a proxy priest at the time, but ananias is like The Godfather. He's like, Marlon Brando and and he has, he has and we know about his crops and was Josephus. The Roman historian tells us about him that he had his hand in every corrupt scheme in Jerusalem. When Jesus overturn the money tables, that was on an ice skiing. And then I said, turn the whole Temple system into a money-making scheme. He was the one who pilfered the funds from the prize for the priests to pay for his own lavish Lifestyle. The guy that was in bed with the Romans, and he kept everything steady for a very long time. This was a very corrupt individual. The imagine your poem being brought before trial before these men. What a sham. Paul certainly knew how it went with Jesus. It's a kangaroo court. There's no fair trial. There's no hearing here. It's rigged.

So, look at verse 23. 23:1 and looking intently at the council. Paul comes and he looks them dead in the eye. Brothers. I have lived my life before God in all good. Conscience up to this day. This is his opening statement. But before he can get another word, and look what happens. Verse 2 and the high priest ananias. Commanded? Those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. And Paul said to him, go to strike. You. You whitewash world that you're stressed, sitting to judge me. According to the law, get contrary to the law. You order me three struck. Those who stood by said with, you revile God's high priest. And pull said, I didn't know brothers that he was the high priest words. Written. You shall not speak evil of the ruler of your people. This is the first of two incidents that took place in his trial.

Ananias had no patience for pull. He did not want to hear anything pull. Had to say. Ananias was the one who authorized pulling even papers 25 years earlier to put an end to the church to stop Christianity and now he stands before the council preaching the gospel. Ananias is enraged. How dare you come to this court? Paul? We send you the storm and Christian Dior expanding it. Can you order some struck in the face?

Call response with great anger. I guess the question is. Why do people respond this way? Was it Paul who said the First Corinthians for 12 when reviled we bless when persecuted? We endure.

Why do people respond in such a angry manner? I'd like to think about this too harder than say Paul is Paul. He's human need with a nature like ours. What Christ was struck with a plucked his beard on spit on his face and say prophesy who struck you remove the Lord he reviled. Christ is the Spotless lamb. Up to this point, the parallel diverges because we see that, although Paul is a man who is following Christ. He still a man. They probably responded in the way we would respond in such a case. He knew how filthy and corrupt in and Ice was.

The bigger question is the bigger, question is at this point. Is why when he was rebuked for revealing, the high priest? He said, oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know he was the high priest. Do you really not know any nice was the high priests? There's several explanations to what's going on here. One could be. Paul really doesn't know that on and Ice was there. There's a big crowd most Scholars agree that Paul was partially blind. It could have been that ananias was disrobe. You only saw was a white figure. And so he said, you know, you whitewash to him and he genuinely didn't know that on and I said it. I don't know. I don't believe that. The Lord did forbid to speak evil of your rulers. I think it's deeper than that. I think Paul was being sarcastic and John Calvin takes his point of view. I think John Calvin say how I didn't know you were the high priests and other words. How could someone as rich as you do not even suited for this? All this? You're not even at Levi.

His apology was riddled in sarcasm. Peter ananias was a filthy corrupt men.

And so, Danny's goes to the trial. In verse six and when Paul proceed one, part was sad to see the other Pharisees. He cried on the council Brothers. I'm a thirsty. You son of a Pharisee. It's with respect to the in the resurrection of the dead. I'm on trial. We need said this, a distention arose between the Pharisees and Sadducees and the assembly was divided for the sad. She say there is no Resurrection or angel in the spirit Pharisees acknowledge them all. It was a great clamor and upheaval some of the scribes and Pharisees stood up. And contended sharply. We find nothing wrong with this man. What a spirit or Angels spoke to me. 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 4. Bring him into the barracks.

Pause perceptive. There's no fair trial here. And so, he does with a very clever person. Would do he sees the division within the group and he sets them against each other. It figures at least there's some Pharisees that'll be sympathetic to his cause he's a former Pharisee himself. It just shows at this point in Israel's history. How how passionate they are in their disagreements? What led up to the destruction of the temple at 8070? Was that the nation was tearing itself apart before Rome did. They were killing each other. It was such a divided among the juice.

And they were at each other's throats, a simple debate. Like this turned into a violent upheaval among. The religious leaders are literally beating each other up and I'm going to kill Paul if they could

Pole saw. This is an opportunity to get out of this trout. He knew they were going to listen to anything. He had to say. Some say is Justified in using such tactics whole new. The cards were stacked against them and he was right. He used his diversion to delay, the inevitable, his death. Simply said his hour had not yet. Come. And the confirmation of this isn't verse 11. The following night, the Lord stood by him and said, take courage as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem. You must also testify in Rome. Holzhauer had not yet. Come Christ had more work for him to do.

Let me conclude by saying is there's a lot. We looked at going on here. It's Paul on trial and you could, you can't help but to see the parallel of Christ. Just as Christ went through a trial before the Jews and has he went on trial before Pontius Pilate Paul is is also being tried and tested. But you see, like I said, from the beginning, it was knocked all who's on trial. He was the Gospel in trial.

It was it was Christ who was on trial, and Jesus was his witness.

You see, every time we are persecuted for our faith. It's not us were on trial. If Jesus was on trial. Jesus said they hate you because they hate me. If Paul never converted to Christianity. If Paul just kept his place within the ranks of Judaism. Nobody was bothering him. They would celebrated when he came to town. But because he surrendered his life to Christ. Because he counted all that Fame that Jewish Fame as worthless as dung and now had embraced the infinite value of serving Christ.

All the people who once loved and want them dead.

Remember what Jesus said if you follow me, even the members of your own household will become your enemies. A father will be against his son in a mother against her daughter. Even your own household.

Prophet is never received by his own. The pole was not ashamed of the Gospel. Because it's a power. Solvation to those who believe it's the gospel that calls, unworthy Sinners, Define. Redemption of whom Paul was cheap. It's the gospel that unites all human beings, regardless of who you are. As one in Christ. Nothing is more powerful than the Gospel of Jesus Christ. No message. No, there is no power in the earth that can do with the gospel does and that's why men are afraid of it. That's why people feel threatened by it. Why else would the Communist regimes of the Soviet Union? Why else would the Communist regimes of China and, and, and Cambodia and Vietnam, and other countries be so dead set against Christianity, cuz it's a threat to the world powers, the gospels more powerful than any system in the world that people are threatened by it.

We learn something here, though. Is that when we are tested, when we are tried? Just a faithful. Peter does 1st Peter, 3:14, even if you should suffer for righteousness sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them nor Beach.

Only. Always being prepared to make a defense. This is Paul was making a defense in apology or be prepared to make an defense. To everyone who asks you for the reason for the hope that's in you do it with gentleness and respect having a good conscience. So when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. Be ready. Poor was ready to make a defense of his Christian. Faith. Are you ready? If you were really put on trial, if you were put to the test, if someone ask you, why are you a Christian or, why should we not kill you, your traitor. Would you be ready to give a defense for the gospel? Think about that.

No parties while I do a Systematic Theology class so that you could give a defense for your faith.

It finally there's one last thing I want to look at.

Paul was clearly struggling between two different worlds. One sense. He's a Roman citizen. He's a man of the world. Another chance, he's a deeply committed you with deep ask, Nick National and religious heritage. Paul was the perfect man. God, chose to bring the gospel to the world. He knew the Bible better than anyone and, you know, the Roman World better than anyone.

You know, Jesus tells us to be harmless as doves. But wise, as serpents, we are between two worlds as well. We have to, we have to balance out our our Christian identity and live in a world. That's Godless. It's not always easy, Paul demonstrates to us how to straddle that world. And I think to understand there is to understand Paul's priority, and who in his identity. You see his Jewish identity, wasn't she is that the guy Danny wasn't chained and his Roman identity wasn't Chief, right? What really? Down. Paul and consumed. Him was his identity in Christ.

In chapter 23 verse 1. Just reverse a little In his opening statement at the Sanhedrin trial. He says, I have lived my life in a good clear conscience. To this day there phrase. I have lived my life.

I have lived. My life is a is a very unique phrase in Greek. The freeze in Greek is it is a pullet to my or pull it to my I guess that's the best way I can print out a little rough. If you Paulette Paulette, you know, polish where to get City.

And it's permis sometimes translate. This word in Greek is sometimes translated citizenship.

Liverpool said in Philippians 3 21. Our citizenship is in heaven.

You might be American citizens, and some of you might have even dual citizenship. May I have a snack ideas for ultimate citizenship? Our ultimate identity is in heaven. Hitting with Christ. Is it given the context of his trial before the hand Sanhedrin? When Paul says this phrase, I have lived my life. That same phrase. He uses in Philippians 1:27. What he says, lick your manner of life. Be worthy of the gospel of Christ.

In other words, the way we live our life.

Should reflect those who are citizens of Heaven.

Holes motivating factor in like what dominated him with, pretty much colored his life and what what directed his the way he lived his life. What's the gospel?

The Puritans had a sang for this in Latin. It is sub specie.

8 turn it hatches.

Sub specie aeternitatis.

Twitter Pastor, Paul's favorite sings living in the light of Eternity.

Paul lived, his life in the light of Eternity. Straddling between the Roman Empire and Jerusalem, he walks into there as a child of God at a citizen of Heaven. Knowing he's representing Jesus Christ. Let that be a lesson to us today. Is we straddle Between Two Worlds? Let us live in the light of Eternity. With a clear conscience as Witnesses for Jesus Christ.