The Providence of God

 Protection in a Stormy Voyage

Book of Acts Chapter 27

We seem to forget that when God gives us something to do, that He will keep us safe until we have accomplished what He gave us to do. This does not mean we will not suffer. 

The Lord had told Paul in a vision that he would testify in Rome and nothing in this world could stop this from happening, as long as Paul put forth the effort to do so. Paul would never quit on God even though it nearly costs him his life many times.

What had God told Paul? That he would be a witness for the Gospel in Rome.

Act 23:11  And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.

It is at this point that Paul should have realized that he was going to Rome under the providence of God, and nothing in this world could stop this from happening.

When Paul appealed his case to Caesar, Festus had no legal choice, but to send Paul to Rome because this was Paul's right as a Roman citizen.

We sometimes make good plans for the things in our lives, but our plans will always be what the Lord has planned for our lives, and we will always be better for it.

We sometimes seem to forget the power of God.

I believe this is why this story is in the Bible.

Jehovah God controls all aspects of what happens to us as we live upon this earth.

We read of a great storm in the Mediterranean Sea and just how powerless we are as humans to endure such things in nature.

Now we already know that God does not cause the terrible things that happen in this world, but He does not always stop them from happening when He certainly has the power to do so.

Paul would make a safe journey to Rome though it would be a rough journey.

Paul was traveling with hardened soldiers and men of the sea, who did not know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior.

Maybe God allowed all these things to happen just so some of them would recognize that there is a God and He was the God of the Apostle Paul and some of them would be saved.

Unlike Jonah who was running away from God, Paul was running to God, but both were under the control of the providence of God.

God will have His way with us!

God will also test us in many ways!

As Christians we must trust that God will do as He says He will do.

We must know that God does not ever make a mistake. (Not Ever)

God does care for us.

1Pe_5:7  Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

So far, Paul's keepers had made the right decisions on this trip to Rome.

Those captains of those ships had also used their knowledge of the Seas to do the right things.

Where they would fail is when the man of God, Paul, gave good advice and they ignored the Word of God, but God still did not allow even one man to lose his life.

There were certain times of the year when the Mediterranean Sea was more dangerous than at other times.

This proved to be true, as Paul sailed toward Rome as a prisoner but still a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ.

*****Act 27:14  But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.

As Christians in the service of the Lord Jesus Christ, we will find that the winds are not always favorable to our Christian journey.

We may find many fair havens.

These fair havens may not meet the desires of the world but are just a refuge from those storms.

Many will leave these places just because of their distance from the world when they are the safest places to stay.

To the Christian, our fair haven is the Bible believing Church.

When we are driven to a haven such as this, let us be content because the Church exists by of the "Grace" of God.

It is the ways of sin that are too easy, not the path of God, but the path of God leads to Heaven the fairest of all havens.

Paul never admits to being a sailor because he was a land man with no knowledge of the seas, but he did have the mind of Christ.

We find that men of the sea (the world) do not like land men (Paul the Christian) to interfere in the affairs of the sea (society).

We can find many types of biblical learning in these things of the Apostle Paul, and we can see how they affected all the books that he wrote led by the Holy Spirit.

A Euroclydon would be a typhoon like wind. This wind from the south could at times turn to be from the north with the same destructive power and it is these storms that last so long such as the fourteen days in this lesson from the Book of Acts.

A Euroclydon is now called Levanter but has the power of a typhoon.

These winds would not carry this ship in one direction but would be tossing them backward and forward.

*****Act 27:15  And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive. 

There was no way to control the direction of the ship so they just allowed the ship to go wherever it would go. 

The ship was out of their control and was in the hands of God.

This is what happens when we try to leave Satan's control for the hand of God.

This ship was in the hands of God before the storm, but they did not recognize it. 

Remember, God told Paul he would preach in Rome.

We should understand that danger is always a test of character!

The impulse of self-preservation is so strong, it will defeat itself and many will die that could otherwise be saved.

Paul was safe because the Lord had said he would remain safe.

Paul was the valuable property of the immortal Jehovah God.

Paul had resources of strength and comfort that those around him did not have except maybe the Christians that traveled with him such as Luke.

Paul now became a comforter and an adviser to all this ship.

The promises of God will always be fulfilled!

*****Act 27:16  And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat: 

Act 27:17  Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven. 

Clauda was a small island off the southwest coast of Crete and one of the last places they could still recognize as the storm became fiercer.

Those things called “helps” were big ropes or cables passed under the ship and secured on both sides to keep the timbers from separating.

This also means this was an old ship as ship building had already improved a great deal at this time.

These quick sands were huge sand banks on the shores of the Gulf of Sidra on the coasts of Tripoli and another on the coast of Tunis or Carthage. These were a known source of danger to mariners because of their shifting sands and cross currents.

Remember this ship had left Fair Havens because of a southernly wind but they had sailed close to the shorelines to avoid as much of those winds as possible.

It was a rough voyage.

*****Act 27:18  And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship; 

Act 27:19  And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship. 

On this second day they set about throwing the cargo overboard.

This cargo was probably corn from Alexandria Egypt to Italy and its load would have been very heavy and its removal would have made the ship much safer.

For this ship to throw its tackle overboard, then we can believe this ship was taking on water and in danger of going down early in this storm.

It also shows us the experience of the captain of this ship.

Even Paul and those with him helped to throw these things overboard, because the danger of sinking was so great.

They were now on their third day of this storm.

Paul had tried to warn those in charge of the coming danger.

We know that few are listening to the Christians today. 

Few are paying attention to the dangers that lie ahead as we approach the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

1) We as Christians will also suffer through these things but financial gains will not be of much value in the last days.

2) We as Christians know that if our ship goes down, the body in which we dwell, our souls will be saved.

3) We as Christians know that no matter how far we drift, God knows where to find us. Sometimes we may even be immortal until the promise of God is fulfilled as was Paul.

4) When we as Christians are praying, it may be more important than all the work of the ship’s crew. Paul was pursuing his duty as a Christian.

5) When we as Christians are in such danger, we will always be more at peace than those who do not have a relationship with the Lord.

6) We as Christians may lose the sight of the natural sun and the star, but we will never lose sight of the Divine Son of God and the Star of Bethlehem.

It is extremely dangerous to ignore the warnings of God!

All of a sudden, they were sailing in almost total darkness.

*****Act 27:20  And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.

Act 27:21  But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss. 

We can say without a doubt that this ship, this crew, and Paul did not know where they were.

They were desperately lost at sea.

Again, I can imagine that many lessons in typology have been taken from this passage.

It was only natural that a sense of hopelessness would come over the crew of the ship, but also just as true that Paul and those who traveled with him did not feel this hopelessness.

God always knows where his children are located, and God is always in touch with His children, no matter where they are located!

Many days had now passed, yet this storm was still raging.

This is the same thing that sin does. Sin begins anew every day and has no end without the Lord Jesus Christ, who by the way died to pay the debt of all sinners.

 The man of God, the Apostle Paul had the answer to hopelessness!

The Christian should have courage in all situations!

The trials of life will not break us down if we truly trust in the Lord Jesus Christ!

1) Paul first proclaimed their failure in listening to the Word of God.

Paul had warned that if they continued to follow the course of pleasure and greed, they would run the risk of loss and doom, of hurt and damage, but worldly people always have their own wrong answers.

Paul led by the Holy Spirit had warned those in charge of the ship.

Act 27:9  Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them, 

Act 27:10  And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives. 

2) Paul proclaimed God's promise.

God had promised that all on board would be saved if they would obey God's messenger.

This is all we have! We have the Word of God to be given to all the world and it is the Word of Truth.

Jehovah God is the only true God all other so-called gods are false!

This ship sailed with the idols of false gods, and they had done nothing to save this ship and its crew.

Paul proclaimed his faith in God's promises. 

Paul could not have known that no one would lose their life if not for God the Holy Spirit giving him this knowledge.

*****Act 27:22  And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship. 

Act 27:23  For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, 

Act 27:24  Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. 

Act 27:25  Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me. 

Act 27:26  Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island. 

God knows what lies ahead in our daily walk in this life!

3) Paul stated that we all must have faith in the promises of God.

God had spoken to Paul using the many methods He chooses to speak to us, and we can trust the promises that God makes to us.

None of His promises have ever failed!

4) Paul proclaimed that these trials are necessary to prove our trust in the Lord our God.

We all have to listen to the Word of God and make that decision to trust what God has said!

The proof of true faith is enduring until the end of these trials.

Mat 24:13  But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 

Mat 24:14  And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

1Co 15:58  Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. 

*****Act 27:33  And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing. 

Fourteen days and nights had passed yet the storm seemed to have no ending.

During the night some of the crew felt like they were close to land so they began to take depth readings and sure enough the water was getting shallower, and they cast out four anchors out the rear of the ship.

In all honesty anchors should be from the front of the ship except under certain conditions.

Why are anchors at the front of the ship? When a boat lies on its anchor, it faces the tide and/or wind. The forces can be fairly high, and so it is necessary to present the minimum cross-sectional area and minimum drag, which is the front of the ship. Therefore, holding the bow up to the tide or wind is the best policy.

This is the same for your fishing boat and your pleasure boat.

Some of the crew attempted to flee by escaping in the ship's boat.

A ship's boat is a utility boat carried by a larger vessel. Ship boats have always provided transport between the shore and other ships.

In the early days of shipping this boat would be used to gather drinking water and to ferry people to the shore.

This little boat could not have brought safety to these men, and they would have died unnecessarily.

Paul brought this to the attention of the Centurion and his soldiers.

What we see is when danger is imminent sometimes it is the Christian that needs to step forward after all we do know the truth and the Lord will never forsake us.

*****Act 27:34  Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you. 

Act 27:35  And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat. 

Act 27:36  Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat. 

I can tell you after going through this cancer treatment that eating will sometimes become a duty for survival.

Sometimes we should eat whether we feel like it or not, just because we need our strength for what lies ahead.

This is always true of that food that is the Word of God!

God takes loving care of our souls, but He expects us to take loving care of our bodies!

When Paul gave thanks for this meal, Paul showed that is always time to ask for a blessing even if it was a meal eaten in a hurry.

Once the ship was anchored it was only a matter of time before the ship would break up if this storm did not cease its destructive power.

Once the new day arrived and they could see, they took up the anchors and ran the ship aground where the ship did break up.

In the end by trusting the man of God and the Word of God all those on this ship were saved.

*****Act 27:37  And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls. 

Fear is something we will all deal with from time to time, but God did not give us the Spirit of Fear. 

So when we are afraid, we did not get that feeling from God.

2Ti_1:7  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

This is what most men on this ship saw in the Apostle Paul and it is our example for when things go terrible wrong.

The trials of life will sometimes cause great fear, but we must remember the Lord and the Word of God, and these great examples recorded in the Word of God.

Another thing we should notice there is never a time that we should not ask God for a blessing when we are about to take a meal.

As the messengers of God, we should take charge during these type situations if they arise.

We must believe and trust the Word of God!

We must focus everything upon God's Word and God's Promises!

This is the only way any of us can be saved!

Amen

No Such Thing as Almost a Christian

 Paul Before Agrippa

Book of Acts Chapter 26

Chapter 26 begins with the Apostle Paul in the hearing room of King Herod's palace in Caesarea, standing before the Governor Festus, King Agrippa, and his sister Bernice.

We will see that Paul will give a complete description of his calling.

When we repeat the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we are giving to the world the testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ.

This is what the Lord Jesus asked us all to do.

We cannot be ashamed of the Gospel!

Paul will also give his own testimony and things that concerned his own calling.

Christianity always appears in person.

The Lord Jesus uses human beings as His voice upon this earth and as His legs to take the Gospel to the world.

Christianity must be heard. 

Paul gives his own testimony! We cannot give the testimony of someone else.

If we have nothing to say out of our own conscience, then we cannot be a witness for the Lord.

Our salvation may be between us and the Lord, but our experience in the Gospel is to be in full view of others.

Paul said, “I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.”

Before Paul was known, he was first called Saul and Saul had been on his way to Damascus to do terrible things just as before we were saved, we were on the wrong road with the wrong purpose in life.

It is the Lord Jesus who brought about a change in Paul, just as He has brought about a change in each and every Christian, no matter where they are located.

Paul said, "I have seen the Light of the Lord Jesus".

It is the Light of Jesus that allows us to see the filth that was in our lives, and that is in this world.

To be a Christian is to have mental illumination and liberation.

Paul said it was on this day on the road to sin that he met the Lord Jesus Christ, who is Jehovah God.

*****Act 26:19  Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: 

Act 26:20  But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance. 

Remember, a Godly vision is much different than a dream. Dreams may seem real sometimes, but in a Godly vision all the characters have names, and the characters are real people, and it is as if you were dropped into the middle of something happening that was real because it is real.

God allowed those in these visions to see a future happening that was real. Dreams are just dreams good or bad and some bad ones are called nightmares.

Paul knew he had a Godly vision when he was on the Damascus Road.

This was Paul's call into the ministry of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Paul was obedient to God's call!

The Lord's call was not up for discussion to Paul, and neither should it be to us.

Paul's call was from Heaven, and this is the way we should all see it.

That call from Heaven should override any calling we may think we have in this world!

Paul's vision of the Lord Jesus Christ was so real, that he knew he had seen the Lord Jesus in person just as the other Apostles!

There is no need to seek another's opinion, when we are called of God, we know and understand it is reality!

All the charges against Paul were unjustified because Paul was obedient to the call of God.

We must never break any law when we are obedient to the Lord!

When we are faithful to the Lord we are on the right path, and we will be doing what the Lord wants us to do!

Our job is to let Christianity speak for itself!

We must allow the Word of God to do its job!

It is the Word of God that has the answers to all our questions and all of life's questions!

We may think that our Godly experience is something between ourselves and God, but this is not true.

Paul never thought this because our relationship with God is to be shared with others!

Many times our testimony is the beginning of our conversation with those in the world.

If we are ashamed of our conversion, then we are ashamed of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Those who have met Jesus Christ and have turned away, are running from their call into the ministry!

We cannot eat the Word of God one time, and this be enough.

We must sit down daily at the table of the Lord Jesus Christ.

2Co_4:16  For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

When we dine with the Lord, we are refreshed with His never-ending strength!

When Paul was allowed to speak his defense was that the truth of this world is in the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Lord is serious when He calls anyone for reasonable service to the Gospel!

*****Act 26:21  For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me. 

Act 26:22  Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: 

Act 26:23  That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles. 

Do you know why the queer movement, the trans crowd, the abortion industry, and many others do not believe they have to change their ways to be saved?

Because they look into the Church, and they see the so-called Christians and they do not see changed lives.

Now it is true that we cannot make everlasting changes to our lives because it is the job of the Holy Spirit who comes to live in us at salvation.

He has regenerative power, but we must be willing!

It is that changed life that shows the power of God!

We cannot neglect proclaiming the works of repentance!

Isa 55:6  Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 

Isa 55:7  Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 

Isa 55:8  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 

Isa 55:9  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 

You, without the Lord God of the Bible cannot accomplish anything worth speaking of!

There is no salvation apart from a life of righteousness, that righteousness according to the Word of God!

Religion, ritual, ceremony, church membership, baptism, worship attendance, heritage, good parents, morality, and many other things are meaningless, without a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

It is faith and repentance that shows our love for Jesus Christ!

Who would want to be in a Church where you do not have to change your wicked ways? Not me!

This is saying that the Word of God has no meaning!

Who wants to go to a Heaven that is just like this world? Not me!

This is saying that Christianity is just like all the false religions of this world.

Why was Paul being persecuted? Because he was obedient to the Lord's call to preach the truth.

The world does not want to hear the truth!

What was the message of the Apostle Paul?

That men and women, queers, abortionist, drunks, immoral people, transgenders and all the lost should repent, turn to God, and do good works as described in the Word of God.

Paul was the Lord's witness in teaching these things.

Paul had this same message to the lowest of humans upon this earth and those who sat on thrones!

Paul added that they need look no further than himself to see that God takes care of His children.

God cares for us even when no one upon this earth does!

As true believers, we can always count on our Lord God!

God does sometimes allow trials to come into our lives to make us tougher in facing the reality of this cruel world.

The Lord Jesus Christ also suffered on this earth at the hands of cruel men, as our example of the suffering we may have to go through.

Paul did not select his audience, he witnessed  to those who stood in front of him at any given time.

He showed respect to the king for his position, but the message of Jesus Christ did not change because he was a king, or a Caesar, or the title of any ruler, or for any religious man.

No one is exempt from the message of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Gospel.

What was the truth for these Jews?

Paul bore witness to the Scriptures of the Messiah, the same Scriptures that the prophets and Moses used to say the Messiah would come.

1Th 2:13  For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. 

Paul bore witness of the death of our Savior.

Rom 5:8  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 

Rom 5:9  Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 

Rom 5:10  For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 

The death of Jesus Christ was ordained before God created this world!

There was no other way for God to save us, but by His death and He will explain that to us one day soon!

Paul bore witness to the resurrection of our Lord and Savior.

Jesus Christ had to be the first one to rise from His death.

He was the first fruit, the first in importance to the truth of God!

He never again had to die because another death would have no meaning!

Rom 6:9  Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 

Lazarus rose from the dead, but Lazarus had to die again and there were others mentioned in the Bible and all these in this court room knew these things.

King Agrippa had never heard the Word of God preached in this manner and Festus could not accept these truths.

*****Act 26:24  And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad. 

Act 26:25  But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness. 

Act 26:26  For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner. 

We see that Festus could not accept the truth of the Scriptures. Festus was a Roman and knew truly little of the Hebrew people.

The idea of fulfilled prophecy, the resurrection of the dead, and this crucified Jew, giving light to the Roman world were foolishness to Festus.

Festus had no spiritual discernment because he had no knowledge of the one true God! 

The gods of Festus were all statues and imaginary, with no such power as this Christian God.

All the gods of this world's religions, besides Christianity are all also false gods.

Festus was saying to Paul that old book of writings had no meaning in the Roman dominated world.

The same thing is said today about the Word of God, but the Word of God is alive, and its meaning is truly clear in this world, for we are in the last days and the Word of God will become more meaningful as we get closer to the return of Jesus Christ.

Paul says. No, I am not mad Festus because the truth of God stands clearly opposed to falsehood.

The Word of God is real, the Word of God is fact, spoken in a world where lies dominate our existence, and riches rule our ways.

King Agrippa did have knowledge of the things Paul spoke of and Festus had no knowledge of those things.

None of these things were hidden from the ruler of Israel.

The Scriptures had predicted the coming of the Messiah and at least a few had gotten it right.

The news that what the Lord Jesus Christ had claimed, and His death and His resurrection, had swept through the whole country and Agrippa knew these things.

So Paul gets bolder.

*****Act 26:27  King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest. 

Act 26:28  Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. 

There is a Christian song that is titled "Almost Persuaded" and it was written about these words of King Agrippa.

“Almost persuaded” now to believe.

“Almost persuaded” Christ to receive.

Seems now some soul to say,

“Go, Spirit, go Thy way,

Some more convenient day

On Thee I’ll call.”

“Almost persuaded,” come, come today;

“Almost persuaded,” turn not away;

Jesus invites you here,

Angels are ling’ring near,

Prayers rise from hearts so dear;

O wand’rer, come!

“Almost persuaded,” harvest is past!

“Almost persuaded,” doom comes at last!

“Almost” cannot avail;

“Almost” is but to fail!

Sad, sad, that bitter wail—

“Almost,” but lost!

So, what is a Christian or who is a Christian?

To be religious is one thing, but to be a Christian is much much different.

This is where the false Church has its problems.

There are many who belong to the Church, but they are not Christians.

In fact, my opinion or your opinion is irrelevant!

We have to go to the New Testament, the Word of God to get this answer!

A Christian is that person who has accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as the basis if his faith and the rule of his life!

The Lord Jesus Christ is our foundation onto which we shall build upon!

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Law according to which we think, and we feel.

When we adopt Jesus Christ as the law of our thoughts and our feelings, then we must be Christians.

To be a Christian is to be a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ in His ways, not the ways of the world!

The Jews deny that Jesus was the Messiah so, they will always deny Christians are anything of value to God.

To the Jews those who followed Jesus were "the Way", or "that Way".

Should we be known as Christians?

When we study the Lord Jesus Christ and all that He is, and all that is said about Him, and His relation to God and to man, and see that these are the traits we need in our own lives, then we will see that we ought to be Christians. To be more like the Lord Jesus Christ.

These are the same things that were ordained by God from the beginning of creation!

When God said, "let us make man", I believe God meant, "let us make Christians".

Gen 1:26  And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: 

The image of God is the image we see in the Lord Jesus Christ!

We are not made to be gods!

We can be made in the image, our character, like our God.

In respect to intelligence.

In respect of His moral nature.

In respect to righteousness.

In respect to true holiness.

In respect to life eternal.

We are to do our absolute best, to be like the Lord Jesus Christ in all His ways!

To King Agrippa, to become a Christian would seem to be a demotion from his current status as king.

This was the most critical moment in Agrippa's life, and he answered with "almost", as he was beginning to close his ears to the words of the Apostle Paul.

You see, when we are offered an opportunity to meet the Lord Jesus at Mount Calvary, we will have to make a discission about our destiny.

We cannot say that King Agrippa was almost a Christian because that person does not exist!

We cannot be almost Christians!

We must in every deed become a Christian!

If we believe the Bible is indeed the Word of God, then how can we deny the fact that we need to be like Jesus Christ.

If we reject becoming a Christian, then we are saying the Bible is a book of lies!

How did Paul respond?

*****Act 26:29  And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds. 

An almost Christian, is someone who wavers between Jesus Christ and the world.

Paul said; you have to move from being almost persuaded to altogether persuaded, before you can become a Christian.

There are many false notions of Christianity.

Many believe to be a Christian is having a free ticket to sin and then be forgiven but this is not true.

Rom_6:15  What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

God forbids Christians to intentionally sin and then beg for forgiveness!

We live in a pleasure mad society, and it is this pleasure of sinning that the lost refuse to give up, even though God says that pleasure will not last very long.

Yes, to be a Christian there will be suffering in this life!

Heb_11:25  Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

To be become a Christian is by "Grace", a free gift, because it is God's Will that we all become Christians.

That is being like the Lord Jesus Christ in all our ways!

There is a great danger than some with a vast knowledge of the Scriptures may never seek a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

This sounds like King Agrippa.

If we have been on a long journey and finding that we are near to the end brings great comfort, but to almost be a Christian should bring no comfort at all because, it is still rejection of the truth of God!

We should remember the story of the Ten Virgins.

Mat 25:1  Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 

Mat 25:2  And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 

Mat 25:3  They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 

Mat 25:4  But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 

Mat 25:5  While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 

Mat 25:6  And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 

Mat 25:7  Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 

Mat 25:8  And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 

Mat 25:9  But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 

Mat 25:10  And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. 

Mat 25:11  Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 

Mat 25:12  But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 

All ten of these were virgins, but five of them did not the Holy Spirit (oil) living within them which means they had rejected the truth of God and God had never signed their names in His Book of Life so, He did not know them.

We cannot just live a pure life; we must accept the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ to be a child of God!

King Agrippa died and went to Hell, because even knowing the truth of the Scriptures, he could not give up the pleasures of this world even though they can last no more than a lifetime and usually not near that long.

Amen

Defending the Gospel of Jesus Christ

 Paul Before Felix and Festus

Book of Acts Chapter 24 and 25

As Christians, there may come a time in our Christian life when we have to defend ourselves, by defending the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ, which we need to do all the time.

We should know more about some of the people involved in this farce of a trial of the Apostle Paul.

Farce meaning for the amusement of a crowd using lies which were ridiculous.

Felix was not some great ruler but was an evil ruler seeking to fill his pockets with loot.

He was originally a slave himself, who along with his brother were freed by the mother of the emperor Claudius. He had a brother named Pollus, who was more highly favored by Claudius. It is by this favored position of his brother Pollus that Felix was able to secure his position as Governor of Judea.

**Felix was a monstrous ruler, who was also cruel and despotic. 

A despot means that he was independent of control of other men. Felix did what he pleased in disregard of all laws.

Sort of reminds me of the president and his family that we have today along with many of the Senators and Congress.

Felix was full of greed and corruption. He was known for taking and maneuvering for bribes.

Felix was eventually removed from office because of riots between the Jews and the Syrians which he instigated.

He was saved from the death penalty because his brother Pollus was in such high favor of Claudius.

He was married to Drucilla, the daughter of King Agrippa, which was his third marriage.

Under Felix the affairs of the country grew worse and worse.

This imprisonment the Apostle Paul suffered was because Felix as an unjust judge "was willing," not to do what was right, but "to show the Jews a pleasure". 

**Festus was the successor of Felix as Procurator of Judea.

In just a few weeks the Jews reminded him of the prisoner Paul.

Then he heard Paul defend himself in the presence of King Agrippa II and his sister Bernice, and he did not find that Paul did anything worthy of the death penalty or even of being in prison, and would have set him free if not for Paul's appeal to Caesar.

Festus died after being in this office for less than two years.

**Tertullus was a Roman lawyer who the Jews hired to state their case against the Apostle Paul.

He was a good orator, but he gave the term lawyer a bad name, just as many do today.

He said it was Paul who created those disturbances among Romans throughout the Roman Empire, which was a lie, it was those Jews.

He said Paul was the ringleader of a sect of the Nazarenes who disturbed the Jews in the exercise of their religion, which was also a lie. It was the Jews who disturbed the Christians in their worship.

He said Paul had introduced new gods, which was Jehovah, the same God the Jews worshiped from the same Bible the Jews used in their worship.

He said that Paul had gone as far as to profane the Temple, all these things were built upon lies.

The Jews said they would have had these things over with, if not for the Chief Captain Lysias who put a stop to their actions.

So now let us hear from the Apostle Paul.

*****Act 24:10  Then Paul, after that the governor had beckoned unto him to speak, answered, Forasmuch as I know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself: 

Act 24:11  Because that thou mayest understand, that there are yet but twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem for to worship. 

Act 24:12  And they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city: 

Act 24:13  Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me. 

What were the charges against the Apostle Paul?

1) Paul was charged as an insurrectionist: a troublemaker, he disturbed the peace, he caused sedition, and he caused disorder among the Jewish people.

Many of these same things are said about Christians today even here in America, and even by some so-called church leaders, who say they are God's servants, when they are not and are Satan's servants.

2) They said that Paul was the leader of the sect called the Nazarenes, which was a rebellious sect, another lie.

They did not know what to call believers at this time and even the term Christian was used in a derogatory fashion when it was first used.

Being Christian is the only truth that needs to be used because being Christian is being like Jesus Christ.

Those who are not trying to be like Jesus Christ in their daily life are not true Christians no matter what they call themselves. 

If they go against any part of the Word of God, then they are not being like the Lord Jesus Christ who obeyed all the Word of God!

Christianity is not a sect!

Christianity does not promote sectarianism.

Christianity does promote unity and brotherly love, peace, and quietness.

Christianity does not promote selfishness nor worldliness.

Christianity does not promote self-indulgence, extravagance, wealth, injustice, or disorderliness.

Christianity does promote care, concern, and help, giving and justice, government, and obedience to the law, as long as those laws do not go against the written Word of God!

3) They charged that Paul profaned the Temple of the Jews, another lie.

It is a terrible day when a so-called Christian follows religion instead of following the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Head of the Church!

We cannot lean on our own ideas; we must lean on the Lord Jesus Christ and the written Word of God from the "received text".

When we go against the Word of God, we are going against the Lord Jesus Christ who is the only One who can get us into God's Heaven.

Heaven must be important enough for us to seek after the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 

Joh 14:7  If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. 

For those who say that the Lord Jesus does not say He is God, how do they explain this passage?

Paul spoke the truth to Felix.

Felix had judged Israel for about seven years.

Paul did not flatter Felix.

Paul did not lie about the accomplishments of Felix.

Paul did say things that acknowledged that his fate was in the hands of Felix, even though Paul knew his fate was in the hands of God.

Remember the Holy Spirit will guide us in the things we are to say.

In truth, Paul had gone to the Temple to worship not to cause a disturbance. 

In fact Paul would never have intentionally caused any disturbance, especially in Jerusalem, especially at the Temple!

The Temple was still God's house!

Paul simply said that five days was not enough time to do all those things the Jewish leaders had said, and it was not.

Paul had only been in Jerusalem for twelve days and Felix could easily check these things for the truth.

The Holy Spirit will not allow us to lie in our defense!

Eph 4:20  But ye have not so learned Christ; 

Eph 4:21  If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: 

Eph 4:22  That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 

Eph 4:23  And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 

Eph 4:24  And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. 

Paul was innocent of all those charges brought against him and Felix knew this to be true.

Paul said, if it were heresy to worship Jehovah God then he was guilty but keep in mind it was the religion of the Jews to worship Jehovah God and to obey all the Word of God so these elders would be just as guilty as Paul.

*****Act 24:14  But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets: 

Act 24:15  And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. 

Act 24:16  And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men. 

That Roman lawyer had tried to persuade Felix and those of his court that Paul was the leader of a heretical sect. An unauthorized religious party that caused social disruption.

This is almost the same thing that our own government is trying to paint Christians as today!

Paul confessed to only one thing, a genuine worship of the One true God, the same God that the High Priest and all Jews are to worship not some new god and not some false god.

Paul admitted that he was a follower of the Nazarene, the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Lord Jesus was a Nazarene, not because of some vow, but simply because He lived in Nazareth for a while.

Paul said he believed all the things written in the Scriptures just as the High Priests were supposed to.

Remember the Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection, or angels, and some did not believe there was a Heaven or Hell, all these things written plainly and clearly in the Scriptures.

All the words written in the Scriptures are the truth of God!

2Ti 3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 

2Ti 3:17  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. 

All these things were taught to the Jews beginning at childhood!

2Ti 3:15  And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 

Paul passionately believed in the resurrection of the believer!

1Th 4:16  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 

1Th 4:17  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 

1Th 4:18  Wherefore comfort one another with these words. 

Paul's conscience was clear on all these things, and this is the way each Christian should look at the truth of the Scriptures.

God cannot lie!

1Pe 3:16  Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. 

1Pe 3:17  For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. 

Then Paul explained why he had returned to Jerusalem, which gave Felix the idea that he could bribe Paul.

*****Act 24:17  Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings. 

It was important to the early Church that the church in Jerusalem not fail!

Paul had asked all the Gentile churches to try to help this church.

It was because of the Jews, who would excommunicate those they considered offenders from all religious rights and privileges in the communities in which they lived.

They would lose their jobs and in many cases their homes. In some cases it included banishment.

It always included civil punishment! Here are some examples.

Exo 31:14  Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. 

Ezr 10:3  Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law. 

Paul did not return to cause any problems to these Jews!

A strong Christian church would be a benefit to this Jewish nation, just as a strong Christian church has great benefits to any nation.

Christians are some of hardest workers in any nation and they will always uphold the laws of any nation as long as they do not conflict with the Word of God, as we see here in America.

Those offerings of the Apostle Paul, not the alms, had to be offered in the Temple in obedience to the Law of Moses.

Felix wanted to hear from the Chief Captain Lysias to hear his side of what happened.

And after, He did want to hear from Paul again.

*****Act 24:24  And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. 

Act 24:25  And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee. 

Act 24:26  He hoped also that money should have been given him of Paul, that he might loose him: wherefore he sent for him the oftener, and communed with him. 

Notice Felix had a desire to hear about the Lord Jesus Christ, but he did not want to hear about repentance.

This is the same story of the transgender and the queer people and most all sinners today.

They want to claim they are saved, but there is no evidence of repentance.

1) Felix and Drusilla wanted to hear about Christianity and the Nazarenes and faith in Jesus Christ, simply because they were curious.

They had no real desire to change the way they lived. They lived in luxury.

2) Since Paul had brought so much money to the Church, then maybe he could pay a bribe to be set free.

Paul shared his testimony and the Gospel with these two, at this opportunity.

We should never miss an opportunity to share the Gospel!

Fearlessly Paul declared the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Paul declared that faith in Jesus Christ would bring about a change to righteousness and a controlled lifestyle in this world and facing God's judgment at the end of this life, which would be a judgment for rewards or to face God's judgment at the end of time.

1) Faith in Christ concerns righteousness.

2) Faith in Christ concerns self-control.

3) Faith in Christ concerns the judgment to come.

4) Faith in Christ concerns patience.

Felix trembled with conviction!

We can also see where the Holy Spirit also reached out to Felix, but Felix denied Christ at this time and said he would talk more with Paul at a later date, which never came.

This is the way of the world today!

How many who want to know the facts of Christianity, but they reject any message of repentance?

When the Holy Spirit moves in, there will be some changes. If we do not see those changes that are according to the Word of God, then the Holy Spirit has not moved in, because there was no sincere love of Christ and His message.

After Felix rejected the Holy Spirit, the next thing on his mind was that maybe Paul would pay for his freedom.

Felix sold out justice for greed!

Remember Felix was a corrupt official.

We can see this as an example of how this corrupt world is more interested in greed and corruptness than salvation.

We can also see this as an example of how close we are to the return of Jesus Christ.

1Ti 6:10  For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

This is why our Senators and Representatives will not give up the bribes of the lobbyist.

This is why they use their knowledge of new laws to take advantage of the stock market.

This is why they can be so easily bribed.

This is why Felix was soon replaced by Porcius Festus!

We as voters need to replace the corrupt government that is in place today in America!

So many are too blind to see these things, and many believe these things cannot be changed, but they can.

It is never too late to follow the ways of Jesus Christ!

*****Act 25:6  And when he had tarried among them more than ten days, he went down unto Caesarea; and the next day sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought. 

Act 25:7  And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove. 

Act 25:8  While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended any thing at all. 

Notice before Festus even talked to Paul, he made sure the High Priest and those other wicked Jews would be there.

We see nothing has changed as they came with those same lies, they had before.

These things have not changed today.

When the world wants to get rid of a servant of God, they always begin with lies.

Lies control our courts, even when before testimony is given, people still swear to the truth.

The truth does not mean much anymore!

In our world today, there is no incentive to tell the truth and there is no punishment in the telling of lies, and our judges are just as guilty.

It should be today that no judge has a previous life as a lawyer and maybe we could see some change.

Mat 5:10  Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

Mat 5:11  Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 

Mat 5:12  Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. 

Mat 5:13  Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 

We must never lose our saltiness!

All these things happening to the Apostle Paul never led him to giving up, but he just grew closer to the Lord.

Rom 8:31  What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 

Rom 8:32  He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 

1) Paul said, He worshipped the same God as these Jews said they worshipped.

2) This is the same God that the Jews had worshipped since they had escaped from Egypt.

3) Paul said that he believed in all the Scriptures, and that he denied none of those Scriptures.

Kings and Governors come and go, but Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever!

As Christians we know this is true.

Every human being will stand before God, either at the "Judgment Seat of Christ" or at the "White Throne Judgment", and God gives us the all our lifetime to decide which one of these places we should see Him and God promises to reach each one with the Gospel.

There will be no one in Hell who did not decide to go there.

Everyone in Heaven will have proved that they love the Lord Jesus Christ!

Paul had a sincere belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

2Co 4:14  Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.

Paul did all the things he did, in order to have a pure conscience. So many of us fail in this!

Paul struggled to avoid offence toward anyone. So many of us fail in this also.

Paul did all he could to keep a disciple from stumbling in their growth in Christ. We fail in this thing also.

Paul struggled to have a clear conscience toward God and man! I know I struggle with this one also.

Then Festus asked Paul to go to Jerusalem to stand trial in which Paul replied, he could not get a fair trial from people who only wanted to kill him, which was the truth.

*****Act 25:9  But Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me? 

Act 25:10  Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest. 

Act 25:11  For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar. 

Act 25:12  Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go. 

The Apostle Paul had come to Jerusalem to bring the offerings to the Church of Jerusalem from the Gentile Churches that had offered to help.

Paul was far from being an insurrectionist, but this was the same charge that was made against Jesus Christ, because this charge would bring the death penalty from the Roman Government and the Jews.

Paul would never incite violence against the government! 

He had not done this in any Gentile city, and he would certainly not do this in Jerusalem.

Our own government say these same things about Christians today, when so-called Christians and some impersonating Christians are the cause of much of the trouble just to give Christians a bad name.

It was the out-of-town Jews from Asia that had stirred up the city, because of their hatred of the Apostle Paul.

They followed Paul from place to place, just to cause trouble for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We may not know who exactly was behind these things, but we know it was Satan.

Those trying to destroy America are also followers of Satan.

Paul was attacked while he was at worship.

These Jews from Asia were too cowardly to show up at court, but the High Priest and his followers who were Sadducees, intended to destroy Paul.

Paul was unjustly tried in the Sanhedrin Court, who followed the lead of the High Priest.

Paul was in the midst of a terrible trial, but he was there because of a righteous deed.

Paul knew God would deliver him because he had seen the Lord in a vision and the Lord told him he would preach the Gospel in Rome.

Paul was in the will of God and God treats all His children the same.

2Pe 2:9  The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: 

2Pe 2:10  But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. 

2Pe 2:13  And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; 

2Pe 2:14  Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:

Praise the Lord for the work of the Apostle Paul, who brought the Gospel to the Gentiles.

Amen

The Innocent on Trial Against Corruption

 Paul Stirs Up the Sanhedrin

Book of Acts Chapter 23

What is the Sanhedrin Council?

Moses originally created the Sanhedrin Court, in obedience to God.

Num 11:16  And the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee. 

The Sanhedrin was conceived mainly as a court of justice but things had changed because of corruption.

Jesus said:

Mat 5:22  But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. 

This same council was used against the Lord Jesus:

Mat 26:59  Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; 

Mat 26:60  But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses, 

The members of this council were called councilors.

Mar 15:43  Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus. 

The Sanhedrin was abolished after the destruction of Jerusalem and no longer exists.

The existing High Priest was always the Head of this council.

In the time of Jesus Christ this Sanhedrin served only in Judea and had no authority over the Lord while He lived in Galilee.

After the time of Christ its orders were deemed binding to all orthodox Jews. 

Remember these were the Jews that followed that all religious opinion of men should be the standard and not necessarily the exact Word of God.

Jesus Christ was charged with blasphemy and insurrection by this court.

In the days of Rome, the Sanhedrin contained a mixture of Pharisee and Sadducees and Paul used this to his advantage.

When Paul was brought before this council by the Chief Captain of the Roman soldiers in Jerusalem, it was not for him to be judged by them, but this Roman Captain wanted to know what Paul was charged with.

Any ruling of the Sanhedrin had no bearing on Roman law!

The Apostle Paul was not only a Jew, but he was also a citizen of Rome by birth.

Act 22:29  Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him. 

Act 22:30  On the morrow, because he would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from his bands, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down, and set him before them. 

The Chief Captain had thoughts of scourging Paul trying to gain the truth from Paul by torture, but since Paul was a citizen of Rome it was illegal to scourge him.

So Paul addressed the Sanhedrin council knowing the High Priest was his true enemy.

*****Act 23:1  And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. 

Act 23:2  And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth. 

Act 23:3  Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law? 

Act 23:4  And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God's high priest? 

Act 23:5  Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people. 

Act 23:6  But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question. 

Paul stared down at this council for it no longer represented the truth of God and therefore they were unable to serve justice.

Paul told this council that his life was now pleasing to God because he had excepted the Gospel truth of the Lord Jesus Christ, unlike them who rejected the truth.

Because Paul accepted the "authority of the Scriptures" Paul was labeled a blasphemer and the High Priests had Paul slapped.

None of us like to be slapped, but to a Jew it was truly demeaning.

For a Jew to strike another Jew was also a violation of Jewish Law.

Paul realized that he had rebuked the High Priest and he immediately repented, and apologized, because this also was against the Mosaic Law.

As for this council, Paul offered nothing but stares, as he was condemned by those who were hypocrites and reprobates.

Tit 1:16  They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. 

We must not forget the promise of the Lord, so the Holy Spirit was guiding Paul every step of the way.

Mat 10:18  And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. 

Mat 10:19  But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. 

Mat 10:20  For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. 

The Holy Spirit also reminded Paul of just what type of men were on this council, Pharisee, and Sadducee.

The Pharisees believed in the Spiritual world and the resurrection.

The Sadducee did not believe in the Spiritual world, nor did they believe in the resurrection.

Paul conceived a plan with the Holy Spirit to pit them against each other.

Paul said the reason he had been arrested was because he believed the same as these Pharisees on these issues.

*****Act 23:7  And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided. 

Act 23:8  For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both. 

Act 23:9  And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees' part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God. 

We see that the hatred of these two groups for one another overcame any issues they had with the Apostle Paul.

We see that the promise of the Lord Jesus Christ had held true as always, and these two parties began clamoring and arguing amongst themselves.

Paul said in his speech from the stairs that Jesus, whom they knew to be dead, was alive, and that this same Jesus had spoken to him from Heaven and also in a vision.

There is a truth that we sometimes ignore.

1) When a sinner accepts the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ, there is an immediate elevation of the moral sense. We become new creatures!

2) When the Lord Jesus Christ comes near to the mind of anyone and He is rejected then, the last state of the rejecter is worse than the first. Those who reject the truth of Christ Jesus and quench Holy Ghost convictions, sink lower than those who never heard the name of Jesus Christ.

The Sadducees were religious but also liberal politicians of in the days of Jesus Christ.

They were wealthy, aristocratic, and the governing class of leaders in Israel. Not much different from those who govern our own nation today.

The Chief Priest of the Sanhedrin was normally a Sadducee during this time period.

The Sadducee ruled Israel on behalf of the Roman Government!

Act 4:1  And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them, 

Act 4:2  Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 

Act 5:17  Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation, 

Act 5:18  And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison.

The Sadducees were secular and worldly minded.

They were independent thinkers.

They were heavily entrenched in the priesthood in the days of Jesus Christ.

They regularly collaborated with the Roman government in order to protect their positions, in power and in wealth.

They denied the supernatural.

They denied the resurrection of the saints.

They denied miracles.

They denied life after death.

They denied angels and also evil spirits.

To them, there was no Heaven and no Hell.

To them, there was no existence other than life on this earth.

To them, when someone died, they just cease to exist.

To them, there was no such thing as rewards or punishment in the afterlife.

To them, there was no such thing as eternal life! (Matthew 22:23-33)

We can see the world if full of modern day Sadducees.

It is no wonder that they were "sad you see".

The Pharisee on the other hand were strict religionists.

These men dedicated themselves to practicing Jewish law in the strictest sense.

They felt that if they kept every little detail of the Mosaic laws and customs and taught others to do the same, they could save the Jewish religion and keep it from dying out.

They were the orthodox of their day.

They were strict literalists. They expanded the Jewish Law into thousands of little rules and regulations which we know of as the oral laws.

They were extremely zealous in these beliefs.

There were never many Pharisees because their strictness and their demands were too hard for common people.

They were earnest, dedicated, zealous, self-denying, and moral.

They were self-righteous and hypocritical. They lacked any sense of sin.

They were bitterly opposed to the Sadducees, hating, and despising them. They felt that the Sadducees were traitors to their own nation, and they were.

They were the main opponents of the Lord Jesus Christ and denounced Him. Their attacks on the Lord Jesus Christ were savage.

Why? 

1) Because Jesus did not attend any of their rabbinical schools nor a member of their sect.

2) Because Jesus attacked their rules and regulations which had been added to God's law.

Paul had been a Pharisee before he met Jesus Christ and was saved by the "Grace" of God.

These two groups of men allowed their hatred of each other get out of hand so, the Chief Captain had to put an end to this judgment of Paul.

*****Act 23:10  And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle.

Act 23:11  And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.  

The dungeon of Antonio Fortress became the one place of safety in Jerusalem for the Apostle Paul, led there by the Holy Spirit.

The Sanhedrin council had no authority over this case of the Apostle Paul and the Chief Captain had not submitted this case to them.

This case was in the hands of the Roman authorities, and it would remain that way.

We can certainly believe that Paul would have had no hope for justice had this case been given to the Sanhedrin and this Roman Captain knew this was true.

The command of the High Priest made sure this was true from the beginning.

In truth, this Sanhedrin Council was more guilty of blaspheming God that Paul was.

The fact that the Pharisees believed in the resurrection and Paul's defense was the fact that the Lord Jesus had certainly raised from that death, was proof that some of the beliefs of the Pharisees were true but not much more.

This doctrine of the Resurrection was the foundation of Paul's arguments for the truth of Christianity.

It is the "Gospel" this "Good News" of Jesus Christ that forms the truth of Christianity.

1Co 15:1  Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 

1Co 15:2  By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 

1Co 15:3  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 

1Co 15:4  And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

The Lord Jesus informed Paul:

1) The Lord said to Paul "be of good courage".

2) The Lord assured Paul that his witness in Jerusalem was of God by the Holy Spirit.

3) The Lord assured Paul that he would bear witness of Him in Rome.

The Lord will always stand by our side if we stand by His side!

The Lord will always encourage us and see us through these things.

The Holy Spirit will always give us the things to say in these situations!

Isa 50:9  Behold, the Lord GOD will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up. 

Isa 50:10  Who is among you that feareth the LORD, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the LORD, and stay upon his God. 

There are always those who are not satisfied with the way things are going.

*****Act 23:12  And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. 

Act 23:13  And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy. 

In America today there are many groups such as Antifa, the BLM, and other Soros backed groups, who are devoted to the destruction of our way of life in any means possible, causing harm to individuals and property. 

We could say they conspire together to accomplish these things.

This group of Jews conspired to murder the Apostle Paul, and they actually made a vow to see that it was done and there were more than forty who made this vow.

We already know that Paul was going to Rome according to the Lord Jesus Christ and nothing, not even the best made plan, could stop what God had said would take place!

We should understand about Jewish vows. 

There was always possible for a way to escape if they failed to keep a vow.

The Talmud, the Oral Law, which did not always truly explain the written law of Moses, allowed for an escape of such vows.

One passage from the Talmud reads: "He that hath made a vow not to eat anything, woe to him if he eats, and woe to him if he do not eat. If he eat, he sinneth against his vow; if he does not eat he sinneth against his life. What must such a man do in this case? Let him go to the wise men, and they will lose his vow".

We should note that God does not release us from vows we make unto Him even though He will forgive our sin.

We should understand that since that day on the Damascus Road, the Apostle Paul had been under the providence of God and led by the Holy Spirit.

Paul was safe in the arms of God!

Paul would certainly bear witness of the Lord Jesus Christ in Rome, and nothing in this world could stop this!

God set in motion many human events to take Paul to Rome and in doing so, we as believers can see the hand of God in Paul’s life and it awakens us to the fact that same hand of God participates in each of our lives if we cling to the Lord Jesus Christ.

These men deceived themselves if they thought they could change the things that God had put in place.

We see this same type of foolishness in our world today in the many conspiracies that confront us today.

If our climate is changing, then it is because God is allowing it to change.

Matthew 24 describes to us the many things of our changing world and those are the things we need to be keeping up with.

Paul had appeared before the Sanhedrin court and these men could not stay focused because of the hatred they had for each other.

This was the Jew’s opportunity to paint Paul worthy of death, and they had failed miserably.

Paul would remain in the custody of Rome.

Any attempt to kill Paul would fail because Paul was really in the custody of Jehovah God.

It amazes me how people can deceive themselves in their sinful and wicked deeds, thinking they can overrule what God has said will take place.

If the world does not like the message of God and do not want to hear it, then it is in their best interest to leave the Church alone.

These forty or more men bound themselves under a curse before God. 

The Jewish elders might relieve them of the curse, but God would not.

They had devoted themselves to God under false belief to not eat or drink until they had killed Paul.

They thought that this would be pleasing to God. 

No where in the Scriptures does it read that these types of things are pleasing to God!

Paul was God's chosen vessel!

Paul was not evil, but preached the truth of God!

We should understand that no sin is pleasing to God no matter the reason we conjure up in our minds!

Those who think this way are living in deception!

Many in the Church have gone against the truth of God's Word and a preacher who preached the whole council of God, thinking they are right, simply because they listen to the world and ignore the Word of God.

Even modern-day science does not overrule the truth of the Word of God!

These types of people have stifled many a church and brought many of them to destruction.

Tit 1:16  They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. 

We are not to judge another church, but when these things take place, it is the Word of God that judges them!

These forty or so men conspired which means, they dragged other innocent men into their destruction.

Mat 18:6  But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. 

Mat 18:7  Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh! 

They then went to the elders and got them involved and many of those elders were ready to get on board with them in their evilness.

We live in a world today where many a church leader have been deceived into joining in the wickedness of abortion, and the gay lifestyle, along with the transgender movement we see today.

They need to actually read that Bible they say that guides them!

We must get the world out of the Church!

The Church cannot fail, but many a lost person will fail to meet the glory of God because of these things.

This wicked and evil plan would be found out before it could take place.

*****Act 23:14  And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul. 

Act 23:15  Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you to morrow, as though ye would enquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him. 

Act 23:16  And when Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul.

The enemies of the Apostle Paul would not be satisfied until the Apostle was no longer upon this earth.

The law said "thou shall not kill" but these Jews had intended to kill Paul.

They were like wild beasts as they thirsted for blood.

Reminds us of all those shootings going on in our nation as these shooters thirst for the blood of the innocent.

They bound themselves under a curse upon themselves.

There were more than forty of these who would murder an innocent man who only spoke the Word of God.

They were cunning, they knew they could not reach Paul without the help of the Sanhedrin.

This should tell us just how immoral the elders and the rulers of Israel were at this time.

They never gave a thought to the providence of God!

They had forgotten the advice of the teacher Gamaliel.

Act 5:38  And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: 

Act 5:39  But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God. 

How does God react to these things?

1) God keeps it simple!

We do not know much of Paul's family. We know a little about Paul's mother and his grandmother.

Here we see that he also had a sister, and she had a son who cared enough for Paul to come to visit with him.

God does not ever need to use mighty things to accomplish great things!

2) The way God works is always unexpected!

Little did these conspirators expect their plan to be defeated by an obscure young man.

3) It was natural.

It was natural for this young man to give this information to his uncle.

It was natural for Paul to send his nephew to the Chief Captain.

It was natural for this Chief Captain being a man of honor, to act as he did.

God does not have to exhort to big mighty things to do the things He does so well!

Paul would have a safe journey to Caesarea.

God would raise five hundred soldiers to protect him from forty murderers.

Paul would go before a Roman judge, being innocent of all charges of these Jews.

Psa 34:19  Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. 

God uses simple methods to expose the works of darkness!

As the children of God we should take great comfort knowing that our Lord God will never forsake us, and He will walk with us every step of the way until we finally reach our true home in Heaven.

Amen

Sharing Your Testimony

 Paul Shares His Testimony

Book of Acts Chapter 22

How important is our testimony?

Our testimony should reveal to others the truth of what God has done in our lives.

The opportunity to testify about the Lord Jesus Christ and the salvation that comes only by Him, often happens in unexpected places and under a variety of circumstances.

We should take a look at our own testimony and refine it to keep it short and to the point, keeping it full of the truth of our own lives.

We must always be prepared to give our testimony because we will be asked, "how is your life different today because you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior"?

We should lead a noticeably different lifestyle than we had prior to the meeting the Lord and our testimony should include this change!

How we came to trust the Lord as our Savior is important to mention.

What difference Jesus has made in our lives is important to mention.

God will use our testimony if we allow Him to do so!

In our lesson today, the Apostle Paul had come to this place where God caused him to give his testimony to strangers.

Even before a riotous mob is a good time to give our testimony!

We will see that Paul's defense of his character became his offence as he witnessed to the things the Lord Jesus had done for him.

*****Act 22:1  Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you. 

Act 22:2  (And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,) 

Here we have an innocent man, the Apostle Paul, who could not be heard because of the noise of this mob finally get a chance to defend himself before being carried off by these Roman guards.

We should know that these Roman Soldiers main job was to protect the Temple and the grounds of the Temple.

Antonio Fortress was located on the northwest corner and connected to the wall of the Temple, and someone would always be on guard to see what was going on at the Temple.

It was King Herod who had caused this to happen. This was Herod's Temple, (the second Temple) in many views because he had spent so much money to rebuild this Temple into a showcase in Israel.

Disturbances in the Temple were sometimes dealt with harshly.

Paul was an innocent man of the things he was accused.

Paul was trying to appease the elders of the church in Jerusalem by compromising his own beliefs and it was not working out very well for him.

Notice it was not the local Jews who had stirred up this people, it was some trouble makers from out of town.

Paul loved this people.

Paul spoke in the local language which this crowd was not expecting, and these Roman soldiers would not understand much of what he said.

It is a fact that Paul would have been murdered had it not been for the work of these soldiers and this crowd could have easily overcome these few soldiers that came to put an end to this riotous mob.

The Apostle Paul was willing to face death, if it would be cause for some these Jews to be saved.

What did Paul have to say?

*****Act 22:3  I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day. 

Act 22:4  And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. 

 In Paul's testimony he began with what he used to be.

We all as Christians have a life that we used to be. 

"We are no longer used to be s"!

It had now been about twenty-five years since Paul, at that time called by the name Saul, met the Lord Jesus Christ upon the Damascus Road.

There may have been a few that recognized Paul from those early days, but most of them would not have known anything about the Apostle Paul, past, or at that present time.

Paul wanted them to know that he was a Jew and Jerusalem had been his home for many years.

Paul wanted them to know he was just as much a Jew as any of them were.

Paul was born in Tarsus but he was raised in Jerusalem. His mother, and his grandmother were Jews, which made him a Jew.

Paul had come to Jerusalem at a very young age because his mother and his grandmother knew it was at Jerusalem where the best  schools were located.

Act 26:4  My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;

Paul was educated on the strictest laws of the Jews and became a Pharisee.

 Act 26:5  Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. 

Paul was now being judged by certain trouble-making Jews, because he believed all the Word of God. 

Those same laws taught of the coming Messiah, which Paul believed had already come as the Lord Jesus Christ as promised by Jehovah.

Act 26:6  And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers: 

Paul had always been zealous in keeping of the Law and had never forsaken it!

Paul claimed he had never forsaken the practice and the customs of the Mosaic Law and he had not.

Paul claimed he was as much a practicing Jew as those who accused him.

Paul even shared that part of his life which was hostile to the Church.

Many of those present knew this to be true of the Jewish High priests and the elders of Jerusalem, who had also been a part of the persecution of the Church.

*****Act 22:5  As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished.

The High Priests knew these things to be true! 

Remember how the position of the High Priest had remained in one family since before the days of Jesus and was still in that family, none of them being the descendants of Aaron. 

The High Priest was no more than a politician who remained friendly to Rome.

Those elders were all members of the Sanhedrin court and they could have acknowledged that what Paul was saying was the truth, but they refused to do so.

Act 9:1  And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, 

Act 9:2  And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. 

Paul explained that with his religious training and zealous devotion, only a radical, supernatural event could have altered him to what he was on that day, a child of God.

Some of same mob that was ready to stone Paul was now ready to embrace him.

Paul describes his meeting with the Lord Jesus Christ adding to his testimony.

*****Act 22:6  And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me. 

Act 22:7  And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 

Act 22:8  And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. 

There is only One who can save and He is the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ!

The Lord Jesus will get personal with us if we allow Him to.

The Lord Jesus will always seek us out to save us!

The reason that the "noon" time is mentioned is because it seems the sun is always brightest at noon time.

Yet, the Lord Jesus Christ will outshine the sun.

2Pe_1:19  We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

The Lord Jesus Christ is the "Day Star"!

The Lord Jesus Christ is a Nazarene not because of some pledge that was made, but because for a while He made Nazareth His home.

Joh_1:46  And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.

Joh 1:47  Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! 

Joh 1:48  Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. 

Joh 1:49  Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.

Paul said he was overwhelmed by the things that were taking place around him that day, and he fell to the ground and it was then that he heard the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ, the "Voice" of God.

The Lord Jesus has always been the "Voice" of God!

Notice how the Lord Jesus addressed Paul by name.

Notice that all sin is against our Savior. He is the One who commands us to live righteously.

In fact, this is what the Mosaic Laws were all about, God's directions for living righteously. Our School Master.

Gal 3:24  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 

Gal 3:25  But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. 

Paul was not sure until that Heavenly Voice said "why persecutest thou me"?

Try to explain these things to the Lord and you will find that you cannot!

Why do we treat our Creator like we do?

In today's world God is rejected.

Climate Change is all about rebelling against God.

God has said we will have all four of the seasons until He returns.

There were many witnesses to this event the only thing they did not understand was the "Voice" of God.

They heard the "Voice" but they could not understand what was being said.

This world has not changed much since that day.

God is speaking through His many voices and His many Scriptures, but the world knows He is speaking but they have chosen to close their ears to understanding.

Eph 5:14  Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. 

Eph 5:15  See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 

Eph 5:16  Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 

*****Act 22:9  And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me. 

Act 22:10  And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.

Act 22:11  And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus.  

We know that the Lord Jesus addresses each of us personally, so it is not unusual for those around Paul not to hear what was said.

We know that the Holy Spirit had been working on Paul since the day that Stephen was murdered.

Paul had not cast a single stone, but he had held the coats of those that did.

We also know that when God saves us He does not remove us from our surroundings, He just gives us a new purpose and a new hope.

This is why it is called "faith"! We must trust God's plan for us!

We have to make our own trip to a spiritual Damascus.

Paul had to finish his trip to Damascus to know God's plan for him.

Paul had spent three years opposing Christianity and he would spend the rest of his life promoting Christianity.

We should not have to spend the rest of our days defending our actions while serving the Lord with all our heart.

Those traveling with Paul could not know the truth of what was happening.

All they saw was something they could not explain.

Paul continued on to Damascus, led there because he could not see for the Glory of that Light called Jesus.

God had already explained these things to a man named Ananias, who had a fear of Paul because of Paul's reputation.

Paul had seen these things in a vision because he could not see with his eyes.

Act 9:12  And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight. 

Act 9:13  Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: 

Act 9:14  And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name. 

Act 9:15  But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: 

Act 9:16  For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. 

So Paul went to Damascus.

Paul was a chosen vessel to bear the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and some of those people would be Gentiles in many nations.

Some those people would be kings and those in the governments of many nations. 

Some of those people would be the children of Israel who had been scattered in many nations because they had rebelled against Jehovah God.

Act 26:16  But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; 

Act 26:17  Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, 

Act 26:18  To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. 

The Lord Jesus had made a remarkable promise to His Apostles when He forewarned them of some things they would encounter when serving Him.

Serving the Lord will not always be easy.

God told His Apostles that when they were delivered up to councils, and rulers, and kings, for His sake, to take no thought of what they should speak, but that the Holy Spirit would speak at that time.

Mar 13:9  But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them. 

Mar 13:10  And the gospel must first be published among all nations. 

Mar 13:11  But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost. 

This too is a sign proving we are in the last days!

Paul may have been the beginning of these things as he stood on the stairs leading to the castle of Herod at Antonio’s Fortress.

A Jewish mob even caused fear in these Roman soldiers who were greatly outnumbered.

They would be throwing dirt up into the air and ripping their clothing, surely acting like true heathens.

We could say Paul was lucky to have escaped them if we did not recognize the providence of God in all situations.

Paul was now a prisoner in the hands of heathen masters in the very unhappy country of Israel.

Paul, not a very big man, was loaded down with the chains of this world, yet he asked for a moment to speak to this unruly mob.

Surely the Holy Spirit was leading Paul to speak and he began this speech by giving his own testimony.

This is how important it is for us to have our testimony prepared for the day or the days it will become necessary.

Paul apologized for the persecution he had caused to the Church.

Paul had nothing to hide for his actions and he did not try to. These things were well known by many in this crowd he was speaking to.

Paul could have stopped with these things, but Paul had also made a promise to his Redeemer.

The church at Jerusalem needed to know that the Gospel would be preached to Gentiles throughout this world and that the Jews and the Gentile were to become one in Christ Jesus.

Paul spoke in simplicity, because the message of the Gospel is a simple message, but what could be seen is that Paul now had a great zeal for the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ and the salvation of all men in every nation.

We sometimes forget that we are all in this thing together and it is the Gospel of Jesus Christ that unites all Christians.

What we witness in our nation today is the fact, there is a close connection between ignorance and violence.

Those in power today try to rule without righteousness!

Paul was a true Jew, and he loved his Jewish heritage, but it would be the fact that he was also a Roman that would benefit him the most for him now.

The conflict we see in America today is not between Christianity and political power, but it is between the truth of Christianity and false religion.

Corrupt so-called Christianity must be swept out of the way so the truth of the Gospel can take its stand and continue to stand until the Lord returns.

It is the Gospel that must reach all around the world to each individual, before the Lord can return because this is what the Lord has said.

Amen