The Lechem Panim Podcast

Hello and welcome to the show today! It is such a pleasure to have you with us again today as we study the Word of God together.  The Voyage For Rome— You will remember in our study of the book of Acts that Paul has recently stood trial before Governor Festus in Caesarea. And (not getting justice) Paul has been forced to appeal to Caesar. And so he's going to be transferred to Rome to be tried in Caesar's court. And so he's put on board a ship along with Luke and Aristarchus (two men who supported him in ministry); and the ship (which is carrying a bunch of prisoners) sets sail for Rome. And they make a number of stops and change ships at a place called Myra. And from there they continue on their way; but are met with adverse winds that eventually drive them to a port called Fair Havens. From their they wanted to reach Phoenix, which would be a better place to winter in. But Paul warns the captain and Julius (the Roman centurion) not to continue, predicting disaster if they do. However, they don't listen to him and choose to proceed anyways. And in so doing they get caught in a violent, tempestuous storm known as Euroclydon. And for two harrowing weeks they battle this storm. Now most of the men think they are going to die. And dying at sea was something sailors were terrified of because it was believed that if you died at sea, your soul would never find its way to rest in the realm of the dead; and would wander aimlessly over the surface of the waters in which you had perished. Not a great quality of afterlife to look forward to (at least in their minds), which is why before sailors would set out to sea, they would always offer sacrifices to the gods for special protection. And so we see here that they are absolutely terrified. But there is a person among them who is not afraid: Paul. Paul is calm and courageous in the midst of that storm. And, that is one of the marks of true Christians, by the way. Moravians Unafraid— You know, it's interesting. [When John Wesley was on his voyage to North America as a missionary from England, his ship encountered a terrible storm, so bad that they feared for their lives. The English immigrants on the ship were shrieking with fear. Wesley examined himself, as he usually did in all circumstances, “and found to his horror that he was afraid, mortally afraid of dying.” But a group of Moravian Christians from Germany were singing hymns amidst the storm. After the storm had subsided, Wesley went to one of them and asked, “Were you not afraid?” The man replied, “I thank God, no!” Wesley persisted, “But were not your women and children afraid?” “No,” came the reply, “our women and children are not afraid to die.” This experience had a profound influence on Wesley, and these and other Moravians had a big part to play in his subsequent experience of evangelical conversion that sparked off the eighteenth-century revival in England.] The reason many of us are Christians today is because a handful of Christians chose (in the midst of a storm) to live by faith and not by fear. Faith In God's Promise— And so Paul was not afraid to die. But he was also courageous for another reason; and that was that he knew that he (and every person on board that ship) were going to live. Paul (after telling them “I told you so!”) encourages them by telling them that an angel came to him and was going to preserve him and enable him to complete his mission. And the angel told him that He had granted to him the lives of those who were with him. And from here on out, Paul directs them until (as he predicts) they run aground, are wrecked on an island, and make their way onto the beach. And that is where our story today picks up. It says in… Acts 28:1 (NKJV)— 1 Now when they had escaped, they then found out that the island was called Malta.  Malta— Now [Malta was {an island that was} part of the Roman province of Sicily and was located about 60 miles south of that island near the toe of Italy.] It [was known as Melita by the Greeks and Romans.] But the name Malta literally means “refuge”. And that is fitting, because it really was a refuge for them in this time of crisis. It says in… Acts 28:2 (NKJV)— 2 And the natives showed us unusual kindness; for they kindled a fire and made us all welcome, because of the rain that was falling and because of the cold.  Barbarians— Now the word “natives” or “islanders” (as your translation may say) is literally “barbarians”. Now before images of Arnold Schwarzenegger's Conan the Barbarian come to mind, the word “barbarian” was a term used by Greeks for all non-Greek speaking people. So I think most of you (no offense) are just a bunch of barbarians. You don't speak Greek. And neither did these natives of Malta. But that doesn't mean they were uncivilized tribesmen or anything like that. They just didn't speak Greek. They were actually [Phoenician in their ancestry and used a Phoenician dialect, although they were otherwise thoroughly Romanized.] But we see that these “barbarians” show them kindness. [It was raining and cold at the end of October or the beginning of November.] And so these natives make a fire for these shipwrecked men, who had probably been cold for some time (even before the shipwreck). And it says in… Acts 28:3a (NKJV)— 3 But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, {In other words, Paul gets busy, seeking to help with the task at hand.} Unhelpful People— Now let me ask you. Have you ever been part of a work group where there was that one person who (for some reason or other) would simply not do anything? Maybe they were a part of your project group at school and didn't pull their weight but still got a good grade because of everybody else's work? They weren't really very helpful. I don't know if you've been in a situation like that before, but it can be very frustrating. Media's Portrayal of Christians— Well, that's how the media often portrays Christians. Christians are sometimes nice, but are almost always close-minded, uneducated, and often so heavenly minded that they are of no earthly good, if you know what I mean. They aren't wise; and are often absolutely useless in real emergencies. Now those media producers would have a hard time reporting on or making a film about Paul because [Paul did not fit into this stereotype, nor did Joseph, Moses, Joshua, David, Solomon, Daniel, Mordecai, Nehemiah, or a host of others known for both their wisdom and their godliness.] And what we see about Paul is that he dives right into the manual labor of doing what needs to be done. Now he didn't have to. He could have sat this one out. He had so much respect from the men at this point, he probably could have asked for a throne and they would have made him one. But he doesn't do that.  Too Little Work— I read recently of how [A personnel manager rejected a job applicant because the firm was overstaffed. But the would-be employee persisted, "The little bit of work I'd do won't even be noticed!”] Now sadly, that is how a lot of people live. But true followers of Christ are not that way. And Paul certainly wasn't. He dives right in to help with the manual labor, despite everything he had already done. Moody's Servanthood— You know, [One rainy day, a man accompanied by two women arrived at Northfield, hoping to enroll his daughter in D. L. Moody's school for young women. The three needed help in getting their luggage from the railway depot to the hotel, so the visitor “drafted” a rather common-looking man with a horse and wagon, assuming he was a local cabby. The “cabby” said he was waiting for students, but the visitor ordered him to take them to the hotel. The visitor was shocked when the “cabby” did not charge him, and was even more shocked to discover that the “cabby” was D. L. Moody himself! Moody was a leader because he knew how to be a servant.] Well, that's Paul. A Strong Work Ethic— And you know. That ought to be you and me as well. When people look at us, they ought to see people who are willing to be servants to others and who are not strangers to hard work; people who are always seeking for the next right thing to do and then doing whatever that is faithfully, to the best of our ability and for the glory of God.  “…no earthly good”— Now there have been Christians who were (as they say) “so heavenly minded that they were of no earthly good.” But that is really antithetical to the kind of godliness we find in scripture. Even Jesus (God in the flesh) new what hard labor was and set Himself to it diligently. And we see that with Paul, who supported himself for much of his ministry with his tent-making. He didn't want to be a burden on anybody. He didn't have that laid back mentality.  Not Just The Spiritual Stuff— I had a young man recently communicated to me that he felt limited in his spiritual walk. He couldn't devote all his time to prayer and Bible study and ministry and that kind of thing because he has a fulltime job and a wife and kids. And so he doesn't have a lot of time for the super spiritual stuff. And God led me immediately to correct him (in love of course) because his perspective was wrong. I told him that we are often tempted to think that God cares only about the spiritual stuff. But that is not true. God can be just as glorified in the daily grind as He is during those moments when you are doing Bible study, prayer, or ministry. Now it's important to find those times two focus on the spiritual things, but how you carry yourself at work and how you devote yourself to the tasks you are given bears great testimony of your faith in the Lord. And God is just as present and can be just as actively working through you while you were at work as He is when you are by yourself doing the “spiritual stuff.”  And so I want to encourage you today to devote yourself to your work. Whatever God has given to you to do, do it faithfully so that when people will look at you they will have respect and admiration and will see in your life the very reflection of Jesus. Let's do so. Amen.

Hello and welcome to the show today! It is such a pleasure to have you with us again today as we study the Word of God together. Now you will remember, if you've been with us, that in our study of the book of Acts, we have come to Paul's being shipped off as a prisoner to Rome. Luke and Aristarchus went with him to to be a support to him and to suffer with him for the sake of Christ. They change ships at Myra and eventually come to a small port called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea. Now they want to move on, but the season for sailing is now over; and continuing on their journey would be perilous. And so it Paul advises them to wait. They don't listen and set sail anyways. And not long after that the worst thing imaginable happens to them. They are caught in a deadly, typhoon-like storm known as Euroclydon. And they do everything they can to weather the storm. But is says in… Acts 27:18-21 (NKJV)— 18 And because we were exceedingly tempest-tossed, the next day they lightened the ship. {So they are throwing overboard all unnecessary gear and cargo in order to lighten the ship.} 19 On the third day we threw the ship's tackle overboard with our own hands. 20 Now when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days {(once again, meaning no navigation)}, and no small tempest beat on us, all hope that we would be saved was finally given up. {But it is at this point that we see the turning point of the story, as it says in…} 21 But after long abstinence from food, then Paul stood in the midst of them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me, and not have sailed from Crete and incurred this disaster and loss.  Told Ya So!— Don't you hate it when somebody says, “It told you so!”? That's never easy to hear. But Paul, though he does say, “I told you so!”, he is saying it only because he wants the men to see that they need to start listening to him. He doesn't rub their nose in it. No, instead he offers them a word of encouragement; but a word of encouragement that doesn't come from him, but once that had been spoken to him by God Himself. And it is here that Paul's chains begin to pull their faces upwards towards God. He's says… Acts 27:22-26 (NKJV)— 22 And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. 23 For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, 24 saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.' 25 Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me. 26 However, we must run aground on a certain island.” Reflecting Hope— And so Paul tells of this [last of six visions …{he}… received as recorded by Luke (cf. 9:3-6; 16:9-10; 18:9-10; 22:17-18; 23:11).] And personally this vision must have meant so much to Paul. Often when Paul was going through intense circumstances, God would send him a word of encouragement through a vision. And now is one of those times, and so God gives him a message, reaffirming the promise that Jesus Himself had made to Paul in 23:11; but I love how Paul doesn't view this vision as just his word of encouragement. No, he shares it with the rest of his shipmates. He receives hope from God but also reflects that into the lives of those who also need to hear it. And that is a great model for the Christian life, by the way. You and I need to be more than receivers from God; we need to be channels of grace; reflectors of grace in people's lives. Whatever you have been given, whether financially or educationally or spiritually is not meant for you alone. It is meant to be shared. And in sharing it, you will also be blessed. Granted to Paul— Now I also find it interesting that the angel tells Paul God has granted you all those who sail with you., which shows that the lives of these sailors was a real concern for Paul. And that leads to my next point, which is that the angel is making it very clear that the reason they are being preserved is because of Paul and his mission; and God's intention of helping him to complete that mission. Paul is the only reason they are going to be spared; and not by whit or cunning, but by the Almighty hand of God. Had Paul been on another ship rather than this one, this ship would have perished. And what you need to see here is how God is establishing Paul as the means of their physical salvation.  Take heart, men, for I believe God— Now note how Paul models what we are supposed to do when God speaks. He tells the rest of the men on board in verse 25: Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me. He has absolute faith and trust in God and knows, without a shadow of a doubt that God will be faithful to keep His promises: take heart, men, for I believe God…. I just love that. Here is a man who is in the midst of turmoil, but isn't himself in turmoil. To borrow the words of a famous hymn, he's “leaning on the everlasting arms”. And what you absolutely cannot miss about this (I mean, it's so powerful and yet so obvious) is how his faith creates faith in those around him. He becomes an anchor for these men stronger than any other anchor these men are frantically trying to use (and we'll see eventually lose). And what you to take from this is the reality that your being anchored in faith and trust in God can be a source of encouragement to others. And that's a theme we will come back to. But when you are strong in the Lord; when you know who you are, what your purpose is, and have assurance in God's plans for you, you are like a lighthouse in a world just as dark as this tempest. People will be drawn to you; people will come to trust and follow you and may even come to faith through you.  Acts 27:27-29 (NKJV)— 27 Now when the fourteenth night had come {(meaning the fourteenth night from when they had set out from Fair Havens)}, as we were driven up and down in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors sensed that they were drawing near some land. {(This was probably because they started hearing waves hitting the shore.)} 28 And they took soundings {(which they did with a weight attached to a length of rope with markings on it, by which they could measure the depth of the sea after the weight would hit the bottom. So they did this…)} and found it to be twenty fathoms {(or 120 feet)}; and when they had gone a little farther, they took soundings again and found it to be fifteen fathoms {(or 90 feet)}. 29 Then, fearing lest we should run aground on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern {(And the reason they dropped the anchors was in order to help hold this ship in place, but also to keep the bow pointed toward the shore. But that's not all they did. It says they dropped the four anchors)}, and prayed for day to come. No More Prayer Needed— Now who's praying? Not Paul; the text doesn't tell us he was praying at all at this point. Now he may have been. But verse 27 has identified the ones engaging in all these actions as being the sailors. I honestly don't think Paul was praying at this point; or if he was, he certainly not asking God to move on behalf of the situation. Why? Because God has already told him what's going to happen and Paul already has said he believes in God. You see, Paul is a man of faith; he's not going to keep frantically praying for something God has already promised him. I think Paul is completely and utterly at peace. These other men are frantically beseeching their gods to act. But Paul knows that (because of God's promise) this ship has now become invincible, as indestructible as God Himself; because God Has made a promise. Now let me ask you, how sure are you about the promises of God? How deeply do you trust in them? God never goes back on His word. And if He has a plan and a purpose for you, as long as you remain obedient at faithful to Him, He will bring that plan and purpose to completion. All you have to do is keep following Him. Now, contrast this kind of faith-filled, assured way of living with what we see in the very next verse, as it says… Acts 27:30-40 (NKJV)— 30 And as the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship, when they had let down the skiff into the sea, under pretense of putting out anchors from the prow {(which would have provided additional stability for the ship)}, 31 Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.” 32 Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the skiff and let it fall off. 33 And as day was about to dawn, Paul implored them all to take food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day you have waited and continued without food, and eaten nothing. 34 Therefore I urge you to take nourishment, for this is for your survival, since not a hair will fall from the head of any of you.” 35 And when he had said these things, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all; and when he had broken it he began to eat. 36 Then they were all encouraged, and also took food themselves. 37 And in all we were two hundred and seventy-six persons on the ship. 38 So when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship and threw out the wheat into the sea. 39 When it was day, they did not recognize the land; but they observed a bay with a beach, onto which they planned to run the ship if possible. 40 And they let go the anchors and left them in the sea, meanwhile loosing the rudder ropes; and they hoisted the mainsail to the wind and made for shore. 41 But striking a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the prow stuck fast and remained immovable, but the stern was being broken up by the violence of the waves. 42 And the soldiers' plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim away and escape. {And that was [because they knew Roman military law. If a prisoner escaped, the soldier or guard would be liable for the punishment of the one who escaped.] Well, that would certainly meant death for them. However, it says…} 43 But the centurion, wanting to save Paul, kept them from their purpose, and commanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to land, 44 and the rest, some on boards and some on parts of the ship. And so it was that they all escaped safely to land. {And so God we see that God did indeed keep His promise to Paul and the sailors.} Anchors Found— Now for many years it was believed that all this happened at what is now St. John's Bay. But for a number geographical reasons, this is likely not the case. But because of the incredibly exacting detail with which Luke records these events, a team of researchers was able to pinpoint the most likely location as actually being St. Thomas Bay. And sure enough, four first-century lead anchors had been found there. Now the divers who first found them didn't realize what they had found and, over the years, [two of the anchors had been melted down for use in scuba-diving weight belts, and a third was lost—to a place unknown.] But [the fourth anchor was preserved as a part of a deceased diver's legacy to his widow.] And there is a very strong case that this is indeed one of the anchors. Now we don't know for sure; perhaps we'll never know. But what we do know is that that anchor was not what saved the ship; it was the hand of God. And the true anchor for the men on board was the faith of Paul. Paul (because of his faith) was an anchor for those men. But you know, that's pretty typical. Anchors for Others— Have you ever noticed how, when times of crisis come in the lives of lost people, it is Christians who step in (or are sought out) as persons who can provide stability and offer answers. The reality is that people look to Christians when times get tough; Christians who have confidence and assurance; Christians who are anchored in Christ and are therefore anchors for other people. That is the central point of this passage; not that Paul simply took leadership but that people came to trust him and follow him because God was speaking though him telling him what would happen and then how things would go after those very things happened. The unsaved crew came to understand that their very lives depended on their following Paul's instructions to a “T”. Through Paul, they would be delivered. And that was true spiritually as well. Their lives were headed for shipwreck, eternally. And Paul was the bearer of instruction on how to be delivered from THAT shipwreck. And God used this scenario to open their ears not just to yield control of the helm of the ship to God, but to make them also open to hear what Paul had to offer them spiritually as well. Now what you and I are to take from this story is this: If you are close to Jesus, you are going to find people coming to you. They won't always ask questions (they may not even know what questions they should ask you). They may not even understand why they find you an anchor for them or a person they want to be around. But (for some reason) they know their life is better with you in it. And the signature mark of a Christian is to allow these kinds of people to come to you or (like Jesus often did) seek those people out; because lost people who find you to be an anchor for them will often not even have the sense to come to you.  Our People— William Booth (founder of the Salvation Army) said “Go straight for souls, and go for the worst.” And that's why [One Sunday evening, William Booth was walking in London with his son, Bramwell, who was then 12 or 13 years old. The father surprised the son by taking him into a saloon! The place was crowded with men and women, many of them bearing on their faces the marks of vice and crime; some were drunk. The fumes of alcohol and tobacco were poisonous. "Willie," Booth said to his son, "These are our people; these are the people I want you to live for and bring to Christ." Years later, Bramwell Booth wrote, "The impression never left me."] In Their Midst— The reality is that there are people all around us who are shipwrecking their lives. And after they hit the rocks, the don't even know how to get back up on their feet and pick up the pieces. And what they need are people like you and me to be Paul's in their midst. To bring into their midst the hands and feet of Christ; to be anchors who will keep them from washing away and point them to He who can be anchors for their souls. Let's be anchors for people so that through us they may come to faith in Christ. Let's do so. Amen.

Hello and welcome to the show today! It is such a pleasure to have you with us again today as we study the Word of God together. In our study of the book of Acts, you will remember that Paul has recently stood trial before Festus in Caesarea. And (not getting justice) Paul has been forced to appeal to Caesar. And so he's going to be transferred to Rome to be tried in Caesar's court. And so it says in our passage today in… Acts 27:1 (NKJV)— 1 And when it was decided that we should sail to Italy, they delivered Paul and some other prisoners to one named Julius, a centurion of the Augustan Regiment.  Luke Returns— Now the word “we” here in the opening verse signals to us that Luke (who has been absent since 21:18) has now re-joined Paul and is accompanying him on this journey. Luke [had likely been living near Caesarea so he could care for Paul during his imprisonment.] But now he is with him again on his voyage to Rome. And you know, that can make all the difference in your life when you go through a trying time; somebody to walk with you. He's kind of to Paul what Samwise Gamgee was to Frodo in Lord of The Rings. He was willing to walk with him through the worst of circumstances out of love for Paul. And it must have been such a strength to Paul to have Luke there with him. Now we see here that Paul is just one of many prisoners being transported to Rome. Some of these other prisoners may have appealed to Caesar like Paul did, or it could also be that these were prisoners were under the sentence of death and were therefore on their way to Rome to die as combatants in the Colosseum. We don't know for sure. But it says in… Acts 27:2 (NKJV)— 2 So, entering a ship of Adramyttium, we put to sea, meaning to sail along the coasts of Asia. {[Adramyttium was a city on the northwest coast of Asia Minor (modern Turkey) near Troas, where the centurion planned to find a ship sailing to Italy.] And it also says…} Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, was with us. Aristarchus— Now if you don't remember Aristarchus, he was the Christian who [had been dragged {by the crowd} into the theater at the beginning of the riot in Ephesus (19:29; 20:4; Philemon 1:24)] [while accompanying Paul to Jerusalem with the offering (20:4).] He would also be with Paul during his first Roman imprisonment. So both he and Luke are definitely fellow sufferers with Paul for the sake of Christ. Paul had some good friends. Now it says in… Acts 27:3 (NKJV)— 3 And the next day we landed at Sidon. And Julius treated Paul kindly and gave him liberty to go to his friends and receive care.  Julius— Julius was the Roman officer who had been assigned to guard Paul and would therefore have had to remain close to Paul at all times. But, as we can see, as he witnesses the kind of man Paul is, he comes to respect Paul deeply and gives him a generous degree of freedom. And we will see in verse 43 that he even spares Paul's life. And that kind of makes you wonder, if someone was bound to you (day and night) for any significant period of time, would they (based on your righteous character) be moved into awe and respect, both of you but also of the God you claim to follow? That person stuck at the desk near you at work or beside you at school; your boss or whoever you are chained to daily (so to speak). Does your chain upon them pull them up to Christ or down and away? Or, for us married folks, how is your spouse drawn closer to Jesus because of you? If you are a spirit-filled, devoted, and loving person as Paul was, you will; marriage is a means of grace, ideally for both husband and wife. Acts 27:4-8 (NKJV)— 4 When we had put to sea from there, we sailed under the shelter of Cyprus {(which means they sailed between it and the mainland)}, because the winds were contrary. {(And so they used Cyprus to help block the wind.)} 5 And when we had sailed over the sea which is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia. {And Myra was [One of the main ports of the imperial grain fleet, whose ships brought Egyptian grain to Italy.]} 6 There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing to Italy {(which would have been one of the grain ships part of that fleet), significantly larger than their first ship}, and he put us on board. 7 When we had sailed slowly many days, and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus {(which was [on the southwest tip of Asia Minor, some 130 miles from Myra, which would have been their last port of call before sailing across the Aegean Sea to the coast of Greece), it says}, the wind not permitting us to proceed, we sailed under the shelter of Crete off Salmone {(so [again using the island to break the force of the wind])}. 8 Passing it with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens {(a small port)}, near the city of Lasea. A Dangerous Time To Sail— Now they have lost a lot of time, which was not good when you consider what time of year it was. You didn't want to travel in the open sea between mid-September and mid-November if you could avoid it. In fact, all sea travel would cease between mid-November and February. And that was both because of sea conditions, but also because of sky visibility. Keep in mind that they didn't have GPS or guidance systems or even compasses. No, ancient ships navigated using the stars. And if the weather is overcast, sailing would be both impossible and dangerous. And here we see that the Fast (which was Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement) is already over; so early October (of A.D. 59, if you'd like to know) has already passed. The season for sailing is now over; and continuing on their journey would be very very perilous. And so it says… Acts 27:9-10 (NKJV)— 9 Now when much time had been spent, and sailing was now dangerous because the Fast was already over, Paul advised them, 10 saying, “Men, I perceive that this voyage will end with disaster and much loss, not only of the cargo and ship, but also our lives.”  Seen a Thing or Two— And Paul no doubt said this because he was anticipating their wanting to move onwards. But why would they listen to him? I mean he's just the prisoner. Now he won't be by the end of the story. At the end of the story roles become so reversed, everyone by that time will be following his leadership; but not yet. However, they probably should have listened to him. He had traveled by sea many many times before this and had actually already been shipwrecked at least three other times, which are accounted for in his writings (2 Cor. 11:25). And so that likely makes this one number four. Now I love the Farmer's Bank slogan. Anybody know what it is? “We know a thing or two because (what?) we've seen a thing or two.” Well Paul would have been a good spokesperson for Farmer's Bank, because “He knows a thing or two because he's seen a thing or two.” Right? But unfortunately, they don't listen to him. It says in… Acts 27:11-12 (NKJV)— 11 Nevertheless the centurion was more persuaded by the helmsman and the owner of the ship than by the things spoken by Paul. 12 And because the harbor was not suitable to winter in, the majority advised to set sail from there also, if by any means they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete opening toward the southwest and northwest, and winter there. On To Phoenix— Now Phoenix wasn't too far from there (some 40 miles). And that was a better place to winter in both because the harbor there [provided better shelter from the winter storms], but also because keep in mind that they have all this grain on board the ship. And so the owner's probably thinking that if he can get the ship to a larger port, he can sell it. And the centurion is also looking at Phoenix as a much more suitable place for his men to winter in. And ultimately ([Because the ship was part of the imperial grain fleet…, Julius, not the helmsman nor {even} the ship's owner, was the ranking official on board.]); and so the decision was ultimately his. And he's said basically “Let's go!”, so they went. And things seem pretty good at first. It says in… Acts 27:13-14 (NKJV)— 13 When the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their desire, putting out to sea, they sailed close by Crete {(in other words, hugging it for protection. However, it says…)}. 14 But not long after, a tempestuous head wind arose, called Euroclydon. Euroclydon— And this word, which kind of sounds like a creature you'd encounter in Jurassic Park 6, was the name given to [a strong, dangerous {northeasterly} windstorm greatly feared by those who sailed the Mediterranean.] In fact, that Greek word translated as tempestuous that is used to describe it [is the root of our word typhoon.] If this ship had been the Millennium Falcon, some crew member somewhere would have been saying, “I've got a bad feeling about this.” And rightly so, because the ship gets caught in this tempestuous typhoon. And it says in… Acts 27:15-21 (NKJV)— 15 So when the ship was caught, and could not head into the wind, we let her drive. 16 And running under the shelter of an island called Clauda {(which was [An island 23 miles southwest of Crete])}, we secured the skiff with difficulty. {So they take advantage of the shelter of the island and [rig the ship for the storm by hauling the ship's dinghy on board.]} 17 When they had taken it on board, they used cables to undergird the ship {(and this was a [procedure know and frapping. The cables, wrapped around the hull and winched tight, helped the ship endure the battering of the wind and waves.]}; and fearing lest they should run aground on the Syrtis Sands, they struck sail and so were driven. {The Syrtis Sands is a reference to the sandbars of Syrtis, a place of sandbars and shoals just off the northern coast of Africa, which was [much feared as a graveyard of ships.] You didn't want to hit those.} 18 And because we were exceedingly tempest-tossed, the next day they lightened the ship. {So they are throwing overboard all unnecessary gear and cargo in order to lighten the ship.} 19 On the third day we threw the ship's tackle overboard with our own hands. 20 Now when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days {(once again, meaning no navigation)}, and no small tempest beat on us, all hope that we would be saved was finally given up.  Pulled With You— And next week we will see how they are ultimately delivered; and how God uses Paul to be the means of their deliverance. And he'll deliver the ultimate “I told your so.” But what we are going to see emphasized over and over again is the fact that the reason they are saved is because of how they have become attached to Paul. And so, like I said before, I think that raises the question of what happens when people attach themselves to you and to me? Are they lifted up closer to Jesus? Are they pulled along with you on the mission God has given you? That is what Jesus meant when he called us to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world; we help lead people to redemption. And so my encouragement to you today is to be that redeeming force. Let every one of our interactions with people be tempered with the desire and intention to draw them closer to Jesus. Let's do so. Amen.

Hello and welcome to the show today! It is such a pleasure to have you with us again today as we study the Word of God together.  What To Do With Paul— Over the past few weeks we have been moving in our study of the book of Acts into the final stage of Paul's ministry, as he is now a prisoner in chains. He has stood before the Roman Tribune and the crowd in Jerusalem; he has stood before the Sanhedrin (the Jewish council responsible for condemning Jesus); he has stood before the Roman Governor Felix (who kept him in prison for 2 years, though he had no grounds to do so), then he stood before the Roman Governor Festus, who wants to do his Jewish accusers a favor and send him back to Jerusalem to be tried. Obviously that would not bode well for Paul; and so Paul is forced to appeal his case to Caesar. And Festus has no choice but to send him. But then Herod Agrippa II and Bernice come to town, and so Festus decides to have Paul stand before them as well; and his hope is that Agrippa might help him to establish charges against Paul that would make sense; charges that would be sent with Paul to Rome. So Paul has had a real time of it. He is really getting bounced around. Nobody really knows what to do with Paul. Oh and let's not forget that during all this time there are two assassination attempts on Paul's life. So Paul has REALLY been through a lot.  Paul's Testimony— And so Paul comes to stand before Herod Agrippa II and Bernice (and Festus is there as well). And he's invited to speak, and so Paul shares the most powerful evidence he could have shared, his testimony. And in it he gives a number of key statements. First, he says “I lived a Pharisee”, meaning that all his life he lived as one of the most educated and most elite Jewish spiritual leaders. And, being zealous to defend Judaism from what he perceived to be a heretical group of people who followed Jesus Christ, he came to viciously ravage the Christian church. But then he say key statement number 2: “I saw a light”. While on the road to Damascus to further his persecution of Christians, he was struck by a blinding light. And then he says key statement number 3, “I heard a voice”. Jesus appeared to him on that road to Damascus and spoke to him; and called him to be His missionary to the Gentiles. And that leads into our passage today, where Paul tells of how he responded to Jesus. He says… Acts 26:19-20 (NKJV)— 19 “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.  KEY STATEMENT 4: “I was not disobedient”— And key statement number 4 is found here: “I was not disobedient”. God said “Jump!” Paul asked, “How high?” At least that's how obedience was described to me when I was young. Wherever God told him to go, he went. To whomever God called him to go, he went. And that even included the Gentiles. Now the Jews had reacted violently to that, but also to Paul saying something else absolutely unthinkable; that they also needed to repent; that they (just as he had been) were in spiritual darkness and needed to (like he did) turn to faith in Jesus Christ, the very one they had persecuted and crucified. But sadly, that was something that many of them were not willing to do, which is why Paul says… Acts 26:21-23 (NKJV)— 21 For these reasons the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. 22 Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come— 23 that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.” KEY STATEMENT 5: “to this day I stand”— And here we find key statement number 5: “to this day I stand”. Paul didn't just have a great beginning. No, he (as he tells Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:7, I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. The fact that Paul had continued on in the midst of so much resistance, so much loss of reputation, and so little worldly gain spoke volumes as to the proof of his conversion and was itself evidence of the faithfulness of God in his life. Now after Paul says this, it says… Acts 26:24-26 (NKJV)— 24 Now as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!” 25 But he said, “I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and reason. 26 For the king, before whom I also speak freely, knows these things; for I am convinced that none of these things escapes his attention, since this thing was not done in a corner. Historically Verifiable— Now what Paul is doing here is he's appealing to the facts. This wasn't just some hypothetical philosophical or theological issue. Someone had died and then had come back from the dead. There were still people around who had seen Jesus and witnessed His miracles. The empty tomb could still be seen. People were still alive who had themselves seen Jesus after His resurrection. This wasn't a philosophical debate. It was a historically reliable event that took place and could be verified. And not only were there present witnesses, but past witnesses as well who prophesied that all these things would come to pass, which is why Paul asks… Acts 26:27-28 (NKJV)— 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe.” 28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.” Sidestepping The Issue— Now this is where things get really interesting because Paul is trying to close the deal. And Agrippa realize it. It suddenly dawns on Agrippa that Paul is not really the one on trial. Agrippa's on trial. Paul is not just defending himself or his faith; no, he's actually trying to persuade him to become a follower of Jesus Christ!!! And Paul has really put Agrippa on the spot, because if Agrippa answers Paul saying “I don't believe the prophets”, he would anger the Jews. But if he acknowledges that he does believe the prophets, then he would have to give weight to Paul's words. And so he does what so many people (even today) do. He side-steps the issue; and then (as we'll see in a minute) he simply ends the discussion when it gets a little too close for comfort. But before that happens, Paul responds, saying to Agrippa… Acts 26:29 (NKJV)— 29 And Paul said, “I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these chains.” Invisible Chains— Now it is here that Paul really reveals his own heart. He was aware that Agrippa and those in the audience were (because of their lack of faith in Christ) more in bondage spiritually than he was physically. And he was more concerned about that than the fact that he himself was in chains. He cared more about theirs because theirs were the eternal one. And similarly, you and I need to be aware of the spiritual chains of those around us who do not yet know Jesus Christ. And we must be willing to bear anything to help them be rid of those chains. We need to have the burning desire that Paul had to reach those people and (by persuading them to faith) give them the keys by which they can be free and enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Now it says… Acts 26:30-32 (NKJV)— 30 When he had said these things, the king stood up, as well as the governor and Bernice and those who sat with them; 31 and when they had gone aside, they talked among themselves, saying, “This man is doing nothing deserving of death or chains.” {(And so once again Luke highlights for us the innocence of Paul.)} 32 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.” Expedited Shipment— Now that would be a depressing note to end on if we forgot that it was actually Paul's desire to go to Rome anyway. He wanted to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the epicenter if the empire where he knew it could make a far-reaching impact. And so his appealing to Cesar became the very means of getting exactly where God wanted him to be. Paul was a master of seeing the possibilities in the midst of his problems. Every trial was a divine appointment, through which he found opportunities to lift up the name of Jesus. And that is what you and I need to do as well. Almost— Now one of the things that is depressing, and really saddened my heart in studying this passage, was what Agrippa says to Paul in verse 28: “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.” Here we see that he was on the very verge of finding new life in Jesus, but couldn't or wouldn't cross the threshold. Why? Because he was too tied to the world. He was too wrapped up in his ungodly relationship with his sister (which we talked about some weeks ago). He was too caught up in his fame and his power. And yet now we see that it is Paul and the Jesus he proclaimed that is remembered. But all that Agrippa had is dead and gone. He chose those things that pass away. Jesus had warned (and continues to warn us) in… Matthew 6:19-21 (NKJV)— 19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Heavenly Treasures— That's a lesson to each, and everyone of us; because so often we are tempted to entangle ourselves with the things of the world. We can become like the seed sown among the thorns in Jesus' Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13. He warns us, saying… Matthew 13:22 (NKJV)— 22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. Let me ask you, is that you today? If so, let me ask you another question; one that comes straight from the Bible… Mark 8:36 (NKJV)— 36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Don't let anything stop you from knowing Christ in all of his fullness today. Amen.

Hello and welcome to the show today! It is such a pleasure to have you with us again today as we study the Word of God together.  Faith Under Trial— You know, if you wanted to find an example of faith under trial in scripture, I don't know if you can find a better one than Paul. He's almost like the New Testament version of Job. He is a man who has lost or has forsaken all for the sake of Christ; and has suffered tremendous persecution and hardship for the purposes of carrying out the mission Christ gave him to preach the Gospel. And today we find him on trial. He's been in prison for some time. He has come under the authority of Governor Felix, but Felix (though he can't find grounds on which to convict him) won't acquit him because he doesn't want to anger the Jewish leaders who are accusing him. And so (as per their request) he offers to send Paul from Caesarea back to Jerusalem to be tried there. But Paul, knowing he had less chance of getting justice there (and wanting to get to Rome anyways) appeals to Caesar, which was his right as a Roman citizen. And so Festus says “You have appealed to Caesar? To Caesar you shall go!” Now Festus can't quite wipe his hands clean of Paul because it already looked bad that one of the first cases he tried, the defendant had to appeal to Caesar to get justice. And it will look even worse if he sends Paul without any charges that make sense. But (with King Herod Agrippa and Bernice coming to visit him) he decides to have Paul's hearing in front of Agrippa so that Agrippa can hear and help Festus establish charges. And so King Agrippa and Bernice come, and Festus turns Paul's hearing into this elaborate pompous show for both of them. And after King Agrippa and Bernice parade in and all of the pompousness has been quieted down, Festus gets up and addresses Agrippa, explaining the situation once again. And it says in… Acts 26:1-5 (NKJV)— 1 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.” {And so Paul gives what is his third apologetic/defense speech in the book of Acts. And [Five key statements summarize Paul's defense.] It says…} So Paul stretched out his hand and answered for himself: 2 “I think myself happy, King Agrippa, because today I shall answer for myself before you concerning all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, 3 especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which have to do with the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently. 4 “My manner of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews know. 5 They knew me from the first, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.  KEY STATEMENT 1: “I lived a Pharisee”— And that is the first key statement: I lived a Pharisee. But of course the Jewish leaders were not willing to testify to that fact because they knew what weight Paul's former life as a Pharisee would add to his present testimony. So on this they've kept very silent. But Paul declares it; and, using the power of story, he seeks to connect with even them as well. He's saying, “I was just like you.” And that sets the stage for his explanation of what changed the course of his life and what might change the course of theirs as well. He says… Acts 26:6-8 (NKJV)— 6 And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers. 7 To this promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. For this hope's sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews. 8 Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead?  Resurrection Critical— And the word “you” here is actually plural in the Greek, indicating that Paul is now looking around at and addressing everyone. Now the Greeks and Romans did not believe in the doctrine of the resurrection (Acts 17:31-32). Nor did the Sadducees, who were present (Acts 23:8). But the doctrine of the resurrection was (and is) the (and I mean THE) most critical doctrine of the Christian faith. Paul himself says as much in 1 Corinthians 15. If there is no resurrection, then obviously Jesus could not have been raised; therefore our sins could not have been paid for (and so we would then still be lost in our sins), and Paul would have had no gospel to preach. So Paul brings the focus right where it needs to be, on the resurrection of Jesus and how that historical event made all the difference in his life. He says… Acts 26:9-11 (NKJV)— 9 “Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. 11 And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities. He Identifies With Them— Now here he is identifying with the Jewish leaders in his audience. He's saying, “I understand why you hate me; why you have so set yourselves against me. I was the same way. I was also zealous, but my zeal was not based on knowledge (as he says of them in Romans 10:2). And so I did to them exactly what you guys are seeking to do to me. But then he says in… Acts 26:12-13 (NKJV)— 12 “While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, 13 at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me.  KEY STATEMENT 2: “I saw a light”— And that's key statement number 2: “I saw a light”. You might call Paul an enlightened man (literally). He was a Jew (Rom. 9:4-5), a scholar (Acts 22:3), and (at least he thought) a righteous Pharisee. But Paul goes on to describe how he came to discover that while he had thought he was a righteous Pharisee, he (in reality) had been in spiritual darkness. And Jesus had right then and there (on that Damascus road) struck him blind, casting him into the darkness for three days so that he might come to embrace the Light of the World. Now all this is pretty dramatic stuff. But, in a way, it had to be; because there was no other way to explain how such a dedicated and zealous Pharisee so set against Christianity could himself become a Christian. It had to come through seeing the resurrected Lord Jesus personally. And that is what he describes next. He says in… Acts 26:14 (NKJV)— 14 And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.'  KEY STATEMENT 3: “I heard a voice”— And that's key statement number 3: “I heard a voice”. And Paul tells his audience that the voice spoke to him in the Hebrew language. Now some say it was Aramaic. I disagree for a number of reasons, two of which I'll mention here. First of all, the text actually says Hebrew in the original Greek. That alone ought to give us pause. But secondly, why would Paul highlight that detail if it wasn't actually Hebrew? Who would care? Nobody. The reason he mentions it is because he is connecting the resurrection of Jesus with the promises God made to the Hebrew people. He himself is a Hebrew who met the promised Hebrew Messiah who confirmed His Hebrew-ness by speaking to him in Hebrew, calling him by his Hebrew name (Saul). By the way, it is a common misconception that God changed Saul's name to Paul. Never happened. Saul was the name he used when amongst Jews in and around Jerusalem; and Paul (his Roman name) was the name he used abroad around Gentiles. Now there is a shift from “Saul” to “Paul”, but the reason we see that shift is because Paul became primarily a minister to the Gentiles. And it's not until Acts 13:9 that we find the last reference to his name being “Saul”. And here it's important to note that Jesus called him by his Hebrew name. And, using that Hebrew name, Jesus asks Paul in Hebrew: ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.' Goads— Now that's kind of a weird statement, “kick against the goads.” What does that mean. Well when a young ox was first yoked, that ox would usually resist the yoke and try to kick its way out. If it was a single-handed plow that it was yoked to, what the plowman would do was he would take a long staff with a sharpened end and hold it close to the ox's heels. Then, if and when the ox would kick, it would strike the spike. Similarly, if the ox was yoked to a wagon, there would be a studded bar with wooden spikes that would serve the same purpose. Now the reason that Jesus had used this imagery was because [the ox had to learn submission to the yoke the hard way.] And Jesus is saying, “Paul, you're that ox. You're resisting me.” Do we have any goad-kickers today? If so, there's hope for you when you respond to the voice as Paul did… Acts 26:15-18 (NKJV)— 15 So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?' And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 16 But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. 17 I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, 18 to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.' The Promised Inheritance— Now I love how Paul never hides any detail he thinks might hurt his case, particularly those details concerning how God called him as a missionary to the Gentiles (something the Jewish leaders have and will continue to react violently against). No, Paul took every opportunity available to him to proclaim that the Gentiles have an equal share in God's inheritance in Jesus Christ; and he talks about how this inheritance is the promise and blessing of the covenant that God had made with Abraham; and how Jesus Himself had appointed him to bring this Good News to the gentiles.  Chaining Ourselves— And, you know, I'm a gentile. And many of you listening today are too. And so I want to ask you, “How did that happen?” Well, it happened because (somewhere in time past) a Jew (like Paul, but of course there were many others) was willing to cross some social barrier (and perhaps to go through some intense trials and persecutions) to help make that happen. Now if that is true (and it is) then the question is, are you and I returning the favor? Are there people that we are becoming uncomfortable for so that they might have the opportunity to hear the Gospel too? Who have you willingly chained yourself to so that they might come to experience the Light of Life in Jesus Christ? In that sense, become chained this week. Bind yourself to somebody; do what Christ leads and empowers you to do to be a witness to them, so that they might experience the same joy that you now have in Him. Let's do so. Amen.

Hello and welcome to the show today! It is such a pleasure to have you with us again today as we study the Word of God together. God's Purpose in Dark Times— One of the things I think God has been helping me to get better at (and He's been doing this both through the pandemic, but also through my sister-in-law's situation and her journey here to the United States from war-torn Kiev, Ukraine) is that the trials and tribulations we face are not just something to get through. No, God has a purpose He wants to work in and through those trials. God has purposes He wants to accomplish not just despite the trials we face, but in and through them. God had purposes in preventing Natasha from coming here until the right time. And in preventing what would have been our time-table, her situation became the grounding out of which many Ukrainians ended up getting help, not just her. And so God has been pushing me to get better at recognizing this, even if at the time I might not know what that purpose is. And so I am learning to see my problems; or my family's problems; or my Church's problems as God's opportunities. And that's one of the areas in which Paul really shined. Here in our passage today we find Paul in prison; literally in chains. And the charges against him are so unabashedly false and unsubstantiated, that he should have been acquitted right away. But instead he has been held in prison by Felix, then Festus, and now he's going to be made to appear before Herod Agrippa before then getting sent to Caesar. The whole thing is such a farce. It's just like that recent break-in over at the car park; wrong on so many levels. But is Paul focused on the chains? No. He's looking for the opportunities. And the one he sees in our passage today comes after military officers and prominent city leaders meet in this grand auditorium with King Agrippa to hear his case. He doesn't go into victim mode, which might have been easy to do. Instead, he sees a new audience to whom he will have an opportunity to present the Gospel, which of course we will see him do. But what we need to see at the outset is that this mindset is the mindset of Christ; and it's something we need to have. Now it's not natural to us, but thankfully it is something the Holy Spirit can create in us if we let Him; to be freed from that first impulse to doubt, despair, and feel like a victim; to look for the possibility in the midst of a lot of difficulty. Go ahead and look with me at verse 23. It says… Acts 25:23 (NKJV)— 23 So the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come with great pomp, and had entered the auditorium with the commanders and the prominent men of the city, at Festus' command Paul was brought in. “Great Pomp”— Now that word “pomp” in the original Greek is phantasia. And this is the only place in the New Testament that it appears. And what it denotes is this large, showy, grandiose pageant. What has happened is that Festus [has turned Paul's hearing into an occasion to honor {King} Agrippa.] So it is quite the spectacle. Agrippa would have been wearing splendid royal garments, which would have included [a purple robe, golden crown and rings, and likely a scepter.] Bernice would have been elaborately adorned as well. [The five tribunes would have been wearing their full-dress uniforms] and the prominent men of the city would have been wearing their best and finest. And this entourage was very likely escorted to the auditorium by [An immaculately dressed honor guard of soldiers]. The One Remembered— Now in thinking about the opening of this passage, I find it humorous that Herod Agrippa II and Bernice are the ones who are given this lavish spectacle of praise while Paul is in chains; because over two thousand years later, Herod Agrippa II and Bernice are the ones historians and preachers have to explain as to who they even were, while Paul is the one everyone knows. I mean, just think. These people (Agrippa II and Bernice, but even bigger guys like Nero) mean pretty much nothing to us. It may be interesting to learn about them simply because they are historical figures and it is good to know history. But there is nothing about their lives that is either wholesome or relevant to us today. However, when it comes to Paul, he's incredibly relevant to us. Who he was and the writings he left us (or I should say God left us through him) are absolutely fundamental to who we are and how we live. All the pompous people have become diminished and God's righteous ones have been exalted. True has proved the prophecy that on person so eloquently spoke when they said “The day will come when men will call their dogs Nero and their sons Paul.”. That reminds me so much of what Jesus said in… Matthew 23:11-12 (NKJV)— 11 But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. {Or, like it says in…} Psalm 1:3-4 (ESV)— 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. 4 The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. When The Wind Blows— Well, the wind of time has blown; Agrippa II and Bernice are the chaff no longer hardly even remembered, while the the memory of God's faithful servant Paul is stronger and wider-reaching than ever. And, you know, that should be an encouragement to us. Faithfulness In The Mundane— This week I was talking with a friend of mine who is pastoring a small church out in the country. And we were talking about ministry and he said that honestly, he was little discouraged. He is pouring his life out for Christ in ministry to his Church, but told me he was wondering if he was really making any kind of difference. And I have been in ministry long enough and have talked with enough pastors and mentors of pastors to know that that feeling is pretty common. Many pastors feel like failures. And that can be for many reasons; and sometimes that feeling can come because we come out of seminary thinking we're going to bring great and visible tidal waves of change in the churches we come to pastor. But then we get into those ministry contexts and find that the fields are not always ripe for harvest. There has to be tilling and plowing and sowing and waiting. Change and growth often does not happen as quickly as we would like. You have to sow faithfully (often for a long period time) before you begin to see the sprouts of change. But I knew that my friend has been faithfully preaching the Word of God and loving on his people. He has been a good shepherd. And good things are sprouting. People in his church who never knew any except the most basic Bible stories are now starting to really (through my friend) receive an understanding of what the Bible is all about. And some are coming to him with questions that they had no framework before to even ask; and are now excitedly telling him what God is revealing to them in the Word. Before my friend had come many of them were not even reading their Bible.     Now it's easy to get discouraged when we are dealing with the small things; the mundane things. But (and scripture backs this up time and time again) faithfulness in the mundane is the seed of the extraordinary. Faithfulness in the mundane is the seed of the extraordinary. The work that you and I do for Christ, though it may seem small, when all of the pomp of the world has been blown away, it will stand as an everlasting, fragrant offering before God as unshakeable as God Himself, because it is in Him that those works have been established. And the people we will see in heaven glorified and adorned most richly will be people we've never even heard of; people who never made it out of the prison cell for their faith; people who served behind the scenes; people who obeyed God in the inglorious, day to day task of just being ordinary, faithful, inglorious disciples. Taking a cup of soup to a homeless person; being a mom to a special needs child; walking with someone through an illness; giving of your own resources so that another person might have, even if that might mean you have to do without some things. That's the stuff of glory. Wherever God has placed you, whoever He has brought into your life; that is your mission field. And in that field are buried crowns just waiting to be dug up and claimed. Now after all of the pompousness has been quieted down, Festus gets up. And it says in… Acts 25:24 (NKJV)— 24 And Festus said: “King Agrippa and all the men who are here present with us, you see this man about whom the whole assembly of the Jews petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying out that he was not fit to live any longer. Not Honest— Now we know that the Jewish leaders of whom Festus are speaking are like atoms. They make up everything. They're like people with selfie sticks. They need to take a good, long look at themselves. Or like the people who tell me they do yoga every day. That's a bit of a stretch. I mean, they're not honest. And Agrippa discovers this after his exam continues… Acts 25:25-27 (NKJV)— 25 But when I found that he had committed nothing deserving of death, and that he himself had appealed to Augustus {(and of course we know that that is because he couldn't get justice from Agrippa)}, I decided to send him. 26 I have nothing certain to write to my lord concerning him. Therefore I have brought him out before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the examination has taken place I may have something to write. 27 For it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner and not to specify the charges against him.” Formulating A Charge— Now, as we said before, Festus ought to have acquitted Paul. But he wants peace with the Jews (particularly the Jewish leaders who are complaining) and so he cunningly is seeking to use Herod Agrippa (who knew the Jews well both from his father, but also from his having lived in Jerusalem for a long time) to [help him formulate some kind of legal charge against Paul that would make sense to the Romans.] And so it says… Acts 26:1a (NKJV)— 1 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.” Nothing Done for Jesus is Small— And next week we will see Paul's defense. But this week remember that, no matter what God has called you to do, nothing that is done for Jesus is small. A kid's meal was once placed in the hands of Jesus He was able to multiply and used it to feed over 5,000 people. But that is the key; putting your situation into the hands of Jesus, keeping it there, and looking forward to the day of harvest. Let us continue to sow faithfully today and every day. Amen.

Hello and welcome to the show today! It is such a pleasure to have you with us again today as we study the Word of God together. In our study of the book of Acts, we have seen Paul arrested in Jerusalem following a riot that is started by a group of unbelieving Jews who hate him and maliciously and falsely accuse him. Paul is brought before the Sanhedrin, the Jewish high court of the land (the same governing body that had put Jesus to death), but Paul is not convicted. So the unbelieving Jews hatch a plot to murder Paul, but Paul's nephew overhears of the plot, tells the Roman Commander in charge of Paul, and the commander has Paul transferred to Roman Governor Felix in Caesarea. He is tried before Felix, but he can't convict him, and so he keeps Paul imprisoned for two years until Felix is eventually succeeded by Porcius Festus. And when Festus comes into power, those unbelieving Jews try to get Festus to transfer Paul to Jerusalem (supposedly for a trial), but really they want to ambush and kill him along the way. Now Festus denies their request (though he doesn't know that that is what they had in mind) and, when he comes to Caesarea, has Paul brought before him there to be tried. And it says here in verse 7… Acts 25:7 (ESV)— 7 When he had arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many and serious charges against him that they could not prove. Paul's 4th Defense— And these were no doubt the same arguments; trying to prove that Paul was an insurrectionist in the hopes that Festus might agree with them and put Paul to death (Acts 25:15-16). But once again, nothing can be substantiated. But Festus hears them out to ascertain all the facts; and then it is Paul turn to make his defense. And this is the fourth of Paul's six defenses. And in it he once again affirms that he has committed no crime against the Jewish law, against the temple, or against Rome. It says in… Acts 25:8-9 (ESV)— 8 Paul argued in his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I committed any offense.” 9 But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Do you wish to go up to Jerusalem and there be tried on these charges before me?” Not Good for Paul— Now once again, though Festus doesn't know it, this puts Paul in danger of being ambushed and killed. But even if Paul makes it to Jerusalem, the situation is probably worse for him there. And he knows that there is no just reason for him to be sent there. And [a Roman judge could not move a case to another court without the consent of the accused, and Paul refused to go!] So it says in… Acts 25:10-11 (ESV)— 10 But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar's tribunal, where I ought to be tried. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you yourself know very well. 11 If then I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I do not seek to escape death. But if there is nothing to their charges against me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar.” Why Paul Appeals to Caesar— Now the reason Paul appeals to Caesar (which was the right of every Roman citizen) was threefold. First, he wanted justice. Secondly, he recognized that he was safest under Roman protection. Appealing to Caesar ensured that he would be guarded by the Romans en route to Caesar. But thirdly (and this may in fact be the main reason), his goal was ultimately to get where? Rome. Where is Caesar? Rome. And so he recognizes his appealing to Caesar is the fastest way to get there. So he appeals to Caesar. And it says… Acts 25:12 (ESV)— 12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go.” Festus Embarrassed— And, as you can imagine, this no doubt infuriated the Jewish leaders because once again the chance to murder Paul has slipped through their fingers. Festus may have been somewhat pleased, as he no doubt felt this case was beyond him. But at the same time it did not look well for him that one of his first cases he handled so badly that the prisoner felt forced to appeal to Caesar for justice. But he has no choice. He pronounces that Paul shall indeed be sent to Caesar. Now the Caesar to whom Paul has appealed is Nero. Now this didn't meant that Nero himself would oversee the case. It simply meant that his [case would be tried by the highest courts in the empire.] And despite the fact that Paul's case would be transferred to Nero, Festus still had a problem. Yes he had avoided offending the Jews, but he had failed to determine the legal charges against Paul. And he doesn't want to be in the awkward position of sending such a notable prisoner to Caesar without have any of his crimes clearly listed. But it says in… Acts 25:13 (ESV)— 13 Now when some days had passed, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus. Herod Agrippa II & Bernice— Now this king who came for a state visit was Herod Agrippa II. He was [the last of the Herodians to rule, was the great-grandson of {Herod the Great,} the Herod who {ruled at the time Jesus was born and} had killed the Bethlehem babes, and {was} the son of the Herod who had killed the apostle James (Acts 12).] [His great-uncle, Herod Antipas, was the Herod of the Gospels (Mark 6:14-29; Luke 3:1; 13:31-33; 23:7-12)]. [He had power over the Temple, controlled the Temple treasury, and could appoint and remove the high priest.] He was in his early thirties at this time. And his sister Bernice had come with him to join him in paying [their respect to the new governor, Festus]. Now Bernice [had married her uncle, Herod Chalcis, had become mistress to her brother Agrippa II, and then had become mistress to the emperor Vespasian's son, Titus.] And her living with her brother Agrippa II made the Jews uneasy because of how clearly and explicitly God had forbade incest (Lev. 18:1-18; 20:11-21). But Herod Agrippa II had been given [legal jurisdiction over the temple in Jerusalem, so it was logical that Festus share Paul's case with him.] And so it says in… Acts 25:14-22 (ESV)— 14 And as they stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul's case before the king, saying, “There is a man left prisoner by Felix, 15 and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews laid out their case against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him. 16 I answered them that it was not the custom of the Romans to give up anyone before the accused met the accusers face to face and had opportunity to make his defense concerning the charge laid against him. 17 So when they came together here, I made no delay, but on the next day took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought. 18 When the accusers stood up, they brought no charge in his case of such evils as I supposed. 19 Rather they had certain points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who was dead, but whom Paul asserted to be alive. 20 Being at a loss how to investigate these questions, I asked whether he wanted to go to Jerusalem and be tried there regarding them. 21 But when Paul had appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of the emperor, I ordered him to be held until I could send him to Caesar.” 22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” said he, “you will hear him.” Festus' Game— Now we see here that Festus clearly understands that this whole issue has nothing to do with civil law, but rather was a matter of “religion” (Acts 18:14-15; 23:29); particularly the doctrine of resurrection. And verse 19 shows that Paul wasn't just defending the concept of resurrection abstractly or in a general way, but was focusing specifically on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. But all this was beyond Festus' (and Rome's) expertise or interest. He was both a pagan Roman and also new in Judea, so it was natural for him not to know the theological differences between Christians and Jews. But note how Festus is deceiving Agrippa, because he is giving him the impression that the reason he had wanted to move the trial to Jerusalem was because these theological issues might be better addressed there; but that wasn't his real motivation. His [real reason was to please the Jewish leaders, most of whom King Herod knew.] And he's hoping that Agrippa will supply him with something definite that he can send to the Emperor Nero. And that's because Agrippa was [an expert in Jewish matters (Acts 26:2-3) and certainly would be keenly interested in knowing more about this man who {supposedly} caused a riot in the temple. And Agrippa is indeed interested to hear Paul. In fact [The Greek verb tense implies Herod had been wanting to hear Paul for a long time. As an expert on Jewish affairs (cf. 26:3), he relished hearing Christianity's leading spokesman in person.] And Festus promises him that he will. And next week we will see how that unfolds. God Turns Things Around— But I want to close today with a word of encouragement. As demonstrated in our passage today, we see one example among many of how unjust our world often is. But we also see how God protected Paul and even used this trial to open a door of opportunity by which Paul could immediately be escorted to Rome. By setting in motion their plot to kill Paul, the Jewish leaders in fact helped Paul to get exactly where God wanted him to go: Rome. And God does the same for us. You know, every year Jews have been celebrating the Feast of Purim, which commemorates the triumph of God's people in the book of Esther when Haman had sought to destroy all the Jews in the empire. Haman set himself against the Jews generally and Mordecai (Esther's cousin) in particular and plotted their destruction. And things got really dark for a while. But what ended up happening was that it was Haman himself who unintentionally (through his trying to exalt himself) actually became instrumental in Mordecai being honored and exalted. Haman's plot against the Jews ended up falling on his own head; and the book of Esther ends with Haman being hanged and Mordecai assuming his former job as Grand Vizier. And God's people are delivered. I think also of Joseph, sold into slavery by his brothers. Then he's wrongfully accused and thrown into prison. But God lifts him up and eventually makes him Pharaoh's right hand man that helps Egypt plan for a coming famine and actually saves the empire and all the lands affected by that famine. But none of that would have happened if Joseph had not been sold or thrown into prison. And there are so many other examples like this. ​Trust in God— Now all this to say, when we are experiencing the injustice and persecution that go along with following Jesus Christ, we need to take heart. We need to recognize that it may be the furnace, the lion's den, the prison cell or whatever other place of affliction we might be in that will actually become the engine through which God can bring His greatest work. The hard thing is to trust in that. But if we do, God never disappoints. And so let us trust in Him like that today. Amen.

Hello and welcome to the show today! It is such a pleasure to have you with us again today as we study the Word of God together. A Student's Justice Question— You know, not long ago I read the story of a young boy who once asked his teacher if it was right to get punished for something he didn't do. And the teacher looked at him and assured him that it wasn't. And the boy, breathing a sigh of relief, looked back at him and said, “That's good, because I didn't do my math homework.” Smart kid. In The Image of A Just God— But you know, in all sincerity, it can be very frustrating to see somebody accused and punished who never did anything wrong. And I think equally frustrating is seeing evil people get away with doing evil things. There is an innate desire in all of us for justice. And that is because each of us has been created in the image of God; and God is a God of justice. And if you don't believe that, then you have never really read or understood the Bible; which is so clear that if you oppress the widow or the fatherless; if you mistreat women; if you abuse those who work for you, then you had better watch out because you have set your self against an Almighty justice-loving God. God is very much concerned with justice. Now is He the God of mercy? Absolutely. But there can be no mercy without justice. In fact justice helps us to define what mercy really is. And grace is not some kind of an override to justice. It is not punishment averted/avoided but punishment redirected; the punishment for our sins being placed upon God's Son so that justice could be satisfied while at the same time allowing God to show us mercy. Getting Angry— But this whole issue of injustice is something that you and I face every day. We watch television programming that often times infuriates us because various news networks know how to stoke our sense of justice. And in a way, we should get angry. Because a lot of what we see truly is unjust. And the person who never gets angry at injustice doesn't truly love justice or the people suffering from injustice. And part of the reason we have an angry society is because of injustice, which has been allowed to pervade on many and various fronts. And the truth is that before you can have a happy society, you first must have a just society. That is why God had so many rules regarding how justice ought to be carried out. He wanted to create a secure society so that that society would be free to experience peace, joy, and happiness. The Supreme Mark— Now in light of that, I have often wondered what it would have been like to live in Paul's time, under an empire like Rome; where you are constantly under the crushing weight of Rome's oppression, taxes, and differing standards of justice depending on whether you are a man or a woman, slave, free, a Roman citizen or not. What would it have been like to be a Christian during that time? You know, we complain of injustice; but the supreme mark of injustice during that time was the cross of Jesus. It is the supreme example of how deeply the justice system of mankind can fail. Jesus was declared by Pilate to be without fault and yet was executed in the worst possible way. And, you know, he had asked Jesus the most horrifying question any judge could ever ask: What is truth? That's a scary thing, because if you have no absolute standard of truth, then you have no absolute understanding of justice. And because of that you ended up with He who is Truth and Justice dying on the cross. Now followers of Jesus (like Paul) also often carry (as part of the crosses they bear) the burden of suffering unjustly for the name and cause of Jesus Christ. The Nicene Meeting— You know, many of you are probably familiar with the Nicene Creed, one of the most important theological treatises ratified by the church in the 4th century. Many of you have probably at least read it. Some of you may know it by heart. But what you may not know is that [At the Nicene Council, an important church meeting in the 4th century A.D. {that met to establish this creed}, of the 318 delegates attending, fewer than 12 had not lost an eye or lost a hand or did not limp on a leg lamed by torture for their Christian faith.] In their context, suffering injustice for the sake of Christ was just part of being a Christian. And that is what we have been seeing in the life and ministry of Paul; and today's passage in Acts chapter 25 is only one of many examples of that. Paul Left In Prison— Now we have most recently seen Paul being brought to trial before Governor Felix in Caesarea. And that trial went pretty well for Paul. None of the claims against him could be substantiated. And so (in a just world) he should have been let go. But Felix decides to hold Paul until Lysias the Tribune comes down and to pass the verdict after that. But it doesn't look like Lysias ever came. Lysias may in fact never have been sent for. Felix probably didn't want to anger the Jews and cause potential political problems for himself by passing the inescapable verdict of “not guilty”. And this is somewhat confirmed in the passage that follows because we see that after the trial he holds Paul for two years, sending for him periodically. By the way, just imagine that; suffering two years of imprisonment for false claims that could not be substantiated; two years of experiencing the same kind of wrongful imprisonment that Joseph had experienced when Potiphar's wife had falsely accused him. And on top of that, the person who is keeping you there (Felix) is constantly sending for you whenever he feels like it. And there might have been this constant hope in Paul's heart that maybe this would be the time that Felix would say “You're free to go.” But each time was a disappointment. Each time he was sent back. Now Felix is eventually ousted from office by Emperor Nero two years after Paul's hearing. His brutality (which had angered the Jews) had led to that. But on his way out, wanting to do the Jews a favor (24:27), he leaves Paul in prison. And so now a new governor comes into power; a man by the name of Porcius Festus. Porcius Festus— Now we do not actually know that much about Porcius Festus. You will remember that Felix had been an ex-slave whose brother had obtained for him the position of governor. But now this new governor (Porcius Festus) has come into power. And (unlike Felix) Festus [was a member of the Roman nobility]. He was only governor for a brief time, as [he died two years after assuming office], [but the Jewish historian Josephus described him as better than either his predecessor or his successor]. What To Do With Paul?— And he may have intended on leading with integrity and doing what was right. But when it came to Paul and Jewish politics, he found things not so easy to handle. Paul was a Jew whose countrymen wanted him dead, but he was also a Roman whose government did not know what to do with him. And Festus is really caught between a rock and a hard place, because if he lets Paul go, the Jews will cause trouble. That was something that he knew he did not want to risk. On the other hand, if he kept Paul in prison, he might [have to explain why a Roman citizen was being held without any official charges.] And so Paul is like this powder keg that Festus knows is in his best interest to deal with as soon as possible. And we will see in this chapter and the next how Festus is present in three different situations directly related to the apostle Paul. But let's begin with verse one of chapter 25. It says… Acts 25:1-3 (ESV)— 1 Now three days after Festus had arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. Festus Comes to Jerusalem— Now the reason he came to Jerusalem was no doubt in part to acquaint himself with the situation there in his new province and to pay his respects to the Holy City. But it was also [to meet the Jewish leaders (the high priest and the Sanhedrin) and, as much as possible, conciliate them. Those leaders, Festus knew, were the key to establishing peace in Judea. And maintaining peace was the highest priority of a Roman provincial governor.] But the Jewish leaders capitalize on his desire to try to make peace with them by pouncing on the opportunity to bring up the case against Paul and try to get him killed. It says…} 2 And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews laid out their case against Paul, and they urged him, 3 asking as a favor against Paul that he summon him to Jerusalem—because they were planning an ambush to kill him on the way. Plotters— So here we see that a second ambush is planned. And the Sanhedrin are involved, this time not as the accomplices (23:14-15) but as the plotters, which shows that things are getting more serious. Now Festus likely knew nothing about the previous plot against Paul and probably thought that the Jewish leaders were on the up and up. He probably never suspected that they were out to assassinate Paul. And it would have made sense to have Paul transferred. It was a matter concerning a Jewish prisoner and the Jewish law, and so it would make sense for him to be tried in Jerusalem. And [a Roman court could meet in Jerusalem as well as in Caesarea], so it would have been completely normal procedure to have Paul transferred. And Festus (not suspecting a plot) would probably not send Paul with much protection, so ambushing and killing Paul would have been pretty easy. But Festus [preferred to conduct most of his business from Caesarea, particularly in cases that could be drawn out.] And so he does not comply with their request to have Paul sent to Jerusalem. Instead, it says in… Acts 25:4-6 (ESV)— 4 Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea and that he himself intended to go there shortly. 5 “So,” said he, “let the men of authority among you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong about the man, let them bring charges against him.” {So the chance to ambush Paul slips through their fingers. And it says…} 6 After he stayed among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day he took his seat on the tribunal and ordered Paul to be brought. Our Crosses— And next week we will see what happens after that. But, you know, this whole story raises the issue concerning how you and I are to respond when you and I face injustice because of our relationship with Jesus Christ. Paul doesn't become embittered; he doesn't ask “Why me?” He doesn't curse his captors. No, he recognizes that this is his present cross to bear and that, in doing so, he was identifying with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in that he was living the life of the cross. And when you and I suffer for the sake of Christ, we also identify with Christ. And if we endure for Christ's sake and for the sake of those He is seeking to reach, He can use our sufferings to bring about victories that we would never even think possible. And that is what we have seen and will continue to see in the life of Paul. And on the other side of suffering for Christ is reward; eternal reward. James 1:12 (NIV)— 12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. Let's Endure— And so let us endure so that we also may receive the crown of life. Amen.

Greetings! As always, it's good to have you with us today as we continue to move through the book of Acts together, this week continuing our study of Acts 24. You'll remember that Paul (now a prisoner) has been brought before the Roman governor Felix after a group of Jews began accusing him. As we talked about last week, their consciences were stirred by Paul's message and they wanted to rid the world of him. So he is brought before Felix and their lawyer (Tertullus) accuses Paul of being a plague, a stirrer of riots (which wasn't true; they had actually been the ones to start the riot in Jerusalem), a ringleader of the sect known as the Nazarenes, and a profaner of the temple. Every smear they could think up, they level against Paul as they stand before Felix. And now it has come time for Paul to defend himself. And so it says in… Acts 24:10-22 (ESV)— 10 And when the governor had nodded to him to speak, Paul replied: “Knowing that for many years you have been a judge over this nation, I cheerfully make my defense. 11 You can verify that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship in Jerusalem, 12 and they did not find me disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd, either in the temple or in the synagogues or in the city. 13 Neither can they prove to you what they now bring up against me. 14 But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, 15 having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust. 16 So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man. {By the way, remember that before this Paul had stood before the Jewish court known as the Sanhedrin. And when Paul had proclaimed that he had a clear conscience in that context, the former high priest Ananias had commanded Paul to be brutally struck. I love here how Paul says the same thing he had been slapped for yet again; and in front of Ananias, who remember is here. But Ananias commands no illegal slap here, where he would be held accountable by Felix. Paul continues…} 17 Now after several years I came to bring alms to my nation and to present offerings. 18 While I was doing this, they found me purified in the temple, without any crowd or tumult. But some Jews from Asia— 19 they ought to be here before you and to make an accusation, should they have anything against me. 20 Or else let these men themselves say what wrongdoing they found when I stood before the council, 21 other than this one thing that I cried out while standing among them: ‘It is with respect to the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you this day.'” {Now notice how twice now in this passage alone he has highlighted the resurrection. He showing that the real motive behind all of this is religious.} 22 But Felix, having a rather accurate knowledge of the Way, put them off, saying, “When Lysias the tribune comes down, I will decide your case.” Subverting Justice— Now the reason he does this is because the witnesses never showed up and the Jewish leaders are unable to prove that Paul committed any kind of crime. So, in keeping with Roman law, the only verdict Felix would be able to render is “not guilty”. But he doesn't want to give that verdict because of how much he knows it will infuriate the Jews. So, in order to keep the peace, he decides that the best thing to do is to put everything on hold until Lysias comes, which wasn't necessary because Lysias had already sent his report stating [that the dispute involved questions of Jewish law (23:29), and that Paul was not guilty of any crime (23:29).] It is hard to imagine what else Lysias could have said; and there is no evidence that Felix did in fact send for him. So we see that justice is subverted.  Acts 24:23-25 (ESV)— 23 Then he gave orders to the centurion that he should be kept in custody but have some liberty, and that none of his friends should be prevented from attending to his needs. 24 After some days Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, and he sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus. 25 And as he reasoned about righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment, Felix was alarmed and said, “Go away for the present. When I get an opportunity I will summon you.” Locked Away— Now the reason he was alarmed was because this wife who came with him (Drusilla) was actually his third wife. But she was not really HIS wife. She had been Agrippa I's wife, but Felix (seeing her beauty and being enraptured by her) [had lured her away from her husband. At the time of Paul's hearing, she was not yet 20 years old.] So we see we have another Malchus' ear situation. Conviction comes and what does Felix do with the source of that conviction. He locks him away. Then it says… Acts 24:26-27 (ESV)— 26 At the same time he hoped that money would be given him by Paul. So he sent for him often and conversed with him. 27 When two years had elapsed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. And desiring to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison. The Heavenly Vision— One author I have been reading lately (whom I have mentioned to you before; and who is having an extraordinary impact on my life, is Samuel Logan Brengle). Just recently I finished his book Heart Talks on Holiness, in which he shared two stories that had an indelible impact on me. I'd like to share them with you:     [Several years ago a girl of eighteen, full of fun and love of society, was induced by a friend to enter a Salvation Army meeting for the first time. No sooner had she entered than the people's faces enchained her eyes and their testimonies went to her heart. She sat for a while, and Jesus came to her, not in visible presence, but in a spiritual vision. She left the meeting convicted of sin. On her way home, the vision spoke with her. "You ought to have gotten saved, tonight."     "But I am engaged for that dance next Wednesday night.”     "You should give up the dance."     “But there are my lovely white dress and slippers. I will get saved after the dance."     “But you may die before Wednesday night, and lose your lovely dress and the dance—and your soul."     That was sufficient for this young girl. She tore the feathers from her hat and threw them into the fire. She rushed upstairs, got her lovely white dress, cut it up, and cast it into the fire. The next evening she went to the meeting. At last a woman, probably discerning in her face the hunger of her heart, went to her and asked, "Don't you want to get saved tonight?"     "Of course I do," replied the girl. "Why did you not come to me before?" Immediately she rushed to the penitent form (the special place for prayer before the altar) where, in obedience to the heavenly vision, she found Jesus almighty to save. And after four years her face shines with the glory of her Lord, and her voice rings with triumph as she testifies to the cleansing power of His blood and the sanctifying power and presence of His Spirit. She was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.        A man, a millionaire, came into a meeting and listened to an Army Captain (minister), and the heavenly vision came to him. He saw the cross, the narrow way, and the hard road, and like the rich young man who came to Jesus (see Mark 10:17-22), he went away saying, "If it were not for the red stripes round that fellow's collar (on his Salvation Army uniform), I would have gone forward." He was disobedient to the heavenly vision.     Sooner or later the heavenly vision comes to everyone. It comes in the whisperings of conscience, in the strivings of the Spirit, in the calls of duty, in the moments of regret for an evil past, in moments of tenderness and sorrow, in the crises of life, and in the entreaties of God's people. It comes in afflictions and losses; in the thunders of the law; in fearful, ominous threats of eternal judgment; in the death of loved ones; and in crushed hopes, disappointed plans, and thwarted ambitions. In all these things, Jesus hides Himself as He hid Himself in the burning bush, which Moses saw on Horeb. If people would but turn aside and heed the vision as Moses did, a voice would speak and cause them to know the Lord, and if they would not be disobedient to the heavenly vision, Jesus would turn them back from the pit and satisfy every questioning of their minds and every longing of their hearts.] When The Vision Comes— One of the questions I would like to ask today is “What are you going to do when conviction comes; when Jesus gives you a heavenly vision? Are you going to accept Him and turn to Him in faith? Or are you going to leave without receiving the best thing you could ever receive. Are their dresses and feathers that stand in your way? Or are you willing to do what this young girl did and burn them (to burn those bridges) and embrace the Way of Jesus Christ? My heart broke for the man who turned back because of the collar of all things. But then I felt God impress upon me, “It wasn't the collar.” You see, some people are willing to be turned back by anything, even if it is something so trivial as a striped collar, rather than give up whatever it is they are clinging to. The question is, is that you or me? The Way Opened— In Jesus, God has opened up the Way for us to enter into another world. In Him the very gates of Heaven have been opened to us; and we often are found stuck worrying about silly things. Jesus, what about my security? What about my stuff? What about my clothes? We are Marthas worrying about the carnal when the very presence of Jesus is beckoning to us to come and be healed. God's Hand Extended— Recently my family and I were driving along on the highway and I looked out over the city and the beautiful clouds hanging overhead. And I imagined God sticking His hand out of those clouds and offering it to anyone who wanted to grab it, whenever they were ready. How long would you wait to seize that hand of God extended unto you? Would you put it off until a reasonable time, or would you bolt for that hand as fast as you could, seize it and kiss and embrace the hand of God? How long would you wait? Those Who Cling to Idols— You know a verse that God keeps bringing to my mind over and over again. It's Jonah 2:8. It says: "Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. By the way, that word “grace” is hesed, in case you are curious. It's the deepest, most profound love God can offer you. That's what we forfeit when we cling to the chaff of the world; the flakes that are here today and gone tomorrow. Let Go Your Idols— What are you clinging to today that is preventing you from laying hold of the hand of God? What are you holding on to? Whatever that is, let go of it today. If it's sinful, let it go. If it's of the world, let it go. Anything that is holding you back in your quest to know and follow Jesus, abandon utterly and completely. Choose to follow Him today. Let's do so. Amen.

Greetings! It's good to have you with us as we continue our journey through the book of Acts together. Today we come to Acts 24, where we find Paul being brought to trial before the Roman governor, Felix by a group of unbelieving Jews. And yet, in the midst of that, we find Paul trusting Himself into the hands of God. And amazingly, by the end of the passage, we will see that it is Felix  (rather than Paul) who is brought under conviction. Go ahead and look with me, starting at verse 1… Acts 24:1 (ESV)— 1 And after five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and a spokesman, one Tertullus. They laid before the governor their case against Paul. Why The Slap?— Now there's a lot to unpack just in this first verse. Ananias, remember, is not actually the high priest. He has retained the title. But it is Caiaphas who is the acting high priest. And yet it is Ananias who comes. And remember that it is he who had commanded (when Paul was on trial before the Sanhedrin) to have Paul illegal struck on the mouth. And remember that the Greek language conveys a vicious strike, not just a light smack in the face. And all that just for Paul's saying that he had a clear conscience.     Now I have to confess, I had a little Columbo moment this week. I said to myself, “Der's just dis ting dat bodders me.” It's been rolling around in my mind. And it has to do with that slap in response to what Paul had said. Because what Paul had said shouldn't have been that offensive, let alone something for him to get slapped for. All Paul had said was that he had a clean conscience. So I've had this question mark bouncing around in my mind. But then I felt God impressing on me the reality that to a dark and sinful world (and particularly to a man like Ananias, who is reported to have been one of the most brutal and sinister high priests the Jews ever had) a clean conscience is a very offensive thing; because somebody who is marked by the Holiness of God is living a life that is a rebuke to others.  The House In The Dark— This week I was reminded of a story of two families. [The O'Learys and the MacMillans lived as neighbors at the turn of the century. One day a young man in a suit came to their village to explain that they would soon have electricity for the first time. The MacMillans responded with their typical enthusiasm and filled out the appropriate papers to have their house wired.     The O'Learys were more cautious. After all, they had lived for generations without electricity and had managed just fine. They weren't about to throw money after every passing fad. So they decided to wait. If electricity was as good as everyone said, they could always sign up later.     In the weeks that followed, the MacMillans busily prepared their house for electrical power. They clamped wires and sockets to the walls and hung bulbs from the ceiling. When the big day finally came, the MacMillans invited their neighbors, including the O'Learys, to a grand lighting party. With a dramatic flourish, Mr. MacMillan threw a switch and the bulbs began to glow for the first time. The McMillan house was illuminated more brightly than it had ever been lit before. There was a gasp. “How lovely!” someone said. Then another gasp. "How filthy!” someone else said. It was true. No one had noticed it before in the dim light, but years of oil lamps had left a film of dingy soot over everything. The walls were grimy, there were cobwebs in the corner, and dust covered the floor.     The O'Learys decided right then and there that they would never install electricity in their home. They would never suffer the humiliation of having their dirty home exposed by the light. After the party, the MacMillans went to work. They scrubbed the soot off the walls and ceiling, cleaned the cobwebs, and swept away the dust. They had indeed been embarrassed by their dirty home when the lights came on, but within a day, their house was cleaner than it had ever been. Meanwhile, the O'Learys continued to live comfortably in their dimly lit home filled with soot, cobwebs, and filth.     Many people today choose to live in the dark. They don't want anyone to see the dirt—what's really going on in their lives. Sometimes they don't want to see it themselves. They avoid the light for fear that they will see the truth and be forced to clean up their acts. “This is the verdict {(writes John)}: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God” (John 3:19-21).] The Ear of Malchus— There is a man in the Bible you may remember: Malchus. He was the servant of the high priest who was with those who arrested Jesus. And you'll remember Peter drew his sword and hacked off his ear. And Jesus reaches down, picks up the ear off the ground, no doubt brushes it off (maybe gives it a few blows) and sticks it right back on. I mean, can you imagine!!!??? But one author I was reading pointed out how what we often don't consider is the conversation that no doubt happened later that night when Malchus returned to Caiaphas and Caiaphas asked for a report of what happened? “Did you succeed in arresting Jesus?”, asks Caiaphas. “Yes, High Priest, we did.”, responds Malchus. “Did you have any trouble?” “Well, yes, a little.”, said Malchus, scratching his ear. “Why, what happened?” “Well, one of the disciples got in the way and brazenly sliced off my ear.” “It looks okay to me.” “Well, High Priest, that's just it. This Jesus, whom you sent us to arrest, picked it up and stuck it right back on.”     I imagine things got really quiet at this point. And the author I was reading pointed out something so profound. He said Malchus (and particularly his ear) was God [the Father's last love note to Caiaphas.…In his gracious mercy Jesus restored Malchus's ear, and Malchus's witness to Caiaphas of that event was the high priest's last chance for repentance. It was God's final witness to him: he put someone right in Caiaphas's court who had been touched by the loving hand of Jesus. Oh, the unending mercy of God! If a person is lost, it will be in spite of himself and in spite of the evidence that God stacks up in his life. {But then he says this. And this is the kicker:} I am confident that Caiaphas did not employ Malchus for long after this incident of healing {(he writes)}. I imagine that the sight of Malchus's ear made Caiaphas uneasy and nervous. When we choose not to obey and do not act on the witness God gives to us, sooner or later we will banish that witness from our lives because we cannot tolerate its suggestive presence. The love of God continues to point to him in all areas of life, even in the lives of the most hardened unbelievers, but some of us refuse to see or hear it.]     You want to know why Ananias had Paul slapped; and why He and so many of the Jews were seeking to remove Paul from the face of the earth? I think this was why. And that's why it only took five days (a very short time) [for the Jewish leaders to put their case together, hire and attorney, and make the trip to Caesarea.] They were afraid that the longer they waited, the more likely Felix was to dismiss Paul's case. And they were eager to remove the source of their conviction. Now when the court convenes, it says of Paul… Acts 24:2-3 (ESV)— 2 And when he had been summoned, Tertullus {(he's the lawyer or orator)} began to accuse him, saying: “Since through you we enjoy much peace, and since by your foresight, most excellent Felix, reforms are being made for this nation, 3 in every way and everywhere we accept this with all gratitude. Ummm….No— This was a lie. [Felix was a former slave whose brother (a favorite of Emperor Claudius) had obtained for him the position as governor.] The Romans did not see him as very influential. And though he had ousted the Egyptian assassin and his followers, the Jews despised him for his brutality; and he (two years after this) will actually be deposed by Emperor Nero. So (at least in his mind) to quote esteemed historian Rabbi Smash Mouth, Tertullus was looking kind of dumb with his finger and his thumb in the shape of a “L” on his forehead. He thought very little of Felix. But with the normal (and I might add “obligatory”) salutations out of the way, he continues. Verse 4… Acts 24:4-8  (ESV)— 4 But, to detain you no further, I beg you in your kindness to hear us briefly. 5 For we have found this man a plague, one who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world and is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. 6 He even tried to profane the temple, but we seized him {(and some manuscripts add… and we would have judged him according to our law. 7 But the chief captain Lysias came and with great violence took him out of our hands, 8 commanding his accusers to come before you.)}. 8 By examining him yourself you will be able to find out from him about everything of which we accuse him.” Keep It Vague— Now note how they falsely say they had arrested Paul. That didn't happen. The Jews had instigated a riot and it was Lysias (the Tribune) who had saved him by taking him into custody. But in their version it is Paul who started it. And I want you to see something else; and it's the secret to a great accusation. Notice how Tertullus keeps everything vague. Notice the complete lack of any kind of specific detail as to when, where, and how Paul had supposedly instigated a riot. Now Rome took any kind of riot or insurrection very seriously; and if this charge against Paul could have been substantiated, Paul would have faced severe punishment and possibly even execution. But Tertullus knows that if he gets specific (naming specific incidents) Felix could have Paul's case transferred [to the governor in whose jurisdiction the incident took place. {But that's not what the Jews wanted.} The Jews wanted Paul tried before a governor over whom they had some influence.] So Tertullus keeps it vague. And so do the rest of his accusers. It says in… Acts 24:9 (ESV)— 9 The Jews also joined in the charge, affirming that all these things were so. Bad News & Good News— And next week we will see how Paul defends himself against their charges. But as we close our time together today, I want first say something hard and then something I hope will be an encouragement to you. It's a bad news/good news kind of a thing. The bad news is that if you are radically committed to Jesus Christ, persecution is always always always going to come from people whose consciences are disturbed by the presence of Christ they see in you. But Jesus himself offers us hope when He says in… Matthew 5:11-12 (NKJV)— 11 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Hold On— That is a truth that Paul held onto. And it is one that you and I should hang onto as well. Let's do so. Amen.

Greetings! It's good to have you with us as we continue our journey through the book of Acts together, this week continuing to look at Acts 23. Now you'll remember that Paul has been arrested in Jerusalem and has just stood trial before the Sanhedrin. And in that court great dissension arrises over Paul's message (and the doctrine of the Resurrection in particular) that the Roman commander actually has to take Paul back into the Roman barracks because things had gotten so intense, he feared that Paul would literally be torn apart. And it is heartbreaking to see the center of Jewish religion and justice be a place where God's message is ultimately rejected and where justice fails in such a profound way; just as it had when Jesus stood before this very same group of religious leaders. Now things go from bad to worse, as it says in… Acts 23:12-16 (ESV)— 12 When it was day, the Jews made a plot and bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. 13 There were more than forty who made this conspiracy. 14 They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have strictly bound ourselves by an oath to taste no food till we have killed Paul. 15 Now therefore you, along with the council, give notice to the tribune to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case more exactly. And we are ready to kill him before he comes near.” 16 Now the son of Paul's sister heard of their ambush, so he went and entered the barracks and told Paul. Paul's Nephew— Now, as we observed last week, it seems very likely that Paul was rejected by some or much of his family after he came to faith in Jesus Christ. He likely was seen as a disgrace by them. Paul says in Philippians 3:8 that he had suffered the loss of everything for the sake of Jesus Christ. But whatever Paul's family situation looked like at this point, we see here that he had a sister who may have been at least somewhat affectionate towards him; as her son (who is there in Jerusalem) seems to be looking out for Paul. And this nephew somehow overhears this plot to murder Paul. And he immediately comes to the barracks to warn Paul. Now this really demonstrates just how much (in every trial we face) God is working behind the scenes, watching out for us; and how He often sends us help from unforeseen places. An Unsung Hero— Now this boy is one of the unsung heroes of the Bible. God had placed him in the right place at the right time; like Esther, like Daniel. He was a kid who was placed in a difficult and highly unusual circumstance. He was probably terrified. But God used his courage to do the right thing to bring about His plans and purposes; to preserve Paul's life. Now because Paul was an unconvicted Roman citizen (and not actually under arrest at this point, but merely in protective custody), he was able to receive visits from [relatives and friends, who could bring…{him}…food and other amenities.] And so this boy was able to get to Paul. And after the boy tells Paul of the plot, it says in… Acts 23:17-23 (ESV)— 17 Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the tribune, for he has something to tell him.” 18 So he took him and brought him to the tribune and said, “Paul the prisoner called me and asked me to bring this young man to you, as he has something to say to you.” 19 The tribune took him by the hand, and going aside asked him privately, “What is it that you have to tell me?” 20 And he said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to inquire somewhat more closely about him. 21 But do not be persuaded by them, for more than forty of their men are lying in ambush for him, who have bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they have killed him. And now they are ready, waiting for your consent.” 22 So the tribune dismissed the young man, charging him, “Tell no one that you have informed me of these things.” 23 Then he called two of the centurions and said, “Get ready two hundred soldiers, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go as far as Caesarea at the third hour of the night. To Caesarea— Now when the tribune hears of this plot, he decides that the best thing to do to both to save Paul's life and to avoid a potentially explosive confrontation with the Jews is to send Paul away. And so we see that the Roman tribune orders that Paul be sent to Caesarea. [Jerusalem was the seat of Jewish government, but Caesarea was the Roman headquarters of the area] and would be a safe place for Paul. Now this whole situation is so ironic because it should be the Jewish leaders who are supporting Paul the most. I mean, he was one of them. And yet we find them being the enemies and Romans (of all people) being the means of saving Paul. I mean, everything's backwards. But you know, God often can use backwards situations to bring about His glory and plans and purposes. These events may have seemed bad to Paul at the time, but it's interesting that those events set into motion a chain of events that would eventually lead to Paul's being taken to Rome, the very place God promised to take him. And God can do that for us as well. He can use our trials, our difficulties, and even our enemies to bring about His purposes in our lives. Unless we give up, they are not able to thwart the plans of God. And we need to remember that. Soldiers, Horsemen, & Spearmen— Now Lysias sends with Paul 200 soldiers, 70 horsemen, and 200 spearmen. [The “soldiers” were legionnaires, the elite soldiers of the roman army; the “horsemen” were from the garrison's cavalry detachment; and the “spearmen,” or javelin throwers, were soldiers less heavily armed than the legionnaires.] And what this all amounted to was [almost half of his 1,000 man garrison]. And that just shows how seriously he took this plot and how determined he was that Paul should be kept alive and receive justice. Now Paul is escorted by this quite sizable military force at the third hour of the night. That's 9:00pm Gentile Time 

Greetings! It's good to have you with us as we continue our journey through the book of Acts together, this week continuing to look at Acts 23. If you were with us last week, you'll remember that some unbelieving Jews have just seized Paul and stirred up the crowd against him with false accusations. And that's a common theme we find regarding the unbelieving Jews Paul comes across. They're kind of like atoms. They make up everything. And here that leads to Paul being violently beaten, arrested, and taken into Roman custody in Jerusalem. He has addressed the Jewish mob (giving his first defense); and we know that they listened until he shared with them God's giving him a mission to take the message of salvation to the Gentiles. They react violently to that and he is taken back into the Roman barrack for protection. After that, he is brought before the Jewish governing body known as the Sanhedrin, during which he gives his second defense. But the Sanhedrin is not at all friendly to him. I mean, they had already killed Jesus. And that was a part of an ongoing trend. Jerusalem was one of the first non-prophet organizations, you might say; they killed all those sent to her, as Jesus pointed out. And in the midst of this trial, during which Paul is illegally struck just for saying that he has a clean conscience, he realizes he is probably not going to receive a good verdict from them; and so he, knowing that the council was one part Pharisee and the other part Sadducee (and himself being a Pharisee) emphasizes his having been a Pharisee and that all of this dissension had to do with the issue of the resurrection from the dead, which he knew the Pharisees accepted but the Sadducees rejected. And so an argument breaks out between the two parties and the Pharisees actually end up defending Paul, saying in verse 9 “We find nothing wrong in this man. What if a spirit or an angel spoke to him?” And after this Paul is removed because of how violent things had gotten; and he's taken back to the barracks. Now all of this is incredibly discouraging for Paul, who remember has this deep desire to bring the message of the Gospel to Rome, the epicenter of the empire and a very important strategic target for Christianity. But things are not looking very promising, as he's sitting there in imprisonment. He doesn't know it this point, but he's going to remain imprisoned for the next four years. However that night Jesus comes to Paul and gives him a word of encouragement and a promise. It says… Acts 23:11 (ESV)— 11 The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.” God's Preserving Promise— Now in reflecting on that promise, it suddenly dawned on me that Jesus never promises Paul that he's gonna get through all this unscathed or anything like that. He doesn't even tell him that his endeavors will prove successful. He doesn't promise a great response after he eventually gets to Rome; only that he is going to grant the desire of Paul's heart to do the next right thing. Now that next right thing was pretty big for Paul, because it meant that God was going to keep and preserve his life for the time being. And so, in a sense, Paul was greater than all the gods of the pantheon; because while they could be killed, Paul couldn't. He was more immortal than they could ever be; because the One true God, who has authority over all things, was holding him up. No outside force (no matter how strong) could pluck him out of God's hand or this next step God had promised Paul success in. And you know, that same God holds you and me. Now He may not promise you tomorrow, but He is every bit in control of your tomorrow as He was of Paul's. And He will be just as faithful to help you fulfill His plan and purpose through your life as well. Refocusing on Paul— Now when the controversy between the Pharisees and the Sadducees of the Sanhedrin dies down, we find that they re-focus their attention on Paul. They had gotten to the point where all reverence for God and the desire to do His will and to act in way that was in accordance with His written Word took a back seat to what was really the center of their concern; politics and position. A that being the case, they perceived Paul as being a real threat and were ready to dispense with him. And we will see in our passage today that, just as they had done with Jesus, they begin making plans to murder Paul. It says in… Acts 23:12 (ESV)— 12 When it was day, the Jews made a plot and bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. We'll See— And so we see that hatred and vengeance is eating them up. And that's not a good place to be. Somebody recently told me they felt I have an unhealthy preoccupation with revenge. And I said “Well, we'll see about that.” Okay, kidding. But these guys certainly aren't. They bind themselves with a very serious oath. anathematized— Now the phrase bound themselves by an oath is literally translated “anathematized”, which means to curse or condemn. And so they have invoked divine judgment if they fail in their mission to kill Paul. And we see this thing a number of times in scripture… 1 Samuel 14:44 (ESV)— 44 And Saul said, “God do so to me and more also; you shall surely die, Jonathan.” 2 Samuel 3:35 (ESV)— 35 Then all the people came to persuade David to eat bread while it was yet day. But David swore, saying, “God do so to me and more also, if I taste bread or anything else till the sun goes down!” 2 Samuel 19:13 (ESV)— 13 And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me and more also, if you are not commander of my army from now on in place of Joab.'” 1 Kings 2:23 (ESV)— 23 Then King Solomon swore by the Lord, saying, “God do so to me and more also if this word does not cost Adonijah his life! 2 Kings 6:31 (ESV)— 31 and he said, “May God do so to me and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders today.” Serious Resolve— Yikes! Those are some pretty serious threats and curses. And the last is most like the one we find here in Acts 23. These Jews who have set themselves Paul are absolutely determined, which we see in their resolve to engage in a total fast from all food and drink until their mission is complete. And it's not a small group of men either. It says in… Acts 23:13-14 (ESV)— 13 There were more than forty who made this conspiracy. 14 They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have strictly bound ourselves by an oath to taste no food till we have killed Paul. Going To The Sadducees— Now note that they do not go to the Pharisees. Why? Well, the Pharisees had just sided with Paul during the trial before the Sanhedrin; and so they have shown their willingness to defend Paul. And so these Jews go to those of the chief priests and elders because (remember) the chief priests and elders are of the other party, the Sadducees. These Jews knew that the chief priests and elders would be more likely to join them in this murder plot. Note also they do not go to the scribes because the scribes also were mostly Pharisees. No, they go to those of the Sadducees. And they tell them of their oath and their fast and then give their request, saying… Acts 23:15-16 (ESV)— 15 Now therefore you, along with the council, give notice to the tribune to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case more exactly. And we are ready to kill him before he comes near.” 16 Now the son of Paul's sister heard of their ambush, so he went and entered the barracks and told Paul. Paul's Family— Now amazingly, this is the only clear reference in the Bible that we have to any of the members of Paul's family. Romans 16:7 and 11 possibly give us a few others, as he makes reference to Andronicus, Junia, and Herodion as being his kinsmen. But there are no other references. Some scholars believe that when Paul became a Christian he was disowned by his family. His father, probably a wealthy person, very likely cut him off and wanted nothing to do with him. Paul may indicate some of this in Philippians 3:8 when he describes how he had suffered the loss of everything for the sake of Jesus Christ. But, you know, that is the case for a lot of men and women who have chosen to follow Jesus. Families do not always understand, which is why Jesus said… Matthew 10:35-39 (ESV)— 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. 37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Crucified by Family— And interestingly, that is what Jesus Himself had experienced. His own family was at odds with him. John 7:5 tells us that not even his brothers believed in him. Now that eventually changed, as His half-brother James converted and became a very important leader in the Church. Jude (another half-brother of Jesus) also was converted and wrote the book of Jude. But before that Jesus carried the weight of his siblings' scorn and that enmity against him during much of His life and ministry. And that's a hard burden to bear. And it's interesting that Jesus seems in this passage in Matthew to be equating that kind of familial pain to taking up your cross. And keep in mind, that was before He had been crucified on an actual cross, which leads me to make the assumption that before being crucified in the body on the cross, He had first been crucified in a metaphorical sense by his family. And Paul definitely seems to be bearing that same kind of cross now. Meeting The Folks— I don't know if any of you every brought your boyfriend or girlfriend home to meet your parents, but that can be pretty tense. You're wondering if they are going to like her, And if momma doesn't like her, you're in trouble. But bringing Jesus home to meet the family is often just as hard (if not worse); and especially in Paul's culture. Paul had become an outcast for the sake of Christ. I mean it must have been hard. But if that is what needs to happen for you to follow Jesus, then you have to do it. That is just part of what it means to be a Christian. And if we are faithful to suffer like that for Jesus, we will be blessed. 1 Peter 4:12-14 (NKJV)— 12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; 13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. 14 If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. Romans 8:16-17 (NKJV)— 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. Sharing in Christs Sufferings & Glory— So let us gladly share in Christ's suffering, so that we also will share in His glory. Let's do so. Amen.

Greetings! It's good to have you with us as we continue our study of the book of Acts today. A False Accusation— You know, I don't know if you have ever had somebody try to malign your name before. As a pastor, I have been on the receiving end of that a number of times; and it is painful. And usually that kind of behavior comes from somebody who misunderstands you or something you have done or something you are trying to do. And so they speak against you. And that kind of abuse can be hard to take. Now it is one thing when you are dealing with somebody who is honestly mistaken and quite another when you are dealing with somebody who maligns your name knowing that what they were saying against you was false. Well, that is very much the situation we find here in chapters 22-23 of the book of Acts, as Paul is viciously accused by a group of Judaizers who stir up a mob to attack and beat him. Now he is saved by the commander of the Roman troops (a man by the name of Claudius Lysias), who takes him into custody, brings him into the barracks, asks him if he is a particular murderous criminal, hears Paul explain to him who he really is, and then allows Paul to address the crowd, which he then does. And the crowd listens up until Paul says that the Lord had sent him to minister unto Gentiles. At they point the crowd loses it and Lysias again takes him into the barracks; and this time prepares to scourge Paul until he finds out why the crowd is shouting like this against him. But then Paul reveals that he is a Roman citizen. And that shocks Lysias and the other soldiers; because it meant that they had overstepped their bounds in even binding Paul at all. And so Lysias decides to have Paul stand before the Sanhedrin, the Jewish supreme court of the land comprised of 71 members, including the high priest. And so Paul is brought before them in an unofficial meeting. And it says… Acts 23:1-5 (ESV)— 1 And looking intently at the council, Paul said, “Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day.” 2 And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. 3 Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you sitting to judge me according to the law, and yet contrary to the law you order me to be struck?” 4 Those who stood by said, “Would you revile God's high priest?” 5 And Paul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.'” Paul's Divinely Appointed Mistake— Now in admitting his mistake, Paul shows that he actually had more respect for the law than Ananias did. He acknowledged his mistake and immediately quoted the exact law of God (Exodus 22:28) that he had unwittingly broken. Now, as I said last week, I believe that although Paul may seem harsh here, he had not knowingly broken God's law; because he had not recognized Ananias. It may be because Paul had eye problems (which Galatians 4:15 seems to indicate). It may be because none of the Sanhedrin were in official dress, because this was an informal meeting. It may also be because Ananias' treatment of Paul was so unlawful that Paul never would have dreamed he would actually be the judge in that situation. We don't know. But what seems to be the case regardless of why Paul didn't recognize Ananias is that God was being this rebuke of Ananias by Paul. I think God allowed Paul to not recognize Ananias so that Paul could say exactly what needed to be said. Hypocrites— And you know, what Paul said was very much in line with what Jesus Himself said about the religious leaders He encountered. In Matthew 23:15, He called the Pharisees “hypocrites”. And that was because they were actors. Actors during that time would wear these masks. And “hypocrite” meant (literally) to judge someone from behind one of those masks. And so Jesus was calling them out for being impersonators, frauds, and show-offs as opposed to true followers of God. They were pretending to be holy but it was all a show; just a mask that hid their true selves, which were polluted by sin. Fitted For Hell— In Matthew 23:15, He referred to each Pharisee as being a "child of hell." He mentioned that the converts they thought they had won over to Judaism they in fact made even worse than them. He says: "twofold more the child of hell than yourselves." Yikes. And “child of hell" was a phrase Jesus took right from the Talmud; it [was a Hebraism for an excessively wicked person who might very easily claim Hell for his mother and the devil for his father. It was one who was fitted and destined for Hell.] Blind, Fools, Tombs, Full of Sin, Snakes, & Murderers— [In Matthew 23:16, He called them - "blind guides.”… In Matthew 23:17, He called them - “fools." In Matthew 23:27, He called them - "whited sepulchres.”] And that was very similar to what Paul had here called Ananias (a “whitewashed wall). And what was behind Jesus' calling them “whited sepulchres” was the fact that [On the fifteenth day of the month Adar - right before the Passover feast - the Jews would whitewash all the spots where the graves of the poor were situated in the fields or along the roadsides. They did this practice in order to beautify these graves or to alert the pilgrims to the areas where the dead lay. On their way to keeping the Feast of Passover, they did not want to be defiled through contact with the dead. {And so} Jesus referred to the Pharisees in this manner because - on the outside like the "whited sepulchres" they appeared pure and clean - but on the inside, they were filled with death.] He reiterates that in Matthew 23:28 when He tells them that they are "full of...iniquity." [In Matthew 23:33, He called them "serpents" and a "generation of vipers.”… And in in Matthew 23:34, He prophesied that they were - "murderers" - because they would "kill" the "prophets," "wise men," and "scribes" that He would send unto them.] And that (notably) was what they were here starting to do to Paul. Not Going To Get A Fair Hearing— Now Paul, in witnessing firsthand Ananias' haughty attitude and flagrant disregard for the Law in commanding that he be brutally and illegally struck realizes (though perhaps he already knew) that he was not going to receive a fair hearing before the Sanhedrin. And so he decides on a very bold and ingenious strategy; one that shows he was very well aware of the tensions between the Sanhedrin's two factions: the Pharisees and Sadducees. A Former Sanhedrin Member?— And I do want to add that this may be because he himself might have been a member of the Sanhedrin back before he became a Christian. We see some indication of this in chapter 26, where we find him giving his defense before Herod Agrippa; because he says I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. Now the literal translation of “I cast my vote” is “I threw my pebble”, which is in [reference to the ancient custom of recording votes by means of colored pebbles.] Well, with whom was Paul voting? Well, very likely the Sanhedrin. Now whether or not that is the case, he knows of their internal tensions, which is why he opts for the strategy that he does. It says in… Acts 23:6-9 (ESV)— 6 Now when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.” 7 And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all. 9 Then a great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees' party stood up and contended sharply, “We find nothing wrong in this man. What if a spirit or an angel spoke to him?” The Tide Turns— Now this is quite an extraordinary turn of events. Paul now has a large number of men in the Sanhedrin advocating on his behalf. It truly was a genius move. But what is important for us to realize is that all this wasn't just some little ploy instigated by Paul to cause a division on some minor point of theology. No, the resurrection of Christ from the dead was (and still is) the central theme of Christianity. The Pharisees believed in a resurrection and an afterlife, but the Sadducees didn't. And since the high priest and his family were all Sadducees, I simply can't get over that the fact that the highest spiritual leaders in Israel did not even believe in an afterlife. That just blows my mind. But, you know, that explains why their focus was always on the dangers in the here and now; they never thought from an eternal perspective because they didn't believe they would survive on into eternity. Some have quipped that that is why they were “sad, you see”. The Pharisees, however, were much closer to the teaching of Christianity, which is why we do read accounts in scripture of some of them being converted (Acts 15:5 and John 3:1). But scripture does not give us a record of a single Sadducee ever coming to faith in Jesus Christ. And that truly is a sad reality. Now what is amazing to me about the next verse is how violent all these supposedly God-fearing men get, to the point where is says in the next verse… Acts 23:10 (ESV)— 10 And when the dissension became violent, the tribune, afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him away from among them by force and bring him into the barracks. A Discouraging Time— Now Paul is no doubt glad to have gotten out of that scrape (by the grace of God). But imagine how discourage he must have felt and the hardness of heart and even the injustice he had experienced in regard to these men that (years prior) he would have looked up to. You know, as I read this, I wonder what it would be like if all my college Bible and seminary teachers came out and denounced me as a heretic and felt it fit that I be killed. I mean, I would be in a bad place. But I love how God always meets us in those low spots and gives us the strength and encouragement we need, which he does here with Paul. It says in… Acts 23:11 (ESV)— 11 The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.” The Lord Stood By Him— Now the phrase we need to grasp and hold onto this week is in the first part of this final verse: “the Lord stood by him ”. Jesus stood for Paul because Paul was standing for Him. That is a theme we find over and over again in and throughout scripture. When you and I are faithful to be a voice for Christ, He will also be faithful to stand with us and (in due time) bring the evil our enemies devise for us on their own heads. They will not stand before him. The liars will be destroyed. They will bear their guilt. They will fall by their own counsels. But He is a refuge for His faithful ones; and He will deliver, exalt, and be a shield for them. Let's thank Him for that today. Amen.

Greetings! It's good to have you with us as we continue our study of the book of Acts today. You will remember if you were with us last week that Paul has just (after taking a significant beating) given his first of six defenses that we find in the closing chapters of the book of Acts. And this first defense was given before this angry crowd of people in Jerusalem who had been stirred up into thinking that Paul was against the Law of God and (therefore) anti-Jewish; and hence had to be taken out. Putin's Propaganda— Now what really struck a chord with me as I was studying this week was how closely these false accusers were to somebody we all have been seeing a lot of on the news of late: Vladimir Putin. One of the things that has surprised me the most in recent weeks is how effective his propaganda machine is. He has been brainwashing his people with the lie that Ukraine has been taken over by neo-Nazis and therefore an invasion to help free Ukraine from the control of these neo-Nazis is the right thing to do. Now I'm not surprised at his lies (though it is shocking some of the things that he says); but I am surprised at how well he's able to convince his people. In this day and age with the internet and everything that goes along with that (Facebook, YouTube, etc.) you would think that he wouldn't be able to stop the free flow of information. But he really is; he knows how to cut his people off from outside influence and perspective; and anything that slips through he labels as Western propaganda. But anything he says is a great gauge of where the truth is because you know that whatever comes out of his mouth, the truth is the complete opposite; and whatever crime he accuses Ukraine and the West of is exactly the crime he himself is committing (sometimes even in a more egregious way). The Real Lawbreakers— Now why this is relevant to our study today is because of how much those accusing Paul of encouraging law-breaking are themselves breaking the law. I mean Paul has just barely escaped assassination. And, battered and bruised from that, he has taken the stand and makes his first defense. And he does so (like we saw last week) by sharing his own personal testimony of how he had always religiously observed the Jewish law; and what Jesus had to do in his life to bring him into Christianity, which of course is the fulfillment of all their Jewish hopes. And all the people listen to him up until the point where he says that he had a vision right there in the temple in which Jesus spoke to him and told him “…“Depart, for I will send you far from here to the Gentiles.' ” And at this point they go absolutely crazy and so the commander has Paul taken into the barracks, has him bound, and is prepared to scourge him until he gets the information he wants. But before that happens, Paul decides that now is a good time to mention his Roman citizenship. It says… Acts 22:25-30 (ESV)— 25 But when they had stretched him out for the whips, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?” 26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the tribune and said to him, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen.” 27 So the tribune came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” And he said, “Yes.” 28 The tribune answered, “I bought this citizenship for a large sum.” Paul said, “But I am a citizen by birth.” 29 So those who were about to examine him withdrew from him immediately, and the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him. 30 But on the next day, desiring to know the real reason why he was being accused by the Jews, he unbound him and commanded the chief priests and all the council to meet, and he brought Paul down and set him before them. The Sanhedrin— Now one thing I found interesting about this verse was that it is the next day and yet (despite their being worried that they had bound Paul) we find here that he is still bound. It is only now that he is finally unbound and brought to the council. And this was a meeting, albeit an unofficial one, of the Sanhedrin; the national ruling body of the Jews and the supreme court, comprised of 71 members, including the high priest. The chief priests were [A small group within the Sanhedrin composed of former high priest and members of influential priestly families…] And [They met daily in the temple to hold court, except on the Sabbath and other holy days.] So Paul is before them and it says… Acts 23:1-2 (ESV)— 1 And looking intently at the council, Paul said, “Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day.” 2 And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. Ananias— Now it's important to note that this Ananias is not the Annas of the Gospels. Nor was he (in reality) the actual high priest. Caiaphas was in fact the acting high priest (serving from A.D. 18-36, after Ananias). But though Caiaphas was the official high priest, Ananias had [retained his title and {still} wielded great influence]. And so Ananias is the one who has Paul struck; this former high priest (who had served from A.D. 6-15). Now Ananias had in fact been [one of Israel's cruelest and most corrupt high priests.] And [His pro-Roman policies alienated him from the Jewish people]. And we'll see what that leads to. But this command to strike Paul was [An illegal act in keeping with Ananias' brutal character. The verb translated “strike” is used of the mob's beating of Paul (21:32) and the Roman soldiers' beating of Jesus (Matt. 27:30) {So} It was no mere slap on the face, but a vicious blow.] And one that Paul does not take kindly. Acts 23:3 (ESV)— 3 Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you sitting to judge me according to the law, and yet contrary to the law you order me to be struck?” A Whitewashed Wall— And so we see that Paul is outraged by Ananias' hypocrisy; breaking Jewish law while in the midst of accusing him of showing disregard for the law. And so Paul says to him “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! ” Now to understand why Paul calls him a whitewashed wall, we have to look back at Ezekiel 13. False prophets during that time in history had lulled God's people into a false sense of security. [Phony “peace” promises, while sin continued on the brink of God's judgment, was a way, so to speak, of erecting a defective “wall” and white-washing it to make it look good. {But} Such an unsafe “wall” was doomed to collapse (v.11) when God would bring his storm, picturing the invaders' assault (v.11).] And this storm is of wind, flood, and hail. Now [These descriptions are all images belonging to the illustration of the wall, not meant to convey real wind, flood, and hail. The Babylonians were the actual destroyers of Israel's hypocritical false spirituality.] And so Paul is saying, basically, that God is going to do the same thing to Ananias. Now those around Paul did not take kindly to Paul's saying this. And so it says… Acts 23:4 (ESV)— 4 Those who stood by said, “Would you revile God's high priest?” Revile— And that word “revile” is a very strong word. It [is the same word used in John 9:28 to describe the Jewish leaders' insulting remarks to the blind man whom Jesus had healed. Peter {also} used it to speak of the abuse Jesus endured (1 Pet. 2:23). So they see what Paul has just said as a very severe thing because of how saying something like that (knowingly) to Ananias would mean that Paul had disdain not only Ananias, but the office that he held. And so they call him out on it. And Paul is (honestly) taken aback. It says… Acts 23:5 (ESV)— 5 And Paul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.'” Name-Calling— Now I love Paul's response. Because (despite just being wrongfully assaulted) he is immediately willing to acknowledge his mistake. And that is all it was. It was not a sin. If name-calling in itself is a sin, then Jesus also was guilty, because he wasn't afraid of telling people exactly what they were behaving like. Paul is within the realm of right Christian behavior in what he says. Where the problem comes in is in regards to who he has directed it towards. Paul is fully justified in the content of what he says, but immediately admits that (because of the Law) he would not have said it if he had known who it was he was speaking to. Now this begs the question, “How could Paul not know who Ananias was?” Well, Paul [had been gone from Jerusalem for many years and would not likely have recognized Ananias by sight. {Plus remember} That this was an informal gathering of the Sanhedrin {,which} would have meant the high priest would not have been wearing his official garments.] And so it would have been very easy for Paul to not know who he was, especially considering that Ananias' behavior was so contradictory to what a high priest should do, BREAK THE LAW! But Paul may also have had some trouble with his eyes, as Galatians 4:15 seems to indicate. But whatever the case, Paul says he didn't know it was the high priest. Now he never says he was wrong in WHAT he said, only in that he had unknowingly said that to God's high priest. And I love how he uses the word of God to even pinpoint what he had done wrong. He says: …it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.'”  And he's quoting right from the Torah, from Exodus 22:28, which says … Exodus 22:28 (ESV)— 28 “You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people. A Deep Respect— And so in all of this, despite his mistake, Paul shows (even in the way he corrects himself) that he truly does have a deep and profound respect for the Law of God. He quotes it verbatim and shows that he himself is willing to submit to it even when he himself is being wrongly treated. Was Paul Right?— Now some say that Paul was wrong in what he said. Personally, I think God used Paul's eye problems to prevent his recognizing Ananias so that Paul would say exactly what needed to be said. I think it was important to God for all Christians since this time to read this passage and see this very accurate exposition of who Ananias was and how Paul's character stood in marked contrast to it. Furthermore, I feel that God honors Paul's curse; because God did strike Ananias; and He did so through his own people. Because of his pro-Roman policies, at the outset of the revolt against Rome in A.D. 66, the Jewish people end up murdering him. And then of course Rome sweeps in and destroys Jerusalem and the Temple in A.D. 70. Now in light of that, listen to the words of Ezekiel 13 that Paul borrows from to curse him and see if this doesn't fit. Just listen. It says… Ezekiel 13:10-16 (ESV)— 10 Precisely because they have misled my people, saying, ‘Peace,' when there is no peace, and because, when the people build a wall, these prophets smear it with whitewash,[a] 11 say to those who smear it with whitewash that it shall fall! There will be a deluge of rain, and you, O great hailstones, will fall, and a stormy wind break out. 12 And when the wall falls, will it not be said to you, ‘Where is the coating with which you smeared it?' 13 Therefore thus says the Lord God: I will make a stormy wind break out in my wrath, and there shall be a deluge of rain in my anger, and great hailstones in wrath to make a full end. 14 And I will break down the wall that you have smeared with whitewash, and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation will be laid bare. When it falls, you shall perish in the midst of it, and you shall know that I am the Lord. 15 Thus will I spend my wrath upon the wall and upon those who have smeared it with whitewash, and I will say to you, The wall is no more, nor those who smeared it, 16 the prophets of Israel who prophesied concerning Jerusalem and saw visions of peace for her, when there was no peace, declares the Lord God. Let Us Proclaim— Now what we learn from all of this is very simply that the world is not friendly to those who proclaim the name of Jesus. There will always be people (even religious people) who will set themselves against us. And yet (as we will see) God stands with Paul. And God will stand with you and me as well. And so let us not shrink from proclaiming His name so that even in biting us the world may taste and see that the Lord is good.

Greetings! It's good to have you with us today. Law Themes— Last week, in our study of Acts, we came to Paul's being seized by an angry mob shortly after he had come to Jerusalem. And he is preparing to make his defense before the crowd. But as I was pouring over this text, I tried to keep in mind the context. Paul (in the context of Pentecost, during which remember the Jews who have gathered here in Jerusalem are celebrating the giving of the Mosaic Law) is being accused of being anti-Jewish/anti-Law. And so he's not just making a case for Christianity; he's showing that (despite what his accusers are saying) he and the message of Christianity are not anti-Jewish or anti-Law. No, Christianity is the fulfillment of Judaism and the Jewish hopes of a Messiah. As Jesus Himself said in… Matthew 5:17 (ESV)— 17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. Judaisms— Now keeping that context in mind helped me to see some things in this passage I had not noticed before; because interwoven throughout Paul's testimony are language and phrases that would be significant to a Jewish audience and would signify that he was not against them or the Law in any way. And the first, as I've said before, is the fact that he speaks to them in their own language. But as we move through his defense, we'll see other ways Paul hooks his audience; with Hebrew language, phrases, and in the details he chooses to emphasize. And his very first line is just full of them. Look with me at verse 3 and following, where he says… Acts 22:3 (NKJV)— 3 “I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city {(Jerusalem)} at the feet of Gamaliel {(a great Jewish rabbi who was the most revered Jewish teacher of that era)}, taught according to the strictness of our fathers' law {(the literal translation here is “ancestral law”)}, and was zealous toward God as you all are today. Pentecost— Now what festival was it? Pentecost, a festival focused on the Law. And here is where Paul is about to start sharing his testimony, like he had back in chapter 9. But we are going to see some different details emphasized that compliment the earlier account but at the same time are more directly relevant to these people in this context. Now listen as he begins to bridge into his testimony. He says… Acts 22:4-6 (NKJV)— 4 I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women, 5 as also the high priest bears me witness, and all the council of the elders, from whom I also received letters to the brethren, and went to Damascus to bring in chains even those who were there to Jerusalem to be punished. 6 “Now it happened, as I journeyed and came near Damascus at about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me. A Great Light— Now keep in mind that light in the Old Testament is almost always connected with the presence of God. And so in his testimony (more so than in chapter 9) Paul emphasizes the light, saying that it was a great light and that it came at noon, which further emphasizes its brightness. Furthermore he says… Acts 22:7-13 (NKJV)— 7 And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?' {Note that Saul is Paul's Jewish name.} 8 So I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?' And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.' 9 “And those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me. 10 So I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?' And the Lord said to me, ‘Arise and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all things which are appointed for you to do.' 11 And since I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus. 12 “Then a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good testimony with all the Jews who dwelt there, 13 came to me; and he stood and said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.' And at that same hour I looked up at him. "a devout man according to the law"— Now note how Paul does not mention Ananias' conversation with God, when God commanded him to go to Saul. He skips that and instead adds a detail that would be significant to this audience; that Ananias was “a devout man according to the law, having a good testimony with all the Jews who dwelt there”. Acts 22:14-16 (NKJV)— 14 Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers {(there it is again)} has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth. 15 For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. {(This detail of Paul's being Jesus' witness to all men is new.)} 16 And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized {(another new detail)}, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.' Ananias' Importance—  Now we know from Paul's defense before Herod Agrippa that God also gave this commission of reaching all men directly to Paul (26:17), but it was important for this Jewish audience to hear that a respected Jew had shared with him this vision he had had of Paul's future ministry. Paul continues… Acts 22:17-21 (NKJV)— 17 “Now it happened, when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance 18 and saw Him saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not receive your testimony concerning Me.' 19 So I said, ‘Lord, they know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believe on You. 20 And when the blood of Your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by consenting to his death, and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.' 21 Then He said to me, ‘Depart, for I will send you far from here to the Gentiles.' ” The Vision of Paul While Praying— Now this whole description of Paul's having a vision while praying in the temple and God's telling him to leave Jerusalem is also new. [Luke's earlier description of the circumstances surrounding Paul' departure from Jerusalem is from a different perspective. The brothers heard about a plot against Paul and escorted him to Caesarea, from where he was sent off to Tarsus (9:29-30).] But, as F.F. Bruce points out, “this is not the only place our narrative where divine direction and human action coincide.” Now the Jews seem somewhat receptive until the last phrase where Paul says Jesus told him “Depart, for I will send you far from here to the Gentiles.” It says… Acts 22:22-24 (NKJV)— 22 And they listened to him until this word, and then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he is not fit to live!” 23 Then, as they cried out and tore off their clothes and threw dust into the air {(which were both expressions of horror at blasphemy)}, 24 the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, and said that he should be examined under scourging {(in other words, torture)}, so that he might know why they shouted so against him. Almost Scourged— This [planned flogging was probably the Roman brutal scourging with a whip that had thongs weighted with rough pieces of bone or metal. It could cause great harm and even leave people crippled for life.] Now I love how Paul never just spills all the details of who he is. He waits for the opportune moment when sharing those details will have the greatest impact and work to his advantage the most. He keeps his Roman citizenship a secret until this precise moment, where it says… Acts 22:25 (NKJV)— 25 And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who stood by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and uncondemned?” Serious Trouble— And of course it wasn't. Romans citizens could be scourged for crimes, but never as a method of inquiry before they had even had a trial. And so the centurion immediately recognizes they could be in serious trouble, having already going beyond what they were allowed to do to an uncondemned Roman citizen. And so it says… Acts 22:26-29 (NKJV)— 26 When the centurion heard that, he went and told the commander, saying, “Take care what you do, for this man is a Roman.” 27 Then the commander came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” He said, “Yes.” 28 The commander answered, “With a large sum I obtained this citizenship.” {In other words, he had paid a bribe to acquire Roman citizenship. However, Paul's was much more legitimate, as it says…} And Paul said, “But I was born a citizen.” 29 Then immediately those who were about to examine him withdrew from him; and the commander was also afraid after he found out that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him. A Different Approach— Now what really jumped out at me about this passage was how different Paul's approach to sharing his faith was from what I might have gravitated towards, especially if I was some highly-educated theological and philosophical mastermind, as he was. I would have tried to present a logical, systematic case for the truth of Christianity. But it's interesting that Paul doesn't do that. What does he do? He simply tells them his personal testimony; what God did in his life to bring him to faith in Christ; the dramatic change in who he was that could be explained in no other way than that he had encountered the One he was proclaiming. A Higher Degree— You know, over 12 years ago I graduated from Wesley Biblical Seminary. And I remember I walked down the aisle of that school and was presented with a shiny new laminated and bound certificate. And you know what it says? “Master of Divinity.” That's a pretty cool title. But I have to be honest with you; never once in all my years of ministry did I ever feel like a master of divinity. If seminary taught me anything, it was how much I don't know and still have yet to grasp about the divinity of God. But there is something that is within my grasp (and yours as well); take that same title and let's make a very slight modification. How about “Mastered by Divinity”? Now that's something I can have and know I have; to know that God has met me on the Damascus road of my life and mastered me to where all of who I am (my core identity, like Paul's was) is completely changed. That is the degree that people might throw their robes off and fling dust in the air about, but one they cannot refute or argue with. Your Testimony— Have you ever written out your personal testimony and/or do you have it ready to share at a drop of a hat? If not, that is your assignment this week. Take time to prepare your testimony, memorize it, and be ready to share it. That will be one of the greatest tools you ever use in your witnessing. The Greatest Chapter— And if you do not yet know Jesus Christ, I invite you to simply ask Him to come into your life today; to forgive you of all your sins and to make you a child of God. And He will. And you also will have a story to share; the greatest chapter in your life; the moment you said yes to Jesus. May every one of us come experience that initial and then a daily encounter with Jesus Christ. May He so transform us that our lives will be the greatest evidence we can give of the validity of the Gospel message. Amen.

Greetings! It's good to have you with us today. Paul's Show of Solidarity— If you've been with us recently, you'll know that in our study of the book of Acts we have at last come to Paul's arrest here in chapter 21. He's trying to build bridges and discredit false rumors that are spreading about him and Christianity. It says in…. Acts 21:27-22:24 (NKJV)— 27 Now when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, 28 crying out, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against the people, the law, and this place; and furthermore he also brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” 29 (For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.) 30 And all the city was disturbed; and the people ran together, seized Paul, and dragged him out of the temple; and immediately the doors were shut. “Beaten by Peacekeepers"— Some time ago on the news following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, we saw a large number of Russian protestors who chose to stand up and peacefully yet publicly demonstrate their opposition to the war against Ukraine. But of course they don't have freedom of speech like we do here and so Putin has been having these people quickly arrested, sometimes beaten, and then carried away to prison, where many of them could spend up to ten years. And one image that was emblazoned on my mind was that of one of these protestors (a man) being picked up and held off the ground by a few of these so-called “peace-keepers” as another “peace-keeper” ruthlessly beat him with a black baton. And the man was being held in such a position that he couldn't cover himself in any way. All he could do was receive blow after blow. Beating Paul— Well that is the condition we find Paul in at the opening of our passage today. The unbelieving Jews have stirred the crowd into a frenzy and they are beating him. And they have no intention of stopping. They are intending to beat Paul to death; no trial, no imprisonment; no, they want Paul dead. Paul (and the message he bore) was, in their minds) to dangerous for him to be allowed to live. Now thankfully God intervened before they were able to carry out their plan. It says in… Acts 21:31 (NKJV)— 31 Now as they were seeking to kill him, news came to the commander of the garrison that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. The Commander Comes— Now around the temple was built Fort Antonia. And they were supervising constantly to make sure that no riot would brake out in Jerusalem and particularly the temple. Now [The commander of the troops at this time was {a man by the name of} Claudius Lysias (23:36). He was commander of a regiment (a special group, part of a legion) of Roman soldiers and was the senior Roman official in Jerusalem.] The word [“commander” (Greek, chiliarch ) {means that he} was responsible for 1,000 soldiers (a regiment)…and he was stationed at the Fortress of Antonia.] It says in verse 32 that… Acts 21:32 (NKJV)— 32 He immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down to them. And when they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. Battered & Bruised— Now you can imagine how badly shaken, battered and bruised Paul is at this point. He probably has to be picked up off the ground. But he's obviously a great physical threat to everybody around him, because it says in… Acts 21:33-34a (NKJV)— 33 Then the commander came near and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; {then it says} and he asked who he was and what he had done. 34 And some among the multitude cried one thing and some another. Absentee Accusers— By the way, its interesting how the initial instigators of all of this are now curiously silent if not altogether absent. They've stirred the pot and are the true cause of the riot, but now seem to have withdrawn. So you have this mob (this large body without a head) that doesn't even know why they are there. And because of that, the commander cannot figure out either who Paul is or what he has supposedly done. And so it says in… Acts 21:34b-37 (NKJV)— So when he could not ascertain the truth because of the tumult, he commanded him to be taken into the barracks. 35 When he reached the stairs, he had to be carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob. 36 For the multitude of the people followed after, crying out, “Away with him!” 37 Then as Paul was about to be led into the barracks, he said to the commander, “May I speak to you?” He replied, “Can you speak Greek? {This surprised the commander because Greek was the language of cultured, educated men, not common criminals as he had at first assumed Paul to be. It was an indication that he was from out of town. And yet Paul could be a troublemaker from somewhere else. Greek was commonly spoken in Egypt, so Lysias thinks he may be a then well-known Egyptian troublemaker. And so he asks Paul…} Acts 21:38 (NKJV)— 38 Are you not the Egyptian who some time ago stirred up a rebellion and led the four thousand assassins out into the wilderness?” “The Egyptian”— Now this Egyptian to whom the commander is referring had tried to lead a revolt against Rome (21:37-38). He had taken a large number of people up to the Mount of Olives and promised that the walls of Jerusalem would fall at his command and that the Romans would be driven out. However, Governor Felix swept in with a bunch of Roman troops and routed the Egyptian and his followers, with the loss of many lives; and yet the Egyptian had escaped. So the commander had thought (probably because of the violent animosity of the crowd) that Paul was this Egyptian. The “Assassins”— Now Lysias describes the followers of this Egyptian as “assassins”. And these “assassins” that he is referring to were actually a terrorist group that had arisen during the time when Felix was governor. Their strong Jewish nationalism caused them to fiercely set themselves against not only Rome, but also against those of the Jews who collaborated with Rome. And the latter were, in fact, the primary targets of these assassins. Now the word “assassin” (Sikariōn) actually derives from the Latin word for dagger (sica). And that was for good reason, because what these assassins would do is they would mingle with the crowds and quickly and stealthily stab their victims. And after they did this, they would do one of two things. Sometimes they would simply melt away into the crowd. Other times they would be so brazen as to feign shock and actually join the mourners in order to escape being detected. I mean, these were scary guys. And they would be particularly active during the Jewish festivals like Pentecost. And so this reaction from the crowd coupled with the fact that these assassination attempts were common, it would have been very natural for Lysias to assume that the crowd had caught one of these assassins in the act (or maybe even the Egyptian himself). However, Paul quickly dispels that idea. It says… Acts 21:39-22:2 (NKJV)— 39 But Paul said, “I am a Jew from Tarsus, in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city; and I implore you, permit me to speak to the people.” 40 So when he had given him permission, Paul stood on the stairs and motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying, 22:1 “Brethren and fathers, hear my defense before you now.” 2 And when they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they kept all the more silent. Their Own Language— Now speaking to them in their own language caused them to get even more quiet because it showed them that he was likely not a Diaspora collaborator with the Gentiles, whom many of them may have supposed him to be. And he addresses them in a words that shows solidarity with them. He calls them “Brethren and fathers”, just as Stephen had done in 7:2. And here Paul says “hear my defense”. Six Defenses– And the Greek word is apologia. Paul is making an apology for the Christian faith. Now that doesn't mean what it would mean today; that he says “I'm sorry”. No, apology comes from the Greek word apologia and means to “make a defense” or “to state the case for”. It is where we get our word Apologetics. That is what is behind the admonition in 1 Peter 3:15 to “be ready to give an answer to every man who asks you to give a reason for the hope that you have”. Well, that is what we will see Paul do in and throughout the remainder of the book of Acts, as we will find him giving six separate defenses of both himself and of Christianity. The first is before an unruly mob here at Jerusalem (21:27ff.), the second is before the Sanhedrin in 22:30ff, the third before Felix in 24:1ff, the fourth one before Festus (25:1-12), the fifth one before Herod Agrippa (25:13ff), and the sixth one before the Jews at Rome (28:17-28). And so here we find the first one. He stands on the stairs and makes an apologia to them in their own language. And next week we will see what he says. The Fruit of Suffering— But you know, one of the things that we will continue to see as we move through these final chapters in the book of Acts (which focus on Paul's ministry in chains) is the truth that God will often use our greatest trials; our greatest tribulations; our greatest hardships to produce some of his greatest fruit. Mind you that it was during his imprisonment at Rome that Paul wrote four New Testament books; Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. And you know, that makes me wonder if Satan didn't regret the many persecutions he had helped instigate towards Paul; because of just how much fruit came out of those persecutions. I mean whenever Satan sought to crush Paul (and really many of the early Christians) through imprisonment, persecution, and even death, all that he ever succeeded in doing was helping to scatter the seed that would further expand and strengthen the Church. And Paul's life stands as one of the greatest demonstrations of that principle. And that is a principle that is true for you and me as well. It is often through our hardships that God can produce the greatest fruit for His kingdom. And so I want to encourage you, whatever hardship you might be going through now, don't linger in discouragement. Know that God is using that hardship for His glory; and that that hardship (if you let it) will draw you nearer to Him and help to bring about His amazing plans and purposes for your life and for the lives of others. And one day those sufferings will hardly even be remembered. I love what Paul himself writes in… Romans 8:18 (NKJV)— 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Let's Trust— Let us look forward to that future glory as we lean on God in the present and trust in Him and in His perfect plan for our lives. Amen.

Greetings! It's good to have you with us today. If you were with us last week, you will remember that Acts 21 marks a major transition in the life and ministry of the apostle Paul. Ever since he had been converted all the way back in Acts chapter 9, he has been free to evangelize all over the Mediterranean world. He had been imprisoned in Philippi (Acts 16:23ff), but only for a very short period of time, as God sent an earthquake that tore the jail apart and set Paul and Silas free. However, in today's passage we are entering into a whole new stage of Paul's ministry, as he is arrested here in Jerusalem and will this time remains a prisoner. From here on out he would be an “ambassador in chains”, as he calls himself in Ephesians 6:20. Finishing The Vows— Now you will remember that Paul has just arrived in Jerusalem along with a group of men from the gentile churches he helped start. And he is delivering the offering collected by those churches to help the needy in Jerusalem. So he does that and tells the elders of all that God had done through them. And there is great joy. However, the elders of the church want to help Paul discredit the false claims of the Judaizers, who claim that he is teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs. (21:21). And so they ask Paul to take four men under his wing who are just finishing up a Jewish Nazirite vow and to be purified with them (made ceremonially clean) and to sponsor their ceremony and sacrifices. And he agrees to do that in order to prove that he wasn't suddenly anti-Law.. It says in… Acts 21:26 (NKJV)— 26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day, having been purified with them, entered the temple to announce the expiration of the days of purification, at which time an offering should be made for each one of them. Paul Spotted— And so Paul was coming to the end of everything that he had to do as regards these Nazirite vows. But as he was in the temple, he is spotted by some of his Jewish opponents. It says in… Acts 21:27-29 (NKJV)— 27 Now when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, 28 crying out, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against the people, the law, and this place; and furthermore he also brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” 29 (For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.) Asia?— And so we see that Paul is spotted by these Jews from Asia. Now that word Asia doesn't mean China or anywhere like that. It means Asia Minor, where Paul had been ministering. These Jews were most likely from Ephesus, because that is where Trophimus had come from; and they recognize him! And so they stir up the the crowd against Paul and have him seized. Paul Doesn't Lash Back— But you know, that is something that Paul faced all of his ministry; and not just from people who misunderstood, but from men who willfully and deliberately twisted his words or just simply made up stories about him in order to malign and discredit him. But Paul doesn't lash back; he doesn't return hate for hate; anger for anger. He doesn't malign them or even get defensive. He refutes the accusations, but does so in a spirit of love, with gentleness and respect. That is one of the things we can learn from Paul. When we feel hurt or misunderstood at work, at home, or even at Church, it can be so easy to react in a spirit of defensiveness and anger. But when we respond like Jesus did (with that spirit of love and forgiveness) we can often diffuse those situations and (even if still persecuted) be a testimony to the eyes of others who may be watching. A Capital Offense— Now the thing they accuse Paul of is bringing Trophimus (a Gentile) into the Temple. They had seen Trophimus with him at one or more other times and just assumed (because of the false label of law-breaker that they had already put on him) that Paul must have done this thing. Now, if true, that would be a very serious crime, because no Gentile (non-Jew) was allowed within the temple under penalty of death. Now there was an outer court they could go into, but that was as far as they could go. Then further into the Temple complex was the court of women where Jewish women could go, then the inner court for the men. Only priests could go into the Temple itself and only the High Priest could go into the Holy of Holies. So Gentiles were on the farthest rung out. In fact, for them to go any further meant certain death. In fact, [In the temple, separating the court of the Gentiles from the other courts, stood a wall beyond which no Gentile was allowed to go (note Eph. 2:14). On the wall was this solemn inscription {(in both Latin and Greek)}: “No foreigner may enter within the barricade which surrounds the sanctuary and enclosure. Anyone who is caught so doing will have himself to blame for his ensuing death.” {And they meant it. And whereas normally the Jews were not permitted to execute anyone without Roman consent,} The Romans had granted the Jewish religious leaders authority to deal with anybody who broke this law, and this included the right of execution.] And some of these warning signs have now been uncovered by archaeologists. The Perfect Accusation— Now this was the perfect accusation, because whereas before these Jews could not touch Paul in Ephesus because of the Gentiles, here they have Paul surrounded by Jews. Some estimates run as high as 2 million because of the celebration going on there at that time, which was what, by the way? Pentecost, [the Old Testament Feast of Harvest {also} sometimes called the Feast of Weeks, and sometimes called the Day of First Fruits.] Many of these 2 million Jews had come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Jewish feast of Pentecost. And what did Pentecost celebrate? The giving of the Law by God to Moses {(they believed)} fifty days after the Exodus from Egypt. And so there is a spirit of devotion and love for the Law; a spirit of celebrating the Temple and its sacredness. And so what could be better than accusing Paul of bringing a Gentile into the Temple!!!???; something that would be sure to churn the stomachs of every one of the Jews there! Paul Wouldn't Have Done This— Now Paul of course didn't do that. And that's because he wouldn't undo in one day everything he had done in seven days to show that he still loved and respected the Law of God. Plus, he would never have done that to Trophimus; putting him in a position where he would most certainly be killed. But even if that were true, it wouldn't have been Paul's head, it would have (according to the Law) been Trophimus' because he was the Gentile, not Paul. Paul had ever right to go into the temple and ultimately Trophimus was responsible for his own actions. But of course Trophimus is not the target of the unbelieving Jews; it's Paul who is the target. Three Accusations— Now notice that they level against him this accusation, but also three others. They say in verse 28 that Paul is the man who teaches all men everywhere against the people, the law, and this place. So they accuse Paul first of being against his own people; in other words, he's anti-Jew. That is a pretty hard claim to make, seeing that Paul was Jewish. But that is what they say. And by the way, this is the same attitude that exists today in the hearts of many Jews in and throughout the world. They see Christianity as absolutely antithetical to what it means to be a Jew; so much so that they will often disown any Jew amongst them who becomes a Christian. And that is because they perceive any Jew who accepts Christ as one who is trying to break with Judaism and their heritage, not realizing that Jesus is the fulfillment of all their Jewish hopes; He's the Messiah!     Now next, the Jews accuse Paul of being against the Law and against the Temple. It is pretty hard to see how they can possibly make this claim because (when you think about it) [all the evidence was against them. Paul had Timothy circumcised before taking him along on that second missionary journey (Acts 16:1–3). Paul had taken a Jewish {Nazirite} vow while in Corinth (Acts 18:18), and it was his custom not to offend the Jews in any way by deliberately violating their customs or the law of Moses (1 Cor. 9:19–23).] Furthermore we see in this very passage that he is willing to come alongside these four men who have undertaken a Nazirite vow, sponsor their practice of the Jewish ceremony involved in the completion of that vow, and himself undergo the necessary rituals in order to make himself ceremonially clean and fit to do so, in keeping with Jewish law. And furthermore, the whole reason he was in Jerusalem to begin with was to observe the Jewish feast of Pentecost, which was a celebration of the giving of the Law to Moses. So their accusations really have no anchor in reality. Became A Mob— Nevertheless, these unbelieving Jews stirred up the whole crowd (v.27). And that word translated stirred up actually means “to confuse”. The crowds were driven into confusion by these unbelieving Jews. And so they become a mob, which (as you know) is a body of people without a head. It is driven by pure emotion, rage, and group-think. It says… Acts 21:30 (NKJV)— 30 And all the city was disturbed; and the people ran together, seized Paul, and dragged him out of the temple; and immediately the doors were shut. Hate By Association— And next week we will find out what happens to him. Now I want to make one observation with you before we close today. And that is this: ultimately it was not Paul on trial, it was Jesus. All these events happened right near where Jesus himself had been tried and then crucified. In fact, in verse 36 they cry out against Paul “Away with him!”, the exact same thing the crowds in that place (27 years earlier) had cried out against Jesus. You see, the two are connected. Paul was ultimately hated because of his association with Jesus. The Jews who opposed him were not doing so because they were offended by Paul. Paul was a very likable guy. He loved everyone tremendously, he gave generously, and he spoke the truth in love (which we will see later even in this very chapter, even after he is beaten nearly to death). No, the people weren't offended by him, but by the NAME he was proclaiming; the name of Jesus. Associated With Christ— And let me tell you, when you get serious about Jesus, you are going to be (in the eyes of the world) guilty by association. People are going to hate you for no good reason. They are going to accuse you of things that have no basis in reality. And that's because of the truth of what Jesus says in… John 15:19-20 (NKJV)— 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. Emboldened— So ultimately Paul is on trial because his proclamation of the name of Jesus is (as Jesus Himself said it would be) an offense to the world. Now did that stop Paul? No it didn't. If anything, it emboldened him. And that is because of what he said back in… Romans 8:16-17 (NKJV)— 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. Willing To Suffer— And so let us be willing to suffer for Jesus, sharing with Him in his sufferings so that we also may share in His glory. Let's do so. Amen.

Greetings! It's good to have you with us today. You know, just recently I had a friend of mine (also a pastor) share with me about a recent cruise he and his family had gone on. He had been a little reluctant to go because of his workload at the church. But he and his family went. And what was interesting about the story he shared with me was not just the cruise (and all the fun things to do while on a cruise), but what God did through him while on that cruise. On three separate occasions God brought people to him with whom he had the opportunity to share the gospel. And he found that God had already been preparing each of them and that they were “ripe for harvest” so to speak. And so he invited them to receive Christ. And all three of them did. Now imagine his church's surprise on hearing (after he got back) that he (in the midst of his vacation) had the opportunity to lead three people to Christ. What a great report! And I just loved how (even on vacation) my friend didn't just switch (as is so easy to do) into self-serve mode. No, he was still thinking missionally; who he could reach for Jesus. May we all be like that. And what an amazing story he had to tell because of it. Now in our passage today here in Acts 21, we find that Paul and his companions have at last arrived at Jerusalem. And they have some amazing stories as well. And so they have come before James and the elders and (after delivering the offering collected for the needy church there) share all that God had done through their ministry. And what a great missions report it was! And it says of James and the elders in… Acts 21:20a (NKJV)— 20 And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord. The Stories— Now Paul's report was (as verse 19 says) in detail. And what this meant was that he didn't just run them through the number of conversions, sanctifications, and various other statistics. No, he was sharing with them the stories of what God had done; the personal God-sightings he had had in the lives of those touched by his ministry; how God had moved in amazing ways in and through himself and his team. And the elders are thrilled to hear this. But their joy was also mixed with concern. It says in… Acts 21:20b-21 (NKJV)— And they said to him, “You see, brother, how many myriads {(which, by the way means tens of thousands)} of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law; 21 but they have been informed about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs. The Ceremonies Still Observed— Now these Jewish Christians of whom the elders are speaking (who are hearing these false rumors) are still observing all the rituals and customs of the Old Covenant. They had not yet forsaken them. Now they didn't see any of those things as saving in and of themselves. They did believe in salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone; that issue had already been settled. But their faith was still very intertwined with their Judaism. In fact their faith in Christ drove them to become even more zealously motivated to obey the rites and ceremonies of the Old Covenant; the required feasts, Sabbath regulations, ritual vows (v.23), and dietary restrictions. And that was fine. The Jerusalem Council (Acts 15) forbade those things being placed upon the Gentiles, but allowed the Jewish believers to continue to observe them. And so this lie being spread by the false Judaizers had a lot of power to cause division in the church. Plus it would hurt the Church's witness to non-believing Jews, who were hearing that Paul was teaching that to become Christians meant they had to forsake their Judaism, when nothing could be further from the truth. The Running Lie— Now the underlying Greek word behind the phrase they have been informed in verse 21 is κατηχέω, where we get out word catechism, which is of course is a method of learning by repetition. And so what it signifies is that these lies are being repeated over and over again and really being drilled into the minds of the Jewish believers by these false teachers. It has been said “If you tell a lie loud enough and long enough, eventually everyone will believe it.” And sadly, that's true in our age as well. Now here, just as with our modern-day politicians, their stories change based upon who their audience is. In Galatia the Judaizers falsely accused Paul of advocating circumcision (Gal. 5:11); but here in Jerusalem they falsely accuse him wanting to do away with circumcision. So they say whatever they know will incite whatever particular group they are speaking to. It's kind of depressing to note that nothing has changed in 2,000 years. But (as we well know) none of this was true. Even some of the letters Paul had already written (such as Romans and Galatians) confirmed this. But these Jewish believers didn't all have access to those writings. And even if they did, it is sadly often the case that slander spreads more quickly than truth. It's as Mark Twain said, “A lie can travel around the world and back again while the truth is lacing up its boots.” And sadly that was the case here. So the elders (anticipating a confrontation between Paul and the zealous Jewish Christians) try to get ahead of this and settle the issue before any serious conflict arises. So they say in… Acts 21:22-24 (NKJV)— 22 What then? The assembly must certainly meet, for they will hear that you have come. 23 Therefore do what we tell you: We have four men who have taken a vow. 24 Take them and be purified with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads, and that all may know that those things of which they were informed concerning you are nothing, but that you yourself also walk orderly and keep the law. Paul's Sponsorship— Now these four men were under (as the detail about head-shaving reveals) were under a Nazirite vow, which was a period of separation to God in which the vower was to abstain [from alcoholic beverages and all other products derived from grapes, letting the hair of the head grow long, and avoiding contact with dead bodies.] Paul himself had taken a Nazirite vow earlier in Acts 18 and then in that same chapter he goes up to Jerusalem, where he most likely completed his vow (18:22). And then in the very next verse he began his third missionary journey, which has now just come to a close. And (like Paul was in chapter 18) these four men were likely at the very end of their vow. And so what the elders are likely telling Paul to do is twofold. First, they advise that Paul [participate in the ceremony marking the culmination of the four men's vows.] That would show that he was not against the rules and regulations they were observing (which were pretty extreme for those undergoing a Nazirite vow. But before he could do that (since he himself has just returned from Gentile lands and was therefore considered by the Jews to be ceremonially unclean) he would have to undergo ritual purification himself. So once again, that shows he is not against the Jewish law. Furthermore, they advise him to [pay the four men's expenses in order that they might shave their heads. The expenses connected with he Nazirite vow (including paying for the hair-cutting ceremony in the temple and several expensive sacrifices [Num. 6:14ff.]) were considerable, and undertaking them for another was considered an act of piety. That would be further proof that the Judaizers' charge against Paul were false.] A Good Compromise— Now the elders weren't asking Paul to compromise on his beliefs. And Paul certainly didn't see it that way. They simply wanted him to discredit the claims of the Judaizers in order to preserve the unity of the Church. Paul wasn't being asked to compromise doctrine (which we know he was never under any circumstance willing to do) but only to demonstrate by performing these Jewish rituals that he was not against them. And they affirm once again the decision of the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15. They say in… Acts 21:25-26 (NKJV)— 25 But concerning the Gentiles who believe, we have written and decided that they should observe no such thing, except that they should keep themselves from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality.” 26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day, having been purified with them, entered the temple to announce the expiration of the days of purification, at which time an offering should be made for each one of them. He Does It— And so Paul agrees to all of this, which is (by the way) another demonstration of his remarkable humility, as he was willing to go through all these rituals to try to help keep the peace. He really illustrates the principle he laid down in… 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 (NKJV)— 19 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; 20 and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; 21 to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; 22 to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 23 Now this I do for the gospel's sake, that I may be partaker of it with you. Let Us Love— Now sadly we will see that despite all of this, Paul will still end up in chains. But nevertheless, we see demonstrated in all of this an extraordinary willingness to do whatever it takes (short of doctrinal compromise) to bring people to Christ. And you know, you and I need to have that same mindset. You and I need to be willing to put ourselves in uncomfortable situations in order to reach people. That may mean uncomfortable situations at home. For others of us it might mean suffering for Christ on the mission field; or maybe allowing you son or your daughter to follow God's call to go to the mission field. No matter how you look at it, sacrifice is involved. But that is what love is. Love (if it is true love) is ALWAYS sacrificial; it always involves humbling ourselves and doing whatever it takes to be God's channel of blessing in somebody else's life. Because every one of us is here today because of a missionary, somebody who was willing to get out of their comfort zone for you. And so let us (like Paul) also be willing to do that for others. Let's do so. Amen.

Greetings! It's good to have you with us today. In our passage today here in Acts 21, we find Paul returning from his third missionary journey. He has been visiting the churches in Asia Minor and Greece with the purpose of edifying and building them up. And as he is visiting all these Gentile churches he had previously helped to establish, he has been collecting an offering for the Church in Jerusalem; an offering of money that was much needed by the believers there and one which would help solidify the bond between the Jewish and Gentile Christians. Now everyone is warning Paul not to go to Jerusalem because of how the Holy Spirit of God is revealing through many Christians the fact that awaiting for Paul in Jerusalem are trials and persecutions. And Paul accepts that, but continues onwards because he senses that the Holy Spirit (despite the danger) is compelling him to go; the mission of helping to minister to the needs of and unite the Church is more important than his own personal safety. Here was a man who was utterly and completely sold out in his love for God, his love for the Church, and his desire to pour his life out as an offering to both. An Ambassador In Chains— And today's passage is Paul's last one as a free man. From here on (in his own words in Ephesians 6:20) he will be an ambassador in chains. This passage is a transitional one in that it tells of the events leading up to his arrest. Now you would think that chains would limit (or at least severely handicap his ministry). But instead we will see that despite the intentions of others, those chains will have no effect on his ministry whatsoever. God was able to use him even in his chains. And that is something that God has done (and continues to do) often. If I were to ask each of you to name your favorite verse, I'm sure at least several (perhaps more) of you would say Romans 8:28. It reads… Romans 8:28 (NIV)— 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Still True— Now this verse is a great source of comfort to any person who is going through any trial or tribulation because it reminds us that God is in control and that whatever suffering we are going through He will go with us and give us victory. But do we really believe that? Do we really believe that in any situation God can bring something good. It is hard to think that way. But it is true. There is no situation you are going through that God cannot bring His glory. But we have to trust Him. We have to believe that He is going to remain faithful to us. Brengle's Trials— Lately I have been (with my grandfather) reading through the works of Samuel Logan Brengle, who wrote some of the most helpful books on holiness ever written; such as Heart Talks on Holiness, The Way of Holiness, and When the Holy Ghost Is Come. But what is really incredible about these books is the story behind them. [Brengle was a brilliant young preacher whom God led into the Salvation Army. He became the Salvation Army's great spokesman for the message of personal holiness. One night a drunken man continually interrupted a service Brengle was leading. Finally, Brengle put the man outside the service. After the meeting was over, Brengle was the last one to leave, so he turned the lights off and stepped into the street. The drunken man was waiting for him. He struck one side of Brengle's head with a …{brick}…, and smashed the other side against the building. Samuel Brengle was in the hospital for an extended period, hovering between life and death. When he finally began to recover, it was a long time before he could resume his former activities, so the editor of the Salvation Army's magazine asked him to write] [a series of articles on holiness. These were later gathered and published as a little red book entitled Helps to Holiness. That book would become an international success, and the first of nine by Samuel Logan Brengle, causing him later to remark, “If there had been no little brick, there would have been no little book!”[4] By the time of his death in 1936, Commissioner Brengle was an internationally renowned preacher and worldwide ambassador of holiness. His influence continues today, perhaps more than that of any Salvationist in history other than the founders, William and Catherine Booth.]     And his story is a reminder to us that [We must believe that God is running our lives. The devil can create minor complications, but God is in control whether you are in a hospital bed like Brengle, in a prison like Paul, or anywhere else. God can and will use your circumstances to accomplish his purposes. He is the only one who can produce fruit out of an apparent disaster.] And (as we will see in the coming chapters) incredible fruit will be produced by God through Paul even in the midst of his chains. Gentile Companions— Now as Paul comes to Jerusalem, he has with him a group of Gentiles who are representatives of those Gentile churches Paul helped start who have come to actively show love, compassion, and solidarity with the Jerusalem church. And they arrive (most likely) at Pentecost. Now the text doesn't say explicitly that it was Pentecost, but it being Paul's plan to arrive at Pentecost coupled with the fact that (as we will see) there are multitudes there in Jerusalem, it would seem that Paul made it back in time to celebrate this very important Jewish feast. Pentecost— Now [Pentecost means “fiftieth” because this feast was held fifty days after the Feast of …{Passover}…. The calendar of Jewish feasts in Leviticus 23 is an outline of the work of Jesus Christ. Passover pictures His death as the Lamb of God (John 1:29; 1 Cor. 5:7), and the Feast of Firstfruits pictures His resurrection from the dead (1 Cor. 15:20–23). …Pentecost….pictures the formation of the church. At Pentecost, the Jews celebrated the giving of the law, but Christians celebrate it because of the giving of the Holy Spirit to the church.] And really it is a celebration of when God took the Law of God and gave it again, not on tablets of stone this time but wrote it upon our heart in and through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. And Paul is no doubt reflecting about these realities as he himself prepares two celebrate. Now it says in… Acts 21:17-18 (NKJV)— 17 And when we had come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. {Now this was an initial, unofficial reception; the meeting before the meeting, so to speak. But the next verse says…} 18 On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. From Apostles to Elders— Now notice it says James, and all the elders; but it does not mention the apostles. Why? Because they aren't there anymore. Well, where are they? Well, as you know, they had been very key in the establishing of the Jerusalem Church. And they were the leaders of the Church in the beginning (2:42; 4:35-37; 5:2). But remember, as the Church grew, they recognized the need for assistance in running the whole administrative side of thing; and so they chose seven to serve under them and help with these tasks (6:2-6). Elders are mentioned for the first time in 11:30 and we see that by the time the Jerusalem Council convenes, the elders had taken a very prominent role in the leadership of the Church (15:2,4,6,22,23; 16:4). Now the elders are the full leaders and the apostles are gone. Now where did they go? Well at least one (James the brother of John) had already been killed (Acts 12:2). But the rest (after turning over the leadership of the Church to the elders) had [left the city to engage in missionary work. Elder rule was thus being established as the New Testament pattern of church government (cf. Acts 14:23; 20:17; 1 Tim. 5:17; Titus 1:5; James 5:14; 1 Pet. 5:1, 5).] Number of Elders— Now we are not told the number of elders present. Some speculate that there may have been seventy, paralleling the number of members in the Jewish Sanhedrin. And when we consider the enormous number of Christians there in Jerusalem, there were probably at least that and probably more. But however many there were, we see they receive him and his team gladly. Now having a large offering with them no doubt helped. But that wasn't the only reason; most likely not even the main reason, which is evident in that it is not even mentioned here in the text. No, they focus on (at least at first) what Paul and his team has been up to. Missionary Sunday— In one congregation I pastored there was an unusually high emphasis placed on missions; and once a month we would have missionaries come to share. But even in a congregation as mission-focused as that, I remember there was a small handful who were very religious about not being in Church on missionary Sunday. They didn't think we had any business galavanting across the world when there were plenty of local needs right there. It was kind of like a silent protest every month in our Church from these people. But let me tell you, none of them ever visited a foreign country; and so they never saw the need. And the heart cannot feel what the eye has not seen. Now there were other people who would never miss a missionary Sunday. And you could see in their eyes this hungry eagerness to hear about all that God was doing and were eager to support and come alongside those missionaries. And often these were people who had gone on missions trips before; and so they knew. These elders were like the latter group. They were hungry to hear from Paul and his team. Key Characteristics— Now in and throughout Paul's ministry, we have seen demonstrated quite a number characteristics that made him a truly godly man. We talked about his powerful preaching, his powerful teaching, His persistence, his discipline, his courage, his commitment, his convictions. And last week we focused in on his courage. And as we move through this passage, we are going to see another one of Paul's characteristics that we will see envelops and permeates the events that transpire here; and that is the characteristic of humility. We are going to see that this quality saturates virtually everything he does. It says in… Acts 21:19 (NKJV)— 19 When he had greeted them, he told in detail those things {(he had so wisely and thoughtfully done by his own whit, charm, and speaking ability. The elders gave him a standing ovation and presented him with a plaque he hung on the wall of the office he never had and he admired it for years to come. Does it say that? No. It says he told in detail those things)} which God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. Geempa's Epitaph: Behold The Lamb— You see it was it was all about what God had done; not what he had done. It was never about him. He reminds me of my Grandfather on my dad's side (we called him Geempa). Just about every time I am able to make it back to Kentucky to visit my family, I stop by his grave site. And let me tell you, there are thousands in heaven right now (and more to come) because of the ministry of that man; because of his ministry stateside, but also throughout Asia. But on his epitaph are three very simple words printed below his name: “Behold the Lamb”. And let me tell you, that is how he lived his life. He did a lot of tremendous things for Christ. But he never took glory for a single one of them. It was all about pointing people to Jesus. And let me tell you, that is the supreme mark of a sanctified person; a deflection of all glory to where it truly belongs, the face of God. Paul's Humility— And it is that kind of humility we see in Paul. [Paul expressed his humility in his rebuke of the hero-worshiping Corinthians. Writing to them in 1 Corinthians 3:5–7 he declared: What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. Later in that same letter he added, “By the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me” (1 Cor. 15:10). To the Romans he wrote, “I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me, resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed” (Rom. 15:18). {You see,} It is the mark of a godly man that he exalts the Lord and not himself. “He who boasts,” wrote Paul in 2 Corinthians 10:17, “let him boast in the Lord.”] Now that kind of orientation is contagious. And we see that in the very next verse, where the elders (as Paul did) gave the glory where it belonged. It says… Acts 21:20a (NKJV)— 20 And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord. Let Us Point To God— And so this week, let us also be careful (in everything) to give glory to God. Let us be people who choose to say (in whatever way fits the situation in which we find blessing) “Behold the Lamb of God”. Let's do so. Amen.

Greetings! It's good to have you with us today. In our passage today here in Acts 21, we find Paul and his companions on their way to Jerusalem to deliver a special offering. And they are about to leave the city of Tyre, where (if you were with us last week) you'll remember they found a community of believers with whom they stayed seven days. And now they are getting ready to leave. And in looking at this passage, I found it so astounding how quickly these believers in Tyre grew to love Paul. Or perhaps it's not so amazing. It seems to be the case in many of the churches Paul goes to. It is easy to fall in love with somebody who genuinely loves and shows care for you. Maybe you know somebody who, whenever they enter a room, immediately makes you and other people there feel like the most important people in the world and who seems to communicate that you are the best thing to have happened to his/her day. There are people like that. I know people like that. I want to be a person like that. And Paul definitely was, which is why we see that even after just one week Paul and his missionary team are accompanied to the shore not just by the church leaders; and not just by the men, but by everyone; all the men, accompanied by their wives and children. Look at verse five. It says… Acts 21:5 (NKJV)— 5 When we had come to the end of those days, we departed and went on our way; and they all accompanied us, with wives and children, till we were out of the city. And we knelt down on the shore and prayed. Kneeling— And one scholar notes that normally the custom during that time was to stand when praying. We see that in Mark 11:25 Luke 18:11-13. And so here the fact that we see them kneeling together publicly shows just how intense, solemn, and sincere their prayers for Paul's protection really were. Now after they pray together, it says in… Acts 21:6-7 (NKJV)— 6 When we had taken our leave of one another, we boarded the ship, and they returned home. 7 And when we had finished our voyage from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais, greeted the brethren, and stayed with them one day. At Ptolemais— Now Ptolemais was only a few miles south of Tyre. Paul and his missionary team stay there just one day, but take the opportunity to greet the believers there and spend some time with them. After that, it says… Acts 21:8 (NKJV)— 8 On the next day we who were Paul's companions departed and came to Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. Philip The Evangelist— Now Philip of course had been one of the original deacons (Acts 6:1-6) of the church who also served as an evangelist (Acts 8:5ff). He was both a public evangelist, which we saw in his ministry in Samaria; but he was also a personal evangelist, as he was the one who remember led the Ethiopian eunuch to Christ (Acts 8). But he had also been an associate of Stephen, who's murder Paul had been a part of. So in another very personal way, it is amazing to see how God can bring good out of bad, as we see these men (20 years later) coming together under the banner of ministry for Christ. Now it says of Philip… Acts 21:9 (NKJV)— 9 Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied. Philip's Daughters— Now this is an interesting little detail given to us. The Greek word that Luke uses here to describe them (parthenoi) probably indicates that they are a young, under the age of sixteen. And prophecy wasn't unusual in the early church. In fact it was one of the most cherished gifts (1 Corinthians 14:5, 39). But why this verse is important (and maybe why Luke includes it) is because women (and especially unmarried women) usually did not have a very high standing in culture. And so this little verse shows that people of low status in society were often included in positions of prominence in the Church. Now we do know a little bit more about them outside of the Bible. [Eusebius refers to these daughters twice, mentioning that they lived and were buried in Hierapolis, which is in Phrygia in Asia Minor. Papias, bishop of Hierapolis, said that these daughters were sources of valuable information of what happened in the early years of Christianity. Philip and his daughters may have been one of Luke's information sources.] Now it says… Acts 21:10 (NKJV)— 10 And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. Agabus Comes Down— Now this prophet Agabus was not a stranger to Paul. Fifteen years prior he had worked together with Paul in a famine relief program for Judea (Acts 11:27-30). It was he who had predicted the famine (accurately) which remember prompted a collection from the church in Antioch. And here we see that he comes to deliver a message to Paul. And it is a very dramatic and visually powerful acted prophecy, which was a familiar method used by many of the Old Testament prophets. It says in… Acts 21:11 (NKJV)— 11 When he had come to us, he took Paul's belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.' ” Fighting For Unity— Now note that the Holy Spirit does not forbid Paul to go to Jerusalem here either. Agabus doesn't say that. He just merely tells what will happen to Paul if he does go. And Paul, who sees the growing division between the “far right“ legalistic Jews and the believing Gentiles, sees the task of fighting for the unity of the church as being more important than his very life. He knew that he was part of the answer to the problem and that he could not solve it remotely through a representative. No, he had to go to Jerusalem personally. Now the believers try to convince him otherwise. It says in… Acts 21:12-13 (NKJV)— 12 Now when we heard these things, both we and those from that place {(so not Agabus, which is something to observe)} pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, “What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” Was Paul Right or Not?— Now people have argued back-and-forth about whether or not Paul was right or not in making this trip to Jerusalem. And for us it may seem wrong to question an apostle; but we need to remember that Paul wasn't infallible. He was a human being just like us. His writings were inspired, but that doesn't mean that everything he did was perfect or that he always made the right choice. To the believers Paul encountered, as well as to us, these repeated messages to Paul through the ministry of prophetic Christians do sound like warnings for Paul to stay out of Jerusalem. And over 20 years prior, the Lord had commanded Paul to get out of Jerusalem because he knew that the Jews would not receive Paul's testimony (Acts 22:18). But that was not a permanent command, and we see afterwards that the Lord did allow him to return to Jerusalem on other occasions: with famine relief (Acts 11:27–30); to attend the Jerusalem Conference (Acts 15:1ff.); and after his second missionary journey (Acts 18:22 – “going up to greet the church” refers to Jerusalem). But Paul seems to see things differently here. He doesn't sense any prohibition from God. As we said before, he felt compelled by God. But even before these prophecies, Paul was aware of the dangers that awaited for him should he go to Jerusalem. Paul had written in his letter to the Romans concerning the dangers in Judea (Acts 15:30–31) and had shared these same feelings with the Ephesian elders (Acts 20:22–23). So he was obviously fully aware of the dangers. But these warnings (and this is what Paul sensed) may not in fact to be prohibitions at all. Rather than God saying “You must not go”, God may in fact be saying “Get ready!”. Acts 21:14-16 (NKJV)— 14 So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, “The will of the Lord be done.” {Now after this it says… } 15 And after those days we packed and went up to Jerusalem. 16 Also some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us and brought with them a certain Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we were to lodge. From Caesarea to Jerusalem— And so the Christians in Caesarea leave and travel with Paul to Jerusalem, probably intending to celebrate the feast themselves. Now this was a sixty-five mile trek that took three days if they went on foot – two days if they had animals. So they had some time together, no doubt fellowshipping, praying with one another, worshiping together, sharing stories about what God had done in and through them, but also anticipating the challenges that they ahead of them; and particularly the persecution that awaited Paul. But Paul was no doubt greatly encouraged by their companionship as he took this difficult journey up to Jerusalem. Arrival At Jerusalem— Now it's a long trip, so they stop somewhere along the way at the house of a man named Mnason, who is described as “an early disciple”. We don't know exactly who he is. It is possible that he came to faith after hearing Peter preach at Pentecost at the beginning of the book of Acts. Or he may have come to faith later in and through the ministry of Barnabas (Acts 4:36). We don't know. But what we do know is that now he is traveling with them. He had been visiting Caesarea (where they just were), but he had a house somewhere along the route to Jerusalem. And so, apparently being given to hospitality, he opens his home to Paul to help him and his team at this very important time in his ministry. Now after this Paul and his team make the rest of the trek to Jerusalem and arrive there. The city is crowded with other pilgrims who have come up for the feast. And Paul and his missionary team are received by the Church there. How Was The Gift Received?— Now we don't know how the first meeting with the church leaders in Jerusalem went. It would've been nice for Luke to give us more detail on that. We do know that James and the other leaders in Jerusalem received Paul and his missionary team gladly; but it would've been great to see their reaction at receiving this gift from Paul. Did they all receive it gladly or did some of them look on it with suspicion? A few years after this, the Roman writer Martial said “gifts are like hooks!” And maybe some of the Jewish leaders looked at Paul's gift that way. The legalistic wing of the church would certainly have questioned anything that Paul said or did. What To Worry About— But you and I can't always worry about how other people will look at or receive the good things we do. And we shouldn't. All we need to worry about is pleasing our Lord. Paul did not let what his adversaries thought of him affect either the way he viewed himself or the way that he did his ministry. He didn't even allow well-meaning believers to dissuade him from what he thought was right. He always acted confidently and with full assurance, knowing that his security was in his relationship with God. And the same is true of us. You and I must always remember that when we live our lives on purpose for Christ, He can give us confidence and courage to accomplish all that He wants us to accomplish. And so let's live on purpose for Him. Amen.

Hello, it's good to have you with us today. If you have your bible, go ahead and turn with me to Acts chapter 21. We'll get through just the first several verses today. That's Acts 21 chapter 21. But before we get into the meat of the text, I'd just like to draw your attention to a characteristic of Paul that we see crop up again and again, not just in this chapter but in and throughout the course of his whole ministry. And that is courage. What is courage? As I say the word “courage”, I wonder what images might come to your mind? What stories? Maybe there is somebody you know who has shown an extraordinary amount or level of courage. Columbine— Not long ago I read of a couple of stories that came out of a very dark day in American history: April 20th 1999, the date of the Columbine High School massacre, when two young men (Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold) gunned down a dozen students and a teacher. It was one of the worst school shootings to ever have taken place in our nation. To this day I am sure many of you remember just how much that event grieved and shocked our nation. And afterwards we learned of some incredibly heroic acts of courage that people performed during those events, perhaps the most well-known being that of Cassie Bernal. She was in the library quietly reading her Bible when one of the killers confronted her and put a gun to her head. Now it wasn't widely reported at the time, but these two killers had made videotapes in which both of them showed a very intense hatred of Christianity and Christians. And three students were apparently targeted because of their faith in Christ. And Cassie was one of them. Now I can't imagine the fear this young teenager must have felt as that gun was put to her head. But the killer asked her a very simple question. He asked her “Do you believe in God?” And it was clear that her life hung in the answer to that question. “Yes, I believe in God”, she replied. “Why?” asked the killer in the dark trench coat. And before Cassie had a chance to answer, he pulled the trigger. And Cassie tragically lost her life. What would you have said? What would I have said if you and I were put in a similar situation? Where does that kind of courage come from? For her, it came from knowing who she was in Jesus Christ and knowing where she was ultimately going. Live on Purpose— Well, that is definitely something we see in the life and ministry of Paul. Here is a man who knew who he was and where he was going. He had a goal, a vision, a plan for his life; and that was to do God's will for him in expanding the Kingdom of God in any way that he could be reaching the lost. Now everything else (including care for his own life) came second to that. Now many people never experience this kind of courage because their lives are stuck on idle; they aren't doing anything. If you were to ask them what their vision or goal in life is, they might just look at you with a blank stare. Now that is not a good place to be. It speaks to a life that is aimed at nothing. And if you aim at nothing, you'll hit it every time. Every one of us ought to know who we are and what our reason for being here is. Paul never went more than five minutes without thinking about his purpose. And it kept him active. No matter where he went, he was always strategizing about the place after that and the place after that. He was fiercely intentional. He lived life on purpose. And it was in the midst of fighting the good fight that he had opportunity, time and time again, to show courage. And we see that especially demonstrated in this chapter. At Miletus— Now as you're turning there you will remember that Paul is on his way to Jerusalem. He has stopped at Miletus, from which he calls the elders of the Ephesian church to come so that he can admonish and encourage them one final time. And so they come and Paul gives to them a beautiful exhortation. But afterwards he and his missionary team leaves, as Paul (like Christ) sets his face towards Jerusalem. It says… Acts 21:1a (NKJV)— 1 Now it came to pass, that when we had departed from them Wrenching From— Now the Greek word here, ἀποσπάω, can actually mean “torn from, wrench away from, drag away”. And that is very much what was happening. Paul's heart had become entangled with those of the Ephesian elders. They loved each other very dearly. But Paul was on an important mission. He had to deliver the offering he had collected over the past few years for the Church in Jerusalem. And he's trying to get there by the feast of Pentecost. Strengthening The Jew-Gentile Bond— Now why was this trip so urgent? Well, first bear in mind that the Jerusalem church had many who were very poor; pilgrims and those dealing with alienation and persecution. Though the church there had given generously in the early years, by this time it no doubt had depleted its resources (Acts 4:32-37) and consequently needed help. Now at this time there was a lot of potential for division between the Jewish Christians in Judea and the new Gentile believers that had come to faith in and through the ministry of Paul. Jewish extremists (the Judaizers) wanted the Gentiles to basically become Jews and live like them and live under the full weight of the ceremonial law of Moses (Acts 15:1ff.). And they were always trying to hinder the work of Paul and steal his converts. But it was Paul's hope that his visit to Jerusalem with this offering that he had collected from the Gentile churches would help strengthen and solidify the fellowship of love shared between the Jews and Gentiles, as it was a way for the Gentile believers to repay with a very practical kindness their Jewish brothers for sharing the Gospel with them (Romans 15:25–27). And so Paul and his missionary team tear themselves away… Acts 21:1b (NKJV)— and set sail, running a straight course we came to Cos, the following day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. A Bigger Boat— Now in the summer the north wind on the Aegean Sea only blows from very early morning until late afternoon. And so they, no doubt in a small local coastal ship, would sail within that window, stopping at every port for the night along the way. And so progress is somewhat slow. And so what Paul decides to do is (rather than to continue to hug the coastline) to instead sail directly across the Mediterranean to Phoenicia; a five day, 400 mile trip on the high seas. And so it says… Acts 21:2-3 (NKJV)— 2 And finding a ship sailing over to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail.  3 When we had sighted Cyprus, we passed it on the left, sailed to Syria, and landed at Tyre {(which was a Phoenician port city)}; for there the ship was to unload her cargo. A Bigger Boat— Now though the text doesn't say specifically how large the boat was, we can surmise that it must've been pretty large, perhaps similar in size to the ship he would later take on his voyage to Rome; a ship that carried 276 people (Acts 27:37). Now the reason this is probably accurate is because just the process of unloading and reloading it takes a week. But they have made good time and are still on track to get to Jerusalem before Pentecost. Now while they are in Tyre they connect with the church there, a church that was probably born out of the great persecution that begin with the stoning Stephen, because remember it said back in… Acts 11:19 (NKJV)— 19 Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only. {So it says…} Acts 21:4a (NKJV)— 4 And finding disciples, we stayed there seven days. The Church at Tyre— Now the church apparently was not very large, because there was no synagogue and Paul and his team had to really search for this church. The word translated “finding“ here in verse four means “to learn the location of something by intentional searching.” But they eventually find this small group of believers and stay with them. Now this would've been Paul's first contact with the believers here in Tyre. And when you think about how Paul had been the one to lead that great persecution that had led to the birth of this church, it's quite incredible to see him visiting and ministering to these believers who came out of that persecution. Whereas once they were enemies, now they are brothers. Now while they are staying with them, it says… Acts 21:4b (NKJV)— They told Paul {(the literal Greek actually says “kept on saying to him”)} through the Spirit not to go up to Jerusalem. Warning From The Believers at Tyre— Apparently they had received a prophecy from the Holy Spirit of the dangers that awaited Paul if he was to stay on course. But it is important to note here that the Holy Spirit was not forbidding Paul to go to Jerusalem, but only warning him of what he would face if he did. The phrase through the Spirit simply means that he was warned by someone with the gift of prophecy. And the word not in the original Greek is not the word used in an absolute prohibition, though it reads a bit stronger in our English translations. Rather it is a softer Greek word that shows the believers were advising Paul in light of what the Holy Spirit was revealing to them concerning his impending persecution. However, we see that (because of their love for Paul) they see this prophecy as the Holy Spirit's means of stopping Paul. But Paul does not see it that way. In fact in 20:22 he says that his trip to Jerusalem was “compelled by the Spirit”. And so for him, the Holy Spirit was just allowing him to see (and perhaps emotionally prepare himself for) the difficulties he was going to face. Paul knew that suffering was just a part of God's allotment for him. Remember all the way back in Acts chapter 9, when God first approaches Ananias and tells him to go and baptize Paul (and Ananias is all afraid, knowing what kind of man Paul had been) it says… Acts 9:15-16 (NKJV)— 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name's sake.” A Destiny Wedded With Suffering— You see, Paul never experienced suffering and looked up to heaven and said “Why God?!” Nor did he think that because he suffered, he must therefore be on the wrong path. No, Paul saw his destiny as being necessarily intertwined with suffering. Jesus Himself had decreed it. And Paul had already made peace with that. And that is something you and I need to do as well. We must never allow suffering to deter us from the will of Jesus; because it is often through our suffering that God may use us to make the greatest difference. And if we are faithful; if we are courageous enough to move forward through God (even if it may mean suffering), we will (like Paul did) get to see the mighty moving of the hand of God and may even get to see the gates of hell shaken in our suffering that may never have been shaken otherwise; people warmed to and set free by Christ. And so let us not flee from suffering, but to courageously face it knowing that no pain will go without bearing fruit if we keep our hand in the hand of Jesus. Let's live courageously this week. Amen.

Hello, it's good to have you with us today. Last week, you will remember we began looking at Paul's famous final farewell address to the Ephesian elders who had come to see him in Miletus before he continued on his journey to Jerusalem. And in the first section of his address, he relates to the Ephesian elders the example he has set (20:18-27). He had identified with those under him in every way possible. He had taught them (v.20). He was a witness to the gospel (v.21). And last but not least, he had suffered because of his obedience to Christ's call upon his life. And that is characteristic of all God's faithful ones; the life of the cross. But now let's move on to the next section, which we find in verses 28-31. He says… Acts 20:28-31 (NKJV)— 28 Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. 29 For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. 31 Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. SECTION 2: PAUL'S CHARGE & WARNING (20:28-31)— Now this second section of Paul's message is his charge and his warning (20:28–31). Paul knew how quickly things could go bad in a church; and especially at a church located in a place like Ephesus, where Satan really had a stronghold and where the spiritual forces at work against them were very strong. Keep in mind Ephesus is where the whole “sons of Sceva” episode happened, where these runners of an exorcism business get thrashed, beaten, and sent away naked by a man they (being unbelievers) tried to exorcise in the name of Christ, unsuccessfully. It's a very dark place. And so Paul charges the Ephesian elders with three things: Keep Watch Over Yourselves— (1) First, they are to keep watch over themselves (v. 28). That is because even mighty men of God who may even be spiritual leaders in their congregations are susceptible to the attacks of Satan. And Satan knows that if he can get a Christian leader to fall, he can wound his flock through that leader. Plus a leader who falls into sin becomes (because of that sin) distant from God and less susceptible to the leading and anointing of the Holy Spirit. That can lead to (1) messages without the power of God and (2) leadership for the church that is man's leadership rather than God's, because the minister may no longer be able to discern the voice of God. That is why a minister must always remember that, as Robert Murray McCheyne once so eloquently put it, “My people's greatest need is my personal holiness.” Keep Watch Over The Flock— (2) Secondly, Paul charges the elders to watch over the flock as “overseers”. And the word “overseers” here in Greek is “episkopos”, a word that has often been translated “bishop” but is used elsewhere in scripture as a synonym for “elder” (see v. 17). By the way, “elder” is the word “presbyteroi” in Greek. It simply refers to a mature man; one who is mature not in age, but spiritually. The term “elder” focuses more on the maturity of the minister, whereas the word “overseer” focuses on the function, which is to care for the people as a shepherd/pastor. Now what does a shepherd do? He/she keeps watch over sheep; and that involves feeding, caring for, and guarding them from predators. And so it fits with Paul's imagery to begin the next section by talking about savage predatory wolves who will (not might, but will) seek to ravage the flock of God. The Lions of Tsavo— Some time ago I re-watched a movie called The Ghost and The Darkness. If you are unaware of that movie, it tells the true story of the building of the railroad across the continent of Africa. And there was a bridge that needed to be built over the river in the southern Kenyan region of Tsavo; and a particular Christian architect (Lt. Col. John Henry Patterson) had been hired to oversee its construction. But for 9 months in 1898, during the construction of the bridge, two lions began attacking and terrorizing the crew. Now this had never happened before. Man-eating lions always hunted alone. But these lions hunted and coordinated their attacks together. They would sneak into men's tents and drag them off. But they didn't eat the men. They would just drag them off and have fun killing them. In fact you see in the movie that they eventually find their den, in which there are piles of human bones that these lions collected, both from the railroad and elsewhere. And there are varied reports about how many men specifically working on the railroad were killed; some go as high as 135. That may be exaggerated. But they still killed a very high number of people. They would attack during the day as well as during the night. Men would shoot at them and hit nothing but air. And this among other things suggested to many then and afterwards that those lions were somehow being influenced by the demonic. Even in the movie Patterson reflects on how they might be Satan's means of trying to keep the railroad (a means of spreading the Gospel further into Africa) from happening. Now Patterson and another gentleman eventually track down and are finally able to kill these lions; and they then go on to build the bridge. But you get this sense (even in the movie) that not only were two lions killed, but a much deeper darkness had been conquered. Now Patterson had the lions stuffed and you can go and see them today at The Field Museum in Chicago. But in the movie you really get this sense of fear; because all around the encampment is this very tall grass. And you never knew what or when something might come out of it. Now all of this was a very real and tangible representation of the truth we read about in… 1 Peter 5:8 (NKJV)— 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. The Wolves— Now in a spiritual sense, this is what Paul is worried about regarding these elders and those under their care; he knew (with amazing foresight that must have come from God) that they would come under the influence of those who would seek to destroy their faith. Now these wolves he said would come from both without and also from within the church, and would be those who seek to distort the truth (vv. 29-30). They would be twisters of the Word of God. And Paul here reminds them that when he was with them in Ephesus, he warned them about these wolves day and night with tears (v. 31). And here he does the same. Costly Liquid— Now just recently I had to do something very painful; I had to fill up my car with gas. Costed me almost an arm and a leg. I couldn't believe it; and that was at one of the cheaper stations. And unfortunately the cost of gas is expected to rise even more. Is there any more fluid more precious and costly than gas right now? Well yes, there is. A High Price— (3) The third element to Paul's charge is that the elders must shepherd the flock because of its value in having been purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus' blood is the most costly currency there ever was. And so these elders need to tend, care for, feed, protect, and lead their flocks with that in mind. And what's more (and we'll come back to this) just as Jesus gave his own blood as the good shepherd in order that they might live (cf. John 10:11), so also these elders were to give their lives for the people under them. Now go ahead and look with me at the third section in… Acts 20:32-35 (NKJV)— 32 “So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I have coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. 34 Yes, you yourselves know that these hands have provided for my necessities, and for those who were with me. 35 I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.' ” SECTION 3: COMMITTING THE PEOPLE TO GOD AND HIS WORD (20:32)— Now this third section of Paul's message to the Ephesian elders finds Paul committing them “to God and to the word of his grace.” The teaching of the message that they received from him would enable them to stay close to God, to stay pure in their doctrine, and to be safe from the wolves. Now at that time they did not have a New Testament, and so they had to rely strictly on what they had been taught through Paul in order to understand what that message was. But today we have the full Word of God, which gives us that message in its fullness. And so we (like they) need to devote ourselves to knowing that message. Heresies and divisions most creep in when people do not know and abide in the Word of God. Back To Example— Now in verses 33 to 35 Paul again returns to his own personal example, finishing his speech by once again presenting his own life as an example for these elders to follow. When he had been with them, he showed undying and sincere commitment. Also, he says he did not covet anything that anybody else had (v. 33). Instead he worked hard with his own hands to provide for his own needs and the needs of his team (v. 34). And in doing that he really demonstrated one of the chief aims for the Christian's earning of money: helping those who are in need. In fact, he wrote to them in… Ephesians 4:28 (NKJV)— 28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. Paul's Generosity— And so whenever Paul appealed for money for the poor, his request always rang with credibility because it was not just an dictatorial command he gave for the members of his congregations to obey, but was something that he himself led the way in, being extraordinarily generous with everything God had given him. I mean even now he is bringing with him to Jerusalem an offering for the impoverished Christians there. And some of that money was his own; tent-making money he had made by the sweat of his own brow. May we also be just as generous and oriented towards meeting the needs of the weak and poor as he was. Now let's look at the final section. It says in… Acts 20:36-38 (NKJV)— 36 And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. 37 Then they all wept freely, and fell on Paul's neck and kissed him, 38 sorrowing most of all for the words which he spoke, that they would see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship. SECTION 4: A GRIEF-FILLED FAREWELL— Now this last section of this passage is of course the farewell itself (20:36-38). This is where he actually kneels down and prays with them, they all weep bitterly, and then fall upon Paul's neck and kiss him. And, like we said before, this overflow of grief and emotion reveals to us just how much these Christians had to come to love Paul; because first and foremost he loved them and poured out his life to them, opening his life to them in every possible way. And here they return that love in a very real and powerful way. They accompany him to the ship and he (like his Master Jesus before him) sets his face towards Jerusalem, knowing that suffering would await him there. The Example of Christ – Now one of the things that we need to remember is that shepherds are leaders who are willing to lay down their lives and even die for their flock. We don't often think about that element of leadership, but it is one of the chief ones given to us in Scripture. And of course Jesus is our primary example of this. As Jesus had said in… John 10:11 (NKJV)— 11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. Not So Easy— Now that is all fine and dandy when Christ does that for us. Most of us have been raised to understand that basic element of the Gospel; and we who are naturally self-oriented don't have much trouble receiving that. But the idea that what Jesus did for us, we are to do for others? That's not so easy. But Jesus says clearly in… John 15:12-13 (NKJV)— 12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. Miniature Good Shepherds— So we see that He laid down his life for us; therefore we must be willing to lay down our lives for our friends. And that is what Paul was (even at that moment) demonstrating to them and calling them to do as well. As miniature “good shepherds,” they were to lay down their lives for their flocks just as he (and Christ) had done. And it is Christ's call to us today to live that way for each other. May we embody all of Paul's love, generosity, selflessness, and devotion to truth and to the Word; because we know that that was also the pattern of Christ. Let's do so. Amen.

You know, I don't know if you have ever had to write a farewell speech before. Maybe for you, it was a letter of resignation. Maybe you got hired somewhere else and had to say goodbye to your boss, your coworkers, or perhaps even your parents if you had to then move long distance. Twice I have had to do that; in fact very much what Paul is doing in our passage today; and that is say goodbye to men and women I loved and ministered to and served alongside with for years. And both times were very very painful, even when people (after I explained in those board meetings and during those worship services) understood how God was leading and accepted it. But honestly, I have never fully accepted it. I miss those people. That is one of the blessings and the curses of ministry; getting attached to people and then sometimes having to say goodbye. And during both those transitions and in the years that have followed, I have hoped that (1) those churches were blessed by my being there and (2) that my ministry will have produced lasting fruit. And if God ever calls me to leave the church I am pastoring now (if so, hopefully many years down the road), I want to leave the church thriving, growing, and anchored deeply in Christ Jesus and in the Word of God. Well that is the situation we find Paul in in our passage today here in Acts chapter 20. He and his team have arrived at Miletus and are probably waiting for their ship to be unloaded and re-loaded. And the elders of the Ephesian Church he had helped start come to see him for what Paul knows will be the last time. And so he wants to encourage and exhort them. And so he gives this beautiful farewell speech to these Ephesian elders. And it is a very special speech, because it is the only record we have of a speech that Paul gave specifically to believers. And in it we have three primary themes. (1) First, Paul defends his behavior; but even more so was able to present it as an example to the Ephesian elders (vv. 18-27, 33-35). (2) Secondly, Paul presents both a charge and a warning to them. (3) And third, Paul commits these Ephesian elders to God and to His Word (v. 32). And so those three elements will form the outline of our discussion today and in the weeks ahead. Go ahead and look with me at the first section in of Paul's speech here in Acts 20, verses 18-38. Starting with 17, it says… Acts 20:17-27 (NKJV) The Ephesian Elders Exhorted— 17 From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church. 18 And when they had come to him, he said to them: “You know, from the first day that I came to Asia, in what manner I always lived among you, 19 serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews; 20 how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, 21 testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. 22 And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. 24 But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. 25 “And indeed, now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more. 26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27 For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. SECTION 1: PAUL'S EXAMPLE (20:18-27)— And so in this first section we find Paul relating to the Ephesian elders the example he has set (20:18-27). And in Paul's example we see him highlighting four major things in his example that he wanted the Ephesian elders to emulate:      (1) The first was that he had identified with the people, having lived among them (v. 18). He knew what their own personal struggles were and identified with them in those struggles, much as Jesus Himself did. He had served God with humility and tears (v. 19), going from house to house (v. 20). And he did that because in doing that he was able to identify what his people's own personal needs were and then share specific points of the gospel message that were directly relevant to their own situation. He didn't have a “one-size-fits-all“ approach to ministry. He knew his people. And what this also shows us is that he was very available to people, which we see not only in this passage, but also earlier in this chapter while he was in Troas (vv. 9–10), where he spent a whole night eating with, chatting with, and teaching the believers there. He wasn't just a preacher, who comes and preaches and leaves and nobody really cares. No, he was a shepherd; a pastor who was deeply involved with his people, which is why we see people grieving whenever and from wherever he leaves.     (2) Now the second element of Paul's example was that he was a teacher. He identified what the Ephesians needed to hear and taught them constantly both publicly and from house to house (v. 20). He wanted to make sure that they were fully equipped to be able to endure in their faith in the midst of a very pagan and worldly context.     (3) Now the third element of Paul's example was that he was a witness to the gospel (v. 21). And the Greek word behind this word “witness” actually means “declared”. And it carries the idea that evangelism is a very serious and awesome responsibility because in it you are calling people to repent of their sins and turn to faith in Jesus Christ. Both in this verse, but also in verses 26–27, there is this reminder to us that we are called to be watchmen. We have an awesome responsibility to warn people of God's coming judgment and implore them to seek life in Christ. And in Paul's talking about his being innocent of the blood of all men, he is drawing directly from the Old Testament book of Ezekiel (particularly chapters 3 and 33). Just to give you a glimpse, listen to the words of just the first part of Ezekiel chapter 3. It says in… Ezekiel 3:16-19 (NKJV)— 16 Now it came to pass at the end of seven days that the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me: 18 When I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. 19 Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul. A Faithful Watchman— And so what Paul is saying here is that he has been a faithful watchmen. He has been faithful to warn and instruct the people and now their fate is in their own hands. And that is something you and I need to be sure we are doing as well. God will not hold you guilty of the blood of your brother or sister if you witness to them and they don't listen. He won't even hold you guilty if (in trying your best) you don't even do it all that well. But He will hold you accountable if you keep silent. All of us are watchmen. The question is whether or not we are faithful watchmen.     (4) Now the fourth element of Paul's example is something that is intimately tied to his commitment to evangelism. And that was that Paul suffered because of obedience. We see in verses 22–23 that there are two key things that he says the Holy Spirit is doing in his life. First, the Holy Spirit is compelling him towards Jerusalem. And secondly, through the voices of prophetic believers he has encountered, the Holy Spirit is revealing that he will suffer if he does go to Jerusalem. And what that shows you and me is that our ultimate goal is not “long life and happiness”. No, our ultimate calling in life is to be faithful to “declare” the message of the Gospel. And that may mean having to go through some very unpleasant circumstances. It may mean facing persecution, suffering, imprisonment, or even death. But our goal is to strive towards the Kingdom of God and the storing up of wealth there, not becoming comfortable here; because this world is not our forever home. All of it will pass away. Olaf's Dilemma— Just recently I watched with my kids the movie Frozen II. And in it there's this little magic snowman named Olaf, one of my favorite Disney characters, perhaps because he is so much like me; oddly shaped and slightly misunderstood. But in this movie he is having an emotional crisis. He's laying in the grass next to Princess Anna and starts pondering the deeper questions of life. And he says to Anna, “Tell me, you're older, and thus all-knowing, do you ever worry about the notion that nothing is permanent?” Anna replies, “Uh, no.” “Really?”, asks Olaf. “Wow, I can't wait until I've aged just like you, so I don't have to worry about important things.” And of course she is a little taken aback by that. But Paul knew what Olaf pointed out; and that is that nothing in this world is permanent. However, there is a world that is. And so if we want to make investments that last, we need to make them there. You will not see my face again – Now after revealing to the Ephesian elders what the Holy Spirit has been communicating to him, he tells them very frankly that because of this they will not see him again (v. 25). And this of course prompts his declaration that he is “innocent of the blood of all men” because he had been faithful to warn them of God's truth (vv. 26-27). On That Day— Now that phrase prompts me to ask some questions. What about you and me? Have we been faithful to warn people of God's coming judgment? When we get to heaven, are there going to be people there because we had the courage to speak up? Or is there going to be blood on our hands? Have we been faithful watchmen? When I get to heaven, I want Jesus to say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” I want Him to say, “Cameron, just look at how much fuller heaven is because you were faithful to do the most important thing I told you to do in the world.” I want Jesus to start pulling people from the crowds in heaven; people who will come up to me and say “Hey Cameron, you may not know this, but I am here because of you; because you took the time, because you had the courage, because you valued me enough to (in whatever small way you could) put my hand in the hand of Jesus.” What will be said of you and me? Let that scene so permeate your mind that any fear or hesitation that might come the next time the Holy Spirit prompts you might evaporate and be squelched by your even greater desire to see that your life made not just a long-lasting impact, but an everlasting one; an eternal one. Let's live under that weight of glory. Amen.

You know, if you had to pinpoint the number one characteristic of the Christian; the one that would most clearly identify him or her as a follower of Jesus Christ, that one characteristic would (without question) have to be a holy love for God that spills over into a consequent holy love for other people. John 13:34-35 (ESV)— 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Romans 12:10-13 (ESV)— 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. 1 John 4:21 (ESV)— 21 And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother. Devoted to The Church— Now I say all of this because we see here in Acts 20 Paul's love spilling over on those he is lovingly nurturing and mentoring. He and his traveling companions have just left the city of Troas. And Luke writes… Acts 20:13 (LSB)— 13 But we, going ahead to the ship, set sail for Assos, intending from there to take Paul on board; for so he had arranged it, intending himself to go by land. Investing in People— Now why does Paul choose to walk by land? Well, here we get another window into the heart of Paul. When we read between the lines here, we see just how dedicated Paul was to investing in the lives of other people. Now keep in mind that Paul had recently finished an over two year teaching stint in Ephesus. While he was there, for five hours a day, seven days a week he was teaching there in the school of Tyrannus. Like we said before, he would wake up in the morning (probably early), make tents till 11:00 AM, teach in the school of Tyrannus from 11:00am till 4 PM, then go back to making tents till 8:00 PM, then teach till 1:00 AM or 2:00 AM; then he would go to bed, get up, and repeat. And that doesn't even take into account the Bible studies that he did in peoples' homes. He never missed an opportunity to give himself for his greatest love, the people of the church, which was an extension of his love for Christ. His whole life was a living sacrifice for the church, the bride of Christ. And we see the same thing in this chapter. He comes to Troas (no doubt exhausted) and yet still makes the time to pour into the believers from the moment he arrives at that church service until midnight that night, when Eutychus falls asleep at the window and falls down and dies. Then Paul rushes down and raises him from the dead. And even after he raises Eutychus from the dead, what does he do? He goes right back up into that upper room and continues to teach; and they go until dawn. I mean the man is absolutely incredible; just 100% sold out in love for the Church. And it gets even more unbelievable, because look at the very next verse. Remember that Paul is anxious to get to Jerusalem before Pentecost and then wants to begin making his way to Rome. So after this he leaves. And he has a very long journey to take. And so Luke writes… Acts 20:13 (LSB)— 13 But we, going ahead to the ship, set sail for Assos, intending from there to take Paul on board; for so he had arranged it, intending himself to go by land. On Foot For The Church— Now your translation may say “on foot”, which is also correct. Paul went by land, on foot. The rest of his ministry team gets on a boat, but he goes for 30 miles on foot. Now you might ask, “Well, why does he want to do that.” Well, saying goodbye was very different in the ancient world than it is in our culture. When you and I have a guest leave we wave at the door and often times we will continue to wave until they're out of sight. But in the Biblical world it was customary to actually go with your guest part of the way on their journey. You would walk with them quite a ways. It was a very long, drawn-out kind of a thing. And so now we see why Paul walked. He could have easily got on board the ship with the rest of his ministry team and sailed away and been done with the believers in Troas. He could have laid down in the boat after teaching all night and finally gotten some rest. But no, he chooses to walk 30 miles so that the believers in Troas could have the opportunity to walk with him and he could teach them and pour into their lives for as long as they wanted to walk with him and receive that teaching. I mean, imagine it. I often walk with my family on a local trail. We walk about 6 miles; and let me tell you, by the end of it we are tired and ready to rest. And that's often after having had a good night's sleep. But Paul walked 30 miles, just to spend time with these believers who were hungry to be discipled. You know he probably only walked alone the last 5 or 10 miles of the trip. Can you begin to see why this chapter might just be on par with 1 Corinthians 13? And guess what he was not doubt doing that last 5 or 10 miles by himself; praying and thinking about what he is going to say to the Ephesian elders, whom we find him ministering to in the very next section. Let me tell you, I almost got kind of emotional in my study on this because I felt like I came to see Paul's heart in a way I hadn't before. I mean I always saw him as a powerful, brilliant speaker who was devoted to fighting for truth. But I think I just never really noticed the heart of Paul. And my heart began crying out for Jesus to help me to love and serve my people as this man did. Gifts Not Our Own— But you know, what we see demonstrated here in this passage (and in his life as a whole) is the reminder that our gifts are not our own. God has given you a gift(s). And whatever that is, whether it's teaching, preaching, hospitality, encouragement, mercy ministry, even cooking; whatever your spiritual gift is, that gift is meant to be a blessing not just for you, but for the Church; it is to be available through you to all of God's people. And Paul knew that. His gifts he made available to God's people in every possible way. You want a picture of what a 1 Corinthians 13 kind love looks like? That's it. Now from here, Luke says in… Acts 20:14-15 (LSB)— 14 And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and came to Mitylene. 15 And sailing from there, we arrived the following day opposite Chios; and the next day we crossed over to Samos; and the day following we came to Miletus. The Miletus Stop— Now I am not going to go into the geography of all of these cities. But one interesting thing to note about these cities is that each [is about 30 miles past the next one, all down the little coast of Asia Minor. And the thing was that the winds only blew from early morning to late afternoon; so, they would just travel from early morning to late afternoon, 30 miles, stay overnight; 30 miles, stay overnight; 30 miles stay overnight; 30 miles, stay overnight. That's how they journeyed. And so, that's why it tells us about all those little stops. And it says they came to Miletus. And Miletus was a town, the ancient capital of Ionia. It was not too far from Ephesus. It was originally composed of a colony of Cretans; {it} became extremely powerful and built one of the world's great, magnificent temples dedicated to the God Apollo. So, it was somewhat famous. But they came to Miletus, not too far from Ephesus. Verse 16 tells us]… Acts 20:16 (LSB)— 16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus so that he would not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost. Calling For The Ephesian Elders— Now I want to make something clear to you that may not be obvious on a first reading of the text. Paul is not by any means seeking to avoid the Ephesians. He wants to make time for them as well (and we will see that he does). But what is happening here is that the ship going to Ephesus was apparently going to stay too long; it was going to linger longer in Ephesus than he was able to stay, because remember he is trying to make it to Jerusalem for Pentecost. So he chooses not to take the ship to Ephesus, but rather took the one that was going to stop at Miletus. Apparently he had a choice which ship to take. But notice verse 17, which (although it's a part of next weeks passage, you need to see here. It says… Acts 20:17 (LSB)— 17 Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the church. Still Pouring Out— Now you might ask why that is important. Well, here's why. Paul is in the middle of his journey and has stopped here in Miletus. He has a few days before his ship leaves. So what does he do? Get some much needed R and R? No, he sends for all the elders of Ephesus to come and meet him there in Miletus so that he can teach, exhort, and pray over them some more. I mean, he's unbelievable. What a radical commitment to the people God placed under him. When Jesus had asked Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me?” and Peter said “Yes Lord, you know that I love you.” and Jesus said “Feed my sheep.”, this is exactly what he meant. And what happens next is one of the most beautiful scenes in all of scripture. When the elders get there, they give back to Paul all the love he gave them. And we'll talk about in the coming weeks. But you know, what are we to take from all of this? You know, sometimes we look at men and women in the early church (like Paul) as spiritual giants. We mythologize them and make them more than what they were. They weren't superheroes. They didn't have limitless power and energy. They were just men and women who allowed Jesus to change their hearts; and the rest of their lives was an explosion of that love; not a weighty chore, but a joy-filled outpouring and expression of love for their Savior. And what you and I need to understand is that you and I can have that same kind of love they had. In fact, listen to what Paul writes in… Philippians 3:17 (ESV)— 17 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. Not Arrogance— Now some might say that's a little arrogant, thinking that people should imitate him as the supreme standard. But that is not what he is saying at all. Note how he says to the Corinthians in… 1 Corinthians 11:1 (ESV)— 11 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. Paul's Greatest Gift— You see, it was all about modeling what it means to live like Jesus. And perhaps that is Paul's greatest gift to the Church; not his preaching or his teaching, but the proof that you and I really can walk in the love of Christ. Why? Because Paul did it; a human being just like us. It was his being like Christ and having the love of Christ that drew people to him in such an amazing way. And when we allow Jesus to create that love in our hearts, one of the first expressions of that love for Christ will be (as it was with Paul) our love for the Church. Paul writes to the Philippians again in… Philippians 4:9 (ESV)— 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. Love The Church— Paul loved the Church. You need to; I need to as well. And so let us ask the Holy Spirit to create in us that kind of love, which flows from hearts fully given over to Jesus Christ. Let's do so. Amen.

Greetings! So good to have you with us today as we continue our study of the book of Acts together. In our passage today in Acts chapter 20 Paul has been traveling with a group of representatives of some of the gentile churches to bring a financial offering to the church in Jerusalem, which had a tremendous amount of need. And they have come to the city of Troas, where they end up staying for a week. And while there they take part in an evening worship service held in the upper room of a house. And all the believers are very eager to hear Paul and so he teaches them a very long while. And midnight comes and he's still going strong. And a young man by the name of Eutychus was getting tired, and so he moved by an open window where he was hoping the fresh air would keep him awake. That didn't work. He fell asleep anyway; and lo and behold he fell out of the window, fell three stories, and died. But Paul immediately runs out, throws himself upon the boy (just as Elijah and Elisha had also done to a couple of young men who had died during their ministries) and God brings Eutychus back to life. And afterwards they go right back into that upper room, have communion together and Paul resumes conversing with them a long while, until daybreak. Now at this point Paul and his party start to leave, first the rest of the party and then Paul. It says in… Acts 20:13-16 (LSB)— 13 But we, going ahead to the ship, set sail for Assos, intending from there to take Paul on board; for so he had arranged it, intending himself to go by land. 14 And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and came to Mitylene. 15 And sailing from there, we arrived the following day opposite Chios; and the next day we crossed over to Samos; and the day following we came to Miletus. 16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus so that he would not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost. [The Perfect Pastor— {You know, I read some time ago about how now,} After hundreds of years the perfect pastor's been found. He is the church elder who'll please everyone. 1. He preaches exactly 20 minutes and then sits down. 2. He condemns sin, but never steps on anybody's toes. 3. He works from 8 in the morning to 10 at night, doing everything from preaching sermons to sweeping. 4. He makes $400 per week, gives $100 a week to the church, drives a late model car, buys lots of books, wears fine clothes, and has a nice family. 5. He always stands ready to contribute to every other good cause, too, and to help panhandlers who drop by the church on their way to somewhere. 6. He is 36 years old, and has been preaching 40 years. 7. He is tall on the short side, heavy-set in a thin sort of way, and handsome. 8. He has eyes of blue or brown, (to fit the occasion) and wears his hair parted in the middle - left side, dark and straight, right side, brown and wavy. 9. He has a burning desire to work with the youth, and spends all his time with the senior citizens. 10. He smiles all the time while keeping a straight face, because he has a keen sense of humor that finds him seriously dedicated. 11. He makes 15 calls a day on church members, spends all his time evangelizing non-members, and is always found in his study if he is needed. Unfortunately he burnt himself out and died at the age of 32.] Number One Quality— You know, if I was to ask you today what the most important qualities of a minister of God are, what would you say? You might say preaching and teaching, boldness, or godliness. You might say shepherding ability, wise oversight, or the ability to work with people. All of those are critical. But behind all those things (the driving force behind them) ought to be a passionate, burning love for the Lord, for the truth, and for the Church. Now we're not talking about the building or the organization, but rather the people. History's Loving Pastors— One author I was reading said: [There have always been dedicated pastors who sacrificed in life and death for the church. It was love for the church that drove the busy Reformers Luther and Calvin to preach constantly to their flocks—not merely on Sundays, but throughout the week. Many Puritan pastors continued to preach the Word after being forbidden to do so by the authorities. They knew they risked being imprisoned (as was John Bunyan), but love for the church compelled them to take that risk. Love for the church consumed the godly nineteenth-century Scottish pastor Robert Murray McCheyne. Ill health could not deter him from his loving service, and, consequently, he died at a young age. It was his love for the church that motivated Charles Spurgeon to speak out against the modernism that was creeping into the evangelical church of his day. During the resulting “Down-Grade Controversy,” Spurgeon was sharply criticized for his stand. Some of those close to him deserted him. Yet he refused to back down, although the stress the controversy generated hastened his death. Church history is replete with examples of those who sacrificially loved the church.] Paul's Love Expressed— But standing over and above them all (without doubt) was the Apostle Paul. You cannot read anything he ever wrote to any church (even his letters of rebuke) and not sense the overwhelming love that he felt for those persons who were under his care. And I mean you read some of the things that he wrote and the language is almost like that between a husband and a wife; or a mother and her nursing child. I mean, [To the Philippians he wrote:     I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart. (Phil. 1:3–7)     “You are our letter, “he told the Corinthians, “written in our hearts” (2 Cor. 3:2). He also wrote to them, “You are in our hearts to die together and to live together” (2 Cor. 7:3). In 1 Thessalonians 2:7–8, Paul expressed his intimate love for the Thessalonian church: We proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children. Having thus a fond affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us.] In Deed & Truth— But Paul [did not merely “love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth” (1 John 3:18). Jesus said in John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”] Laying Down Your Life— Now of course Paul did end up dying for the Church. But you know, I've always found Jesus' choice of wording in that verse very interesting. He doesn't say, “Greater love has no one than this, that one die for his friends.” Now of course that is part of what He meant, because keep in mind He was preparing His disciples in order that they might understand His atoning work on the cross. But over the years I have come to believe that Jesus meant more than just dying for people (though that alone is a very big deal). But no, He says “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” It's one thing to die for someone and quite another to live for them and then die for them. I know that I would die for either of my kids (or my wife) in a heartbeat. But I do find it a struggle to live for them; to give of my time, my ears, my heart. But you know I think that is what Jesus (and Paul) did so well. They (in every sense of the word) laid down their lives for their people because they loved them. Love Demonstrated— You know, when we think of the passages in scripture on love, one of the first ones we think about is that written by Paul in 1 Corinthians 13, which has become known as the great love chapter of scripture. And you know (when it comes to the verbal description of what love is) it probably is. But one commentator I read pointed out that this chapter (Acts 20) is just as much a love chapter as 1 Corinthians 13. The word “love” isn't mentioned once; no, Paul just lives it out in some amazing ways, pouring out all his time and energy into serving and meeting the needs of the Church. So you might say that 1 Corinthians 13 is Pauls description of love. Acts 20 is his demonstration of that love. And you need both. Love is a verb— I am reminded of that old DC Talk song where they remind us that “love is a verb”; or that song by Michael W. Smith in which he says “love isn't love until you give it away.” Love is more than emotion; it is making a conscious effort to live sacrificially for those you claim to love. The Disintegrated Aqueduct— [Unamuno, the Spanish philosopher, tells about the Roman aqueduct at Segovia, in his native Spain. It was built in 109 A.D. For eighteen hundred years, it carried cool water from the mountains to the hot and thirsty city. Nearly sixty generations of men drank from its flow. Then came another generation, a recent one, who said, "This aqueduct is so great a marvel that it ought to be preserved for our children, as a museum piece. We shall relieve it of its centuries-long labor." They did; they laid modern iron pipes. They gave the ancient bricks and mortar a reverent rest. And the aqueduct began to fall apart. The sun beating on the dry mortar caused it to crumble. The bricks and stone sagged and threatened to fall. What ages of service could not destroy idleness disintegrated.] How sad this is. But it can also be true of the Christian. When we cease to live outwardly in holy, self-giving, sacrificial love, our Christianity (no matter how solid our belief may be) will begin to disintegrate. This is why Paul writes in Galatians 6:10… Galatians 6:10 (ESV)— 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. “when we have opportunity”— Now notice how it doesn't say “when we have opportunity”, but “as we have opportunity”. It is now that we have [opportunity. This Gr. word refers to a distinct, fixed time period, rather than occasional moments. Paul's point is that the believer's entire life provides the unique privilege by which he can serve others in Christ's name. especially… the household of faith. Our love for fellow Christians is the primary test of our love for God (see notes on John 13: 34, 35; Rom. 12: 10– 13; 1 John 4: 21).] Let's Recognize— And so this week, recognize the opportunities that God has given you to do good in the lives of other people (and especially the Church). Seize those opportunities. And in blessing, may you also be blessed. Let's do so. Amen.

Hello, and welcome to Lechem Panim. It's good to have you with us today as we continue our study of the book of Acts together. But before we get into our passage today I'd like to first ask you if maybe at some time in your life you have fallen asleep at time or in a place you shouldn't have; and then maybe things got a little awkward? Nudged to Pray— At the Christian college I attended, in chapel on time, one of the students fell asleep during the preacher's message. And his buddy, noting that he was fast asleep, nudged him and said, “Hey, wake up. The preacher just called on you to pray.” And, startled awake and not yet coming to his full senses, the young man quickly stood up and began praying right there in front of several hundred other college students. Now imagine his embarrassment when he realized what had happened; and what his friend had done to him. I'm not sure they were friends after that. Now something very similar happens in our story today; only this time there are deadly consequences. And yet it gives God an extraordinary means of showing His power through the apostle Paul. Go ahead and look with me at chapter 20 of the book of Acts. You may remember from our episode last week how Paul and a group of pastors from various churches that he had helped plant are making their way towards Jerusalem with an offering for the church there. And they stop at the city of Troas, of which Luke writes in verse 6: and there we stayed seven days. And on Sunday they gather for a local evening worship service in a house likely belonging to one of the believers. They eat, have communion together, and then Paul begins teaching them. It says in… Acts 20:7 (LSB)— 7 And on the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began speaking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight. A Final Message— Now Paul knew that this would likely be his last meeting with these Christians here in Troas. And so, understandably, he preaches a longer sermon because he wants to make sure that he leaves them with as much as possible that can help them in the days ahead when they will no longer have him. And it is in the context of that prolonged message that something very unexpected happens. It says… Acts 20:8-9a (LSB)— 8 Now there were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered together. 9 And there was a young man named Eutychus sitting on the windowsill, sinking into a deep sleep. Young Man— Now the word used to describe Eutychus' age here in verse 9 (manias) [means a man from twenty-four to forty years of age.] However, the word in verse 12 (pais) means [a young child or youth. Dr. Howard Marshall, an eminent Greek scholar, says he was a “young lad of eight to fourteen years.] My son falls within that age range, and so this could have been him! Now [Since the word pais can mean “a servant,” Eutychus may have been a young man who was also a servant.] So he might very well have been weary from working hard that day. That coupled with the fact that it was late in the evening (and the possible stuffiness of the room) caused him to be very tired. Plus all those oil lamps (which is what they were) combined with a lot of people served to make the room nice and warm. It was most likely not because Paul's sermon was boring, as everyone else (including those who probably should have been watching Eutychus) seemed to be so engrossed, they don't even notice Eutychus falling asleep next to a window he could potentially fall out of. And poor Eutychus; he's trying his best to stay awake. [The tense of the Greek verb indicates that he was gradually overcome, not suddenly.] But he just can't stay awake. Now his name adds to the humor of the story because his name actually means [“lucky, fortunate.” {And so} The "many lamps" (v. 8) and long sermon likely led "Lucky" to seek air in the window {(where there was better ventilation and the cool air might help to keep him awake)}, but he fell asleep anyway]. It says in… Acts 20:9b (LSB)— And as Paul kept on talking, he sunk into that sleep and fell down from the third floor Falling Out— And so, no doubt leaning and then tipping out the window, Eutychus fell three stories to the ground below. Now I don't know if you've ever had a dream before where you are falling and you suddenly wake up. But it's terrifying!!! Well here Eutychus is, awakened by that sensation, and (to his horror) it's not a dream. He hits the ground and is killed. It says of him that he… Acts 20:9c (LSB)— fell down from the third floor and was picked up dead. All Dead, Or Just Mostly Dead— Now some of your translations may say “as dead”. And so the question obviously arises, was he completely dead or just mostly dead? Just recently I watched one of my favorite scenes in one of my family's favorite movies The Princess Bride. This scene came to my mind when I was reading this passage because in this scene a man who has died recently is being carried by his friends to somebody who they think  might be able to restore him to life; a miracle-worker by the name of Miracle Max. And when Miracle Max looks at him he says, “The good news is that he's not all-dead, just mostly dead. There's a big difference between mostly dead and all-dead.” What's the difference, one of the friends asks. “Well, if mostly dead, he's slightly alive. But with all-dead, there's really only one thing you can do.” What's that, asks the friend. “Go through his pockets and start looking for loose change.” All Dead— So was he “mostly dead” or “all dead”? Well, there is actually less room for misinterpretation in the Greek; as the Greek word is νεκρός, which in its adjectival form here means “dead/lifeless”. As a noun it would mean “a dead body/corpse”. And so he is picked up νεκρός/dead (not "as dead”). He has actually died. His life is in him— Now this story has a touch of humor because of the circumstances involved (and plus we know how it ends). But keep in mind what a horror this must have been to the boys mother and father, who were no doubt there; and even to Paul. I mean we don't know if it was the scream of somebody who say Eutychus fall or if it was the scream of Eutychus himself that alerted everyone. But when Paul realizes what has happened (maybe even seen it himself) he obviously stops teaching and (in horror) quickly runs down the stairs, which keep in mind ran outside the house. And it says… Acts 20:10 (LSB)— 10 But Paul went down and fell upon him, and after embracing him, he said, “Do not be troubled, for his life is in him.” Fell Upon— Now as I was reading Paul's response here “Do not be troubled, for his life is in him.”, I was really hearing him say, “Don't worry, he's not all-dead; he's only MOSTLY dead.” And so which is it? Is Paul lying or bending the truth a little? No, because before he says that, it says first that he went down and fell upon him. And that phraseology is key because remember God had also performed resurrections through Elijah and Elisha after they had fallen upon and embraced two young boys who had died. So Paul's falling upon Eutychus was the means through which God brought him back to life, after which Paul (seeing the boy alive) then cries out “Do not be troubled, for his life is in him.” Acts 20:11-12 (LSB)— 11 And when he had gone back up and had broken the bread and eaten, he talked with them a long while until daybreak, and then left. 12 And they took away the boy alive, and were not a little comforted. He kept preaching!— By the way, I love how Paul went right back to preaching. And I guarantee you Eutychus was now awake the whole time; partially because of what had happened, but also because when God brings you back to life, you come back refreshed, walking and leaping and praising Him. He had a lot to be thankful for. Sacred Spots— You know, sometimes you don't know what you are thankful for until you don't have it. Now this story has a happy ending because Eutychus lived to die another day (perhaps as an aged man after having live a rich and full life). We don't know. But can you imagine being his mom or his dad that day? You know, I often worry about my kids. I'm not a put-your-kid-in-a-bubble parent, but I am very protective of my kids. And almost every day I worry about them having a Eutychus moment; losing attention for that split second; that little blip of time that can end or forever change the course of their lives. And that's compounded by the fact that I know there's no Apostle Paul to bring them back if anything like that happens to them.     Our kids and I were in a car accident now about two years ago, right near their school. Another car (not watching) veered into us and hit us very hard; every airbag in the car deployed. Airbags came out of places I didn't even know airbags could be. The one that deployed just left of my head knocked my hearing out for a little while. And after impact I (ears ringing) turned to see my kids; and I saw the fear written all over their faces. And for months afterwards, often when I would drive through that spot (now extra-cautiously), I had this kind of gut-clenching, physical reaction. Now I know we are not to live in fear; and on the other side of that I have seen so many times how God has protected them, as He did then. But I am also aware of how quickly life can change. And whenever I go through that spot I feel this overwhelming gratitude for my kids' lives; and for my life too.     There is another spot that holds similar significance to me; and I know it does to you as well. It is the site of the cross. What a horrible place to be; at the foot of a cross. And yet was there that Jesus (in such a brief window of time) gave us back everything we might have lost; eternal life in fellowship with God. I don't know what your plans are this week, but I would like to encourage you to make time to give thanks to God for saving you in that sacred place. Like these early Christians did, orient yourself around a remembrance of what God has done for you in and through Jesus. Let's do so. Amen.

Hello, and welcome to Lechem Panim. If you have your Bible, go ahead and turn with me to Acts chapter 20. As you may remember, Paul is traveling with a group of men who each represented churches that Paul had started in Asia. And each of them is [carrying an offering from his home church to be given to the believers in Jerusalem], which remember had a tremendous amount of need. [Having each man deliver the gift {really offered} a personal touch and strengthened the unity of the believers.] The Church was being the Church for one another. You know, this coming Sunday at our Church (Renton Park Church) I am preaching on the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus; and what is remarkable to me about that prayer is how often Jesus prays for the unity of all believers; that they may be one even as He and the Father are one. Now I can't even begin to unpack that today. But Jesus says in that prayer… John 17:21 (ESV)— 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. John 17:23 (ESV)— 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. Testimony to the world— The fundamental purpose of our unity is to bear testimony to the world of the fact that the Father did indeed send His beloved Son Jesus (and that He is their salvation) and that God loves them just as He loves Jesus. That is what our unity points the world to. Jesus had said in… John 13:35 (ESV)— 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” No Excuse— Now if there is disunity; if there is a lack of love and care for one another; this gives the world an excuse not to take us seriously. But when we are unified and loving and caring for one another, we pave the way for the Holy Spirit to bring conviction to them and often a longing to be a part of that same kind of unified body of believers. And that is part of what this love offering helped to demonstrate. It was a very personal and tender-hearted gesture. A New Goal— Paul had wanted to arrive in Jerusalem by Passover; but they had been delayed, so that didn't happen. So now he is trying to get there at least by Pentecost (Acts 20:16). And here we see that they have come to the city of Troas, of which Luke writes in verse 6: and there we stayed seven days. “We” to “Us”— Now note how in verse 5 and here in verse 6 there is a [pronoun change {from “he”} to “us” and “we,” for Dr. Luke has now joined the party (see Acts 16:17). He had probably been ministering at Philippi where he joined Paul for the last leg of the journey. {And} Paul must have rejoiced to have Luke, Titus, and Timothy at his side again. {But} The men remained at Troas a week so that they might fellowship with the believers there. Perhaps they were also waiting for the departure of the next ship. {But they are waiting there; and as they are waiting there,} Luke gives us a brief report of a local church service in Troas, and from it we learn something of how these early Christians met and worshipped the Lord.] It says in… Acts 20:7 (LSB)— 7 And on the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began speaking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight. “On the first day of the week”—  Now note the very first phrase: on the first day of the week,. This is actually the first reference in the book of Acts to Christian worship taking place on Sunday rather than on the seventh day (the Sabbath). And this day of course came to be known as “the Lord's Day” because it was the day on which the Lord Jesus had risen from the dead (Rev. 1:10). So that alone gave the first day of the week an amazing significance. But keep in mind that it was also on the first day of the week that the Holy Spirit had come at Pentecost and birthed the Christian Church. And so the first day of the week became (for multiple reasons) the primary day of worship. Now as the Church was just starting off, they would (during those early years) still [maintain some of the Jewish traditions, such as the hours of prayer (Acts 3:1). But as time went on, they moved away from the Mosaic calendar and developed their own pattern of worship as the Spirit taught them.] In The Evening— Now the second thing that we see from this verse is that the church met in the evening. And the reason [the church met in the evening {was} because {keep in mind that} Sunday was not a holiday during which people were free from daily employments.] Some of you may remember the days when that was the case here in the states. But sadly, that is not the case now and certainly wasn't during these times.} And keep in mind that some of these believers were slaves; and so they couldn't come to church until they had finished their duties. Now these early believers didn't have any church building in which they could meet, and so they would meet in the private homes of believers. And this room was likely in the private home (or was the home) of one of the believers. And these believers would have been of all different nationalities and social statuses. But none of that mattered anymore. As far as they were concerned, they were “all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28). to break bread— Now the fellowship of these early believers was a beautiful thing. They would fellowship around a “potluck” meal that they called a “love feast” (agape). And after they would finish eating, they would observe the Lord's Supper together (Acts 2:42; 1 Cor. 11:17–34). And that is what we see here in their breaking bread together. Here in Acts 20:7 we have reference to Lord's Supper and then Acts 20:11 describes the regular meal that would have preceded it. And remember how we talked before about how (in that culture; particularly Jewish culture) to eat with someone was to show commonality with them. That is why if two parties were at enmity with one another and sought restoration, that restoration would never be considered complete until they had shared a meal together. That is part of what made the story of Zacchaeus so powerful. Jesus shared a meal with him that showed they had commonality and peace between each other; and more so, that there was peace between Zacchaeus and God. And of course we also need to understand the Marriage Supper of the Lamb in light of that custom because in that meal is the consummation of our restoration to God. And these “love feasts” were beautiful pictures of the healing that had taken place across social and racial lines in those communities, as men and women of different races and social statuses (think about it, even slaves and their masters) were eating, sharing, and enjoying fellowship with one another as equals under Jesus Christ. That was something never heard of before; and that alone bore such an incredible witness to those communities (and to the world). And I love how that fellowship and unity was built around Thanksgiving; the remembrance of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for us.     Now you and I sometimes worry that taking communion too often will cause it to become simply routine and we will miss (or grow cold to) the blessings involved. And that may be true. But the early Christians had it at least once a week as a group and many of them likely, even when they were by themselves during their regular meals at home, would conclude their own personal meals by taking the bread and wine. Now Scripture doesn't give us any specific command to do this (“as often”, 1 Cor. 11:26); but what it shows is that they wanted to keep before them always that reminder of what Jesus had done for them. For them, Thanksgiving (Eucharist, which comes from the Greek word for Thanksgiving) wasn't once a year, it was all the time. And that is a beautiful thing. And it challenges us also to live every day in that spirit of Thanksgiving. The Lord's Message— Now another thing we see in this passage is the centrality of the Word of God, which was always preached in these Christian churches. And this involved [the public reading of the Old Testament Scriptures (1 Tim. 4:13) as well as whatever apostolic letters had been received (Col. 4:16).] Now sadly, in many churches nowadays, we find the Word of God being neglected. Many (even Christians) know very little of what the Word of God actually says and therefore are unequipped to defend themselves against those who (by twisting the original meaning of the Word of God) might lead them astray. That is why any strong Church will be a Biblically literate one. Paul himself writes in… 2 Timothy 4:2 (ESV)— 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. The Decadent Periods— And as Dr. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones once said “the decadent periods and eras in the history of the church have always been those periods when preaching has declined”] The Power of The Book— An unknown writer said, "This Book is the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding; its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveler's map, the pilgrim's staff, the pilot's compass, the soldier's sword, and the Christian's character. Here paradise is restored, heaven opened, and the gates of hell disclosed. Christ is its grand subject, our good its design, and the glory of God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. Follow its precepts and it will lead you to Calvary, to the empty tomb, to a resurrected life in Christ; yes, to glory itself, for eternity." Bearing Testimony— And so today, let us commit to know and walk in keeping with the Word of God; and in doing so we will (through our unity and holy love for one another) bear testimony to the world of the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Hello, and welcome to Lechem Panim. If you have your Bible, go ahead and turn with me to Acts chapter 20. We will look at verses 1-6 today. And as you are turning there, let me remind you that Paul is preparing at this point to leave the city of Ephesus due to a riot that has taken place, caused by Demetrius (a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis/Diana). He saw how Paul's message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ was pulling people away from worship of Artemis and therefore hurting his business; and so he riles up all the other craftsmen in similar trades and instigates a riot. Now the riot is quelled, but apparently Paul took this riot as a sign that it was time for him to put his plan to go to Jerusalem (and eventually to Rome) into motion. And so it says… Acts 20:1 (LSB)— 1 Now after the uproar had ceased, Paul having summoned and exhorted the disciples, said farewell and left to go to Macedonia. Visiting His Church— Now the reason the Paul wanted to visit Macedonia first was because he wanted to collect an offering for the much poorer church in Jerusalem; but also he wanted to pay at least one more visit to these various churches that he had helped to found in that region. And that was because he deeply cared for every single one of those churches. We see in 2 Corinthians 11:23–28 that the "The care of all the churches" was his greatest joy and (at the same time) his heaviest burden. He wasn't just a preacher; he was a pastor; he was a shepherd, one who truly loved each and every person he ministered to. He was the kind of pastor who worried constantly about his spiritual children and would do anything he could to minister to their physical and spiritual needs. Departing for Macedonia— And so he leaves Ephesus and begins heading towards Macedonia and Achaia (Acts 19:21). He probably went first to Philippi. Now we know that sometime during his final days in Ephesus, after writing 1 Corinthians, Paul had had a considerable amount of conflict with the Corinthian church. He visited them (likely by sea); and what he saw grieved his heart. And upon returning to Ephesus he wrote to them a “tearful” letter, which we see in 2 Corinthians 7:8-9 that he at first regretted having sent. He had sender's remorse. I don't know if that has ever happened to you. The Angry Letter— I remember a number of years ago, when I was just starting off in ministry, I made some typical mistakes that many new pastors make. And one was that I was too willing to absorb elements of ministry I had no business absorbing. I was preaching three times a week, visiting many people in their homes and in the hospitals (most of which were far away) leading prayer meetings, sometimes leading Sunday school, leading a monthly men's breakfast, leading a monthly Veteran's home ministry, and then being the chief organizer of most of our church events. Anywhere where there was slack, I thought it was my duty to be a nice pastor and pick it up. And I remember one day in particular when the lady doing the bulletin at that time said that it had become too much for her and she would have to give it up. Well, who do you think volunteered to do it? I did. And while I was at it, I also absorbed all the secretarial duties (us not having a secretary at the time). And all the while I felt I was being a good pastor. It was only later I realized how much this absorbing way of doing ministry can actually damage a church and cripple its ministries (because nothing is getting done as well when one person is doing most of it); and so I learned to take a more biblical approach and started delegating. And I also learned the freeing power of “no”; politely refusing those things that are not part of what God wanted me to do; and which are also opportunities for somebody else to step up and find their place within the body of Christ. But it was in that time and context of absorbing that I had a member of my congregation criticize me in a very harsh and unfair way, implying I wasn't doing enough. And I went home very angry. And I sat down and wrote an angry letter, which basically laid out everything I was doing and was lashing back at this person. But (thank the Lord) I showed it to my mentor first, a wonderful man of God that I owe so much to, especially in those early years of ministry. He listened as I read aloud my angry letter and said “Cameron, everything you said was true. But you can't deliver it.” And I was bummed about that. But I listened and instead allowed myself to cool down and addressed the issue in a much calmer and wiser fashion. And you know what, looking back I realize now that virtually no one in my church had any idea how much I had absorbed. Not even my board knew. Stuff was getting done but I never was communicating what it was I was doing. It was a complete failure of communication on my part. And so this person's criticism (although not based on fact) was actually my fault, not theirs. And if I had delivered my angry letter, I would have wounded that person (and maybe my church) irreparably. Burning the First Letter— You know it's interesting, [When Abraham Lincoln had to write a letter to someone who had irritated him, he would often write two letters. The first letter was deliberately insulting. Then, having gotten those feelings out of his system, he would tear it up and write a second letter, this one tactful and discreet.] And that is a very good practice. Testing The Waters— Now here in this passage, Paul wasn't worried about the truth of what he wrote as much as whether or not he was too severe. And we will never know exactly what he wrote because that epistle has been lost; and maybe that was a God-thing. But whatever the case, he had sent it. And now that he's getting ready to leave Ephesus, he wants to visit Corinth again. However, in light of this harsh letter that he sent, he is afraid of how he might be received by the church there. And so what does he do? He sends Titus ahead of him to “test the waters” at Corinth. And in the meantime (after leaving Ephesus (Acts 20:1), he doesn't head directly to Corinth by sea. Instead he goes north, [visiting the Christian communities along the way and hoping to meet up with Titus returning from Corinth.] And so he goes [to Troas, and then possibly on to other churches in Macedonia (2 Cor. 2:12-13).] And it is in the region of [Macedonia (perhaps at Philippi, Thessalonica, or Berea) {that} Titus finally joined him and brought the good news that the church {in Corinth} had repented of its opposition to Paul's leadership and had become reconciled to him (2 Cor. 7:5-16). {And so no doubt with huge joy and relief} Paul then wrote 2 Corinthians.] So he's in Macedonia. And it says in… Acts 20:2-3 (LSB)— 2 And when he had gone through those districts and had given them much exhortation, he came to Greece {(the greek word is [“Hellas”, which is simply another name for the province of Achaia, where Corinth was located.])}. 3 And there he spent three months, and when a plot was formed against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia. Paul's Stay in Corinth— And so we see that Paul stays in Corinth for three months. He [had originally planned to make two visits to Corinth (2 Cor. 1:15-16), but instead he made one visit that lasted three months (Acts 20:3; 1 Cor. 16:5-6).] These were [likely the winter months (see 1 Cor. 16:6), when sea travel was more dangerous.] And it is during this final trip to Corinth that Paul writes his letter to the Romans (c. A.D. 57). And in that letter he explains why he wants to go to Jerusalem, and that was {not just to encourage and strengthen the Christians in those churches, but also} for the purpose of taking an offering [from his Gentile churches to the needy Christians in Jerusalem]. The Church there was very poor and needed a lot of support. And Paul sought to provide that by any means possible. And that was one of his main reasons for revisiting the churches of Macedonia and Achaia this final time, which took Paul [to the churches of Berea, Thessalonica, and Philippi.] He wanted to collect money for that offering. And verses 4-5 tell us… Acts 20:4  (LSB)— 4 And he was accompanied by Sopater of Berea, the son of Pyrrhus, and by Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia. Church Representation— Now these [men who accompanied him (Acts 20:4) were {official} representatives of the churches, appointed to travel with Paul and help handle the funds (2 Cor. 8:18-24).] [Their presence would give safety from robbery and also would provide a public guarantee of Paul's integrity in handling the funds. The men listed here (Acts 20:4) as accompanying Paul represent all the areas of his missionary work. And it says… Acts 20:5 (LSB)— 5 But these had gone on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas. A Jewish Plot— Now although Paul would have sailed from Corinth, we see that there is a plot by the unbelieving Jews to kill him at sea. And sadly (as was almost always the case) that plot came from Paul's own fellow countrymen (cf. 2 Cor. 11:26). And remember that [The Jewish community of Corinth {in particular} hated Paul because of its humiliating debacle before Gallio (18:12-17), and the stunning conversions of two of its most prominent leaders, Crispus (18:8) and Sosthenes (18:17; 1 Cor. 1:1).] And so some of that Jewish group there in Corinth are plotting to kill Paul. Now [Luke does not record the details of the Jews' plot, but it undoubtedly involved murdering Paul during the voyage to Syria. The apostle would have been an easy target on a small ship packed with Jewish pilgrims.] They could very easily have pushed him overboard and made Paul (as a Cicilian might say) “sleep with the fishes.” And so (because of this plot) he has to instead travel north [overland through Achaia and Macedonia, {then cross the Aegean Sea to Asia Minor,} sailing from Philippi to Troas, where his “team” agreed to rendezvous.] And so it says… Acts 20:6 (LSB)— 6 And we sailed from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and came to them at Troas within five days; {(it was no doubt due to unfavorable winds that this crossing took 5 days, because when Paul had crossed earlier from Troas to Neapolis (Philippi's port) it had only taken two days (16:11). But nevertheless, they arrive there at Troas and Luke writes:)} and there we stayed seven days. And next week we will see what happens to Paul during those seven days. But as we close out time together today, I want to encourage you to be courageous enough to speak the truth in love (as Paul learned to do). Learn to burn the first letter. Secondly, we (like Paul) need to always be seeking to meet the needs of other people. There is always at least one person who needs our compassion and love. And we need to be faithful to help them (as Paul was). And thirdly, let us (as we follow Christ) expect opposition and neither be surprised nor afraid when it surfaces. God will be our shield during those times and (even in persecution) will work out His plans and purposes in an amazing way. And so let us trust in Him. Amen.

In our study of Paul's ministry in Ephesus here in Acts 19, we have seen some amazing things. Through Paul people are being delivered from sickness and disease, from the demonic forces that were holding sway over their lives, and were even burning all their magic paraphernalia that they had up until this time devoted themselves to. They are also turning from worship of their various false gods (gods made with hands, which of course are not really gods at all) and are instead turning to the Living God and are finding redemption in the name of His Son Jesus Christ. And so Paul is bringing them out of what destroys into what will bring life to them. Dangerous Things— I'll never forget when my son William was young and we were in this teeny tiny house during the first couple years of my pastoral ministry. Somehow we had failed to clean off the kitchen counter and he (who had just then barely learned to walk) had gone into the kitchen by himself. And when we came in, he started walking towards us brandishing two steak knives, one in each hand. And you can imagine the fear that suddenly leapt into our hearts. It was kind of like one of those moments were you don't know exactly what to do. But we slowly and carefully walked towards him and took those steak knives out of his hands. Now that wasn't because we were mean or obsessed with being “the adults; the rule makers” but because we wanted to remove from him those objects of destruction that could harm or even end his very life. Paul's Open Correction— Well the same is true here. Paul is doing what he can to open peoples eyes to the understanding that what they are playing around with in regards to their idols is destructive to their lives. And so, with love and respect (and that is always key), he is speaking against idolatry. And Demetrius (a silversmith who was making idols of the goddess Artemis/Diana) doesn't take issue with Paul's teaching except at the point at which it might affect his and the other craftsmen's money belts. And so the issue is not a doctrinal one. There were plenty of Jews in Ephesus who would have rejected belief in Artemis/Diana. That was nothing new. The center of Demetrius' concern was how that doctrine might affect their business.  Selling Salvation— It's interesting how false religions always want you to "buy into" them. Catholics at one time sold indulgences; actual physical payment for sins. There was even a time when you could pre-pay for the sins you were intending to commit. All of that is false and antithetical to the message of the Gospel, which is why anywhere that the true Gospel is preached, there will always be opposition from those who are preying upon the fears of people; who have turned religion into an industry. The message of salvation by grace through faith alone is a dangerous doctrine for those who seek to sell people salvation. And we see in our passage today a very negative reaction from Demetrius and the craftsmen he began talking to, as it says in… Acts 19:28 (LSB)— 28 When they heard this and were filled with rage, they began crying out, saying, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” Selfish Motives Masked— Now Demetrius had a brilliant strategy for stirring up this riot. Because while he pointed out the financial loss they would incur, he gets them to mask their greed behind the false front of patriotism and religious loyalty. They had selfish motives, but the way he argued helped them cleverly conceal them (even from themselves), as they no doubt come to see themselves as heroes who are protecting their city and their beliefs. And so they stir up this riot, and it says in… Acts 19:29 (LSB)— 29 And the city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed with one accord into the theater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul's traveling companions from Macedonia. Aristarchus & Gaius— Paul seemed to always have traveling companions with him who her ministering to him and to whom he was himself discipling. In this case, we find these two traveling companions to be Aristarchus (who would accompany Paul on other journeys, which we see in 20:3-4 and 27:1-2) and Gaius (who is probably not the same Gaius mentioned in Romans 16:23 or 1 Corinthians 1:14). This is likely another Gaius. But both of them are seized. And when Paul hears of this, he wants to rush to their aid. It says in… Acts 19:30 (LSB)— 30 And when Paul wanted to go into the assembly, the disciples would not let him. Safety & Wisdom— And this was both because they feared for his safety, but also because they thought Paul's presence there might exacerbate the situation and make the riot even worse, as he was at the very center of this conflict. But it wasn't just the Christians who were telling him not to go in. It says in… Acts 19:31 (LSB)— 31 Also some of the Asiarchs who were friends of his sent to him and repeatedly urged him not to venture into the theater. Asiarchs— And these Asiarchs were actually government officials. It was their responsibility to maintain religious and political order in the region. And interestingly, we see here that they had become friends of Paul, showing that the effectiveness of his ministry had reached every level of society, from the poor to the rich. Christianity was crossing all the social barriers of the day, which gave Paul some friends in high places. Now the mob grew so quickly and emotions were so heated that chaos was ensuing. It says in… Acts 19:32-33 (LSB)— 32 So then, some were shouting one thing and some another, for the meeting was in confusion and the majority did not know for what reason they had come together. 33 And some of the crowd concluded it was Alexander, since the Jews had put him forward; and having motioned with his hand, Alexander was intending to make a defense to the assembly. Alexander— Now we don't know who this Alexander was. There was a [false teacher later active at Ephesus (1 Tim. 1:20)] named Alexander. There was also another Alexander [who opposed Paul at Rome (2 Tim. 4:14)]. This was probably not either of those. Alexander was a very common name during that time. This particular Alexander could have been either a Christian Jew or perhaps a spokesman for the Jewish community of Ephesus. But whether he was a Christian, a Jew, of a Christian Jew, [the motive for putting him forward was the same—to disassociate themselves from the Christians and avoid a massacre of the Jews.] And so he prepares to make a defense (either of Christianity or the Jews). But all of this backfires when the crowd recognizes that he is a Jew, which shows that this [mob had become anti-Jewish as well as anti-Christian.] It says… Acts 19:34 (LSB)— 34 But when they recognized that he was a Jew, a single cry arose from them all as they shouted for about two hours, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” The Intervention— Can you imagine?! FOR TWO HOURS!!! I mean this is a war-cry. And this goes on until finally the city clerk intervenes. Now in modern terms, the city clerk was the Mayor of Ephesus. It was his responsibility (just like any local city leader) to simply maintain peace and order. But keep in mind that it is the Roman empire that was in ultimate control of Ephesus. And Rome was absolutely devastating in its punishment of any kind of riotous outbreak. And this official knows that if he cannot quickly quell this riot, he could very well be removed from office and the entire town placed under martial law, which would result in the loss of many of their civic freedoms. So he is trying his best to quickly re-establish order. It says in… Acts 19:35-41 (LSB)— 35 Now after calming the crowd, the city clerk *said, “Men of Ephesus, what man is there after all who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of the image which fell down from heaven? {[This probably refers to a meteorite, since meteorites were incorporated with the worship of Diana.]} 36 “So, since these are undeniable facts, you ought to keep calm and to do nothing rash. 37 “For you have brought these men here who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess. 38 “So then, if Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are in session and proconsuls are available; let them bring charges against one another. 39 “But if you want anything beyond this, it shall be settled in the lawful meeting. 40 “For indeed we are in danger of being accused of a riot in connection with today's events, since there is no cause for which we can give as an account for this disorderly gathering.” 41 After saying this he dismissed the meeting. Follow The Rule of Law— Now thankfully this city clerk had a head on his shoulders. He also seems to have a had a deep respect for the rule of law. He doesn't give in to the crowd and have Paul punished. In fact, he recognizes that it is not his responsibility at all (nor the crowd's) to resolve this issue. It is the job of the courts. And so he openly blames the crowd for not following the proper judicial procedure, saying that they should have gone to the courts and proconsuls. This would help to ensure that justice was done and that they would avoid incurring the wrath of Rome. And so he dismisses them. Riot quelled. A Sign to Move On— Now although the riot was over, Paul apparently took this as a sign that it was time for him to move on from Ephesus. However, it was encouraging to see that the law did still provide some protection for Christians [as they challenged the worship of the goddess Artemis in the most idolatrous region in Asia.] Faithful To Challenge— Now there is so much that we can glean from this passage; because you and I also live in a day and age where people are in bondage to false beliefs; especially here in the Seattle area, where there are so many different religions. When my family first moved here, we were amazed just how many palm-readers and psychics there are in the area; businesses built to prey upon people's hopes and fears. And if we are to truly be the Church, we need to connect people with the truth of the Gospel; share the Word with them (even those parts that might offend them) so that the Holy Spirit can convict them and (hopefully) bring them into a knowledge of the truth. But that begins with us being faithful; faithful to lovingly challenge them. Now we might face rejection or persecution for that. But on the other side of that God will (as He always does) bring about fruit. So let's commit to be God's voice in the lives of people. Amen.

Persecution— You know, I don't know if you have ever faced a time of persecution in your life. But if you have, you will know that it can be a very scary and difficult experience. And you can often wonder how God could possibly be at work in such a circumstance. We might even think that that persecution is a sign that we have done something wrong or that God is somehow absent. But nothing could be further from the truth, especially when we are talking about the Church; because when we look back at the broad scope of church history (of which the book of Acts plays a major part) we find that persecution never really slowed down (much less stopped) the growth of Christianity; rather it caused Christianity to thrive and grow in its purest form. Wherever persecution arose, it would end with the Church being stronger and the growth of Christianity more widespread; and I would also add deeply committed. Why Persecution?— Now why does that persecution come? It isn't because of the positive difference the church might make in a community. Nobody has a problem with any religious group for feeding the hungry or taking care of the needy. In fact, there have been instances where churches have received rewards for doing those kinds of things; and those things are good, and I would even say are signature marks of being true believers because that is what Christ did. And being rewarded or recognized for that may not be bad in and of itself. But often the world loving and rewarding you can be a negative sign; because what it can signify is that a Church has become too much like the world and that it is failing to preach the true message of the Gospel, which is offensive to those who are still lost. Being rewarded by the world system would have never happened in the book of Acts. And the reason for that was because the early Church recognized that they were called not to be the comforters of a community (at least not centrally), but were called to be the conscience of the community. And the reason persecution would often rise against Christianity was because the Church was revealing and challenging by the Word of God what was wrong in the lives of the people of whatever community it resided in. They met people's physical needs, but they also challenged people's worldviews and talked about sin and their need for repentance. And that is where things get heated; when Satan rises and begins to stir people to try to silence or dispel the Church. And that is what we will see in our passage today as well. If you have it, go ahead and look with me at Acts 19:21. It says… Acts 19:21 (LSB)— 21 Now after these things were finished, Paul purposed in the Spirit to go to Jerusalem after he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” Macedonia & Achaia— Now Macedonia was [The region located across the Aegean Sea on the mainland of Greece. The cities of Philippi and Thessalonica {and also Berea} were located there.] And it was here that the Gospel had first crossed from Asia into Europe. [Achaia included the church in Corinth]. Now what this verse does is it [provides an outline for the rest of the book of Acts; because after Paul leaves Ephesus, he would return to the churches in “Macedonia” and “Achaia” (or Greece, 20:1-2), then go back to Jerusalem (21:17), and then eventually proceed to Rome (28:14).] Why Rome?— Now why did Paul want to go to Rome? Well, everywhere that Paul went, he could see the influence of Rome. And so he wanted to take the message of the [to the world center of influence and power.] If he was living in our day and age, he would be setting his sights on Washington D.C., or perhaps Hollywood. But for him, that was Rome. Plus we see in Romans 15:22-24 that he intended to use Rome as a launching point for a ministry in the strategic region of Spain. And so we have a crucial turning point here in the book of Acts as [from this point on, Rome became Paul's goal. {And we know that} He would ultimately arrive there as a Roman prisoner (Acts 28:16).] Now it says here in… Acts 19:22 (LSB)— 22 And having sent into Macedonia two of those who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while. Timothy & Erastus— Now Timothy was of course a dear assistant (and really an adopted son) of Paul, to whom Paul wrote two letters known as first and second Timothy. But Erastus is a little bit less well known. However, he also [was a committed follower of Christ who was not only Paul's helpful assistant but also Corinth's city treasurer (see Romans 16:23).] And part of Erastus' and Timothy's job on this journey to Macedonia is in fact to collect an offering for the church in Jerusalem, which was very poor; there were a lot of needy people in that church. And so [Paul wanted to take a love offering from his churches as a gift to the church at Jerusalem. {And} The reason he wanted to go {back} to Macedonia and Achaia was to collect this offering.] And that just shows how dedicated Paul (and all the Church) was to making sure that the needs of people were being met. 1 Corinthians Being Delivered— Now [Paul apparently wrote 1 Corinthians during the springtime, near the end of his time in Ephesus (cf. v.21; also 1 Cor. 16:5-10). Paul sent the letter to Corinth with Timothy and Erastus (see 1 Cor. 16:10), and then later left Ephesus to go through Macedonia and eventually to Corinth himself as well (see Acts 20:1-2; 1 Cor. 16:5, 8-9).] So Paul sends them into Macedonia while he himself lingers for a time in Asia. Look with me at… Acts 19:23 (LSB)— 23 Now about that time there occurred no small disturbance concerning the Way. The Way— Now what is the way? Mandalorian fans, don't answer that. This trouble was not caused by a group of Mandalorians. No, [“The Way” {was a phrase used to designate}…those who followed the way of Christ—the Christians.] And so the teachings of Christianity (propagated by Paul) are really what is at the center of this conflict. It says in… Acts 19:24 (LSB)— 24 For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, was bringing no little business to the craftsmen; Artemis/Diana— Now Artemis (or Diana, as she was also known) was a fertility goddess, much like the Baals of the Old Testament. And because she represented fertility, she was depicted as a woman with many breasts. And there was a large statue of her that was said to have come from heaven (19:35). And this image was in the great temple at Ephesus, a temple which was so great it was one of the wonders of the ancient world. But there would be festivals held in her honor; and these involved orgies, carousing, and many unspeakable things. And [It is likely that the riot described in this passage took place during the annual {week-long} spring festival held in her honor at Ephesus.] And (like we saw recently) there was a huge industry that was built around her that [had become more significant in the time of Paul since the city was beginning to lose its significance as a center for international trade] and became more dependent on foreigners who would come and deposit money at her temple, buy idols of her, etc. And so people in that industry were very highly interested in keeping the worship of her going, because that had become more of the center of their economy. And one of these men who was involved in that industry became very concerned when he saw people beginning to abandon Artemis in favor of this Jesus whom Paul was preaching about; a man by the name of Demetrius, who is described as a silversmith, who made silver shrines to Artemis,…bringing no little business to the craftsmen {which [suggests Demetrius may have been the head of the silversmiths' guild—which would explain his taking the lead in opposing the Christian preachers.]}. And of these other fellow silversmiths it says… Acts 19:25-27 (LSB)— 25 these he gathered together with the workers of similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that our prosperity is from this business. 26 “And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in almost all of Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable crowd, saying that things made with hands are not gods. 27 “And not only is there danger that this trade of ours fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis be considered as worthless and that she, whom all of Asia and the world worship, is even about to be brought down from her majesty.” Profit, Not Doctrine— Now notice that Demetrius raises no particular disagreement with Paul's teachings about Jesus Christ other than the fact that Paul is saying that things made with hands are not gods. And when you think about it, that is a pretty gutsy thing for him to say in that context. And it shows that he is not of the mindset that Christians (like many say Christians need to do) just need to keep to themselves and never tell anybody else they are wrong in what they believe. The early Christians did not have that mindset at all; and Paul certainly didn't. He wasn't afraid to tell people what was right and what was wrong. Being God's Voice— And you know, that has direct implications for us as individuals, because you and I also are to be the convicting voice of God for those around us. But somehow we modern Christians have gotten into our heads that the chief commandment in Scripture is to just get along with everybody else. Don't make waves and do not (by any means) ever be judgmental. And we think that that is being loving to other people. However, that is not being loving at all when we consider that many of the things that people are playing around with are destructive to their lives. And if sinful people can be completely comfortable around us, then we aren't doing our jobs; we are not being the Church. We are not really striking at the heart of what can bring lasting, eternal change to people's lives. That is one of the things that I so admire about my church, Renton Park Chapel; because while we want to be a church where everyone feels welcome to attend, we also want what they encounter in our lives and in our worship to bring conviction to their souls. That is something that the early Church clearly understood and practiced. They weren't afraid to call a spade a spade. And that's not just in the interest of “being right“, but was an expression of love. We want people to come as they are; but we also recognize that God loves them too much to leave them enslaved to the things that are bringing destruction to their lives. He wants to free them from all those things by conforming them into the image of His Son Jesus. And that means making significant changes to their lives. And any church that is more interested in keeping its attendees happy than in helping them to be holy is not being the Church. And so let's be the Church. Let's strive to (in love) be the conscience of our community, pointing the way to Christ. Then we will have the gift of seeing God's light overcome their darkness. Let's do so. Amen.

Hello and welcome to Lechem Panim. So glad you could join us today for a time of Bible Study as we continue to look at the book of Acts together. In recent weeks we have been in chapter 19, taking a look at Paul's ministry in the city of Ephesus. And really God has been doing some amazing things through the apostle Paul. Paul has been preaching and teaching, but also performing many amazing miracles, healing people of various diseases and also driving out demons. And it that last point that is of central importance in our passage today; because here God is revealing through Paul the authenticity and authority of the person of Jesus Christ; and that Paul is in fact speaking for God. And much of what we encounter in our passage today has to do with that authority; what happens to the sicknesses; how the demons respond to that authority. “I'm a Lighthouse”— I am reminded of a story shared [In U.S. Navel Institute Proceedings, the magazine of the Naval Institute, {in which} Frank Koch illustrates the importance of obeying… Two battleships assigned to the training squadron had been at sea on maneuvers in heavy weather for several days. {He says} I was serving on the lead battleship and was on watch on the bridge as night fell. The visibility was poor with patchy fog, so the captain remained on the bridge keeping an eye on all activities. Shortly after dark, the lookout on the wing reported, "Light, bearing on the starboard bow." "Is it steady or moving astern?" the captain called out. The lookout replied, "Steady, Captain," which meant we were on a dangerous collision course with that ship. The captain then called to the signalman, "Signal that ship: 'We are on a collision course, advise you change course twenty degrees.'" Back came the signal, "Advisable for you to change course twenty degrees." The captain said, "Send: "I'm a captain, change course twenty degrees.'" "I'm a seaman second-class," came the reply. "You had better change course twenty degrees." By that time the captain was furious. He spat out, "Send: 'I'm a battleship. Change course twenty degrees.'" Back came the flashing light, "I'm a lighthouse." We changed course.] Well, this is kind of like what was happening with Paul. Mighty battleships that had held sway over the lives of people for years and years (battleships of sickness, fear, and superstition) were now giving way to a much greater power; the Light of Jesus Christ. And Paul was like the keeper of that lighthouse, sharing the Light of Christ. Authority vs. No Authority— And in a second we are going to see the difference between having the authority of God on your life and not having that authority. Because, within this context of healing and expulsion of demons, we find that some men come to town who are part of the exorcism business; and (seeing all these great works) they try to cast out demons by the same name that Paul was casting them out. And that is because, as [John Polhill explains, Ancient magicians were syncretists and would borrow terms from any religion that sounded sufficiently strange to be deemed effective….Paul's “spell” (if you want to call it that, though of course it wasn't) in Jesus' name seemed effective for him, so they gave it a try.]. It says in… Acts 19:13 (LSB)— 13 But also some of the Jewish exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to invoke over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, “I implore you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.” Exorcists— Now here the word exorcist refers to someone who uses a name to bind and cast out a demon. Interestingly, this is the only place in scripture where this word occurs. Demons are often cast out by Jesus and His followers, but those were not true exorcisms because exorcisms always involved formulaic rituals in which you would use a name to drive out a demon. Exorcists during that time would often recite a whole list of names in their incantations in order to be sure they included the right deity, by whose name they hoped to drive the demon out. And they would often do this for money. Now you might ask, “Well, what if they failed to pay the exorcist? Did they get repossessed?” I don't know. Maybe so.     But one of the most important things we need to recognize about these so-called exorcists is that they were frauds. No doubt they had some success in their business, or else they wouldn't be in business; but what we have to understand is that people like this are often used by Satan to further his hold on people. And though demons may leave after one of their ridiculous incantations, this was not because of their authority or the effectiveness of those incantations. Rather, the demons might leave in order to help keep the superstitions and fears of the people alive. [As Ed Murphy points out, this was a case of evil spirits battling each other—that is, the evil spirit in the possessed person battled the demonized exorcists. {Now} How can we harmonize this fact with Christ's statement that Satan will not be divided against Satan? {Well, that's easy; because there is no division.} Demons can expel and attack other demons {when doing so serves} to enhance the control of demons over people. {Because} Such demon-to-demon attacks only increase Satan's hold over people.] And that also includes the exorcists, who believe they have this power. And here they see that the name of Jesus has great affect over demons, and so a group of Jewish exorcists (and there were a good number of these during this time) began trying to use the name of Jesus as part of their incantations. Now it may surprise you to see Jews dabbling in this kind of thing; and even more so to know that there were Jews during this time who dabbled in magic. But F.F. Bruce points out that “among practitioners of magic in ancient times Jews enjoyed high respect, for they were believed to have exceptionally effective spells at their command.” And in verse 14 we meet seven of these so-called Jewish exorcists. It says… Acts 19:14 (LSB)— 14 Now seven sons of one named Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. Sons of Sceva— Now there is no record of any Jewish chief priest named Sceva, leading some (like F.F. Bruce) to think that the title “Jewish chief priest” may have in fact been a self-designation taken on by Sceva to lend credibility to himself and his practice. And this may be because (as F.F. Bruce points out) ["the fact that the name of God was not pronounced by vulgar lips was generally known among pagans, and misrepresented by them according to regular magical principles." By contrast, "the Jewish high priest was the one man who was authorized to pronounce the otherwise ineffable name {of God}. {And so} Such a person would therefore enjoy prestige among magicians."] Can you see why that might have motivated Sceva to take on that title? However, despite that, we will see that through his seven sons, their practice will be discredited as the fraud that it was; because they come to a man who is demon-possessed and try to cast out the demon through the practice of exorcism. However, they were in for a surprise, as it says… Acts 19:15-16 (LSB)— 15 And the evil spirit answered and said to them, “I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” 16 And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaped on them, subdued all of them, and utterly prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. Didn't Know Jesus— You know, it's amazing to see how completely and utterly they fail; and the reason they failed was because they tried to use the name of Jesus like an incantation. Now although we recognize that there is power in the name of Jesus, we must also recognize that we ought never to seek to exercise the power of that name apart from a relationship with Jesus. These sons of Sceva were doing just that; calling on the name of Jesus without knowing or even being interested to know Him personally; they were only hoping to use Him. But God was not willing to allow His Son to be manipulated or used. And these sons of Sceva discover this in a very potent way, as the demon (through the man) leaps upon them, subdues them, tears off their clothes, and sends them running for their lives buck naked. And so we have the birth of the practice of streaking. Demons Profane The Sacred Image— Now at my church (Renton Park Chapel) I preached not long ago on Jesus' driving out a host of demons out of a man who had been wandering among some tombs. And one thing that leapt out at me (I might say) about that passage (and which I think relates to this one) is that when the demon-possessed man came to Jesus, he was completely naked. And that is because the demonic forces at work in our lives always seek to dehumanize us and humiliate us. They seek to profane and mar the sacredness of the image of God in Whom we are created. And we see this here as well. The demon dehumanizes these Jewish exorcists and sends them running away naked. And it says in… Acts 19:17-18 (LSB)— 17 And this became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived in Ephesus; and fear fell upon them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified. {Now notice the transition. In the beginning of our passage all of the focus was on Paul; but now the focus has shifted to where it belongs, on the name of Jesus. It says:} 18 Also, many of those who had believed kept coming, confessing and disclosing their practices. Spells Rendered Inoperative— And what this probably means is that the people are [revealing the content of their spells. {And the reason for this is because} “According to magical theory, the potency of a spell is bound up with its secrecy; if it be divulged, it becomes in-effective. So these converted magicians renounced their imagined power by rendering their spells inoperative.”] Furthermore, it says in… Acts 19:19-20 (LSB)— 19 And many of those who practiced magic brought their books together {(meaning scrolls of magical spells and formulae; “Magical papyri were rolled up in small cylinders or lockets used as amulets around the neck.” So they brought them together)} and were burning them in the sight of everyone; and they counted up the price of them and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. {And those pieces of silver were what are known as drachmas. One drachma was a day's wage for an average worker. And so what we have here is fifty thousand days' worth of wages. What an amazing thing to see these Ephesians breaking with all that opened the door for Satan to move in. And after this Luke highlights the ripple effect even more. He writes:} 20 So the word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing. 3 Lessons— Now we learn a number of things from this passage. First, demons are very real and they are very powerful. So don't underestimate them (see Jude 1:8-8). Secondly (and this is good news for us), they recognize and always submit to the authority of God. That is why we don't have to be afraid of them; because (as 1 John 4:4 says) greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. And third, Jesus' name is not some magic word by which demons can be cast out. No incantation (even ones that use Jesus' name) can genuinely cast out demons. Because the power is ultimately in Jesus, not in any ritual. The power belongs to Him and to Him alone. And the greatest mistake made by the sons of Sceva was that they failed to realize that it wasn't Paul who was driving out the demons. It was Jesus who was freeing people through Paul. And he was doing that because Paul had a relationship with Jesus; not one where Paul was using Jesus to do things; but where Jesus was using Paul to work out His plans and His purposes.     And you know, the same is true with us. If we want to have victory over sin and the powers of darkness, the greatest thing we can do is be in a relationship with Jesus Christ. It is in Him and in Him alone that the forces of evil in our lives are driven out and we become lighthouses who in turn help to drive away the shrouds that lay upon the lives of other people. So let us commit to truly know and walk with and allow ourselves to be used by Jesus. Amen.

Hello, it's good to have you with us today as we continue our study of the book of Acts. If you have your Bible with you, I'd invite you to go ahead and turn with me to Acts chapter 19, which finds Paul ministering in Ephesus, where he has been focusing so much of his time and energy on preaching and teaching the Word of God and edifying and raising up leaders for the church there in Ephesus. And, like we talked about last week, he had an absolutely grueling teaching schedule; but he knew that the Ephesian Christians had to go deep before they could go wide. They needed to be poured into so that they would have an abundance out of which they could pour into others; because you can only take someone else as far as you yourself have gone. You can't teach others what you do not know yourself. And so Paul pours into the lives of these Ephesian Christians (as he says in 20:27) the whole counsel of God. Now in verse 10 of our passage last week we saw the effect of this. God rewarded that kind of mindset. It says… Acts 19:10-12 (LSB)— 10 This took place for two years, so that all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. {Now look with me at verses 11-12…} 11 And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that cloths or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out. God's Validation– And so we see that Paul is performing many great signs and miracles. Now, if we want to weigh the veracity of something, what do we turn to? Wikipedia, right? No, we turn to the Word of God. Now this is important because keep in mind that there was no New Testament at this time by which you could measure the authenticity of someone's teaching. And so what God did was He validated the message of the apostles with signs and wonders, which is what we see here in our passage today. Paul affirms this in his second letter to the Corinthians, in which he says in… 2 Corinthians 12:12 (LSB)-- 12 The signs of a true apostle were worked out among you with all perseverance, by signs and wonders and miracles. {The writer of Hebrews also says…} Hebrews 2:3-4 (LSB)-- 3 how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? That salvation, first spoken by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard, 4 God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will. Signs & Wonders-- And so we see that signs, wonders, miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit showed those who heard the apostles (and here Paul in particular) that what they were saying was authorized by God. And if you will remember the life and ministry of Jesus, you will note that this was also how God validated Jesus' own ministry and identity. Remember how Peter had pointed out in his sermon in Acts 2:22s, saying… Acts 2:22 (LSB)-- 22 “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God did through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know-- What Sign Would You Like to See?-- By the way, if you could have witnessed any one of those miracles, which would you choose? Seeing the man born blind receive his sight would probably be right at the top of my list, not just because it would be amazing to see a man receive a new set of eyeballs, but also because of his reaction to that miracle; seeing him step into a world where (for the first time) he could see. I think it probably took him a little while to see just because of all the tears. And I'd probably not see much of him either because I feel like I would be crying right along with him. Great Authority-- But whatever miracle of Jesus you would choose, keep in mind that Jesus was doing works that far exceeded anything that could be attributed to demonic activity (though some tried to attribute it to that). No, Jesus had authority over the winds and the waves, over sicknesses and demons, and even over the power of death. And so the signs validated His message and the otherwise unbelievable things He was saying; not only that He was of God, but that He is God the Son; the very God they worshipped in the flesh. Now as difficult as that was to accept, it had to be true because His miracles were things only God could do; and God would never validate a false prophet. And in a similar way, God would not validate the messages of followers of Jesus if they were indeed followers of a false prophet. But Paul was performing these kinds of signs, which showed that God was undoubtedly with Paul, who (by extension) carried the true authority of the name of Jesus that dovetailed with a message that therefore HAD to be true. Misunderstanding Paul-- Now many of the Ephesians were not yet thinking about the name of Jesus. They were thinking about the name of Paul. They thought that Paul was something special. They thought he was the originator of all these works, not realizing that he was merely the means through which God was bringing them healing. And that is something that Luke is very careful to highlight. He says in verse 11: And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul,. Now the people do not yet understand this, which is why we see them obsessed with obtaining some of Paul's possessions. It says in verse 12 that cloths or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out. Magical Objects-- Now it was common in the ancient world to believe that magic could be transmitted through objects. And so, because of the Ephesian's deep roots in magic, superstition, and the occult we find them treating things that had been in contact with Paul as they did any of the other magical artifacts of Ephesus. And so handkerchiefs, sweat bands, and aprons that Paul wore during his tent making were carried from his body to those who were sick and demon possessed. And amazingly, they were healed of their infirmities and the demons left them. Now does that mean we should practice these kinds of things? Ought we to order our prayer cloths from those televangelists so that we also can experience miraculous healing and blessings? Of course not, as all of that is deeply pagan. But what this does show us is that God was willing to heal through these means both as a loving temporary accommodation to them, seeing as (though in the wrong way) they were still reaching out, but also because they needed to have validated for them that Paul was in fact speaking for God; because that would open the door for them to be able and ready to receive his message, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And, as we'll see later in the chapter, they end up giving up these kinds of superstitious practices. But what we need to realize is that the reason they are willing to this is because they see something greater at work in Paul than anything they had ever seen before; a demonstration of the power and the authority abiding in the apostles who were preaching in the name of Jesus. Darkness Pushed Out-- And so we see the evil forces that had been at work in Ephesus being driven out by the Light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. A New Season— You know, late last year I remember I found myself in a department store in the Halloween aisle, perusing the after-halloween sales in preparation for our Church's harvest party this coming fall. That's the best time to snag next-years costume and items. And this aisle had wigs and prosthetic noses and a few gory items I won't mention, save for a number of bottles of fake blood stacked on the shelves. Now when I turned to the other side of the aisle, I found facing me the first wave of Christmas items that were moving in and would soon push out all the Halloween items. And that is something I am always glad to see. Halloween is one my least favorite holidays (though I don't even want to call it that). And I am always glad when all that dark stuff is cleared away and the shelves become filled with items that honor Christmas. But you know, standing there in that aisle made me think about what Christianity was really doing at this point (and really throughout much of) history, which we see particularly here in our passage today. And that was that, as the Gospel was being proclaimed, the forces of darkness were being overcome. The season of darkness was giving way to the power of Jesus Christ. The satanic was moving out and Christ was moving in. And, as we'll see, those highly invested in the Halloween industry of that time (if I might borrow that imagery to describe the magic, sorcery, witchcraft, exorcism industry, and everything else of that nature going on in Ephesus); they were not happy about this and therefore resisted. And we'll see this more later. But at this point it is simply important for us to note that, like with the slot-machine-winner who tripped, change is in the air. A Stronghold of Satan-- Now this change did not come easily. People (even many Christians) were heavily involved in demonic practices. Some of the first Christians, after they came to Christ, only later came to realize the perverseness of these practices and eventually abandoned them. And this was particularly true in Ephesus. Remember that Ephesus was a key stronghold for Satan because it was [a center for the learning and practice of magical arts.] This kind of thing was everywhere. In fact, in antiquity, the phrase “Ephesian writings” (Ephesia grammata) was commonly used for documents that contained spells and formulae. So here is a place dominated with demonic stuff like this. And when you understand this, Paul's letter to the Ephesians begins to make a little more sense because (as Clinton Arnold, in his study Ephesians, Power and Magic points out) it is the [most complete study of spiritual powers and of the battle Christians face against them]. They needed that epistle because amidst them was the cloud of spiritual darkness constantly working against them. Forces Behind The Scene-- Now you and I are also surrounded by unseen forces of evil that are constantly at work against us, both individually and corporately. Behind our struggles with individuals or with our government is a battle going on that is just as real as the physical world. When you are praying for somebody who is not a Christian, there are demonic forces working against you. You feel them. Why do you think it is so easy to read ordinary books but find it so much more difficult to read the Bible? Why do you think you are able to carry on a perfectly normal conversation with another person (even if that person is not talking), but find it difficult to talk to God for any significant length of time? Is it because you are not spiritually experienced enough; or simply because it's hard to talk to a God you cannot see? No, because even seasoned prayer warriors have said that the discipline of prayer (of making yourself do it) often continues to be something they struggle with; that they have to force themselves to do (at least initially); and then the blessing of God comes and often they hardly wanted to get up. But the reason it is so hard is because every time you pray, there are spiritual forces going on behind the curtain that you cannot see; some that are working very hard to render your prayers ineffective. And you and I need to recognize this. At your place of work or any other place, there are forces of evil that have a stranglehold on people's lives. They are destroying them and will seek to keep them in that darkness. But you and I need to do what Paul did. He comes right into their darkness bearing the message of the Gospel. And people are made free. And so let us also be bearers of that light in the Ephesian places you and I abide in. Let us be faithful to pray for and lead people into the Light of Christ Jesus. Who knows how great a darkness could be overcome by the Light in you this week. Let's shine brightly for Him. Amen.

Hello and welcome to Lechem Panim. As always, it is good to have you with us. If you've been following us in our study of the book of Acts, you'll remember that Paul (now on his third missionary journey) has come back to the city of Ephesus. And it says in… Acts 19:8 (ESV)— 8 And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God.  Reasoning & Persuading— So for three months it says he is reasoning and persuading. Now those two words (reasoning & persuading) keep cropping up in and throughout the book of Acts. And the first one (διαλέγομαι) simply means reasoning; it's where we get dialectic or dialogue; [it's a back-and-forth, question-and-answer-type thing.] And the second word (πείθω) simply means to persuade or convince. Well, what was he reasoning and persuading them about? Verse 8: about the kingdom of God. Now what does that mean? Well, he no doubt focused not on explaining the inner workings of the coming Kingdom of God, but rather on how people could gain access to that kingdom. Because fast forward to the last two verses of the book of Acts, which find Paul in Rome, where it says… Acts 28:30-31 (ESV)— 30 He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, 31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance. Rising Opposition— You see, at the center of all of it is the teaching about the nature and person of Jesus Christ; who is is, what He came to do, and how in Him we can have eternal life. It is only in Him that we can have access to the Kingdom of Heaven. And so Paul's focus is on teaching the Word, expounding what it says about Christ, and defending the Christian faith. Now unfortunately (as always happens eventually) some harden themselves against Paul and what he is preaching. It says in… Acts 19:9 (ESV)— 9 But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus. Hardening to Hardened— So these particular Jews from the synagogue became stubborn (or hardened, your translation might say). By the way (just a side note) the word in the Greek here for hardened/stubborn is in the imperfect tense. And so once this is an ongoing process by which they slowly became more and more hardened. It didn't happen all at once; no, it was progressive. They had slowly but surely hardened themselves against Jesus Christ and gradually grew in their rejection of the Gospel until eventually their hearts were like rocks and they vehemently refused to believe. Now unfortunately they were not content to merely passively and respectfully disagree. No, as Jesus said, darkness cannot abide the light. And so we see that they begin speaking evil of the Way, which was the name given to early Christianity. In Matthew and Mark this same word (κακολογέω) is actually translated “they cursed”. So it is a vicious attack aimed at the Way. And this was no doubt because Christians were proclaiming that the Way to the Kingdom of Heaven was through Jesus Christ and Him alone. They weren't “a” Way. No, they were THE Way. They knew and proclaimed that there is only one way to salvation. And that is a message that still (even today) invites the curse of the world, but is the message the Church still needs to proclaim. However, here (as we've said) it invites the curses of these unbelievers who are cursing the Way in front of the whole multitude (your translation may saying congregation, which isn't wrong; just keep in mind we're not talking just the church congregation; the word (πλῆθος, from which we get our word plethora) is literally used to describe [a multitude, crowd, great number, assemblage.]  Tyrannus— Now you can imagine how disrupting it must have been for Paul to be preaching in the synagogue and have these hardened Jews stand up and literally curse him, his message, his Lord, and the disciples. And so understandably this forces Paul to withdraw from the synagogue, which he does. And it says he took the disciples with him. And so he moves his teaching ministry to a local schoolhouse; the teaching hall of Tyrannus. Now we don't know too much about this guy. His name literally mean tyrant. I'm sure many of you had teachers who were called tyrants, but most likely not because that was their name. And hopefully that wasn't a reflection on this guys' teaching style. But you know, I'd love to know more about this guy's parents. Pretty cruel to actually give that name to your child. But nonetheless, he appears to have been a teacher of some renown; and Paul uses his school to carry on the teaching ministry of the Church; and thus this is the first Christian church in a school. And thankfully, there have been many since then. Some of you may have attended a church started in a school. Or (as I did) a school born out of a church (which my kids do now as well). Now some might say “Well, isn't Paul here allowing the church to become unequally yoked with this Tyrannus” guys? But the answer is of course no; because they weren't sharing philosophies or becoming yoked in their beliefs. They were simply sharing a building. And it's perfectly fine to meet almost anywhere as long as the church keeps the purity of its identity and doctrine, which of course they were doing.     Now (like I said) we know nothing about Tyrannus other than he was likely a philosopher who (like any successful philosopher of his time) started a school and was teaching others his philosophy. And he seems to have done pretty well; and people are coming to hear him. But the school was available during the day. And at this point let me share with you something very interesting. [There's an ancient Greek manuscript that adds the fact that Paul taught in this hall of Tyrannus from the 5th to the 10th hour. Now that would be from 11:00am to 4:00pm. Five hours.] And notice how verse 9 tells us how often he did this. How often? Daily. That's a pretty heavy schedule to do in addition to your leather-making business. There's no way he could have kept that up for long! But look at verse 10… Acts 19:10a (ESV)— 10 This continued for two years,  Scheduled Teaching— So for two years, five hours a day, seven days a week, Paul is teaching the Ephesian Church. That is how dedicated Paul was to the ministry of the Word; how important he saw it was for people to get deeply (and I mean deeply) ingrained in the Word of God. Now let me expound that just a little bit more because that reality is further enhanced when we know a little more about Ephesus; because Ephesus (like all the Ionian cities) had a very interesting schedule. Everybody would work until 11:00am and then stop, and then would pick up work again at 4:00pm. Can anyone guess why? The heat; the absolutely oppressive heat. People would sleep mid-day, then get up at 4:00 and work into the night/early morning. [In fact, one Asian writer says there's more people awake in Ephesus at 1:00 a.m. then there are at 1:00 p.m.]. So what would happen was Tyrannus would teach in his school in the mornings and probably resume for a bit in the evening. And so the time available to Paul was 11:00-4:00. And so he takes that time slot and uses it to deliver 730 five-hour sermons over the course of two years. Let me say that again; 730 five-hour sermons over the course of two years. Their Commitment— Now that tells us two things. First, it shows us the level of commitment Paul had to this ministry. He took advantage of whatever opportunity God gave him to preach the word of God. But you know, it also tells us something of the tremendous commitment of these early Christians; because keep in mind they were giving up sleep to hear Paul preach. Not only that, but they were sitting there in that lecture hall cooking in the heat, just so that they might come to know “the Way” more fully. We here in the Seattle/Renton area complain of our yearly heat wave (and yes it is unpleasant). Some churches even shut down; and some for justifiable reasons (such as keeping watch over the elderly who might try to come when they shouldn't). But nevertheless, I want you to see how hungry these Christians were to hear the Word of God. I don't know if I've ever been THAT hungry for the word of God. But these Christians were. And that is what made ministry in Ephesus so explosive; because God always meets with those Christians who devote themselves as students of His word. May we also be that hungry.     Now was this the only time that Paul taught? No. As unbelievable as it might seem, he is also leading evening Bible studies. Don't believe me? Look at what he says to the Ephesian elders in… Acts 20:20 (ESV)— …I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house,  Acts 20:31 (ESV)— 31 Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears. Paul's Schedule— And that three years includes the two years, the three months, and a little extra time. Now let me tell you what this looked like for Paul in terms of schedule. He'd make tents till 11:00am, teach till 4:00pm, make tents till 8:00pm, then teach till 1am or 2am; go to bed, get up, and repeat. And in light of that I want you to look at chapter 20, verse 27, because I promise you you will never look at this verse the same way again. To those Ephesian elders he is preparing to leave in charge he says… Acts 20:27 (ESV)— 27 for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. The Fruit— Boy, he sure did. He wasn't exaggerating. He really did declare unto them the whole counsel of God. And do you know what the result was; what the result of one man setting himself to proclaiming the Word of God that fervently was? Verse 10… Acts 19:10 (ESV)— 10 This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. 7 Churches of Revelation— How incredible is that! And you know what else we discover when we dig a little deeper? [All seven of the churches in Revelation 2 and 3 were most likely founded during these two years.] All of them. And so [at least six other churches] were born out of the ministry of this mighty minister of the Word of God. Now how did all of this happen? By spreading out all over Asia Minor trying to make sure everybody hears at least a basic presentation of the Gospel? No. It came by teaching the Word of God; making disciples who were deeply ingrained in their faith; and those disciples naturally reproduced themselves all over Asia Minor. And when Paul eventually left Ephesus, he left it strong and filled with elders ready to become pastors, to whom he entrusted the ministry of the Word… Burning Hearts— Now let me make one more comment about the evening Bible studies Paul had. Because I want you to picture this mighty man of God (after a long day of tent-making and teaching) coming to your door. You say, “Would he do that?” Absolutely. That is what he did. Why? Because Paul had the heart of a shepherd. He cared about people. His heart burned for every person to know the Light of God's Word. Let me ask you something? Is your heart burning like that for anyone else to know what you know; to experience what you have experienced? Are you willing to give of your time, to give of your sleep, to become uncomfortable so that somebody may come to understand the Word of God and the Gospel more deeply? Who are you doing that for? If you don't have anybody, then I implore you to find somebody. Somewhere out there (and probably not far from you) there is someone waiting for you to help guide them into  knowing God's Word and walking with Jesus Christ. Let us be faithful to find those people and pour into them the full counsel of God. Amen.

Hello and welcome to Lechem Panim. It is good to have you with us today as we seek the Lord Jesus Christ (our Bread and our Life) in His Word today. Paul in Ephesus— In our study of the book of Acts, you will remember that Paul has recently embarked on his third missionary journey, which started (just like the previous two) in Antioch, which was his home base where he pastored alongside Barnabas and three other men of God. But after spending some time there, he departs, and travels through the regions of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening the disciples. And finally he comes back to the town of Ephesus, where he had left Priscilla and Aquila not too long before this; after he himself had spoken at the synagogue there and then left for Jerusalem. But now, upon his return, he finds a group of John the Baptist's disciples and wins them over to Jesus Christ. They are baptized in the name of Jesus and receive the Holy Spirit, the signature mark of every true child of God. The Nucleus of The Ephesian Church— And so we see that there is a strong nucleus begun in the church in Ephesus. We have Aquila and Priscilla there, a group of believers that Paul himself had led to Christ (including these 12 disciples of John), and then we have whoever Aquila and Priscilla have led to Christ. So the church there in Ephesus is off to a good start. The Beating Heart of Asia Minor— But before we begin to work our way through the text, I need to kind of help set the scene a little bit, because the city of Ephesus was a very interesting city. [The city of Ephesus probably ranked with Corinth as the two most important cities on the road east from Rome. In the eastern division of the Roman Empire, the three main cities would be Antioch, Alexandria and Ephesus.] But Ephesus was the beating heart of Asia Minor, being a commercial center at which four main roads crossed. And so it was a place caravans would come to trade. But it was also a port city, because although it was three miles inland, the Cayster River flowed into Ephesus and (though it had a dredging problem and had to be dredged periodically) it was navigable by ships, which would also come to trade. Now that is not the case today; because [over the centuries, sedimentation gradually filled in the inlet around the city…{And so}…The coastlines moved seaward, and the ruins of Ephesus are now some 8 km inland from the coast.] But back then it was accessible via the Cayster River; and all this served to make Ephesus a lavish, rich, and fascinating place to be. And it had quite an immense population because of this. Everywhere you went, the markets glistened with the art of that world and the air was described as “salubrious”, meaning it was healthy or wholesome. John's Vision— Now John the Apostle was here, and in fact would later be exiled from here to the Isle of Patmos, which was off the coast just a little ways. And interestingly, when he wrote the book of Revelation, we find that in chapter 18 the Lord gave John a picture of the wealth, commerce, and sophistication of the world. It's very possible that Ephesus came to John's mind in relationship to that picture. In fact, listen to… Revelation 18:12 (ESV)— 12 cargo of gold, silver, jewels, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, scarlet cloth, all kinds of scented wood, all kinds of articles of ivory, all kinds of articles of costly wood, bronze, iron and marble, A Picture— Now that is not a description of Ephesus, but it was a description that very much matched Ephesus and may have brought Ephesus to John's mind as he pondered the picture God had given him. A Dark Place— But keep in mind that Ephesus was also a dark place because it was the center of worship of Diana or Artemis, whose temple was the centerpiece of Ephesus. And she was to be worshiped in and through prostitution, orgies, and that kind of thing. Ephesus was also a haven for criminals, who flocked to Ephesus for sanctuary. It was also a place entrenched in sorcery, witchcraft, magicians, and exorcists. And so talk about being a place of spiritual warfare. Suddenly Paul's letter (when he wrote back to the Ephesians) makes a little more sense. He writes in… Ephesians 6:12 (ESV)— 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Spiritual Warfare— And we will see that it is in Ephesus that those evil forces come to a head against Paul and against the message of the Gospel. But Paul arrives in Ephesus. And he sets up leather-working business (the literal translation of the word), which probably included the making of tents. And this was because it was his custom not to make himself a burden, but to support himself. We know this because when he's getting ready to leave Ephesus, he writes in… Acts 20:33-34 (ESV)— 33 I coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. 34 You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. Not A Burden— And so we see that not only did he support himself, but he also was even able to support others. He worked hard in order to not be a burden and also to have the means to help others. And that just gives us one window into the heart Paul; his kindness and love towards those who needed help. That is why he worked. The Central Word— Now although Paul had to work, that wasn't where his heart was. No, the driving force and the very center of his ministry was without question the Word of God. It says in verse 20: So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily. And then when he eventually leaves Ephesus, he will say to the elders of the Ephesian Church… Acts 20:32 (ESV)— 32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. Saturated With The Word— Everything Paul did was centered on helping to bring people into an understanding of the scriptures (in this case the Old Testament); what it foretold about the Christ, how Jesus is the fulfillment of all those Messianic hopes, and how now all can experience forgiveness from God through Jesus and have fellowship with God in and through Him. And what we have to understand is that the reason we will see such a strong Church built up in Ephesus; the reason why we will see Satan defeated in such an incredible way in the upcoming verses is because Paul saturated this Church with the teaching of the Word of God. Now why did the word of the Lord continue to increase and prevail mightily? Because it was proclaimed. Now that may seem obvious and simplistic. But at the same time it is easy to forget. The Word of God has the power to change people, but in order to do that it needs the hands and feet of faithful Christian ambassadors who will bring it to them. And that is what we see Paul doing in verse 8. It says… Acts 19:8 (ESV)— 8 And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. Stayed Three Months— Now one of the things important to note here is that Paul had already formed relationships with many of the Jews attached to the synagogue there. When he had left Ephesus before in chapter 18, it says in verse 20: they asked him to stay for a longer period. Now that must have been so refreshing to Paul because (think about it) every other synagogue he has gone to the unbelieving Jews have gotten angry and sought to drive him away. But this group doesn't. They not only don't set themselves against him, but are actually eager to hear what he has to say. And so he comes back and stays with them for a period of three whole months, which may not seem long to us but was unusually long for Paul, who sadly had become all too familiar with rejection. But these Jews were different. They were hungry. Speaking Boldly— Now you might ask what Paul did for those three months. Well, it tells us that he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly. Now the Greek word translated as “spoke boldly” is actually a single word in the Greek (παρρησιάζομαι); it is a type of speech that is bold. It is the same word used to describe the speech of Apollos in 18:26. And here it is in the imperfect tense, which simply means it is ongoing rather than being finished or completed. And so the text is better translated “and he was continuing to speak boldly.” And this is one of the signature marks of apostolic preaching by the way that we see occurring again and again in the book of Acts. In chapter 4, verse 29 the disciples (after a bout with persecution) pray to God for boldness and God gives them (and continues to give them) that boldness. And as time progresses they just keep getting bolder and bolder. And it is a boldness that is both strong, yet meek; powerful, yet not bullheaded and needlessly offensive. It is the kind of boldness that aligns with 1 Peter 3:15, which says… 1 Peter 3:15 (ESV)— 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, Now this kind of boldness is for you and me as well. Paul says that each and every one of us needs to have in our lives this boldness that comes through our faith in Christ. He says in… 1 Corinthians 16:13 (ESV)— 13 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 2 Corinthians 3:12 (ESV)— 12 Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, And so let us be bold. Let us proclaim the Word of God powerfully, with gentleness and respect, knowing that as we do God will be sowing seeds in people's hearts that will bear fruit unto salvation. Let's do so. Amen.

Hello and welcome to Lechem Panim. It is good to have you with us today as we seek the Lord Jesus Christ (our Bread and our Life) in His Word today. “In the hole he goes”— Just recently I read of [Three small siblings {who} had a pet sparrow, which, to everyone's disappointment, died. The children were very sad, and they decided to give the dead bird a really good burial service. Their families were faithful members of the church, so the children had some ideas of how to go about it. The first step was to dig the grave in a carefully chosen spot in a corner of the yard. Then they solemnly prepared for the actual interment. One child held the sparrow over the grave, and another recited, “In the name of the Father, the Son, and in the hole he goes.”] Now sadly, I'm sorry to say, the knowledge of many people regarding the Holy Ghost (or Holy Spirit) often does not rise too much above this child's understanding. We Don't Talk About…— Every week, my family has movie night on Fridays. And not long ago we watched one of the new Disney movies, Encanto. And it was very fun and entertaining. And the music is very memorable. And one of the songs is “We Don't Talk About Bruno”. And that is the refrain that you hear over and over again, “We don't talk about Bruno, no no no no”. It's quite catchy, no matter how much you might want to “Let it Go!, Let it Go!” But in thinking about it, I feel that if you were to replace the word “Bruno” with “Holy Spirit” or “Holy Ghost”, the song would fairly accurate. “We don't talk about the Holy Ghost, no no no no." And I wonder why that is. I think for many of us, we just don't understand the Holy Spirit. We get the Father (at least we think we do; though I think our understanding of Him is also very warped at times; we think we get the Son (though honestly, if you don't understand the Father, you won't understand the Son either, who came to reveal to us the Father); but the Holy Spirit is the one I feel we understand the least. What or who is the Holy Spirit? What role does the Holy Spirit have to play in our day-to-day lives? Those are questions I hope to be able to at least scratch the surface in answering today. And our passage today provides the perfect opportunity to do so. Because here in Acts 19, verses 1-7, we find Paul (now on his third missionary journey) coming back to Ephesus and encountering a group of men who (through him) receive the Holy Spirit. It says in… Acts 19:1a (ESV)— 1 And it happened that while Apollos {(whom we talked about last week)} was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. Ephesus— Now [Ephesus was the capital and leading business center of the Roman province of Asia (part of present-day Turkey). {It was} A hub of of sea and land transportation, {and} it ranked with Antioch in Syria and Alexandria in Egypt as one of the great cities on the Mediterranean Sea.] And it is here that Paul would be staying for a little over two years and would write his first letter to the Corinthians in order to help to counter several problems the church in Corinth was facing. And we will see later that during his imprisonment in Rome, Paul will write a letter to the Ephesian church (the book of Ephesians). And so we see that Paul kept his promise to return to the Ephesian church that he had made back in 18:21. When he had left them, they had been spiritually hungry to hear more; and now that he is returning he is hoping that the Jews will still be eager to hear. And when he arrives, it says in the rest of verse 1… Acts 19:1b-2a (ESV)— There he found some disciples. 2 And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” Now the answer to this question is absolutely critical because it is the Holy Spirit who marks us believers in Christ. Paul in fact writes to the Ephesians, saying in… Ephesians 1:13-14 (ESV)— 13 In him {(Jesus)} you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. Our Sanctifier— But the Holy Spirit also has another role. Not only does He mark us as believers and children of God, but He is the One who sanctifies us, re-molding and re-shaping us into the very image of Jesus, leading us out of the old way of the flesh into the new way of the Spirit. Paul writes of this clearly in… Galatians 5:16-25 (ESV)— 16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. {Now these “disciples” did not yet have the Holy Spirit in their lives. And so it says in…} Acts 19:2b-3 (ESV)— And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John's baptism.” Hadn't Heard— And so Paul comes to this group of disciples who we see have a faith, but a faith that is incomplete, because not only had they not heard of what had happened at Pentecost (the Holy Spirit being given) but they say that they have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit. Now this does not mean that they had not heard of the Holy Spirit or even that they were not expecting the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. No. They would have known about the Holy Spirit through the Old Testament, which has clear teachings about the Holy Spirit of God and promises that He will one day be poured out (Joel 2:28). But they also would have known about the Holy Spirit in and through John the Baptist (whom verse three says they were baptized by); because he said very clearly that the Messiah/Lamb of God would “baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Matthew 3:11; Luke 3:16). And so all this phrase means is that they were simply ignorant of the fact that this expectation had been realized at Pentecost. They were Old Testament Saints still waiting for that promised gift of God, not knowing that it had actually already come. In fact, F.F. Bruce translates their answer, “We never even heard that the Holy Spirit is available.” And so these men were disciples of John the Baptist who had received John's Baptism, which was an outward sign of repentance from sin, but was not a sign (as it is now) of new life in Christ. John's Baptism looked forward in anticipation to the atoning work of Christ. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit looks back at the atoning work of Christ, resting on its completion. Well, these men had apparently believed that Jesus was the Messiah, but (like Apollos) they needed to come to understand the significance of his death, resurrection, ascension, and the coming of the Holy Spirit. And so it says in… Acts 19:4 (ESV)— 4 And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” Start With Jesus— Now notice that Paul doesn't explain to them about what it means to receive the Holy Spirit. Instead, he talks to them about the person of Jesus. And this is for two reasons. First of all (like we already talked about) they already knew who the Holy Spirit was and were anticipating His coming. But secondly (and this is what is key for us) Paul begins with Jesus because it is only in and through Jesus that we can receive the Holy Spirit. You have to start with Jesus; because it is in and through His atoning work alone that we are reconciled to God, given the Holy Spirit, and consequently are transformed by the Holy Spirit into the likeness of Christ. That is why if you have somebody in your life who is living in darkness; who is making bad choices; who seems bent on self-destruction (and I have known people like this), the best thing you can do is bring them to Jesus. Draw them to Christ with your words and actions; inspire them to Christ with your testimony of what He has done for you. Drive them to Christ with your prayers. Whatever it takes, if you can get that person to Him, He can reconcile them to Himself and give them the One (the ONLY One) who has the power to change a human heart. And that is what Paul does here. And they believe. And it says… Acts 19:5-7 (ESV)— 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. 7 There were about twelve men in all. A Unified Church— Now this does not mean that speaking in tongues is necessary for salvation. But in the book of Acts (for every people group that received Christ) it was given as an outward sign in order to both ease the spread of the Gospel, but also as a sign to the Church that God was the one bringing this new people group into the fold. [And in each case apostles were present to verify that all received the same Holy Spirit in the same way. That having been completed, Paul could write to the Ephesians, “There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Eph. 4:4–5). From then on, the Holy Spirit would come to every heart at salvation, as the epistles teach.] A Sad Discord— Now I find it amazing how the Holy Spirit, who was the means of bringing the Church together in the book of Acts, has since become the center of much controversy and division. And what is worse, in our day and age (perhaps because we don't really understand the Holy Spirit; who He is and what He can do in us) we neglect Him. We know He's there and acknowledge Him occasionally, but don't know what it means to truly know the One who abides in us and be fully surrendered to Him. And what is so scary to me about the modern church (as somebody I read recently pointed out) is the fact that our churches are [so rigidly programmed that it seems we need no longer depend on Him—yet Jesus said, "Without Me you can do nothing.”] 95%— [The late Dr. A. W. Tozer, author and pastor, said, "If the Holy Spirit was withdrawn from the church today, 95 percent of what we do would go on and no one would know the difference. If the Holy spirit had been withdrawn from the New Testament church, 95 percent of what they did would stop, and everybody would know the difference.”] Let me ask you this, do you truly know the presence of God's Holy Spirit in your life? Are you abiding in constant communion with Him and allowing Him to keep you in God's Holy way? A Monopoly— Once [A committee of ministers in a certain city was discussing the possibility of having D. L. Moody to serve as the evangelist during a city-wide evangelistic campaign. Finally, one young minister who did not want to invite Moody stood up and said: “Why Moody? Does he have a monopoly of the Holy Spirit?” There was silence. Then an old, godly minister spoke up: “No, he does not have a monopoly of the Holy Spirit; but the Holy Spirit has a monopoly of D. L. Moody.” Does the Holy Spirit have a monopoly on your life?] Do you have the Holy Spirit? If not, He is available to you know in and through faith in Jesus Christ. And if you are already a believer, is the Holy Spirit more than just in you? Are you fully given over to Him in utter and complete surrender? If not, give yourself to Him today; let Him have a monopoly on your life; and in the world He will make you like Christ and use you in amazing ways. Surrender to Him today. Amen.

Hello and welcome to Lechem Panim. So glad you could join us today as we study the Word of God together; specifically in the book of Acts. Last week we found in our study of the book of Acts chapter 18 that Paul has now begun his third missionary journey. And he had come to the city of Ephesus. Now with him were Priscilla and Aquila (a Jewish couple who were companions of his in ministry). Now Paul had to leave in order to make it to Jerusalem for Pentecost, where he wanted to complete his vow. And he leaves Priscilla and Aquila to carry on the work of building up the Church there. And he promises to return. But meanwhile, while Priscilla and Aquila are there, a Jewish man from Alexandria, Egypt by the name of Apollos comes to Ephesus. And it says… Acts 18:24b (ESV)— He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. γραφή— And while it may be obvious to some, I want to make sure it is clear that we are talking about the Old Testament scriptures, not the New. The word “scriptures” that is used here is the Greek word γραφή. And whenever that word occurs in the New Testament, it always is referring to the Old Testament. Apollos is an Old Testament scholar who is skilled at teaching Old Testament scripture. But all of that eloquence and knowledge and giftedness (which we expounded upon last week) was based on his natural ability, not on his having the Gifts of the Holy Spirit; because he was not yet a Christian. Now of course every gift comes from God, but Apollos did not yet have the fruit or gifts of the Holy Spirit because he had not yet come to faith in Jesus Christ. Now some say he was a Christian because of the very next phrase, which says of Apollos… Acts 18:25a (ESV)— 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. “instructed in the way of the Lord”— That has led some to conclude that (because Jesus is Lord) that Apollos had already been instructed in the Christian faith; and his knowledge simply was not yet as full as it needed to be. However, many who take that interpretation fail to take into account the fact that that phrase the way of the Lord is not a new phrase coined by Christians. No, it is a phrase used throughout the Old Testament beginning all the way back in the book of Genesis, the very first book of the Bible. It is a very broad, general term for Old Testament instruction in the things of God; the standards that God has set for people to follow. There is no reason to infer from that phrase that Apollos was a Christian. It is way too general a phrase. κατηχέω— Plus look at the word that precedes the phrase the way of the Lord; the word “instructed”.  This may help us to understand what kind of knowledge Apollos had. The Greek word is κατηχέω. And κατηχέω means to teach orally by repetition. By the way, what word does κατηχέω sound like? Catechism. And what is a catechism? It's a method of teaching in which you learn orally by repetition; you read a line (the question) and then you read the answer. And then you go on to the next. It is something you repeat over and over again until you have it ingrained in your brain. And so this is how Apollos learned the way of the Lord. Now having said all this, we do see that phrase the way of the Lord funnel in and become more focused in… Isaiah 40:3 (ESV)— 3 A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. A Fruit of John's Ministry— Now who is that a prophecy of? John the Baptist, who came to prepare the way for Jesus Christ. That is where the knowledge of Apollos had stopped. He did know at least something about Jesus, which we will see in a minute. And that may be because of the ministry of John the Baptist; it is possible that (because Alexandria was such a center of learning) that some of John the Baptist's disciples came there during Jesus' earthly ministry and proclaimed that He was the Messiah. It is even believed by some that Apollos may have been a disciple of John the Baptist. We don't know. But he apparently had learned at least a little bit about Jesus and His teachings because it says in… Acts 18:25b (ESV)— And being fervent in spirit,[a] he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. An Incomplete Knowledge— And so while Apollos may have known some of the basic facts about Jesus he may not have yet known about Jesus' atoning work on the cross, His resurrection, or the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. But whatever the case, his knowledge was incomplete. Now everything he said was true, but he did not yet have the rest of the picture. A New Map— I remember once Tanya and I were on our way to visit my parents in Kentucky. And we had been following GPS; not on our phones but on an actual GPS unit that (in the good old days) you bought as a separate unit. Ours was a TomTom; and I remember you even had to pay to get the maps it contained updated. Oh how things have changed. But that night I remember we got to about twenty minutes from where my folks were living but the GPS suddenly showed that were were going off-road, even though we were definitely still on the road. And the directions suddenly went all wonky and we lost our way. Now what had happened is that some major road revisions were made (actually a new road), but (because we hadn't updated the map on our TomTom) the TomTom was still operating with the old map, which of course did not match up with the current roads. We needed a new map. Well, the same was true of Apollos. He was preaching the Old Testament the best he knew how, but he likely did not yet have the new information he needed concerning the atoning work of Christ. And so he couldn't get people to where they needed to go. Well, here's where the providence of God comes in. Because one day he goes in to the synagogue to preach. And it says in… Acts 18:26 (ESV)— 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. Gentle Instruction— Now I love how Priscilla and Aquila see someone who does not yet fully understand and are courageous enough and loving enough to try to help to point him in the right direction. And they do very lovingly; because note that they do not rebuke him publicly, which would have just confused the Jews he was preaching to. No, they quietly pull him aside (maybe even taking them home with them for a Sabbath dinner) and tell him what he still needed to know about Jesus and also about the coming of the Holy Spirit. And I also love how teachable he was. He didn't brush them off, but seems to have eagerly received the knowledge that they had to offer. And that may have been the secret to some of his incredible knowledge, by the way. He was humble enough to be taught. He didn't have an I-already-know-it-all attitude. Not Familiar With The Sensation— Some time ago my wife and I watched the show Downton Abbey. And in it there is a highly-opinionated mother. And once another character in the show asked her, “How does it feel to be wrong?” And she (always quick on her feet) responded (puffing up like a peacock), “Wouldn't know, my dear. I'm not familiar with the sensation.” Now let me tell you, a person who has that kind of attitude, who can never admit they're wrong or that their knowledge is deficient in any way, can learn very little. If you want to know it all, then you have to truly believe and posture yourself as if you don't. Because only those who remain teachable and humble actually  become true know-it-alls. Apollos' Conversion— Well, this was Apollos' spirit. He humbly received their instruction. And it was at this time that he became a convert to Christianity, received the Holy Spirit, and then went out to proclaim the message of the Gospel. And he may have even gone back to the synagogue the following Sabbath to share with the Jews the rest of the story. But he didn't stop there. Like any person who has received the Good News of Jesus Christ and placed his/her faith in Him, Apollos was eager to help spread the Good News about Jesus; and he is therefore eager to cross into Achaia. And the Ephesian church already highly recommended him, because it says in… Acts 18:27a-28 (ESV)— 27 And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. {And in the following verses we see that immediate fruit is born out of his ministry. It says…} When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, 28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus. A Powerful Witness— And so we see that Apollos quickly became a monumental force for the kingdom of God. We see in the very next chapter that Apollos ministers for a time in Corinth. And hardly any time has gone by at all before Paul writes back in 1 Corinthians to the Corinthians (who are quarreling and becoming faction-oriented) and says (1 Cor. 1:10-12, 3:4-6, 22, 4:6)… 1 Corinthians 1:12b (ESV)— …one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” {Then in}… 1 Corinthians 3:5 (ESV)— 5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. Quickly Esteemed— And so what happened is that (perhaps because of Apollos' great gifts) [Some of the Corinthians became more enamored with Apollos than with His message.] And so they became faction-oriented. Now these factions were not Apollos' fault any more than they were Paul's or Peter's. But I mention it here because of how remarkable it is that at this very early stage of Apollos' ministry, he already had become so highly esteemed, to where he (though not an apostle) is placed right after Paul and even before Cephas. It is amazing to see how mightily God was at work through him. Three Elements— And there were three elements to this that are directly relevant to us. First, he had pursued and gained a solid understanding of the Word of God. Secondly, he was skilled in his presentation; he took time to hone in his skills in presenting the Word of God in a way that would be effective. But there was also something else; and we see it in verse 25, which says that he was fervent in spirit. In Greek it literally means boiling in spirit. The only other time that word is used is in… Romans 12:11 (ESV)— 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Hearts on Fire— Some of my favorite movies of all time (watched them many times over) are the Rocky movies. And in those movies one of the things Rocky demonstrates (though sometimes it has to be re-kindled) is a heart on fire; the burning heart. And that is what this word means; and it is what is lacking in the chests of many Christians today. What the world needs most are men and women of God whose hearts are on fire for Him; who have a determination and drive (purified and directed by the Holy Spirit) to serve the Lord with all of who they are; with their hearts, souls, mind, and strength. Men and women who are mighty men and women of the word who know how to bring its truth to hungry souls. If we have hearts like that, the world will have no other recourse but to acknowledge that we know and walk with He who truly is the Savior of the world.

Hello and welcome to Lechem Panim. So glad you could join us today as we study the Word of God together. You know, I don't know how you are in the are of gratitude, but I have had the Lord point out to me numerous times how poor I often am in this area. I don't usually forget to thank people. But for some reason I do often forget to thank God for both answered prayers, but also even just the everyday blessings. You know, devout Jews thank God every morning for the gift of life. And lately I have been trying to change the way I start my day; to thank God for His gift of life and acknowledge my dependence on Him the moment I wake up in the morning. Now I mention this because when it comes to the life of Paul, I am amazed how much he always managed to live in that grateful orientation of heart. Here in Acts chapter 18 we find him leaving the city of Corinth for Syria (where Palestine is). And he does so with his companions Pricilla and Aquila. But when they reach Cenchrea (the port town of Corinth) Paul has his hair cut on account of the fact that he had taken a Nazirite vow, which was a vow of special devotion to God that Jews would sometimes take as a symbol of thanksgiving to God for a special blessing they had received from Him. And Paul had received a special blessing; the fulfillment of God's promise to both protect him and bless his ministry in Corinth. But now that his vow has been completed, he has his hair ceremonially cut and will eventually complete the ceremony (where you would burn the hair) when he eventually arrives at Jerusalem. But what is remarkable to me is that, as he's moving around from place to place now, he is carrying around this lump of hair with him (a symbol of his thanksgiving towards God) which he hopes to be able to offer at the temple in Jerusalem. And this week that caused me to stop and ask myself what symbols there are in your life and in mine to remind us to live in constant awareness and thanksgiving for what God has done for us. Something to think about. Now in verse 19 it says… Acts 18:19a (NKJV)— 19 And he came to Ephesus, and left them there; Dropped Off— Left who there? Priscilla and Aquila. It's funny how Paul always seems to be dropping people off. It must've been such an adventure to follow Paul, because you never knew where he might place you. He's dropping off Timothy and Silas here and there; and Priscilla and Aquila are getting dropped off places and then picked back up later. You never knew where you were going to be when you were with Paul and where Paul might place you and then leave you to carry on the work. And here he places them in Ephesus. It is about the year 52 and its not until year 57 that they appear again in Rome. So they could have remained here as long as five years. But what is awesome to see is that Paul writes back to the Corinthians, saying, “The church has been established in their house.” So once again, we see how effective Paul's ministry strategy was. Now while Paul is here in Ephesus, it says… Acts 18:19b-23 (NKJV)— but he himself entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20 When they asked him to stay a longer time with them, he did not consent, 21 but took leave of them, saying, “I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem; {(and now we know why Paul is in such a hurry to get back to Jerusalem. There is a festival in Jerusalem; during which he wants to complete his vow as an expression of thanks to God. We don't know what feast it was; very possibly the Feast of Pentecost, which would be extraordinarily significant because it was also during Pentecost that the Holy Spirit had been given, who would empower all Christians to live in such a way that the Nazirite vow only anticipated. But whatever feast it was, Paul no doubt turns these new Ephesian converts over to Priscilla and Aquila for further discipleship and then says)} but I will return again to you, God willing.” {And he leaves. But he does keep that promise to return, which we will see later. But for now it says:} And he sailed from Ephesus. 22 And when he had landed at Caesarea {(that's the Mediterranean seaport west and just a little north of Jerusalem)}, and gone up and greeted the church {by which Luke means “the church in Jerusalem”, because you always go up to Jerusalem because of how much higher it is than everything around it. You don't have to mention the city; the preposition gives it away. And it is here in Jerusalem that Paul no doubt went through all the rituals related to his vow, after which it says}, he went down to Antioch. 23 After he had spent some time there, he departed and went over the region of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples. Paul's 3rd Missionary Journey— And what this means is that Paul has now started his third missionary journey. Where did he go? All the places he went on his second missionary journey? Where were those places? Well, they were all the places he went on his first missionary journey. Start With A Few— A famous missionary once said this: “No man has the right to hear the gospel twice until every man has heard it once.” Let me tell you, that is absolutely false. Paul (not to mention Jesus) would totally disagree with that principle. Paul went back to the same group of people three times. And that's because the kingdom of God isn't built by people running all over the globe, frantically trying to quickly share an overly simplified version of the Gospel at least once to every person. No, the way you change the world is like Jesus did; like His apostles did. Start with a few, pour into them. Give them the full Gospel; declare (as Paul says in Acts 20:27) the whole counsel of God. Take time to show them how to bring all of their lives under the authority of Christ; train them to disciple others. And then they will go and do likewise. And God's kingdom will grow not a mile wide and an inch deep, but will grow exponentially both in scope, but also in depth. Back To Ephesus— Now, as I said, this marks the beginning of Paul's third missionary journey. But at this point the narrative shifts away from Paul back to Ephesus, from which he had recently departed and left Priscilla and Aquila to carry on the ministry there. And Ephesus was a very pagan city, as it was the center of worship of the Greek goddess Artemis, whose Roman name was Diana; a multi-breasted fertility god whose temple there in Ephesus was so magnificent, it [was considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.] However, during Paul's time we see that while the city had been an important political and commercial center, at this time it had lost some of that importance and [was turning more to the temple to support its economy.] Apollos— Now it is in Ephesus that we meet an extraordinary man; a man who happened to come there at the right time for Priscilla and Aquila to minister to and lead to Christ; a man by the name of Apollos. It says in… Acts 18:24a (ESV)— 24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. Alexandria— And so we see that Apollos is from Alexandria, which of course is in Egypt. There was actually a very large group of Jews living in Egypt during this time, estimates running in at around 1 million. You had four different sections/quarters of the city that were populated by Jews. And it is important to remember this whenever we think about the flight of Joseph, Mary, and Jesus into Egypt. We always have this image like they were strangers in a foreign land, when in reality (although they were outside of Israel) they were living in and amongst a very significant Jewish population. And this is relevant to our discussion of Apollos, because although he was in Egypt, we will see that he is still very much a part of Jewish society and education. And Alexandria in general was an Egyptian city that was very much centered on education. In fact it was [the most learned city in the Greco-Roman world.] It boasted of both a university and a library; the library containing almost 700,000 volumes. And we're not talking printed, but hand-copied volumes; a massive treasury of very valued knowledge. And this man Apollos had been raised there in Alexandria and we see was very educated, being especially grounded in the principles and practices of Judaism and especially in the scriptures. It says in... Acts 18:24b (ESV)— He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. an eloquent man— And the phrase “eloquent man” is actually a translation of a very unique word in the Greek; in fact it doesn't occur anywhere else in scripture. It is a word that combines the idea of learning with eloquence. And so what it tells us is that not only was the content of his preaching rock solid, but his presentation (his skills and giftedness as an orator) were tremendous. In fact, he may have been a much better speaker than Paul was, which might be inferred from 2 Corinthians 10:10, in which Paul says… 2 Corinthians 10:10 (ESV)— 10 For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account.” δυνατὸς— And so it seems that Paul's writing was where he shined best. His physical presence wasn't very impressive and his oratory skills even less so. Now that's not to put down Paul. But it does help us to understand the power and might of this man Apollos. He was a very gifted speaker, but even more so, he was (the text says) competent in the Scriptures. Now that is a very boring translating of a powerful Greek word. The word translated “competent” is actually the word δυνατὸς. It means “mighty”. In fact δυνατὸς is where we get our English word “dynamite”. And so here is a man who knows how to rightly divide the Word of Truth, but also how to deliver that truth in a powerful and compelling way. He is eloquent, dramatic and dynamic. You never fell asleep and fell out of a window, and died on impact while listening to Apollos. By the way, that actually happened during one of Paul's messages, which we will see when we come to chapter 20. But nothing like that ever happened with Apollos. You were wide awake for every one of his messages. He was eloquent and mighty in the scriptures. Mighty In The Word— And let me tell you, we need more men and women of God who are mighty in the scriptures; who have saturated themselves with the Word of God and can accurately teach it, defend its truth and be able to safeguard it against those who might want to twist it to their own ends. Now you and I want to be able to do that, but that kind of knowledge and ability comes at a cost. Give The World— There was once a [young man who came to a Bible teacher after he taught and he was so overawed by the teaching and the strength of the man and his teaching and the – and the ability and the power and the knowledge. And he said to him, he said, “I just was so thrilled by your teaching.” He said, “I'd give the world to be able to teach the Bible like that.” And the man said, “Good, because that's exactly what it will cost you.”] And you know, he's right. Christ can use anybody, but the extent to which He can use you may be limited by your dedication and willingness to pursue the knowledge He has already made available to you in His Word. If we want to be effective, we must first know Him; and the only way to know Him is in and through prayerful engagement with His Word. And so let that be our challenge this week. Let's be intentional about making time to engage with God in and through His Word so that He might equip us with everything we need for life and for ministry. Amen.

Hello and welcome to Lechem Panim. In recently weeks we have been discussing Paul's ministry in the city of Corinth. It was a city that was so lost to paganism and idolatry that Paul probably wondered if it was possible for God to do anything there at all. But then Paul receives a vision in which God gives Him a command and a promise. He commands Paul to speak boldly (so there's that faith element, which almost always comes first) and then promises to protect him. And so Paul takes that step of faith and lo and behold God steps in; because though some of the unbelieving Jews sought to get the proconsul (Gallio) to prosecute Paul, Gallio does the complete opposite and sets a precedent that Rome was not going to get involved in Jewish affairs (which they saw Christianity as being, seeing it as just another sect of Judaism). And so God kept His promise. But not only did God protect Paul, but He also blessed his ministry, as it tells us that Paul was even able to establish a church there in Corinth; a church that bore tremendous fruit. And this is a reminder to us that when things seem darkest and we feel the most broken, it is then that God is often able to produce some of His greatest fruit. One of the greatest verses in scripture that you and I can ever lean on actually comes from one of his letters to this Corinthian Church. It says in… 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NKJV)— 9 And He {(“the Lord”)} said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. God Always Comes Through— What a wonderful reminder that even we we might feel we have nothing left to give, God still promises to use us and come through for us. Now because of this reprieve, Paul was able to stay in Corinth and minister without any hindrance. It says in… Acts 18:18a (NKJV)— 18 So Paul still remained a good while. Then he took leave of the brethren and sailed for Syria, Syria— Now Syria is where Palestine is. But remember that Paul's all the way over in Greece. And that's no small distance. And so what he had to do was he had to get on a boat and sail about 15 miles which, when you consider how slow boats were during this time, it was a fairly long trip. And it's interesting that it tells us… Acts 18:18b (NKJV)— and Priscilla and Aquila were with him. Priscilla & Aquila Come— Now the only way Paul would have allowed this was if there were others who could take on the responsibility of pastoring the Corinthian Church. And so the fact that the church there no longer needed him and no longer needed Pricilla and Aquila tells us how Paul was building up that church. Did he preach and teach? Yes, we are told that in verse 11. But just as importantly we see that that included training church leaders. And that is so key, because the way you know your church is doing well or not is by answering a simple question: What would happen if my pastor (like Paul) left for a prolonged period of time? Would the church fall apart because he had absorbed all the focus and ministry? Or would the church carry on as usual (completely un-phased) because he had given proper attention to the discipleship and training of new leaders? That's one of the strength of Paul's ministry, which of course is a reflection of the ministry of Jesus. Invest in the few to reach the many. That is how the Church is built up. So we see that Paul leaves with Priscilla and Aquila. And Priscilla and Aquila don't abandon their leather-working & tent-making business. They simply pick up and move it. And all three make their way to Cenchrea. And it says of Paul in… Acts 18:18c (NKJV)— He had his hair cut off at Cenchrea, “hair cut off”— Now this is kind of an unusual event to have recorded for us in scripture. We don't typically think of haircuts as a big deal; unless of course men it's your wife who has gotten her hair cut; and then it is a big deal and you better notice. But even so, why do we have THIS haircut recorded for us for all Christians to read about for the rest of time? We know that the Holy Spirit inspired and guided Luke to include only what He wanted; but it seems like such an odd thing to focus on. This is further seen when we note that at this time Cenchrea (and we know this from Romans 16) had a church. But the Holy Spirit skips any mention of that church and jumps right to the haircut, only using the location of Cenchrea to signify where it was that Paul's haircut took place. But we begin to see the significance of this when it says of Paul in… Acts 18:18d (NKJV)— for he had taken a vow. The Nazirite Vow— And so we see that this haircut has to do with vow; a special kind of a vow that we find in the Old Testament (and which described in detail in Numbers 6:1-21) called the Nazirite Vow. It was a special kind of vow taken when a Jew wanted to thank God in a special way for some blessing that he had received from God. Now what had Paul received from God? Well, he had received a promise from God (in a vision) to protect him and bless his ministry. And so (like any good Jew whose heart is filled with gratitude towards God) Paul wants to express his thankfulness. And the Nazirite Vow was the best ways he could of think of to do that. Origin of Nazirite Vow— But what is a Nazirite Vow and where did it come from? Well, no one knows exactly where the Nazirite practice first came from. The directives given in Numbers 6 didn't actually establish the practice, but rather regulated it in order to bring it into harmony with the larger body of the Mosaic law. It was likely around for much longer. Meaning of “Nazirite”— But we are well-equipped to tell what it means; because the term “Nazirite” [comes from the verb nāzar, to “separate,”]. And so the Nazirite is someone who has separated themselves from certain things so that they might be more fully devoted to God (cf. Gen. 49:26; Deut. 33:16). And those things the Nazirite was to abstain from were the eating of meat, partaking of the grapes of the vine (which included abstaining from drinking wine), and coming into any contact with a dead body (even the body of a close relative). And the key physical trait that distinguished the Nazirite was that the Nazirite would allow his hair to grow for the full length of whatever was the period of his vow. The typical period for a Nazirite Vow was 30 days, though some went for 60 days, some for 100 days, and some were for life. We have only three examples of Nazirites who were Nazirites for life: Samson (Judg. 13:5, 12-14), Samuel (1 Sam. 1:11), and John the Baptist (Luke 1:15). Now we don't know how long Paul had been under this Nazirite Vow; perhaps he began when he started making preparations to leave Corinth. But whatever the span of time, he was abstaining from meat, the fruit of the vine, and anything dead. And he's allowing his hair to grow long. Why The Hair?— Now why was the hair (of all things) chosen as the outward symbol for the Nazirite? Well the word nēzer in Hebrew (which contains the original idea of nāzar) means a “diadem”. What is a diadem? A crown. Where does a crown go? On the head. And so the hair was seen as the crown, the ornament of the head (6:5; cf. 2 Sam. 14:25-26). And so [the Nazirite is {seen to be} a “crowned one,” because “his separation to God is on his head” (Num. 6:7). Now long uncut hair (though ordinarily not thought appropriate for a Jewish man to have) was nevertheless a symbol of strength and abundant vitality (see 2 Sam. 14:25-26). But for the Nazirite there was also a spiritual side to it, because it was an outward reminder that he was dedicated to God; that he belonged to God in a special way. It was a diadem not just because having long hair was luxurious (as every hair product commercial will tell you) but because he had become crowned with God Himself. And so Paul is, in a posture of thanksgiving, living under a symbol of gratitude, sanctification, and awareness of the presence of God in His life. Now you and I may never take a Nazirite Vow, partially because we are not Jews. But nevertheless, shouldn't there also be in our lives symbols of thanksgiving and consecration? What can I do to demonstrate (to consummate with my actions) the love and devotion I say I have for God? That is something worth taking the time to answer. Closure of the Vow— Now at the time of the end of the vow, what would happen (and this is no doubt what Paul did) was he would bring an offering to the temple and would then [cut off his “dedicated head of hair” (i.e., the hair that had grown during the period of his consecration) at the door of the Tabernacle {(though we see Paul cut his off earlier)} and…put it into the fire under the sacrifice on the altar.….When all the service was concluded the late Nazirite was again at liberty to drink wine (Num. 6:20).] A Priestly Life— Now all this may seem kind of strange to us, but when we understand the purpose of this practice (being consecrated to God in a special way) and how the Nazirite was considered to be “holy to the Lord” (as Numbers 6:8 says), we see that there is a lot of significance in this for us as well. It is interesting that two Jewish philosophers (Philo and Maimonides) describe the Nazirite as being similar in their standing with God as the priests themselves. The only difference was that Nazirites had no official service at the sanctuary and their time of dedication was temporary and voluntary. But the Nazirites were to live a priestly life during the period of their vows, being free of anything connected with death or the sinful pattern of this world. They were to live during the period of their vow lives of self-surrender to God. Now this is incredible, because you will remember that on Sinai, God gave Moses a vision of what He wanted Israel to become. It says… Exodus 19:3-6 (NKJV)— 3 And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: 4 ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I [a]bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself. 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. 6 And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.” A Picture of Sanctification— And so we see that God's goal, of which the Nazirite's sanctification was a picture, was that all people might become His priests; that they might be consecrated to Him and live lives holy/set apart to Him, free from anything that might defile. And that cleansing was to be not temporary (like the Nazirite Vow) but permanent. In fact, listen to Paul talk about this when he writes to the Corinthian church in… 2 Corinthians 6:17 (NKJV)— 17 Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.” Us Set Apart— You see, Paul saw it necessary that every Christian live lives set apart to God. Now although this was simply a vow (a work) that the Nazirite gave, we have to recognize that [it was also a work of the Spirit of God which dwelt in the congregation of Israel]. Because the prophet Amos describes [the raising up of Nazirites along with prophets as a special manifestation of divine grace”]. And anywhere in Israel's history where they were doing really well spiritually, there was an abundance of Nazirites. When Israel was the sickest spiritually was also when there were the fewest Nazirites. There was usually a strong strong correlation between the two. Few Set Apart— And the same thing is true in our nation. Our nation is more spiritually weak now than it has ever been. And that is not because of a lack of Christians. It is because many of the Christians we have are not yet fully given over to Jesus Christ. We are looking forward to future crowns in heaven, but are not wearing in this world the diadems of lives sanctified and set apart to God. We are not living as sojourners in this world. We are living as permanent residents. But Paul definitely saw himself differently; and he certainly was not a permanent resident of this world or really any place in this world. He was constantly moving from place to place, his eyes set on the Kingdom and doing what he could to grow that Kingdom. Be Set Apart— And you know, that is how you and I need to live; not necessarily as Nazirites, but as people set apart, recognizing that we have been called out from the world to be holy unto God. Let us commit to allow God to make us holy unto Him, in every way. Amen.

Hello and welcome to Lechem Panim. In our study of Acts chapter 18 we have been taking a look at Paul's ministry in Corinth. And it has been a tough season for Paul. Paul has been facing a lot of rejection, particularly from his own people. And so he no doubt was going through a time of deep discouragement. But God  came to Paul in that season and gave a promise. It says in… Acts 18:9-10 (NKJV)— 9 Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.” Promised Fruit— And so we see that Paul is encouraged by God's promise to be with him. But he is also encouraged by the fact that he will be safe because he is not alone there in Corinth. God has many people in this city. SATAN WANTS YOU TO FEEL ALONE— Now I have found that one of Satan's chief strategies that he works upon Christians is the feeling that we are alone. Because out of that feeling he can get us feeling depressed and can suppress our desire to push forward. What Satan doesn't want us to figure out is that there are other people just like us going through similar things; people who can be an encouragement and a strength to us. One of Satan's greatest strategies is to divide and conquer. And he does that first by driving apart people who are already in a relationship with one another, but he also does that by keeping people apart who might be able to pour grace and love and encouragement into one another's lives. And that is what he no doubt wants to do here with Paul. He wants Paul to feel alone, afraid, and therefore to go into protection mode. But God, defending Paul against that temptation, quickly stomps that snake and says “Don't be afraid. First of all, I'm with you, which is enough in itself. But also you are surrounded by unknown friends you haven't met yet who fear my name (or will soon, through your ministry) and who are going to be a source of protection for you.” And so instead of clamming up or leaving, Paul continues his ministry. It says in… Acts 18:11 (NKJV)—11 And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. Converts in Corinth— And Paul's ministry bore tremendous fruit. He established a church there in Corinth. And just a few of those [who became Christians in Corinth were Phoebe (Romans 16:1—Cenchrea was the port city of Corinth), Tertius (Romans 16:22), Erastus (Romans 16:23), Quartus (Romans 16:23), Chloe (1 Corinthians 1:11), Gaius (1 Corinthians 1:14), Stephanas and his household (1 Corinthians 16:15), Fortunatus (1 Corinthians 16:17), and Achaicus (1 Corinthians 16:17).] Now the church in Corinth was not full of mighty and noble people (1 Cor. 1:26–31), but rather with sinners whose lives were transformed by the grace of God (1 Cor. 6:9–11). And not only was Paul's local ministry fruitful, but also his ministry of writing was as well, as during this time he also [wrote two letters to the believers in Thessalonica (the books of 1 and 2 Thessalonians).] The Unseen Hand— Now I would love to see the many ways that God protected Paul during this time. But you know, Paul probably knew very few of them. He probably didn't realize until he got to heaven the many ways God had His hand over his life. And the same is true of us. We don't get to see all the things we have been spared from; or the “could have been” disasters. And therefore Luke (the great historian) shares only one example of God's protection over Paul that he could clearly see and communicate; and it is one that is enormously significant, for reason's we will see in a few moments. A New Proconsul: Gallio— But first, the “governor” (proconsul) of Achaia (modern Greece) was a Roman senator by the name of Gallio. He served from A.D. 51-52 and was the brother of Seneca the philosopher. And when he comes into power during this time, the unbelieving Jews see this as an opportunity to try to manipulate Rome into declaring this new “Christian sect” illegal. And so they break the law [by attacking Paul and forcing him to go to court.] It says in… Acts 18:12-13 (NKJV)—12 When Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him to the judgment seat, 13 saying, “This fellow persuades men to worship God contrary to the law.” The Best Speech Never Given— And what they were really charging Paul with was his [promoting a religion not approved by Roman Law.] And you have to understand that if you are going to understand the miracle of what will soon take place. They want to make Paul (and Christianity) the enemy of Rome. And this seems to be their go-to strategy, because [This was not the first time that fanatical Jews had tried to prove that Paul was breaking the Roman law.] They had tried similar tactics also in Philippi (Acts 16:19-24) and then in Thessalonica (Acts 17:6–7). But Paul knew his rights as a Roman citizen and was more than ready to defend himself. And he opens his mouth to deliver the best speech never given. That's right, Paul never had a chance to deliver it; because while God had commanded Paul to speak in verse 9, here He seems to step in and basically says, “Paul, I got this one.” And we see this in that instead of Paul making his defense, Gallio (the ROMAN PROCONSUL) makes his defense!!! It says… Acts 18:14-16 (NKJV)— 14 And when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrongdoing or wicked crimes, O Jews, there would be reason why I should bear with you. 15 But if it is a question of words and names and your own law, look to it yourselves; for I do not want to be a judge of such matters.” 16 And he drove them from the judgment seat. An Unexpected Advocate— And so Gallio was not the fool these Jews took him to be and [immediately saw that the real issue was not the application of the Roman law but the interpretation of the Jewish religion, so he refused to try the case!] And so while [The Jews tried to force the Roman proconsul to declare the Christian faith illegal, …Gallio ended up doing just the opposite. {Because} By refusing to try the case, Gallio made it clear that Rome would not get involved in cases involving Jewish religious disputes. As far as he was concerned, Paul and his disciples had as much right as the Jews to practice their religion and share it with others.] Now it may come as a surprise, but that kind of response is very typical of the relationship between the Roman and Christian Church here in the book of Acts. Yes, the apostles were forbidden to preach (Acts 4:17-21; 5:40), but that was by the Jewish council, not a Roman one. In fact there is no evidence in the book of Acts that Rome ever did this. Actually, the opposite seems to have been the case. We see [in Philippi (Acts 16:35-40), Corinth, and Ephesus (Acts 19:31), the Roman officials were not only tolerant but almost cooperative.] And this was partially because of Paul. He [knew how to use his Roman citizenship wisely so that the government worked for him and not against him, and he was careful not to accuse the government or try to escape its authority (Acts 25:10-12).] Now this was not the end of the matter. It says in… Acts 18:17 (NKJV)— 17 Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. But Gallio took no notice of these things. Sosthenes Beaten & Redeemed— Now what in the world is this all about? And who is this guy Sosthenes? What happened to Crispus, who is described as the synagogue ruler in the beginning of the passage. Well, remember Crispus had been converted to Christianity by Paul. And you can imagine how outraged many of the Jews were. What seems to have happened is that Crispus was removed from his position and replaced by a new synagogue ruler, a man by the name of Sosthenes. And it is this man who is attacked by the Greeks, who beat the tar out of him right in front of the proconsul, who simply looks the other way. Now we don't know exactly who was doing the beating. [The mob could have been Greeks venting their feelings against the Jews for causing turmoil, or the crowd may have included some Jews. In any case, they beat Sosthenes for losing the case and leaving the synagogue worse off than before.] Now the irony here is that [If this is the same Sosthenes mentioned by Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:1, then {apparently he too got converted, and the Jews had to find {yet} another ruler for their synagogue!] I would love to know how that all came about. Maybe somebody was there that day to pick Sosthenes up off the ground; maybe a Christian. Maybe it was Paul himself or Crispus who helped to wash his wounds, using it as an opportunity to share the love of Christ.     But whatever the case, what this shows us is that no matter how much Satan opposes us, because God is with us, those oppositions simply become God's opportunities to do something great. And so the central thrust of this passage is that God is both with us and is protecting us sometimes in seen but most often in unseen ways. And knowing that can give us the courage to “Fear not!” and speak boldly the name of Jesus. John Paton's Unseen Army— [John Paton was a missionary in the New Hebrides Islands. One night hostile natives surrounded the mission station, intent on burning out the Patons and killing them. Paton and his wife prayed during that terror-filled night that God would deliver them. When daylight came they were amazed to see their attackers leave. A year later, the chief of the tribe was converted to Christ. Remembering what had happened, Paton asked the chief what had kept him from burning down the house and killing them. The chief replied in surprise, "Who were all those men with you there?" Paton knew no men were present--but the chief said he was afraid to attack because he had seen hundreds of big men in shining garments with drawn swords circling the mission station.] Never Alone— Now you and I may feel alone when we live out Christ's call to be a light in the world. But what scripture always reminds us of is the “fact” that God is with us. And though He won't always shield us from pain and death, we can rest assured that His perfect plan for our lives will come to fruition if we (like Paul) remain obedient to speak out. And many people will be forever changed by your commitment to Christ. Psalm 121:7-8 (NKJV) 7 The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. 8 The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore. Let us therefore trust in the Lord this week. Amen.

Hello and welcome to Lechem Panim. Today we will be continuing our study of Acts chapter 18. So if you have your Bible, go ahead and turn with me there. You will remember that Paul has (most recently) entered into the city of Corinth, the political and commercial center of Greece. And it is here that he works as a tentmaker alongside a Jewish man and woman (Aquila and Priscilla) who themselves have been driven out (as all the Jews were) from Rome. And so during the week they make leather tents (and perhaps other leather items as well) and sell them. But on the Sabbath Paul would reason in the synagogue with the Jews and Gentiles who had gathered there to worship and persuaded some of them of the truth of the Gospel. Now Silas and Timothy eventually arrive. And 2 Corinthians 11:9 tells us that they do so bringing financial aid. And this allowed Paul to be more freed to devote himself fully to preaching the Gospel. But enemies had set themselves against Paul; and Paul had faced the rejection of many of his own people, most recently here in Corinth. And so it is a time of discouragement. And he may be wondering how he is ever going to do what God has called him to do. But God gave Paul an amazing promise that extends to you and me as well. And today I would like to take a look at that promise. Remembering 9/11— You know, most of you (myself included) remember right where you were when you heard the news that terrorists had hit the World Trade Center buildings on 9/11. It's a day we will never forget. But recently I read (I think for the first time, though I had seen part of it before) the 911 call from United Airlines Flight 93, where a very terrified passenger by the name of Todd Beamer was frantically telling the dispatcher about the hijacking of their plane. And the dispatcher confirmed for him what he had already heard, that hijackers had crashed two planes into the World Trade Center and that both towers were gone. “Oh God —help us!” he said. She told him that a third plane was taken over by terrorists, who crashed it into the pentagon; and his plane may also be part of their plan. Then Todd, in shock, asked the dispatcher (whose name was Lisa) to call his pregnant wife (whose name, surprisingly, was also Lisa) and their two boys, tell them what happened, and tell her that he loves her and will always love her; and to tell his boys that their daddy loves them and that he is so proud of them. Later in the call another dispatcher joins in the conversation. Goodwin: Hello Todd. This is Agent Goodwin with the FBI. We have been monitoring your flight. Your plane is on a course for Washington, DC. These terrorists sent two planes into the World Trade Center and one plane into the Pentagon. Our best guess is that they plan to fly your plane into either the White House or the United States Capital Building. Todd: I understand…hold on……I'll…….I'll be back.. Lisa: Mr. Goodwin, how much time do they have before they get to Washington? Goodwin: Not long ma'am. They changed course over Cleveland; they're approaching Pittsburgh now. Washington may be twenty minutes away. Todd: (breathing a little heavier) The plane seems to be changing directions just a little. It's getting pretty rough up here. The plane is flying real erratic….We're not going to make it out of here. Listen to me….I want you to hear this….I have talked with the others….we have decided we would not be pawns in these hijackers suicidal plot. Lisa: Todd, what are you going to do? Todd: We've hatched a plan. Four of us are going to rush the hijacker with the bomb. After we take him out, we'll break into the cockpit. A stewardess is getting some boiling water to throw on the hijackers at the controls. We'll get them….and we'll take them out. Lisa, …..will you do one last thing for me? Lisa: Yes…What is it? Todd: Would you pray with me? They pray: Our father which art in Heaven Hallowed be thy name, Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, And forgive us our trespasses As we forgive our trespassers, And lead us not into temptation But deliver us from evil For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory Forever…..Amen The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want… He makes me to lie down in green pastures He leads me beside the still waters He restores my soul He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for thou art with me….. Todd: (softer) God help me…Jesus help me….(clears throat and louder) Are you guys ready?…….. Let's Roll…………………… Thou Art With Me— And of course we know that Todd and the other passengers succeeded. They (at the cost of their own lives) were able to overcome the terrorists and crash the plane, saving God knows how many lives in what is no doubt one of the greatest acts of heroism in American history. Now I cannot imagine how afraid Todd and those passengers must have been. Yet they were somehow able to rise above that fear and take action. And the secret to that courage might be found in the last words Todd prayed from Psalm 23: for thou art with me. I don't know if there are any more encouraging words in scripture than those; to know that in the midst of whatever we face, God is with us. Perhaps that is why God has seen fit to interweave this promise throughout all of scripture. He says in… Genesis 28:15 ESV— Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Joshua 1:9— "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." Isaiah 41:10— "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 43:2 ESV— When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. Deuteronomy 31:6— "Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” Zephaniah 3:17— "The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.” Matthew 28:20— "Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” A Promise That Carries Us— It is this promise of God to be with us no matter what that can help us to carry on His work in the face of the most intense trials and persecutions. And it is no surprise that it is this promise that God gives to Paul as he is no doubt discouraged from his having faced rejection and adversity in just about every place he has been ministering in, most recently from his Jewish brothers there in Corinth. And so God comes to him by night and appears to him in a vision. It says in… Acts 18:9-10 (NKJV)— 9 Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.” A Dark Situation— Now the reason that God said this was because remember that recently Crispus, the synagogue ruler, converted to faith in Christ in and through the ministry of Paul. And that was great, because it opened up more opportunities for Paul to evangelize. But it also brought more opposition from the enemy. The unbelieving Jews in Corinth were furious at Paul's success and set themselves against him and his ministry with the aim to silence and get rid of him. Now Luke does not give us much detail on this, but it seems that between verses 8 and 9 the situation has become especially difficult and dangerous for Paul; so dangerous that Paul may have even been thinking about leaving Corinth altogether, as he had been forced to do from some of the other cities he had ministered in. But, as we have been talking about, God always provides encouragement when we need it most. And that encouragement can come through His Word, through the ministry of other people, or even directly from God through prayer. But no matter how He does it, God speaks to us when we need Him most. And God tells Paul that because He is with him, he doesn't need to be afraid, but can speak freely without feeling like he needs to keep silent in order to be safe. Fear Not— Now there have probably been times in your life when you have heard God speaking a soft and tender “Fear not!” into your life to quiet your heart and give you peace amidst the storms of life. “Fear not!” [is the way He assured Abraham (Gen. 15:1), Isaac (Gen. 26:24), and Jacob (Gen. 46:3), as well as Jehoshaphat (2 Chron. 20:15–17), Daniel (Dan. 10:12, 19), Mary (Luke 1:30), and Peter (Luke 5:10).] And that is how God assures us as well. “it is a fact!”— [British preacher G. Campbell Morgan used to read the Bible each week to two elderly women. One evening, when he finished reading the closing words of Matthew 28, Morgan said to the women, “Isn't that a wonderful promise!” and one of them replied, “Young man, that is not a promise—it is a fact!”] Paul Experiences “Immanuel”— And that was definitely a fact for Paul. [Jesus had already appeared to Paul on the Damascus road (Acts 9:1–6; 26:12–18) and also in the temple (Acts 22:17–18). Paul would be encouraged by Him again when he was imprisoned in Jerusalem (Acts 23:11) and later in Rome (2 Tim. 4:16–17). Our Lord's angel would also appear to Paul in the midst of the storm and give him a word of assurance for the passengers and crew (Acts 27:23–25).] And this really shows that the title we call Jesus by (especially during Christmas time), “Immanuel—God with us” (Matt. 1:23) is a name that our Savior really lives up to. And I want to tell you today that Jesus is with you. And therefore you can take courage. One hymn speak this Word of God into our lives like no other: “Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed, For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid; I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand, Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.” “When through the deep waters I call thee to go, The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow; For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless, And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.” Know this week that Christ is with you in whatever you are facing; and that, if you abide in Him, He will do His work through you. Amen.

Hello and welcome to Lechem Panim. So good to have you with us today as we study the Word of God together. You know, one of the men who has had one of the most tremendous impacts on history was a man by the name of John Wesley; not only for the content of his teaching, but also for his absolute persistence in the midst of some of the most intense rejection, persecution, and trials. Wesley's Journal— Not long ago I was reading an excerpt from John Wesley's diary. In it he writes... Sunday, A.M., May 5    Preached in St. Anne's. Was asked not to come back anymore. Sunday, P.M., May 5     Preached in St. John's. Deacons said "Get out and stay out." Sunday, A.M., May 12    Preached in St. Jude's. Can't go back there, either. Sunday, A.M., May 19    Preached in St. Somebody Else's. Deacons called special meeting and said I couldn't return. Sunday, P.M., May 19    Preached on street. Kicked off street. Sunday, A.M., May 26    Preached in meadow. Chased out of meadow as bull was turned loose during service. Sunday, A.M., June 2    Preached out at the edge of town. Kicked off the highway. Sunday, P.M., June 2    Afternoon, preached in a pasture. Ten thousand people came out to hear me. The Big Picture— You know, some of the greatest people in all of history; the people that God was able to use the most, were those who never gave up in the face of trials. People who didn't let persecution make them bitter, but just said, “Jesus, I don't know why this is happening to me, but I know that you are in control and will work this out for your glory.” John Wesley didn't see the big picture of where those rejections he had encountered would lead. He didn't need to see the big picture. All he needed was to say to God as Jesus did, “Thy will be done” and trust Him with the rest. Steadfast Biblical Heroes— As you and I go through scripture, we find that some of God's greatest heroes were men and women who (at least at first) had no grasp of the big picture. All they could do was trust God in the moment. I think of Abraham called to sacrifice his son. I think of Job; about the purpose of his suffering; Joseph, sold by his brothers into slavery, then into prison because of a false accusation; but he ends up being used by God to save Egypt and the surrounding countries from famine. I think of Daniel, brought into captivity never knowing God was going to use him mightily; even young everyday couples like Mary and Joseph (Jesus' parents); Mary undergoing rejection from of her community from a pregnancy she couldn't explain; Joseph feeling cheated by Mary (at first), choosing to believe and obey God, and then sharing with Mary in that same persecution. Few of these men and women ever saw the big picture. But they didn't need to. Each and every one of them were able to trust that God is good, He is in control, and He is working through their suffering to fulfill His plan. Now those men and women modeled a steadfastness, a patience, and wisdom that may at times seem unreachable to us. But these weren't spiritual giants; they were men and women (like you and me) who simply said Lord I will trust you; I will do what you have asked me to do in the moment. And the only reason that you and I are believers today is because of men and women in the past like John Wesley who chose to remain steadfast under some of the most intense persecution, trusting in God. Our Trust— Do we have that kind of trust in the Lord? That is the kind of faith James wants all Christians to have. He wants them to be a people who, through obedience and trust, are overcomers. And God wants to make us overcomers as well. James writes in... James 1:12 (ESV)— 12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. 2 Images of Judgment— Now I say all of this because here in our passage today we find Paul facing the same kind of rejection and trials that are typical of any true follower of God. But he recognizes how God is using those trials to change his direction/focus. And that is why we see here in Acts chapter 18 a dramatic shift in the ministry of Paul. It says that after these Jews opposed him and blasphemed, he shook his garments and said to them, “Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” And here we have two very interesting Old Testament images. The first (the shaking of his garments) [was an act of judgment that said, “You have had your opportunity, but now it's over!” Today we might say that we were washing our hands of a situation.] Now this didn't mean that Paul would stop witnessing to the Jews, but [his primary calling was to evangelize the Gentiles (Acts 13:46-48; 28:28).]             Now the second image (the proclamation that their blood be upon their own heads) was also a proclamation of judgment. [To have blood on your hands means that you bear the responsibility for another's death because you were not faithful to warn him. The image comes from the watchman on the city walls whose task it was to stay alert and warn of coming danger (see Ezek. 3:17–21; 33:1–9). But to have blood on your head means that you are to blame for your own judgment. You had the opportunity to be saved, but you turned it down (see Josh. 2:19). Paul's hands were clean (Acts 20:26) because he had been faithful to declare the message of the gospel. The Jews had their own blood on their own heads because they rejected God's truth.] And Paul is deeply pained about this (which he relays in great detail in Romans 9). And no doubt he is feeling discouraged again. But remember the key point of our passage last week: God sends encouragement when we need it most. And here we see that once again (just at the right time) God brings somebody into Paul's life to be a friend and a support to him, a God-fearing Gentile name Titus Justus, whose full name may have been Gaius Titus Justus, very likely making him the “Gaius, my host” Paul refers to in Romans 16:23. And here we see that Justus opens his home for Paul to stay in and use as his preaching station, which was located in the perfect spot. It says in… Acts 18:7 (NKJV)— 7 And he departed from there and entered the house of a certain man named Justus, one who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue. Connection With The Synagogue— Now this was awesome because it gave Paul [continued contact with the Jews and Gentile proselytes], with whom Paul continues to share the Gospel. Now in that synagogue there was a man by the name of Crispus. And Crispus was in fact the ruler of the synagogue, which meant that it was his [job to see to it that the synagogue building was cared for and that the services were held in a regular and orderly manner.] And look at what happens after he hears the Gospel. It says… Acts 18:8 (NKJV)— 8 Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized. Another Household— And so once again, just as with Cornelius and his household in Acts 10, Lydia and her household and the Philippian Jailer and his household in Acts 16, we have yet another person and their whole household coming to faith in Christ. And this no doubt stirred the Jewish population in Corinth in a BIG way! Pessimists, Optimists, & Realists— But once again, this reinforces the truth we have been talking about; and that is that where Satan brings opposition, God creates opportunity. Now some people are pessimists. They are the ones who only see the problems. Other people are optimists. They are those who only see the positive. Now neither of those extremes is the right one. We are not called to be pessimists; nor are we called to be optimists. We are called to be realists. Now what is a realist? A lot of people who say they are realists are merely pessimists in disguise. But the true realist is one who sees the potential in the problems. And Paul was a realist. He wasn't blind to the dangers and difficulties of the situation in Corinth. But he saw in those problems God's great opportunities. And so one of the things you I must always remember is to not focus on what you can't do, but what you can. What We Can Do— Now one of the things I love about our Church, Renton Park Chapel, (and this was really highlighted for me when Covid hit), because when our leadership met to re-group and seek the Lord as to how we were (and are) going to get through this, I loved how our team didn't focus on what we couldn't do. No, our team focused on what we could do; and what opportunities might arise through this pandemic that perhaps were not available (or recognized) before. And because of that our reach grew wider, not smaller. People's giving of their time and resources went up, not down. Be Realists— But in thinking about this passage (and this truth in particular) God's greatest heroes were not people with great resources or abilities. They were simply realists who were willing to seek God's opportunities in the midst of the world's problems. And so I want to encourage you today, let us be realists who are seeking for those opportunities. Satan may try to kick you and beat you down. He may try to fill your life with discouragement, trying to get you to quit. But when he does, remember that God sends encouragement when we need it. Remember also that where Satan brings opposition, God brings opportunity. And lastly, don't focus on what you can't do, but what you can do. Let's remember those three things today. Amen.

Hello and welcome to Lechem Panim. So glad you could join us today as we continue to study the book of Acts together. I'd like to start off today by sharing with you a brief story I came across involving a very interesting spacecraft. The Little Satellite That Could— Back [In 1972, NASA launched the exploratory space probe Pioneer 10. {Some of you may remember Pioneer 10; others of you it may be a bit before you time (as it was mine). But} According to Leon Jaroff in Time, the {Pioneer 10} satellite's primary mission was to reach Jupiter, photograph the planet and its moons, and beam data to earth about Jupiter's magnetic field, radiation belts, and atmosphere. Scientists regarded this as a bold plan, for at that time no earth satellite had ever gone beyond Mars, and they feared the asteroid belt would destroy the satellite before it could reach its target. But Pioneer 10 accomplished its mission and much, much more. Swinging past the giant planet in November 1973, Jupiter's immense gravity hurled Pioneer 10 at a higher rate of speed toward the edge of the solar system. At one billion miles from the sun, Pioneer 10 passed Saturn. At some two billion miles, it hurtled past Uranus; Neptune at nearly three billion miles; Pluto at almost four billion miles. By 1997, twenty-five years after its launch, Pioneer 10 was more than six billion miles from the sun. And despite that immense distance, Pioneer 10 continued to beam back radio signals to scientists on Earth. "Perhaps most remarkable," writes Jaroff, "those signals emanate from an 8-watt transmitter, which radiates about as much power as a bedroom night light, and takes more than nine hours to reach Earth.” The Little Satellite That Could was not qualified to do what it did. Engineers designed Pioneer 10 with a useful life of just three years. But it kept going and going. By simple longevity, its tiny 8-watt transmitter radio accomplished more than anyone thought possible. So it is when we offer ourselves to serve the Lord. God can work even through someone with 8-watt abilities. God cannot work, however, through someone who quits.] Paul Wouldn't Quit— Well, Paul was not a quitter. It didn't matter what difficulties, persecutions, imprisonments, or beatings he faced. He (just like Pioneer 10) just kept plugging away. And through him seeds were being planted that would eventually result in the world becoming turned upside down (or I should say right-side-up) with the good news of the Gospel. It says in… Acts 18:1 (NKJV)— 1 After these things Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth. Corinth— So we see that Paul has come to Corinth.  And he would need all his resilience and grit to start a church here in this place. A city of 200,000 people, [Corinth was the political and commercial center of Greece, surpassing Athens in importance. {But what would make it such a challenge was that} It had a reputation for great wickedness and immorality] that [was known all over the Roman Empire. (Rom. 1:18–32 was written in Corinth!)] And this immorality was largely due to the fact that on a large hill behind the city there was a temple to Aphrodite, goddess of love and war. And the way to show your devotion to her was by giving money to her temple and engaging in illicit sexual acts with male and female temple prostitutes. And that would make Corinth a real challenge for Paul because although there was great opportunity for ministry in Corinth, the church that would be founded there would always be tempted by the immorality that surrounded them on a daily basis. And that is why Paul wrote a series of letters to the Corinthians that dealt in part with the problems of immorality. [First and Second Corinthians are two of those letters.]     Now I don't know about you, but whenever I look around me at the darkness of the world, I am often tempted to get discouraged. The news doesn't help. But, I have found that my time in the Word does. Because it reminds us that the darkness we feel is nothing new. The world has been dark since the fall. And while we are in the midst of the darkness, God has done great things; and He will continue to do great things. No matter how dark things get, God can still use His little Pioneer 10's to change the world. And as we persevere, God will bring people into our lives who will help encourage us along the way. And that is the first point I want you to remember today. God sends encouragement when we need it most. Paul had come to Corinth alone. And yet it says in… Acts 18:2 (NKJV)— 2 And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla (because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome); and he came to them. Jews Expelled— And this is just another illustration of how God can used a very dark circumstance to work about His plan and purpose; because during this time Emperor Claudius had expelled all the Jews from Rome. And the Roman historian Suetonius wrote (mind you, 70 years later) that Claudius did this because they “were indulging in constant riots at the instigation of Chrestus”. Now Chrestus was a common misspelling of Christus (the Latin for “Christ”; and so [it is commonly assumed that Suetonius refers to disturbances in the Jewish community sparked by the preaching of Christ. Writing seventy years after the fact, he wrongly assumed Chrestus (Christ) to have been in Rome instigating the riots.] However, we know it was really particular Jews who had set themselves against this new movement of Christianity. But out of this expulsion God brought Aquila and Priscilla to Corinth. And because of that they would become for Paul some of his dearest friends; friends who we read in Romans 16:3-4 would even be willing to risk their lives for him. Different From The Philosophers— And the way they came together was also important; because remember that Paul had just finished ministering to the philosophers in Athens. But there were many philosophers and itinerant preachers in Corinth as well. And these philosophers and teachers preyed on ignorant and superstitious citizens there. And so it would have been very easy for Paul and his ministry to be lumped in with them and therefore misunderstood. And so it was important for Paul to demonstrate to people that he was different. And one of the ways he did this was by supporting himself as a tentmaker. And that was one of the things that made he and Aquila such a good fit. It says in… Acts 18:3 (NKJV)— 3 So, because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and worked; for by occupation they were tentmakers. A Tentmaker— Now in Jewish culture, Rabbis [did not accept money from their students but earned their way by practicing a trade. All Jewish boys were expected to learn a trade, no matter what profession they might enter.] The Rabbis used to say, “He who does not teach his son to work, teaches him to steal!” And so every boy would learn a trade that would allow him to earn a living. And Paul and Aquila were no exception. Both had been trained to be tentmakers, which is a rendering of the Greek word skēnopoios. Another possible rending of that word is “leather workers”, which is [a trade that included the making of tents, which were often made out of leather.] And in this time and place [Tents were used to house soldiers, so these tents may have been sold to the Roman army.] But this was an occupation that was well suited to Paul and his ministry because (since he was always traveling) he had to have a business that he could just pick up and move from place to place; and that is what he was able to do as a tentmaker. Now when he wasn't making tents, Paul was sharing the Gospel. Where? The synagogue. It says in… Acts 18:4 (NKJV)— 4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks. Financial Aid Comes— And we know that that was really his main reason and purpose for being there in Corinth to begin with. Now sometime during this time Silas and Timothy re-join him from Macedonia. And 2 Corinthians 11:9 tells us that they did so bringing financial aid. And this freed Paul to devote himself more fully to the preaching of the Gospel. It says in… Acts 18:5-6 (NKJV)— 5 When Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. 6 But when they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook his garments and said to them, “Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” When Satan Kicks— Now this brings us to point number 2, which is this: Where Satan brings opposition, God creates opportunity. Now the opposition that Satan created came through unbelieving Jews. Unbelieving Jews had been Paul's adversaries in Thessalonica and Berea (Acts 17:5-13) and were now (in Corinth) demonstrating the same rejection of the Gospel, beginning to once again stir up trouble for Paul and his friends (see 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16). Now this kind of [opposition is usually proof that God is at work, and this ought to encourage us. Spurgeon used to say that “the Devil never kicks a dead horse!”] And here we find Satan kicking because he sees the awesome power of what is happening. Wherever Christianity is going, culture is changing. People are being freed from slavery to sin and fear. They are experiencing restoration into a relationship with God and being freed from his clutches. And so Satan is trying to counteract that. And he's no doubt hoping that Paul will get discouraged and quit; that his 8 watt strength will finally give out. But Paul remains undaunted. While this kind of opposition had forced him to leave Thessalonica and Berea, we find that here in Corinth he is determined to stay. And next week we will see his response to that opposition. God's Word of Encouragement to Paul— But in your own life today, maybe you feel like Pioneer 10; like your 8 watts of energy could give out at any moment. Maybe you feel the attacks of Satan against your life and against your ministry. If so let me encourage you with what Paul said God revealed to him in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10. Paul says the Lord said to him… 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (ESV)— …“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore {(Paul says)} I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. Let Christ be your strength this week and use whatever you offer Him to produce great fruit for His kingdom. Amen.

Hello and welcome to Lechem Panim. If you were with us last week, you'll know that in our study of Acts chapter 17 we began taking a look at how Paul has been forced to flee from Berea to the city Athens, where he is awaiting Silas and Timothy to join him. And while there he has an opportunity to share the Gospel with the people there and so he is brought to the Areopagus (the council) which [met on a low hill in Athens near the Acropolis.] And it says… Acts 17:22-23 (NKJV)— 22 Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious; 23 for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you: The Unknown God— Now this is powerful evangelism right here. Notice how Paul does exactly what we have been observing him doing frequently in his evangelism; and that is finding that common ground, that point of entry where you can meet someone where they are at, build on what they know or believe, and then lead them into what they do not yet know. These [Athenians had built an idol to the unknown god for fear of missing blessings or receiving punishment.] And so Paul begins his witness by saying that he is proclaiming the God they do not know. Now he wasn't endorsing whoever this god was (at least in their minds), but simply used it as a stepping stone into talking about the One true God. And he begins with that bit of Judeo-Christian theology which has (since earliest times) set Judaism and Christianity apart from every other world religion; and that is that God is not a part of creation (being conceived by and born into nature), and therefore enslaved to it just as we are. No, He is the maker of heaven and earth; and because He is the maker of all things (heaven and earth) is the Lord of all things. That is where any good Jew would begin. It's the reality the Psalmists always pointed back to. In a world where people looked to the high places (where pagan worship was carried out in their feeble attempts to try to manipulate gods who were bound to this world), a different theology was produced by God in Israel (and it could have only come from God; it is too big for us). Psalm 121:1-2 (NIV) A song of ascents.— 1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? {Now we always get this wrong, because we think the Psalmist is finding hope from the mountain. But no, he's looking to the mountain (the high place where all his pagan neighbors look to) and he's saying “my help doesn't come from there and that whole pagan system. No,…} 2 My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. {That is what set Yahweh apart from all other in the mind of the Jew, which is why Paul (a Jew to the core) responds the way he does…} Acts 17:24-28 (NKJV)— 24 God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. 25 Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. 26 And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, 27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28 for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.' Closely Involved— So God has created the world and everything in it (v.24) and also is closely involved with His creation. While He is not trapped within His creation (because He is transcendent) nevertheless he is close to each and every one of us. And He (Paul says) is the source of our life, an is in absolute control of our lives. It is in Him that we live, being dependent on Him; He is not dependent on us (as the pagans believed all gods were). No, we need Him. And Paul quotes from one of their own poets who talked about how all man is the offspring of a god. So, once again, another touching point. The Media Medium— Now when we watch a secular movie or listen to a secular song that sheds light on a particular issue, it gives us (like it did here with Paul) a place to start in the conversation. Now I'm not advocating you watch every secular movie or listen to every secular song. Many (if not most) we need to say no to. But nevertheless we need to be aware of what those movies are saying because that is how this generation expresses their philosophy. And we need to know what it is they are saying so we can reflect back those things they are saying that is true, with the aim of helping them to grow in their understanding. And that is what Paul has just done here with his first point: God is sovereign because He is the Maker of heaven and earth. Now for point 2: Acts 17:29-31 (NKJV)— 29 Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man's devising. {So, in other words, “the gods you are worshipping are false gods that do not accurately represent the divine. That's his second point. And his third is…} 30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.” Judgment Day— So point 3 is that they are in need of repentance because a day of judgment is coming, a day where Jesus Himself will judge the earth as God's ordained judge. Now this was important for these Athenians to hear because obviously [Most of them preferred worshipping many gods instead of just one,] but Paul is saying they need to repent of this because judgment from the one and only Sovereign God is coming. Now [The Greeks had no concept of judgment.] And it would take a very big piece of evidence to make them believe that they needed to forsake all the other gods they worshipped and prepare themselves for some kind of future judgment day from a one and only God. And so Paul gives them that necessary piece of evidence. He says of God: He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.” The Heart of The Message— Now to the Greeks [the concept of resurrection was unbelievable and offensive]. But it is what Paul (and all the Christians) pointed back to because it happened not in some ethereal realm, but in space and time; in their very midst. And because of that (and what it meant in terms of our having the potential of a restored relationship with God) it was always the focal point of their message. Now that may be offensive to some people (as much of the Gospel is), but though Paul often [changed his approach to fit his audience,…he never changed his basic message.] He never compromised his beliefs. He kept proclaiming the resurrection, not only because he had met with many eyewitnesses to it, but because he himself had seen the resurrected Lord. However, some of the Greeks were so repulsed by this teaching (so close-minded) they were not even willing to ask further questions about this; to ask what evidence there was to support their claims that such an event had taken place (which there was much). Instead it says… Acts 17:32-33 (NKJV)— 32 And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, {However, while some mocked, it does say…} while others said, “We will hear you again on this matter.”  {So there were those who (like we said before) were intellectually courageous and honest enough to examine their own belief in light of new evidence. And so it says…} 33 So Paul departed from among them. 34 However, some men joined him and believed, among them Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them. Bringing Truth— Now here in this passage we have seen how Paul went about bringing truth to lost people. He began with what they knew, he used illustrations they were aware of, and boldly proclaimed God's Sovereignty, our need to repent of all idolatry in preparation for the coming day of judgment, and how our belief in that coming day of judgment is supported by the truth of the resurrection. Now if we are to be like Paul in this passage, then you and I need to recognize that we are to be bringers of these truths to our culture; because (as Paul said) time is running out. Christ is coming back and He is coming back soon. And if we are truly in Christ, then we will be moved into action as Paul was. If we really love our neighbor, we will seek to meet them where they are spiritually and help them; because we recognize that they are either going to spend an eternity with Jesus or an eternity without Jesus. Just recently I re-read one of my favorite quotes, which I have talked about in recent days. It's from C.S. Lewis' Weight of Glory. Listen to what he writes. He says… The weight of glory— [The load, or weight, or burden of my neighbor's glory should be laid on my back, a load so heavy that only humility can carry it, and the backs of the proud will be broken. It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you can talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations,—these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit—immortal horrors or everlasting splendors. This does not mean that we are to be perpetually solemn. We must play. But our merriment must be of that kind (and it is, in fact, the merriest kind) which exists between people who have, from the outset, taken each other seriously—no flippancy, no superiority, no presumption. And our charity must be real and costly love, with deep feeling for the sins in spite of which we love the sinner—no mere tolerance, or indulgence which parodies love as flippancy parodies merriment. Next to the Blessed Sacrament itself, your neighbor is the holiest object presented to your senses. If he is your Christian neighbour, he is holy in almost the same way, for in him also Christ veer latitat—the glorifier and the glorified, Glory Himself, is truly hidden.] A CHALLENGE— This morning I want us to get really practical; because a lot of times it is easy to say that we are going to try harder to be better witness for Christ in the world. And that's good, but I don't think that that is specific enough to be practical. How can you and I better engage the world for Christ? What are some specific ways you can think of where you can bear testimony of the hope that is in you? This week, I want to give each of you a mission. Your mission is to witness to at the very least one unsaved person. I want you to: (1) Ask what they believe about the divine/god, (2) What they think about Jesus, and (3) Build on what they know, perhaps even sharing some of your own personal testimony. Who knows what God might be able to do. And so let's do so. Amen.

Hello and welcome to Lechem Panim. As you know, it has been a very challenging time for Paul and his missionary team here in the book of Acts. Paul and Silas have recently been released from prison, have continued ministry in both Thessalonica and Berea, and are facing fierce opposition from the Jewish leaders in Thessalonica who then come to Berea as well to try to inhibit their ministry. And Paul has therefore been forced to flee to Athens, where he is awaiting Silas and Timothy to join him. And so that is where the story of our passage today takes place; in Athens. It says in… Acts 17:16 (NKJV)— 16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was given over to idols. Deeply Disturbed— Now the word translated as “provoked” here [is the Greek word “paroxysm,” meaning “sudden, violent emotion.”] Paul looked at the spiritual lostness of these people who had been deceived and blinded by Satan and who are trapped within a pagan culture and system that was without hope and without salvation and was filled with a combination of both righteous anger and grief, which ought to erupt from the heart of any believer when they see either physical or spiritual slavery. Futile Idolatry— I remember having that feeling at times during my visits to countries like China, Singapore, Malaysia, or the Asian supermarket down the street (which they said I don't need my passport to get into). But honestly, here in the Seattle area there is a lot of it, as people have come here from all over the world and have brought their idols with them. I mean it's a very sad thing to see. My family and I sometimes go out to Asian restaurants and see those little golden cats waving at us; they sometimes have their little shrines set up; and there's often a statue of Buddha to greet us as we walk in and out. I feel sad because I know that many of these people trust in these things to save them when they really have no power to save. Impotent gods— Some time ago I read a story of how [Hideyoshi, a Japanese warlord who ruled over Japan in the late 1500s, commissioned a colossal statue of Buddha for a shrine in Kyoto. It took 50,000 men five years to build, but the work had scarcely been completed when the earthquake of 1596 brought the roof of the shrine crashing down and wrecked the statue. In a rage Hideyoshi shot an arrow at the fallen colossus. "I put you here at great expense," he shouted, "and you can't even look after your own temple.”] But you know, that is how useless idols are. And you and are grieved when we see people living in worship of those false gods. Compassion That Moves Us— And here I think Paul feels this similar overwhelming compassion when he sees the idolatry so prevalent there in Athens, where people are worshiping things rather than the Creator; things that have no power to save. And note how he is not just feeling sorry for lost people. No, he is demonstrating Biblical compassion, which is always something that moves you into action. If you and I feel concern for our lost loved ones (or anybody else we know who doesn't know Jesus), but never take action; never witness; never take the time to enter into their world to bring them the light of Christ, then we don't really have compassion on them. Compassion (in the Biblical sense) is a movement in your soul that translates into a movement of your body. And that is what Paul is demonstrating. He's being compelled into action, it says in… Acts 17:17 (NKJV)— 17 Therefore he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with the Gentile worshipers, and in the marketplace daily with those who happened to be there. A Balanced Ministry— Now I'd like to point out that here you have a demonstration of a healthy balance in ministry. You preach the Word in Church, but then you also carry that Word out into the marketplace; the world. Paul was no doubt at home in the synagogue. But in the marketplace with lost pagans? That was probably outside his comfort zone. But that is where the need was and so that is where he went. And sometimes when it comes to us and our ministry, God may call us out of our comfort zone. He may even call us to another country; another culture. And though we might feel intimidated by that, as with Paul we can see great things happen if we are just willing to step out and obey that calling. Now as Paul is engaging with people in the marketplace, it says in… Acts 17:18a (NKJV)— 18 Then certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. The Epicureans & Stoics— Now [The Epicureans and Stoics were the dominant philosophers in Greek culture. The Epicureans believed that seeking happiness or pleasure was the primary goal of life. By contrast, the Stoics placed thinking above feeling and tried to live in harmony with nature and reason, suppressing their desire for pleasure. Thus, they were very disciplined.] So you have two very polar opposite philosophical groups. And it says… Acts 17:18b (NKJV)— And some said, “What does this babbler want to say?” “Babbler”— Now I find it funny that the word they use to mock Paul is “babbler”. Where does the word “babbler” come from? Babel; the place where mankind rebelled against God and God drove them apart by confusing their languages. And early in our study of the book of Acts we talked about how (in many ways) Pentecost (where every person heard the Gospel in their own native tongue) was a picture of mankind's reunification with God in and through the atoning work of Christ, resulting in the outpouring of the presence of God in the person of the Holy Spirit. How ironic it was then that they called the man who brought to them this good news “babbler”, which was actually the complete opposite of what he was really doing. Let me tell you, people may call you a bigot, intolerant, or any plethora of other things, when in fact you are the complete opposite. You are bringing the good news of perfect love, not hate; of salvation and freedom; not anger and condemnation. So, as my mentor Roman Miller used to say, “Have a thick hide and a warm heart.” And Paul obviously does. Now while some called him “babbler”, it says… Acts 17:18c-21 (NKJV)— Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods,” because he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection. 19 And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new doctrine is of which you speak? 20 For you are bringing some strange things to our ears. Therefore we want to know what these things mean.” 21 For all the Athenians and the foreigners who were there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing. “some new thing”— Now that last part of the description is not a compliment. These are not people who are just curious about new ideas and who want to grow their understanding. No, these are people who are enslaved to novelty. They are very much like us in our day and age; a people who always think the new is better than the old. The new generation in our day and age, for example, thinks the old is foolish or (even worse) evil, which is why our founding fathers have come under such strong attack. And our progressive schools are getting more and more bold in their helping to shape their students to think ill of their ancestors and their “foolish”/“evil” beliefs. Because, after all, they weren't as scientifically sophisticated as we are in our day and age. And so what Satan has done is he's driven between us and our history a wedge of pride and arrogance that makes us incapable of fully understanding both who we are and who we are meant to be. That is what it means to be enslaved to novelty. And the way you break out of that mindset is through committing yourself to humbly examine all the facts and weigh your beliefs against them. You need to reason through your beliefs. And that is what Paul helps them (and all he comes into contact with) to do. It says “he reasoned with” them. Reasoning With Them— Now this is so important for us to grasp because Paul is not just preaching at them with passion and conviction. No, if you are going to convince thinking non-believers, you need more than just passion and conviction. You need to show how the evidence supports what you are saying. And this is what made Paul God's perfect choice for this ministry because these men of Athens were (despite their slavery to novelty) very intelligent, thinking people. Athens was not just a city of magnificent buildings and a plethora of gods; no, it was [a center for Greek culture, philosophy, and education.] And so Paul is the perfect one to bring these men the Good News of Jesus Christ because he himself was from a city that was considered an educational center: Tarsus. He was a rabbi who had trained under a great rabbi, Gamaliel (the finest scholar of his day), and had therefore spent much of his life thinking and reasoning through the scriptures. But not only did he receive training and knowledge in Jewish philosophy and in the Hebrew Scriptures, but he was (as we will see) also deeply familiar with Gentile works, poets, and philosophers as well. And so he was the perfect one to help Gentile pagans understand and connect with a Jewish Messiah. And next week we will see how he does that. Preparing Ourselves— But what we need to glean from our passage today is the reminder that you and I also need to prepare ourselves to be strong witnesses for Christ. You and I need to know our stuff and be ready to give an answer. Because [The more we know about the Bible, what it means, and how to apply it to life, the more convincing our words will be.] Now does that mean that we should wait until we feel we know a lot before witnessing? Of course not. We ought to start immediately with what we already know and understand, but at the same time seeking always to grow our understanding so that our witness will become more and more effective as we are able to answer more and more of people's questions and arguments. It's like it says in… 1 Peter 3:15 (NIV)— 15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, Let us ready and prepare ourselves this week. Amen. #lechempanim #christianity #GodsPresence #christianradio #christianpodcast #athens #Areopagus #idolatry #paroxysm #compassion #gospel #witnessing #evangelism #sharingyourfaith #rentonparkchapel #CameronUry #bible #newtestament #exegesis #ntstudies #ChristianSermon #biblestudy #SalemMedia

Hello and welcome to Lechem Panim. In our study of Acts 17 last week, we found Paul and Silas sharing the Gospel in the city of Thessalonica. For three Sabbaths Paul reasoned in the synagogue with all who would listen. And there is a very positive response, as it says… Acts 17:4-10a (NKJV)— 4 And some of them were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas. 5 But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. 6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too. 7 Jason has harbored them, and these are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king—Jesus.” 8 And they troubled the crowd and the rulers of the city when they heard these things. 9 So when they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go. 10 Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. Berea— Now Berea was a town located about fifty miles from Thessalonica. It was much less important city than Thessalonica. In fact [the Roman writer Cicero described it as “off the beaten track.”] And yet though it may have been a less important city (at least by the world's standards) the atmosphere there was very different and lended itself better to hearing the Gospel and responding appropriately. It says in… Acts 17:10b-11 (NKJV)— When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. Examining The Evidence— And the word “searched” or “examined” depending on what translation you are reading is from the Greek word [anakrinō, a word sometimes used of a judicial investigation.] You see, they were carefully sifting all the evidence to see if these things were true and (because they had an open mind, without the prejudices of the Thessalonians) they came to the conclusion that Jesus truly was the Messiah prophesied about in the Old Testament. And that is the conclusion anybody who is willing to be intellectually honest will inevitably come to; because the evidence truly is undeniable. Modern Security— You know, I am amazed with some of technology available nowadays on computers and phones, particularly in the area of identity protection. They come equipped now not only with multiple layers of password protection, but many even have fingerprint readers on their buttons and facial recognition in their cameras that scan you to make sure its you before allowing access to your device. Identity Verification— Sometimes it may seem a little over the top, but identity verification is very important; because before you trust somebody, you need to make sure they are who they claim to be and that their identity is not in fact stolen. And never is this more true than when we come to the person of Jesus. Is Jesus the Son of God or was He an impostor? And if He is the Son of God, how can we know for certain? Well, there are a number of ways that we can know for certain. And one of these is fulfilled prophecy; does the identity of Jesus in the New Testament match the prophecies given to us of the Messiah in the Old Testament. And the answer is, of course, it does. Matthew's Overview of Fulfilled Prophecies— [Isaiah said the the coming King would give sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf (Isa. 29:18-19; Matt. 5:3; 11:5). Jeremiah said that the coming King would be from the lineage of King David (Jer. 23:5-6). Ezekiel declared that the King would be a tree planted by God (Ezekiel 17:22-24; Matt. 13:31-32). Hosea said that He would take flight to Egypt (Hos. 11:1; Matt. 2:15). Amos said that the sun would go dark when He died (Amos 8:9; Matt. 24:29). Micah stated that He would be born in Bethlehem (Mic 5:1-5); Matt. 2:1). Zechariah said that He would make a triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Zech. 9:9-10; Matt. 21:4-5). In total, there are over 456 prophecies stating specific things that the King would do, and Jesus fulfilled them all right down to the smallest details. In addition to all the prophecies that foretold of Jesus' coming, Matthew records nineteen of the twenty-nine prophecies that Jesus fulfilled just in the last twenty-four hours of His life.] And so once again I want to reiterate that how Jesus fulfills prophecy is one of the greatest evidences we have of the truth of His claims. Not Contrived or Accidental— Now some have argued that Jesus tried to fulfill these prophecies in order to deceive us. But that is not plausible because many of those prophecies He fulfilled during (and even prior to) the time He was born, while He was a young child, and prior, during, and following his execution on the cross (all of which if He were a mere man, He could have had no say over. Others suggest that He fulfilled these prophecies by accident; that it is just a coincidence. Texas Silver Dollars— But [In his book, Science Speaks, Peter Stoner applies the modern science of probability to just eight prophecies regarding Christ. He says, "The chance that any man might have ...fulfilled all eight prophecies is one in 10 to the 17th. That would be 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000." (one hundred quadrillion) {And just to give us a picture of these odds} Stoner suggests that "we take 10 to the 17th silver dollars and lay them on the face of Texas. They will cover all of the state 2 feet deep. Now mark one of these silver dollars and stir the whole mass thoroughly... Blindfold a man and tell him he can travel as far as he wishes, but he must pick up [that one marked silver dollar.] What chance would he have of getting the right one?" Stoner concludes, "Just the same chance that the prophets would have had of writing those eight prophecies and having them all come true in any one man,...providing they wrote them in their own wisdom.”] And Stoner's research has been examined thoroughly and found to be accurate. Now keep in mind that that is JUST 8 PROPHECIES being fulfilled by Jesus. And yet we now know that there are over 456 prophecies that have been fulfilled by Jesus. And so it is important for us to study and know these scriptures because if we know them we can prove that Jesus is who He says He was. Jesus Points To The O.T.— And that is what Jesus Himself implores people to do. [In John 5:39, Jesus said to the Jewish leaders, “You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is these that bear witness of Me.” In verse 46 He added, “For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote of Me.” In John 7:17 Jesus called for a willing heart when He said, “If any man is willing to do His will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God, or whether I speak from Myself.” In Luke 24:25–27 Jesus Himself used the Old Testament Scripture to convince the disciples: And He said to them, “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?” And beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.] Despite The Evidence— Now what Jesus is saying is that those who reject the Gospel do so despite the evidence, not because of a lack of it. In fact, most people who reject the Gospel actually have very little knowledge of what the Word of God actually says and reveals. [The primary duty in evangelism, then, must be to demonstrate the truth of Christianity from the Scriptures.] And you and I need to be like the Bereans. We need to make sure that whenever we hear someone making radical claims, we need to weigh those claims against what the Word of God says. And that will always result in two things. The first is that it will help keep us doctrinally sound; believing rightly. But it will also do something else. Because God has placed seeds of change deeply in His Word, there can be in every generation amongst those who expose themselves to His Word the potential to bring great revival and change. The Next Awakening— I am currently reading a book by Dr. Dennis Kinlaw, in which he shares a powerful personal story of what happened one day when he was sitting in an Old Testament theology class taught by Otto Piper. He tells of how another student asked Otto Piper a question: “Dr. Piper, many of us are going to be graduating in a few weeks. We will be going out into the ministry. Is there a list of ‘must' books for every pastor? Is there a list of books that every pastor should have read?” Well, I became rather interested at that point and looked up. Dr. Piper looked away and then looked back with that unmoving face of his and said, “I know of only one ‘must' book.” I caught my breath. Otto Piper was, in my estimation, the greatest scholar I ever sat under. He was a brilliant man. But not only was he a brilliant man, he was also a humble man and incredibly broadly educated. And he looked at bunch of us and said, “I know of only one ‘must' book.” And then he waited a moment and said, “You know, we make a mistake. Somehow in our Reformed tradition we think that Luther and Calvin produced the Reformation. It wasn't Luther or Calvin who produced the Reformation. What produced the Reformation was that Luther studied the Word of God. And as he studied, it began to explode inside him. And when it began to explode inside him, he didn't know any better than to turn it loose on Germany. And it was the Word of God that transformed Germany. “Now,” he said, “the same thing was true of Calvin. You knew what Calvin was going to preach on next Sunday. He would start with the verse after the one where he had stopped on the last Sunday, and he preached his way right through the Bible. Now, the tragedy of the Reformation was that when Luther and Calvin died, Melancthon and Beza edited their work. And so all the Lutherans began to read the Bible to find Luther and all the Calvinists began to read the Bible to find Calvin. And,” he said, “the great corruption was on its way.” He said, “Do you know there is enough undiscovered truth in the Scripture to produce a Reformation and an evangelical awakening in every generation if we would simply expose ourselves to it until it explodes within us and then we turn it loose?” The Berean Explosion— Now this is what happened with the many of the early Christians; and is what happened here to the Bereans. They looked at the Old Testament, saw the truth of what Paul and Silas were telling them about Jesus, and the truth exploded inside them. And because of their faithfulness to examine the scriptures, it says in… Acts 17:12 (NKJV)— 12 Therefore many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men. Opposition From Outside— So we see that there is a response in Berea like that of many of the people in Thessalonica. They believe. But (also like in Thessalonica) an opposition forms; though this time the the opposition starts from outside the city rather than inside it. It says in… Acts 17:13-15 (NKJV)— 13 But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was preached by Paul at Berea, they came there also and stirred up the crowds. 14 Then immediately the brethren sent Paul away, to go to the sea; but both Silas and Timothy remained there {(no doubt to continue to minister to the Church there)}. 15 So those who conducted Paul brought him to Athens; and receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him with all speed, they departed. Our Mission— Now what we learn from this passage is two-fold. First, we learn that the greatest potential for change in our culture lies in the Word of God; particularly in what it reveals about Jesus. And secondly, though the darkness may at times hate the light, there are countless people out there (like many of the Thessalonians; and many of the Bereans as well) who are waiting for men and women like you and me to step up and (having the Word of God exploding inside us) bring them the Good news of God's message of salvation. And so this week, I want to challenge you to do two things. First, commit yourself to a deeper love and study of the Word of God. And second, find somebody who needs to hear the Good News and begin the process of sharing it with them. It doesn't have to be elaborate or deeply theological. Like we said last week, begin with what they know (find that common ground) and then move into what they don't know. When you do that, God will be with you and will use you to bring about fruit for His Kingdom. Let's do so. Amen.

Hello and welcome to Lechem Panim. If you have been following the show, you'll know that we have come to chapter 17 of our study of the book of Acts; a chapter in which we find Paul and Silas coming to the city of Thessalonica to share the good news of Jesus Christ with the people there. And Paul begins, as was his custom, in the synagogue. And it says in verse 2 and following… Acts 17:2b-3 (NKJV)— and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.” Don't Skip Out— And so right away we see that Paul begins to witness to a large crowd of unbelievers. Now I am going to be painfully honest with you today. Even as a pastor, I still find witnessing to be difficult. I don't have a problem sharing the Gospel with believers (which I do every week) but every time I have had to preach before an unbelieving crowd (which of course I had to do when I was involved in prison ministry), I was always (and I mean ALWAYS) reluctant to do it. In fact one week I remember I decided to skip the ministry that week; and the leader of our group called me and said “Where are you?” And I told him I wasn't going to make it that week. And he told me I needed to come. And, somewhat embarrassed, I went. And from then on out I didn't dare to skip. Now what I learned from that (and am still learning) is that regardless of how hard it is, you and I need to be faithful to share the Gospel; because Jesus doesn't ask us to. No, He commands us to. If you claim to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, then His Great Commission applies to you. It is amazing to me how often we talk about sins we need to avoid committing but we often fail to talk about sins of omission; things we should have done, but didn't. And witnessing (I think) is one of those things for me. Our Greatest Fear— Now what are you and I worried about? Why is it so hard? Well, it's intimidating for one thing. Statistics say that the number one fear (even more than the fear of death) is the fear of public speaking. Jerry Seinfeld made the hilarious observation that what that actually means is that at a funeral you and I would rather be the person in the casket than the person giving the eulogy. And maybe sometimes that's the case. But you know I also think that we are (more than just being afraid of crowds) we are also afraid (and we see this even in individual evangelism) that we will somehow do a bad job and make people's spiritual conditions somehow worse. And so we say, “Better leave it to the experts.” But you know, God doesn't ask us to do it well. Now He often does want us to prepare for it as best we can. But He doesn't say, “You have to do it right or don't do it at all.” No, what does he say? Jesus says in Mark 13:11 “do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.” Salvation on The Prison Floor— And let me tell you, EVERY time I have been willing to step out and be that voice for God, God has shown up and has spoken through me. I remember one week we showed up at that prison and I preached (probably pathetically) and none of the prisoners seemed to be listening. All of them were involved in other things. But as I turned to leave (feeling the pangs of discouragement), one of the guards beckoned me to a prisoner I had not even seen (didn't even know was listening) who was still locked up in his cell. He was asking for me. And I came over and he stuck his fingers out through the bottom of the door and wanted me to hold them and pray with him to receive Christ. And so I prostrated myself on the floor and held his hand. And there and then he gave his life to Christ. What if I had not showed up that night? What if I had said to Jesus, “I'm sorry, I just don't feel equipped enough.” A soul may have been lost for the kingdom. Where To Start— Now sometimes you and I simply don't know where to start. Well, Paul (in his sermon here in this synagogue in Thessalonica) offers us a clue. Because the first thing we see him do is he tells his listeners (very simply) what the Word of God says. And that is the secret of all great preaching by the way; not eloquence or speaking ability, but being willing to simply get out of the way and let the Word of God be spoken by God to people through you. That is what Paul always did. Anchored in Scripture— Notice how he anchors his arguments in what God has revealed in and through His Word; the very Word these Jews revered. He began with what they knew, which is where we also need to start when we minister to others. It is always a good idea to begin with whatever truth somebody does know (finding that common ground) and then move into what they don't know. Paul knew they were expecting the Messiah/the Christ to come, though they were expecting Him to be this great military figure who would come and deliver them from all physical oppression (particularly Rome). And eventually Rome would fall, but God knew that that would not solve their primary issue, which wasn't external bondage, but internal bondage. And that is why Paul moves from what they know about the Messiah to what they don't know, explaining to them (using the scriptures) how before the Messiah could deliver them physically, he had to first deliver them spiritually. He had to first suffer, die, and be raised again in order to deal with the root of their true problem, which was the problem of sin. Now Luke doesn't tell us what scriptures he used, though he no doubt referenced the foreshadowing of Christ's death in the sacrificial system of Israel. He probably referenced passages like Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53 to prove how the Messiah had to die, and to passages like Psalm 16 that showed that the Messiah would rise from the dead. But whatever scriptures he used, he pulled them all together to show them that without a doubt Jesus is the Christ so clearly prophesied about in the Old Testament. Now it says in… Acts 17:4-5 (NKJV)— 4 And some of them were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas. 5 But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar {(ironically, the very thing they were accusing the missionaries of doing, which is how it usually is)} and attacked the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. Jealous Motivation— By the way, it's interesting; notice how they never try to refute Paul and Silas' theology. They don't respond with logical counterarguments. And that's because they were jealous of Paul and Silas; and that jealousy was what was motivating them; not a desire to keep doctrinal purity. And that is what we also will find when we share the Gospel; sometimes people will scoff at us and might even begin maligning us, not because they disagree with us, but because they are jealous or threatened by the truth of what you are saying. And that is what we see was driving this mob. And here we see they begin searching for Paul and Silas in the house of a man by the name of Jason. Now we don't know that much about Jason. He is one of the un-sung heroes of scripture. “Jason” was common name for Jewish men living in the diaspora; and Paul and Silas were apparently staying in his home, as that is where the mob comes looking for them. And Jason takes the heat for Paul and Silas. It says… Acts 17:6-7 (NKJV)— 6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too. 7 Jason has harbored them, and these are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king—Jesus.” Accused of Treason— And the reason they say this is because they knew the Romans would not care about any theological disagreement between them and these preachers. However, they would care about treason, which was a very serious crime in the Roman Empire. And so that is what they are accused of, as their allegiance to Jesus (whom they claimed was a King, though we know He was a very different kind of King) would sound suspicious. And that is what people will do to us as well. They will skew the truth in whatever way suits their fancy in order to make us look bad. For the rest of time, Christians like you and me are going to get labeled with words like “biggot”, “intolerant”, “anti-progress”, “narrow-minded”, (or even worse) “close-minded”. And we just need to recognize that that is par for the course. If we follow Jesus (who was wrongfully accused Himself with the same accusation we see here being leveled against Paul and Silas), we ought not to expect anything less. Now these accusations serve to poison many against Paul and Silas, as it says in… Acts 17:8-9 (NKJV)— 8 And they troubled the crowd and the rulers of the city when they heard these things. 9 So when they had taken security {(or bond)} from Jason and the rest, they let them go. Fleeing Thessalonica— So [Jason posted bond—putting up cash for freedom. By doing so, he promised that the trouble would cease or his own property and possibly his own life would be taken.] But [since that bond would be forfeited if there was any more trouble, Paul and his companions had no choice but to leave.] So they flee from Thessalonica because of Jewish opposition. However, don't think for a minute that the ministry in Thessalonica was dead. No, the church there was actually thriving and growing. [Two of its members, Aristarchus and Secundus, joined Paul in his evangelistic work (Acts 20:4). Paul commended all the church members in 1 Thessalonians 1:8, because “the word of the Lord [had] sounded forth from [them], not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place [their] faith toward God [had] gone forth.” The Thessalonians used their strategic location on the Egnatian Way to spread the gospel far beyond their own city.] Nevertheless, because of opposition, Paul and Silas had to flee the city. And it says in… Acts 17:10a (NKJV)— 10 Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. Let's Step Out— And next week we will see what God does through Paul and Silas while there in Berea. But this week I want to encourage you to get out there and begin sharing your faith. Start conversations, find out what truths the people you speak to already believe and then build on that and eventually connect them with Jesus Christ. Don't worry about how well equipped you are. God Himself will equip you as you step out in faith and trust in Him. Let's do so this week. Amen.

An Upside Down World— Hello and welcome to the show today. Before we dive into our study of Acts 17 today, I'd just like to say how fascinating it is that today in our increasingly god-less society (where belief in the Christian God is being systematically attacked) at the same time you have an ever-increasing awareness that there is a deep brokenness in our world. It doesn't matter who you are talking to or what positions they hold to; what their world-views even are. There is not a person alive who looks at our world today and says "this is exactly how it is supposed to be.” Even those who claim there is no god and who's worldview claims that everything has come about out of chaos, is naturally uncomfortable with that chaos. They crave order; a higher standard. And one might argue that the fact that they are craving for something greater than what we experience in this world is evidence that there is a standard outside of ourselves to which all things were designed to conform to. But many people don't make that logical deduction. Now Christians understand this better than most because the Bible reveals to us that the world was in fact created by a benevolent God; and it was created perfect. However, because of the fall of mankind, the world fell under a curse. And that curse has twisted everything around, turning the world upside down to where we find ourselves trapped in a world system that is hostile to God. Where People Walk Upside Down— In the classic children's novel Alice in Wonderland, Alice follows a white rabbit into a hole and suddenly falls down towards a world of chaos (wonderland). And she is falling and falling for a long time. And while falling, she says “What if I should fall right through the center of the earth... oh, and come out the other side, where people walk upside down.” Now to us that is silly. But when she eventually comes to Wonderland, she does discover a land filled with people who are upside down; not physically, but mentally. Nothing makes sense in Wonderland. Nothing is logical. And that (sadly) is what our world seems to be becoming more like every single day. And Christians, who carry the Gospel to people into our world find that their light is hated by the darkness (John 3:20). People who are living in Wonderland are committed to the ways they are living their lives and are deeply threatened by anybody who challenges them, even though Christians are not (as claimed in this passage) trying to turn the world upside down, but rather are trying to turn the world right side up. But when we do that; when we upset the system and disturb the comfort of sinners, we are going to meet resistance; sometimes violent resistance. And this has been the case stretching all the way back to the Old Testament. Elijah— In the book of 1 Kings you remember that king Ahab, who was more wicked than all of his predecessors, was sitting on the throne of Israel. And to make matters worse, he was married to Jezebel, who was the wicked daughter of the pagan king of Sidon and incredibly wicked herself. And she incited Ahab and caused him to lead Israel into idolatry. Now God sent a man by the name of Elijah (a man whose name literally means "Yahweh is God”) to confront Ahab. And Elijah declares that there will be a drought that will strike Israel. And when Ahab and Elijah eventually meet face to face, the exasperated Ahab exclaims, “Is that you, O troubler of Israel?” (1 Kings 18:17). In other words, it is not his fault but Elijah's! Jeremiah— Another King that we read about in the book of Jeremiah is the last king of Judah, Zedekiah. Jerusalem had been besieged by Babylon, but now the Babylonian army has withdrawn temporarily to deal with the threat of Pharaoh's forces (Jer. 37:11). But despite this, Jeremiah insisted that Judah would fall and anybody remaining in the city would be killed either by the sword, by famine, or by pestilence. And a group of court officials were infuriated at Jeremiah and dragged him before King Zedekiah, beseeching the King, saying “Please, let this man be put to death, for thus he weakens the hands of the men of war who remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, by speaking such words to them. For this man does not seek the welfare of this people, but their harm.” (Jer. 38:4) And so we see that because Jeremiah was willing to proclaim God's message to His people, because they had an upside-down perspective, they accused him (basically) of treason. Amos— During the period of the divided kingdom there was a prophet of God by the name of Amos, who was a native of the southern kingdom of Judah. However, God sent him to the northern kingdom of Israel with a message of doom. But it says in… Amos 7:10-12 (NKJV)— 10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to bear all his words. 11 For thus Amos has said: ‘Jeroboam shall die by the sword, And Israel shall surely be led away captive From their own land.' ” 12 Then Amaziah said to Amos: “Go, you seer! Flee to the land of Judah. There eat bread, And there prophesy. A Recurring Pattern— You see, Amos was turning Amaziah's world upside down, and Amaziah wouldn't have it. Now these are just a few examples. But you can see this pattern all over. Joseph is thrown into pit and prison for dreaming. Daniel is thrown into the lion's den for praying. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are thrown into the fiery furnace for refusing to bow down to Nebuchadnezzar's golden image. Wherever we look in scripture and find men and women proclaiming God's message, we most often find them suffering because of their message. And Jesus tells us why this is in… John 15:18-21 (NKJV)— 18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. Disturbers of The Peace— And we definitely see that here in the book of Acts as  Christians (like Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke) face that same enmity from the world, as in every city they minister in, there is often first a positive response to their message followed by a subsequent disturbance from those who do not want to face the truth and turn away from their sin to Jesus Christ. And this missionary team has most recently left Philippi (where their ministry upset the pagan Greeks) and now they are moving on to the next city, where they will encounter similar resistance. It says in… Acts 17:1 (NKJV)— 1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. From Philippi to Thessalonica— Now note the shift back to the third person, which seems to signify that Luke stayed behind in Philippi to minister to the Church there. As a Gentile, he would have been less of a target and therefore a good man to choose to do that. It is also possible that Timothy (a half-Jew) remained behind as well. But the rest of the team moves on. And so [Leaving Philippi, the missionaries traveled southwest along the important Roman highway known as the Egnatian Way, through Amphipolis and Apollonia]. Now they don't seem to have ministered in Amphipolis and Apollonia, likely because there were no synagogues in those cities and Paul no doubt expected the Philippian Christians to carry the message to them. [It was Paul's policy to minister in the larger cities and make them centers for evangelizing a whole district (see Acts 19:10, 26; 1 Thess. 1:8).] And so they move on to Thessalonica. And these places were somewhat far apart from each other. [Amphipolis was about thirty miles from Philippi, Apollonia about thirty miles from Amphipolis, and Thessalonica just under forty miles from Apollonia. The narrative implies that they made the journey from Philippi to Thessalonica in three days, stopping for the night at Amphipolis and again at Apollonia. If so, they covered about thirty miles a day, leading some commentators to speculate that they traveled on horses (perhaps supplied through the generosity of the Philippian church). {And that is because} It is difficult to imagine that Paul and Silas, weakened by their beating at Philippi, could have walked nearly one hundred miles in three days.] But whatever the case, they arrive at Thessalonica. Thessalonica— Now Thessalonica was the capital and most important city of Macedonia and had a population of about 200,000 people. It [was a major port and an important commercial center.] And it has remained a significant city in Greece even up to the present day. And when they arrive there, Paul does what he always does when possible; he goes to the local synagogue and begins to courageously proclaim the Gospel. It says in… Acts 17:2-3 (NKJV)—  2 Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.” A Dialogue— Now that word “Reasoned” [is from {the Greek word} dialegomai, from which the English word dialogue derives.] And so Paul is not standing up and delivering a long lecture, with his listeners just sitting and listening. No, this was a discussion; a dialogue. Paul is fielding questions, which was (by the way) how teaching was done in Jewish culture, and how Paul typically ministered in synagogues (cf. Acts 18:4,19; 19:8–9). And that is why, if we are going to be effective witnesses for Christ, we need to be able to answer people's questions about our faith. Coffee & Questions— Some time ago I had the opportunity to witness to a young man in a coffee shop. He used to be a Christian (even a youth pastor) but eventually left the faith because he had questions that Christians he knew wouldn't answer and actually looked down on him for having. And so I talked with him for a few hours and did my best to shed light on those issues for him. I didn't ridicule his views, but simply offered insight where I could in a way that made him feel heard. And he said that he never had anyone talk with him like that. But the conversation ended by his saying he was going to start going back to church. All because of one conversation! And that has always reminded me of 1 Peter 3:15, which says… 1 Peter 3:15 (NKJV)— 15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; Prepare to Answer— And so let us be men and women who are prepared to engage with people, answer their questions, and present the reasons for our faith. Who knows? Some may just choose to follow Jesus because of you. Let's be faithful witnesses this week. Amen.

Hello and welcome to the show today. As you may know, we have been in the book of Acts; and if you were with us last week, you will remember that we saw that Paul and Silas have just been thrown into prison because of their having driven a demon out of a girl who (with the aid of that demon/a python spirit, as the actual Greek text says) was able to tell the future. With the hope of making profit off her now gone, her handlers/owners (who didn't care one whit about her, by the way) stir up the crowds and have Paul and Silas severely beaten and thrown into a maximum security prison. They Couldn't Sleep— Now I don't know how you would feel after having all this happen to you. Paul and Silas obviously didn't feel good. They are in pain from their having been severely beaten; they have been humiliated and are now sitting in a filthy dungeon. On top of that [Their feet were fastened in stocks designed to induce painful cramping by spreading their legs as wide as possible.] And so they obviously cannot sleep. But instead of moaning and groaning; instead of complaining; instead of cursing the ones who did this to them (as any of the other prisoners might have; and maybe some of them were) it says in… Acts 16:25 (ESV)— 25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, How Christians Suffer— And let me tell you, there is nothing more powerful to a non-believer than observing the way that Christians suffer; because there is no other way to explain it than by the Spirit of God. It is the Spirit who can transform us and empower us to show love and hope in the direst of circumstances, focusing our attention on the eternal reward rather than the temporal suffering. Paul himself writes in… 2 Corinthians 4:16-17 (ESV)— 16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, Yielding Themselves— So Paul and Silas are not losing heart, but focusing instead on the eternal; and maybe even more so on the invisible presence of Jesus right there in that prison with them. And as they are yielding themselves into the will of God and focusing themselves on the presence of Jesus with them, they are experiencing joy and peace; so much so that they can even pray and sing hymns. Now it is when we place our faith and trust in God like that that then the unthinkable can happen and God is willing to move most powerfully. And we see this here, as it says in… Acts 16:26-27 (ESV)— 26 and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were unfastened. {Now the jailer's house was probably located next to the prison, and so the earthquake no doubt rocked his house as well, waking him up. And it says…} 27 When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. An Almost Suicide— [He knew all too well that a Roman soldier who allowed a prisoner to escape, no matter what the cause, paid with his own life (cf. Acts 12:19; 27:42). {And so} Rather than anticipate facing the humiliating and painful execution that would surely follow, the jailer chose to kill himself immediately.] But a voice calling out of the darkness stops him. It says… Acts 16:28 (ESV)— 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” All Remained— And interestingly, this included all the prisoners (who were probably in the same dungeon). None of them had attempted to escape. Why? We don't know. Maybe they were afraid of the consequences should they be re-captured. Maybe they were afraid of aftershocks. Or maybe their respect for Paul and Silas caused them to want to stay. We don't know. I'm also interested in why Paul and Silas didn't choose to try to escape, especially when they would have recognized this as a mighty moving of the hand of God. But for some reason, they and the others choose to remain. Perhaps Paul and Silas sensed God wanting them to remain. Whatever the reason, the jailer is amazed. It says in… Acts 16:29-34 (ESV)— 29 And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. {And obviously seeing this earthquake as being divine confirmation of their message, it says…} 30 Then he brought them out {(no doubt after re-securing the prisoners)} and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. {And this, even if it was not done out in the open, would have quickly gotten around because no doubt a lot of people had gathered in that area because of the earthquake. Now furthermore it says…} 34 Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them {(showing hospitality, just as Lydia had done)}. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God. His Life Given Back— And you can really sense his joy. Moments before he had been facing death. And now his life has been given back to him. And he (recognizing that this was a gift of God) does what each and every one of us who knows of Jesus' salvation ought to do; he gives his life right back to God. And in so doing he obtains eternal life, which makes him rejoice all the more. Celebrate— Do you rejoice daily in your salvation? You should. There is nothing better than experiencing in your own life the redemption of Christ Jesus. Because of that empty tomb and our being received into the family of God, every day ought to be a celebration; because (no matter what we are facing) we have become inheritors of a great and glorious Kingdom and are one day going to walk the those streets of gold hand in hand with God. And so let us remember to celebrate. Now it says in… Acts 16:35 (ESV)— 35 But when it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying, “Let those men go.” Not Gonna Go Quietly— And they were no doubt hoping that Paul and Silas would, having learned their lesson, limp quietly out of town. But it says in… Acts 16:36-37 (ESV)— 36 And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore come out now and go in peace.” 37 But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.” Paul's Stand— And so we see that Paul kind of has a Clint Eastwood moment and decides he's not going to go quietly. But contrary to how this might first appear, this is not because he wants to exact some kind of revenge. Keep in mind that he has just become the shepherd of the church there in Philippi. And if he were to leave quietly after having been treated so wrongly (and illegally), it would have set a dangerous precedent for how future missionaries would be treated; not to mention the potential mistreatment of the church there in Philippi by those same magistrates. And he knew full well that [To inflict corporal punishment on a citizen was a grave violation of Roman law, all the more so since it had been done without trial. The consequences, both for the magistrates and for the city, were potentially very serious. The magistrates could have been removed from office, and the emperor could have rescinded Philippi's privileges as a Roman colony.] And so he takes a stand for justice and demands that they at least escort them out, showing them the respect due to Roman citizens. Standing for Justice— And you know, often we get into our minds that being a Christian means we have to let people walk all over us; that we need to always take abuse with a smile. And we have been led to mean that that is what Jesus meant by “turn the other cheek” or “if anybody takes your cloak”; that kind of thing. But God is a God of justice just as much as He is a God of love. And if we only remain passive and don't stand against injustice, then we are not just allowing abuse on ourselves, but are also allowing a behavior to continue that might spill onto somebody else. And Paul recognized that, which is why he chose to take a stand. And it proves very effective. Acts 16:38-40 (ESV)— 38 The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens. 39 So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city. 40 So they went out of the prison and visited Lydia. And when they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them and departed. Satan Thwarted Again— And so once again we see how Satan's plans to infiltrate and persecute the church in Philippi only resulted in another family being added to it and it's gaining the protection of the city rulers. God's Can Use The Bad— And so this morning I want to leave you with the message that God is with you in every situation you face. And though Satan might try to infiltrate your heart; and when that fails persecute you from every other direction, if you remain faithful to God, God will make all the bad merely the seed for some of His greatest blessings. But we have to trust in Him; and rejoice even in the midst of the darkest circumstances, knowing that He truly is working all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Let's trust in Him. Amen.

Hello and welcome to the show today. If you have your Bible, go ahead and look with me at Acts 16. That's Acts 16. You will remember that Paul is on his second missionary, having with him Silas, Timothy (whom they picked up in Lystra), and now Luke (the author of the book of Acts). Now God has re-directed them as they have sought to share the Gospel. They tried to enter Asia, but God prevented them. They tried to enter Bithynia, but again God prevented them. So they end up in Troas, where God finally reveals to them where they are to go, giving Paul a vision of a man from Macedonia calling out “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” (16:9) And so they go to Macedonia, coming to the city of Philippi, a leading city of the district of Macedonia. And on the Sabbath they go to a place of prayer by the waterfront where they meet a group of women who have met there for Bible study. They sit down with them and share the Gospel with them and a woman named Lydia converts and is baptized along with her entire household. And so is started the Philippian church. Satan Moves In-- But as the church in Philippi took root, Satan moved in to attack it, just as he had done in Samaria (8:9) and in Cyprus (13:6ff). And he tries the same two strategies he always tries. First, he tries to infiltrate the church and then (when that doesn't succeed) he resorts to persecuting the church. And in our passage today we will see both strategies at play: Infiltration and then Persecution. Let's begin by looking at his attempt at infiltration. Go ahead and look with me at verse 16. Luke writes… Acts 16:16 (ESV)— 16 As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. The Place of Attack-- Now I find it interesting that when Satan chooses to use this emissary of his is when Paul and his companions are going to the place of prayer. And that is because it is when the Church comes together to study God's Word and engage in prayer that Satan is most in danger of having his plans and purposes thwarted. And so we have to be prepared. Because when God moves in a special way, Satan moves right in to try to sow in tares and dissension. And here the tare was in the form of a slave-girl whom the text said had a spirit of divination. Now the Greek text actually literally here reads “a python spirit.” And for you and I that immediately calls to attention the snake in the Garden of Eden. But it's interesting, the phrase “a python spirit” actually [derives from Greek mythology, in which the Python was a snake that guarded the famous oracle at Delphi. Eventually, the Python was killed by Apollo, the god of prophecy. Since it was believed that Apollo spoke through the oracle at Delphi, the term “python” came to refer to anyone in contact with Apollo. In modern terms, she was a medium in contact with demons.] And those demons apparently were helping her to see and know hidden things and was being used by her masters for profit as a fortune-teller. Now fortune-telling was big business in the Greco-Roman world by both Greeks and Romans. In that culture, any commander who was about to set out on a major military campaign or any emperor who was about to make an important decree would first consult an oracle to see if things would turn out good or ill. Now that made this girl a source of real profit for her owners. However, when the Christians are going to the place of prayer, Satan leads this girl to them and it says… Acts 16:17 (ESV)— 17 She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” 18 And this she kept doing for many days. A Sneaky Merger-- Now you and I, when we first look at this, might think that this is a good thing. After all, people know and no doubt believe in this girl's clairvoyant abilities. So isn't this good advertisement for the Church? Actually no; this was really bad because it was a subtle and very dangerous attempt for Satan to infiltrate one of his own into the Church, sowing a tare among the wheat. You see, what was happening was this girl with a demon was saying things that were absolutely true. And not only were they true, but she (or I should say the demon) was even using [biblical terminology. The term Most High God was an Old Testament designation of the God of Israel (Ps. 78:35; Dan. 5:18) {But} She also spoke of the way of salvation.] And Satan will often speak truth when it suits his purposes. He is the father of lies, but he knows (and we know this too) that the best lies are those that have some truth mingled in. He draws people into false belief all the time by emphasizing some true thing or genuinely beautiful aspect of that false belief. Now here what we have to understand is that because this demon-possessed girl was agreeing with Paul and his followers, people were going to come to the natural conclusion that she is a part of that same group. And appearing as part of the Christian Church, she could do great damage to the followers and cause of Christ. Bad Publicity-- And so what we learn is that no matter how good publicity from Satan might at first appear, we don't want that kind of publicity. In Mark 1:34 and Luke 4:41 Jesus silenced the demons rather than let them speak on his behalf. He did not want Satan to do His advertising. And neither did Paul. Furthermore, while her owners had reduced her to nothing more than a source of income, Paul genuinely cared for the girl. And so it says in… Acts 16:18b (ESV)— Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour. The Second Weapon-- And so we see that Satan's attempt at infiltrating the church to destroy it from the inside did not work; he was cast out. But now we will see that he turns to his second weapon: persecution, where he attempts to destroy the Church from the outside. But as we will see, Satan's attacks again will fail; and more than that, God will bring great fruit out of this persecution. And this is something that God is renowned for. He is able to bring about awesome things often in the bleakest of trials or the darkest of circumstances. I love what Paul writes in Romans 8:28... Romans 8:28 (NIV)-- 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. He Experienced This-- Now that is a beautiful promise; but you know I think it is made all the more meaningful when we consider who penned it; because Paul, throughout the course of his entire ministry, face I meant the absolute worst of circumstances. And yet he was still able to pen this. Why? Because he saw demonstrated time after time God doing this for him in his own life. And you and I can know that God will do the same thing for us as well. No matter what we are facing, scripture promises that God is right in the middle of that storm with us and (though our ship might be getting tossed about) He is still guiding us in those circumstances to His perfect plan and purpose for us. Some Key Examples-- God did it with Joseph in Egypt, who was sold into slavery by his brothers. He raised Joseph up to become second in command over all of Egypt. And because of that he could provide for the needs of his family but also save many lands from starvation from famine. Later, even though Israel was sent into captivity because of their going after other gods; in the midst of that captivity God raised up people like Daniel, Ezekiel, Ezra, and Esther to bring deliverance and hope to His people. And even out of the greatest evil ever committed, the murder of the Son of God, God brought about His greatest provision; salvation from sin and death. And up until this point in the book of Acts (in chapters 4,5,7,8, and 12) we see that every single time the Church is persecuted, it ends up being bigger and stronger on the other side of that persecution. And that pattern doesn't stop; and our passage today here in Acts 16 is just another example of it. Look at verse 19, where the reaction of the slave girl's owners is given… Acts 16:19-20 (ESV)— 19 But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. 20 And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. Anti-Semitism-- Now note how they highlight the fact that Paul and Silas are both Jews. There's strategy in this; because there was a lot of anti-semitism going on at this time. I say that a bit tongue-in-cheek because they seem to be persecuted at all times and in all places. But notably at this time the anti-semitism was very high and about this time [Emperor Claudius {actually} issued an order expelling the Jews from Rome (Acts 18:2).] And so observe how the owners only grab Paul and Silas, but leave Timothy (who was only half-Jewish) and Luke (a Gentile) alone. They choose the ones that will be most repugnant and suspect before the magistrates and the crowds. And after bringing them, they say that they are the cause of disturbing the entire city, which was completely false. But they say the way they are doing this is by (verse 21)… Acts 16:21 (ESV)— 21 They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.” The Charges-- And technically that was true because [There was a law forbidding Roman citizens to practice any foreign religion that had not been sanctioned by the state, although this law was rarely enforced.] But they certainly were not causing any kind of mass confusion like what these men were accusing them of. As the text highlights, they were angry merely because of their loss of the profits they were gaining from the slave girl. However, they are able to stir the crowd into a frenzy, as it says in… Acts 16:22a (ESV)— 22 The crowd joined in attacking them, No Investigation-- And the rulers amazingly, without bothering to investigate the charges or give Paul and Silas a fair hearing and a chance to defend themselves (any of [the highly prized standards of Roman justice.], which by the way would have revealed to the rulers that Paul and Silas were also Roman citizens) they just give in to the mob. It says in… Acts 16:22b (ESV)— and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. Lictors-- [The beating was administered by the lictors (the “policemen” of vv. 35, 38), who were under the command of the magistrates (v. 35). Each lictor carried a bundle of rods tied together—ironically, as a symbol of Roman law and justice. With those rods they brutally beat the men, a punishment Paul endured three times (2 Cor. 11:25).] Acts 16:23-24 (ESV)— 23 And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. 24 Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison {(so in other words, “maximum security”)} and fastened their feet in the stocks. ​Trust in Him-- He was not taking any chances. But like Herod in chapter 12 and the Sanhedrin in Acts 5, the rulers in Philippi were going to learn that no prison is strong enough to hold those God means to be released. Because despite the Python spirits of this world, God is always with those who lean on and trust in Him. Let us always remember that and (in a similar way) trust Him. Let's do so. Amen.

Hello and welcome to the show today. Last week we saw how Timothy has now joined Paul and Silas on their second missionary journey. And, leaving his mother Eunice and Grandmother Lois in Lystra, it says in… Acts 16:6 (ESV)— 6 And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. Other Plans— Now we don't know why God prevented them from entering Asia. Yet later there would be some very important churches that would be founded there; [churches in such cities as Ephesus, Smyrna, Philadelphia, Laodicea, Colossae, Sardis, Pergamum, and Thyatira.] But for now, God had other plans for them and communicated to them through the Holy Spirit that for now Asia was off limits. And that was no doubt very discouraging for Paul. And it can be discouraging to us too when God says no to something that (at the time) might seem like the right thing. But what we have to remember is that God knows what is needed and when those things are needed and can be used most. And we have to trust His timing. Don't Fight The Air Currents— Sometimes my kids watch a movie I used to watch as a kid called The Sword In The Stone; a story about King Arthur coming under the magical teachings of Merlin, whose talking owl Archimedes also helps to instruct the boy. And one day Merlin turns Arthur into a bird and Archimedes (a bird himself) is trying to teach Arthur to fly. But he is struggling against the air currents and can't get lift. And Archimedes says, “Don't fight the air currents! Use them!” And Arthur does, and suddenly (for the first time) really begins to fly. And you know, the same is true of the Holy Spirit, the Ruach, the Wind of God. If we can keep in step with the Spirit (Gal. 5:25), which is another way of saying “move our wings in accordance with how He is moving” we will soar. And so while God's saying no may be discouraging, we must do what Paul did and allow that “no” to propel us into the better thing God has for us. And so they turned to Mysia, which is the region north of Asia. But it says in… Acts 16:7-8 (ESV)— 7 And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia {(which is farther north)}, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. {So again they are repelled.} 8 So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. Keep Moving— Now I love how they don't stop and wait. They keep moving forward, knowing that God will redirect. You and I also are often called to wait on God not by standing still, but by following the next logical step; the next right thing. You can turn the steering wheel of car, but that will only change the car's direction if that car is in motion. The same with us. Do what makes sense and leave yourself open for God's redirection. Now we don't know [how they were prevented {by Jesus here}, but with nowhere else to turn, they came down to Troas, a port on the Aegean Sea. They knew God would eventually reveal where He wanted them to go if they kept moving. At last, in dramatic fashion, He did so.] It says in… Acts 16:9 (ESV)— 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” Macedonia— Now [Macedonia was across the Aegean Sea on the mainland of Greece. In it were located the important cities of Philippi and Thessalonica. More significant, this would be the first entry of the gospel into the continent of Europe.] Now after Paul sees this vision, he doesn't waste any time. It says in… Acts 16:10 (ESV)— 10 And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. Luke Joins The Team— And so Luke is indicating that they knew immediately that that is where they were to go. But there is also something else here that can be easily overlooked. And that is the word “we”. This is [the first of the “we” passages in Acts], which indicates that [Luke, the writer of Acts, has now joined the missionary team. {And} Like Timothy, he was to be Paul's faithful friend and loyal companion for the rest of the apostle's life.] Acts 16:11-12 (ESV)— 11 So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace {([Samothrace is an island in the Aegean Sea, approximately half way between Asia Minor and the Greek mainland. There they stayed overnight (to avoid the hazards of sailing in the dark)])}, and the following day to Neapolis {([the port city of Philippi])},12 and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. {And ([The winds must have been favorable, for the reverse trip from Philippi to Troas on the third missionary journey took five days (Acts 20:6).]) And so [When the missionary team landed in Neapolis, Paul's ministry finally reached Europe.] But [The team did not stop to preach in Neapolis, but from there went on to Philippi, about ten miles inland.] And Luke writes, saying} We remained in this city some days. {Now it says…} Acts 16:13a (ESV)—13 And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, A Place of Prayer— Now the reason they do this is because (although it was Paul's custom to preach first in the synagogue of every city he visited) in order to form a synagogue you had to have the presence of ten Jewish men who were heads of households. And so Philippi's Jewish community was apparently too small to form a synagogue. And [In such cases, a place of prayer, under the open sky and near a river or the sea, was to be arranged for. {And} The one in Philippi was located outside the gate by a riverside, probably where the road leading out of Philippi crossed the Gangites River.] They choose to go there in the best hope of finding people to witness to and (seeing a group of women) it says… Acts 16:13b (ESV)— and we sat down {(which was [the normal posture for teaching])} and spoke to the women who had come together. Paul's Value for Women— And notice that there are no men mentioned, which is [further evidence of the small size of the Jewish community at Philippi. {And so} Lacking a man to lead them, these women met to pray, read from the Old Testament law, and discuss what they had read.] Now imagine their surprise to have Paul and his missionary team join them. And for them to have Paul (a traveling rabbi, who was not only a rabbi but had been a student of a great rabbi, Gamaliel) was no doubt a very rare privilege. Now I love how the very first people in Europe that Paul ever shared the Gospel with were women. That is important, because a lot of misguided people have characterized Paul as some kind of male chauvinist, particularly because of Paul's teaching on the role of women in the church. And they conclude that he had some kind of prejudice against women. But we see here that that is not the case. He is eager to share the Gospel with them and to even teach them, which is more than could be said about the Pharisees. The Pharisees [would not deign to teach a woman, and regularly in their rote prayers they thanked God that they were neither Gentiles, slaves, nor women. {And yet we see that Paul both teaches and sees the value in women, which by the way} ran counter to the treatment of women in Greco-Roman society. {When we look through the New Testament we see that} Paul valued the ministry of women such as Phoebe (Rom. 16:1), the various women among those he greeted in Romans 16:3ff., and even Euodia and Syntyche (Phil. 4:2–3).] And that of course stemmed from Jesus' treatment of women, which also ran counter to the norms of that day. Just to give you an example of this, notice how the scripture describes women “sitting at the feet” of Jesus. Well “sitting at the feet of” is not merely a description of their posture. No, to sit at the feet of a rabbi was a phrase used to describe talmudim, disciples of a rabbi. Now only men were allowed to be disciples and it was very unusual for a woman be allowed. And yet Jesus was perfectly comfortable bringing women into that discipleship relationship. And we see here that Paul imbibes that same attitude. Now Luke writes… Acts 16:14a (ESV)— 14 One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. a seller of purple goods— Now Lydia was the Roman province in which the city of Thyatira was located. And so Lydia may be named after her province or Lydia may have just been [her name in business; she may have been known as “the Lydian lady.”] But whatever the case, her city (Thyatira, which is the cite of one of the seven church of Revelation) [was noted for its manufacture of purple dye and dyed goods. Not surprisingly, Lydia herself was a seller of purple fabrics. {Now} Purple dye, whether made from the glands of the murex shellfish or from the roots of the madder plant, was prohibitively expensive. {Thus} Purple garments were worn by royalty and the wealthy, and the selling of purple fabrics was a very profitable business.] And she herself was (apparently) very wealthy. And that we will see in that her house is large enough to accommodate the entire missionary team (v. 15) and later the new church at Philippi (v. 40). Now aside from her wealth, there are a couple of things we can string together (every pun intended) about Lydia. And the first is that she was a worshiper of God. This shows that she (like Cornelius) believed in and worshipped the God of Israel, but had not yet become a full proselyte to Judaism. And secondly, she was truly listening; not just hearing audibly, but paying attention and seeking to understand. And that is the kind of posture that God can work with. There are so many who hear, yet never understand because they are not truly listening. Eyes Glazed— Have you ever been in a conversation with somebody and you see their eyes glaze over and you realize they aren't hearing a word? Maybe some of you are doing that right now. I don't know. But in all seriousness, I remember one particular instance where that happened to me while I was talking with somebody several months back. I was having a conversation with somebody who must have had a lot on their mind because not long after I began sharing what I had to say they completely checked out and were no longer paying attention. And a little voice in my head said “just stop talking and leave.” I heard that little voice but then (because I knew what I was about to say would, under normal circumstances, really interest this person) decided to plow ahead and somehow try to be more interesting. It didn't work. But Lydia wasn't checked out. She was fully engaged. And it says in… Acts 16:14b-15 (ESV)— The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. 15 And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us. Lydia's Hospitality— And so we see that Lydia and her entire household came to faith in Christ. And in gratitude, she insists that they stay at her house. Now hospitality [is required of all Christians (Rom. 12:13; Heb. 13:2; 1 Pet. 4:9), especially women (1 Tim. 5:10) and church leaders (Titus 1:8). {And} It was critical in the ancient world, where inns were often unsuitable {places} for Christians to stay in. They were filthy, dangerous, expensive, and often little more than brothels. {And so} To make a home where travelers could be exposed to Christian love, family life, and fellowship was a high priority for Christian women (cf. 1 Tim. 5:9–10).] And Lydia's offering them her hospitality shows that she had in her the love and fear of God, which had now become more fully realized in Christ Jesus. Use The Currents— Now what this passage shows us is that when God says no to us or no at that moment (like He did with Paul and his team entering Asia at that time), it is only because He has an awesome plan that He wants you to be a part of. And so don't fight the air currents; use them. And even if that might mean stepping into some dangerous situations, God's greatest blessings often lie in those situations. And so let us commit to trust and follow Him as He seeks to guide us into the fulfillment of His purposes. Let's do so. Amen.

Hello and welcome to the show today. In our study of Acts chapter 16 we have been taking a look at Paul's setting out from Antioch on a second missionary journey; one that was aimed at strengthening all the churches that had been founded on his first missionary journey. And so naturally he wants to take Barnabas with him, as Barnabas had been with him on that first missionary journey and was such an encouragement to him; that's what his name means, “son of encouragement”, which was given to him by the apostles. But Barnabas insists that John Mark also come. Paul doesn't think that is a good idea because of how John Mark had abandoned them on their first missionary journey; and so they have a sharp disagreement about this and end up splitting up. Barnabas and John Mark go to Cyprus (which is where Paul and Barnabas had entered Asia Minor on their first trip, but with Barnabas and John Mark going, Paul chooses instead to enter Galatia from the opposite direction, traveling through Syria and Cilicia. And that may seem like an arbitrary decision (and may have been to Paul); but we will see in a few moments how God was at work in that in a huge way. Now [Syria was the region around Antioch, and the neighboring region of Cilicia contained Paul's home city of Tarsus. {And so} Many of its churches had no doubt been founded by Paul himself. {And} As Paul and Silas traveled through those areas, they were busy with their priority, strengthening the churches.] Now as they [crossed the rugged Taurus Mountains through the Cilician Gates north of Tarsus, the missionaries came to Derbe and to Lystra. Paul and Barnabas had visited these cities on their first missionary journey (Acts 14:6ff.), and Lystra had been the scene of some remarkable events. It was there that Paul had healed a lame man (14:8–10). In response, the astonished crowd proclaimed the two missionaries gods (14:11–18). Following that, Paul had been stoned nearly to death by jealous Jews from Antioch and Iconium (14:19).] Now if it were me, I'd be a little nervous coming back to Lystra. But as for Paul, the mission of reaching people always trumped concerns for his own personal safety. Like we talked about recently, he always felt that weight of glory; that burden for people who were lost or who needed Jesus. And so unless God said otherwise, he was going to go. Timothy— Now it is sometimes when we choose to show courage to obey God even in the midst of fear or danger that God often rewards us. And we definitely see that here; because while they are [At Lystra, the missionaries were joined by a certain disciple named Timothy.] And this young man Timothy (who was probably in his late teens or early twenties at this time) would come [to play a key role in Paul's life, eventually becoming his right-hand man (1 Cor. 4:17; 1 Thess. 3:2; Phil. 2:19).] He would also be  Paul's “true child in the faith” (1 Tim. 1:2; cf. 1 Cor. 4:17; 2 Tim. 1:2)]. And this was primarily because [he had been led to Christ by Paul when the apostle visited Lystra on the first missionary journey.] But it was also because of how Paul continued to pour into his life during the many years that followed. And for Timothy this was such a blessing because the way the his father is described in the imperfect tense (“was”) rather than the present suggests that he had already passed on. And so Timothy (a young man still in great need of a father figure) was blessed to find one in Paul. Now Timothy's father had been a Greek, while his mother (Eunice) was Jewish. And so [Timothy had access to both cultures—an important qualification for missionary service at that time.] Lois & Eunice— But another thing I don't want to overlook is the fact that his mother Eunice and his grandmother Lois were also both believers (2 Timothy 1:5). And that just reminds me that behind most successful men are righteous mothers and grandmother's who have equipped, trained and prayed their men into they eventually end up in. And I can attest to that personally. My mom has been and still is a constant source of encouragement to me. And my grandmothers (both of whom are still living) are constantly praying for me; and only eternity will show how many pitfalls I have avoided; how many physical and spiritual attacks have been driven back; and even how much of my ministry itself I owe to all three of these mighty women of God ministering to me. Now we don't know Eunice's story or Lois' story. But what we do know is that they no doubt were in Lystra during the time of (and may have even witnessed) Paul and Barnabas' persecution and Paul's near death by stoning. And yet here they seem willing, amazingly, to allow Timothy to join with Paul in his ministry. And so if we knew nothing else about them, that alone would tell us that here were women of faith and obedience; women who also felt that “weight of glory”; and the reason we know their names today is because of their faithfulness to release this young man Timothy into the dangerous calling of following God. Paul Chooses Timothy— Now because Timothy had been mentored and discipled by Lois and Eunice, he no doubt carried over into his own life their righteous character. Because we read in verse 2 that: He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. And Paul sees great potential in him and therefore chooses him as a disciple. And so [After being commissioned by the elders of the local assembly of believers (1 Tim. 4:14; 2 Tim. 1:6), he joined Paul and Silas, and the course of his life was set.] A Providential Blessing— Now remember earlier I talked about how it is significant that Paul and Silas entered Asia Minor from the opposite direction; because if they had followed the same route as they did on the first missionary journey, they would not have come to Lystra until the very end of their trip. But God's providence was at work in an amazing way as Timothy (because they came to Lystra first) now can be of help to them for their entire trip. And so God is showing that even when he calls us into difficult circumstances, we often find His greatest blessings in and during those situations. Stepping Out To WBS— You know, in looking back at when God called me to go to seminary, I remember I wanted to wait, partially because the idea of seminary seemed way too daunting to me. I imagined myself surrounded by scholarly geniuses who would leave me in the dust. But my grandparents (because my family was in China during that time) were staying in my parents' home, which was near Asbury College where I had been attending. And I visited them and told them of my intention to wait awhile. But (just like Eunice and Lois did with Timothy) they encouraged me not to wait. They even drove me down from Kentucky to Jackson, Mississippi to visit Wesley Biblical Seminary to kind of warm me up to the idea of starting seminary right away. And after receiving assurance that this was God's will for my life and that it wasn't totally beyond me and I could do this, I enrolled for that fall. And that was a big step of faith for me. And reflecting back, I think about how I never would have met and married Tanya had I chosen to wait. And so I would have missed out on who was without doubt God's greatest blessing in my life. I don't know who is Paul and who is Timothy in her and my relationship, but what I do know is that my life suddenly got a whole lot better after I met her. Even my grades made a marked improvement after she came into my life; because of both her belief in me and also her constant stream of encouragement, which has never stopped. Well, Timothy was kind of like that for Paul; and Paul was that for Timothy. God knew the right time and place to bring them together. Timothy's Circumcision— Now immediately following Timothy's appointment to this ministry, Paul has Timothy circumcised. And some have criticized Paul for this, saying that he ended up falling into the same heresy he had fought against at the Jerusalem Council; that circumcision was necessary for salvation. However, nowhere does it say or imply that he did this in order that Timothy might be saved. Rather, it says in verse 3 that he did this because of the Jews who were in those parts, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. You see, circumcision was the number one condition that was seen as absolutely necessary for every Jew. And if Timothy did not become circumcised, all the Jews that they would meet on their missionary endeavors would assume that Timothy was renouncing his Jewish heritage; and that would place a stumbling block in the way of reaching those Jews with the message of Christianity, which remember is a fulfillment of Judaism. Also keep in mind that Paul always started his ministry in the local synagogues; and if Timothy wanted full access to those synagogues, he needed to be circumcised. And so it had nothing to do with salvation, but rather doing what is necessary in order to reach people for Jesus. Listen to the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 9:19-22, because it really encapsulates Paul's thinking on this… 1 Corinthians 9:19-22 (ESV)— 19 For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. 21 To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. The Meaning Behind The Action— Now having said this, I want to point out that later Paul did refuse to circumcise Titus (Gal. 2:3). And why was that? Because [Titus, unlike Timothy, was a full-blooded Gentile. {And} To have circumcised him would have been to capitulate to legalism. And what this reveals to us is that something might be okay to do in one culture and wrong in another; or right in one situation and wrong in another. It's not always the action itself, but what the meaning is behind that action. Kind of like kicking a door down. That is wrong to do if you are trying to break into somebody's house to rob them. But it is a good thing to do if their house is on fire and you are trying to save them. And so with Timothy, Paul saw circumcision as a means of avoiding unnecessary offense; but in refusing to circumcise Titus, Paul was showing that we cannot and must not compromise on any of the essential doctrines and teachings of scripture. In one circumstance circumcision is a means of helping to save people; in the other it is a practice that will rob people of the essential teaching of the Gospel, which is that salvation is by grace through faith alone. And that message (along with the council's admonition that the gentiles live by love in being sensitive to the Jews and their ways) they are communicating to all these cities, which we see in that it says in… Acts 16:4-5 (ESV)— 4 As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily. Sold Out— Now what we can't miss in our study today is this passage's emphasis on what these early Christians were willing to lay on the altar for the sake of the Gospel. Timothy was willing to leave his entire old life to embrace a ministry that was permeated with danger and uncertainty. And (perhaps even more amazingly) Timothy's mother Eunice and his grandmother Lois were willing to release him into that ministry. They were like military moms and wives, releasing their men into danger for the sake of a greater cause. But that is what it means to be a Christian; to lay it all down for the sake of Christ and the Gospel. I hope that you and I will be just as faithful. Let's remember that we are called to be 100% sold out to Jesus. Let's do so. Amen.