DEFENDING THE GOSPEL HAS A COST
Acts 22:17-29
The Apostle
Paul had been warned by a prophet in Caesarea named Agabus before he got to
Jerusalem that he would
Be bounded
hand and feet and handed over to the Gentiles.
Paul’s disciples in that city pleaded with him
not to go to Jerusalem. (Acts 21:10-11)
Paul
responded that you break my heart. I am ready to die for Jesus Christ and the
will of the Father will be done. From that city, Paul set sail for Jerusalem.
God has a
reason why He put on our hearts to do what seems dangerous to others. We cannot
Change the will
of the Father for our lives. We must remember that we were put on this earth
for
Short period
to give God glory. When our time is over, it is over.
IF YOU DIE
TODAY, WHAT WILL YOU LEAVE UNDONE?
Jesus told
us that anyone who tries to save his life will lose it. Anyone who loses his
life for Jesus sake
Will save
his life. Paul was determined to get to Jerusalem, for he said I must see Rome.
Acts 23:11
The following night the Lord stood near Paul
and said, "Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so
you must also testify in Rome."
Acts 22:17-29
DEFENSE
OF THE GOSPEL
V:17
"When I returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a
trance 18 and saw the Lord speaking. 'Quick!' he said to me. 'Leave Jerusalem
immediately, because they will not accept your testimony about me.'
19
"'Lord,' I replied, 'these men know that I went from one synagogue to
another to imprison and beat those who believe in you. 20 And when the blood of your martyr Stephen
was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those
who were killing him.'
21
"Then the Lord said to me, 'Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'
A. Against the counsel of his disciples,
Paul returned to Jerusalem and found himself in the midst of an angry mob who
would have beat him to death if God had not stepped in.
1. Paul reasoned that he was a Jew like
them and they would believe the testimony of his
Conversion to faith in
Jesus.
2. Paul may have believed that the
testimony of his conversion would be proof enough for
His fellow Jews in
Jerusalem to turn to Christ.
B. Satan is always busy and will arouse
the evil intentions of those who reject Christ.
1. Satan knowing our devotion to God,
maybe one step ahead of our thinking.
2.
Acts 21:27-28
When the seven days were nearly over, some
Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the
whole crowd and seized him, 28 shouting, "Men of Israel, help us! This is
the man who teaches all men everywhere against our people and our law and this
place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple area and defiled this
holy place.
3. It is in troubled times that seeds of
the Gospel can be planted in fertile ground.
4. Paul was in Jerusalem for the
celebration of the Pentecost.
5. This was an opportune time for Paul
to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to his fellows Jews who
Traveled to Jerusalem from
all parts of the nation for the festival.
C. God used the mob mentality to give
Paul a large audience.
1. Many people were persuaded to join in
a mob environment.
2. Otherwise, peaceful people can get
caught up in the emotions of a moment.
3. Since the Word of God cannot return
void, seeds of the Gospel was planted by Paul
In the middle of the mob.
WORDS HAVE
THE POWER TO EXCITE
V:22. The
crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they raised their voices and
shouted, "Rid the earth of him! He's not fit to live!"
23 As they
were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air, 24
the commander ordered Paul to be taken into the barracks. He directed that he
be flogged and questioned in order to find out why the people were shouting at
him like this.
A. We have to be careful what we say to
a crowd that is emotionally charged.
1. One word can set a crowd into a rage.
2. While Paul was making the case for
conversion to Christianity, he mentions his commission to the Gentiles.
3. That name was proof to the crowd to
condemn him.
B. There are several lessons we can learn
from Paul’s experience in Jerusalem.
1. We must learn to heed the warnings of
those who give us council.
a. God puts people in our lives to give
us advice that will avoid trouble.
b. If you know the warnings, don’t put
yourself in harm’s way.
2. If you decide to ignore wise counsel,
be prepared to suffer the consequences.
3. If you don’t want to do the time,
don’t do the crime.
C. Know when to shut your mouth and keep
quiet.
1. The Roman soldiers had rescued Paul
from the violent mob.
2. But he asked the soldier to let him
speak to the mob again to convince them
Of their need for Jesus.
3. When he mentioned the name Gentiles,
that was one word too many.
4. Paul fueled the fire that was already
burning in the mob and had to be quickly taken to
The Roman Barracks to
protect his life.
5. When you encounter a mob, the best thing
to do is go the other way.
6. Paul could have got to Rome without
going through Jerusalem. (Acts 23:11)
LET
PEOPLE KNOW WHO YOU ARE
V:25 As they
stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing there,
"Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn't even been found
guilty?"
26 When the
centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it. "What are
you going to do?" he asked. "This man is a Roman citizen."
A. One thing we must know is our rights.
1. We can get ourselves into trouble,
but knowledge of who we are can get us out of trouble.
2. People make assumptions about you
based on the situation you are in.
3. The right information at the right
time can save us.
B. Paul knew it was illegal to beat a
Roman citizen who had not been tried.
1. That information in the hands of the
Roman soldier saved a beating.
2. A child of God must claim his
citizenship in heaven.
3. God may not save you from the
trouble, but He can protect you in the trouble.
4. The three Hebrew boys facing the fiery
furnace told King Nebuchadnezzar
They would not worship
his golden statue and their God would save them
From him.
a. They claimed their citizenship in
heaven.
b. It was the proclamation of their
faith that saved them.
C. When you claim Jesus as your savior,
He will tell you what to say to cause the
Enemy to change his mind.
1. God’s purposes for your trouble
include your testimony.
2. Some people are ignorant of who you
serve until you tell them.
BOLDY
CLAIM YOUR HERITAGE
V:27 The
commander went to Paul and asked, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?"
"Yes, I
am," he answered.
28 Then the
commander said, "I had to pay a big price for my citizenship."
"But I
was born a citizen," Paul replied.
A. The information about Paul’s Roman citizenship
caused the commander to
Question his decision.
1. New information sometimes requires a
new evaluation.
2. New information will cause those in
charge of you to do a new investigation.
B. The Roman commander probably thought Paul
didn’t have the means to buy his Roman citizenship.
1. Lack of information causes people to make
the wrong conclusions.
2. Paul didn’t talk like a Roman citizen.
He didn’t act like a Roman citizen.
3. If you are a child of God you must
talk like, walk like and act like a citizen of heaven.
C. Paul was born a Roman citizen.
1. From the outside, we may not look
like Christian.
2. But by closer investigation, people
will know we are children of God.
3. We were born in sin but reborn citizens
of heaven.
4. Faith in action gets God’s attention
GOD IS IN
CONTROL OF THE EVENTS OF YOUR LIFE
V:29 Those
who were about to question him withdrew immediately. The commander himself was
alarmed when he realized that he had put Paul, a Roman citizen, in chains.
A. It is by the grace of God, that He
gives us people who consider the facts.
1. It is by the grace of God that He
gives us people who know their wrongs and change
Their position into our
favor.
2. Some people are afraid of the
consequences of doing wrong.
B. Once the Roman commander realized his
error, he corrected it.
1. We should not be in the habit of judging
someone without the facts of their
Situation.
2. We should never make a judgment
without doing the job of investigation.
3. . God gives us a good sense if we
would only use it.
GOD
CONTROLS THE GOOD AND THE BAD IN YOUR LIFE
Rev. M.
Mitchell
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