Week 28, Acts 22:30-24:27 Hook

Transcription

1 Week 28, Acts 22:30-24:27 Hook Main Point: Believers have the opportunity to display the Gospel when they are treated unfairly. Current Event: Between 1989 and 2016 just over 1,750 prisoners in the United States were exonerated based on new evidence of innocence, according to data from the University of Michigan s National Registry of Exonerations. Those exonerated individuals served a collective 18,350 years in prison. 1 Darryl Burton is a unique case he was exonerated from prison after being falsely convicted of murder. Burton spent 24 years in prison before he was freed and it was in prison that he found Jesus. Describing his incarceration, Burton stated: I think God used the situation the same way with Joseph when Joseph was thrown in the prison and treated by his brothers in a way that was not right. What man and human beings made for evil, God used for good. That's the way I look at it. I never blamed God. God didn't throw me in there. 1

2 While incarcerated, Burton sensed the call to ministry and today he serves as an associate pastor at a church in Kansas. Burton commented on his platform and unique journey: "Of course, I wanted to tell the world about God but only God could write up a script like this," Burton said. "I had no imagination about anything that has happened in my life now." 2 How do you typically respond to false accusations? Have you ever been accused and punished for an act you did not commit? What did you learn through the process? What stories come to mind in the Bible of individuals who suffered unjustly? What (if any) positive results came from that suffering? 2

3 Week 28, Acts 22:30-24:27 Book Main Point: Believers have the opportunity to display the Gospel when they are treated unfairly. Text Summary: Acts 22:30 24:27 Opposition from the religious Jews and those who hate Christianity has been building, and has now erupted into a persistent drive to convict Paul before every court and ruler. The next several chapters record multiple opportunities Paul is given to defend himself against the Jews unfounded accusations. Each time they press forward with more undeserved charges, Paul stays committed to speaking in a forthright manner, proclaiming his innocence with truth and obeying God s mission to share the Gospel, even when his life is on the line. God uses these trials as sermons to preach the Gospel. Since this portion of the text is longer than our usual selections, we will split it into two studies and navigate them by examining Paul s encounter with each major or group of leaders. This is the first of the two studies. Luke writes with an omniscient point of view, contrasting Paul s upright standing with the selfish and manipulative behavior of the leaders before whom he is tried. These differences highlight the faithfulness of Paul s testimony. When Paul responds with Christlike character in the face of mistreatment, the light of the Gospel shines through him. Read: Acts 22:30-23:35 [Read] Sub-Point: Christians should live in a way that honors God and loves others. In this portion of Scripture, Paul testifies before religious leaders who should be honoring God with their role. Verses 22:30 23:5 The tribune from last week s study has brought Paul before the council of religious leaders to learn why they ve levied charges against him with such intensity (v. 30). The first thing Paul declares is the innocence of his conscience before God (v. 23:1). Luke has provided enough of an account at this point that the reader can agree with Paul. His words and actions thus far have been in obedience to God s commands. His statement, however, brings an immediate act of violence from the high priest, who commands people to strike him on the mouth, reminiscent of the rebuke flung at Jesus despite his innocence (v. 2; cf. John 18:22 23). Paul is experiencing firsthand the persecution Jesus promised would happen to those who follow Him and proclaim the Gospel (John 15:18 21).

4 Paul responds with a rebuke of his own, referencing God s pronouncement against false prophets in Ezekiel 13:10 (v. 3). The directness of his statement feels surprising, but not out of character with the tone he uses in his letters, especially when the Gospel is at stake (Philippians 3:2). In this moment, the high priest has accused Paul of lying, while Paul s response is that the very people who claim to know God s Word have not submitted their leadership to obeying His will. Israel s leaders, and God s people in general, have a long, sinful history of failing to live in a way that brings glory to God. Luke records Paul s rebuke in a way that echoes the same judgement Jesus spoke against the Pharisees and the Sadducees. i We, too, can heed God s warning against leading with an attitude of selfishness and self-righteousness. Q: How are you tempted to judge other people s behavior without examining your own sin? In fact, these leaders are as guilty as Israel s Old Testament leaders were, providing false assurance that all is well between them and God while ignoring the warning signs of sin. Upon being told he has rebuked the high priest, Paul offers an apology with a bit of a sarcastic twist, claiming not to have recognized this man s sacred position of leadership (v. 5). How could he, if the high priest was not leading in a manner worthy of God s calling (Colossians 1:10 12)? Q: Why do we seek assurance of our behavior instead of welcoming conviction about our sin? Verses 23:6 11 The questioning quickly escalates into another shouting match, this time over the differing opinions of the Pharisees and Sadducees, the two major religious groups present at the council (v. 7, 9). ii When it becomes clear that Paul s safety is again in danger due to the crazed behavior of the group, the tribune has him removed and returned to prison (v. 10). That night, Paul experiences the presence of Jesus, who confirms His call on Paul s life (v. 11). iii Throughout all the discouraging and hopeless circumstances of Paul s journey, God has demonstrated His faithfulness to be present in Paul s life. His promise to never leave or forsake us is still true today, even when we feel as though life has unfairly thrown us into prison. iv Verses 23:12 22 The hatred of the Jews grows in intensity, and they make a religious vow to kill Paul (vv ). The act of making an oath bound by fasting, which is usually for religious reasons like purification or repentance, is being used to fuel their pursuit of murder, which God prohibits in the Ten Commandments! The jealousy and hatred in their hearts against the truth Paul is teaching has twisted their character into a distorted guardian of religion. Paul s nephew learns of the plot and informs him, and Paul sends him to notify the tribune (vv ).

5 Q: How have you experienced the distorting effect of jealousy in your life? How has it caused you to act or speak in a way that does not honor your relationship with Jesus? Verses 23:23 35 The tribune makes plans for Paul to travel to Caesarea, accompanied by soldiers to protect him from murder (vv ). He pens a letter to send with Paul, explaining the accusations and judicial proceedings to the Roman governor, Felix (vv ). Most of it is honest, but he clearly adjusts the timeline of his involvement to reflect better in his favor. v He speaks of his discovery of Paul s Roman citizenship as the reason he stepped in to rescue Paul from the mob. In reality, this truth was only uncovered once he had already ordered him to be flogged (v. 27; cf. Acts 22:25). The blurred lines between truth and fiction demonstrate Felix s unreliable character. It is just as easy for him to change his story as it is to recall the actual facts, which reveals how little conviction is present in his heart. The Holy Spirit provides us with a constant voice of conscience and gives us the strength to speak truth, even when it s not in our favor. But we, too, can experience the weakening of our character if we continually make a practice of modifying how we present the truth to others. Q: When are you tempted to bend the facts in your favor? Why can dishonesty be desirable? Q: What motivates us to present ourselves to others in the best light possible? Paul arrives safely in Caesarea and is held under guard until his hearing (vv ). Though Felix learns Paul is from Cilicia, giving him the right to send Paul away for trial in his home province, he decides to keep Paul in Caesarea, perhaps because to send him away would anger the Jewish leaders with a longer trip to court. vi Read: Acts 24:1-27 [Read] Sub-Point: Christians should live in obedience to God and not fear of other people. In this passage of Scripture, Paul testifies before political leaders who rule in fear of other peoples responses. Verses 24:1 9 Paul s trial before the Roman governor begins with the Jews voicing their weak accusations. vii Paul was never the source of a riot; the crowds around him chose to revolt against his teaching, incited by some of the Jews who followed him from Asia. The claim of profaning the temple is unfounded because his accusers had surrounded Paul in the temple while he was adhering to Jewish purification customs. In fact, such feeble accusations lead one to [wonder] indeed how the Jews hoped to press their charges in the absence of any solid evidence. viii

6 Verses 24:10 21 Paul is allowed to give a defense against the false accusations, which he does with dignity and clarity. The narrative of Acts gives us a clear vantage point from which to view the inaccuracies of their report, highlighting how unfairly Paul is treated by those who should be upholding an honest testimony of witnesses (Exodus 20:1 7). It is possible to wonder if Paul will be tempted to alter the truth, as the tribune did. Knowing the temptations of our own human nature, it would be expected to see Paul burst out with a loud self-defense or angry words against the false witnesses. Q: Why is it difficult to respond in a Christlike manner to false accusations or mistreatment? Instead, Paul steadily recounts the events of the previous weeks with accuracy! Each statement can be validated by those in attendance, and it would take a blatant lie to say otherwise. Paul reaffirms his clear conscience before God (v. 16) and invites his accusers to give evidence against him, which their statements have failed to do thus far (v. 20). In a burst of inspiration, Paul adds the concept of the Resurrection into the court proceedings, which, until that point, hadn t been the main point of contention (it was mainly the defiling of the temple). But since Paul knows by the Spirit that what angers these men most is his preaching about Jesus, his current platform is an opportunity to bring this essential truth back to the public s attention (v. 21; cf. vv. 23:6 7). How amazing is this display of boldness that, even in a moment of false accusations and mistreatment, Paul decides to return to God s plan for him, the mission of declaring the Gospel before kings and rulers! Q: How have you learned to rely on God when you find yourself in unfair circumstances? Verses 24:22 27 Paul is calmly confident in the testimony he has offered, and the reader can confirm that his words match Luke s account; however, Felix ends the hearing early (v. 22). While he does continue to provide the proper care for Paul according to legal customs, he is unwilling to dismiss the obviously unfounded accusations of the Jews (v. 23). Here, we see a leader unwilling to act justly because he selfishly cares about preserving his popularity. Felix and his wife later request a private audience with Paul, who speaks quite candidly about the Gospel (vv a). His teaching on matters of sin and repentance cause Felix to be concerned, which is the beginning of conviction, but Felix responds by pushing Paul away, rejecting any further attempts at Gospel conversation for the moment (v. 25b). ix Luke records that Felix s interest in a bribe brings him back to Paul, hoping that continued time together will encourage Paul to buy his freedom, but the account ends with Felix s leaving Paul in jail until the next governor succeeds him (vv ). Q: Why is it difficult to listen to the truth about our sin and our need for God s forgiveness?

7 Luke s final comment about seeking to please the Jews provides us with our conclusion about Felix s character. He is a man more easily swayed by the opinions and reactions of others than by the Gospel message of sin and salvation. He does not operate with the integrity and justice his role calls for, seeking his own profit instead. Without the power of the Holy Spirit, much of Felix s behavior can be found in our own lives because we are naturally prone to putting our safety and security first. But by walking with Jesus, we experience a transformation of our character so we become more like Jesus Christ. Q: When are you influenced by the opinions of others? How does someone begin to battle the fear of man?

8 Week 28, Acts 22:30-24:27 Took Main Point: Believers have the opportunity to display the Gospel when they are treated unfairly. Current Event: The average feature film runs about 110 minutes, flowing through 24 individual frames per second. Each frame presents a picture but in no way does the individual frame rightly represent the movie. 3 To look at one of 144,000 frames without viewing the film in its entirety and make a judgment on the movie would certainly be premature. Likewise, snapshots of our daily lives may not present a clear representation of our Christian journey in whole. How do you keep a healthy perspective when walking through difficult times? Describe a period in your life that was challenging but led to a season of fruitful ministry and victory. Lesson Conclusion: In his gospel, Luke records Jesus teaching that whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much (Luke 16:10). So far in Acts, God has used Paul to be a messenger of the Gospel in ordinary and everyday ways, through natural relationships and opportunities that unfold organically. He has been faithful to represent Jesus in humble, little ways. By the end of Acts, however, Paul is consistently given a more public platform to share what he believes. Just as Jesus was faithful to God s will while He spent time with fishermen and tax collectors, ate meals and took walks and met strangers, He was also faithful to remain a sinless example when the spotlight grew brighter and the crowds roared louder. In our everyday lives, we, too, will be gifted with both small and great opportunities to represent Jesus. It s encouraging to know that the same person who showed us the way has also given us the Holy Spirit as our guide and encouragement so that we can be faithful, too. Next week, we will continue to learn about pressing on through dark and undeserved trials. We will see that the light of the Gospel shines brightly through us as we are obedient to God s call to be His witnesses to the world. Challenges Confess sin It is human nature to justify sin, but God desires for His people to live in the light. Invite a few close friends or mentors to ask you intentional questions throughout the week so you have an opportunity to be challenged and repent of the sin you allow into your walk 3

9 with Jesus. Learn to ask questions that encourage true sharing and don t just gloss over the more difficult aspects of following Jesus. Seek to read the Word daily so you are fueled by the convicting power of the Spirit and can grow in your desire for holiness. Remember it s a gift of grace to have our sin exposed. Speak truth You may not be tempted to lie outrageously, but there are subtle ways we are tempted to bend or dilute the facts in our favor. Examine the ways you speak about other people behind their backs. Ask a friend to point out when you speak too highly about yourself. Ask God to fill your heart with truth so that it overflows into your words. Write down a few Bible verses about Jesus journey to the Cross to read when you are tempted to change the story in your favor or cave to the pressure of others opinions. Re-evaluate relationships Paul was faithful to share the Gospel with Felix despite Felix s alternative motives for their times of conversation. What relationships have you allowed to sway the faithfulness of your testimony? Are you tempted to change your behavior to keep a friend or maintain popularity? Do you hope to please your boss or a family member by sharing less about your love for God? Take time to think through the ways God wants to use you to evangelize the people you know. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you a greater awareness of their need for salvation and pray for more boldness so that the character of your witness remains rooted in Jesus and not whether someone receives it. i Matthew 23, especially verses ii Marshall, 384. iii The vision makes it clear that what is to happen will follow a divinely initiated plan; the hand of God will guide the course of events until Paul stands before the Roman emperor (Marshall, ). iv Deuteronomy 31:6. v Marshall, 391. vi Marshall, 393. vii Marshall notes that Luke purposefully highlights Tertullus poorly-crafted presentation, evinced by his feeble, surface-level flattery of Felix reign (which was, in actuality, not as successful as propaganda claimed) and his amateur use of the Greek language (394). viii Marshall, 396. ix [Felix] had sufficient of a conscience left to feel some alarm at the Christian message, but he very quickly had as much of it as he could take He had no intention of repenting (Marshall, 401).