1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,520 Hello and welcome to the Middletown Baptist Church Podcast, 2 00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:06,480 where we are proclaiming the truth to the world. 3 00:00:06,640 --> 00:00:09,720 My name is Pastor Josh and I want to thank you for listening to 4 00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:10,480 this podcast. 5 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:14,680 I hope that this podcast can be a blessing to you and strengthen 6 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:16,080 you in the word of God. 7 00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:20,160 Now come along, let's look into the Bible and see what God has 8 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:21,440 for us here today. 9 00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:26,560 If you have your Bibles, turn there with me to Acts chapter 23. 10 00:00:27,500 --> 00:00:30,620 We've been now in the book of Acts for quite a bit of time. 11 00:00:31,180 --> 00:00:32,380 We're 23. 12 00:00:32,380 --> 00:00:35,220 Well, almost completely 23 chapters in. 13 00:00:35,220 --> 00:00:37,580 So if you're just joining us now, don't worry. 14 00:00:37,580 --> 00:00:39,500 Each message in and of itself has a. 15 00:00:39,500 --> 00:00:41,500 Has a meaning and has a purpose for our lives. 16 00:00:42,060 --> 00:00:44,820 But again, in context, we've been looking at the early church, 17 00:00:44,820 --> 00:00:48,980 and we've been looking at what it means to follow Christ in accordance 18 00:00:48,980 --> 00:00:51,980 to his word, not allowing the things of this world to seep in, 19 00:00:52,220 --> 00:00:54,940 not allowing distractions to pull us away from the things that 20 00:00:54,940 --> 00:00:55,260 matter. 21 00:00:55,750 --> 00:00:59,350 And we've been looking at that word Acts as an acrostic, authentic 22 00:00:59,350 --> 00:01:00,630 church through scripture. 23 00:01:01,030 --> 00:01:04,070 And from the very beginning, we saw that God had a plan for the 24 00:01:04,070 --> 00:01:04,310 church. 25 00:01:04,310 --> 00:01:08,430 And obviously God used individuals for his work within the 26 00:01:08,430 --> 00:01:11,470 church and outside of the church with winning people to the 27 00:01:11,470 --> 00:01:12,710 the truth of the gospel. 28 00:01:12,870 --> 00:01:14,910 And one of those individuals is a guy named Paul. 29 00:01:14,910 --> 00:01:17,950 And we've been tracking Paul now for a long time, all the way 30 00:01:17,950 --> 00:01:21,760 back from Acts chapter 8, where he was a guy named Saul and, 31 00:01:21,830 --> 00:01:25,110 and he was persecuting Christians, killing Christians, and, 32 00:01:25,110 --> 00:01:28,190 and then in his beautiful transformation of his life in Acts 33 00:01:28,190 --> 00:01:31,990 chapter 9, which, where God came there on the road to Damascus, 34 00:01:31,990 --> 00:01:34,950 met him in his broken moment and changed his life. 35 00:01:34,950 --> 00:01:36,430 And that's really the story for all of us. 36 00:01:36,430 --> 00:01:39,070 All of us have a Damascus Road moment. 37 00:01:39,070 --> 00:01:42,070 Even though it might not be as dramatic as Paul's, all of us came 38 00:01:42,070 --> 00:01:45,990 to a point in life where we had to reconcile with God and know 39 00:01:45,990 --> 00:01:48,230 that there's nothing that we can do to save ourselves, but that 40 00:01:48,230 --> 00:01:51,320 he saves us and that he calls us for a specific work. 41 00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:53,560 And we know what Paul's work really was. 42 00:01:53,720 --> 00:01:57,160 And I want you to keep your finger there in Acts chapter 23, 43 00:01:57,720 --> 00:01:59,720 because we're going to be there for most of the time. 44 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:03,240 But I want you to go all the way back there to Acts chapter 9. 45 00:02:04,040 --> 00:02:05,240 Acts chapter 9. 46 00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:10,760 In Saul's conversion, there was an individual that God called 47 00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:11,880 to come. 48 00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:16,720 And early on in Saul's life, his Christian life, so to speak, 49 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:20,280 not his physical life, but his Christian life, early on there was 50 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:24,040 a guy named Ananas that God called to come and minister to Paul 51 00:02:24,200 --> 00:02:25,720 to essentially disciple him. 52 00:02:26,040 --> 00:02:30,200 And God tells Ananas something really miraculous, that this very 53 00:02:30,200 --> 00:02:33,280 man that was known for persecuting Christians was going 54 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:36,720 to be greatly used by God later on to minister not only to 55 00:02:36,720 --> 00:02:39,160 the Jews, but specifically to the Gentiles. 56 00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:42,840 Now, there's a purpose to going back to this, because I know 57 00:02:42,840 --> 00:02:46,340 that if I was Ananas back then, and I knew who Paul was or 58 00:02:46,340 --> 00:02:48,060 Saul at that time, I knew who he was. 59 00:02:48,380 --> 00:02:51,260 And God told me that, hey, no, this guy's actually going to be used 60 00:02:51,900 --> 00:02:56,860 by me to do a work of the Gospel to the Roman world. 61 00:02:57,020 --> 00:02:58,140 I would have been shocked. 62 00:02:58,220 --> 00:03:03,260 But we go back to Acts, chapter 9, and we. 63 00:03:03,260 --> 00:03:07,300 We see in verse number 13 it says, and Ananias answered, lord, 64 00:03:07,300 --> 00:03:11,300 I have heard by many of this man how much evil he hath done to 65 00:03:11,300 --> 00:03:12,540 thy saints at Jerusalem. 66 00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:17,720 So, so God tells Ananias, ananias, go minister to Saul. 67 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:19,360 Go, go help him. 68 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:20,120 Go pray with him. 69 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:22,040 Go lead him to the truth more and more. 70 00:03:22,280 --> 00:03:24,680 And then he says, hey, I've heard a lot about this guy. 71 00:03:24,920 --> 00:03:28,760 I've heard that he's persecuted Christians there in Jerusalem. 72 00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:32,160 And here he hath authority from chief priests to bind all that 73 00:03:32,160 --> 00:03:33,160 call on thy name. 74 00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:34,920 But here, here's verse number 15. 75 00:03:34,920 --> 00:03:37,280 And I want you to think about verse number 15 in context to what 76 00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:39,950 we're talking about tonight in Acts, chapter 23. 77 00:03:40,430 --> 00:03:46,310 But the Lord said unto him, go thy way, for he is a chosen vessel 78 00:03:46,310 --> 00:03:53,230 unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children 79 00:03:53,230 --> 00:03:53,950 of Israel. 80 00:03:54,750 --> 00:03:58,110 It was God's plan from the very beginning to use Paul for those 81 00:03:58,110 --> 00:04:01,630 purposes, to proclaim the Gospel message, as it said there 82 00:04:01,630 --> 00:04:05,740 to the Gentiles, which we're going to see that he does to. 83 00:04:05,740 --> 00:04:09,580 To kings leaders, which we're going to see tonight that he does. 84 00:04:09,820 --> 00:04:11,500 And then ultimately to the Jews there. 85 00:04:11,500 --> 00:04:11,740 And. 86 00:04:11,740 --> 00:04:12,300 And he does. 87 00:04:12,300 --> 00:04:14,300 Now think about that in mind. 88 00:04:14,300 --> 00:04:16,940 And no doubt Ananias communicated that to Paul. 89 00:04:17,180 --> 00:04:20,660 No doubt God communicated that to Paul, that, hey, this is my plan 90 00:04:20,660 --> 00:04:21,180 for you. 91 00:04:21,580 --> 00:04:22,780 Now fast forward in time. 92 00:04:22,780 --> 00:04:24,100 Where is Paul right now? 93 00:04:24,100 --> 00:04:27,100 In Acts 23, Paul is in prison. 94 00:04:28,060 --> 00:04:31,340 Paul is in prison for preaching the gospel to his own people 95 00:04:31,340 --> 00:04:32,380 there in Jerusalem. 96 00:04:33,020 --> 00:04:36,740 Now remember, what happens is Paul is called by God, led by the 97 00:04:36,740 --> 00:04:39,660 Holy Spirit to go to Jerusalem to preach the Gospel message. 98 00:04:40,060 --> 00:04:42,980 And Paul has this phrase, and it's a phrase that's really been 99 00:04:42,980 --> 00:04:44,140 convicting my heart recently. 100 00:04:44,540 --> 00:04:45,340 It says that. 101 00:04:45,340 --> 00:04:50,180 He says that I was bound by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem, bound 102 00:04:50,180 --> 00:04:50,780 by the Spirit. 103 00:04:50,780 --> 00:04:52,660 Meaning there's nothing that can stop me. 104 00:04:52,660 --> 00:04:53,820 The Spirit has me going. 105 00:04:53,820 --> 00:04:57,420 Now, there were many people in Paul's company that were telling 106 00:04:57,420 --> 00:05:00,680 Paul, paul, we know God has revealed to us that there is going 107 00:05:00,680 --> 00:05:02,800 to be persecution when you go to Jerusalem. 108 00:05:02,800 --> 00:05:05,240 So with that being said, don't go. 109 00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:09,680 Now, I don't believe God was telling Paul not to go, but I do 110 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:12,440 know that God was letting Paul know that there would be persecution. 111 00:05:12,440 --> 00:05:15,200 Now, what was happening is that Paul's friends and his companions 112 00:05:15,200 --> 00:05:17,800 were saying, paul, we're reading into this and you shouldn't 113 00:05:17,800 --> 00:05:19,720 go to Jerusalem because persecution's bad. 114 00:05:19,800 --> 00:05:20,840 So therefore don't go. 115 00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:23,040 But Paul says, no, I'm bound by the Spirit. 116 00:05:23,040 --> 00:05:23,920 I'm going to Jerusalem. 117 00:05:23,920 --> 00:05:26,870 Now, if this was a story that maybe we were writing, we would say 118 00:05:26,870 --> 00:05:29,230 Paul goes to Jerusalem and wins all these people to Christ. 119 00:05:29,310 --> 00:05:31,270 And that makes sense why he went to Jerusalem. 120 00:05:31,270 --> 00:05:35,630 But no, we know that he goes to Jerusalem and preaches the Gospel 121 00:05:35,630 --> 00:05:37,030 and is doing his best there. 122 00:05:37,030 --> 00:05:38,510 And they falsely accuse him. 123 00:05:38,910 --> 00:05:42,670 They essentially persecute him and they throw him into prison. 124 00:05:43,470 --> 00:05:46,150 And so through all of that, Paul might be tempted to think, hey, 125 00:05:46,150 --> 00:05:48,590 maybe I'm not called to do what God has called me to do. 126 00:05:48,590 --> 00:05:52,150 But what we're going to see here in Acts 23 and 24 and even into 127 00:05:52,150 --> 00:05:55,230 25 and, and further, that God has a plan for Paul. 128 00:05:55,230 --> 00:05:58,510 Even though the circumstances don't look great for him, God's still 129 00:05:58,510 --> 00:06:01,910 in his provision and his protection is leading him to do the 130 00:06:01,910 --> 00:06:03,390 work that God has called him to do. 131 00:06:03,950 --> 00:06:08,830 And so through this journey that Paul is on, God inserts himself 132 00:06:08,830 --> 00:06:10,670 and comforts Paul with the truth. 133 00:06:10,910 --> 00:06:13,630 And here in verse number 11, Paul is in prison. 134 00:06:13,790 --> 00:06:15,110 Paul has been persecuted. 135 00:06:15,110 --> 00:06:19,120 He's about to go before certain individuals to basically 136 00:06:19,120 --> 00:06:20,120 plead his case. 137 00:06:20,680 --> 00:06:21,960 And what does God tell him? 138 00:06:22,440 --> 00:06:23,160 Verse 11. 139 00:06:23,480 --> 00:06:25,960 And the night following, the Lord stood by him. 140 00:06:26,280 --> 00:06:30,320 And so we see the presence of God meeting Paul in his need, meeting 141 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:33,720 Paul in his confusion, meeting Paul in his persecution. 142 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:35,640 And this is what God says to him. 143 00:06:36,280 --> 00:06:40,080 Be of good cheer because you're not going to face any more 144 00:06:40,080 --> 00:06:41,000 problems anymore. 145 00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:42,360 No, that's not what he says there. 146 00:06:42,360 --> 00:06:42,840 Okay? 147 00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:47,160 He says, be of good cheer, Paul, for as thou has testified of 148 00:06:47,530 --> 00:06:52,410 me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome. 149 00:06:52,970 --> 00:06:54,330 So what is he telling Paul? 150 00:06:54,890 --> 00:06:57,610 Be cheerful, because you're doing what I've called you to do. 151 00:06:58,570 --> 00:07:01,330 Have joy in your heart, because you're fulfilling the call 152 00:07:01,330 --> 00:07:02,570 that I have for you in your life. 153 00:07:02,570 --> 00:07:05,530 Because remember what Paul's call Was preach to the Gentiles, 154 00:07:06,250 --> 00:07:07,370 that's the Romans. 155 00:07:07,370 --> 00:07:10,650 Preach to the Jews and preach to the king, Preach to the kings, 156 00:07:10,650 --> 00:07:11,130 the leaders. 157 00:07:11,850 --> 00:07:14,490 And so God doesn't come to Paul and say paul, it's okay, you're 158 00:07:14,490 --> 00:07:15,730 not going to get persecuted anymore. 159 00:07:15,730 --> 00:07:16,490 He doesn't say that. 160 00:07:17,230 --> 00:07:18,790 He doesn't say paul, everything's going to be okay. 161 00:07:18,790 --> 00:07:21,150 You can go retire on an island and relax. 162 00:07:21,230 --> 00:07:23,310 He says, no, Paul, be of good cheer. 163 00:07:23,310 --> 00:07:23,550 Why? 164 00:07:23,550 --> 00:07:25,390 Because you're doing what I've called you to do. 165 00:07:25,390 --> 00:07:26,430 You've been faithful. 166 00:07:26,910 --> 00:07:29,910 Now we look at things in scripture and we look at what God 167 00:07:29,910 --> 00:07:34,350 expects for his followers and we never see God expecting or pushing 168 00:07:34,350 --> 00:07:39,270 people for perfection or, or success in the eyes of the world. 169 00:07:39,270 --> 00:07:40,950 What do we see God calling us to do? 170 00:07:40,950 --> 00:07:44,660 And it really giving us praise for faithfulness. 171 00:07:45,300 --> 00:07:47,700 Well done, thou good and faithful servant. 172 00:07:48,660 --> 00:07:51,180 And we even know that another passages of scripture that the only 173 00:07:51,180 --> 00:07:53,780 thing required of a steward is that a man be found faithful. 174 00:07:54,500 --> 00:07:56,340 So what is he telling Paul in verse number 11? 175 00:07:56,420 --> 00:07:59,220 You're doing a good job, be of good cheer, you're being faithful, 176 00:07:59,460 --> 00:08:00,660 you're sticking to it. 177 00:08:01,380 --> 00:08:03,820 But he doesn't give him the promise that everything is going 178 00:08:03,820 --> 00:08:04,500 to be easy. 179 00:08:04,500 --> 00:08:06,940 He doesn't give him the promise that the persecution is going 180 00:08:06,940 --> 00:08:07,380 to stop. 181 00:08:07,790 --> 00:08:11,350 But the only what he does here is the only confidence that he gives 182 00:08:11,350 --> 00:08:12,910 them is hey, you're walking in my will. 183 00:08:13,390 --> 00:08:15,230 And the greatest place to be is in the will of God. 184 00:08:15,230 --> 00:08:16,870 The safest place to be is in the will of God. 185 00:08:16,870 --> 00:08:19,750 The most rewarding, joyful place is to be in the will of God. 186 00:08:19,750 --> 00:08:22,830 And so he says, Paul, you're doing what I've called you to do. 187 00:08:24,110 --> 00:08:29,110 Paul here is receiving the comfort of God through his presence, 188 00:08:29,110 --> 00:08:30,830 through his provision and through his protection. 189 00:08:31,950 --> 00:08:36,029 Paul was physically alone there in that prison, but he wasn't 190 00:08:36,029 --> 00:08:38,189 alone because Jesus had not forgotten about him. 191 00:08:38,189 --> 00:08:40,629 And I don't know where you're at in your life, you might question, 192 00:08:40,709 --> 00:08:42,709 hey God, what are you doing? 193 00:08:42,869 --> 00:08:46,149 I don't understand, I don't, I don't know why, I don't know how. 194 00:08:46,709 --> 00:08:49,509 But at the end of the day, the thing that we can engage ourselves 195 00:08:49,509 --> 00:08:54,189 in when it comes to our joy and our satisfaction and our usefulness 196 00:08:54,189 --> 00:08:55,189 to the Lord is this. 197 00:08:55,189 --> 00:08:57,429 Am I staying faithful to what he has called me to do? 198 00:08:57,829 --> 00:08:59,909 And so Jesus was with Paul. 199 00:09:00,229 --> 00:09:04,230 He gives him comfort, he gives him joy, he gives him strength. 200 00:09:05,190 --> 00:09:10,070 And so we go forward here and we see that Paul is going to face 201 00:09:10,470 --> 00:09:12,630 a really, really bad conspiracy against him. 202 00:09:12,630 --> 00:09:13,190 Verse 12. 203 00:09:13,350 --> 00:09:18,270 And when it was Day, certain of the Jews banded together and bound 204 00:09:18,270 --> 00:09:22,030 themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat 205 00:09:22,030 --> 00:09:23,750 nor drink till they killed Paul. 206 00:09:24,470 --> 00:09:27,750 And so the next morning, again, if we were writing the story 207 00:09:27,750 --> 00:09:31,090 and we wanted it to end the way that we expected it to end, that 208 00:09:31,090 --> 00:09:33,770 Paul would wake up and go out and everything would be victorious 209 00:09:33,770 --> 00:09:35,530 for him in his circumstance. 210 00:09:35,610 --> 00:09:38,410 But what does Paul find the next morning after God meets him? 211 00:09:39,130 --> 00:09:43,770 That a group of Jewish people are taking a vow to kill him. 212 00:09:44,570 --> 00:09:46,650 And, and it says that they're pretty committed. 213 00:09:46,729 --> 00:09:49,770 They're not going to eat or drink until they kill Paul. 214 00:09:50,090 --> 00:09:50,730 Verse 13. 215 00:09:51,130 --> 00:09:56,370 And they were more than 40, which had made this conspiracy. 216 00:09:56,370 --> 00:10:00,640 So this isn't just a random guy out there kind of talking with 217 00:10:00,880 --> 00:10:01,520 craziness. 218 00:10:01,520 --> 00:10:02,760 This is a conspiracy. 219 00:10:02,760 --> 00:10:03,560 It's coming together. 220 00:10:03,560 --> 00:10:04,720 They're committed to this. 221 00:10:05,120 --> 00:10:07,280 And, and they were zealous about what they were doing. 222 00:10:07,440 --> 00:10:10,000 And basically what they're doing is the exact same thing that 223 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:12,000 Paul was guilty of before he came to Christ. 224 00:10:12,160 --> 00:10:15,160 Persecuting the truth, trying to stop the truth. 225 00:10:15,160 --> 00:10:15,520 Why? 226 00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:19,600 Because the Gospel overturns everything that we expect in our 227 00:10:19,600 --> 00:10:20,640 human religion. 228 00:10:20,800 --> 00:10:22,920 And, and those Jewish people there were saying, you know what, 229 00:10:22,920 --> 00:10:24,160 Paul, you're going against us. 230 00:10:24,410 --> 00:10:26,170 And so we need to eliminate you. 231 00:10:26,170 --> 00:10:28,170 We need to get you off of this earth. 232 00:10:29,130 --> 00:10:32,450 And so we know that they were zealous, even though zeal doesn't 233 00:10:32,450 --> 00:10:35,930 always mean that they're right, commitment doesn't always 234 00:10:35,930 --> 00:10:36,890 mean that we're right. 235 00:10:36,890 --> 00:10:38,690 There's a lot of people in this world that might think that 236 00:10:38,690 --> 00:10:41,170 if someone's zealous about something, if they're really committed 237 00:10:41,170 --> 00:10:43,370 about something, that they're okay, that, that they're good. 238 00:10:43,370 --> 00:10:46,050 But the Bible says that they can be misguided with their zeal. 239 00:10:46,050 --> 00:10:48,330 They can be misguided with their commitment. 240 00:10:48,330 --> 00:10:48,730 Why? 241 00:10:49,050 --> 00:10:53,050 Because the Bible tells us In Romans, chapter 10, verse 2, For 242 00:10:53,050 --> 00:10:56,290 I bear them record that they have zeal of God, but not according 243 00:10:56,450 --> 00:10:59,730 to knowledge, meaning they have zeal for God, but they don't 244 00:10:59,730 --> 00:11:00,850 have the truth of God. 245 00:11:01,090 --> 00:11:04,570 And that's how these Pharisees and these people that were religious 246 00:11:04,570 --> 00:11:06,970 leaders back then, really, they were falling into the trap of 247 00:11:06,970 --> 00:11:10,170 zeal, but zeal without the knowledge of really the truth about 248 00:11:10,170 --> 00:11:10,930 Jesus Christ. 249 00:11:11,890 --> 00:11:13,970 And so what happens here is verse 14. 250 00:11:13,970 --> 00:11:17,050 And they came to the chief priests and elders and said, we have 251 00:11:17,050 --> 00:11:21,940 bound ourselves under a great curse that we will eat nothing until 252 00:11:22,260 --> 00:11:23,780 we have slain Paul. 253 00:11:24,980 --> 00:11:26,060 So they're committed to this. 254 00:11:26,060 --> 00:11:28,340 They're committed to eliminating Paul. 255 00:11:28,500 --> 00:11:31,300 Now, no doubt Paul is understanding this because we see 256 00:11:31,300 --> 00:11:34,180 that he gets word from Actually, it's a relative. 257 00:11:34,180 --> 00:11:36,140 It's actually his nephew that comes and gives him word. 258 00:11:36,140 --> 00:11:37,380 We're going to read about that now. 259 00:11:37,540 --> 00:11:38,100 Verse 15. 260 00:11:38,100 --> 00:11:41,460 Now therefore, ye with the council, signify to the chief captain 261 00:11:41,620 --> 00:11:47,670 that he bring him down unto you tomorrow as though ye would inquire 262 00:11:47,670 --> 00:11:49,550 something more perfectly concerning him. 263 00:11:49,790 --> 00:11:53,430 And we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him. 264 00:11:53,430 --> 00:11:57,230 So basically they're trying to bring Paul in under false pretenses 265 00:11:57,230 --> 00:11:59,470 to basically say, hey, let, let's tell Paul. 266 00:11:59,470 --> 00:12:01,590 Come in and tell your full story, but when we get him here, 267 00:12:01,590 --> 00:12:02,270 let's kill him. 268 00:12:02,270 --> 00:12:02,990 That's the plan. 269 00:12:03,950 --> 00:12:04,950 And so verse 16. 270 00:12:04,950 --> 00:12:10,150 And when Paul's sister's son, his nephew, heard of their lying 271 00:12:10,150 --> 00:12:13,070 in wait, he went and entered into the castle and told Paul. 272 00:12:13,680 --> 00:12:13,840 So. 273 00:12:13,840 --> 00:12:18,240 So we see here God working his provisional plan to protect Paul 274 00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:21,280 by allowing the nephew to hear what's going on. 275 00:12:21,360 --> 00:12:24,160 And we know that God has a plan for Paul and he's not done with 276 00:12:24,160 --> 00:12:24,880 Paul yet. 277 00:12:25,040 --> 00:12:28,760 We know that Paul must go to Rome to continue that prophecy that 278 00:12:28,760 --> 00:12:30,720 Jesus had told him long ago. 279 00:12:31,200 --> 00:12:33,680 And so there's nothing that these people can do. 280 00:12:33,680 --> 00:12:36,680 Whatever curse they might have, whatever, whatever commitment 281 00:12:36,680 --> 00:12:38,880 that they have, there's nothing that they can do. 282 00:12:38,880 --> 00:12:41,720 God is going to eventually get Paul to the place that he needs to 283 00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:41,960 be. 284 00:12:41,960 --> 00:12:45,230 So the nephew comes and tells Paul, hey, look, they're trying to 285 00:12:45,230 --> 00:12:45,750 kill you. 286 00:12:47,110 --> 00:12:48,630 So verse 17. 287 00:12:48,630 --> 00:12:51,270 Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him and said, bring 288 00:12:51,270 --> 00:12:54,710 this young man unto the chief captain, for he hath a certain thing 289 00:12:54,710 --> 00:12:55,350 to tell him. 290 00:12:56,150 --> 00:12:58,110 So he took him and brought him to the chief captain. 291 00:12:58,110 --> 00:13:00,950 And said, paul, the prisoner called me unto him and prayed me 292 00:13:01,110 --> 00:13:04,030 to bring this young man unto thee who has something to say unto 293 00:13:04,030 --> 00:13:04,390 thee. 294 00:13:04,550 --> 00:13:07,310 Then the chief captain took him by the hand and went with him 295 00:13:07,310 --> 00:13:11,000 aside privately and, and asked him, what is that that thou that 296 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:12,200 thou has to tell me? 297 00:13:12,360 --> 00:13:15,480 And he said, the Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou would 298 00:13:15,480 --> 00:13:19,120 us bring down Paul tomorrow into the council as though they would 299 00:13:19,120 --> 00:13:21,400 inquire something of him more perfectly. 300 00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:22,760 So he's telling them of. 301 00:13:22,760 --> 00:13:23,480 Of the plan. 302 00:13:23,720 --> 00:13:24,600 Verse 21. 303 00:13:25,240 --> 00:13:30,120 But do not thou yield unto them, for there lie in wait for him 304 00:13:30,120 --> 00:13:34,360 of them more than 40 men which have bound themselves with an oath 305 00:13:34,900 --> 00:13:38,980 that they will never eat, neither eat nor drink till they have 306 00:13:39,060 --> 00:13:39,780 killed him. 307 00:13:39,860 --> 00:13:42,900 And now are they ready looking for a promise from thee. 308 00:13:43,140 --> 00:13:46,300 So the chief captain then let the young man depart and charged 309 00:13:46,300 --> 00:13:50,220 him, see thou that no man that thou has showed these things to me. 310 00:13:50,220 --> 00:13:52,780 So he basically says, go, and we'll take care of this. 311 00:13:52,780 --> 00:13:56,940 And so Paul's nephew learns of the plot and warns the Roman commander 312 00:13:56,940 --> 00:13:58,220 that they're trying to kill Paul. 313 00:13:58,220 --> 00:14:01,100 Now remember, Paul has claimed that he is a Roman citizen. 314 00:14:01,100 --> 00:14:04,900 So the, the Roman centurion, the Roman leader there, does not 315 00:14:04,900 --> 00:14:05,660 want this to happen. 316 00:14:06,140 --> 00:14:09,100 And so I don't believe that this was an accident, that God allowed 317 00:14:09,100 --> 00:14:09,900 all of this to happen. 318 00:14:09,980 --> 00:14:14,740 God is protecting Paul because Jesus promised him that he would 319 00:14:14,740 --> 00:14:15,980 go to Rome to testify. 320 00:14:16,140 --> 00:14:18,420 We've already learned about that in verse number 11. 321 00:14:18,420 --> 00:14:20,940 We already learned about that in Acts chapter 9. 322 00:14:20,940 --> 00:14:22,940 And so God is protecting Paul here. 323 00:14:23,180 --> 00:14:25,420 And so Paul has committed no crime. 324 00:14:25,660 --> 00:14:29,500 But yet at this time, Paul is a prisoner because of the persecution. 325 00:14:30,410 --> 00:14:31,610 And so what happens here? 326 00:14:31,610 --> 00:14:32,370 Verse 23. 327 00:14:32,370 --> 00:14:36,690 We see Paul escape to a place called Caesarea and he actually gets 328 00:14:36,690 --> 00:14:39,970 a full military escort here, which is amazing because with God 329 00:14:39,970 --> 00:14:42,410 on our side, hey, you know what, we've got all the protection 330 00:14:42,410 --> 00:14:43,050 that we need. 331 00:14:43,130 --> 00:14:46,290 And so I believe that this is a picture of God's provision and 332 00:14:46,290 --> 00:14:46,810 protection. 333 00:14:46,970 --> 00:14:47,690 Verse 23. 334 00:14:47,690 --> 00:14:51,050 And he called unto him two centuries saying, make ready 200 335 00:14:51,050 --> 00:14:52,490 soldiers to go to Caesarea. 336 00:14:52,650 --> 00:14:56,330 And horsemen three score and ten and spearmen 200 at the third 337 00:14:56,330 --> 00:14:58,450 hour of the night, that's, that's nine o' clock at night. 338 00:14:58,530 --> 00:15:01,930 And provide them beasts that they may set Paul on and bring him 339 00:15:01,930 --> 00:15:03,890 safe unto Felix the governor. 340 00:15:05,090 --> 00:15:06,450 So what happens here is this. 341 00:15:06,610 --> 00:15:10,690 Paul is given an opportunity to flee Jerusalem under the protection 342 00:15:10,690 --> 00:15:14,890 of the Roman military and have a full military escort to get to 343 00:15:14,890 --> 00:15:18,770 a new place where he can stand before a guy named Felix. 344 00:15:18,770 --> 00:15:19,930 And we're going to talk about Felix. 345 00:15:19,930 --> 00:15:20,770 Felix is a leader. 346 00:15:20,770 --> 00:15:23,510 Felix is an interesting, a character in scripture. 347 00:15:24,150 --> 00:15:27,470 And this is fulfilling the plan that we saw back in Acts chapter 348 00:15:27,470 --> 00:15:29,790 9, that Paul would speak to dignitaries, that he would speak 349 00:15:29,790 --> 00:15:30,390 to kings. 350 00:15:30,470 --> 00:15:33,590 And this is going to be an opportunity for Paul to speak the 351 00:15:33,590 --> 00:15:35,510 gospel to a new individual. 352 00:15:35,910 --> 00:15:40,270 And so not only did Paul escape Jerusalem alive, that's win 353 00:15:40,270 --> 00:15:40,870 number one. 354 00:15:41,270 --> 00:15:45,630 But he did so as we see here, riding a horse in victory, going 355 00:15:45,630 --> 00:15:48,310 on his way to meet Felix the governor. 356 00:15:49,110 --> 00:15:50,510 So let's look at verse number 25. 357 00:15:50,510 --> 00:15:53,470 I know that this is kind of historical and I know that this is 358 00:15:53,470 --> 00:15:56,230 kind of like reading some of you might say history was not my 359 00:15:56,390 --> 00:15:57,110 cup of tea. 360 00:15:57,110 --> 00:15:58,550 I don't like to read about history. 361 00:15:58,790 --> 00:16:01,470 Well, this is scripture leading to the point of explaining 362 00:16:01,470 --> 00:16:04,950 why Paul had to do this, what happened with Paul ministering to 363 00:16:04,950 --> 00:16:05,310 Felix. 364 00:16:05,310 --> 00:16:07,350 So we, there's a scripture, so we got to go through it. 365 00:16:07,430 --> 00:16:08,310 Verse 25. 366 00:16:09,430 --> 00:16:11,590 And he wrote a Letter after this manner. 367 00:16:11,590 --> 00:16:14,510 This was the leader, the, the governor, or excuse me, the, The. 368 00:16:14,510 --> 00:16:18,190 The Roman centurion Claudius Lysius, unto the most excellent governor 369 00:16:18,190 --> 00:16:19,150 Felix, sending greetings. 370 00:16:19,150 --> 00:16:22,390 So we're actually reading a letter from Claudius to Felix. 371 00:16:22,470 --> 00:16:25,990 This man was taken of the Jews and should have been killed of them. 372 00:16:26,070 --> 00:16:29,470 Then came I with an army and rescued him, having understood that 373 00:16:29,470 --> 00:16:30,150 he was a Roman. 374 00:16:30,310 --> 00:16:33,350 And when I would not have known the cause wherefore they accused 375 00:16:33,350 --> 00:16:35,430 him, I brought him forth into their council. 376 00:16:35,830 --> 00:16:38,990 So he's just recapping what's already happened, whom I perceive 377 00:16:38,990 --> 00:16:42,660 to be accused of questions of their law and but to have nothing 378 00:16:42,660 --> 00:16:44,860 laid to his charge worthy of death or bond. 379 00:16:44,860 --> 00:16:47,100 So he's saying he's not really guilty of anything, they just want 380 00:16:47,100 --> 00:16:47,620 him dead. 381 00:16:47,860 --> 00:16:51,500 And when it was told me how the Jews laid wait for the man, I 382 00:16:51,500 --> 00:16:54,420 sent straight way to thee and gave commandment to his accusers 383 00:16:54,500 --> 00:16:57,460 also to say before thee what they had against him. 384 00:16:57,539 --> 00:16:58,180 Farewell. 385 00:16:58,340 --> 00:17:02,020 Then the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul and brought 386 00:17:02,020 --> 00:17:04,500 him by night to Antipatris. 387 00:17:04,820 --> 00:17:07,950 On the morrow they left, and the horsemen to go with him, and 388 00:17:07,950 --> 00:17:11,070 they returned to the castle, who, when they came to Caesarea and 389 00:17:11,070 --> 00:17:13,910 delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before 390 00:17:13,910 --> 00:17:14,270 him. 391 00:17:14,430 --> 00:17:17,790 And when the governor had read the letter, he asked of what province 392 00:17:17,790 --> 00:17:18,270 he was. 393 00:17:18,430 --> 00:17:22,750 And when he understood that he was of Cilicia, I will hear thee, 394 00:17:22,750 --> 00:17:24,750 said he, when thine accusers are come. 395 00:17:24,990 --> 00:17:27,870 And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's judgment hall. 396 00:17:27,870 --> 00:17:30,550 So we conclude there at verse 35. 397 00:17:30,550 --> 00:17:33,830 And there's, there's a lot of nuances there, but essentially what 398 00:17:33,830 --> 00:17:37,560 we see is, is that Paul is recognized as not doing anything 399 00:17:37,560 --> 00:17:37,840 wrong. 400 00:17:37,840 --> 00:17:39,120 He's being falsely accused. 401 00:17:39,120 --> 00:17:42,840 And essentially the Roman government is protecting Paul to 402 00:17:42,840 --> 00:17:45,760 get out of Jerusalem, to get him to a place where he can be tried 403 00:17:45,760 --> 00:17:46,320 properly. 404 00:17:46,640 --> 00:17:51,360 And so 200 soldiers take him up to this place and ultimately they 405 00:17:51,360 --> 00:17:52,880 present Paul to Felix. 406 00:17:52,880 --> 00:17:56,640 And Paul is going to await trial here in a place called Caesarea. 407 00:17:57,120 --> 00:18:00,680 And so this begins a two year period of time where Paul is going 408 00:18:00,680 --> 00:18:04,660 to be waiting and being under trial and being in difficulty with 409 00:18:04,660 --> 00:18:05,060 patience. 410 00:18:05,060 --> 00:18:08,140 And so Paul, Paul lived a long time with freedom. 411 00:18:08,140 --> 00:18:11,540 We know that there was a long time where Paul lived under bondage, 412 00:18:11,940 --> 00:18:14,900 but we know that he was trusting in the promises of God through 413 00:18:14,900 --> 00:18:15,620 all of that. 414 00:18:15,940 --> 00:18:18,180 And there's a lot of circumstances in our life that might 415 00:18:18,180 --> 00:18:19,460 cause us to feel like, hey, you know what? 416 00:18:19,460 --> 00:18:22,100 I have more freedom in that time, or I have more blessings in 417 00:18:22,100 --> 00:18:22,420 that time. 418 00:18:22,420 --> 00:18:25,220 But ultimately no matter what the circumstances are in our life, 419 00:18:25,220 --> 00:18:28,020 the Bible says that we can live effective for the cause of the 420 00:18:28,020 --> 00:18:30,100 Gospel because it didn't matter if Paul was a free man. 421 00:18:30,180 --> 00:18:33,370 And it didn't matter if Paul was in bonds under the Roman authorities. 422 00:18:33,530 --> 00:18:35,570 Paul still lived that life of the Gospel. 423 00:18:35,570 --> 00:18:37,210 He still lived that life of joy. 424 00:18:37,290 --> 00:18:39,690 We know that through the book of Philippians, Philippians, Chapter 425 00:18:39,690 --> 00:18:43,530 4, Paul is in prison for doing the right thing. 426 00:18:43,530 --> 00:18:45,170 And he says, rejoice in the Lord always. 427 00:18:45,170 --> 00:18:46,330 And again I say, rejoice. 428 00:18:47,130 --> 00:18:50,370 And so Paul received the promises of God and he was resting 429 00:18:50,370 --> 00:18:51,530 in the promises of God. 430 00:18:51,770 --> 00:18:53,770 And we as believers have to do the same. 431 00:18:53,770 --> 00:18:54,650 We have to say, you know what? 432 00:18:54,650 --> 00:18:56,330 I don't care what's going on around me. 433 00:18:56,680 --> 00:18:58,760 I don't care if my life is turned upside down. 434 00:18:58,920 --> 00:19:01,000 I don't care if people are coming against me. 435 00:19:01,080 --> 00:19:04,000 All I can do is trust in God and know that I'm being faithful 436 00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:04,320 to him. 437 00:19:04,320 --> 00:19:06,640 And that's what we see here in chapter 23. 438 00:19:06,640 --> 00:19:09,200 Now we're going to kind of bleed over to chapter 24 because 439 00:19:09,200 --> 00:19:11,960 I want you to see a little bit of his interaction here with Felix, 440 00:19:12,200 --> 00:19:15,800 because this is an interesting opportunity for Paul to minister 441 00:19:15,880 --> 00:19:18,920 to a leader which is fulfilling that prophecy there in 442 00:19:18,920 --> 00:19:20,600 Acts, chapter nine. 443 00:19:20,600 --> 00:19:22,800 So verse one of chapter 24. 444 00:19:22,800 --> 00:19:25,600 And after five days, Ananias, the high priest, descended with the 445 00:19:25,600 --> 00:19:29,290 elders and with a certain orator named Turlus, who informed 446 00:19:29,290 --> 00:19:30,490 the governor against Paul. 447 00:19:30,570 --> 00:19:32,330 So we see that the. 448 00:19:32,410 --> 00:19:35,330 The chief priest, the high priest, he's coming as his name's 449 00:19:35,330 --> 00:19:36,010 Ananias. 450 00:19:36,010 --> 00:19:39,970 He descends with the elders, the leaders, with a certain guy named 451 00:19:39,970 --> 00:19:43,330 Tertullus who is going to basically, he's like a real skilled 452 00:19:43,330 --> 00:19:46,490 lawyer in the law, and he was coming to basically turn their minds 453 00:19:46,490 --> 00:19:47,690 and hearts Against Paul. 454 00:19:47,850 --> 00:19:48,490 Verse 2. 455 00:19:48,490 --> 00:19:52,860 And when he was called forth to Turles began to accuse him, saying, 456 00:19:52,860 --> 00:19:54,660 seeing that by the. 457 00:19:54,660 --> 00:19:56,500 We enjoy great quietness. 458 00:19:57,540 --> 00:19:59,620 He's speaking to Felix here, okay? 459 00:19:59,940 --> 00:20:04,060 And that thou, that very worthy deeds are done unto this nation 460 00:20:04,060 --> 00:20:04,860 by thy province. 461 00:20:04,860 --> 00:20:08,180 So he's basically what we call this in the south is buttering somebody 462 00:20:08,180 --> 00:20:09,220 up, okay? 463 00:20:09,460 --> 00:20:11,780 Basically, he's trying to appeal to his pride. 464 00:20:11,780 --> 00:20:13,060 He's trying to build him up. 465 00:20:13,140 --> 00:20:16,060 He's trying to flatter this leader named Felix. 466 00:20:16,060 --> 00:20:16,580 Verse 3. 467 00:20:16,580 --> 00:20:20,020 We accepted always and in all places, most noble Felix, with all 468 00:20:20,020 --> 00:20:20,660 thankfulness. 469 00:20:21,010 --> 00:20:21,490 Verse 4. 470 00:20:21,570 --> 00:20:24,730 Notwithstanding that I be not further tedious unto thee, I pray 471 00:20:24,730 --> 00:20:27,850 thee that thou wouldest hear us of thy clemency of a few words. 472 00:20:27,850 --> 00:20:30,330 So he's saying, just allow us to talk to you about this guy named 473 00:20:30,330 --> 00:20:30,690 Paul. 474 00:20:30,850 --> 00:20:33,490 For we have found this man, a pestilent fellow. 475 00:20:34,290 --> 00:20:35,730 So we see where their heart goes. 476 00:20:35,810 --> 00:20:38,450 You know, he's kind of Felix, but he's saying, hey, you know what? 477 00:20:38,530 --> 00:20:39,850 Paul is pestilent. 478 00:20:39,850 --> 00:20:40,050 He. 479 00:20:40,050 --> 00:20:40,370 He's. 480 00:20:40,370 --> 00:20:40,770 He's. 481 00:20:40,770 --> 00:20:42,290 He's a harm to us. 482 00:20:42,370 --> 00:20:43,730 We don't want him around us. 483 00:20:43,970 --> 00:20:47,170 And a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world. 484 00:20:48,220 --> 00:20:53,420 Now, I like how he says this because to him, Paul is calling causing 485 00:20:53,420 --> 00:20:55,260 rebellion across the whole world. 486 00:20:55,580 --> 00:20:59,180 But really, this is an underhanded compliment to Paul, right? 487 00:20:59,340 --> 00:21:03,499 Because he says, hey, Paul is impacting all these people to rebel 488 00:21:03,499 --> 00:21:04,940 against our religious ways. 489 00:21:05,020 --> 00:21:07,780 But essentially what he's saying is Paul is impacting all these 490 00:21:07,780 --> 00:21:08,940 people to Jesus Christ. 491 00:21:09,180 --> 00:21:10,460 And so, hey, that's okay. 492 00:21:10,460 --> 00:21:12,780 I'm okay to be an enemy of false religion. 493 00:21:12,780 --> 00:21:15,020 I'm okay to be an enemy of the ways of this world. 494 00:21:15,370 --> 00:21:17,690 Because truly, what that means is that we're on the cause of the 495 00:21:17,690 --> 00:21:18,090 gospel. 496 00:21:18,170 --> 00:21:20,650 We're actually doing the job that we're supposed to do. 497 00:21:20,810 --> 00:21:23,850 So we actually see the impact of Paul's message. 498 00:21:23,850 --> 00:21:27,970 He says he is a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout 499 00:21:27,970 --> 00:21:31,130 the world and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. 500 00:21:31,610 --> 00:21:36,210 Which is kind of interesting that he accuses Paul to be the ringleader 501 00:21:36,210 --> 00:21:37,290 of the Nazarenes. 502 00:21:38,250 --> 00:21:41,220 Really what they tell him here is that he, He, He. 503 00:21:42,180 --> 00:21:47,140 It was a term of scorn for some people because it was used for 504 00:21:47,300 --> 00:21:48,460 followers of Jesus. 505 00:21:48,460 --> 00:21:51,500 And obviously Nazareth had a. 506 00:21:51,500 --> 00:21:53,140 A poor reputation as a city. 507 00:21:53,140 --> 00:21:56,300 And we know a lot of that when it comes to the life of Jesus. 508 00:21:56,300 --> 00:21:59,380 And so essentially what he's saying here is that he's a ringleader 509 00:21:59,380 --> 00:22:01,780 of people that are rebels. 510 00:22:01,860 --> 00:22:06,220 He is causing rebellion across the whole world, and he is a pestilent 511 00:22:06,220 --> 00:22:06,660 fellow. 512 00:22:06,880 --> 00:22:07,280 Verse 6. 513 00:22:07,280 --> 00:22:10,160 And they accused him of profaning the temple, actually, which 514 00:22:10,160 --> 00:22:13,400 he didn't do, who also hath gone about to profane the temple, 515 00:22:13,400 --> 00:22:16,320 whom we took and would have judged according to our law. 516 00:22:16,480 --> 00:22:20,520 But the chief, Captain Lucias came upon us with great violence, 517 00:22:20,520 --> 00:22:21,800 took him away out of our hands. 518 00:22:21,800 --> 00:22:23,040 You see how he's trying to spin it? 519 00:22:23,120 --> 00:22:25,800 It's actually the complete opposite of what he's explaining 520 00:22:25,800 --> 00:22:26,200 happened. 521 00:22:26,200 --> 00:22:28,440 But he's saying we were just trying to do the right thing. 522 00:22:28,440 --> 00:22:30,560 And the Roman governor just yanked him out of. 523 00:22:30,720 --> 00:22:32,240 Out of the way, out of our hands. 524 00:22:32,560 --> 00:22:32,960 Verse 8. 525 00:22:32,960 --> 00:22:36,080 Commanding his accusers to come unto thee by examining of whom 526 00:22:36,080 --> 00:22:39,440 thyself may take knowledge of all these things whereof we accused 527 00:22:39,440 --> 00:22:42,880 him and the Jews also assented saying that these things were so. 528 00:22:43,520 --> 00:22:46,400 So all of this to say that Paul is a terrible person. 529 00:22:46,720 --> 00:22:48,800 Paul is not for God. 530 00:22:48,800 --> 00:22:51,120 Paul is someone who's going to cause rebellion. 531 00:22:51,520 --> 00:22:54,640 And Paul, Paul had nothing to fear because Paul knew the truth 532 00:22:54,640 --> 00:22:56,080 and Paul was living in the truth. 533 00:22:56,400 --> 00:23:01,220 But essentially what we can see here is that this guy Tutoulis, 534 00:23:01,220 --> 00:23:05,380 this, this, this lawyer is basically trying to spin the people 535 00:23:05,380 --> 00:23:06,220 against Paul. 536 00:23:06,460 --> 00:23:09,300 And what's going to happen in our own life is that sometimes in 537 00:23:09,300 --> 00:23:11,340 our life people are going to say things about us that are not 538 00:23:11,340 --> 00:23:11,740 true. 539 00:23:11,820 --> 00:23:13,380 People are going to spread lies about us. 540 00:23:13,380 --> 00:23:14,980 People are going to say harmful things about us. 541 00:23:14,980 --> 00:23:16,460 People are going to do harmful things to us. 542 00:23:16,620 --> 00:23:18,180 What do we do when that happens? 543 00:23:18,180 --> 00:23:18,820 We don't quit. 544 00:23:18,820 --> 00:23:20,700 We don't turn away in fear. 545 00:23:20,940 --> 00:23:22,220 We don't cower in fear. 546 00:23:22,220 --> 00:23:23,420 We don't compromise. 547 00:23:23,580 --> 00:23:26,700 All Paul does is eventually Paul is going to give a defense. 548 00:23:27,260 --> 00:23:29,180 And, and Paul is going to speak the truth. 549 00:23:29,420 --> 00:23:32,220 And when we are on the side of truth, we have nothing to fear. 550 00:23:32,300 --> 00:23:35,300 And that's all that Paul is going to rest in, is the truth of 551 00:23:35,300 --> 00:23:35,660 God. 552 00:23:35,980 --> 00:23:37,980 So, so verse number seven. 553 00:23:38,860 --> 00:23:42,380 But the chief Captain Leticias came upon us with great violence. 554 00:23:42,460 --> 00:23:45,500 So essentially what they're saying here is that the, the Roman 555 00:23:45,500 --> 00:23:49,340 commander who rescued Paul was a bad guy, he was doing the wrong 556 00:23:49,340 --> 00:23:49,580 thing. 557 00:23:49,580 --> 00:23:53,180 And so Paul's accusers were basically trying to turn everyone 558 00:23:53,340 --> 00:23:54,060 against him. 559 00:23:54,340 --> 00:23:56,460 And I don't know if you feel like that's how it goes in your home 560 00:23:56,460 --> 00:23:58,900 life, but sometimes it does feel like everyone's against you, 561 00:23:58,900 --> 00:24:00,180 the world's against you. 562 00:24:00,580 --> 00:24:03,500 But the truth is, is that yes, they might be against you, but the 563 00:24:03,500 --> 00:24:07,100 Bible says if God before us, who could be against us, we're more 564 00:24:07,100 --> 00:24:08,020 than conquerors. 565 00:24:08,100 --> 00:24:10,260 And so Paul gives a defense here in verse 10. 566 00:24:10,260 --> 00:24:12,020 And this is, we're going to spend the rest of our time. 567 00:24:12,100 --> 00:24:14,020 This is, this is Paul's defense. 568 00:24:14,500 --> 00:24:15,140 Verse 10. 569 00:24:15,140 --> 00:24:18,860 Then Paul, after that the governor had beckoned unto him to 570 00:24:18,860 --> 00:24:22,470 speak, answered for as much as I know that thou has been of many 571 00:24:22,470 --> 00:24:25,590 years a judge unto this nation, I do the more carefully, 572 00:24:25,590 --> 00:24:29,630 or excuse me, cheerfully answer for myself, because that thou 573 00:24:29,630 --> 00:24:32,512 mayest understand that there are yet but 12. 574 00:24:32,628 --> 00:24:36,350 12 days since I went up to Jerusalem for the worship, and they 575 00:24:36,350 --> 00:24:40,550 neither found me in the temple disputing with any man, neither raising 576 00:24:40,550 --> 00:24:44,310 up the people, neither in the synagogues nor in the city, neither 577 00:24:44,310 --> 00:24:47,030 can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me. 578 00:24:48,270 --> 00:24:49,470 So, so what does Paul do? 579 00:24:49,470 --> 00:24:49,710 He. 580 00:24:49,710 --> 00:24:51,790 He exposes the weakness of their case. 581 00:24:51,790 --> 00:24:54,790 He exposes the truth to the darkness. 582 00:24:54,790 --> 00:24:55,870 And so Paul was. 583 00:24:55,950 --> 00:25:00,390 Was glad to answer for himself, knowing that the facts are 584 00:25:00,390 --> 00:25:01,230 on his side. 585 00:25:02,110 --> 00:25:03,389 And, and so he. 586 00:25:03,389 --> 00:25:05,670 He doesn't use flattery like this other guy. 587 00:25:05,670 --> 00:25:07,670 He doesn't use lies like the other ones. 588 00:25:07,670 --> 00:25:08,830 He doesn't use manipulation. 589 00:25:09,070 --> 00:25:11,710 All he does is point them to the truth of what's happening. 590 00:25:11,950 --> 00:25:14,830 There's simply no proof to the accusations that they're bringing 591 00:25:14,830 --> 00:25:15,110 to him. 592 00:25:15,110 --> 00:25:16,780 Now you would say, how do we apply that? 593 00:25:16,780 --> 00:25:19,220 Because we know that all scripture is given by inspiration 594 00:25:19,220 --> 00:25:19,740 of God. 595 00:25:19,820 --> 00:25:21,980 So, so why do we need to know that for our own life? 596 00:25:21,980 --> 00:25:24,940 Because what do we do when people accuse us of things? 597 00:25:24,940 --> 00:25:27,580 What do we do when people say slanderous things against us? 598 00:25:27,660 --> 00:25:30,340 What do we do when people accuse us of not being good Christians? 599 00:25:30,340 --> 00:25:33,020 Well, if we're living right for the cause of the gospel, we stand 600 00:25:33,020 --> 00:25:33,660 in the truth. 601 00:25:33,900 --> 00:25:36,540 We just, we just speak forth what's the truth in our lives. 602 00:25:36,700 --> 00:25:37,780 We don't need to lie. 603 00:25:37,780 --> 00:25:39,180 We don't need to twist things. 604 00:25:39,180 --> 00:25:40,580 We don't need to manipulate. 605 00:25:40,580 --> 00:25:42,130 And so Paul explains who. 606 00:25:42,200 --> 00:25:43,240 What his ministry is all about. 607 00:25:43,240 --> 00:25:45,640 He says, I'm just going to share with you what this is all about. 608 00:25:46,120 --> 00:25:46,840 Verse 14. 609 00:25:47,080 --> 00:25:50,440 But this I confess unto thee that after the way which they call 610 00:25:50,440 --> 00:25:53,680 heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things 611 00:25:53,680 --> 00:25:55,880 which are written in the law and in the prophets. 612 00:25:56,120 --> 00:25:57,320 So what does Paul do here? 613 00:25:57,560 --> 00:25:59,080 Paul turns to the gospel. 614 00:25:59,080 --> 00:25:59,960 This is what he does. 615 00:26:00,120 --> 00:26:02,640 Paul says, all right, I'm going to use this opportunity that 616 00:26:02,640 --> 00:26:03,920 I'm getting persecuted in. 617 00:26:03,920 --> 00:26:06,640 I'm going to use this opportunity where I've been lied 618 00:26:06,640 --> 00:26:08,760 about, and I'm going to turn it around to the gospel. 619 00:26:09,400 --> 00:26:14,040 And so he says, I confess after thee the way which they call 620 00:26:14,040 --> 00:26:14,760 heresy. 621 00:26:14,840 --> 00:26:17,760 He says, I'm going to tell you the way of the gospel. 622 00:26:17,760 --> 00:26:19,480 I'm going to tell you the way of the truth. 623 00:26:19,480 --> 00:26:22,280 They call it heresy, but I'm going to tell them the truth. 624 00:26:22,520 --> 00:26:23,120 Verse 15. 625 00:26:23,120 --> 00:26:26,600 And have hope toward God which they themselves also allow that there 626 00:26:26,600 --> 00:26:29,560 shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and of the 627 00:26:29,560 --> 00:26:29,960 unjust. 628 00:26:29,960 --> 00:26:30,960 So what does Paul do? 629 00:26:30,960 --> 00:26:32,920 He appeals to the resurrection of the dead. 630 00:26:32,920 --> 00:26:34,680 He appeals to our everlasting life. 631 00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:35,640 Verse 16. 632 00:26:35,640 --> 00:26:38,920 Herein do I exercise myself to always have a conscience void of 633 00:26:38,920 --> 00:26:40,960 offense toward God and toward men. 634 00:26:41,040 --> 00:26:43,040 So what we can see here in verse 16 is this. 635 00:26:43,040 --> 00:26:46,080 This is the testimony that all of us need to have in the midst of 636 00:26:46,080 --> 00:26:49,080 a difficult world, in the midst of people being opposed to 637 00:26:49,080 --> 00:26:52,240 us, but in the midst of following God's plan, For our life. 638 00:26:52,560 --> 00:26:56,560 Paul says, herein do I exercise myself to have always a 639 00:26:56,560 --> 00:26:59,760 conscience void of offense toward God and toward men. 640 00:26:59,840 --> 00:27:01,880 So he says, first and foremost, I want to have a clear 641 00:27:01,880 --> 00:27:04,670 conscience before God, and I want to have a clear conscience before 642 00:27:04,670 --> 00:27:05,070 man. 643 00:27:05,150 --> 00:27:07,750 The way that we do that is we live a life according to the word 644 00:27:07,750 --> 00:27:08,270 of God. 645 00:27:08,430 --> 00:27:10,710 And if we are living, what does the Bible say? 646 00:27:10,710 --> 00:27:12,950 The greatest commandment is to love God with all of our heart, soul, 647 00:27:12,950 --> 00:27:15,550 mind and strength and to love our neighbor as ourself. 648 00:27:16,190 --> 00:27:18,590 On these two things hang all the law and the prophets. 649 00:27:19,150 --> 00:27:22,030 So what the Bible clearly says is that if we're living before God 650 00:27:22,030 --> 00:27:24,950 in the way that he has called us to live, we can stand before God 651 00:27:24,950 --> 00:27:27,470 with a clear conscience and we can stand before others with a clear 652 00:27:27,470 --> 00:27:27,870 conscience. 653 00:27:28,110 --> 00:27:29,590 You could break down the Ten Commandments. 654 00:27:29,590 --> 00:27:33,240 The first five of the Ten Commandments is about our relationship 655 00:27:33,240 --> 00:27:33,840 with God. 656 00:27:33,840 --> 00:27:36,360 The second five of the Ten Commandments is our relationship 657 00:27:36,360 --> 00:27:36,760 with others. 658 00:27:36,760 --> 00:27:37,840 And so what does Paul say? 659 00:27:37,920 --> 00:27:40,840 Paul says, through all of this, I have a clear conscience before 660 00:27:40,840 --> 00:27:42,720 God and a clear conscience before man. 661 00:27:42,720 --> 00:27:43,960 Now, first of all, it's. 662 00:27:43,960 --> 00:27:47,440 It starts with God and then it manifests itself towards other people 663 00:27:47,440 --> 00:27:47,920 around us. 664 00:27:47,920 --> 00:27:50,280 And so Paul explains what he's all about. 665 00:27:50,280 --> 00:27:52,160 He says, I'm all about following God. 666 00:27:52,160 --> 00:27:55,040 I'm all about treating others as I want to be treated. 667 00:27:55,520 --> 00:27:56,160 Verse 17. 668 00:27:56,160 --> 00:27:59,760 Now, after many years, I came to bring alms to my nation and offerings, 669 00:27:59,930 --> 00:28:03,370 whereupon certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, 670 00:28:03,450 --> 00:28:05,450 neither with multitude nor with tomo. 671 00:28:05,450 --> 00:28:08,530 Meaning Paul says, they, they found me going through religious 672 00:28:08,530 --> 00:28:08,930 rituals. 673 00:28:08,930 --> 00:28:10,890 I was there being purified in the temple. 674 00:28:11,050 --> 00:28:11,370 And. 675 00:28:11,370 --> 00:28:13,330 And so he says, I wasn't there with a crowd. 676 00:28:13,330 --> 00:28:14,250 And they know this. 677 00:28:14,330 --> 00:28:14,930 Verse 19. 678 00:28:14,930 --> 00:28:18,730 Who ought to have been there before thee and object if they had 679 00:28:18,730 --> 00:28:20,850 ought against me, he says, they could have stopped me right 680 00:28:20,850 --> 00:28:21,450 then and there. 681 00:28:21,450 --> 00:28:26,090 Or else lest these these same here say, if they have found any 682 00:28:26,090 --> 00:28:29,090 evil doing in me while I stood before the council, except it be 683 00:28:29,090 --> 00:28:33,050 for this one voice that I cried standing among them, touching 684 00:28:33,050 --> 00:28:35,890 the resurrection of the dead, I am called in question by you this 685 00:28:35,890 --> 00:28:36,170 day. 686 00:28:36,170 --> 00:28:38,850 So he says, the only reason why they're upset with me now is 687 00:28:38,850 --> 00:28:41,250 because I called in question this resurrection of the dead. 688 00:28:41,250 --> 00:28:43,090 And remember, the Sadducees were against that. 689 00:28:43,090 --> 00:28:44,250 And so they're upset with that. 690 00:28:44,410 --> 00:28:45,090 Verse 22. 691 00:28:45,090 --> 00:28:49,650 And when Felix heard these things, having a more perfect knowledge 692 00:28:49,650 --> 00:28:50,490 of that way. 693 00:28:50,730 --> 00:28:53,450 And by the way, when it says that way, it's specifically talking 694 00:28:53,450 --> 00:28:54,370 about Christianity. 695 00:28:54,370 --> 00:28:58,380 So what we know here is that Felix had some Understanding of the 696 00:28:58,380 --> 00:29:00,860 way that Paul is talking here, he's been exposed to it. 697 00:29:00,860 --> 00:29:05,660 At some point he deferred them and said, when Lus, the chief captain 698 00:29:05,660 --> 00:29:08,500 shall come down, I will know the utmost of your matter. 699 00:29:08,660 --> 00:29:11,940 And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul and to let him have 700 00:29:11,940 --> 00:29:15,380 liberty and that he should forbid none of his acquaintances 701 00:29:15,540 --> 00:29:17,460 to minister or come unto him. 702 00:29:17,700 --> 00:29:20,860 And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, 703 00:29:20,860 --> 00:29:24,450 which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning 704 00:29:24,450 --> 00:29:25,250 the faith in Christ. 705 00:29:25,250 --> 00:29:28,690 So he, he sends for Paul and he wants to hear about the faith 706 00:29:28,690 --> 00:29:29,050 in Christ. 707 00:29:29,050 --> 00:29:32,570 And so something that Paul did, the way that he spoke, the way 708 00:29:32,570 --> 00:29:36,330 that he acted, caused the individual named Felix to be compelled 709 00:29:36,330 --> 00:29:37,290 to hear of his faith. 710 00:29:37,610 --> 00:29:38,410 Verse 25. 711 00:29:38,410 --> 00:29:41,890 And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance and judgment 712 00:29:41,890 --> 00:29:47,090 to come, Felix trembled and answered, go thy way, for this time 713 00:29:47,090 --> 00:29:49,990 when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee. 714 00:29:50,310 --> 00:29:53,830 He hoped also that money should have been given him of Paul, 715 00:29:53,830 --> 00:29:55,110 that he might loose him. 716 00:29:55,430 --> 00:29:59,110 Wherefore he sent for him the oftener and communed with him. 717 00:29:59,190 --> 00:30:03,230 But after two years, Portius Festus came into Felix's room. 718 00:30:03,230 --> 00:30:06,630 And Felix, willing to show the Jews of pleasure, left Paul bound. 719 00:30:07,190 --> 00:30:09,590 So there's a lot of information that we just covered. 720 00:30:09,990 --> 00:30:15,030 And so verse 22 and verse 23 tell us that Felix avoided making 721 00:30:15,030 --> 00:30:15,590 a decision. 722 00:30:16,250 --> 00:30:18,290 Felix tried to walk in the middle ground. 723 00:30:18,290 --> 00:30:21,330 He didn't want to say that Paul was innocent, yet he didn't 724 00:30:21,330 --> 00:30:24,690 want to identify himself as, hey, I'm, you know, against you, 725 00:30:24,690 --> 00:30:24,970 Paul. 726 00:30:24,970 --> 00:30:27,690 He says, I, I just don't really want to make a decision here. 727 00:30:27,690 --> 00:30:30,410 So he says, I'm just going to keep you in custody. 728 00:30:30,970 --> 00:30:34,930 And then in verse 24, we see that he calls for Paul to preach 729 00:30:34,930 --> 00:30:35,730 a message to him. 730 00:30:35,730 --> 00:30:38,970 And Paul preaches, no doubt a compelling gospel message. 731 00:30:39,050 --> 00:30:42,410 And Felix wanted his wife to hear Paul's testimony. 732 00:30:43,010 --> 00:30:45,050 It could have been out of curiosity or it could have been out 733 00:30:45,050 --> 00:30:45,810 of conviction. 734 00:30:46,370 --> 00:30:49,610 And essentially what he says here is like, I would believe, but 735 00:30:49,610 --> 00:30:51,090 I don't have enough evidence yet. 736 00:30:52,050 --> 00:30:54,530 And so Paul preaches a few different things. 737 00:30:54,770 --> 00:30:59,650 But, but Paul used the, what we would call an opportunity here, 738 00:30:59,650 --> 00:31:01,570 a door of utterance to preach the gospel. 739 00:31:01,730 --> 00:31:05,170 And we don't know exactly how Paul preached these three points 740 00:31:05,170 --> 00:31:07,250 that he preaches, but he preaches them nonetheless. 741 00:31:07,330 --> 00:31:10,610 He preaches that the righteousness of ourselves is found 742 00:31:10,610 --> 00:31:11,410 in Jesus Christ. 743 00:31:12,230 --> 00:31:15,470 He preaches that after we come to Christ that we must have self 744 00:31:15,470 --> 00:31:15,750 control. 745 00:31:15,750 --> 00:31:18,990 That's, that's the idea of the Holy Spirit guiding our life. 746 00:31:18,990 --> 00:31:21,590 And then he preaches about the judgment to come. 747 00:31:21,910 --> 00:31:24,030 And that's really what the gospel is all about. 748 00:31:24,030 --> 00:31:26,390 We need to understand the righteousness of God and faith. 749 00:31:26,390 --> 00:31:29,550 We need to understand how to live our lives following Christ. 750 00:31:29,550 --> 00:31:33,030 And we need to understand what the destiny is for a Christian and 751 00:31:33,030 --> 00:31:35,070 for those who are outside the bond of faith. 752 00:31:35,070 --> 00:31:36,150 And that is the judgment. 753 00:31:36,390 --> 00:31:39,280 And so Paul, Paul boldly preaches to Felix here. 754 00:31:39,280 --> 00:31:40,560 He preaches the gospel. 755 00:31:40,720 --> 00:31:42,720 And we see Felix's response here. 756 00:31:42,720 --> 00:31:43,960 What is Felix's Response? 757 00:31:43,960 --> 00:31:48,960 In verse 25, it says that he trembled so, so he hears this message 758 00:31:48,960 --> 00:31:51,160 of Paul's gospel. 759 00:31:51,160 --> 00:31:54,520 Really, we know it's Christ's gospel, and, and he knows probably 760 00:31:54,520 --> 00:31:55,760 something about his own life. 761 00:31:55,760 --> 00:31:57,240 And he's, he's in fear. 762 00:31:57,240 --> 00:32:01,360 And the gospel should, should bring fear to those that are in rebellion. 763 00:32:02,000 --> 00:32:06,810 But Felix is unwilling to make a commitment for the gospel. 764 00:32:06,970 --> 00:32:10,250 He's unwilling to declare a decision for Christ. 765 00:32:10,250 --> 00:32:13,690 Instead, he rejects Jesus in the sense of delaying. 766 00:32:13,770 --> 00:32:15,330 What, what do we see there at the end? 767 00:32:15,330 --> 00:32:19,850 He says in verse 25, Go thy way for this time when I have a convenience 768 00:32:19,850 --> 00:32:21,210 season, I will call for. 769 00:32:21,530 --> 00:32:23,610 And that's sometimes how people respond to the gospel. 770 00:32:23,610 --> 00:32:25,530 Like, I, I, I, I'm afraid. 771 00:32:25,610 --> 00:32:26,250 I understand. 772 00:32:27,050 --> 00:32:30,090 I even want to do that one day, but I need to wait for a time 773 00:32:30,090 --> 00:32:33,490 that's more convenient in such a, such a hard thing to see here 774 00:32:33,490 --> 00:32:36,490 in Scripture because we see how close Felix really was. 775 00:32:36,490 --> 00:32:39,250 And many people respond in the gospel this way. 776 00:32:39,250 --> 00:32:40,050 They say, you know what? 777 00:32:40,050 --> 00:32:41,890 When I can, I'll get there. 778 00:32:41,890 --> 00:32:45,610 Or when, when I get out of this season of my life or, or when 779 00:32:45,690 --> 00:32:47,690 I get to this age or whatever it is. 780 00:32:47,849 --> 00:32:50,610 But truthfully speaking, the Bible says very clearly that today 781 00:32:50,610 --> 00:32:51,930 should be the day of salvation. 782 00:32:52,010 --> 00:32:54,090 Today should be the day that we trust in Jesus Christ. 783 00:32:54,090 --> 00:32:55,530 And so don't push that off. 784 00:32:55,530 --> 00:32:57,530 If that's speaking to you tonight. 785 00:32:57,530 --> 00:32:59,850 And you're like, maybe I'm like, Felix, maybe I'm pushing that 786 00:32:59,850 --> 00:33:00,170 away. 787 00:33:00,470 --> 00:33:03,590 Hey, trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior, because, hey, tomorrow's 788 00:33:03,590 --> 00:33:04,390 not guaranteed. 789 00:33:04,550 --> 00:33:08,150 And so the motive here is that Paul wants to present the message 790 00:33:08,150 --> 00:33:09,030 to Felix. 791 00:33:09,030 --> 00:33:11,670 We see that this is a fulfillment of Acts, chapter nine. 792 00:33:11,750 --> 00:33:14,470 And we see ultimately here that Felix rejects. 793 00:33:14,470 --> 00:33:17,430 And so the success in preaching the gospel is not having 794 00:33:17,670 --> 00:33:19,750 multiple converts, even though that's our goal. 795 00:33:19,830 --> 00:33:22,710 The success in preaching the gospel is proclaiming it before people, 796 00:33:22,710 --> 00:33:23,990 whether they receive it or not. 797 00:33:24,070 --> 00:33:26,390 We're called to cast the seed out. 798 00:33:26,540 --> 00:33:28,020 We're called to proclaim the seed. 799 00:33:28,020 --> 00:33:32,140 And we know that ultimately it is God who gives the increase but 800 00:33:32,140 --> 00:33:36,140 we see that in verse 26 and 27 that Felix's heart is revealed. 801 00:33:36,300 --> 00:33:37,820 Why doesn't he not come to Christ? 802 00:33:37,820 --> 00:33:40,540 It's, it's not so much that he just doesn't feel like it's convenient 803 00:33:40,540 --> 00:33:41,100 right now. 804 00:33:41,660 --> 00:33:42,419 Verse 26. 805 00:33:42,419 --> 00:33:46,460 He hoped also that money should have been given him Appal, 806 00:33:48,140 --> 00:33:52,300 so his heart is a heart of greed that he might loose him. 807 00:33:53,230 --> 00:33:57,910 And so Felix met with Paul and talks with Paul, but it was not him 808 00:33:57,910 --> 00:34:00,030 honestly necessarily seeking the gospel. 809 00:34:00,030 --> 00:34:02,270 He hoped to be paid off with a bribe. 810 00:34:02,270 --> 00:34:06,150 And so ultimately Paul didn't give Felix what he was wanting and 811 00:34:06,150 --> 00:34:08,549 Felix didn't go for what he was preaching. 812 00:34:08,549 --> 00:34:10,910 And so, so many people in this world today, it's greed that pulls 813 00:34:10,910 --> 00:34:14,430 them back from understanding the truth of God, greed and pride. 814 00:34:15,230 --> 00:34:20,160 And so they were acting more with political prowess than being 815 00:34:20,160 --> 00:34:22,400 open to the called Spirit. 816 00:34:23,040 --> 00:34:28,400 So Felix is guilty and, and we don't know necessarily the rest of 817 00:34:28,400 --> 00:34:31,960 the story, but we do know in that case if he left and, and rejected 818 00:34:31,960 --> 00:34:34,240 Christ, he is facing judgment for that. 819 00:34:34,559 --> 00:34:37,640 But ultimately Paul is held there and he is bound. 820 00:34:37,640 --> 00:34:41,000 So Felix refuses to release Paul, though he knew that he was 821 00:34:41,000 --> 00:34:41,600 innocent. 822 00:34:42,000 --> 00:34:45,480 And basically he did it for the same reason as, as Pilate did 823 00:34:45,480 --> 00:34:46,000 for Jesus. 824 00:34:46,000 --> 00:34:47,280 It's political advantage. 825 00:34:47,280 --> 00:34:49,640 He says, I'm going to try to use this opportunity for me just 826 00:34:49,640 --> 00:34:51,600 to be politically elevated. 827 00:34:51,600 --> 00:34:52,680 And so he. 828 00:34:52,680 --> 00:34:53,440 Verse 27. 829 00:34:53,440 --> 00:34:56,200 But after two years, Portius Festus came into Felix's room and 830 00:34:56,200 --> 00:34:59,040 Felix, willing to show the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound. 831 00:34:59,040 --> 00:35:00,799 So he just did for political reasons. 832 00:35:01,120 --> 00:35:05,040 And so Felix says, hey, I'm compelled, but in a more convenient 833 00:35:05,040 --> 00:35:05,360 time. 834 00:35:06,000 --> 00:35:07,960 But Paul preaches the gospel nonetheless. 835 00:35:07,960 --> 00:35:09,400 And so what can we learn from all this? 836 00:35:09,400 --> 00:35:10,960 We can learn a few different things. 837 00:35:11,880 --> 00:35:15,920 We can learn ultimately that no matter what the case may be in 838 00:35:15,920 --> 00:35:18,840 the difficulties in our life, God is going to give us opportunities 839 00:35:18,840 --> 00:35:19,840 to preach the gospel. 840 00:35:19,840 --> 00:35:21,240 And that's what happens here with Paul. 841 00:35:21,400 --> 00:35:24,240 God is going to protect us in the call that he has given us in 842 00:35:24,240 --> 00:35:24,680 our life. 843 00:35:24,760 --> 00:35:27,600 He's going to provide for us in areas of confusion. 844 00:35:27,600 --> 00:35:30,840 He's going to provide for us in areas of loss. 845 00:35:30,840 --> 00:35:33,160 He's going to provide for us in areas of doubt. 846 00:35:33,160 --> 00:35:35,880 He's going to provide for us in areas of pain and suffering. 847 00:35:36,040 --> 00:35:38,480 But ultimately what we have to do is just stay faithful to what 848 00:35:38,480 --> 00:35:39,400 he has called us to do. 849 00:35:39,530 --> 00:35:42,090 There's a passage of scripture that I think about quite frequently, 850 00:35:42,650 --> 00:35:44,290 and it's in the book of Galatians. 851 00:35:44,290 --> 00:35:48,210 Most of you know this verse, but I'm wanting to Take us all there 852 00:35:48,210 --> 00:35:48,810 and look at this. 853 00:35:48,810 --> 00:35:51,850 Because what we, what we can characterize Paul by in this chapter 854 00:35:51,850 --> 00:35:55,130 is not great success by winning thousands of people to Christ, 855 00:35:55,770 --> 00:35:56,090 right? 856 00:35:56,090 --> 00:35:58,730 If we were to read this and say, well, Paul is successful, if 857 00:35:58,730 --> 00:36:02,250 he went into Felix's chamber and led Felix and his wife to Christ 858 00:36:02,250 --> 00:36:04,490 and all the people there in Caesarea. 859 00:36:04,570 --> 00:36:06,370 But, but that's not what we see happening. 860 00:36:06,370 --> 00:36:08,330 We see Paul faithful to preaching the Gospel. 861 00:36:08,980 --> 00:36:13,860 But In Galatians chapter 6 we know in verse 9 it tells us something 862 00:36:13,860 --> 00:36:19,060 that is not always flattering, not always exciting, but a necessity 863 00:36:19,060 --> 00:36:20,340 when it comes to our Christian walk. 864 00:36:20,340 --> 00:36:20,980 And it's this. 865 00:36:21,380 --> 00:36:25,580 And let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season we 866 00:36:25,580 --> 00:36:26,820 shall reap if we faint not. 867 00:36:27,860 --> 00:36:30,900 The Bible says it's not necessarily about having all success. 868 00:36:30,900 --> 00:36:32,900 It's not about having all of the following. 869 00:36:33,220 --> 00:36:36,100 It's about staying faithful, not get wearying well doing. 870 00:36:36,550 --> 00:36:39,390 And so Paul no doubt could have been tested in those two years 871 00:36:39,390 --> 00:36:43,870 of waiting, in those two years of being under false pretenses and 872 00:36:43,870 --> 00:36:46,830 all these things that he has piled up upon him, Paul could have 873 00:36:46,830 --> 00:36:47,870 had every reason to quit. 874 00:36:47,870 --> 00:36:50,470 Paul could have had every reason to doubt the promise of God 875 00:36:50,470 --> 00:36:52,870 from the very beginning and throughout the his life. 876 00:36:52,870 --> 00:36:54,710 But yet Paul stayed faithful. 877 00:36:54,710 --> 00:36:57,070 We know that Paul stays faithful because in the next chapter 878 00:36:57,070 --> 00:37:00,230 Paul appeals to go to Caesar and he's going to have an opportunity 879 00:37:00,550 --> 00:37:03,350 to visit a guy named King Agrippa. 880 00:37:03,440 --> 00:37:05,640 He's going to have an opportunity to preach to a guy named 881 00:37:05,640 --> 00:37:06,200 Festus. 882 00:37:06,200 --> 00:37:08,600 And we're going to see all these different opportunities through 883 00:37:08,600 --> 00:37:12,040 this time where Paul is going to continuously preach the truth 884 00:37:12,040 --> 00:37:14,000 of the Gospel all the way to the end. 885 00:37:14,080 --> 00:37:18,320 And some of you know the story of King Agrippa about being almost 886 00:37:18,320 --> 00:37:19,759 persuaded we're going to get there. 887 00:37:19,920 --> 00:37:22,400 But the truth is, is that there were victories in Paul's life 888 00:37:22,800 --> 00:37:24,480 what we would consider to be defeats. 889 00:37:24,480 --> 00:37:27,120 But ultimately it was a victory because Paul stayed faithful. 890 00:37:27,680 --> 00:37:31,400 And so the takeaway for us this evening is that God might take 891 00:37:31,400 --> 00:37:33,040 you down a path that is difficult. 892 00:37:33,420 --> 00:37:36,060 God might take you down a path that doesn't make sense to the ways 893 00:37:36,060 --> 00:37:36,620 of this world. 894 00:37:36,860 --> 00:37:39,180 But ultimately what God is saying is that I'm with you. 895 00:37:39,180 --> 00:37:40,460 I'm with you through this. 896 00:37:40,460 --> 00:37:41,340 I'm providing for you. 897 00:37:41,340 --> 00:37:43,700 If I've called you to do this, I'm going to provide for you. 898 00:37:43,700 --> 00:37:45,020 I'm going to do this thing for you. 899 00:37:45,420 --> 00:37:48,700 And we know that ultimately Philippians chapter 4, verse 13 says 900 00:37:48,780 --> 00:37:52,460 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me, and 901 00:37:52,460 --> 00:37:56,740 I always use in the analogy of this, that doesn't mean that I can 902 00:37:56,740 --> 00:37:59,550 do whatever I want to do and my life, okay? 903 00:37:59,550 --> 00:38:01,150 So, for example, I use this all the time. 904 00:38:01,150 --> 00:38:01,590 Like, I. 905 00:38:01,590 --> 00:38:04,190 I want to play NBA basketball, okay? 906 00:38:04,190 --> 00:38:07,230 And if I'm a Christian and I want it enough, I'm going to go play 907 00:38:07,230 --> 00:38:09,110 NBA basketball next year, okay? 908 00:38:09,110 --> 00:38:10,870 Now, all of you in this room are smiling. 909 00:38:10,870 --> 00:38:12,790 Not all of you, but some of you are smiling. 910 00:38:13,190 --> 00:38:15,790 Some of you that are smiling know that I could never play NBA 911 00:38:15,790 --> 00:38:16,150 basketball. 912 00:38:16,150 --> 00:38:17,990 It's not God's call for my life, okay? 913 00:38:18,230 --> 00:38:20,630 But the truth of the matter is, is that what that means? 914 00:38:20,630 --> 00:38:21,710 Philippians 4:13. 915 00:38:21,710 --> 00:38:22,710 I can do all things to Christ. 916 00:38:22,710 --> 00:38:27,320 It means if God calls me to do something, if God calls me and ordains 917 00:38:27,320 --> 00:38:30,160 that for my life, he is going to give me all the grace and the 918 00:38:30,160 --> 00:38:32,800 provisions to do the things that I need to do in the time that 919 00:38:32,800 --> 00:38:33,560 he has given me. 920 00:38:33,880 --> 00:38:38,000 So for some of us, say, pastor, I don't think that I can 921 00:38:38,000 --> 00:38:40,320 do this ministry that he's called me to do. 922 00:38:40,320 --> 00:38:40,480 I. 923 00:38:40,480 --> 00:38:42,720 I'm convinced that he's called me to do it, but I don't think I 924 00:38:42,720 --> 00:38:43,480 have the talent to do it. 925 00:38:43,480 --> 00:38:46,320 I'm going to tell you here tonight, none of us have enough talent 926 00:38:46,320 --> 00:38:47,000 to do it. 927 00:38:47,080 --> 00:38:50,440 None of us have enough goodwill in our lives to push forward. 928 00:38:50,680 --> 00:38:53,720 All of us need to come to the point of saying, lord, I need you. 929 00:38:53,720 --> 00:38:56,170 I need to stay faithful to what you called me to do through 930 00:38:56,170 --> 00:38:59,450 the ups and through the downs, through the difficult and the easy. 931 00:38:59,450 --> 00:39:02,450 And so Paul, through all of this, has been lied about, has been 932 00:39:02,450 --> 00:39:05,370 beaten, has been thrown in jail, but yet, at the same time, 933 00:39:05,370 --> 00:39:06,250 he stays faithful. 934 00:39:06,250 --> 00:39:08,970 And the reason why he can do that is because he is convicted. 935 00:39:08,970 --> 00:39:11,849 He is convinced of the truth of God, and he has the confidence 936 00:39:11,849 --> 00:39:13,410 of the call of God in his life. 937 00:39:13,890 --> 00:39:16,730 We go to passage of scripture after passage of scripture to say 938 00:39:16,730 --> 00:39:17,730 that this is. 939 00:39:17,730 --> 00:39:19,650 God has a call for all of our lives. 940 00:39:19,890 --> 00:39:23,210 And it might not be the same when it comes to the method of it 941 00:39:23,210 --> 00:39:26,750 happening, but ultimately the end game for all of us is the gospel 942 00:39:26,750 --> 00:39:27,590 of Jesus Christ. 943 00:39:27,670 --> 00:39:29,870 God calls all of us to have a gospel ministry. 944 00:39:29,870 --> 00:39:33,110 He's called all of us to present the gospel to the world through 945 00:39:33,110 --> 00:39:36,030 whatever path that he might call us to have, but he doesn't promise 946 00:39:36,030 --> 00:39:37,110 that it's going to be easy. 947 00:39:37,430 --> 00:39:37,790 I. 948 00:39:37,790 --> 00:39:40,910 I think I mentioned this last week, remember when Jesus is standing 949 00:39:40,910 --> 00:39:43,670 on one side of the Sea of Galilee with his disciples and he 950 00:39:43,670 --> 00:39:47,430 says, hey, guys, we're gonna go to the other side now. 951 00:39:47,430 --> 00:39:48,710 At that point, what was that? 952 00:39:49,030 --> 00:39:49,990 That was a promise. 953 00:39:49,990 --> 00:39:50,950 We're going to the other side. 954 00:39:50,950 --> 00:39:52,950 If Jesus says we're going to the other side, we're going to the 955 00:39:52,950 --> 00:39:53,350 other side. 956 00:39:54,050 --> 00:39:55,570 Nothing's going to stop that because we. 957 00:39:55,570 --> 00:39:57,450 We know that Jesus is going to be protected. 958 00:39:57,450 --> 00:39:59,890 He's going to get across the other side. 959 00:39:59,890 --> 00:40:02,610 But what happened was, is that they were out there on the water 960 00:40:02,930 --> 00:40:05,970 and they weren't willing to doubt the promise of God and the 961 00:40:05,970 --> 00:40:09,810 provisions of God until the storm started coming, right? 962 00:40:09,810 --> 00:40:13,170 They were fine with trusting that story until the storms came. 963 00:40:13,570 --> 00:40:16,810 So, so what happens is that the difficulties come and we're tempted 964 00:40:16,810 --> 00:40:19,250 to doubt when the storms of life hit us. 965 00:40:20,060 --> 00:40:23,460 The Bible says in Psalm 1 that we can be like a tree planted by 966 00:40:23,460 --> 00:40:25,900 the rivers of water, deeply rooted. 967 00:40:26,300 --> 00:40:28,860 And so the analogy that we see in the New Testament is that yes, 968 00:40:28,860 --> 00:40:32,020 we can be like a tree, but we can be a tree deeply rooted, so that 969 00:40:32,020 --> 00:40:35,180 when the storms of life come, we can stand fast and we can trust 970 00:40:35,180 --> 00:40:37,660 in God and we can know that he's going to get us to the other 971 00:40:37,660 --> 00:40:37,980 side. 972 00:40:38,060 --> 00:40:40,780 Now, what happened was, is that they were in the, in the boat 973 00:40:40,780 --> 00:40:43,020 and they looked and what happened, they doubted. 974 00:40:43,580 --> 00:40:46,460 Even though Jesus was there with them, they doubted that he cared, 975 00:40:46,460 --> 00:40:46,700 right? 976 00:40:46,700 --> 00:40:50,160 They said, you know, you don't care, Jesus, that we're gonna die. 977 00:40:50,240 --> 00:40:51,760 And he was sleeping on the boat. 978 00:40:51,840 --> 00:40:55,440 And, and the truth is, is that sometimes we, we intellectually understand 979 00:40:55,520 --> 00:40:56,480 that God is with us. 980 00:40:56,480 --> 00:40:59,080 We go, yeah, I know God is with me, but it doesn't seem like 981 00:40:59,080 --> 00:41:00,080 he cares right now. 982 00:41:00,160 --> 00:41:01,840 He's sleeping in the back of the boat. 983 00:41:01,840 --> 00:41:03,120 And I don't understand that. 984 00:41:03,280 --> 00:41:05,800 But at the end, what happens is that they lack faith. 985 00:41:05,800 --> 00:41:08,680 And Jesus wakes up and they say, jesus, why don't you care about 986 00:41:08,680 --> 00:41:08,840 us? 987 00:41:08,840 --> 00:41:09,520 Why, why don't. 988 00:41:09,520 --> 00:41:11,680 He goes, guys, you have so little faith. 989 00:41:11,920 --> 00:41:14,880 And just with a voice, just with a word, he calms it all. 990 00:41:15,800 --> 00:41:18,080 And, and so there's the conviction there of, like, you know 991 00:41:18,080 --> 00:41:18,360 what? 992 00:41:18,360 --> 00:41:20,200 We can think that all these problems are bad. 993 00:41:20,200 --> 00:41:22,360 We can think that we're overwhelmed, we're going to die. 994 00:41:22,360 --> 00:41:25,160 And then ultimately, the moment we trust in the Lord, that's 995 00:41:25,160 --> 00:41:28,280 when you know what, the storms of life can go away just like that. 996 00:41:28,760 --> 00:41:31,600 Now, the storms of life might not go away, but the reality is that 997 00:41:31,600 --> 00:41:34,680 Jesus never promises us to be exempt from the storms. 998 00:41:35,000 --> 00:41:36,920 The only thing that he promises us is that he's going to 999 00:41:36,920 --> 00:41:38,920 be with us in the boat, in the midst of the storm. 1000 00:41:39,080 --> 00:41:40,200 And that's what we have to understand. 1001 00:41:40,610 --> 00:41:43,050 When I read this about Paul, I'm like, how in the world could 1002 00:41:43,050 --> 00:41:45,330 he stand so strong in the truth of God? 1003 00:41:45,330 --> 00:41:48,290 It's because he goes back to the Damascus road and says, I remember 1004 00:41:48,290 --> 00:41:49,570 what the call of my life was. 1005 00:41:49,570 --> 00:41:52,610 The call of my life was to serve the Lord Jesus and to preach 1006 00:41:52,610 --> 00:41:53,090 that message. 1007 00:41:53,090 --> 00:41:54,690 And so nothing can sway me from that. 1008 00:41:54,930 --> 00:41:57,810 You remember, Paul was ready for this. 1009 00:41:58,050 --> 00:42:01,490 It's not like Paul was just living his life in a frivolous way 1010 00:42:01,490 --> 00:42:03,490 and all of a sudden he's thrown in jail and he's like, oh, 1011 00:42:03,490 --> 00:42:04,850 man, now I got to figure this all out. 1012 00:42:04,930 --> 00:42:07,010 You remember from the very beginning they said, paul, don't 1013 00:42:07,010 --> 00:42:07,770 go to Jerusalem. 1014 00:42:07,770 --> 00:42:08,450 Please don't go. 1015 00:42:08,720 --> 00:42:09,800 They're going to persecute you. 1016 00:42:09,800 --> 00:42:11,320 They're going to put you in, in, in bonds. 1017 00:42:11,320 --> 00:42:12,640 They're going to put you in, in chains. 1018 00:42:12,640 --> 00:42:15,040 And he goes, guys, I'm ready to go to Jerusalem. 1019 00:42:15,520 --> 00:42:17,760 I'm completely fine with going in chains. 1020 00:42:17,760 --> 00:42:21,160 And actually I'm ready to die for the cause of the gospel of Jesus 1021 00:42:21,160 --> 00:42:21,440 Christ. 1022 00:42:22,000 --> 00:42:24,080 So what Paul is saying here is the hates a win, win. 1023 00:42:24,240 --> 00:42:26,800 I, I'm going to go into this and if I'm persecuted, great, I'm 1024 00:42:26,800 --> 00:42:28,240 going to push to Jesus Christ. 1025 00:42:28,320 --> 00:42:31,160 I'm going to lean into him more, I'm going to love on my Father 1026 00:42:31,160 --> 00:42:32,440 more, and he's going to love on me more. 1027 00:42:32,440 --> 00:42:35,610 And the Bible says in James, chapter four, verse eight, draw nigh 1028 00:42:35,610 --> 00:42:37,610 unto God and he will draw nigh to you. 1029 00:42:38,010 --> 00:42:40,570 Draw close to God and he's going to draw close to you. 1030 00:42:40,650 --> 00:42:43,210 And so instead of when the storms come and the difficulties 1031 00:42:43,210 --> 00:42:46,170 come and the confusion comes, instead of pulling away from him, 1032 00:42:46,170 --> 00:42:47,250 draw closer to him. 1033 00:42:47,250 --> 00:42:48,050 And that's what Paul does. 1034 00:42:48,050 --> 00:42:50,730 We see him drawing closer to the Lord in the midst of this. 1035 00:42:50,730 --> 00:42:52,570 And so he proclaims the truth of the gospel. 1036 00:42:52,650 --> 00:42:54,850 Paul could have said anything there, but what did he do? 1037 00:42:54,850 --> 00:42:57,890 He appealed to the truth of his life, and ultimately he appealed 1038 00:42:57,890 --> 00:42:59,450 to the gospel of Jesus Christ. 1039 00:43:00,010 --> 00:43:01,610 And Felix was an interesting guy. 1040 00:43:01,610 --> 00:43:04,840 By the way, if you, you do more research on Felix, he was actually 1041 00:43:04,840 --> 00:43:05,720 a former slave. 1042 00:43:05,720 --> 00:43:11,920 He began his life as a slave, and through a lot of work he was 1043 00:43:11,920 --> 00:43:13,960 able to buy his own freedom. 1044 00:43:14,280 --> 00:43:18,120 And so he was actually a unique individual because he didn't 1045 00:43:18,280 --> 00:43:22,200 come from a high estate and basically stand above other people. 1046 00:43:22,440 --> 00:43:24,760 He actually was very cruel in many different ways. 1047 00:43:24,760 --> 00:43:28,090 And I was actually reading a history book and it says that he 1048 00:43:28,090 --> 00:43:32,650 was a master of cruelty and lust who exercised the powers of 1049 00:43:32,650 --> 00:43:36,130 a king with the spirit of a slave, which basically means this, 1050 00:43:36,130 --> 00:43:38,890 this guy Felix that we're talking about, he had a lot of revenge 1051 00:43:38,890 --> 00:43:40,930 in his heart and he had a lot of hate in his heart. 1052 00:43:40,930 --> 00:43:43,809 So when we look at it from the very beginning of things, Paul could 1053 00:43:43,809 --> 00:43:46,610 have easily been put to death for any cause. 1054 00:43:47,330 --> 00:43:51,130 But through God's provision, Paul was able to present the gospel 1055 00:43:51,130 --> 00:43:55,270 to a very hard man, a very deep, dangerous man. 1056 00:43:55,430 --> 00:43:58,830 And I can tell you that God will open doors and he will open 1057 00:43:58,830 --> 00:44:01,670 up opportunities for us to preach the gospel to people we never 1058 00:44:01,670 --> 00:44:03,350 guess would hear the gospel. 1059 00:44:03,510 --> 00:44:06,310 Who knows who we can reach for the gospel of Jesus Christ? 1060 00:44:06,790 --> 00:44:09,030 We, we were talking about this morning, Romans, chapter one. 1061 00:44:09,030 --> 00:44:11,990 People that have come into a place of a reprobate mind. 1062 00:44:12,310 --> 00:44:14,630 And a lot of times what that means for us is, hey, they're too 1063 00:44:14,630 --> 00:44:15,270 far gone. 1064 00:44:15,270 --> 00:44:18,190 But the truth of the matter is, is that the only thing that's 1065 00:44:18,190 --> 00:44:20,830 going to cause people to come to Christ is, is essentially the 1066 00:44:20,830 --> 00:44:22,390 gospel message to be preached to them. 1067 00:44:22,840 --> 00:44:24,600 How can they not hear without a preacher? 1068 00:44:24,840 --> 00:44:28,000 And the Bible says that faith cometh by hearing and hearing by 1069 00:44:28,000 --> 00:44:28,760 the word of God. 1070 00:44:29,160 --> 00:44:32,120 And so Paul said, I know what can change the heart of a guy named 1071 00:44:32,120 --> 00:44:32,600 Felix. 1072 00:44:32,600 --> 00:44:35,320 I know what can change the heart of these people who are against 1073 00:44:35,320 --> 00:44:35,520 me. 1074 00:44:35,520 --> 00:44:37,720 I'm going to preach the gospel because remember, he preached the 1075 00:44:37,720 --> 00:44:39,480 gospel to those that were persecuting him. 1076 00:44:39,560 --> 00:44:42,440 He preached to the gospel to those that were wanting to kill him. 1077 00:44:42,520 --> 00:44:43,920 He still preached the gospel. 1078 00:44:43,920 --> 00:44:46,040 And at the end of the day, that's what we have to do. 1079 00:44:46,120 --> 00:44:50,890 We have to intentionally live and proclaim the gospel, just like 1080 00:44:50,890 --> 00:44:51,490 Paul did. 1081 00:44:51,810 --> 00:44:54,330 So here this evening as we close, I want you to think about 1082 00:44:54,330 --> 00:44:58,050 just the idea of put yourself in Paul's shoes for just a minute. 1083 00:44:59,330 --> 00:45:02,570 There could have been a lot of reasons for him to doubt, but no 1084 00:45:02,570 --> 00:45:05,490 doubt Paul went back to that original promise of God. 1085 00:45:05,970 --> 00:45:07,250 I have a plan for you. 1086 00:45:07,410 --> 00:45:10,130 You're preaching to the Gentiles, you're preaching to Kings, 1087 00:45:10,210 --> 00:45:11,570 you're preaching to your people. 1088 00:45:11,810 --> 00:45:13,730 And you're going to be used by me greatly. 1089 00:45:13,970 --> 00:45:16,690 And I think that all of us have to go back to that Damascus 1090 00:45:16,690 --> 00:45:19,090 road moment and say, I remember when Jesus Christ changed 1091 00:45:19,090 --> 00:45:19,490 my life. 1092 00:45:20,170 --> 00:45:23,090 I remember when God made it so clear for me what I'm supposed to 1093 00:45:23,090 --> 00:45:23,370 do. 1094 00:45:23,610 --> 00:45:26,290 And for some of us, you might say, I don't even know what God has 1095 00:45:26,290 --> 00:45:27,130 for me in my life. 1096 00:45:27,610 --> 00:45:28,810 It's not clear for me. 1097 00:45:28,890 --> 00:45:32,690 What I would encourage you to do is seek after him, cling to him, 1098 00:45:32,690 --> 00:45:35,570 grow closer to him, and know what he has for you. 1099 00:45:35,570 --> 00:45:38,330 Because if you seek that, he will Reveal that to you. 1100 00:45:38,730 --> 00:45:41,450 He's always going to reveal to us what his plan is for our life. 1101 00:45:41,530 --> 00:45:42,410 The truth is, is. 1102 00:45:42,410 --> 00:45:43,610 Are we open to hear it? 1103 00:45:44,170 --> 00:45:46,850 And sometimes what God calls us to do is not something that we 1104 00:45:46,850 --> 00:45:47,450 want to do. 1105 00:45:48,210 --> 00:45:52,930 I can tell you that there has been a lot of there, there. 1106 00:45:53,090 --> 00:45:55,490 I don't want to go too far into this, but I, I will say this. 1107 00:45:55,570 --> 00:45:58,050 There have been some things in my life that God has called me to 1108 00:45:58,050 --> 00:45:59,970 do that I did not want to do. 1109 00:46:00,530 --> 00:46:03,769 Every fiber of my body was like, no, no, no, no, not that, please 1110 00:46:03,769 --> 00:46:04,050 don't. 1111 00:46:04,050 --> 00:46:04,850 Not that, please. 1112 00:46:05,330 --> 00:46:08,010 But the truth is, at the end of the day, if God calls me to do 1113 00:46:08,010 --> 00:46:09,650 it, there's no if, ands or buts. 1114 00:46:09,650 --> 00:46:10,130 It's this. 1115 00:46:10,130 --> 00:46:12,130 Lord, I love you, you save me. 1116 00:46:12,450 --> 00:46:17,990 I was the guy on the road to Damascus, a rebel, a sinner, a persecutor, 1117 00:46:18,390 --> 00:46:20,230 but yet you changed me. 1118 00:46:20,630 --> 00:46:21,990 You transformed me. 1119 00:46:22,150 --> 00:46:26,190 You gave me a purpose, you gave me hope, you gave me life, you 1120 00:46:26,190 --> 00:46:28,630 gave me salvation, you gave me everything. 1121 00:46:28,710 --> 00:46:31,110 And so therefore, I want to give you everything. 1122 00:46:31,990 --> 00:46:33,590 That's the way we have to live our lives. 1123 00:46:34,070 --> 00:46:37,350 So many times we see our Christian life as this thing that's 1124 00:46:37,350 --> 00:46:38,790 optional, folks. 1125 00:46:38,790 --> 00:46:43,900 To be a Christian, that's following Christ. 1126 00:46:43,900 --> 00:46:45,100 What does Jesus say? 1127 00:46:45,500 --> 00:46:51,420 He says, die to yourself, reject the ways of this world. 1128 00:46:52,140 --> 00:46:55,580 He goes on to say, if you want to be my disciples, continue in my 1129 00:46:55,580 --> 00:46:55,980 word. 1130 00:46:57,020 --> 00:47:01,260 So I do believe we have a lot of casual Christians in our world 1131 00:47:01,260 --> 00:47:05,420 today that are willing to follow in low stakes Christianity. 1132 00:47:05,420 --> 00:47:08,660 But what I would say is this, let's get serious about what God 1133 00:47:08,660 --> 00:47:09,400 has called us to do. 1134 00:47:09,470 --> 00:47:10,510 Do Paul. 1135 00:47:10,510 --> 00:47:13,750 Paul didn't have a chance to live with a comfortable life. 1136 00:47:13,750 --> 00:47:15,230 He didn't get a chance to do that. 1137 00:47:15,310 --> 00:47:18,030 Think about how much comfort we actually live in in our lives. 1138 00:47:18,590 --> 00:47:22,710 Think about how, how much God allows us to have in freedom and 1139 00:47:22,710 --> 00:47:24,470 enjoy and in satisfaction. 1140 00:47:24,470 --> 00:47:28,110 And yet we bulk at the idea of God asking us to do anything in our 1141 00:47:28,110 --> 00:47:31,790 lives, to sacrifice a little bit more time to, to preach this 1142 00:47:31,790 --> 00:47:32,550 message to someone. 1143 00:47:32,550 --> 00:47:33,070 You know what? 1144 00:47:33,070 --> 00:47:35,470 For me, I would have been so fearful to preach to Felix. 1145 00:47:35,470 --> 00:47:37,180 I would have not said what I said. 1146 00:47:37,180 --> 00:47:40,900 But Paul presented those three points of the righteousness of God. 1147 00:47:41,140 --> 00:47:43,860 Self control or temperance, and the judgment that is to come. 1148 00:47:43,860 --> 00:47:46,420 And so you say, well, Pastor, what do I tell people? 1149 00:47:46,740 --> 00:47:48,660 Tell them of the righteousness of Jesus Christ. 1150 00:47:49,460 --> 00:47:52,820 Tell them of the beauty that it is to live in the truth of Jesus 1151 00:47:52,820 --> 00:47:56,260 Christ in our life and to tell them what the judgment is to come, 1152 00:47:56,500 --> 00:47:59,620 that that's really the three point sermon that we all could preach 1153 00:47:59,620 --> 00:48:00,260 in the gospel. 1154 00:48:00,340 --> 00:48:01,380 And that's what Paul did there. 1155 00:48:01,380 --> 00:48:04,090 So if you want to go, you know, Paul gives us some good outlines 1156 00:48:04,090 --> 00:48:06,570 if, if you want to, if you ever about to preach a sermon, you're 1157 00:48:06,570 --> 00:48:08,330 like, I want a good three part outline. 1158 00:48:08,490 --> 00:48:13,970 Go to Acts chapter 24 and look at verse number 25 and you've got 1159 00:48:13,970 --> 00:48:16,730 a three point gospel message outline that you can preach and it's 1160 00:48:16,730 --> 00:48:17,530 right there for you. 1161 00:48:17,930 --> 00:48:21,090 So I encourage you to think about that, encourage you to be praying 1162 00:48:21,090 --> 00:48:24,010 about how you as a Christian can push forward for the cause of 1163 00:48:24,010 --> 00:48:25,730 the gospel no matter what the case is. 1164 00:48:25,730 --> 00:48:29,040 Now, Paul is going to appeal to Caesar and we're going to see 1165 00:48:29,120 --> 00:48:34,560 next week that Paul goes into a place, he goes into the den of 1166 00:48:34,560 --> 00:48:34,880 lions. 1167 00:48:34,880 --> 00:48:38,240 Okay, not literally, but he's going to go further and further up 1168 00:48:38,240 --> 00:48:38,760 the chain. 1169 00:48:38,760 --> 00:48:41,640 He's going to go further and further up in leadership and fulfill 1170 00:48:41,640 --> 00:48:45,080 that prophecy of God and that call of God to preach to the kings 1171 00:48:45,080 --> 00:48:45,520 and leaders. 1172 00:48:45,520 --> 00:48:47,760 And so think about it this way. 1173 00:48:47,840 --> 00:48:49,440 We're still talking about Paul today. 1174 00:48:49,520 --> 00:48:50,480 He's in the Bible. 1175 00:48:50,480 --> 00:48:52,240 That's one reason why we're talking about Paul. 1176 00:48:52,560 --> 00:48:55,490 But think about, think about that opportunity that you have to 1177 00:48:55,490 --> 00:48:56,890 impact those people around you. 1178 00:48:57,690 --> 00:49:02,090 You know, one, have you ever thought about this really quickly? 1179 00:49:02,090 --> 00:49:03,210 This is kind of weird. 1180 00:49:03,450 --> 00:49:06,210 So don't, don't think this is morbid, but how many of you have 1181 00:49:06,210 --> 00:49:08,490 ever thought, what are they going to say about me and my funeral? 1182 00:49:09,529 --> 00:49:12,210 I don't know if any of you thought that maybe like, I'm far 1183 00:49:12,210 --> 00:49:12,810 from that pastor. 1184 00:49:12,810 --> 00:49:16,530 I don't want to think about that because you know what? 1185 00:49:16,530 --> 00:49:19,090 At my funeral, I don't, here's what I don't want to have said about 1186 00:49:19,090 --> 00:49:19,250 me. 1187 00:49:19,250 --> 00:49:21,410 I mean, I'm okay with people saying this about me, but this is 1188 00:49:21,410 --> 00:49:23,050 not what I want it to always be about. 1189 00:49:23,700 --> 00:49:25,220 Well, he really liked baseball. 1190 00:49:26,020 --> 00:49:29,260 He, he was like, he was a big, you know, he, he, he liked to fish, 1191 00:49:29,260 --> 00:49:30,860 he liked to hunt, he liked to go out there. 1192 00:49:30,860 --> 00:49:31,820 Those are all good things. 1193 00:49:31,820 --> 00:49:32,420 I love that. 1194 00:49:32,420 --> 00:49:33,140 I love that. 1195 00:49:33,140 --> 00:49:37,260 But if that's the summation of my life, my dad really liked his 1196 00:49:37,260 --> 00:49:37,700 hobbies. 1197 00:49:39,380 --> 00:49:42,980 We, we have to understand that as a Christian, we've been called 1198 00:49:42,980 --> 00:49:43,860 to so much more. 1199 00:49:44,820 --> 00:49:47,540 And you know, one of the things that I, I mean, again, I'm 1200 00:49:47,540 --> 00:49:49,940 not preaching against having hobbies and fun stuff, I get that. 1201 00:49:50,390 --> 00:49:53,870 But at the end of the day, what Paul is known for is like, in 1202 00:49:53,870 --> 00:49:57,630 the face of danger, in the face of persecution, it was the gospel 1203 00:49:57,630 --> 00:49:59,110 he had a heart for the lost. 1204 00:50:00,310 --> 00:50:01,550 And you know what? 1205 00:50:01,550 --> 00:50:05,430 That's what I want to be said about Middletown Baptist Church and 1206 00:50:05,430 --> 00:50:06,990 the members of Middletown Baptist Church. 1207 00:50:06,990 --> 00:50:10,070 Like, we have a heart for those that need the Gospel message. 1208 00:50:10,230 --> 00:50:13,510 And so we'll continue moving on in the study in the Book of Acts. 1209 00:50:13,510 --> 00:50:16,110 I know that these are a little bit difficult because we're going 1210 00:50:16,110 --> 00:50:18,910 through these stories and we got to hit all of those things. 1211 00:50:18,910 --> 00:50:21,310 But there, there is application throughout all of the 1212 00:50:21,310 --> 00:50:22,030 Book of Acts. 1213 00:50:22,270 --> 00:50:25,070 And obviously this is all tying together because we, we know 1214 00:50:25,070 --> 00:50:28,390 that Paul writes a lot of the epistles in the New Testament and 1215 00:50:28,390 --> 00:50:28,870 a lot of these. 1216 00:50:28,870 --> 00:50:31,390 If we have more time, we can talk about the overlap on all these 1217 00:50:31,390 --> 00:50:31,670 areas. 1218 00:50:31,670 --> 00:50:35,390 But what we see Paul teaching in First Timothy, Second Timothy, 1219 00:50:35,790 --> 00:50:38,510 First Thessalonians, Second Thessalonians is intertwined here 1220 00:50:38,590 --> 00:50:40,430 with many of the things that he does in his life. 1221 00:50:40,430 --> 00:50:42,910 So we know that Paul just doesn't talk to talk. 1222 00:50:43,580 --> 00:50:45,820 We know Paul talked the talk, but he also walks the walk. 1223 00:50:46,700 --> 00:50:49,780 Paul is practicing all those things that he has called us to practice 1224 00:50:49,780 --> 00:50:50,540 within the church. 1225 00:50:51,980 --> 00:50:54,620 Thank you again for listening to the Middletown Baptist Church 1226 00:50:54,620 --> 00:50:55,260 podcast. 1227 00:50:55,500 --> 00:50:57,820 I hope that this sermon has been a blessing for you. 1228 00:50:58,460 --> 00:51:00,740 If you would like to find out more information about our church 1229 00:51:00,740 --> 00:51:04,220 or this sermon, you can find us at middletownbaptistchurch.org 1230 00:51:04,540 --> 00:51:07,020 or find us on Facebook or YouTube. 1231 00:51:07,820 --> 00:51:12,270 You can also also email me directly at Josh Massaroiddletownbaptistchurch 1232 00:51:12,270 --> 00:51:16,790 dot com if you've enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe and follow 1233 00:51:16,790 --> 00:51:19,510 along for future podcast and updates. 1234 00:51:20,230 --> 00:51:21,190 Thank you so much. 1235 00:51:21,350 --> 00:51:22,150 God bless. 1236 00:51:22,390 --> 00:51:23,670 Have a wonderful day.