- Sermon Notes
- Scripture
Your Part in God’s Story
Acts 23:23-26:32
As we come back to our study to the book of Acts, Paul has finally arrived in Jerusalem, willing to risk it all for the opportunity to speak of Christ
there. But Paul is not in Jerusalem even seven days before the whole city is in an uproar.
The Jews saw him in the temple and took hold of him. The people rushed together and dragging him out of the temple, they were seeking to kill him, but
the report of this came to the Roman commander who took some soldiers and took Paul into custody. At this point the plot thickens and Paul’s life takes
some amazing turns. He will never be freed again, but the purpose of God will be seen in his life.
Paul’s life takes some exceptional turns in these chapters, but his whole life has been exceptional. He was trained under Gamaliel, one of the greatest
teachers in Israel; he lived his life to the full, full of zeal and a desire to honor God. But his zeal was misplaced and when he heard that Christians
were claiming that Jesus was the Messiah, raised from the dead, he persecuted them, pursuing them even in foreign cities.
But God literally knocked him off his high horse, blinding him until he could open his eyes spiritually. God then sent a man to pray for him to receive
his sight and to share with him God’s purpose and direction so that he might change the course of his life.
Paul then began to understand God’s word from a completely different perspective and with that same zeal began to share the message that God had sent His
Son for the forgiveness of sin and the hope of eternal life.
Talk about a conversion story; I’ve heard many stories of the Calvary Chapel pastors who have come from drugs and some of the deepest, darkest parts of
this sinful world, but Paul’s story is the story of an amazing conversion and an amazing life lived to the full.
Life takes some amazing and unexpected turns for all of us, but the question is what we will do with it. Paul’s story is really God’s story lived out in
his life, his part is living it exceptionally and living it with zeal.
We all have a story that we we’re living. It’s really God’s story in us, but we have a part to play; we have choices to make. These chapters in the book
of Acts reveal God’s story, but also they show our part in that story.
In Chapter 23:23 and following, there is a good summary of what has been happening since Paul has arrived in Jerusalem. It’s a letter written by the Roman
commander to the Roman governor, Felix, in Caesarea.
I. Our Steps are Ordered of God
- In this letter, the commander speaks about a plot against Paul. The details of that plot bring some very important questions that apply to each of us.
- Some of the Jews were so vehemently opposed to Paul that 40 of them bound themselves with an oath that they would neither eat nor drink until Paul
had been killed. Their plan was to ambush him when he was called before the Jewish leaders. - But Paul’s nephew got wind of the plot. He told Paul who sent him to the commander. It appears that God is intervening to save Paul’s life.
- But this brings up some questions. Why does God intervene here? Why doesn’t God intervene at other times?
A. God accomplishes His purpose in our lives
- When Paul was taken into the Roman barracks, on the night immediately following, the Lord actually appeared at his side, saying, “Take courage; as
you have witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also.” - In other words, God has a purpose to accomplish in Paul’s life. Not only would he witness in Rome, he would write letters to the churches that make
up almost a third of our New Testament. - Later, after Paul is imprisoned for several years in Rome, the Emperor Nero, who blamed Christians when the city of Rome caught fire, also had Paul
killed, but this time there was no intervention of God. - Earlier, when James was martyred, there was no intervention of God.
- The point is that God is still on the throne and we can trust him with our lives. He is the One who gives purpose and meaning to our lives and He is
the one who orders our steps. - But along with that we also need to understand God’s heart and that His plan for us is good.
Psalm 37:23, The steps of a man are established by the Lord, and He delights in his way.
Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans that I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give you a future in the hope.”
B. Every life is a precious story
- You were made in the image of God and so dearly loved that He gave His only begotten Son that you might have everlasting life.
- But many people do not understand the value that God has placed on their lives. What is your soul worth?
Illus – eBay has had to make a policy that people are not allowed to sell their souls on eBay anymore, because they tried and eBay had to pull it. Growing up my dad would listen to country music and I remember hearing the song, “The Devil went down to Georgia…”
Matthew 16:26, “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”
Illus – Many people do not understand the value of their lives, that they are made in God’s image and that He has great purpose and plan for their lives and so they want someone else’s life.
- I will tell you something very personal; because of the tragedy that has happened in our lives, I want to live full out. Not only is my faith not shipwrecked,
I have stronger faith. Heaven is closer; God is closer. - I want to walk this life step-by-step with God and then when I’m done I want to just keep on walking.
- Every story is precious and every story is different.
Illus – After the resurrection, Jesus met the disciples on the shore of the Sea of Galilee after they had spent the night fishing. After breakfast, he took Peter for a walk, restoring him after Peter’s great failure.
But He also gave Peter great purpose and meaning in his life, “Shepherd My sheep.” Jesus also told him the manner of his death when he was old. But Peter then saw John following them and said…
John 21:21-22, “Lord, and what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!”
- What’s your story? How will you live it? How will it end? That you can know for certain.
- You may not know when it will end, but you can know how it will end. The reason God sent His Son was so that you can know in all confidence that
you can have the forgiveness of sin and eternal life in the presence of God and those who have gone before you.
C. Live with this in view
- When Paul was brought before the Roman governor, Felix, he spoke in his own defense…
Acts 24:10-16
- Paul said, “I serve the God of our fathers, having a hope in God, that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.
With this in view, and do my best to maintain a blameless conscience both before God and before men.” - In other words, this great truth is always in view and it changes how he lives. With that in his view, he wants to maintain a good conscience before
God and men.
Illus – It’s like having a beautiful, brilliant sunset always there, always reminding you of God’s great glory.
- Felix used to send for him often, hoping that money would be given him by Paul, but with the hope in God always in view, he wouldn’t do it.
- For two years Felix kept him in custody, speaking to him quite often. And as he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to
come, Felix became frightened. - For Paul, such great hope was a beautiful view, for Felix, it frightened him to death.
II. Don’t Kick Against the Goads
- Finally Felix was succeeded by another Roman governor, Porcius Festus.
- The Jewish leaders saw this as an opportunity to bring charges against Paul again, but Paul, being a Roman citizen, appealed to Caesar.
- Festus replied, “You have appealed to Caesar, to Caesar you shall go.”
- However, several days later, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived and Festus laid Paul’s case before him. Agrippa then said to Festus, “I also would
like to hear the man myself.” - So the next day Agrippa arrived at the auditorium with great pomp, accompanied by the commanders and prominent men of the city. Paul was then called
and his speech has now become famous.
Acts 26:1-18
A. God will correct your course
- Paul gives an account of his life. He is a man of zeal, but his zeal was misplaced, until God corrected his course.
- Don’t misplace your zeal and don’t kick against the goads; that’s the great lesson from Paul’s speech.
- The phrase, “Don’t kick against the goads,” is very appropriate. God wants to direct our steps, but many people resist and kick against God in
their lives.
Illus – In high school I sometimes worked for the farmer down the road and if he ever needed to do something for one of the cattle, he would have me bring him in from the herd with my motorcycle. They didn’t like that either.
Psalm 32:8-9, I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you. Do not be as the horse or as a mule which have no understanding, whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check.
B. Don’t be an “almost” believer
- God has opened Paul’s eyes, He has corrected his course and he’s sharing that light with Agrippa and all the prominent men of the city.
- Paul has some big fish in his net and wants them to turn from the dominion of Satan to God.
Acts 26:22-29
- Agrippa was an “almost” Christian; he almost believed. But “almost” has eternal consequences.
Illus – Almost means not quite or close, but it can also mean the opposite. In the restaurant business the server would need a dish urgently and the cook would say “it’s close” which actually meant, “I haven’t started it yet.” If you ask your wife if she is ready, and she says “almost,” it could mean – 15 more minutes.
- Some people are stuck in the middle, I call it the miserable middle. They’re almost ready to commit their lives, but not quite. How many times
have I heard people say, “I just need some time to figure this out”? - They believe they are believers, but they haven’t committed their lives.
- But as Joshua said to the people of Israel, “If the Lord is God… then serve Him.”
- Paul says that with the hope of God in view, it changes everything.
Acts 23:23-26:32 NASB
Chapter 23
23 And he called to him two of the centurions and said, “Get two hundred soldiers ready by the third hour of the night to proceed to Caesarea, with seventy
horsemen and two hundred spearmen.” 24 They were also to provide mounts to put Paul on and bring him safely to Felix the governor. 25 And he wrote
a letter having this form:26 “Claudius Lysias, to the most excellent governor Felix, greetings. 27 “When this man was arrested by the Jews and was
about to be slain by them, I came up to them with the troops and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman. 28 “And wanting to ascertain the
charge for which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their Council; 29 and I found him to be accused over questions about their Law, but
under no accusation deserving death or imprisonment. 30 “When I was informed that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once,
also instructing his accusers to bring charges against him before you.”
31 So the soldiers, in accordance with their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. 32 But the next day, leaving the horsemen to go
on with him, they returned to the barracks. 33 When these had come to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to
him. 34 When he had read it, he asked from what province he was, and when he learned that he was from Cilicia, 35 he said, “I will give you a hearing
after your accusers arrive also,” giving orders for him to be kept in Herod’s Praetorium.
Chapter 24
1 After five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders, with an attorney named Tertullus, and they brought charges to the governor against
Paul. 2 After Paul had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying to the governor, “Since we have through you attained much peace, and since
by your providence reforms are being carried out for this nation, 3 we acknowledge this in every way and everywhere, most excellent Felix, with all
thankfulness. 4 But, that I may not weary you any further, I beg you to grant us, by your kindness, a brief hearing. 5 For we have found this man a
real pest and a fellow who stirs up dissension among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. 6 And he even
tried to desecrate the temple; and then we arrested him. [We wanted to judge him according to our own Law. 7 But Lysias the commander came along, and
with much violence took him out of our hands, 8 ordering his accusers to come before you.] By examining him yourself concerning all these matters you
will be able to ascertain the things of which we accuse him.” 9 The Jews also joined in the attack, asserting that these things were so.
10 When the governor had nodded for him to speak, Paul responded: “Knowing that for many years you have been a judge to this nation, I cheerfully make
my defense, 11 since you can take note of the fact that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. 12 Neither in the temple, nor
in the synagogues, nor in the city itself did they find me carrying on a discussion with anyone or causing a riot. 13 Nor can they prove to you the
charges of which they now accuse me. 14 But this I admit to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect I do serve the God of our fathers,
believing everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets;
15 having a hope in God, which these men cherish themselves, that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.16 In view
of this, I also do my best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men. 17 Now after several years I came to bring alms
to my nation and to present offerings; 18 in which they found me occupiedin the temple, having been purified, without any crowd or uproar. But there
were some Jews from Asia- 19 who ought to have been present before you and to make accusation, if they should have anything against me. 20 Or else
let these men themselves tell what misdeed they found when I stood before the Council, 21 other than for this one statement which I shouted out while
standing among them, ‘For the resurrection of the dead I am on trial before you today.'” 22 But Felix, having a more exact knowledge about the Way,
put them off, saying, “When Lysias the commander comes down, I will decide your case.” 23 Then he gave orders to the centurion for him to be kept in
custody and yet have some freedom, and not to prevent any of his friends from ministering to him. 24 But some days later Felix arrived with Drusilla,
his wife who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul and heard himspeak about faith in Christ Jesus. 25 But as he was discussing righteousness, self-control
and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, “Go away for the present, and when I find time I will summon you.” 26 At the same time
too, he was hoping that money would be given him by Paul; therefore he also used to send for him quite often and converse with him. 27 But after two
years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and wishing to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul imprisoned.
Chapter 25
1 Festus then, having arrived in the province, three days later went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. 2 And the chief priests and the leading men of the
Jews brought charges against Paul, and they were urging him, 3 requesting a concession against Paul, that he might have him brought to Jerusalem (at
the same time, setting an ambush to kill him on the way). 4 Festus then answered that Paul was being kept in custody at Caesarea and that he himself
was about to leave shortly. 5 “Therefore,” he said, “let the influential men among you go there with me, and if there is anything wrong about the man,
let them prosecute him.” 6 After he had spent not more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day he took his
seat on the tribunal and ordered Paul to be brought. 7 After Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many
and serious charges against him which they could not prove, 8 while Paul said in his own defense, “I have committed no offense either against the Law
of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar.”
9 But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, answered Paul and said, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me on these charges?”
10 But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s tribunal, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also very well know.
11 If, then, I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die; but if none of those things is true of which these
men accuse me, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar.”
12 Then when Festus had conferred with his council, he answered, “You have appealed to Caesar, to Caesar you shall go.” 13 Now when several days had elapsed,
King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and paid their respects to Festus. 14 While they were spending many days there, Festus laid Paul’s case
before the king, saying, “There is a man who was left as a prisoner by Felix; 15 and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the
Jews brought charges against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him. 16 I answered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to
hand over any man before the accused meets his accusers face to face and has an opportunity to make his defense against the charges. 17 So after they
had assembled here, I did not delay, but on the next day took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought before me. 18 When the accusers
stood up, they began bringing charges against him not of such crimes as I was expecting, 19 but they simply had some points of disagreement with him
about their own religion and about a dead man, Jesus, whom Paul asserted to be alive. 20 Being at a loss how to investigate such matters, I asked whether
he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there stand trial on these matters. 21 But when Paul appealed to be held in custody for the Emperor’s decision,
I ordered him to be kept in custody until I send him to Caesar.” 22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,”
he said, “you shall hear him.”
23 So, on the next day when Agrippa came together with Bernice amid great pomp, and entered the auditoriumaccompanied by the commanders and the prominent
men of the city, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. 24 Festus said, “King Agrippa, and all you gentlemen here present with us, you see
this man about whom all the people of the Jews appealed to me, both at Jerusalem and here, loudly declaring that he ought not to live any longer. 25
But I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death; and since he himself appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send him. 26 Yet I have nothing
definite about him to write to my lord. Therefore I have brought him before you all and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the investigation
has taken place, I may have something to write. 27 For it seems absurd to me in sending a prisoner, not to indicate also the charges against him.”
Chapter 26
1 Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand andproceeded to make his defense: 2 “In regard to all
the things of which I am accused by the Jews, I consider myself fortunate, King Agrippa, that I am about to make my defense before you today; 3 especially
because you are an expert in all customs and questions among the Jews; therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently. 4 “So then, all Jews know my
manner of life from my youth up, which from the beginning was spent among myown nation and at Jerusalem; 5 since they have known about me for a long
time, if they are willing to testify, that I lived as a Pharisee according to the strictest sect of our religion. 6 And now I am standing trial for
the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers; 7 the promise to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly serve God night and
day. And for this hope, O King, I am being accused by Jews.
8 Why is it considered incredible among you people if God does raise the dead? 9 “So then, I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to
the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 And this is just what I did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority
from the chief priests, but also when they were being put to death I cast my vote against them. 11 And as I punished them often in all the synagogues,
I tried to force them to blaspheme; and being furiously enraged at them, I kept pursuing them even to foreign cities.
12 “While so engaged as I was journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests, 13 at midday, O King, I saw on the way a light
from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining all around me and those who were journeying with me. 14 And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard
a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15 And I said,
‘Who are You, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared
to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you; 17
rescuing you from the Jewishpeople and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, 18 to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light
and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in
Me.’
19 “So, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem
and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance.
21 For this reason someJews seized me in the temple and tried to put me to death. 22 So, having obtained help from God, I stand to this day testifying
both to small and great, stating nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place; 23 that the Christ was to suffer, and that by
reason of His resurrection from the dead He would be the first to proclaim light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”
24 While Paul was saying this in his defense, Festus said in a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind! Yourgreat learning is driving you mad.” 25
But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I utter words of sober truth. 26 For the king knows about these matters, and I
speak to him also with confidence, since I am persuaded that none of these things escape his notice; for this has not been done in a corner. 27 King
Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know that you do.” 28 Agrippa replied to Paul, “In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian.”
29 And Paul said, “I would wish to God, that whether in a short or long time, not only you, but also all who hear me this day, might become such as
I am, except for these chains.” 30 The king stood up and the governor and Bernice, and those who were sitting with them, 31 and when they had gone
aside, they began talking to one another, saying, “This man is not doing anything worthy of death or imprisonment.” 32 And Agrippa said to Festus,
“This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
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