2013 Acts #34: an exposition of Acts 22:22-23:11. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, February 16, 2014.
Intro:
It was like a bad dream. You know, one of those eerie nightmares where you’re being chased and you can’t get away? Every time you think we’ve lost them – they are on your trail again. You know the kind of dream I’m talking about? Things go from bad to worse. The fear intensifies, your breathing becomes erratic, you breakout in a cold sweat and finally you wake up! But he didn’t wake up. He didn’t wake up because he wasn’t dreaming. Paul stubbornly insisted on going to Jerusalem and he discovered the warnings were accurate – affliction and imprisonment awaited him. In spite of engaging in a ritual cleansing and purification in an attempt to calm the storm of controversy in Jerusalem – Paul found himself at the center of a near riot. Arrested by the local Roman authority Paul asked to speak to the crowd. All was going well until he said God had called him to take the Gospel to the Gentiles – the crowd erupted, “Away with this man. Rid the earth of him!” In rapid succession Paul finds himself before the Roman leader, the Sanhedrin, governors Felix and Festus, and King Agrippa. It is apparent that Paul was something of a political football. It does not take long before the secular authorities determine this is a religious fight. Paul was about to be released when he appealed to Rome. When reading through the last section of Acts it seems like nothing more than the historical account of how and why Paul ended up in Rome. But there is more to the story than that. I think we learn something about our role as witnesses of the Gospel. In addition we learn something of God’s provision and our faithfulness.
Text: Acts 22:22-23:11
All are agreed that we are called to “evangelize.”
Every Bible-believing person has to acknowledge we are called to share our faith.
We are to give a reason for the hope that is in us.
We are to tell the story of God’s love demonstrated in Christ.
We are to tell of the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus.
We are to tell of our life-changing encounter with the Lord Jesus.
That is without question or dispute.
Yet – too often we do not tell.
Too often we are intimidated into silence.
In the face of conflict or resistance we loose our voice.
Do you find it difficult to speak openly or freely about Christ? Do you hesitate to speak with great confidence about your faith? Most of us, like the cowardly lion on his way to Oz, lack “da nerve.”
Often the problem is that we are trying to do this supernatural work in our own strength. We are assuming too much responsibility. Believing that success or failure rests on us – we are paralyzed by fear. But what did our Lord say? “Do not worry about what you will say when called before kings and princes, I will give you the words to speak in that moment” (Matthew 10:19). When we were commanded to “go into all the world and make disciples”, we were also told “He would be with us.” The disciples were told to wait in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit came upon them and then they would be his witnesses.
When you read these accounts don’t dismiss it as, “Well that was Paul and he just had a strong personality. Of course he could do that – I’m just not like that. I don’t have that kind of forceful personality.” Paul was called and equipped by the same God who calls you to speak His name and boldly declare His Gospel. What we must remember is this:
Thesis: God’s call to evangelism includes His gracious enabling to meet the challenge.
As we consider Paul’s experience in our text we will find three characteristics of those who yield their lives to Christ as his witnesses.
- Those who are called and equipped by God find themselves emboldened in the face of questioning authority. (22:22-29)
- Those who are called and equipped by God are not shaken by religious hostility. (22:30-23:10)
- Those who are called and equipped by God are humbled by God’s gracious promise to bless and use. (23:11)