Acts 22:30-23:11 • Be Courageous

specify a certain만

break.

narrative in the story as Pastor John has shared many times it's descriptive of what's

happening and it's also a time where the writer goes into much more detail and it's not one that

really lends itself well to the verse by verse teaching that I preferred to do but it's one where

there's so many topics that come out of the the passages and you see how God was using the Apostle

Paul and you see how he worked through the early church so I want to read Acts chapter 23 Acts

Acts 23 · chapter mention Acts 23 · chapter mention

chapter 23 and we're going to begin reading with the first verse Acts 23 1 and read the first 11

verses or excuse me that should actually be 22 verse 30 let's back up one more verse but on the

next day desiring to know the real reason why he was being accused by the Jews he unbound him and

commanded the chief priests and all the council to meet and he brought Paul down and set him before

them and looking intently at the council Paul said brothers I have lived my life before God in a good

conscience up to this day and the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike

him on the mouth then Paul said to him God is going to strike you you whitewashed wall are you

setting to judge me according to the law and yet contrary to the law you order me to be struck

those who stood by said would you revile God's high priest and Paul said I did not know brothers

that he was the high priest for it is written you shall not speak evil of the ruler of your people

now when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees he cried out in the council

brothers I am a Pharisee a son of Pharisees it is with respect to the hope of the and the resurrection

of the dead that I am on trial and when he had said this dissension between the Pharisees and

the Sadducees and the assembly was divided the Pharisees say that there is no resurrection nor

angel nor spirit but the the Pharisees acknowledged them all then a great clamor arose and some of the

scribes of the Pharisees party stood up and contended sharply we find nothing wrong with

this man what if a spirit or an angel spoke to him and when the dissension became violent the

Tribune after afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them commanded the soldiers to go down

and take him away from them by force and bring him into the barracks the following night the Lord

stood by him and said take courage for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem you

must testify also in Rome heavenly father together we've read your word speak to us through your word

amen I've entitled the message today be courageous and that title it actually comes from the the new

American Standard translation the new American Standard 2020 version where the God stood before

Paul and he said be courageous stand firm there's other verses other translations some say take

courage take courage while others will say have courage and that net is not from internet that's

from the new English translation that you can see the theme there is is that that you've got to be

courageous through this get ready for what's coming you're going to need courage to do what I've got

for you to do I need for you to take the stand in in Rome that you've taken in Jerusalem you're

going to have to live with courage now while this passage is not one that lends itself well to the

verse by verse I will say there's there's part of me that wishes we had time to do that because in

this passage you get a glimpse of the political and religious situation of the day you really do you

begin to see the political wrangling that was going on and what was happening the dissension

within the Jewish community you see the divisions that were there that was happening this gives you

insight into the cultural setting of the New Testament it's one of those passages where you

go to and you get an idea of where and when and what it was like in that time when the New Testament

was written and so you get these glimpses and there's part of me that would like to go through

and do the history lesson that shows the divisions that shows what they believed what the different

divisions believe some said yes their spirits there's angels others said no someone said yes

there's a resurrection but you also have the scribes that they're really close to the Pharisees

and you get all these political groups going on but you also get a really good picture of how they

acted there in a courtroom start screaming and yelling at each other have you ever seen the

British Parliament when they do have you seen though that the pictures as an American that's

freaky because to me you're supposed to take turns each presenting your idea nah man they try to

shout down each other and that's what's happening in this political wrangling you see them trying

to shout down each other in this chaos that's happening so you see the cultural the political

and the religious background of the New Testament right there in this little short passage of what

was going on and Paul Paul uses that to his advantage Paul uses these divisions to his

advantage he intentionally divides the council so that they're fighting each other instead of him

now if you stop and think about it that's a pretty smart thing to do just from his wisdom

Scott shared with us last week how how Paul used his Roman citizenship trying to further the gospel

where he gave him the opportunity to present the gospel he did take a stand that he had his rights

but he didn't try to base off that he just used it for the furtherance of the gospel here Paul is

using the division within the political system remember there was not separation of church and

state the religious laws were the civil laws there was no difference so it's the political and

religious leaders they're one in the same so he intentionally divides each other they're fighting

and each other to the point the Roman soldiers have to protect him they actually thought the

council these are the political and religious leaders we're going to tear Paul physically apart

now I can see why my dad believes Baptist have always existed for those of you raised in Baptist

heritage man we're known for being there's one book called the battling Baptist you know that's

we're known not to be a silent people we're known for standing up for what we believe and

and there's this huge confusion and Paul is taken into custody he's taking back into custody

and exactly what this looks like we're not sure he's legally he's not supposed to be bound we know

he's taken into the barracks and in verse 16 he's still in the barracks which is you know where the

military soldiers sleep exactly what was there did they have separate rooms so he's just on a

cot was he on the floor next to I don't know exactly how that looked but you realize he's

still under arrest he's still in custody of the Roman soldiers they have to to protect him he

still has to stand trial before the Jews all of this is happening and we don't know what is going

on just think about Paul if we read it and we can't figure out exactly what all's happening

when it's written down for us think about Paul he has no idea what lies ahead

the Roman soldiers have just had to take him out of the council to protect him physically

and he is under arrest he's stuck in a military barracks

and he needs some encouragement

he's needing encouragement of some sort and I don't know what Paul's praying

but have you ever prayed those prayers Lord I did what you said to do and look what happened

you know didn't Moses go through that I mean we've all gone through that at times where we do what we

believe God's saying we need to do and it feels like it's worth it and we're not going to be

and it feels like it's worse somehow Paul he's needing this encouragement

let's see Paul still had work to do

Paul needs to be told that what he's done in Jerusalem he needs to do somewhere else

God needs to tell him Paul you've got things you've got to get done if you go on to the next slide

let me but no there should have been two more on that one

that Paul needed to work in another place he needed to go on and that's when the Lord

came before him and says be courageous for as you have testified to the truth about me in Jerusalem

so you must testify in Rome also now that's taken from my favorite translation of the bible

new american standard by now you probably figured out I am an american it is a translation that's

american english and it's more american background it's one it's a translation taken for people who

who need to do deeper study but don't study the language necessarily of the bible the biblical

languages and I love that be courageous

because you're going to face tough times you're going to need the courage to do

courage to do in Rome what you've done in Jerusalem now my picture of Paul isn't that he was a coward

he's already been through so much he's already been beaten he's already been

stoned and left for dead he's already been whipped he's already suffered so much for the gospel

but God's telling him to be courageous because you're going to go right on into Rome and you're

going to take that same stand and for some reason I just thought I'd throw a note out here about

bravery versus courage I kind of like how this person put it said bravery is the ability to

confront something painful difficult and dangerous without any fear courage is the ability to confront

something painful difficult or dangerous despite fear courage deals with a motivation

in fact I can ask our French brothers over here what does courage really mean

comes from the French and the the the base word the heart to do with heart you've got to have

enough heart to stand you've got to have the heart and the motivation to go on in spite of what you're

facing had a drill sergeant that at first I could not stand that God people would be falling out

we'd be marching we'd be working he'd do he'd get to yelling you just ain't got no heart you

just ain't got no heart and the way he he would turn it the word heart into multiple syllables

heart you know how he stretched it out there he's ain't got no heart yeah we do what you mean we

don't have heart he said what he was telling us you don't have the courage you don't have the

stamina you don't have the motivation to push through the tough times and that is what Paul

was was needing he was needing God to say hey be courageous you're going to have to push through

these tough times because what you've done in Jerusalem you're going to have to do in Rome

tough times are ahead and you've got to push through you've got to maintain the heart of the

message the heart of what you're doing and then when you start studying about courage there's

going to be people that say there's three different types there's four types there's seven types

I mean I don't know how many different types there courage there is I just pick the one that's

important I just picked one spiritual courage to have spiritual courage is not a reliant

reliance upon ourselves it's reliance on God we don't look toward trouble and say oh yeah buddy

here we go you know he used to have a professor he would say you know I'm not one of those dumb

people who would stand out in the the the yard and say oh a meteor and try to catch it you know

who really wants to run into the path of danger how many people say oh a speeding car you know

we want to protect ourselves but God told us that we need to rely on him God is with us

spiritual courage is not within ourselves it's that trusting of God when Carolyn and I were

getting ready to come to Hungary the first time in 1998 I was in training in California Carolyn

was in Missouri they were staying with my parents and and we'd already sold the house

getting ready to go and there was a whole lot of questions in my mind and one night I'm reading

from the NIV this little Bible this was my travel Bible that I took with me you know we didn't have

it on cell phone in those days and this was lightweight it was New International excuse me

New International translation and I'm reading in the Bible and I come to first John 4 16

first John chapter 4 verse 16 and I read and so we know and rely on the love God has for us

1 John 4:16

God is love whoever lives in love lives in God and God in them and man that word rely jumped out at

me for we know and rely on this is one of the few verses that my favorite translation is the NIV

because I had been reading it from the New American Standard and it phrases it a little

different it says we have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us

God is love and the one who remains in love remains in God and God remains in him

now there's besides being a typo in there there's a little difference we've come to believe okay I

believe God loves me but this belief was much stronger it was like believing in Jesus as in to

place your trust in Jesus this is believing God as relying on God's love

and it was one of those times it's one of those spiritual mileposts where I can say God brought

me to a new level of trust in him to rely on him and his love he loves my family more than I

possibly can all through history God has encouraged his people he's encouraged his people through

history and and you see it is some of the ones that really jump out at me was was Moses and Joshua

Moses said to the people in the book of Deuteronomy chapter 31 verses 6 and 7 be strong and courageous

Deuteronomy 31:6

do not be afraid or in dread of them talking about the enemies for the Lord your God is the one who

is going with you and he will not desert you or abandon you this is what he says to the people

don't be afraid why because God's going on he goes on then Moses called to Joshua and said to him in

the sight of all of Israel be strong and courageous for you will go with this people into the land

which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them and you will give it to them as an inheritance

we go on to Deuteronomy chapter 31 verse 23 then he meaning God speaking through Moses but it's God

Deuteronomy 31:23

that he God commissioned Joshua the son of Nun he said be strong and courageous for you will bring

the sons of Israel into the land which I swore to them I will be with you

I will be with you why can we go on in courage because God is with us after Moses died here

Joshua has already been told to be strong and courageous and look what God says to him and in

the first chapter of Joshua just as I have been with Moses I will be with you I will not desert

I will be with you I will not desert you nor abandon you be strong and courageous for you

shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them

only be strong and very courageous be careful to do according to all the law which my

Moses which Moses my servant commanded you do not turn from it to the right or to the left so that

you may achieve success wherever you go this book of the law shall not depart from your mouth but

you shall meditate on it day and night so that you may be careful to do according to all that

is written in it for then you will make your way prosperous and then you will achieve success

have I not commanded you be strong and courageous do not be terrified nor dismayed for the Lord your

God is with you wherever you go see that's where you stand that's the courage

it's not something that we just go ahead and it's like oh I'm really afraid I do it anyway

it's a moving ahead and the trust and reliance upon the Lord Jesus Christ

we can trust his love for us can move ahead think about how many times in the scripture

you hear the phrase do not be afraid just start thinking about that what are some of the people

that you can think of that God said do not be afraid don't be afraid and so you just shout it out

I'm sorry what

365

365 who's

365 who's

the phrase don't be afraid is 365 times in the Bible okay I haven't counted them I'm

going to take your word for it Karen who did he say that to

Mary there's one Mary the shepherds

David the king thank you

Joseph there was another one

Joshua yeah which I was just reading about Jairus Joshua in fact there he said don't be terrified

because these were really big people they were going up against you just think Zacharias Zachariah

in the temple when the angel he's in there sacrificing and here's this guy in the temple

supposed to be there don't be afraid over and over 365 times hey that's a verse for every day of the

week or every every day of the year don't be afraid here I'll put one in and I'll put one in

here that Jesus told to his church in Luke chapter 12 verse 32 do not be afraid little flock because

Luke 12:32

your father has chosen to give you the kingdom you have the kingdom of God don't be afraid don't worry

the kingdom of God don't be afraid don't worry

you don't have to fear

we've been talking about the apostle Paul

Paul in Corinth we so often think about Paul of this just this very powerful dynamic preacher

the only physical description we have of him he was quite an ugly guy but we don't know for sure

we don't know what he looked like and we picture this this guy that just he goes in and he tells

everybody about Jesus what did he write to the church in Corinth he says for I determined to

know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified I also was with you in weakness

and fear and in great trembling and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of

wisdom but in demonstration of the spirit and of power

wow isn't that such a different picture than this this guy that charges in to present the gospel no

matter what he went into Corinth and he is scared to death and the people know it he's sharing the

gospel and he's physically shaking he's scared but what did he do he shared the gospel anyway

he shared the gospel anyway and if we go back to acts chapter 18

Acts 18 · chapter mention

to acts chapter 18 we see how God strengthened the Paul in the night acts chapter 18 verses 9 3 11

Acts 18 · chapter mention Acts 18:9

and the Lord said to Paul by by a vision at night do not be afraid any longer but go on speaking

and do not be silent for I am with you and no one will attack you to harm you for I have many

people in this city and he settled there for a year and six months teaching the word of God among them

Paul went in and he wrote back to the church and the church knew

he founded that church and you know what they wrote and said about him he said he writes weighty

leather letters but his speech is contemptible he maybe had a speech impediment or something

we don't know but he said this guy when he talks we can't stand and listen to him talk

and he's afraid and he says I came to you in fear and trembling and all I did was present the gospel

he is so scared God has to appear to him and give him a vision at night and say don't be afraid any

longer you keep proclaiming you keep preaching because I've got many people in this city hey they

weren't saved yet but they were already God's people God already knew what was happening

in today's passage we see how God was reassuring Paul that he still had work to do what he had done

in Jerusalem he needed to do in Rome by saying that he needed courage he's warning Paul that

danger is ahead he's going to be facing dangerous times he's going to be facing a lot of danger

he's going to be facing difficulties Rome was not a good place for Christians or Jews

and here he was a Jewish Christian he needed to be courageous so God's saying be courageous he

needed to face the dangers in the assurance that God was with him and that's how he was moving ahead

earlier I shared how how God used a different translation to really teach me that I need to

rely on his love I can trust it Carolyn and I right now we're facing another time where God

is saying you need to have courage Carolyn I are entering a new stage of ministry where

where God's been working with us now for a number of months of saying give me everything

surrender everything to me and it was last Sunday I was able to journal Lord I give you everything

I give you everything and then I wrote those words and I sat at my desk my head down and I just felt

ripped apart so you said something about how I didn't seem quite myself last Sunday because

I just hurt I came last Sunday morning feeling of things I love it's like God it's yours what

what is it you want and I guess I was I was picturing myself kind of holding my hands up

to God you know giving him everything and this morning I was sitting and praying Lord

I've given you everything and then he tells me this morning it's like open your hand

I had a vision of just opening the hand and I want to illustrate it today

you know sometimes we want to give things up and we want to do it to where it's like okay

we want to hang on to part of it you know we we want it we don't want to give it all up

and this morning I felt like God was saying open your hand

open your hand

and this morning I felt like God was saying open your hand open your hand

and only that which is most important is what's going to stay I felt like God

was saying let go of everything and trust me

and those are difficult and painful times

and now that I get to sweep up the floor here son

many many times in our lives we're asked to give up things that are important to us

and it's been now a while that I've been facing question and issues and I want to think

pastor John for praying with me through it and John and Amanda for their support this week as we've

met and we feel like Carolyn I feel like we need to step out of the pastoral role

we don't feel like God's saying leave the church and we don't know exactly what that holds

I just want to say thank you John Amanda for being there for us

as I feel ripped apart

from the day this church started I've been honest this isn't a role that I'm comfortable with

and it's been a role that God has forced me to ask every day is this what you want

because Carolyn and I were so often working with not with believers but we work primarily

in the coffee houses and in with lost people in direct engagement

with those who are not believers yet where this one was more of a gathering of believers

people who are coming from other countries and a very different role for us

in the coming weeks we'll be working out exactly what that looks like you know fortunately

Scott has already been starting to fill in the pulpit Hesl has begun to to fill in there and

as Pastor John continues to work with the leadership team and exactly what it looks like

you know in reality I don't do that much except stand here call myself pastor and preach

we don't know exactly how it's going to work out but there's something I do know

God is still in control this isn't my church it's his

and pastor John I don't know how many times that you've said this week God loves the church more

than we do we were even talking about this morning God loves the church more than we do

we were even talking about this morning God loves you more than we can

we can rely on his love

and that which he calls us to do is what's going to be best for his church and for his kingdom

and now I've shared with you a very personal message some of our testimony and what and what

God's been calling us and speaking to us about but now I'm going to flip that question back to you

or turn a question to you and ask you what is God asking you to have the courage to do

are you trying to hang on to something that God's saying open your hand

has God been asking you to do something where you've been thinking God I really don't want to do that

what is it he's asking of you

for students

I know sometimes it can be so hard to share about Jesus when you're in the classroom

or with that professor who is an atheist or anti and very strong anti-christian

I don't know what God's speaking to you about

but you know what I do know that most Christians are ready to do something

but you know what I do know that most Christians are wrestling with this question

what's God asking me to do

what is it he's saying have the courage to trust me

have the courage to rely on my love because you can rely on his love

you can rely on his love he loves you more than you are humanly possible to understand

he loves this church more than we can understand

I'm going to ask our musicians to come as we do have an invitation I'm going to ask that

you really wrestle with that question ask yourself what's God saying to me what is it I need to have

the courage to do and I'm going to ask you to have the courage to share that with our church I'll be

here pastor John is here I'm going to ask that we also all stand part of that standing is just simply

convenience it's easier to slip out it's easier to get past people

in your role let's stand and sing and I'm going to ask that whatever God's asking you to do whatever

he's laying on your heart to share it with the church this morning