Sermon Tone Analysis

God's Guidance for Christian Testimonies

The Book of Acts - Part 79

Acts 22:12-24

Sermon by Rick Crandall

Grayson Baptist Church - March 22, 2015

BACKGROUND:

*In this Scripture, Paul's third missionary journey had ended, and the team had arrived in Jerusalem.

Paul and the Gentile churches had collected a large sum of money for the poor Jewish Christians in Jerusalem.

Then Paul had traveled many miles to bring the gift to Jerusalem.

But instead of being treated with gratitude and honor, Paul was treated with suspicion and disrespect.

*In Acts 21:20-26, the Jewish believers at Jerusalem accused Paul of heresy based on nothing but rumors.

So, the church leaders asked Paul to go through a purification ceremony as a good-faith gesture against the accusations.

They also asked Paul to pay the expenses for four local believers who were planning to go through the purification.

And Paul did exactly as the elders asked, even though he had to buy a dozen prime animals for the sacrifices, along with other expenses.

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*Paul was trying to do the right thing.

But Acts 21:27-40 tells us that a terrible riot broke out when some Jews from Asia saw Paul in the Temple.

And Paul would have been beaten to death by that mob, if the alarm hadn't been sounded for the Roman soldiers to step in.

*Paul was rescued by the soldiers, but he was also placed under arrest.

He was now under both the protection and custody of Roman soldiers, and he had entered a long season of trials and tribulation.

All of Paul's travels from now until the end of Acts will be as a prisoner of Rome.

*At the end of chapter 21, Paul pleaded with the Roman commander for permission to speak to the crowd.

And Acts 21:40 closes the chapter by saying "when he had given him permission, Paul stood on the stairs and motioned with his hand to the people.

And when there was a great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language. .

."

*Now here in Acts 22, Paul began to speak to the mob before him, a mob that was silent for the moment, but had just tried to kill him.

And as Paul began to speak, he gave his Christian testimony.

The Apostle told how Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus, and how Ananias helped him call on the name of the Lord.

*Tonight in vs. 16-24, we will see how Paul continued his testimony, but to put it in context let's start by reading about Ananias' help back up in vs. 12.

*Before we read, it's interesting to note that there is a 3-year gap between vs. 16 and 17. Paul talked about this period of time in his letter to the Galatians.

Please look at Galatians 1, starting in vs. 15, where Paul said:

15.

But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me through His grace,

16. to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood,

17. nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

18.

Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days.

19.

But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord's brother.

*Paul spent most of that time in Arabia and then went back to Damascus before making the trip to Jerusalem in vs. 17.

With this background in mind, let's begin by reading Acts 22:12-24.

MESSAGE:

*Tonight, we are looking at the rest of Paul's testimony, because it can help us learn how to give our testimonies, even in troubled times.

The same mob that wanted to beat Paul to death in Acts 22 is still out there in the world today.

*Of course, the people are different, but the antichrist spirit is exactly the same.

Even in our own country, anti-Christian bigotry seems to grow stronger every day.

Taking a biblical view of marriage in the public square can cost your job and more.

According to many ungodly people running the show, right is now wrong and wrong is right.

*That's the kind of world we live in today, but again, God shows us see how to give our testimonies in troubled times and all the time.

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First, God wants us to talk about His glory.

*In vs. 17-18, Paul gives us another glimpse of the glory of God.

There the Apostle said:

17. "Then it happened, when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance

18. and saw Him saying to me, 'Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not receive your testimony concerning Me.'"

*Paul was in a "trance."

The word used there was "ekstasis," and that is where we get our word "ecstasy."

John Gill tells us that this may have been the miraculous experience Paul talked about in 2 Corinthians 12:1-4.

There Paul began to talk about himself in the third person.

And he said:

1.

It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast.

I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord:

2. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows such a one was caught up to the third heaven.

3.

And I know such a man whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows

4. how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

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*Dr.

Gill may have been right that this Acts 22 trance was the one mentioned by Paul in 2 Corinthians 12.

We can't know that for sure, but we certainly know God's purpose for this trance: God was warning Paul about the danger he faced in that long-ago visit to Jerusalem.

And the Lord chose to give that warning through a miraculous revelation.

*In vs. 18, Paul actually saw the Lord speaking to him, and one reason why is because God wants us to know more about His matchless glory.

That's also one of the reasons why Jesus first appeared to Paul on the road to Damascus.

*Paul described that first vision with these words from Acts 26:13-16:

13. "At midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me.

14.

And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?

It is hard for you to kick against the goads.'

15.

So I said, 'Who are You, Lord?' And He said, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

16.

But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you.'"

*When Jesus appeared to Paul, the Lord shined brighter than the sun!

And all of the travelers fell to the ground, because of the glory of God!

*You may be thinking, "I wish I could see the glory of God like that!"

And Christians: One day we will.

One day soon, we too will see God in all of His glory.

And we can take comfort in the words the Apostle John wrote to us in 1 John 3:1-2:

1. Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.

2. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

*One day we will see the glory of God in all of its fullness.

But Church: We have already seen flashes of God's glory in the wonders of the universe, in the beauty of nature, in the life-changing Word of God, in the miracles God still works in the world, and in the transformed lives of Christian people.

Yes, we have seen the glory of God.

2. So, talk about God's glory.

And talk about His guidance.

*Notice how the Lord guided Paul in vs. 18-21.

There Paul said he saw Jesus:

18. . .

saying to me, 'Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not receive your testimony concerning Me.'

19.

So I said, 'Lord, they know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believe on You.

20.

And when the blood of Your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by consenting to his death, and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.'

21.

Then He said to me, 'Depart, for I will send you far from here to the Gentiles.'''

*God guided Paul and He will surely guide us, IF we will let Him.

Please notice that Paul was reluctant to follow the Lord's guidance at first.

In vs. 18, Jesus told Paul to "get out of Jerusalem quickly."

But in vs. 19-20, Paul pleaded for the Lord to allow him to stay in Jerusalem.

*Paul wanted to make amends for the terrible things he had done.

He wanted to help the people that he had hurt so much.

Paul wanted to stay.

But God always knows best, so again in vs. 21 the Lord said, "Depart, for I will send you far from here to the Gentiles."

*Paul followed that guidance.

And we have been studying the wonderful results for over a year: Three mission trips across hundreds of miles, with many new churches started, and thousands of people saved!