Principles For Life

I Will Build My Church: Luke & Acts Series  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  44:13
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The Setting… follows on the heels of last Sunday where Paul shares his testimony with the crowd.
The commander is going to have Paul whipped but found out he was a Roman citizen by birth!
The commander desires to know why Paul is being accused and sets up a trial among the religious leaders of the Jews… the Sanhedrin.
Paul is in his care/ his protection/ but he needs to know what the charges are… he sits Paul down before the council…
Paul’s Speech to the Sanhedrin… Acts 23:1-6
Acts 23:1–6 NASB95
Paul, looking intently at the Council, said, “Brethren, I have lived my life with a perfectly good conscience before God up to this day.” The high priest Ananias commanded those standing beside him to strike him on the mouth. Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to try me according to the Law, and in violation of the Law order me to be struck?” But the bystanders said, “Do you revile God’s high priest?” And Paul said, “I was not aware, brethren, that he was high priest; for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’ ” But perceiving that one group were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul began crying out in the Council, “Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead!”
This is a bold stance Paul takes… but look at the outcome… Acts 23:7-10 Paul is aware of both his audience and that standing trial before them there would be neither justice or a listening heart. Paul divides his enemy...
Acts 23:7–10 NASB95
As he said this, there occurred a dissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor an angel, nor a spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all. And there occurred a great uproar; and some of the scribes of the Pharisaic party stood up and began to argue heatedly, saying, “We find nothing wrong with this man; suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” And as a great dissension was developing, the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them and ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force, and bring him into the barracks.
I want us to look at Three Principles we see both Declared and Demonstrated by Paul in this brief dissertation...

A Clear Conscience

Paul makes a bold statement here…
Clear conscience before God the final judge of things
NOT perfect but in good standing with God.
CONSCIENCE: that inner voice… (NOT Jiminny Cricket)knowledge about something / that faculty which can determine between right and wrong… moral sensitivity
It’s like a window frame that lets light in… the clearer the window the better we see God’s truth and implement it in our lives...
HOWEVER… as we allow it to become dirty less and less comes through...
1 Corinthians speaks about a defiled conscience as we allow the idols of the world into our lives murky
Hebrews 10 speaks to an evil conscience we can allow to come in as we draw further from the truth
1 Timothy 4 speaks about having a seared or severed conscience where one might even begin to call good wrong!
Our danger comes from when we begin to examine ourselves or our conscience by those around us rather than God’s Word…
Keep yourself before we God in constant check with His Word and in prayer before God working through His Spirit, because even Paul had to declare before the 1 Corinthians 4:4
1 Corinthians 4:4 NASB95
For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord.

Respect For Authority

I genuinely believe Paul did not know, that he was not being sarcastic. (the Priest was wrong, punishment before proven guilty)
Paul most certainly did not agree with the one who held this office
He did not agree with how he was dealing with things or see eye to eye YET
He recognizes the position and God as the One who has stated how we are to respect authority…
It was Paul who wrote in Romans 13:1-2 verse 5 states we do this not only due to fear of wrath but for CONSCIENCE SAKE! God told us to!!!
Romans 13:1–2 NASB95
Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.
You and I do not have to agree with the authority over us, however… followers of Christ should set the example of showing respect for the positions of authority even while we may oppose the ideas and philosophies leaders may present or stand for the truths of God’s Word.
I am ashamed to be linked with how some interact with our leaders and what they say to one another and on social media.
We should be setting the standard for respect

Hope of the Resurrection

Paul realizes that there is no justice to be had, but that a clear statement needs to be given for why he is on trial… In stating this he also divides those who oppose him.
HOPE… Expectant a looking forward with confidence!
Paul would declare and clearly state why we have such a HOPE and without the resurrection we are HOPELESS! 1 Corinthians 15:12-19
1 Corinthians 15:12–19 NASB95
Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.
NOW… if we truly do have this hope… do we live like we do?
in 1 Peter 3:15 we are challenged by Peter...
1 Peter 3:15 NASB95
but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;
How we live (CONSCIENCE) and how we respond (RESPECT) allows you and I an opportunity to share our testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ with those around us!!!

Faithfulness

A few verses down we are privileged to see God’s perspective on what Paul’s DECLARED and how he DEMONSTRATED those words before his audience… Acts 23:11
Acts 23:11 NASB95
But on the night immediately following, the Lord stood at his side and said, “Take courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also.”
May God find you and I faithful in how we act, speak, and interact with the world around us and as He sees us faithful may we be sensitive to the opportunities to share the HOPE we have in Jesus Christ!
Let us take time now to REMEMBER Him as we prepare to partake in communion. (Men come forward as we close in prayer)
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