The Mission: God Delivers the Righteous (Acts 23:12-35)
Acts: The Mission of the Church • Sermon • Submitted
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INTRO
INTRO
If you have your Bibles, please open to Acts 23. Last week, among many other things, I said that “When God speaks, things happen.” This might be the only time in the sermon I say this, but it is important. When God’s people speak God’s words, things happen!
God’s words spoken by God’s people will either cause great victory, or God’s words will so prick people’s hearts that those people will conspire against God’s people to bring all kinds of evil to bear on that person. People are either moved toward God or away from God, but when God’s people speak God’s words, things do happen!
In this morning’s text something did indeed happen. Paul was delivered from yet another murderous plot. First, we are going to discover how God delivered Paul, then we are going to consider what deliverance means today.
Paul had spoken God’s words on the temple mount and in court. Some people defended Paul and other conspired against him. Let’s read what happened in response to God’s words starting in Acts 23:12...
Acts 23:12–15 (ESV)
12 When it was day, the Jews made a plot and bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. 13 There were more than forty who made this conspiracy. 14 They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have strictly bound ourselves by an oath to taste no food till we have killed Paul. 15 Now therefore you, along with the council, give notice to the tribune to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case more exactly. And we are ready to kill him before he comes near.”
Proverbs 1 describes these more than forty people quite accurately. We read these words in...
Proverbs 1:10,11,16 (ESV) 10 My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. 11 If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood; let us ambush the innocent without reason; 16 for their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood.
The wicked have feet that run to evil (23:12-15; Prov 1:10-16)
The wicked have feet that run to evil (23:12-15; Prov 1:10-16)
More than forty wicked people conspired to kill Paul. They hated Paul so much that they believed they could only be happy if Paul was removed from their lives permanently. Do you see the desperation of their oath? “Either we will die or Paul will die." Here is a spoiler.... Paul didn’t die for another 4-6 years! They either broke their oaths or died of starvation!
The devil loves trying to devour God’s people, but we need to know...
We need to know that Satan devours his own people. (1 Pet 5:8; Jn 10:10; Is 14:12-20)
We need to know that Satan devours his own people. (1 Pet 5:8; Jn 10:10; Is 14:12-20)
If we are going to understand the bigger picture in Acts 23, we have to understand this concept. We cannot really praise God for his merciful deliverance unless we spend some time understanding what it is God delivered us from. I know I have mentioned this before, but it is important for where we are going this morning. Let’s look at the first part of that phrase....
Satan devours. (1 Pet 5:8; Jn 10:10)
Gen 2:7 says, “God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being.” God breathes life… that is is chief nature. Satan devours. That is Satan’s chief nature. 1 Peter 5:8 describes Satan as the apex predator.
1 Peter 5:8 (ESV) “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
God breathes life into people or he “rescues” people from Satan’s jaws.
John 10:10 (ESV) 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.
Highlight, circle, double, triple circle the word “only” in Jn 10:10. Devouring is what Satan does. He can ONLY steal, kill and destroy. He can’t do anything but those things. He can’t stop doing those things because that is who he chose to be. We see this trait very clearly in all of Acts and also in the intense chapters of 21-28. Satan constantly tried to devour Paul, the other apostles, and the early Christians. But Satan was not acting alone. More than forty of Satan’s own people conspired to kill Paul, but they were not going to succeed.
Satan devours, but he cannot devour God’s people, therefore...
Satan devours his own people. (Is 14:12-20)
Who are “his own people”? Please locate the book of Isaiah in your Bible. If you open to the middle of your Bible and flip to the right you’ll be really close. You are looking for Isaiah 14. While you are locating that passage we need to know this… A person belongs to either God or to Satan. Satan’s people think like Satan. God’s people think like God. There is no middle ground.
All Satan’s evil is spawned from one specific sinful thought and Isaiah 14:12-15 contains that thought. As you follow along, you might want to highlight all the times Satan thought the words, “I will.” Here it is,
(Isaiah 14:12–15 ESV) 12 “How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! 13 You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ 15 But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit.
How many times did Satan think the words, “I will”? Five times. All evil spawns from selfishness. Selfishness is ill-gotten gain of all sorts, so Satan’s people think the very thing Satan thought, “I want to be king, so I will do whatever it takes… “I just can’t wait to be king.” Get this though, Satan’s own people are not even safe from Satan. Look back at Is 14 and find verse 20. It says this...
“you have destroyed your land, you have slain your people.” (Isaiah 14:20 ESV)
Satan wants to be king, but a king is supposed to protect his own people. Satan is not a negligent ruler. He is far more evil. He is the worst kind of evil possible. He is a bloody, conniving, and murderous being. Think about this for a moment. This is important if we are going to appreciate God’s deliverance. God is against Satan’s people and Satan is against his own people!
I immediately think of the book of Daniel. Satan’s person, Nebuchadnezzar, commanded his henchmen to throw Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael into the fiery furnace. Who died? Not God’s people! It was Satan’s own people who died. Several year later, wicked rulers under King Darius devised a trap for Daniel. Daniel was aware of the trap, but he continued faithfully serving God and Satan’s people threw Daniel into the lion’s den.
I think the lions in that den is an illustration of Satan himself. Satan’s mouth was shut. He couldn’t devour Daniel because God breathes life and delivers His own people. Satan though… wow, what did satan do there? Satan devoured every evil person, who plotted against Daniel and he also devoured their children and their wives and,
Daniel 6:24 (ESV) says that, “before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces.”
The lion is hungry and must devour his own people because they are the only food he will ever get!
(pause)
From Jn 10:10, we just read that, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy” but the second part of the verse is so beautiful by comparison. It says, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” God always protects and delivers His people by giving them abundant life.
The wicked plot, scheme, and set up tree stands but God allows the righteous to evade their schemes.
Listen to the way God delivers according to Psalm 18:31–33...
31 For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God?— 32 the God who equipped me with strength and made my way blameless. 33 He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights.
If the wicked’s feet run to evil and hunt the righteous then...
The righteous have feet like a deer. (Ps 18:31-33; Acts 23:16-35)
The righteous have feet like a deer. (Ps 18:31-33; Acts 23:16-35)
Let’s flip back to Acts 23 again to read how God delivered Paul from Satan’s schemes. I’ll begin at verse 16.
16 Now the son of Paul’s sister heard of their ambush, so he went and entered the barracks and told Paul. 17 Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the tribune, for he has something to tell him.” 18 So he took him and brought him to the tribune and said, “Paul the prisoner called me and asked me to bring this young man to you, as he has something to say to you.” 19 The tribune took him by the hand, and going aside asked him privately, “What is it that you have to tell me?”
20 And he said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to inquire somewhat more closely about him. 21 But do not be persuaded by them, for more than forty of their men are lying in ambush for him, who have bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they have killed him. And now they are ready, waiting for your consent.” 22 So the tribune dismissed the young man, charging him, “Tell no one that you have informed me of these things.”
23 Then he called two of the centurions and said, “Get ready two hundred soldiers, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go as far as Caesarea at the third hour of the night. 24 Also provide mounts for Paul to ride and bring him safely to Felix the governor.” 25 And he wrote a letter to this effect:
26 “Claudius Lysias, to his Excellency the governor Felix, greetings. 27 This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them when I came upon them with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman citizen. 28 And desiring to know the charge for which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their council. 29 I found that he was being accused about questions of their law, but charged with nothing deserving death or imprisonment. 30 And when it was disclosed to me that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, ordering his accusers also to state before you what they have against him.”
31 So the soldiers, according to their instructions, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. 32 And on the next day they returned to the barracks, letting the horsemen go on with him. 33 When they had come to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they presented Paul also before him. 34 On reading the letter, he asked what province he was from. And when he learned that he was from Cilicia, 35 he said, “I will give you a hearing when your accusers arrive.” And he commanded him to be guarded in Herod’s praetorium.
Because God is all-knowing, none of those wicked men could hide their thoughts from God. God knew their thoughts long before they knew their thoughts themselves. So God caused Paul’s nephew to discover their plans. God caused Paul’s nephew to value righteousness, so he did the right thing and told Paul and then Claudius, then God caused Claudius to spoil the wicked plans by transferring Paul to the Jail in Caesarea with a large detachment of soldiers to keep Paul safe from the wicked schemes.
The righteous have feet like a deer. God faithfully delivers the righteous.
(PAUSE)
Now, people have very different ideas about what God’s deliverance is and...
We need to know what “deliverance” means.
We need to know what “deliverance” means.
Deliverance has been a sub-theme in Acts which I have not yet explored. The final chapters of this book have strong themes of deliverance, so with the time remaining this morning, I wish to clarify what God’s deliverance is. From this point on, you’ll know what I mean when I speak about deliverance and you’ll know what Paul and David, and Solomon taught about God’s deliverance. I am going to move through several references very quickly and I found many references close to Psalm 32 to help you find the passages faster. All the passages are in your notes so you can be like the Bereans and study them for yourselves later on to see if these things are so.
Deliverance is victory over sin. (Rom 6:12-14)
Listen to God’s words which Paul repeated in...
Romans 6:12–14 (ESV) 12 Let not sin reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
This one is quite clear. God wants us to experience the best life has to offer, but sin prevents us from experiencing the very best. He will very gladly deliver us from sinful thoughts, words, and actions. His will is that we constantly experience victory sin, so deliverance over sin is a promise. He will always make a way to escape when we wholly rely on his strength to pull us out.
Deliverance might be protection from evil plots. (Ps 31:19-20; 34:16-18)
Plots such as what Paul continually faced in Acts and the plot of the more than forty men in Acts 23. God loves delivering His people from evil plots. God repeatedly saved David from evil plots. Listen to his words from these two passages. First,
Psalm 31:19–20 (ESV) 19 Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind! 20 In the cover of your presence you hide them from the plots of men; you store them in your shelter from the strife of tongues.
Psalm 34:16–18 (ESV) “16 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. 17 When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. 18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”
God hates the schemes of Satan and Satan’s people. When God delivers the righteous, such as Paul in this morning’s text, the wicked are frustrated and tormented. Yes, the Lord loves delivering, His people from evil plots, and He delivers from plots rather frequently. Jesus passed through the midst of the mob who intended to kill him. Paul slipped out of Damascus by a basket, Saul camped right outside the cave David was hiding in and David was not discovered but protection from evil plots is not guaranteed.
Jesus was delivered by God to those who hung him on the cross. Paul was beaten, whipped, stoned, and left for dead. Believers in the book of Acts all the way up to today have been imprisoned, starved tortured, beheaded, and more. Sometimes God allows the evil’s plots to come to pass because sometimes we have to endure very hard things in order to reach some very hardened people.
If we read Psalm 34: 17-18 again, I’ll show you something. If we take verse 17 out of context, we could assume deliverance from plots is a promise. Why would David write....
17 When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.
but then follow it up with...
18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”
What causes broken hearts and crushed spirits? The plots and schemes of evil people. What David is saying is 1. Look for God’s physical deliverance, because God loves shattering chains and allowing the brokenhearted to freely walk out of a heavily guarded prison cell. David also made another point. The wicked may harm the body, but God will still deliver their hearts and crushed spirits.
Deliverance is peace during chaos. (Ps 4:4-8; Ps 64:10; Ps 31:21-24)
Psalm 4:4–8 (ESV) 4 Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent.
When relationships are so chaotic that we are tempted to respond in anger because our spirits are crushed, God says, “Peace be still” to our chaotic hearts.
5 Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord. (even though chaos abounds) 6 There are many who say, “Who will show us some good? Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!” 7 You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound. 8 In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.
Though everything else around might be more chaotic than it ever has been before, we can experience deliverance from sleepless nights, anger, and fear.
Psalm 64:10 (ESV) 10 Let the righteous one rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in him! Let all the upright in heart exult!
Why take refuge? because something is happening outside of our control to our bodies, but God wants to deliver our “hearts” meaning our means our minds and our souls. This kind of deliverance is guaranteed.
Psalm 31:21-24 (ESV)
21 Blessed be the Lord, for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me when I was in a besieged city. 22 I had said in my alarm, “I am cut off from your sight.” But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy when I cried to you for help. 23 Love the Lord, all you his saints! The Lord preserves the faithful but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride. 24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!
The besieged city may fall, but God will always deliver our hearts. Let’s move on to the next point.
Deliverance might be escape from physical death. (1 Cor 15:51-52; Rom 6:23; Heb 9:27)
In the Old Testament Enoch and Elijah were taken up into heaven and did not experience physical death. At some point in the future, many Christians will also be delivered from physical death...
Paul prophesied of this through the power of the Holy Spirit when he wrote these words in 1 Corinthians 15:51–52 (ESV)...
51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.
Escape from death is possible but it is not probable. We have to be very careful to interpret the word “deliverance” accurately. Many people come away from Scripture believing they will not experience hardships, pain suffering or even death. If that was true, then God is a liar! God has very clearly declared in… Romans 6:23 (ESV) that, “the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Hebrews 9:27 (ESV) says that, “it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,”
In both of those verses God declared that human bodies must follow the laws of nature. It is natural that anything touched by sin’s poison must die. Deliverance from physical death is is a statistical improbability, but we have this confidence… we will not die before our mission is complete.
If we think back to what we have learned from Acts 23 this morning, we realize God didn’t deliver Paul from death, but God delivered Paul from pre-mature death. That is a very important distinction.
(pause)
Deliverance is one more thing. Please locate Psalm 33 in your Bible. I have saved the best for last.... Deliverance is...
Deliverance is escape from eternal death. (Ps 33:13-22; Acts 16:31)
Psalm 33:13–22 (ESV) 13 The Lord looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man; 14 from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, 15 he who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds. 16 The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. 17 The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue.
In other words, deliverance has very little to do with the body. Kings and rulers try to cheat death by being bigger, faster, stronger. Kings best war technology cannot even save them from physical death. God is concerned with something even more important than life and that something is named in verse 15. If you have a highlighter or pen (something pink or red), I encourage you to mark up the word “heart” in verses 15 and 21. God has a different kind of deliverance in mind. Let’s read on in verse 18 and you will find some key words repeated.... “heart” “soul” and “hope”.
18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, 19 that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine. 20 Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. 21 For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. 22 Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.
Our hearts were once as far from Christ as the east is to the west. There is no possible way the East and the West can ever meet but God did the impossible! God delivers hearts so that our souls will not experience the anguish of hell and separation from his love and majestic presence for all time.
Closing Statement
Closing Statement
In closing, I hope we all have all written the same definition for the word “deliverance” in our dictionaries! This definition is the same one Paul had in mind. Jesus had appeared directly next to him the very night before Jews plotted to murder Paul. Jesus could have guided Paul out of prison that night, but he didn’t do that. Instead Jesus showed that Paul must suffer some physical discomfort. Jesus did not deliver Paul’s body, Jesus promised to continue delivering Paul from fear, doubt, and discouragement.
Many situations in our lives cause us to look for deliverance. Some people look to drugs, others to alcohol, others to pornography, some to money, some to food. God does not leave His people without hope. In difficult times, we need to hear and speak God’s words to ourselves and remind ourselves of these precious truths. God never designed us to deliver ourselves. He created us to need Him and to call out to Him for that.
Are you weary, are you heavy hearted? Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.
Are you grieving over joys departed? Tell it to Jesus alone.
Do the tears flow down your cheeks unbidden? Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.
Have you sins that to men’s eyes are hidden? Tell it to Jesus alone.
Do you fear the gathering clouds of sorrow? Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.
Are you anxious what shall be tomorrow? Tell it to Jesus alone.
Are you troubled at the thought of dying? Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.
For Christ’s coming kingdom are you sighing? Tell it to Jesus alone.
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus, He is a Friend that’s well known.
You’ve no other such a friend or brother, Tell it to Jesus alone.
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Prayer Ideas:
Prayer Ideas:
Cause us to discern between evil and righteous. That we not fall in with nor follow the wicked.
There are those in our neighborhood, state, and country who are, even now preparing to trap your people. You know their plans and you know where their traps are buried. Please cause their traps to rust, rot and decay.
Turn the hearts of the wicked toward your eternal deliverance.
Cause us to rest in your deliverance:” knowing our souls are secure and being “ok” with whatever plans you might have for our bodies.