Our Great High Priest Series

Acts 23 v 1-11 Our Great High Priest

Paul's Defence

His Stare - 1 And Paul, earnestly beholding the council,

His Statement - said, Men and brethren,

His Standing - I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.

His Struggle - It was -

Immoral - The Source - 2 And the high priest Ananias

Irrational - The Stupidity - commanded them that stood by him

Illegal - The Severity - to smite him on the mouth. (Full blown punch)

The Reality of This Opposition - It's Emergence - It has always been

8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother,

and slew him.

1 John 3:12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.

The Rigour of This Opposition - It's Eminence - It will always be.

1 Peter 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

The Reason of This Opposition - It's Emphasis - It must always be.

Romans 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God:

for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

Response to This Opposition - It's Endurance - It must be defeated

Revelation 7: The Classification - 13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?

The Qualification - 14 and I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

The Glorification - 15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.

Paul's Defiance -

The Word - 3 Then said Paul unto him,

The Warning - God shall smite thee, thou whited wall:

The Want - for sittest thou to judge me after the law, & commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?

The War - 4 and they that stood by said, Revilest thou God's high priest?

The Witness - He is No High Priest - No - Standing, Standard, or Status.

I have seen the face of Jesus, Tell me not of aught beside;

I have heard the voice of Jesus, All my soul is satisfied;

5 Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest:

for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.

Paul's Deflection -

His Perception - 6 But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees,

His Profession - he cried out in the council, Men and brethren,

I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee:

His Position - of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.

His Partition -

The Dissension - 7 And when he had so said,

there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees:

and the multitude was divided.

The Division - 8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.

The Diversion - 9 And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees' part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man:

but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God. The Detention - 10 And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle.

Paul's Deflation -

The Revelation - 11 And the night following the Lord stood by him,

The Restoration - and said, Be of good cheer, Paul:

The Recognition - for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem,

The Regulation - so must thou bear witness also at Rome.