Becoming an Effective Witness for Christ
Acts 23:1-11
Intro: [Get picture of a BMW] Has anyone here ever owned a BMW? Has anyone here ever wanted to own a BMW? Well, it may shock you to know that Jesus gave His disciples a BMW before He went back to heaven. Well, sort of. In Acts 1, Jesus told His disciples to wait in Jerusalem until God gave them the Holy Spirit. Then, in Acts 1:8 Jesus said, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses….” Jesus created in them an expectation. You might call it a BMW expectation (Be My Witnesses). Sorry to let you car lovers down like that, but the expectation of Jesus for us is that we would become effective witnesses who tell others what they have seen and heard and experienced from the Lord. The BMW Jesus gave to His followers was the expectation to “Be My Witnesses.” Another BMW says, “Be My Worshipers” and another “Be My Warriors.” So, what are we talking about today? Here it is in a nutshell:
Prop: Jesus wants us to be witnesses for Him, who effectively share the good news of His grace with others.
Interrogative: How can we do that?
TS: Well, as we look at how Paul handled himself before the Sanhedrin, we can pick up a few clues about being an effective witness for the Lord.
I. Effective Witnesses Show Respect to Others (Acts 23:1-5)
1 Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, "My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day." 2 At this the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth. 3 Then Paul said to him, "God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!" 4 Those who were standing near Paul said, "You dare to insult God’s high priest?" 5 Paul replied, "Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: ’Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’"
-I am taking the liberty here to broaden the principle of respect beyond what we see in this particular passage. Paul made every effort to honor God’s commands, which included not speaking evil about those God had chosen to lead His people. It didn’t matter whether they were right or wrong. Even David continued to honor King Saul, who had become a wicked and selfish man, because God’s word said, “Do not touch My anointed one.”
-Now, one might wonder how Paul could say he did not know the high priest. Paul had been a Pharisee and had interacted with the Sanhedrin at various times in his life. He knew that it was the high priest who presided over the Sanhedrin. There are various explanations for Paul pleading ignorant about the high priest’s identity. Paul may have been away from Jerusalem for quite some time, and may not have been familiar with the current high priest. However, in reality it hadn’t been all that long since he had been there. It is unlikely that he was dishonest about the fact that he did not recognize the high priest. Another possibility is that Paul had very poor eyesight and could not see who told them to hit Paul in the mouth. However, this is pure speculation. It is quite possible that this was just a time when Paul’s human imperfection revealed itself. After getting smacked in the mouth, he kind of lost his cool and basically cursed the high priest and challenged his right to judge because he was prescribing punishment before hearing a case. When Paul said he did not realize it was the high priest, that may have been his way of apologizing and retracting his comment. He really did want to show respect to those in authority, even if they were in the wrong, because he knew it pleased God.
-This high priest, Ananias, was famous for being both vicious and violent. He had been appointed by Herod, king of Chalcis some ten years earlier, but was deposed by King Agrippa in A.D. 59. Some years later he was murdered by assassins during the Jewish uprising of A.D. 66. Not a great spiritual leader, but still someone God wanted Paul to respect by reason of his authority and the role he filled.
-So, the particular principle we see here is that we should respect those whom God has anointed to lead His people. However, respect is really something we should attempt to show to all people – and I believe that is how Paul tried to live. At the very least, we can show respect to other people as those who bear the image of God. We can value them as human beings for whom Jesus died.
-If we want to be effective witnesses for the Lord to other people, we will need to earn the right to be heard. But if we rudely march into people’s lives, showing no respect for their thoughts or feelings, then it is unlikely that we will be effective witnesses to them.
-Several years ago, I started hearing the phrase, “Don’t dis me,” or “Don’t dis the way I dress or look.” What did the young people mean by that? They meant, “Don’t disrespect me or judge me by outward appearances.” “At least get to know me for who I am before you make judgments about me.” When we “dis” people, we are disrespecting those who were made in the image of God. We don’t have to agree with everything people do or how they present themselves, but we must be careful not to do anything that slams the door of God’s love on them. We need to set aside our personal preferences and accept and love people the way they are. Some of these differences may be cultural or generational, and really have no bearing on pleasing God. Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart.
-So, what do we do with this principle of respect? First, make sure that you show honor and respect to those in positions of authority and leadership. Don’t undermine our national leaders, state leaders, county or city officials. It doesn’t mean they are always right, but at least show respect for the place of authority they are in. But moving beyond that, show respect to all people. It doesn’t matter whether you encounter a homeless person on the street, or a well-dressed businessperson. Treat all people with love, respect, and dignity simply because they are human beings created in God’s image. That will help make us more effective as we tell others about the love and grace of God.
-TS: Let’s move on to another key to effectively pointing people to Jesus.
II. Effective Witnesses Are Innocent, Yet Wise (Acts 23:6-10)
6 Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, "My brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee. I stand on trial because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead." 7 When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8 (The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.) 9 There was a great uproar, and some of the teachers of the law who were Pharisees stood up and argued vigorously. "We find nothing wrong with this man," they said. "What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?" 10 The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force and bring him into the barracks.
-Part of me reads this and wonders if Paul was just being smart here and creating a distraction away from himself. The Pharisees and Sadducees did not agree on a lot of things. Paul surely knew that it wouldn’t take a whole lot to ignite the hostility that existed between these two groups. See, the Sanhedrin was the religious ruling body over Israel. The high priest resided over the Sanhedrin. Most of the 70 or so members of the Sanhedrin were Sadducees, but there were several Pharisees as well. Most of the opposition to Jesus and to His followers came from the Sadducees. Jesus and Paul had much more in common with the Pharisees than with the Sadducees. In fact, Paul had been a Pharisee, and identified himself as one here.
-So the reaction of the Pharisees is not all that surprising. Yet, as I look at this passage, I don’t believe that Paul was trying to confuse the issue. He appealed to the Pharisees, knowing that they believed in the resurrection, which did not place them too far away from believing in Jesus. As Paul stood up and said this, perhaps the Pharisees really began to understand that what Paul had been teaching, preaching, and living really did make a lot of sense. They realized that their doctrine was not so far removed from Paul’s doctrine about Jesus and the resurrection.
-So in one sense Paul was boiling down all the issues of Christianity to the one central issue – the resurrection. He teaches in 1 Cor. 15 that the resurrection of Jesus gives us hope for the future resurrection of every believer. The Pharisees believed in the resurrection, but didn’t have as much to base it on as Paul did. The fact that Jesus rose from the dead gives a solid foundation for the future resurrection of believers. Paul taught that Jesus was the first fruits of those who rise from the dead. So, I think Paul was sincerely reaching out to the Pharisees, appealing to their belief in the resurrection as a connection to His faith and devotion to Jesus.
-Having said that, we cannot deny that God gave Paul wisdom to say what he said about the resurrection. The feud that transpired between the Pharisees and Sadducees may have spared his life for the time being. As the Pharisees and Sadducees began shouting at each other, the high priest, Ananias lost control of the hearing and the troops had to come to Paul’s rescue. If this had not happened, it is likely that Paul would have been accused of disturbing the peace, the pax Romana, which was punishable by death. Many others had stood before the Sanhedrin and had met their death as a result of their rulings. Stephen was one of them, and Paul had been there giving his consent to Stephen’s death before he had a personal encounter with Jesus.
-Jesus told his disciples in Matthew 10:16 “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd or wise as snakes and as innocent as doves.” Paul used his situation both to bring the Pharisees closer to receiving Jesus, and to create a distraction that would end the proceedings that could very well cost him his life. He wasn’t afraid to die for the cause of Christ, but it was not his time to do so yet. I really believe the Lord led him to do what he did, giving him the wisdom to create the riot among the Sanhedrin, while at the same time appealing to the Pharisees to embrace the fullness of the resurrection of Jesus as the basis for our own future resurrection.
-TS: So, it’s okay to be wise and shrewd in our approach, as long as we are being led by the Lord and not sacrificing our integrity or testimony. This final point is perhaps the most important one to remember.
III. Effective Witnesses Need the Encouragement of Christ’s Presence (Acts 23:11)
11 The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, "Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome."
-I hope you know that the Lord is near you, with you, and in you, if you have surrendered the leadership of your life to Him. Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 28:20, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." He also said He would never leave us or forsake us.
-If we want to be effective witnesses about Jesus to a lost and dark world, we will need to have regular times of encouragement when Jesus stands near us and gives us the strength and hope we need. Most of us do not live in fear for our lives as Paul often did, but we still need the closeness of God’s presence to sustain us and energize us.
-How do we do this? Is there something we can do to know the Lord’s nearness? Can we take the initiative to come close to God and experience His help? Let me answer that with a resounding YES!
-We can draw near to Jesus through times of personal prayer, and in times of prayer together with other believers. We can have personal times of worship and singing in the presence of the Lord, and we can also join together for corporate times of worship and celebration. We can read God’s word and be reminded of His great and precious promises to us. We can study the Bible together with other believers to find direction and hope, as we study God’s word to us, and his promise to be with us.
-When is the last time you spent some quality time just basking in the presence of the Lord? Sometimes you don’t even have to say anything. You can just sit and enjoy and receive what you need from the Lord. The more we connect with God, the more we will begin to hear Him speak to our hearts and minds, giving us the courage and reassurance we need.
-James 5:13 says, “Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.” Do you need encouragement from the Lord? Come near to God and he will come near to you.
Conclusion: As we wrap up today, what should we do with what we’ve heard? How can we become more effective as we share the love of Jesus with others? Start by showing respect to all people. Learn to appreciate each and every person on this earth as people whom God created and loves – no matter what poor choices they have made or how offensive they might be to us. Be sincere and innocent as you share your faith, but also use common sense and ask God for wisdom to know what is needed in each situation. God can rescue us from any situation, but let’s apply the wisdom He has given us to our life situations. And finally, get close to Jesus. Make it part of your daily activities to spend some time in His presence, praising Him, and receiving the encouragement and strength you need. God doesn’t just want witnesses. He wants effective witnesses who can accurately relate to others what they have seen, heard, and experienced about Jesus.
