Voting Video plays before me. I hope you are planning on voting in the coming weeks because we need to take biblical values into the voting booth. Fall is here and the rain is finally gone! Week of Prayer for Missions is just around the corner.
The intrigue & the theatre are high in our story today. There’s conspiracy, the drama of a courtroom, and even forty men taking a vow not to eat until they murder. Tempers are hot amid a plot of assassination all the while a teenager gets to be the hero.
The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.” 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.” 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.” (Acts 23:11–35)
Paul finds himself in a tough spot. Many of you have found yourself in a tough spot & the good news is God has His hands all around you for your protection: “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6–7).
G. K. Chesterton said, “Jesus promised His [followers] three things – that they would be completely fearless, absurdly happy, and in constant trouble.”
1. A Big Purpose
God has a big purpose for you, my believing friend. And you’ll never be truly happy until you discover your purpose. At the height of his success, the Beatles John Lennon wrote a personal letter. After quoting a line from a Beatles song, “Money can’t buy me love,” he wrote this: “It’s true. The point is this, I want happiness. I don’t want to keep on with drugs. . . . Explain to me what Christianity can do for me. Is it phony? Can He love me? I want out of hell.” You’ll never be truly happy until you discover your purpose.
“The following night the Lord stood by him and said, ‘Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome’” (Acts 23:11).
If you follower of Christ, God has a big purpose for you. Just as Paul testified about Jesus in Jerusalem, he is to testify about Jesus in Rome as well. Just as he testified about Jesus in Jerusalem, he is to testify about Jesus in Rome as well. Jesus still says to us: “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). God’s plan for reaching the world is mobilizing ordinary people.
1.1 Take Courage
To prepare Paul, the very first words out of Jesus’ mouth are, “… Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome” (Acts 23:11). The very first words from Christ’s mouth are: “Take courage” (Acts 23:11a). Three times we read about forty men taking an oath to kill Paul in our story – three times. Soak in the irony with me: these men are upset about Paul possibly breaking Moses’ commands so they decide to murder him! God doesn’t say His purpose is easy but living for His purpose is worth it. Take courage for you have a reason for living. God’s purpose for you isn’t a walk in the garden. To the frightened disciples on the storm-tossed Sea of Galilee, Jesus said when He used water as a sidewalk, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid” (Matthew 14:27b). And to these same men, Jesus said but hours before His crucifixion, “…take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33b). Jesus tells us to “take courage.”
1.2 The Great Commission
Jesus tells our friend, Paul, that he has a big purpose: “The following night the Lord stood by him and said, ‘Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome’” (Acts 23:11). Just as he testified about Jesus in Jerusalem, he is to testify about Jesus in Rome as well. Just as he testified about Jesus in Jerusalem, he is to testify about Jesus in Rome as well.
God has a big purpose. Believer, you have a purpose. Fathers, you are called to raise your children in the fear & admonition of the Lord. Mothers, you are called to faithfully point your child to Christ. Every believer has a purpose. “Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you’” (John 20:21). Your purpose is to spread the love of Jesus. Your purpose is to testify about Jesus’ death & resurrection for your sins: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:18b–20a). Here’s your purpose, Jesus says, “Testify of me.”
1. A Big Purpose
2. A Big Promise
Jesus makes a big promise to our friend, Paul: “The following night the Lord stood by him and said, ‘Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome’” (Acts 23:11). Jesus makes a visit to Paul in prison cell late at night where He hears this incredible promise.
2.1 Driving in Asia
I have made several trips to Asia through the years. If you have never traveled in a vehicle in many of these countries, then you have no idea of scary it can be. After long days working away with volunteer teams from the hotel, riding back can be as my nerve-wracking. We would often travel in buses with vehicles coming in every direction. What should be two or three lanes here, quickly becomes six or seven lanes with pedestrians and ox-carts scattered in between. On top of all this, there’s mopeds & motorcycles everywhere you turn. Rather than watching all this chaos & my stress increasing, I simply turn my back to the windshield. I have learned to travel with my back turned to the windshield if want any peace. I trust the driver to navigate the chaos and get me back to the hotel safely. Much of our lives are just like this with our backs to the future, we have no exact idea of where we are in our journey. Yet, we can confidently trust the Lord is driving us home. When you are engaged in God’s work, you can know He will safely guide you home.
2.2 He Knows about Potential Trouble
No doubt Paul is anxious but just think how bad his anxiety would be had he known about these forty men! Here you are anxious about your life, but just think how stressed you’d be if you knew what was coming your way! Imagine your stress if you knew what was about to transpire with your loved ones. Imagine your anxiety if you knew what kind of genetic diseases your carried? Imagine your apprehension if you knew the criminal history of the people who live in your apartment complex? Don’t you know the Lord knows about your troubles before you do?
“For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock” (Psalm 27:5). How safe we are in the hands of our God!
2.2 He Knows Where to Find You
Don’t you realize, God knows where you are? Just as He knew where to find Paul, He knows where you are. Even if you find yourself in a dungeon like Paul, the Lord stands by you. Don’t you know, “When everyone else abandons you, the Lord stands by you?” Jesus sees you in the hospital just as He sees you in depression. If He can find Paul in prison, He can find you no matter where you are. Every believer who is diligent to testify about Jesus has this promise: the Lord stands by you.
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18b–20).
The Lord stood in for you at the cross & when you speak for Him, the Lord now stands by you! Jesus makes a big promise to people who are about His big purpose – I stand with you! All around you and me are opportunities to make much of Jesus Christ. People are open to talking about spiritual realities. And the Lord is with you.
2.3 An Avalanche of Promises
Do you realize the avalanche of promises written for you? “… he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6). “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:28). “No one” means “no one.” Let me demonstrate – I need a volunteer. I take her small hand and grasp her hand with my big hand. Now, try to get free from me. She cannot free herself from me anymore than God will let go of me.
You have an avalanche of promises coming to you, believers. “Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy…” (Jude 24). “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). The Lord has promised that those who He foreknew, He predestined, He called, He justifies, He will also glorify (Romans 8:30). “[He} will transform [your] lowly body to be like his glorious body…” (Philippians 3:21). And the moment you pass out of this life, Jesus promises, “so we will always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:18b) These are big promises Christ makes to every, single believer.
Are you in Christ?
1. A Big Purpose
2. A Big Promise
3. A Big Providence
God guides every detail of human history in order to fulfill his promises. It’s not fate or chance or even the strong eating the weak that runs the world, but God guiding every detail of human history. Let me show you: “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” (Acts 23:12). What stopped this band of forty men who vowed not to eat until they killed Paul?
A string of unlikely events… … a teenage boy overheard a plot; … this boy happened to be Paul’s sister’s son; … the boy happened to have the courage to tell the Roman centurion who guarded Paul; … the centurion took the boy seriously and even brought him to his commander, the tribune; … the tribune believed the teenager and commanded 200 soldiers, 70 horsemen, and an additional seventy spearmen to guard Paul. Every single one of these events were unlikely – even highly unlikely.
Jesus makes a big promise to people who are about His big purpose. Jesus makes a big promise to our friend, Paul and underneath stood a big providence: “The following night the Lord stood by him and said, ‘Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome’” (Acts 23:11). Paul was immortal until he had given his final testimony. God promises: “no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed…” (Isaiah 54:17a). Two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and an additional seventy spearmen represented more than half the Roman soldiers stationed at Jerusalem at the time. Paul entered our story as a prisoner but ended being guarded like a king! You don’t have to be the Apostle Paul to know you have a big purpose, a big promise, and a providence governing your life.
Conclusion
You can be confident in Jesus Christ, highly confident. You don’t have to ride staring at the chaos of life. Instead, you ride with confidence knowing He’s driving you home. Jesus promised His [followers] three things – that you will be completely fearless, absurdly happy, and in constant trouble.
Invitation
