THE CITIZENSHIP CARD
Text: Acts 22:24-29
Introduction
1. Illustration: In America, unlike any other country of the time, the Founders envisioned a land where people of all faiths could worship God without fear of persecution. The freedom to worship would, in turn, cultivate the piety and virtue necessary for the success of self-government. Washington noted that it would be folly to believe that national morality could be sustained without the support and guidance of religion. And although the Founders provided the widest scope for religious liberty, they presupposed that the principles of the Judeo-Christian tradition would be enshrined in the hearts of all citizens. These religious principles, Benjamin Rush argued, should be encouraged for they “promote the happiness of society and the safety and well-being of civil government.” (William J. Bennett. Our Sacred Honor: The Spirit of America. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1997).
2. This nation has been built on the principle of religious liberty. In fact, it is a part of the First Amendment of our Constitution. Yet, in recent decades, religious freedom has been dwindling under the disguise of “separation of church and state,” something which does not appear in our Constitution.
3. For this reason, I feel it is important that we realize what our rights are as citizens of this great nation.
4. Read Acts 22:24-29
Transition: It is vital that we…
I. Know Our Rights (24-25).
A. Is It Legal
1. Paul had found himself in a difficult predicament. The crowd around him wanted to kill, and the Roman commander wanted to know what all of the trouble was about but wasn’t able to find anything out because of all the chaos.
2. So, the commander decided to take things into his own hands. In v. 24 we read, “The commander brought Paul inside and ordered him lashed with whips to make him confess his crime. He wanted to find out why the crowd had become so furious.”
a. The Roman commander was losing his patience with this situation.
b. He couldn’t get anything out of the furious crowd, and although he had a connection with Paul because he had spoken to the commander in his own language, he couldn’t get anything from him either.
c. So, he figured he’d beat it out of him. He gave an order for Paul to be whipped hoping to get a confession out of him.
d. Now Paul had been subjected to his share of physical abuse over the years. He had been stoned and left for dead, and he had been whipped with canes, just to name a few.
e. But this was far more severe than anything he had experience up to this point. This was the same flogging that Jesus had received before his crucifixion.
f. This particular form of torture, called the flagellum in Latin, involved being whipped with leather straps that had pieces of bone, sharp metal, or glass imbedded in them, and it was attached to a wooden handle.
g. This beating was so severe that if it didn’t kill you, it could leave you lamed, taking several months if not years to recover from, if you recovered at all.
3. However, look what Paul does before the beating commenced. In v. 25 it says, “When they tied Paul down to lash him, Paul said to the officer standing there, “Is it legal for you to whip a Roman citizen who hasn’t even been tried?”
a. Now, here’s the scene. The soldiers had tied Paul down and were getting ready to give him a beating. But Paul, as the savvy and intelligent man that he was, knew his rights as a Roman citizen.
b. So, he looked up at the officer standing there and asked him, “Is it legal for you to whip a Roman citizen what hasn’t even been tried?”
c. You see, the commander nor the soldiers were aware that Paul was a Roman citizen by birth. They assumed he was a local Jew, but actually his father was a Roman citizen, and therefore, Paul by birth was a Roman too!
d. By law, a citizen of Rome could not be punished without first having a trial, and a Roman citizen could not be interrogated by beating or torture.
e. Since Paul was a Roman citizen by birth, what they were about to do to him was illegal, and they were in jeopardy of being punished severely for what they were about to do to him. And Paul knew it.
f. Now it’s one thing to be tortured, or even die, for the sake of the Gospel if you have no other choice. But Paul had a choice, so he exercised his rights.
g. The important thing that we need to see here is that Paul knew his rights.
h. As Christians and citizens of the United States of America, we too have certain unquestionable rights.
i. We have the freedom of exercising the religion of our choice and practicing that religion as we choose.
j. We also have the freedom of speech, and therefore, have the right to publicly proclaim what we believe.
k. In addition, we have the freedom of press. We can publicize what we believe as Christians.
l. And we need to stand on those rights guaranteed us by the U.S. Constitution.
B. Citizens of Heaven and Our Nation
1. Illustration: The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution reads as follows: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
2. As Christians, we are dual-citizens, and we need to know our benefits in both lands.
a. “But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.” (Phil. 3:20).
b. First, and foremost, we are citizens of heaven, and we have a list of benefits that accompany that citizenship.
1) We have been bought by the blood of Jesus Christ, and therefore, we have been redeemed, and our sins have been washed away.
2) We have the Holy Spirit living inside of us and He empowers us to be Jesus’ witnesses.
3) We have a home prepared for us where there is no more sorrow, pain, or sadness, and we will live there for eternity.
4) We have a God who hears and answers our prayers as long as there are in line with the will of God and are asked in Jesus’ name.
5) Our God loves us, protects us, and provides for our needs.
c. Second, we are citizens of the United States, and we are guaranteed certain rights and privileges according to the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
1) We have the right to worship as we see fit.
2) We have the right to speak about our faith to whomever will listen.
3) We have the right to publish materials that explain our faith.
4) We have the right to meet together and worship.
5) We have the right to vote.
d. In both of these places, we need to know our rights and privileges and what we are entitled to because of them.
e. Be aware of who you are, what you believe, and to what you are entitled.
Transition: In addition to knowing our rights, we need to make sure we are…
II. Standing On Our Rights (26-29).
A. Citizen By Birth
1. Once the officer heard that Paul was a Roman citizen and that they were about to deny him of his rights, he went to the commander with the news. In vv. 26-28 Luke tells us, “When the officer heard this, he went to the commander and asked, “What are you doing? This man is a Roman citizen!” 27 So the commander went over and asked Paul, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” “Yes, I certainly am,” Paul replied.28 “I am, too,” the commander muttered, “and it cost me plenty!” Paul answered, “But I am a citizen by birth!”
a. The officer goes to the commander and asks him, “What are you doing?”
b. Now, I’ve never been in the military, but I’d imagine going to the commanding officer and saying, “what in tarnation are you doing,” goes over really well.
c. But this officer knew what was at stake. To deprive a Roman citizen of these rights brought a serious charge.
d. So, the commander went to Paul and asks if he was a Roman citizen, and Paul says that indeed he was a citizen.
e. Then the commander finds out something more serious than he actually expected. He tells Paul that he too was a Roman citizen, and then adds, “and it cost me plenty.”
f. The commander was forced to buy his citizenship. Although it was somewhat frowned upon, it was actually possible to purchase, usually through a bribe, your citizenship. However, if you bought your citizenship, you were looked at as a second-class citizen.
g. Now, look at Paul’s response, “But I am a citizen by birth!” Paul was basically one-upping the commander, telling him that, unlike the commander, he was born a citizen, and therefore, superior in a sense to him.
2. Now, the commander was really in hot water. Not only had he mistreated a Roman citizen, but also one that had more status than himself. Look at what Luke tells us in v. 29, “The soldiers who were about to interrogate Paul quickly withdrew when they heard he was a Roman citizen, and the commander was frightened because he had ordered him bound and whipped.”
a. Once the ones questioning Paul heard the news of his citizenship, they wiped their hands and said, “nope, not me, this is on you!”
b. They knew how serious an offense this was and that they could already be in deep trouble. You see, not only were they about to scourge him, but they also had him in chains, which was another thing they were forbidden by law to do to a citizen without a trial.
c. Paul had them under a barrel, and they knew it.
d. You see, knowing your rights is one thing, but standing on them is something else.
e. Knowing your rights is important, but if you don’t stand up and say, “you can’t do that to me,” is something else.
f. Allowing someone take our rights away from us without just cause is no one’s fault but our own.
B. Right to Become Children of God
1. Illustration: “Every experience of trial puts us to this test: “Do you trust God or don’t you?” (Elizabeth Elliot)
2. It’s time for us, like the brave saints before us, to take a stand against the forces of darkness that come against us!
a. “But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.” (Jn. 1:12).
b. When we give our lives to Jesus, He gives us the right to become children of God.
c. Think about that for a moment. He gives us the right to become the children of God. Children of diplomats are exempt from persecution, even if they do something stupid. It’s called diplomatic immunity. You can’t touch them!
d. Now, we are the children of God, and He is the ruler of the universe! He is also the King of King’s and the Lord of Lord’s, and you are His child.
e. We need to be aware of this when we are faced with temptation from the devil. Our diplomatic immunity is the blood of Jesus and the power that is in His name!
f. However, we also have certain rights and privileges as citizens of the United States.
g. Brave people have given their lives to guarantee those rights for all of us.
h. But if we don’t stand on those rights, and we allow people to trample over them, what good are they?
i. And I will remind you that the First Amendment doesn’t say the freedom FROM religion, but rather the freedom OF religion! So, stand up and be heard!
Conclusion
1. We need to learn from the Apostle Paul and…
a. Know Our Rights
b. Stand on Those Rights
2. What’s the point preacher? As both citizens of heaven and the United States, we have certain rights and privileges. We need to make sure they are not being taken from us without a fight!
