The Preacher Rescued From Death Series

Introduction

In December 2005, Tony Dungy, coach of the Indianapolis Colts, suffered a tragic loss with the death of his 18-year-old son.

At the same time, the Colts faltered during their final games and lost the chance to play for the Super Bowl that year.

As players cleaned out their lockers, Dungy told them there is a difference between disappointment and discouragement.

“We’re disappointed by things that happen to us,” he said, “but we can’t let disappointment deteriorate into discouragement, and we can’t let discouragement become depression.”

The heroes of the Bible faced the triple threat of disappointment, discouragement, and depression.

In Acts 23, the Apostle Paul was disappointed.

He had expected to launch a fourth missionary journey.

Instead, he found himself nearly killed by a mob, barely saved from scourging, and imprisoned in the Antonia Fortress (Acts 21–23).

That’s when Jesus visited Paul while he was in Roman custody and said to him, “Take courage” (Acts 23:11) (Robert J. Morgan, Nelson’s Annual Preacher’s Sourcebook, 2008 Edition [Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2007], 120).

However, Paul was not released from custody.

In fact, Paul would spend the rest of his life in custody and would never be a free man again.

Yet, the Lord was not finished with Paul.

The Lord continued to be with Paul through the difficult times ahead.

The Lord took providential care of Paul every step of the way.

Today, we are going to look at God’s providence at work in Paul’s life.

The Westminster Shorter Catechism Question 11 asks, “What are God’s works of providence?”

The answer is:

“God’s works of providence are his most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures, and all their actions.”

Let’s see how God did that for Paul in a lesson I am calling, “The Preacher Rescued from Death.”

Scripture

Let’s read Acts 23:12-35:

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.