Paul Has No Regrets About His Life
Acts 23:1-35
November 13, 2022
Pastor Craig Ledbetter
Bible Baptist Church, Ballincollig, Cork, Ireland
I. Background (Acts 23:1)
A. Acts 23:1 And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.
B. Wow!
1. THAT cannot be said by most people!
2. Most people do not know who they are, nor why they do what they do
3. They live half ashamed, and hiding what they really are doing
4. That have a seared, or burned-out conscience – no moral restraint at all
C. What is Paul saying?
1. He never lived a lie. Not that he never TOLD a lie, but that he did not LIVE a lie
2. Paul has a clear conscience about his past, and what he was doing and saying then and there
3. Paul now knows he was wrong in the past about Jesus
4. He admits that his religion was blind to so much of the Bible
5. And when he was shown he was wrong, he changed direction!
6. And with the same passion that he had lived against Jesus, he has lived FOR Him
7. THAT is a good conscience
D. Define “conscience”
1. Our conscience is one of the things that separates us from animals
2. Not the fact that we know we are alive – self-awareness
3. But that we know “instinctively” what is right and wrong
4. Our conscience is what feels sorrow and remorse in us when we do wrong
5. It is the moral centre of our being – sometimes the Bible calls it our “heart”
E. A Good Conscience is a good thing to have!
II. Message
A. Paul’s Good Conscience (Acts 23:1-5)
1. Paul is Now in the Audience of the Sanhedrim AND the High Priest of Israel
a. Up until this point, the High Priest has stayed out of the arguments
b. It was the Sanhedrim that hunted Paul down
c. The High Priest was the most revered authority in Israel – a direct descendant of Aaron
d. He had authority like a High Court judge, or a President
e. And he has no respect for Paul
2. Paul has a good conscience (Acts 23:1)
a. Acts 23:1 And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.
b. Most people have NO conscience anymore – don’t care how they live, what they say / do
c. But Paul had a conscience! A good one at that!
1) Paul never lived a lie.
a) Was REAL in living-out his beliefs – even when wrong
b) Wasn’t religious only on holy days – but was who he was 24/7
2) He was honest in his thinking
a) He had honestly and truly sought to please God above all else all his life
b) Not living for himself like most other Pharisees and Sadducees
3) Paul had REMORSE / sorrow about his past life – the anger, the blasphemy, hatred
4) That is the best way to live your life! “A clear conscience is a good pillow”
5) And that enabled him to be changeable
6) That’s why he was able to change – why he was born again when he met Jesus
d. He wants those men standing in front of him to live by a good conscience as well
e. Because THAT will lead them to trust in Jesus Christ as well!
3. “Strike him!” (Acts 23:2) – it is immediately tested!
a. Acts 23:2 The high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth.
b. Paul could NOT be allowed to speak
1) He was very persuasive with His testimony
2) They heard it when he stood on the stairs of the Roman fort in Jerusalem
3) They knew how powerful a personal testimony was
c. Paul has not gotten 15 words out of his mouth – allowed to speak only 5 seconds…
d. And he is struck right onto the MOUTH!
e. Now Paul’s mouth is swelling up, and bleeding and he will find it hard to speak clearly at all
f. This was a calculated move by the High Priest to stop Paul from speaking!
4. That’s when Paul Loses His Cool (Acts 23:3)
a. Acts 23:3 Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?
b. Paul is quite human! Responds to the injustice against him! As most of us would!
1) Calls Ananias a fraud – sitting as a judge, but not subject to the Law of God
a) The Torah demanded that everyone be allowed to freely speak their defence
b) And God’s Laws demanded judges to be blind and impartial
c) But this man showed he was biased against Paul in every way
2) Rebukes Ananias! Verbally strikes at the High Priest’s actions!
3) And pronounces the judgment of God against him some day! Curses him for being such a hypocrite!
c. Oh that felt good for Paul to say
d. And he was RIGHT in everything he said
5. Paul is Rebuked! (Acts 23:4)
a. Acts 23:4 And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God's high priest?
b. What?
1) So, it was okay what the High priest did – shut up a man who just wanted to speak his defence
2) But to the people standing there it was NOT okay what Paul SAID!
3) Hypocrisy abounds, even in courtrooms!
4) Especially in politics
6. Paul Backs Down (Acts 23:5)
a. Acts 23:5 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.
b. What a godly man! He is the better man! Paul wants to keep his conscience clear
c. “I wist not” means, that he didn’t know that that evil man in the centre of his accusers was the High Priest at that moment
1) History records that there was some shuffling going on at the time and there were several replacements of the previous High Priest Caiaphas
2) Ananias was a temporary high priest, that Paul had not known about
3) He just saw him as sitting in prejudiced judgment of him, but not as the High Priest
d. He admits he was wrong to speak against him, because whoever is High Priest is God’s ordained ruler!
1) Exodus 22:28 Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people.
2) “the gods” refers not to idols, or false gods, but to authorities – in the place of God
3) And we are commanded to not MOCK people in authority
e. It is interesting that Paul submitted to the Old Testament Civil Laws
7. You know, if YOU are going to claim to believe the Bible, you are going to have to eat a lot of humble pie and do the hard things, like:
a. Honour your authorities – remember that God that commands it
b. Humble yourself and admit when YOU are wrong, even though the other person is just as wrong
c. Accept rebuke from hypocrites
d. All because YOUR GOAL needs to be a clear conscience, that lives by this Book, and that is not hypocritical
B. “I Believe in the Resurrection!” (Acts 23:6-11)
1. Acts 23:6 But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.
2. A Classic Move! Divide and Conquer (Acts 23:7-9)
a. Acts 23:7,8 And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.
b. Two religious sects / groups were in Judaism – the Pharisees and Sadducees
1) Pharisees believed the Bible literally. They believed it when it recorded miracles, and supernatural events like resurrections
a) Of the son of a Widow of Zarephath raised by Elijah (1 Kings 17:17–24).
b) Of the Shunamite woman’s son raised by Elisha (2 Kings 4:20–37).
c) Of the dead man tossed into Elisha’s tomb, resurrecting! (2 Kings 13:21)
2) The Sadducees denied miracles, and spirits, and angels, and resurrections – that is why they were known as SAD-you-see!
a) These were the politicians that only believed the bare minimum of religion
b) They were only religious to stay elected to the Sanhedrim
c) They only saw politics and opportunities for power
c. Paul knows he is not going to be able to say much now, so he says just enough!
1) He reminds everybody that he is a Bible believer – believes whatever the Bible says to be true – THAT is what the Pharisees believed and taught
2) They were caught up in their own self-righteousness, but were right about the Bible being true in everything it teaches!
3) He points to the resurrection of Jesus as the reason why he is in trouble
d. And it divides the crowd! No longer unified in their accusations against him
1) Acts 23:9 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.
2) The Pharisees realise Paul was not so wrong after all – he was just believing what they believed - in the resurrection
a) Maybe someone HAS spoken to Paul
b) Maybe Jesus really IS alive from the dead
c) And it draws the Pharisees to his side
3) The Sadducees were furious that such things were even believed
3. Claudius Lysias intervenes again! (Acts 23:10)
a. Acts 23:10 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.
b. He has NO idea why everyone was so angry at Paul
c. Rescued Paul AGAIN! With an armed escort out of the courtroom.
4. Jesus encourages Paul (Acts 23:11) – YOU ARE NOT ALONE! And there is more for you to do!
a. Acts 23:11 And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.
b. Remember, Paul has been severely beaten several times – broken ribs, bruises all over
c. He is sitting alone in a Roman jail
d. He was beginning to think that perhaps the predictions of Agabus and others were about to be fulfilled – that he was now going to be locked away and silenced forever
e. None of the Christians in Jerusalem are coming to stand with him
f. He is all alone at this point…
g. Or so he thought
h. Because, when Jesus says, Cheer up! You can decide to smile in the pain!
1) Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
2) Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
i. Paul’s life and ministry was NOT over
j. Jesus had so much more for Paul to do! He was headed to Rome!
C. A Serious Threat was Growing (Acts 23:12-22)
1. Band of Forty Zealots (Acts 23:12-15)
a. Acts 23:12-15 And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy. And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul. Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you to morrow, as though ye would enquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him.
b. THIS was the kind of threat Paul faced constantly
c. How could ANYONE escape such a band of men?
2. Their Plan is Known (Acts 23:16-22)
a. Acts 23:16-22 And when Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul. Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain: for he hath a certain thing to tell him. So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath something to say unto thee. Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went with him aside privately, and asked him, What is that thou hast to tell me? And he said, The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldest bring down Paul to morrow into the council, as though they would enquire somewhat of him more perfectly. But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee. So the chief captain then let the young man depart, and charged him, See thou tell no man that thou hast shewed these things to me.
b. Know this… God will expose the secrets of men, and the schemes of the devil!
c. And He will protect His own children!
1) 2Peter 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished.
2) Psalm 34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.
3. God Protects Those Who Serve Him (Acts 23:23-35)
4. Look at the Protection! (Acts 23:23,24)
a. Acts 23:23,24 And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night; And provide them beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor.
b. 200 Roman soldiers! Think about that number!!!
c. 70 horsemen
d. 200 spearmen – specially trained, like sharpshooters, and snipers
e. This ARMY of 470 men would leave out at 3am (at the darkest hour) in the night for a Roman fortress in a town called Antipatris, 28 miles north of Jerusalem, and would safely bring one man, Paul, to a governor named Felix for higher protection and examination!
f. KINGS rarely had such protection when travelling
g. And here was Paul! Surrounded by 470 men!
h. This was a reminder of how God surrounds US an protects US!
i. Psalm 34:7 The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
5.
Notice the wheels of government
actually working (Acts 23:25-35)
Our sovereign God is actually always in control – of every circumstance!
a. Who writes a letter of defence for an unknown Jewish preacher? God does!
1) Acts 23:25 And he wrote a letter after this manner:
2) Acts 23:26 Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix sendeth greeting.
3) Acts 23:27 This man [PAUL] was taken of the Jews, and should have been killed of them: then came I with an army, and rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman [NOT BEING HONEST HERE, BUT OH WELL].
4) Acts 23:28 And when I would have known the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their council:
5) Acts 23:29 Whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds.
6) Acts 23:30 And when it was told me how that the Jews laid wait for the man [TO KILL HIM], I sent straightway to thee, and gave commandment to his accusers also to say before thee what they had against him. Farewell.
b. THIS is how government is supposed to work… Protecting even an individual’s rights, and go ever higher in the legal system until a case is proven against someone, not just accused!
c. So, Paul will now be heard by a higher court, by a governor named Felix
1) Acts 23:31 Then the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris.
2) Acts 23:32 On the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle:
3) Acts 23:33 Who, when they came to Caesarea, and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him.
4) Acts 23:34 And when the governor had read the letter, he asked of what province he was. And when he understood that he was of Cilicia;
5) Acts 23:35 I will hear thee, said he, when thine accusers are also come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's judgment hall.
D. Signs of a Clear Conscience (Jump Ahead to Acts 24:16-18)
1. Acts 24:16-18 And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men. Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings. Whereupon certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with multitude, nor with tumult.
2. Here Paul is again claiming to have a clear conscience again, in front of a governor named Felix – he repeats it and proves it
3.
No hidden agenda… No power-grab, no deception, no hypocrisy, no secret
life
His life had always been an open book – stop living in hiding, men!
4. He always was true to God AND true to Himself – not just to himself!
5.
He was NOT angry at his
religious leaders, or the Romans
Check your attitude about all the lies and abuses in the world!
6. He just loved his own people, the Jews, and was not part of a multitude, or a riot that is constantly being manipulated by the media, and stirred up by the devil
7. His just constantly told everyone he met what happened to him on that road to Damascus, and that it was the resurrected Jesus Messiah that had saved him!
III. Conclusion and Application
A. What About your Conscience?
1. Paul now knows he was wrong in the past about Jesus – have you ever admitted that?
2. He admits that his religion was blind to so much of the Bible
3. And when he was shown he was wrong, he changed direction!
4. And with the same passion that he had lived against Jesus, he has lived FOR Him
5. He has NO desire to ruin or defile or destroy anything!
a. No anger against the world
b. Just desire to make a difference!
6. Worry about your own conscience
a. Is it hard, arrogant, superior, aggressive? ASK YOUR WIFE or KIDS, or PARENTS
b. Fear sinning, getting into pornography, and greed, and hatred
c. Do any of you even care if you are offending God?
d. Or offending men by your rudeness, and hurtful words and actions? Seriously!
e. Be swift to apologise
f. Humble yourselves below others and just serve people
g. And love one another as much as Jesus loved you!
B. How much do you Believe in the Resurrection?
1. Most people are Sadducees – don’t believe in any miracles, and especially not in Jesus being alive again!
2. Believing in the resurrection of Jesus Christ will save your soul (Romans 10:9,10) That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
3. AND it will clean up your life! (1John 3:2,3) Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.