Matthew 26:37-41
A. Mat 26:37-41 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
B. Question… If Jesus came back right now… How would He find US?
1. Too busy?
2. Sleeping? These disciples were tired – worn out
3. Sinning?
4. Apathetic, not caring, not burdened about souls of people?
C. This generation needs PRAY-ERS
1. Not things to pray about
2. But living, breathing people who PRAY
3. Jesus spent three hours praying in the Garden of Gethsemane
4. And He unfortunately, found Himself praying ALONE
5. Shame
6. Three times He comes to His own disciples, His best friends, and found them sleeping
7. And nearly begs them to pray WITH Him
8. Why?
9. Because WE are weak
10. Oh we have all the best intentions
11. But we are so weak… emotionally, spiritually – where it matters most!
12. Have you never heard the statement… 7 days without prayer makes one week?
13. It is so true
D. I am praying for PRAY-ERS – for people to come and pray THIS week
1. Just ONE hour – from 7 until 8pm
2. We will gather into small groups and only pray
3. You can come early and fellowship and have tea/coffee
4. And you can stay around after and have fellowship
5. But from 7 until 8pm, we will hear a short challenge about believing prayer, and then we will pray for every name and every need written down and placed in that box in the back of the church
E. WILL YOU COME?
1. Would ye watch and pray with me just one hour each night?
2. Oh what could happen? What might God do for us?
3. What kind of people might WE become if we prayed, and got used to praying, and got busy praying, and became a people of prayer?
4. If anything keeps you from praying, I know this to be true… it is the devil!
5. Don’t let him decide what you do!
F. Let’s gather together and let’s pray together starting TONIGHT!
The Apostle Paul Gets His Wish and Preaches to All of Jerusalem
Acts 22:1-30
November 6, 2022
Pastor Craig Ledbetter
Bible Baptist Church, Ballincollig, Cork, Ireland
I. Background (Acts 18:21)
A. Acts 18:21 But bade them [IN EPHESUS] farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.
B. Paul has travelled to Jerusalem, and has waited for the right moment to try and speak to the massive crowds that had gathered for Pentecost
C. Only to be falsely accused of trying to defile/pollute/soil the Jewish temple in Jerusalem
D. And he ended up being beaten almost to death
E. If it were not for a Roman Captain named Claudius Lysias, who intervened, and rescued Paul, carrying up some stairs into the Roman fortress in the city
F. And that was when Paul’s deepest desire comes true – the desire to explain the Gospel one more time to HIS people, the Jewish people
1. So, now Paul was now standing before a crowd of tens of thousands of his own people
2. And he gets his chance – his opportunity to preach his Pentecost message like Peter had
3. The greatest day of his life!
4. And the MOST dangerous day
II. Message
A. Paul’s Greatest Opportunity Opens Up (Acts 21:37-40)
1. Acts 21:37 And as Paul was to be led into the castle, he said unto the chief captain, May I speak unto thee? Who said, Canst thou speak Greek?
2. Acts 21:38 Art not thou that Egyptian, which before these days madest an uproar, and leddest out into the wilderness four thousand men that were murderers?
3. Acts 21:39 But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people.
4. Acts 21:40 And when he had given him licence, Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the hand unto the people. And when there was made a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue, saying,
5. Most of us would be licking our wounds, overwhelmed by the way people mistreated him
a. That is exactly what the devil wants
b. To hurt you and me so bad we can’t shine!
c. And believe me, it ain’t easy to smile and praise God when you have been hurt!
6. But Paul stood on the edge of those stairs, and looked squarely into the eyes of that crowd, and spoke with passion, and burden, and heart, and purpose, determination and resolve!
7. To use every opportunity for a chance to tell someone, anyone about what Jesus needs to mean to them
a. 1Peter 3:14,15 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
B. Paul’s Defence (Acts 22:1-21)
1. Acts 22:1 Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you.
2. Paul Gave His Testimony (Acts 22:1)
a. He did NOT use theology, or legal defences
b. He just gave his own personal testimony of what happened in his life! He told his story.
1) He repeated this event over and over
2) That’s what Jesus said do…
3) And, it is what YOU and I should always do too! (Luke 21:10-15; Acts 1:8)
4) In the midst of great troubles…
a) Luke 21:10,11 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.
5) When you are most persecuted
a) Luke 21:12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake.
6) THAT is the time to give YOUR story – your testimony
a) Luke 21:13-15 And it shall turn to you for a testimony. Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
c. Didn’t speak in fancy Latin, or in intellectual Greek, but in the language of HIS people – he spoke in HEBREW
1) Acts 22:2 (And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,)
3. “I am a Jew” (Acts 22:3)
a. Acts 22:3 I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.
b. That is WHO I AM! Not ashamed of it!
c. I am NOT a stranger or foreigner to any of you. You know me!
d. I am one of your own people, just born in nearby Tarsus, in southern modern Turkey
e. Trained at the feet of one of the greatest Bible teachers of all time – Gamaliel
f. Zealous towards God – passionate, intense in my worship of God
g. Just like every one of you are today!
4. “I persecuted this way” (Acts 22:4,5) – THAT IS WHAT I DID!
a. Acts 22:4,5 And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished.
b. Paul goes back to the events described in Acts 7 and 8 - Twenty years earlier
1) Standing there, approving of the stoning of Stephen in Acts 7
2) Acts 8:3 As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.
3) Galatians 1:13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it
c. He said, “I have never sat on the side-lines”
d. “I was ANTI-Christ and ANTI-Christian to the max!”
1) Paul hated “the way” – that is how Christians were referred to (followers of the way, the truth and the life, John 14:6)
2) He HATED the very NAME of ‘Jesus’ (a very modern attitude still today)
3) Persecuting ANY Jew who thought Jesus was the Messiah!
4) And he bragged that he even had authority from the Sanhedrim to travel as far as Damascus to search out and root out all heresy there, and drag them to Jerusalem for punishment
5) Why? Simply because they believed that Jesus is alive from the dead, and that Jesus is the promised Messiah, who came to save us from our sin! What a crime!
e. Paul was ashamed of this part of his life
5. “Then, Jesus Saved Me” (Acts 22:6-9) – that’s what I needed, and salvation is what JESUS did for me!
a. Acts 22:6-8 And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me. And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.
b. Listen to what happened to Saul of Tarsus
1) Fell to the ground – a good place to be when speaking to the King of kings
2) Blinded… A bright light shone all around me – like an alien abduction movie
3) A voice spoke to me
a) Acts 22:7-9 And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.
b) Someone called my name – TWICE “Saul, Saul”
c) Asking me a Question, “Why are you persecuting ME?”
4) I answered back…
a) “Who are you?”
b) “Is that you Lord?”
5) And then my worst fear was realised…
a) He could have announced His highest title… “I am the I AM” which He is…
b) But Jesus announced His humble earthly name “I am Jesus of Nazareth”
c) The guy you thought was dead and gone
d) I am Jesus, that ignorant hillbilly from Nazareth that you reject and hate and fight against every minute of every day!
e) I am the real focus of your anger and hatred and persecution of Christians!
6) So, Jesus asked me again, Why are you fighting Me so hard?
7) It is time to stop!
c. And it was at that moment, my life was changed
1) Paul said,
a) Even though I had hated Him, and wanted Him dead and gone
b) Even though I never had really paid attention to all that He had taught
c) Even though I had closed my eyes to all the impossible miracles Jesus had done
d) And even though I hated everyone who was following Him and believing in Him
e) He pursued me, and wanted me, and forgave me – Jesus saved me!
f) The moment I accepted the FACT that Jesus was alive again from the dead
g) And that He was who He claimed to be – the Saviour of men
h) And when I surrendered – just gave up and let Him be LORD and Saviour of my lost soul!
2) THAT’S when I was forgiven of it all
3) THAT dear friends, is GRACE! Kindness that is undeserved!
a) 1Timothy 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
6. “Then… Jesus Called Me” (Acts 22:10-16) – my life has a different agenda now, a different path I am following
a. Acts 22:10 And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.
b. Acts 22:11 And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus.
c. Acts 22:12 And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there,
d. Acts 22:13 Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him.
e. Acts 22:14 And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.
f. Acts 22:15 For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.
g. Acts 22:16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
h. I asked Jesus, “What do I do NOW?”
1) There is that word “LORD” again!
2) Boss, God, Master, Ruler – no room for debate – Jesus is in charge of my life
i. The LORD said…
1) “Go on into Damascus and wait for further instructions”
2) “Take the will of God ONE step at a time”
j. Paul looks around and the light fades to dark – he is blind – blinded by the light
k. Had to be led by the hand – very humbling
l. Met Ananias, a devout law-abiding Jew who believed in and followed Jesus – not a rebel
m. Ananias prayed for him to see again, and Paul’s eyes were opened!
n. And that is when Paul said, “I found out that God saved ME for a PURPOSE”
1) He showed me His will for MY life
2) And allowed me to hear HIS voice – not Peter’s, or Ananias’ or anyone else’s
3) And gave me a new calling – a new purpose – a reason why He saved me
4) To be Jesus’ witness unto ALL men (not just Israel, but Jew and Gentile) that Jesdus saves the most wicked, and the most religious!
o. So I was baptized as a convert to faith in Jesus Christ
1) NOT to be saved… don’t make that mistake
2) But because He IS saved, by “calling on the name of the Lord Jesus”
3) THAT is what saves
4) Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
5) Baptism just announces that your life belongs to Jesus now!
7. “Jesus Warned Me About Jerusalem” and Reminded Me to Preach to the Gentiles (Acts 22:17-21)
a. Acts 22:17-21 And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple [A WEEK AGO], I was in a trance; And saw him [JESUS] saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me. And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee: And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him. And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.
b. Peter’s calling was to the religiously lost Jewish people
c. Paul’s was to the lost pagans, the heathen, the Gentiles!
d. But Paul thought that his testimony would ring true with so many zealous lost Jews like he had been
e. He believed HE could reason from their viewpoint
f. But Jesus had other plans for Paul
g. THAT is usually how God’s will works – not according to OUR ways or understandings
C. Don’t Mention Gentiles! (Acts 22:22-24)
1. Acts 22:22 And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live. And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air, The chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might know wherefore they cried so against him.
2. The word “GENTILES” really upset them
3. They saw Gentiles as:
a. DOGS
b. As swine – like pigs, filthy, evil
c. As unsavable – abandoned by God
d. THAT’s how zealous Jews see us Gentiles!
e. Not worth anything except to make money off of
f. Like Calvinists see the unsaved
g. For a JEW like Paul, to speak of going TO the Gentiles, and giving them a message of hope, and invitation into God’s kingdom, was unthinkable!
4. So, they heard enough from Paul - The Jewish crowd couldn’t listen any further
5. Yet the truth is, they had never READ enough…
a. Isaiah 42:1-7
1) Isaiah 42:1 Behold my servant [THE MESSIAH], whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment [NOT CONDEMNATION, BUT DEFENSE] to the Gentiles.
2) Isaiah 42:2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street [WHEN ABUSED].
3) Isaiah 42:3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.
4) Isaiah 42:4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in [ALL] the earth: and [EVEN] the isles shall wait for his law.
5) Isaiah 42:5 Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:
6) Isaiah 42:6 I the LORD have called thee [TALKING BTO THE MESSIAH] in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;
7) Isaiah 42:7 To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.
b. Isaiah 65:1-5
1) Isaiah 65:1 I [THE MESSIAH] am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name.
2) Isaiah 65:2 I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people [THE JEWISH PEOPLE], which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts;
3) Isaiah 65:3 A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick;
4) Isaiah 65:4 Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine's flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels;
5) Isaiah 65:5 Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou [THAN GENTILES]. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.
c. That’s why Matthew in His Gospel records in 12:18-21…
1) Matthew 12:18-21 Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory. And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.
D. Thankful for Roman Citizenship (Acts 22:25-30)
1. Lysias had had enough! Can’t make sense of what the big problem was
a. Remember, Paul has been preaching in HEBREW
b. And so when the crowd goes back into a riot, Lysias shuts everything down
2. So he prepares to beat the truth out of Paul
a. Acts 22:25 And as they bound him with thongs…
b. They were about to whip a man who was already bloodied and bruised from the crowd
3. Paul uses his Roman citizenship (like we would our EU citizenship)
a. Acts 22:25,26 And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned? When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman.
b. Not just a Jew, but a Roman CITIZEN
1) Just because a person was born in a Roman territory, or even in Rome itself, did not mean you were a Roman Citizen
2) Citizenship has wonderful rights and protections
3) Non-citizens had very few rights or protections under their law
4) Same as here now
c. Acts 22:27,28 Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea. And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born.
1) Citizenship usually CAN be bought, but was very expensive
2) But Paul’s Roman citizenship was given to him by birth to someone who had already purchased it – possibly his own father
d. No one could mistreat a Roman Citizen without DUE process – without a proper legal proceeding
e. Anyone found abusing or mistreating a Roman Citizen could be punished with the same punishment they sought to inflict!
1) Acts 22:29 Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.
f. Lysias Calls for Another Meeting Tomorrow (Acts 22:30)
g. Acts 22:30 On the morrow, because he would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from his bands, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down, and set him before them.
4. And so, Paul will now have another chance to give the Gospel, tomorrow!
5. We will learn about it next week
III. Conclusion
A. Dear Christian…
1. Use the opportunities God gives you – even the ones where you have been hurt
2. You can’t determine the outcome
a. Peter preached, and thousands responded for weeks
b. Paul preaches, and is rejected
c. Free will is impossible to predict
3. But you CAN decide to speak up, and tell what you know
4. Do YOU have a “testimony”?
a. “I am a Jew” – Who are you? Irish, Nigerian, Congolese, English, German, Ukranian?
b. “I persecuted this way” That’s what Paul did – he was both honest, and ashamed
c. “Then, Jesus Saved Me” – that’s what I needed, and salvation is what JESUS did for me! Have YOU been saved yet? Can you tell me how it happened? Where? When?
d. “And Jesus Called Me” – my life has a different agenda now, a different path I am following. What has Jesus told YOU to do now that you are saved?
B. And everyone else…
1. Are you aware that there is another citizenship available? (Ephesians 2:8-19)
a. Not Jewish, not Irish, not American…
b. But a citizenship of heaven!
c. Most will miss out
d. Some will try and purchase it with their best efforts
e. But it is available ONLY by a free birth – the new birth on the inside
f. Completely paid for by Jesus Christ
g. And given to all who believe!
h. Ephesians 2:8,9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
1) Not the good work of prayer
2) Or the good work of baptism
3) ONLY by faith in what JESUS has done for you! TRUSTING Him to save you!
i. Ephesians 2:11-13 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
j. Ephesians 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
2. You NEED that citizenship before your last breath – there are no second chances
3. And you can get it TODAY! By bowing your head in prayer, and crying out to the only power that can save a wretch like you, and like ME