Sermon Notes for 5/25/14 (Acts 22:17-29)
Becoming a Fearer of God
A. Xenophobia
1) The mismatch between God's plan and Paul's ideas (17-21)
"When I returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance and saw the Lord speaking. `Quick!' he said to me. `Leave Jerusalem immediately, because they will not accept your testimony about me.' "`Lord,' I replied, `these men know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison and beat those who believe in you. And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.' "Then the Lord said to me, `Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'" (17-21)
2) Fear and anger (22)
The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they raised their voices and shouted, "Rid the earth of him! He's not fit to live!" (22)
B. Those who fear authority (23-29)
As they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air, the commander ordered Paul to be taken into the barracks. He directed that he be flogged and questioned in order to find out why the people were shouting at him like this. As they stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing there, "Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn't even been found guilty?" When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it. "What are you going to do?" he asked. "This man is a Roman citizen." The commander went to Paul and asked, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" "Yes, I am," he answered. Then the commander said, "I had to pay a big price for my citizenship." "But I was born a citizen," Paul replied. Those who were about to question him withdrew immediately. The commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put Paul, a Roman citizen, in chains. (23-29)
1) Those who fear human authority
2) Let us become people who fear God
Summary
Our understanding is limited, and because of that, we have difficulty grasping God's will. It is also a human tendency to avoid people who are different from us. The Jews used the law as a basis for fearing the Gentiles, but in doing so, they strayed from God's will. Even today, there are people who use the Bible to judge people with whom they don't agree. Instead of following God's will, they follow their own interpretation of Scripture. Let us exercise more humility in seeking God's will, fearing him rather than fearing other people.
For Discussion
1) What was Paul saying when people responded in anger?
2) What did the centurion fear?
Becoming a Fearer of God
A. Xenophobia
1) The mismatch between God's plan and Paul's ideas (17-21)
"When I returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance and saw the Lord speaking. `Quick!' he said to me. `Leave Jerusalem immediately, because they will not accept your testimony about me.' "`Lord,' I replied, `these men know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison and beat those who believe in you. And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.' "Then the Lord said to me, `Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'" (17-21)
2) Fear and anger (22)
The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they raised their voices and shouted, "Rid the earth of him! He's not fit to live!" (22)
B. Those who fear authority (23-29)
As they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air, the commander ordered Paul to be taken into the barracks. He directed that he be flogged and questioned in order to find out why the people were shouting at him like this. As they stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing there, "Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn't even been found guilty?" When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it. "What are you going to do?" he asked. "This man is a Roman citizen." The commander went to Paul and asked, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" "Yes, I am," he answered. Then the commander said, "I had to pay a big price for my citizenship." "But I was born a citizen," Paul replied. Those who were about to question him withdrew immediately. The commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put Paul, a Roman citizen, in chains. (23-29)
1) Those who fear human authority
2) Let us become people who fear God
Summary
Our understanding is limited, and because of that, we have difficulty grasping God's will. It is also a human tendency to avoid people who are different from us. The Jews used the law as a basis for fearing the Gentiles, but in doing so, they strayed from God's will. Even today, there are people who use the Bible to judge people with whom they don't agree. Instead of following God's will, they follow their own interpretation of Scripture. Let us exercise more humility in seeking God's will, fearing him rather than fearing other people.
For Discussion
1) What was Paul saying when people responded in anger?
2) What did the centurion fear?