Virjil Selvan is Pastoring the Renewed Hope Community. The Renewed Hope Community is situated in the heart of the city between Old and New Panvel. We can confidently share that Renewed Hope Community is a Church in Kamothe, Church in Khandeshwar, Church in Khanda Colony, Church in Karanjade, Church in Panvel, Church in New Panvel, Church in Karanjade because we are centrally located and these places surround our church Venue.
Virjil Selvan is Pastoring the Renewed Hope Community. The Renewed Hope Community is situated in the heart of the city between Old and New Panvel. We can confidently share that Renewed Hope Community is a Church in Kamothe, Church in Khandeshwar, Church in Khanda Colony, Church in Karanjade, Church in Panvel, Church in New Panvel, Church in Karanjade because we are centrally located and these places surround our church Venue.
In Chapter Acts 22:30
Paul Before the Sanhedrin
30 The commander wanted to find out exactly why Paul was being accused by the Jews. So the next day he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the members of the Sanhedrin to assemble. Then he brought Paul and had him stand before them.
Paul was alone, none of his disciples were present. He had a great desire to go to Jerusalem his own people, he believed he will be able to convince them
Let’s read ACTS 23
23 Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, “My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.” 2 At this the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth. 3 Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!”
4 Those who were standing near Paul said, “How dare you insult God’s high priest!”
5 Paul replied, “Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’[a]”
6 Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “My brothers, I am a Pharisee, descended from Pharisees. I stand on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead.” 7 When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8 (The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees believe all these things.)
9 There was a great uproar, and some of the teachers of the law who were Pharisees stood up and argued vigorously. “We find nothing wrong with this man,” they said. “What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” 10 The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force and bring him into the barracks.
11 The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”
12 The next morning some Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. 13 More than forty men were involved in this plot. 14 They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, “We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul. 15 Now then, you and the Sanhedrin petition the commander to bring him before you on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about his case. We are ready to kill him before he gets here.”
16 But when the son of Paul’s sister heard of this plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul.
17 Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.” 18 So he took him to the commander.
The centurion said, “Paul, the prisoner, sent for me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.”
19 The commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside and asked, “What is it you want to tell me?”
20 He said: “Some Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul before the Sanhedrin tomorrow on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about him. 21 Don’t give in to them, because more than forty of them are waiting in ambush for him. They have taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. They are ready now, waiting for your consent to their request.”
22 The commander dismissed the young man with this warning: “Don’t tell anyone that you have reported this to me.”
23 Then he called two of his centurions and ordered them, “Get ready a detachment of two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen[b] to go to Caesarea at nine tonight. 24 Provide horses for Paul so that he may be taken safely to Governor Felix.”
25 He wrote a letter as follows:
26 Claudius Lysias,
To His Excellency, Governor Felix:
Greetings.
27 This man was seized by the Jews and they were about to kill him, but I came with my troops and rescued him, for I had learned that he is a Roman citizen. 28 I wanted to know why they were accusing him, so I brought him to their Sanhedrin. 29 I found that the accusation had to do with questions about their law, but there was no charge against him that deserved death or imprisonment. 30 When I was informed of a plot to be carried out against the man, I sent him to you at once. I also ordered his accusers to present to you their case against him.
31 So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul with them during the night and brought him as far as Antipatris. 32 The next day they let the cavalry go on with him, while they returned to the barracks. 33 When the cavalry arrived in Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor and handed Paul over to him. 34 The governor read the letter and asked what province he was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia, 35 he said, “I will hear your case when your accusers get here.” Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod’s palace.
In verse 1
23 Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, “My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.”
Paul testifies that he lived a life with good conscience. Before we move ahead, I felt something God speaking to us about conscience.
This morning I believe your conscience was (Past tense) speaking something to you.
The idea of a “conscience” (Greek, syneidesis) is something Paul spoke about (Romans 2:15; 9:1; 13:5; 1 Corinthians 8:7, 10, 12; 10:25, 27-29; 2 Corinthians 1:12; 4:2; 5:11). For Paul, the “conscience” was the moral aspect of one’s awareness and thinking. The aim of a Christian life was to live with a pure, good or clean conscience before God (1 Timothy 1:5, 19; 3:9; 2 Timothy 1:3).
Acts 24: 16
16 So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.
Romans 9:1
I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit
Paul says in Acts 24. I strive always to keep my conscience clear.
Conscience gives you the ability to evaluate your own thoughts and desires, to discern what is right and wrong, and to distinguish between what is good and what is best.
To help us get a handle on conscience and how it functions, I want you to think about an alarm clock. A good alarm clock does two things: It stays quiet when you should be asleep, and it makes a noise when you need to wake up!
That’s how your conscience is supposed to work. When you are on the right path, a good conscience will be at peace (Colossians 3:15). But when you are tempted towards the wrong path, a good conscience will sound the alarm. The problem with the conscience is that, like every other part of your soul, it has been disordered by sin.
Like an alarm clock, conscience can malfunction and stay silent when it should go off.
The conscience has died. How is your conscience today this morning. The Holy Spirit is talking you.
Paul stood there boldly and made a statement and present his case against the charges of the Jews with clear conscience .
Verse 2-3
2 At this the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth. 3 Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!”
Apparently the high priest didn’t agree that Paul had fulfilled his duty before God. (Perhaps he didn’t appreciate Paul’s pronouncing the divine name, especially in support of himself.) Whatever the reason, the high priest was so bothered by Paul’s claim that he ordered those standing nearby to slap him on the mouth (23:2). The high priest in this case was Ananias. He had received his office from one of the Herods in about A.D. 47, and held his position for about 12 years. He was known for his greed. Josephus accused him of embezzling the tithes of the ordinary priests and for handing out lavish bribes (Antiquities 20:205-207, 213).
Ananias was hated by Jewish nationalists because of his pro-Roman policies. They burned his home in A.D. at the beginning of the Jewish-Roman war. Then, the nationalists hunted him down and he was killed along with his brother (Josephus, Wars 2:426, 441-442, 448).
Caught off guard, and stung by the command, Paul lashed back at the high priest, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall!” he said. “You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!” (23:3). Paul had not been tried and found guilty of any infraction of Jewish law. He hadn’t even been officially charged with any infraction. For him to be struck as though he was guilty of a crime violated the very law the high priest claimed to uphold.
The phrase “whitewashed wall” referred to a person who was a hypocrite, as the high priest had shown himself to be. Ananias claimed to uphold the law but he was trampling all over Paul’s rights according to that law.
He was not found guilty yet and there was no evidence presented yet.
Some commentators seem surprised by Paul’s sharp reply. They note that it contradicts the spirit of Jesus’ call to turn the other cheek (Matthew 5:39) as well as Paul’s own advice to bless when cursed (1 Corinthians 4:12). But the problem exists only if we think of Paul as some quasi-divine person who had achieved sinless perfection. That is not the way Paul spoke of himself (Romans 8:9-25). The simple answer is that Paul was a human being who sinned, as we all do. Paul was an emotional individual, a reactive person. This is not the only time Paul was guilty of saying something cutting and passionate (1 Corinthians 11:19; Galatians 2:11; 5:12; Philippians 3:2). Here he momentarily lost his composure. Though he spoke the truth about Ananias, it was probably not something he would have said under more ideal circumstances.
Romans 7:24-25
24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature[d] a slave to the law of sin.
Those standing next to Paul said, “How dare you insult God’s high priest!” Paul said: “Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written [in Exodus 22:28]: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people’” (23:5). It seems unusual that Paul should have failed to recognize the high priest. He presided at regular meetings of the Sanhedrin, and he should have been identifiable. The answer may be that this was not a regular meeting, and that someone else other than the high priest was presiding. Paul may not have known the high priest at the time by sight. He had been in Jerusalem only a few times in the past two decades or so. Meanwhile, the office had passed to another individual with whom he may not have been familiar (or whose appearance had changed over the years.
Another answer sometimes given is that Paul’s eye condition caused him to have poor vision. A less convincing answer is that Paul was speaking ironically. That is, he would be saying, “I didn’t think that the kind of person who would order me struck contrary to the law could be the high priest.”
In any case, Paul quickly apologized. Even his apology showed that he continued to live by the principles of Torah and according to the law. Since the Scripture condemned speaking evil of the high priest, no matter what his character, Paul admitted that he had erred.
We see this throughout the scriptures
Numbers 12:
Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite. 2 “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” And the Lord heard this.
Why then were you not afraid
to speak against my servant Moses?”
9 The anger of the Lord burned against them, and he left them.
10 When the cloud lifted from above the tent, Miriam’s skin was leprous
I still remember there was one person looking for a church , he called and he said, I heard a lot about you , the work you are doing and all that stuff. Then he started sharing with me on call his past experiences, this pastor is like that, all sort of . I told him that no one is perfect.
Then I told him , see if you are looking for a perfect church , sorry then our church is not in the list. If you looking for perfect church , then again sorry I am not a perfect pastor. He was like , see I am not saying that n all. He told me that he love to meet me , I told him , I will update him. I never called him again. I felt in my spirit, speaking about someone else is not right.
We need to know that God is hearing our words.
Paul’s speech had been cut short by the action of the high priest. He must have realized that it was pointless to make any further defence before a council headed by someone of the likes of Ananias. Instead of going on, Paul suddenly thought of a different strategy. He realized how he could pit the council against itself. Luke described Paul’s tactic: “Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, ‘My brothers, I am a Pharisee, descended from Pharisees. I stand on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead’” (23:6).
Luke had already defined the Sadducees, one of the major Jewish sects of the time, as a group “who say there is no resurrection” (Luke 20:27). he Pharisees, however, believed in a resurrection (23:8).
Paul was able to use the disagreements and differences in viewpoint between Sadducees and Pharisees to good advantage. The dispute between the two groups became so violent that Lysias, the commander, was fearful that his prisoner would be hurt. Lysias ordered a detachment of troops to take Paul from the council by force and bring him into the barracks (23:10). Paul was now taken into protective custody by the Roman authority. For the rest of Acts, for a period in excess of four years, Paul would remain a prisoner of the Romans.
The situation must have seemed bleak to Paul. He had been warned over and over again that he would face dire troubles in Jerusalem. He had barely survived three attempts on his life in just a couple of days or so (21:31; 22:22; 23:10). That his life would end in Jerusalem must have seemed like a likely possibility. Jesus had spoken about a Jerusalem that killed the prophets and stoned those whom God had sent to its people (Matthew 23:37). Paul himself had seen and applauded the death of Stephen in this city. Now, it must have seemed that his turn to be killed had come.
But in one of the darkest nights of his life, Jesus appeared to Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome” (23:11). As during other critical moments of Paul’s ministry and life, God gave him special reassurance through a vision (9:4; 16:9; 18:9-10; 22:17; 27:23). Earlier, Paul had voiced his desire to visit Rome (19:21). The vision shows that Paul had Christ’s approval in his desire to move the center of his preaching westward to Rome.
Now, Paul was certain that he would get to Rome after all.
In all this God was Present.
11 The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”
Paul- Failed Ambitions
Paul- Uncertain Future
Paul- Disappointed, Doubt, Discouraged, Depressed.
Take Courage
Jesus Counter Responds
Lord Cheered Paul Up
Jesus Rejoices in Your Life
Whatever we do, whether we fail, or whether we do well. Christ rejoices in our life
Virjil Selvan is Pastoring the Renewed Hope Community. The Renewed Hope Community is situated in the heart of the city between Old and New Panvel. We can confidently share that Renewed Hope Community is a Church in Kamothe, Church in Khandeshwar, Church in Khanda Colony, Church in Karanjade, Church in Panvel, Church in New Panvel, Church in Karanjade because we are centrally located and these places surround our church Venue.
In Acts 20, Paul and the others were standing on the beach at Miletus with the elders and the others literally weeping as Paul was boarding the ship. They knew they would never see their beloved Paul again. They all understood the danger that awaited Paul when he went as it were to the lion’s den of Jerusalem. He barely escaped the multiple plots and schemes of the Jews to kill him as they followed Paul and now, he is headed straight to Jerusalem.
Acts 21:
21 After we had torn ourselves away from them, we put out to sea and sailed straight to Kos. The next day we went to Rhodes and from there to Patara. 2 We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, went on board and set sail. 3 After sighting Cyprus and passing to the south of it, we sailed on to Syria. We landed at Tyre, where our ship was to unload its cargo. 4 We sought out the disciples there and stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. 5 When it was time to leave, we left and continued on our way. All of them, including wives and children, accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray. 6 After saying goodbye to each other, we went aboard the ship, and they returned home.
7 We continued our voyage from Tyre and landed at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and sisters and stayed with them for a day. 8 Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. 9 He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.
10 After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’”
12 When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”
15 After this, we started on our way up to Jerusalem. 16 Some of the disciples from Caesarea accompanied us and brought us to the home of Mnason, where we were to stay. He was a man from Cyprus and one of the early disciples.
Paul’s Arrival at Jerusalem
17 When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters received us warmly. 18 The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James, and all the elders were present. 19 Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.
20 When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. 21 They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs. 22 What shall we do? They will certainly hear that you have come, 23 so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow. 24 Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law. 25 As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.”
26 The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of them.
27 When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him, 28 shouting, “Fellow Israelites, help us! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.” 29 (They had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Paul and assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple.)
30 The whole city was aroused, and the people came running from all directions. Seizing Paul, they dragged him from the temple, and immediately the gates were shut. 31 While they were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32 He at once took some officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd. When the rioters saw the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.
33 The commander came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done. 34 Some in the crowd shouted one thing and some another, and since the commander could not get at the truth because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks. 35 When Paul reached the steps, the violence of the mob was so great he had to be carried by the soldiers. 36 The crowd that followed kept shouting, “Get rid of him!”
37 As the soldiers were about to take Paul into the barracks, he asked the commander, “May I say something to you?”
“Do you speak Greek?” he replied. 38 “Aren’t you the Egyptian who started a revolt and led four thousand terrorists out into the wilderness some time ago?”
39 Paul answered, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Please let me speak to the people.”
40 After receiving the commander’s permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd. When they were all silent, he said to them in Aramaic[a]:
I used to look at the book of Acts one thing which I always used to remember about the passage which we read today about Paul being warned by the Prophets that he will be chained in Jerusalem and it will be difficult. And Today I am preaching this chapter. I’s amazing.
we have seen three missionary Journeys and this chapter points to the end of the third missionary journey. This chapter talks about God’s Leading , direction , suffering and confirmation .
Here Paul has to make a decision . I am taking about major decisions. I’m talking about major decisions which we have to make in life. Decisions that will alter the course of our life. Where to go to school. Who or IF to marry. What job to take. Whether to start a family. Whether to buy a house. Whether to join or associate with a church. Whether to put in for or take a promotion. Where to invest and how much to invest. Whether or not to retire and when. What to do in retirement. Whether or not to seek treatment for an illness, and what treatment to undertake. How to appropriately care for parents or spouses or children who need special care. And may more. These decisions can change the course of our life.
The Holy Spirit Confirms:
3 After sighting Cyprus and passing to the south of it, we sailed on to Syria. We landed at Tyre, where our ship was to unload its cargo. 4 We sought out the disciples there and stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. 5 When it was time to leave, we left and continued on our way. All of them, including wives and children, accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray.
Will just summarize the entire chapter, Paul being warned by his disciples, followers. And then by a prophet that in Jerusalem there are hardships waiting for him. It was not that they wanted him to go. It was the love and emotions . They say him not to go because he will be persecuted.
In the past Paul escaped many trials, the beat him, tried to kill him in other places, one time they thought he died but he rose again. He escaped all that But this time, The Spirt confirms him that This would be the last, he wont be able to escape this time. This was a confirmation to Paul. This morning I will speaking on God’s will, the word of God for us this morning.
God’s will: The will of God consists of things that are in line with God’s plan and purpose. Simply stated, it is the things that God desires.
Picturise God’s will:
If I say everything but then it becomes my will so I need a little bit of my desire and my will.
In our life we will be either doing God’s will or going against it. We can broaden it with our responses.
No Desire to know the will of God:
The response of this group is that they don’t want to know the will of God but they are aware of it but they don’t desire to know. They don’t ask for it. It’s all about their planning and desires. They do everything by themselves and then say God your will be done.
Desire to Know the will of God but don’t submit to the will of God.
The response of this group is that they know the will of God but does not do it. They are highly resistant by imaging the cost they have to pay.
Desire to Know the will of God and do the will of God
The response of this group is that they desire to know God’s will. They wait on God. They Keep their desires aside and they do the will of God.
Actually , we can write a book on the aspect of God’s will. There are so many stories, so many experiences, so many people we have come across over the period of years who have either choose God’s will or they refused to accept God’s will. Our Spirt cries out. We have so many personal experiences. We had a desire to go to Pune and settle down. We communicated with our Pastor as well. I have shared this many times, we even went and prayed for that place. I choose a Company which had a branch in Pune as well. We were very excited. Pune being an IT Hub , my carrier and some international schools in Pune , we were confident that is the Place. One fine day , we got a call from our Pastor to meet and within few minutes everything changed. He was asking us to move to Panvel. Now whatever he said contradicts to our plans , prayers, desires, comfort. But I have seen my Pastors life, I have seen the hand of God in his family and ministry.
Paul’s response to God’s will.
He Acknowledges the will of God:
When Paul choose to go to Jerusalem, He knew that there are oppositions waiting for him. And he escaped many times before. Once he wanted to go to a place but the holy spirit does not allow him to go. But this time he sees a difference that People are speaking the will of God to him that he has to suffer. But with great emotions and love , they see the future what he is going to go through. But Paul acknowledges the will of God.
Paul Surrendered to God’s will:
10 After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’”
The Prophet is not talking about what may happen but he is taking about what will happen.
Agabus has already been mentioned on one other occasion.
Acts 11:28-30 (ESV)
28 And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius).
29 So the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea.
30 And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.
Paul enjoyed success in many places but he was also ready for challenges.
Paul was ready to suffer in God’s will:
God spoke to Ananias in Acts 9
13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”
15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
Suffering was waiting for him. A journey which will be difficult and Paul choose to do that. Our Journey with God will not be easy and it will be adventurous.
Paul choose hardship, unknown journey, trusting God to the fullest. He accepted it with willing fully and cheerfully What would you choose?
Paul God’s Will Entirely:
The one thing which I believe, it’s most important for us is Paul did not leave his calling halfway. Before this event he established churches, his name was well known, he did many miracles but why he has to go to Jerusalem.
Many of us are sometimes quite selective about what aspects of God’s will we are willing to do. We think that if we have done 99 % of the will of God, that is good enough and we have done very well. The 1 % of the will of God which is still undone does not matter to us. But it matters to God. But when we look at our Lord Jesus we see that He did not leave any part of God’s will undone. He said it was finished. He completed it.
In our Christian Journey , we move form one place to another, from one church to another being very selective, our vision changes, our goal changes and God’s will in our lives also changes.
This was also the difference between King Saul and King David in OT times. Saul was told to carry out some instructions – to destroy the Amalekites, with all their animals. But his obedience was incomplete. He carried out the order to destroy the Amalekites, but he did not do it completely. He spared their king and all their cattle. And then he tried to substitute what he had not done, for something that He thought would be even better – giving animal sacrifices to God. For that, he was rebuked and rejected by God with the words, ‘to obey is better than sacrifice.‘
Now, it was precisely because of this that God chose David to be king to replace Saul – Acts 13:22
After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’
This implies that David carried out God’s will completely, 100 %, without leaving anything out, or making any substitutes.
We have to be careful not to fall into the error of King Saul who did God’s will, but not thoroughly. 90 or 95 % is not good enough. Seek to do it 100 %
In this text, Luke is showing that Paul has to go to Jerusalem. We remember that the believers there were suffering greatly and Paul and the others were to arrive with much needed aid that they had collected through the generosity of the churches.
There are many similarities between what Luke writes about Paul and what he writes about Jesus in his Gospel. As each one set their face like flint to go to Jerusalem. we must see the general similarity between what Paul is about to suffer in Jerusalem and what Jesus suffered there.
And therefore as we look at the whole world, we can see now just how greatly lacking it is in submission to the will of God. John 3:19 tells us ‘that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.’
How would I respond to God’s Will.
Our Journey..
Jesus said it is finished, Paul said I have finished the race
2 Timothy 7
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
John 19:30
30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
Perhaps someone has done something against you and to this day, you bear a grudge against him and refuse to forgive him. God reveals His will in Ephesians 4:32 ‘And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.’
Perhaps not many people thought that Amy Carmichael had much of a chance at being a missionary. Suffering from neuralgia, Amy was often weak and in pain so great that she was confined to her bed for weeks at a time. But Amy knew that God had called her to mission work. And with the encouragement of a few, she did go. In India, she found her life calling, and spent her remaining 55 years there without ever going home. Her life was dedicated to ending child prostitution and giving a home and a future to India’s many orphans. Amy was also a prolific author, and her many books have encouraged and inspired many throughout the years.
One can give without loving but cannot love without giving
In Missions , God’s will is adventurous, it’s joyful, it’s painful but is amazing. You all are here not my accident and we are hearing our message today about the will of God is also not accident. It’s God’s will.
If we are in a place of making decisions, hear God clearly. Always have someone in our lives whose thought challenges our thoughts.
Virjil Selvan is Pastoring the Renewed Hope Community. The Renewed Hope Community is situated in the heart of the city between Old and New Panvel. We can confidently share that Renewed Hope Community is a Church in Kamothe, Church in Khandeshwar, Church in Khanda Colony, Church in Karanjade, Church in Panvel, Church in New Panvel, Church in Karanjade because we are centrally located and these places surround our church Venue.
Acts 20
When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples and, after encouraging them, said goodbye and set out for Macedonia. 2 He traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece, 3 where he stayed three months. Because some Jews had plotted against him just as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia. 4 He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy also, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. 5 These men went on ahead and waited for us at Troas. 6 But we sailed from Philippi after the Festival of Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined the others at Troas, where we stayed seven days.
7 On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. 8 There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting. 9 Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. 10 Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “He’s alive!” 11 Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. 12 The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted.
13 We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take Paul aboard. He had made this arrangement because he was going there on foot. 14 When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene. 15 The next day we set sail from there and arrived off Chios. The day after that we crossed over to Samos, and on the following day arrived at Miletus. 16 Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.
17 From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. 18 When they arrived, he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. 19 I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents. 20 You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. 21 I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.
22 “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.
25 “Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. 26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you. 27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God,[a] which he bought with his own blood.[b] 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
32 “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. 34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. 35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
36 When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. 37 They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. 38 What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.
___________________________________________________________________________
As we saw last week in the book of Acts 19, there was a riot because people who would sell idols were at a loss and they hated Paul. There was a lot commotion. However, the city clerk quieted the crowd and asked them to settle the issue in the legal assembly. The setting is Ephesus.
Now Paul is on his way to Jerusalem for the day of the Pentecost. So before we begin, I have a short instance to share from the diary of John Wesley.
Who was John Wesley?
John Wesley was an English cleric, theologian, and evangelist who was a leader of a revival movement within the Church of England known as Methodism. The societies he founded became the dominant form of the independent Methodist movement that continues to this day.
From the Diary of John Wesley.
Sunday, A.M., May 5 Preached in St. Anne’s. Was asked not to come back anymore.
Sunday, P.M., May 5 Preached in St. John’s. Deacons said “Get out and stay out.”
Sunday, A.M., May 12 Preached in St. Jude’s. Can’t go back there, either.
Sunday, A.M., May 19 Preached in St. Somebody Else’s. Deacons called special meeting and said I couldn’t return.
Sunday, P.M., May 19 Preached on street. Kicked off street.
Sunday, A.M., May 26 Preached in meadow. Chased out of meadow as bull was turned loose during service.
Sunday, A.M., June 2 Preached out at the edge of town. Kicked off the highway.
Sunday, P.M., June 2 Afternoon, preached in a pasture. Ten thousand people came out to hear me.
Can we see a similarity here with what Paul was doing. Today, we see from Acts 20, that ‘When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples and, after encouraging them, said goodbye and set out for Macedonia.’ We see that Paul travelled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece, 3 where he stayed three months.
The word ‘Accompanied’ shows that Paul had many friends. He had people to go before him. Although he was unable to go to Troas immediately but his friends were able to go. He joined them later
Because some Jews had plotted against him just as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia. 4 He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy also, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. 5 These men went on ahead and waited for us at Troas. 6 But we sailed from Philippi after the Festival of Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined the others at Troas, where we stayed seven days.
This book is written by Luke, and when we read in verse 6 ‘WE’ sailed means, Luke was by default with them.
In the first few verses we can learn a few lessons from Paul’s Journey.
Team Effort: But we sailed from Philippi after the Festival of Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined the others at Troas, where we stayed seven days. They always travelled together. Submitted to each other.
Unity in mission: He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy also, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. There was unity in them. Without unity, no task would be accomplished.
Change of Plans: submitting to God’s plans: Because some Jews had plotted against him just as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia. Paul was quite flexible in his approach. He kept room for change in event or flow of his plan. He built his faith in God’s direction moreover his humanly wisdom.
Paul was an enthusiastic disciple. Even after being attacked, hurt, and misunderstood, he doesn’t stop. What is this passion that drives him? Is it the same passion that drives us? He wanted to minister to people throughout the night because he was leaving the next day and we don’t even know whether he would get rest in the journey.
So with all this ups and downs, Paul landed in Troas in Ephesus. He wanted to emphasize, encourage and assure them of the truth.
7 On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. 8 There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting. 9 Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. 10 Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “He’s alive!” 11 Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. 12 The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted.
Yes and in the process of speaking, a young boy falls and dies. However, that also doesn’t stop him. He raises him from the dead and continues with his conversations. I think Paul made the plans but God added more adventure to his plans.
There is a strange liking that people had towards Paul. They were so eager to listen to him. There is no mention of complain or grumble or any kind of discomfort that they felt. They listened to him all night.
There was never a moment when Paul would take a break and say, I think I had enough or there wasn’t this fear of unknown. His confidence and trust were in God. He knew what he was doing and he was focused on his aim and goal. Be it a riot, be it a plot of someone, or be it someone falling dead in the middle of nowhere. Paul was too passionate to be deterred of his plans.
Lessons that we learn from Paul from these few verses:
Q Was it easy to raise a boy from the dead? When one of our loved ones is sick, we spend the whole night and day worrying, crying and hunting for doctors, but when we know that my time is ticking, I may not have much time to do God’s work, I will start praying for my situations, as we take that first step of faith, God works. Paul’s agenda was very clear. Tell me how have you scheduled God’s agenda in our daily routine? What did we do yesterday? So yesterday it was raining and so couldn’t do much or is my statement like, yesterday, I was too tired or I was angry or I was too happy or I was …. You can fill in the blank.
God is waiting for us to come back to him and be channelized by him. It’s not like he doesn’t want us to rest, or take a break but I believe planning can help us to be aligned to God’s goal for us. Otherwise, it’ll be a cycle of not today!
Previous point was plan but I would also say, that be prepared for the unplanned. There are a lot of instances when our plans don’t seem to work. However, leave space and room for God’s intervention. Our life is unpredictable. God will show up in different ways to stir up our faith and character. I believe unplanned events also build up our character. How do I behave in a certain situation? How is my attitude when things don’t work my way? The Jews thought of a set way the Messiah would appear and redeem them, but God’s plan was the sacrifice that will redeem the entire mankind. God’s wisdom is beyond mine and therefore, give space for Him and His ways.
Paul had not planned it but Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead.
Also, Paul wasn’t so insensitive, that he would leave the matter just as it is. He went and prayed. Raised the boy from the dead like Elijah, it added up to the faith that he was trying to build in the people. God made it more adventurous and livelier.
Paul did not have all the comfort in life that he would make such journeys. We see in the next few verses, that his aim was to listen and do what the Holy Spirit wants him to do.
13 We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take Paul aboard. He had made this arrangement because he was going there on foot. 14 When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene. 15 The next day we set sail from there and arrived off Chios. The day after that we crossed over to Samos, and on the following day arrived at Miletus. 16 Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.
The above verse shows Paul’s foresightedness.
Reach Jerusalem for the day of Pentecost, what does this show, he was almost in a hurry as he did not want o miss the summons of the Holy Spirit. Let’s listen. Also, he didn’t want to leave any work unfinished. He wasnot sure whether he would meet these people again and so he wanted to wrap up everything on hopeful and promising note. Whenever people are on their final journey of life, all that they speak is with experience, it’s with passion and also wisdom. We can add one more aspect, and that is he spoke with the Holy Spirit to the people of Ephesus. The same words speak to us the people of Panvel, of Renewed Hope Community.
17 From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. 18 When they arrived, he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. 19 I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents. 20 You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. 21 I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.
22 “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.
25 “Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. 26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you. 27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God,[a] which he bought with his own blood.[b] 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
32 “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. 34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. 35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
Paul said I have run the race I am reaching for the prize.
6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. 2 Timothy 4:6 – 8.
What am I running for?
You may say Sandra you don’t understand, I have an uncommon situation. Or you could say that I am not ready, and the excuses or the reasoning goes on
Today, if we had to face God because that’s what our ultimate destiny, what am I going to say. I was too busy.
Because of what Jesus did we’ll be questioned more. 26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. Hebrews 10:26-27
I am not here to put fear or guilt in you but just trying to start a thought process that we need to wake up from our self centredness. The first step to it is as follows:
Can we ask God to put a passion in our hearts for one thing that he wants us to do. (Ask to pray two by two)
Paul encountered God on the road to Damascus
Paul started with learning from the apostles,
He tagged along with Barnabas
Later he ventured out by himself.
He tagged Timothy with him
It all starts small. It starts with an encounter, a thirst to learn, a hunger to know more.
Why do I need to be like Paul?
Why can’t I live simply?
God wants his people to make a change. He wants everyone to hear his promise and that he is the saviour and Messiah. He has come to redeem the world.
Making a difference in the lives of people.
14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Mat 5: 14 – 16
The question to your Why?
If you don’t make that change then who will?
Story of talents
14 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants[a] and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents,[b] to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.[c] You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ Matthew 25:14-30
Don’t we want to hear these words: My good and faithful servant, you have run the good race, you have fought the good fight, come now and take over the reward.
Sandra wife of Virjil .The Renewed Hope Community is situated in the heart of the city between Old and New Panvel. We can confidently share that Renewed Hope Community is a Church in Kamothe, Church in Khandeshwar, Church in Khanda Colony, Church in Karanjade, Church in Panvel, Church in New Panvel because we are centrally located and these places surround our church Venue.
Acts 19: The Spirit of God and the Spirit of Man
Our series on Acts continues with Paul in Ephesus. At this point, he’s well into his third missionary journey. Ephesus was a major Roman city and home of the temple of Artemis, one of the great wonders of the world in its day. The temple served both as a holy shrine and a thriving marketplace. People came from all over to shop and trade and pay their respects to the goddess of fertility. If Paul could win the Ephesians for Christ, he stood a good chance of winning the whole of Asia Minor.
When he got there he discovered a small, but active, group of Christians. They’d accepted Christ and were baptized, but they hadn’t gotten the full effect. Luke puts it this way:
“It happened that, while Apollos was at Corinth,
Paul, having passed through the upper country,
came to Ephesus, and found certain disciples.
He said to them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’
They said to him, ‘No, we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.’
He said, ‘Into what then were you baptized?’
They said, ‘Into John’s baptism.’” (19:1-3)
Paul told them that the baptism of John was a merely a baptism of repentance and that’s just the first step of coming to Christ. First, you renounce the power of sin and evil over your life and then you receive the promise of new life through the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Ephesians wasted no time. Luke says,
“When they heard this,
they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
When Paul had laid his hands on them,
the Holy Spirit came on them,
and they spoke with other languages and prophesied.”
(Acts 19:5-6)
Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you were baptized?
Big Question this morning to all of us.
Are you baptized with the holy spirit?
If you have attended our foundation course, we have two chapters. One is baptism in water and baptism in holy spirit. And how both are important.
Bible says about the Spirit, and then I want you to ask yourself the extent to which you’re filled with the Spirit. The more we know about the Spirit, the more we’ll recognize the work of the Spirit in our lives as we seek to live out our lives in faith.
Jesus before He ascended to heaven: “For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:5). This promise was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1–4); for the first time, people were permanently indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and the church had begun.
When we think about the Holy Spirit, what comes to our mind. A force, power, What does the Bible say about the identity of the Holy Spirit? Bible declares that the Holy Spirit is God.
The Bible also tells us that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, a being with a mind, emotions, and a will.
In Acts 5:3-4. In these verses Peter confronts Ananias as to why he lied to the Holy Spirit and tells him that he had “not lied to men but to God.”
Psalm 139:7-8, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.” . It is present everywhere , omnipresence Then in 1 Corinthians 2:10-11. “These are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.” , All knowing omniscience
Holy Spirit is indeed a divine person because He possesses a mind, emotions, and a will.
The Holy Spirit thinks and knows (1 Corinthians 2:10-11).
10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.
The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
The Holy Spirit can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30).
30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption
The Spirit intercedes for us (Romans 8:26-27).
26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
He makes decisions according to His will (1 Corinthians 12:7-11).
7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,[a] and to still another the interpretation of tongues.[b] 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
It put it in this way when we are baptized with the holy spirit , It gives new life. It empowers, It directs, it leads. leading of the Spirit – not something you can define or quantify in any way – so that to walk by the Spirit is to walk by faith, not by sight. It’s to seek God’s will for your life and trust God to lead the way.
Most importantly , you will know the heart of God, Thoughts of God It so important to receive the holy spirit. When we counsel people, direct people, pray for people. you may have heard this statements , I usually say, It’s not me saying this. It’s God who is saying this . It’s an amazing feeling to be immersed with the Holy spirit.
The book of Acts, which sometimes goes by the longer title of “The Acts of the Apostles,” could just as accurately be called “The Acts of the Holy Spirit through the Apostles.”
We may be baptized but are we filled with the holy spirit. Do we live a life of faith, do we live as been born again, new life.God didn’t create us simply to go through the motions; God created us to live life to the fullest.
I verse 6 , 6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues[b] and prophesied.
Now , we are going to do this. Let us rise up, we are going to experience the holy spirit and we are going to exercise the gifts of the holy spirit.
Never Stop : Use what you have to do what you can
8 Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. 9 But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. 10 This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.
They did not listen to what Paul was saying, not only that they started saying bad things about Paul, criticized him. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and started meeting in another place. He Spent 2 years and preached in Asia Minor. The impact they made in Asia minor , there were lot of churches being planted. The seven churches which we see in the book of Revelation, were all part of Asia Minor.
Verse 11-12
11 God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.
At the first, Paul found only 12 men who were not very far along in their faith. They had heard about John’s baptism, and nothing more. (Acts 19:1-3) Twelve men in a city of nearly half a million is so small, many would be too discouraged to continue. Paul’s passion is what drove him to take those 12, share the Gospel with them, and start his work. From that small start, however, came miraculous change.
Sons of Sceva
Sceva, who is identified as “a Jewish chief priest” (Acts 19:14), had seven sons “who went around driving out evil spirits” (verse 13). Seeing the success that Paul had in exorcising demons, the seven sons of Sceva began using a new formula invoking the name of Jesus. They would say to the demon, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out” (verse 13).
This ploy of Sceva’s seven sons backfired one day. A demon they were trying to cast out refused, saying, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” (Acts 19:15). The demon then turned on them viciously. The demon-possessed man “jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding” (verse 16). The seven sons of Sceva were no match for the demonic power they were toying with (see Mark 5:1–4).
We learn several things from the account of the seven sons of Sceva.
First, demons are dangerously powerful spirit beings—much stronger than we—who can cause the people they possess to do incredibly violent and uncontrollable things. The seven sons of Sceva obviously didn’t have the proper respect for demons (see Jude 1:8–9).
Second, demons recognize valid authority, and they fear God (see James 2:19). It’s important to note that the authority over demons belongs only to Jesus (see Luke 8:28, 31) and to those to whom Jesus gave it. The demon in Acts 19 says that it knows Jesus and Paul (one of Jesus’ chosen apostles). It refused to recognize any other authority in Ephesus. The demon’s question “who are you?” is chilling in its implications to the seven sons of Sceva and their total lack of authority.
Third, demons cannot be cast out via a formula or a ritual or invoking Jesus’ name. There is no power in incantations, even if they include the name of Christ. The power belongs to Jesus alone. Probably the greatest mistake the seven sons of Sceva made was their failure to realize that Paul was not doing the exorcisms. Jesus Christ was doing the exorcisms through Paul.
When were ere in Srilanka , we been called that one girl in her 20’s is creating havoc and they needed immediate attention . Even before we reached their place , in the car we prayed for us , prayed of our family , covered our children with the precious blood of Jesus and then we entered the house. When the girl looked at us , she started laughing , we asked them what is her name and I started calling her by name. but she was not responding. She was saying that ask them to go , I am not going to go anywhere. We started singing , praying but no response. She was giving eye contact and she will not even blink her eyes. She said I will not go. we said if you are not going , we are also not going , immediately she fell down unconscious , i uttered a word silently that she is fine. And she was released .
Sometimes it looks exciting but it is dangerous if we don’t have the authority which only Jesus gives you and also carry the spirt of God.
Riot in Ephesus : A moment of Madness
The stirring up of the people to madness is everywhere in Scripture . Perhaps one of the most unconsidered characters in the Bible is the crowd — none more infamous than the one who used its voice to sound with Satan, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”
So also we see the madness of crowds in Acts 19. A mob was stirred up against Paul, an experience he likely later summarized to the Corinthians: “I fought with beasts at Ephesus” (1 Corinthians 15:32).
Old proverbs have become visible: “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company ruins good morals’” (1 Corinthians 15:33). Bad company, when a company, can make the good corrupt and the bad worse.
What many citizens recognized as a religious riot in Ephesus started, with smaller, less-visible motives. Men with hidden agendas conspired together and utilized the masses to their hushed purposes. This “great disturbance” began with the greed of a silversmith named Demetrius.
Demetrius made his fortune crafting idols in service of Artemis, the Ephesian fertility goddess, rumored to have been born in Ephesus.
Now Christianity, through the apostle Paul, hurt this business by persuading many “that gods made with hands are not gods” (Acts 19:26). In an attempt to protect his wallet, Demetrius employed few strategies to destroy Paul.
Demetrius called them together: Demetrius gathered them, He did not go after Paul himself, nor pursue legal recourse; rather, he assembled people who were affected by him.
Competitors became friends : “You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this business.
Personal Agenda was covered up by religion.
28 When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
Yet notice that Demetrius’s and the craftsmen’s chief concern of finances isn’t visible once they move into the streets. Their mantra becomes simply “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” They mask financial incentives with religious.
Many associate themselves with the church for social or financial gain. They are self-deceived who try to use Christianity for worldly gain and pleasures. Many of these people are simply humanists or socialists who use Christianity as a platform for their ideologies.
As Church we need to be cautious, what we speak , what we say, what we do. Do we speak about the church , it’s people to others. Our heart breaks even if I imagine that in my dreams.
And myself & Sandra don’t want to see those days in God’s church. Better we die than we hear those thinks in our Church. Be Careful ! As a church we can’t stop it but we have 0 tolerance on this. We need to guard the church , it’s our responsibility to guard the people who serve us. We need to stand , support and pray for our leaders in their journey wherever we are.
Christ like
Paul showcased Christlike nature, when Jesus was crucified he did not utter a word he was willing to die.
29 Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia, and all of them rushed into the theater together. 30 Paul wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples would not let him. 31 Even some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the theater.
Paul wanted to run toward, not away from, the murderous mob:
“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).
I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day! What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” (1 Corinthians 15:31–32)
Paul left the city, and left Timothy in charge of the church there (1 Timothy 1:3). Despite living in an increasingly difficult environment, the church in Ephesus thrived, and likewise the entire area of Asia Minor.
Today, Ephesus lies in ruins, the economic victim of a harbor that silted up. The Temple of Artemis once stood as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, complete with more than 120 massive columns. Today, only a single column rises from a small pasture, hard evidence that Artemis of the Ephesians wasn’t nearly as great as the 25,000 fanatics once insisted she was. On the other hand, Paul’s message of Jesus Christ resulted in the conversion of billions, and his letter to the Ephesians is still being read, studied, and memorized today, some 2,000 years later.
Paul moved from Ephesus to other stops along his path, but he never lost interest in the young church he’d started there. As Paul reached his last years, he wrote a great number of letters, including a very detailed letter to the church in Ephesus. And among his very first words to Timothy was a very clear instruction concerning the church in Ephesus.
1 Timothy 1:3-4
His letter to Timothy, therefore, is a crystal-clear, passion-filled instruction manual for not only Timothy, but for the church he’d left behind in Ephesus.
The Gospel Spread like a seed.
Let’s look at the people involved in the passage
In Thessalonica
Acts 17
When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2 As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,” he said. 4 Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women.
5 But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd.[a] 6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other believers before the city officials, shouting: “These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, 7 and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.” 8 When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. 9 Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go.
In Berea
10 As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. 12 As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.
13 But when the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, some of them went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up. 14 The believers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea. 15 Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.
In Athens
16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. 18 A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. 19 Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20 You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean.” 21 (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)
22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.
24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’[b] As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’[c]
29 “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. 30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31 For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”
32 When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.” 33 At that, Paul left the Council. 34 Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.
Paul: As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,” he said.
Result – Thessalonians: Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women.
Who was he preaching to? The Thessalonians.
Thessalonica (also Thessalonike) was an ancient city of Macedon in northern Greece which today is the city of Thessaloniki. Made capital of the Roman province of Macedon, the city flourished due to its location on the major trade route to the east and continued to thrive as one of the most important cities in the Byzantine Empire. Its prosperity and cultural reputation attracted such figures as Paul the Apostle, Roman emperor Galerius, Cicero, and Lucian over the centuries. Substantial archaeological remains have been excavated and a Roman triumphal arch still stands as one of the city’s most famous landmarks. Thessalonica is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
Thessalonians were self sufficient people. They seemed to be a rich community, and had a rich background. Paul had to be thorough and full of the Holy Spirit to persuade and reason out.
We see a man named Jason who accommodated Paul while he was in Thessalonica. This was something that Paul always did. He involved a native in the process of the preaching. We see Lydia in the previous chapters. He will stay with them. It becomes a double impact as they see the life of Paul, listen to his preaching and also experience the Spirit of God working in him. This helps them and gives the confidence to trust his teaching. Paul would get involved in the lives of people.
Who is Jason?
Jason: jā´sun ( Ἰάσων , Iásōn ) is a Greek name assumed by Jews who bore the Hebrew name Joshua. This name is mentioned twice in the New Testament.
(1) Jason was the host of Paul during his stay in Thessalonica (Acts 17:5-9), and, during the uproar organized by the Jews, who were moved to jealousy by the success of Paul and Silas, he and several other “brethren” were severely handled by the mob. When the mob failed to find Paul and Silas, they dragged Jason and “certain brethren” before the politarchs, accusing Jason of treason in receiving into his house those who said “There is another king, one Jesus.” The magistrates, being troubled, took security from them, and let them go.
There are various explanations of the purpose of this security. “By this expression it is most probably meant that a sum of money was deposited with the magistrates, and that the Christian community of the place made themselves responsible that no attempt should be made against the supremacy of Rome, and that peace should be maintained in Thessalonica itself” (Conybeare and Howson, St. Paul ). Ramsay ( St. Paul the Traveler ) thinks that the security was given to prevent Paul from returning to Thessalonica and that Paul refers to this in 1 Thessalonians 2:18.
The immediate departure of Paul and Silas seems to show the security was given that the strangers would leave the city and remain absent (Acts 17:5-9).
(2) Jason is one of the companions of Paul who unite with him in sending greetings to the Roman Christians (Romans 16:21 ). He is probably the same person as (1). Paul calls him a kinsman, which means a Jew (compare Romans 9:3; Romans 16:11, Romans 16:21 ).
What do we understand by the attitude of these Thessalonians?
They were not very receptive. They were easily carried away by others. The reason being that they blindly believed, had no basis, or any kind of background knowledge.
Let’s learn a little bit about Berea
The city’s name today is Veria. It is located in the part of Greece known as Macedonia. Berea has existed since around 400 BC., and there are some indications that people lived in the area as early as 1000 BC. In the time of the Apostle Paul, it was part of the Roman Empire.
Berea was a center of Greek culture and learning. Today the city is a commercial center and the seat of a Church of Greece Metropolitan bishop.
Attitude of the Bereans
First and foremost, the Bereans were “more noble” because of their willing reception of the Word of God. Unlike the unbelieving Thessalonian Jews, the Bereans were eager to hear the teaching of Paul and Silas.
Second, the Bereans examined what they heard by comparing it to the Old Testament Scriptures. The fact that they honestly listened and conducted further personal research led many Bereans to faith in Jesus as the Messiah. This expansion of Christianity was not limited to those within the synagogue, but also extended to many Greek men and women in Berea.
Third, the Bereans guarded Paul’s safety. When Paul’s enemies arrived from nearby Thessalonica, the Berean believers protected Paul by getting him out of the region. They did not turn him over to his enemies or disassociate from him as the Jews from Thessalonica might have expected.
Fourth, the Bereans continued to grow in their faith. After Paul’s departure, Silas and Timothy remained in Berea. Why? The Bible does not explicitly say, but one reason was probably to give the Berean Christians a chance to obtain further instruction in the Christian faith.
Later in the book of Acts, we are given further insight into the faithfulness of at least one Berean man. When Paul decides to return for additional ministry in Macedonia despite the tremendous persecution he had recently faced, one of the men who chose to accompany him was from Berea: “There he spent three months, and when a plot was made against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia. Sopater the Berean, son of Pyrrhus, accompanied him” (Acts 20:3-4). Sopater, likely a Gentile Christian, continued to assist Paul (and Timothy) in ministry long after Paul’s first visit to Berea.
Berean Jews vs Thessalonian Jews
Who are we ?
11 Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. 12 As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.
The evidence of anyone genuinely wanting to understand and wanting to have a relationship with Jesus is that they would go back to the scriptures. They would want to know more. Here the Bereans were not only receptive but examined and therefore their faith is not easily shaken.
However the Thessalonians were persuaded but in their case they never went back to the scriptures or examined or investigated.
Athens
Paul was distressed to see people worshiping idols: While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols.
Paul through his reasoning, debates, was able to create curiosity among the people.
You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean.” 21 (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)
Paul was able to speak their own terminologies because he was able to understand their culture, he observed, he lived among them and studied them.
“People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.
Paul put it across in simple terms. He spoke what they wanted to hear. He understood their struggle and proclaimed the solution to them.
About Athens:
Athens, Modern Greek Athínai, Ancient Greek Athēnai, historic city and capital of Greece. Many of Classical civilization’s intellectual and artistic ideas originated there, and the city is generally considered to be the birthplace of Western civilization.
Athens, with its tall buildings and contemporary shops, is the first European city when approached from the Middle East. When approached from the west, from elsewhere in Europe, what strikes the visitor is the influence of the East—in the food, music, and clamorous street life—perhaps vestiges of a time when Athens was divorced from European society under the yoke of Ottoman rule. Nevertheless, it is wrong to say that Athens is a mixture of East and West: it is Greek and, more particularly, Athenian. The city, after all, nurtured Western civilization thousands of years ago. Athens remains on the world stage to this day.
If you see the approach that Paul had towards these people in Athens, that he spoke about God who does not live in Temples, getting right into their cultural background.
24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’[b] As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’[c]
29 “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. 30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31 For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”
32 When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.” 33 At that, Paul left the Council. 34 Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.
A special mention about the people in the end of the chapter who are highly influential.
Member of the Areopagus: Areopagus, earliest aristocratic council of ancient Athens. The name was taken from the Areopagus (“Ares’ Hill”), a low hill northwest of the Acropolis, which was its meeting place. The Areopagite Council probably began as the king’s advisers.
In order to influence such influential people like Lydia, Jason, Dionysius, Paul had to be something and he needed to have that knowledge. Paul definitely was favored by God but he was very hardworking, strategic and influential himself.
Keywords that Paul used to bring about a curiosity among the Athenians.
Attitude of Athens
What is the Character that I can learn from all these
Have we seen Christians who go with the flow? They are never able to take a stand. They want to please the whole world, in the process they are confused and confuse the people who have been observing them. These kinds of people remain stagnant.
So be prepared to enter people’s homes for good. Touch their lives and become an impact.
Some Barriers
We disrespect their belief
We judge them on the basis of their appearance, culture or behaviour. Preconceived approach.
We don’t show our love through our actions but we bombard them on how they should behave. I believe Paul not only preached but showed through his actions when he was living with them.
Finally, an afterthought that we saw a few Jews who came to create confusion, enmity, disharmony and hatred, they couldn’t cope up with Paul’s passion for the Gospel.
Why do I say couldn’t cope up? It all depends on my enthusiasm and when I take that step, God brings in supernatural wisdom, strength and favour that the enemy can’t match up with the same.
Also, Paul never focused on these troublesome Jews, he never went and fought with them or argued but he was focused on his goal. He preached with all enthusiasm.
A question to Ask ourselves…The seed is sown or it is sowing (listening to the word of God.) but where is my belief. Shallow, Deeper Roots, or Inquisitive.
Whom can we relate to
Thessalonians
Bereans
Athens
As perfectly as Paul puts
24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’[b] As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’[c]
Does what Paul says stir you up or are we still indecisive about our commitment to Jesus? Take up the challenge of learning about Jesus, build your relationship with him and there will be nothing that can take away your passion.
Sandra wife of Virjil .The Renewed Hope Community is situated in the heart of the city between Old and New Panvel. We can confidently share that Renewed Hope Community is a Church in Kamothe, Church in Khandeshwar, Church in Khanda Colony, Church in Karanjade, Church in Panvel, Church in New Panvel because we are centrally located and these places surround our church Venue.
