The next day, since the commander wanted to find out exactly why Paul was being accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin to assemble. Then he brought Paul and had him stand before them.
Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, "My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to GOD in all good conscience to this day." At this the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth. 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!"
Those who were standing near Paul said, "You dare to insult GOD's high priest?"
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.'"
Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, "My brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee. I stand on trial because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead." When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. (The Sadducees say the there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.)
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?" 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.
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."
GOD, let these be your words, not mine. Amen
Paul was arrested for preaching the Gospel in Jerusalem just prior to this. He had felt GOD calling him there to preach, so he followed. His speaking however landed him in jail with beatings. Words are the most powerful tools man has been given on this earth. They can be used to make a career and life, they can lead entire nations and armies, they can bring comfort to those who are completely broken. How powerful then, are the words of GOD when shared by man? Powerful enough where a ruling system of a people, the Jews, worry that they will lose all power to them. The Jews wanted nothing more than Paul to be executed and done away with. But GOD had other plans. Paul was arrested and brought before the Sanhedrin, the ruling authority of the Jews in the Law.
Paul speaks only twice in this passage. We're going to look at what he says. First is his insult to the high priest. Paul calls him a "whitewashed wall." Basically put, Paul is stating that he is nothing of importance and has no substance. What he did not know was that he was the high priest. When Paul found out how he had let his mouth fall down the stairs, he quickly apologized. How often have you started a very important conversation with a big mistake of saying something completely inappropriate to the other person? I have done this a many times, regretting each one to this day. Like I wrote earlier, words are a powerful tool that can make or break something. Paul's mistake could have cost him the opportunity to speak any further and spread the controversial message of the Gospel. We need to keep a hold of our tongues at all times and not let things slip so easily in life. A slip could cost us the position or experience that GOD wants for us. Keeping a tight reign over our tongues allows us to wait and listen to what GOD has to say to us. If we are constantly talking, GOD will not be able to get a word in. How can we even begin to do His work if we do not listen to the instructions? We must first be silent, listen, and then wait for Him to tell us to speak.
Paul put this into practice before the Sanhedrin with the second chance he received in the situation. Paul recognized that some of them were Sadducees. Meaning just what the passage said, they did not believe in the resurrection. Paul then said that he was there because of his faith in the resurrection. This of course started the debate among the Pharisees who did believe and the Sadducees who did not. Paul said nothing else, but caused an uproar among leaders that made them more like animals than men. All Paul did was speak the truth of the Gospel that he believed in the resurrection. Those words were enough to bring a group of highly praised men to the point where they were ready to tear Paul apart. Thankfully the commander took Paul away before that could happen. Paul knew that his words would cause such a reaction by the high priest being ready to strike him after a few words. They were tense and easily turn against one another by their beliefs. How frightening it must have been to say those words if that was the outcome? GOD called Paul to preach the Gospel in Jerusalem before all men, and when he did, he was arrested, beaten, and almost torn apart by the Sanhedrin. What made all that worth it?
Often we become scared of sharing the Gospel because of the consequences. We ask, "How could this be worth it?" It seem so much easier to keep talking and talking about other things in this life with others at school, work, and everywhere else than to talk about Jesus Christ. I am guilty of this myself. I now say painfully that I have lost count of the people that I did not take the Opportunity to share the Gospel with. I capitalized the "O" in opportunity for a reason, to emphasize that it truly is an Opportunity to share the Gospel. One that benefits us, them, and the Kingdom of GOD. It is never a sin to speak of the Gospel in a Good manor. I love that statement, "It is never a sin to speak of the Gospel in a Good manor." But it is wrong to not do so when we have the Opportunity. To not do the Good we know we ought to be doing is a sin. We all know why we don't speak though. We're afraid, we're busy, we're not gonna do a good enough job, we're not in the mood to do so. The excuses go on. But what makes taking the Opportunity worth it? In this life, nothing. There is no promised benefit in this life for spreading the Gospel. If anything, it will just bring persecution like it did Paul. But there is still a benefit. It's just not here. The benefit comes in heaven. To let GOD take over and speak for us His own words allows Him to work His way to those around us. We do nothing ourselves when we share the Gospel. All the credit for what happens goes to GOD. But to take the honor of becoming the instrument GOD makes the words flow out of to save those around us is the greatest honor of words. That is the true reward, to be used by GOD for His works of Salvation. Does He need us to do so? No! Not at all! But He gives us the Opportunity to do so. It can be hard, but it is beyond worth it.
After Paul's ordeal, the LORD stood near him and told him to take courage! He told Paul that he wanted him to speak again, not just in the city of Jerusalem, but in Rome. I would be terrified, but the one thing I have found in sharing the Gospel is 2 things. 1 It does not get easier. It really doesn't. But the 2nd thing is that it becomes more and more worth it to see what GOD is willing to do with me for others. To see the instances where I know it was Him speaking and the reaction and Love that filled the other person is so very worth it. Even more when I remember it has nothing to do with me. GOD will call us to where He wants us to speak, but if we do not take the Opportunity and open our mouths, nothing will happen. If we don't close our mouths, nothing will happen either. There is a balance, and that is the truly hard part: figuring out the times to speak. I look at 1 Peter 4:11 If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words or GOD. So I try to keep quiet until I know there is an Opportunity to speak the Gospel. I still mess up, but thankfully, we have a GOD of mercy and second chances. But overall, there are plenty of Opportunities to use our powerful words for GOD, we just need to take them.
Thank You For Reading
Long Live Jesus Christ
Amen
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