Acts 23:6-11
English Standard Version (ESV)
6 Now when Paul perceived
that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the
council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to
the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.” 7 And
when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the
Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8 For the Sadducees
say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit, but the Pharisees
acknowledge them all. 9 Then a great clamor arose, and some of
the scribes of the Pharisees' party stood up and contended sharply, “We find
nothing wrong in this man. What if a spirit or an angel spoke to him?” 10 And
when the dissension became violent, the tribune, afraid that Paul would be torn
to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him away from
among them by force and bring him into the barracks.
11 The following night the
Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the
facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.”
Just as today,
was the days of old, people disagreeing on religious issues and causing chaos.
Let’s look at the points of Paul’s defense. First off, he was observant. Second, he identified with a group. Third, he knew the beliefs of those he was
speaking too. Fourth, he used said
knowledge to make a point that would cause them to turn on each other rather
than to be united in a front against him.
Paul was very clever in his approach to this matter. Yet, I believe it was not Paul at all who
came up with this idea but rather; he was being led by the Holy Spirit. With that said, Paul used the gifts God gave
him to cause this turmoil. We too must
do the same. We should be diligent in
understanding the views of people who are against our beliefs or who are trying
to convince us of what our beliefs should be.
The ignorance of this world will be revealed at some point and in some
ways it already has.
God had a plan for Paul and He revealed it
directly to Paul after this incident.
God has a plan for us as well.
Our questions for today: Do we
know the points to discuss? Do we
understand the ways of those who oppose us?
Are we listening to the issues at hand?
Are we observant? Is our faith
strong enough to withstand the pressure?
These are all things Paul did and we should be doing as well.
As you seek Him
may you realize that His plans are greater than our own plans. Live in such a manner that you can show
compassion without being complacent. Be knowledgeable without being arrogant. Be observant without being judgmental. Live your life so that others will be
confused, not you.
Seeking Him with
all my heart,
Sheila
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