Sermon Tone Analysis

The Setting… follows on the heels of last Sunday where Paul shares his testimony with the crowd.

The commander is going to have Paul whipped but found out he was a Roman citizen by birth!

The commander desires to know why Paul is being accused and sets up a trial among the religious leaders of the Jews… the Sanhedrin.

Paul is in his care/ his protection/ but he needs to know what the charges are… he sits Paul down before the council…

Paul’s Speech to the Sanhedrin… Acts 23:1-6

This is a bold stance Paul takes… but look at the outcome… Acts 23:7-10 Paul is aware of both his audience and that standing trial before them there would be neither justice or a listening heart.

Paul divides his enemy...

I want us to look at Three Principles we see both Declared and Demonstrated by Paul in this brief dissertation...

A Clear Conscience

Paul makes a bold statement here…

Clear conscience before God the final judge of things

NOT perfect but in good standing with God.

CONSCIENCE: that inner voice… (NOT Jiminny Cricket)knowledge about something / that faculty which can determine between right and wrong… moral sensitivity

It’s like a window frame that lets light in… the clearer the window the better we see God’s truth and implement it in our lives...

HOWEVER… as we allow it to become dirty less and less comes through...

1 Corinthians speaks about a defiled conscience as we allow the idols of the world into our lives murky

Hebrews 10 speaks to an evil conscience we can allow to come in as we draw further from the truth

1 Timothy 4 speaks about having a seared or severed conscience where one might even begin to call good wrong!

Our danger comes from when we begin to examine ourselves or our conscience by those around us rather than God’s Word…

Keep yourself before we God in constant check with His Word and in prayer before God working through His Spirit, because even Paul had to declare before the 1 Corinthians 4:4

Respect For Authority

I genuinely believe Paul did not know, that he was not being sarcastic.

(the Priest was wrong, punishment before proven guilty)

Paul most certainly did not agree with the one who held this office

He did not agree with how he was dealing with things or see eye to eye YET

He recognizes the position and God as the One who has stated how we are to respect authority…

It was Paul who wrote in Romans 13:1-2 verse 5 states we do this not only due to fear of wrath but for CONSCIENCE SAKE! God told us to!!!

You and I do not have to agree with the authority over us, however… followers of Christ should set the example of showing respect for the positions of authority even while we may oppose the ideas and philosophies leaders may present or stand for the truths of God’s Word.

I am ashamed to be linked with how some interact with our leaders and what they say to one another and on social media.

We should be setting the standard for respect

Hope of the Resurrection

Paul realizes that there is no justice to be had, but that a clear statement needs to be given for why he is on trial… In stating this he also divides those who oppose him.

HOPE… Expectant a looking forward with confidence!

Paul would declare and clearly state why we have such a HOPE and without the resurrection we are HOPELESS! 1 Corinthians 15:12-19

NOW… if we truly do have this hope… do we live like we do?

in 1 Peter 3:15 we are challenged by Peter...

How we live (CONSCIENCE) and how we respond (RESPECT) allows you and I an opportunity to share our testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ with those around us!!!

Faithfulness

A few verses down we are privileged to see God’s perspective on what Paul’s DECLARED and how he DEMONSTRATED those words before his audience… Acts 23:11

May God find you and I faithful in how we act, speak, and interact with the world around us and as He sees us faithful may we be sensitive to the opportunities to share the HOPE we have in Jesus Christ!

Let us take time now to REMEMBER Him as we prepare to partake in communion.

(Men come forward as we close in prayer)