SERMON WEDNESDAY EVENING SERVICE 05TH NOV. 2014 BIBLE LESSON – ACTS 23:23-31 TOPIC: PLOT AGAINST APOSTLE PAUL INTRODUCTION Many are the troubles of the righteous but some way or the order the Lord deliver them out of them all. We have in this lesson, how the plot against the life of Apostle Paul was defeated. I will in this lesson go a little bit back in the Chapter for us to understand and really appreciate the lesson. MAIN SERMON After there are have been a division among the Sanhedrin because of the different believes about the resurrection of the death, some Jews who were also members of this group plotted against Apostle Paul because they found that they could gain nothing through a legal process and therefore have recourse to the barbarous method of assassination. THE PLOT AGAINST PAUL The conspiracy was that they will not eat nor drink until Apostle Paul is killed, what a complication of wickedness to kill an innocent man, a good man, a useful man, a man that had done them no harm. The wicked plotters designed to bring this about by telling the Chief captain that they will enquire something from the Apostle through the priests and the elders, whereas their intention s were to get hold of the Apostle and kill him. This plot was discovered by a young man that was related to the Apostle Paul, his sister’s son, Apostle Paul directed the young man to the chief captain who received the information with a great deal of tenderness HOW THE PLOT WAS DEFEATED The Chief Captain finding how restless they were against Apostle Paul resolves to send the Apostle away with all speed out of their reach. The Chief Captain thought that if he should detain Apostle Paul in his Castle, no matter how strong the guards may be, they will find some way either by beating the guards or burning down the Castle to get hold of the Apostle. What a melancholy treatment it is that the Jewish priests when they knew about this plot assist in it, while a Roman Chief Captain, purely from a natural sense of justice and humanity set himself to truncate the plot. The Chief Captain achieved it by ordering a considerable detachment of the Roman forces under his command to get ready to go to Caesarea on expedition and also to take Apostle Paul to Felix the Governor, where he might sooner expect to have justice done to him than by the great Sanhedrin in Jerusalem. The Chief Captain writes a letter to the Governor of the province by which he discharges himself from further care about Apostle Paul and leaves the whole matter in the hand of the governor. Apostle Paul was accordingly conducted to Caesarea, the soldiers got him safely out of Jerusalem by night and left the conspirators to consider whether they should eat nor drink until they have killed the Apostle and if they would not repent of the wickedness of the rashness of their Oath against the Apostle, then it will be against them and that will mean starving themselves to death in consequence of their rashness Oath and vexation. The Apostle was delivered into the hand of Felix the Governor as prisoner and the officers presented the letter written by the Chief Captain to the Governor and so discharged themselves. The Governor enquired of what province of the Empire the prisoner (Apostle Paul) was originally and was told was a native of Cilicia then the Governor promised him a speedy trial. CONCLUSION Apostle Paul had never during this time acquainted himself with great men except the disciples, yet providence brought him an opportunity of witnessing for Christ before great men as foretold by Christ Himself concerning His disciples that they would be brought before rulers and kings for His name………………..May all the evil plots against us by the enemies be put to naught and our enemies be put to shame in Jesus name.
Posted on: Wed, 05 Nov 2014 14:00:34 +0000