The Invisible Hand SERMON SHORT

“The Invisible Hand”
Acts 22:22-23:11
July 27, 2008

The Invisible Hand

From Wikipedia: “The invisible hand is a metaphor coined by the economist Adam Smith. In The Wealth of Nations and other writings, Smith demonstrated that, in a free market, an individual pursuing his own self-interest tends to also promote the good of his community as a whole through a principle that he called “the invisible hand”. May I suggest that the lives and destinies of followers of Christ are guided as well by an “invisible hand”, if you will, the hand of a sovereign God. God works through the good and the bad, even through sinful circumstances, to accomplish His will.

I. The Invisible Hand in Paul’s Citizenship - 22:22-29
The strong response of Paul’s hearers was provoked by what they believed to be a transgression of God’s holy name, a blasphemy committed by Paul. Parenthetically, we’d do well to take the name of God as seriously ourselves.

But because he could not understand what was going on, the Roman tribune decided to torture Paul in order to get at the truth once and for all, his earlier graciousness turning to brutality as his patience began to wear thin. Fortunately for Paul, flogging was a punishment that could not be inflicted on a Roman citizen, at least prior to conviction of a serious crime. Paul tells the tribune that his citizenship is natural; Roman citizenship was passed from father to son. This changes everything; the Roman tribune shudders to think that he’d nearly treated Paul with this severe punishment. Now, instead of beating the truth out of the prisoner, the Roman tribune takes legal steps to get answers.

Do you see the sovereign hand of God working in Paul’s life before he was even born? God so ordained events in Paul’s life that someone in his family line, his father or grandfather, was able to secure Roman citizenship, pass it down the line to Paul by blood, and spare Paul a life-threatening beating.

God was sovereignly working before you were born.
Psalm 139:13-16 makes it clear that God knew us before ever we were born. Do you understand, do you really grasp, that there are no accidents in your life, that nothing surprises our God, that in fact every day of your life, every facet of your life, was written in God’s book before you were born?

II. The Invisible Hand in Paul’s Sin - 22:30-23:5
But what about my sinfulness? How does God work even when I sin? We see the answer in Paul’s life.

Paul begins his defense before the Sanhedrin, the 71-member “Supreme Court” of ancient Israel; this is the “council” referred to here. Paul uses the term “brothers”; some of these men had begun down the same path as Paul, his Pharisee friends, zealous for the law of God as he had been—and yet, with the coming of the Christ encounter, Paul’s life had moved in a different trajectory.

Paul then makes a bold claim, that his conscience is clear before a holy God. For Paul, though, his ultimate righteousness was a clear conscience, but rather the work of Christ on his behalf (Philippians 3:9). Interesting that his clear conscience was about to quickly, but only momentarily, become sullied!

This Ananias, the high priest, was according to FF Bruce, “one of the most disgraceful profaners” of the office, a man who held the position for 11-12 years, a greedy man who seized for himself some of the tithes that ought to have gone to support the common priests. He was greedy, treacherous, and ruthless.

There are several questions that emerge from this passage:

What enraged Ananias? Likely, because of the claim of Paul that he could be both a good Jew and a committed follower of Christ.

Why did Paul cry out as he did? Because he had not been found guilty, and yet had been ordered to be smacked in the mouth, a clear violation of the law. Paul was a passionate guy, and in this instance, his passions got the better of him, though what he said was an accurate description; a “whitewashed wall” was a wall that was tottering but had been painted over to make it appear strong and sturdy, a façade which obscured the ugly truth that lay behind it. This was a quite fitting description of a “high priest” who was anything but priestly!

Why did Paul not recognize Ananias to be the high priest? Several different reasons have been advanced, but it makes little difference, though I do believe that Paul spoke impetuously here, and that in his words are a sincere apology for his rash action.

God sovereignly works even when you fall short.
Several truths:
• God doesn’t write Paul off because of his hasty remark.
• Truthfully, the remark was a prophecy; though I’m not sure Paul meant it to be one, he had spoken truth, as Ananias would indeed be struck by God!

Your sin has not disqualified you! Philippians 2 says it’s God Who is working in you to will and to do His good pleasure!

III. The Invisible Hand in the Unusual Means of Paul’s Defense - 23:6-10
Paul had been raised a Pharisee, and he placed himself on the side of the Pharisees, who believed in the resurrection; it’s interesting that Paul grounds his belief in the resurrection of Christ in his general belief that dead people would themselves be raised from the grave (I Corinthians 15). The hope of Israel was tied up with resurrection to eternal life.

Paul lobs a verbal hand grenade into the midst of the assembly. The Sadducees were the majority party in the Sanhedrin, and Paul’s words made them madder than ever; the Pharisees, on the other hand, used his words to determine that “this Paul character isn’t so bad a fellow after all.” This led to a full-blown ruckus such that nothing resembling order was going to be gotten out of this assembly. And so Paul would not be literally ripped to shreds, the tribune decided that this had been a bad idea after all and ordered the soldiers to get him out of their so as to save his life.

Notice how God saves Paul:
• Pharisees come to Paul’s aid
• Roman soldiers again come to Paul’s rescue

God sovereignly works sometimes in surprising ways.

IV. The Invisible Hand in Paul’s Encouragement - 23:11
Paul’s mind is filled at this point with all sorts of things, many of which bad; is he pretty discouraged, questioning, despairing? And it is just at this time that the risen Christ appears to bring him cheer and courage. This is not the first time Christ would appear to Paul at just the right moment!

God sovereignly gives us what we need when we need it.
He knows what you need. Maybe He doesn’t always give us what we want—though sometimes, He does that as well. But He always gives us what we really need. Paul was at a low point, and Jesus appeared miraculously to him.

God wasn’t through with Paul; despite difficult circumstances; despite Paul’s sin; despite all that had gone on, God wasn’t finished with him, but rather encouraged him to press on, which he did, of course. And that same invisible hand of that same sovereign God is always working in and through His children to accomplish His purposes!

Five Good Questions
1. What practical differences does it make to know that the “invisible hand” of God is there, guiding our lives?
2. In what ways can you trace the invisible hand of God working in your life—before you were even born?
3. Does it strike you as unusual that the invisible hand of God can work even through your sin? Is there a “fine line” to walk between acknowledging that, on the one hand, and justifying or celebrating sin, on the other? How do we walk that line?
4. What kinds of boxes do people try to put God in? Have you ever been surprised by how God “broke out of your box”? Share that with the group.
5. What are some of the ways in which God has given you what you need at “just the right time”?

Looking Ahead
Next Sunday, we study a long passage: Acts 23:12-24:27. Read the passage together to get a grip on the basic story line.

A Question of Identity Sermon SHORT

“A Question of Identity”
Acts 21:37-22:21
July 20, 2008

Identity determines destiny.

I’m talking about getting a Bible grip on what the Scripture says is true of you—and why it’s true of you, which is critically important. In our text today, Paul has an opportunity to tell his story, to identify himself to a howling mob intent on his execution.

Paul had finally made it to Jerusalem in time for the Feast of Pentecost, intent on delivering the offering collected from the Gentiles for the impoverished Christians in Jerusalem, an offering he was intent on delivering personally because of the solidarity it showed between Gentiles and Jews in Christ. All along the way, though, Paul had been warned, time and again, that what awaited him in Jerusalem was pain and imprisonment. But with laser focus on what Paul believed God had called him to do, he went forward. Sure enough, Paul was arrested by the Romans, more as a measure to save his life than for any wrongdoing on his part.

Note first a case of

I. Mistaken Identity – 21:37-38
Three years earlier a Egyptian Jewish terrorist had appeared claiming to be a prophet. The tribune jumped to the conclusion that the reason the crowd was so incensed was because this impostor was back, and some people who’d been duped by him were incensed at his presence.

II. Old Identity – 21:39-22:5
The first words of Paul’s old identity are given to the tribune, in order to clear up his identity with him. Paul spoke in the vernacular of the people, the Aramaic idiom of Hebrew, and asked them to listen to his defense. The crowd, to its momentary credit and perhaps because Paul chose to speak in their heart language, did give its attention to the apostle.

Paul begins his story by talking about the man that he had once been. He sets his conversion into the context of his identity as a Jew. To begin to establish his claim, he speaks of his birth, upbringing, and education, a triad of identity markers which firmly place him in the context of 1st-century Judaism. In Philippians 3:5, he describes himself as a “Hebrew of the Hebrews”, one who need not apologize to anyone as to his heritage.

Let’s tackle this truth: our identity is not first that of our earthly citizenship. The allegiance which we pledge to our flag and the “republic for which it stands” pales in comparison to our allegiance to “His Kingdom and His righteousness”, which must be the first object of our affections and attention.

Paul didn’t just have the right lineage; he had appropriate zeal as well. He had been enthusiastic in his defense of what he believed was true.

III. New Identity – 22:6-21
Here comes the turning point, though, the complete change in Paul’s identity: it comes in relation to a Person, Jesus Christ, for in Christ, Paul finds a new

A. Master – 22:6-10a
Paul had a heavenly confrontation, he tells his audience. This was something Paul neither sought nor provoked, something “out of the blue” as Paul was headed resolutely in one direction. We call to mind Paul’s words in Philippians 3:7-8: “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.”

Paul’s natural response to the confrontation, thinking again as a good Jew, was, “what do I do, Lord?”

B. Mandate – 22:10b-16
Note how Paul describes Ananias: “a devout man according to the Law”. Here’s a guy who is a strict Jew, yet who has also found Christ as his Messiah. He speaks in Jewish terminology as well, speaking of the “God of our fathers” and using the Messianic title for Christ, calling Him the “Righteous One”. The mandate Paul is given is done so in Jewish terms.

• Know God’s will
• See Christ
• Hear Christ’s voice

And the purpose for which these things happen to Paul is that he might be a witness of all he has seen and heard of Christ. Ananias commands Paul to undergo baptism, the always-appropriate outward symbol of inner transformation in Christ.

C. Mission – 22:17-21
Paul here references his return to Jerusalem some time later, three years after his conversion. It was his intent to be a witness right there in the city; he at that point didn’t understand that his mission was to be to Gentiles. But Paul attributes his change in life mission to another encounter with the risen Christ, in which Christ tells him clearly that Jerusalem is not the place where he will have fruitful ministry. Christ instead sends him to the Gentiles!

Why wouldn’t the Jews respond well to the reminder that God had called them to reach Gentiles and show them His light? It’s because Paul wasn’t making these Gentiles proselytes to Jewish faith, but rather teaching them that they could come directly to God in Christ without first becoming Jews and observing Jewish law and customs. What was Paul saying? It sounded like heresy to them, but like grace to us: Paul was saying that at the foot of the cross, the ground was level, that Jews had no special claim on God because of their heritage, that Jews and Gentiles were equal with respect to God, that both could come to God by way of the cross of Christ, or not at all. That message was offensive then, and it’s offensive now.

Paul’s Story/My Story

• An “Old Man”
According to Scripture we are born, if you will, “old men”, because the chief characteristic of this “old man” is that he/she is identified by sin. Romans 6 speaks of our “old man”, or our “old self”, the people that we are before an encounter with Jesus Christ. We all have a history, and the chief characteristic of that history is that “all have sinned, and fall short of God’s glory.”

But that’s not the end of Paul’s story, nor of ours:

• Measured by the Master
The Bible never identifies me, as a follower of Christ, by my sin. My measure now is not my sin; it is my Master, Jesus Christ. What is true of me is true because of what God has done for me in Christ. When I say “identity is destiny”, I’m talking about your identity as a new creation in Jesus Christ (II Corinthians 5:17), not the “old man” gussied up or convinced that he’s “worth it” or “made it” or what-have-you. I am who I am in relation to Who He is and what He’s done for me! In I Corinthians 15:10, Paul says, “By the grace of God I am what I am.”

o Fully forgiven
Here’s Ephesians 1:7-8a, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us.” You are fully, finally, forever forgiven in Christ of every last one of your sins past, present, and future. You were at one time identified by your sin—in fact, Paul tells us in Ephesians 2 that we are dead in our sins, by nature—dead men walking, as it were. And yet now, in Jesus Christ, God wipes the slate entirely and completely clean.

God’s forgiveness doesn’t depend on our feelings; there may be many reasons why at any given point in our lives we may not “feel forgiven”. Nor does it depend upon “forgiving yourself”. If it’s so important to “forgive yourself”, don’t you think God would have found a way to mention that in this Bible that is written to fully equip us to do every good work? No, don’t try to forgive yourself; you aren’t equipped for the job. What you must do is to accept the Bible truth that God, in Christ, has forgiven you: period.

o Adopted into the family
“As many as received (Christ), to them (God) gave the power to become (His) children, to them that believe on (Jesus)” (John 1:12). Listen again to Paul’s words from Ephesians 1: “In love He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace…” My calling card, my identity, was “sin”; now, through Christ, I am a child of the Holy God of the universe.

o Set apart as a saint
Here’s the term that Paul uses over and over again to address us: “saint”. That means “holy” or “set apart” one. That’s my identity: I am a saint. By nature, it’s true that “I’m no saint”, but in Christ, I am! Identity determines destiny, and I am called, as a holy one in God’s sight, to practically, daily, live a holy life.

• Commissioned by Christ
Paul received marching orders and mission from Jesus Christ, and that’s true of you and me as well now that we are in Christ. My identity, like Paul’s, is of one commissioned by Jesus; my destiny is thus to be a maker of disciples, bringing others to Jesus as Savior and Lord.

Paul stood before an angry mob and told his story, the story of the radical change in his identity when he came to Christ, the radical transformation of his destiny in the same way. Those of us who have become followers of Jesus find our stories paralleling Paul’s. What about you?

5 Good Questions
1. Why is it so important for us to get a Biblical understanding of our identity, of who we are in Christ?
2. A Biblical understanding of our identity begins with understanding ourselves in relationship to Christ. What other sources of identity vie for the allegiance of Christians? How can we as followers of Christ be careful to remember that Christ is the One by Whom we are to be identified above all others?
3. Why do some Christians seem to struggle with the idea that all of their sins are forgiven in Christ?
4. From your knowledge of Scripture, what are some other things that are true of us, that make up our identities, as followers of Christ? Ephesians 1 is very helpful in this exercise!
5. Christ commissioned Paul to take the gospel outside of his “comfort zone”, to the degree that Paul argued with Him about the assignment. What are some of the “outside your comfort zone” areas of ministry that God has used you in? And if you can’t think of any…is that instructive in any way?

Looking Ahead
Acts 22:22-23:11 is our next unit of study. Read the text together and consider that Paul uses his rights as a Roman citizen to avoid being beaten. Is it always appropriate to “stand up for our rights”? When might it not be?

A Life Lived on Purpose

“A Life Lived on Purpose”
Acts 20:17-38
June 22, 2008

This was a difficult goodbye for Paul. Notice how it came about:

• Prologue: Arranging the Meeting - :17-18a
The apostle Paul was a passenger on a merchant ship making its way slowly down the Aegean Sea toward the Mediterranean, stopping with regularity. At Miletus, the boat docked to load and unload cargo. Paul saw and seized an opportunity here, sending word for the elders from the church at Ephesus to come and meet him. And for us, his words to them illustrate a life lived on purpose.

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Sleeping in Church Sermon Short

“Sleeping in Church”
Acts 20:7-16
June 15, 2008

I. The Church Comes In to Worship & Fellowship - :7a
On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread…

Now we might be tempted just to run right on by this, because it doesn’t strike us as unusual, but there are some things to note:
• “First day of the week”
FF Bruce says this is “the earliest unambiguous evidence we have for the Christian practice of gathering together for worship on that day”.

Why Sunday worship?

Why not Sabbath worship?

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Genuine Peace (Part II) Sermon SHORT

“Genuine Peace” – Part II
June 1, 2008

Genuine peace involves:

I. Full Forgiveness
Last week, we looked at this first critical piece in the puzzle of genuine peace: we must forgive as Christ has forgiven us.

II. Seeking the Welfare of the Other Party
Philippians 2:1-4
Paul is addressing people here who are under the potential of attack from a hostile world, as well as being under attack from disunity within. Paul says, at the end of chapter 1, that in light of the likelihood of persecution, they need to
• Be united (reiterated in 2:2)
• Be striving for the same goal, that of the gospel, and
• Be courageous

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