1 00:00:04,720 --> 00:00:08,360 This is ERC Sundays, the messages at Emmaus Rd. 2 00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:12,280 Church in DeWitt, Iowa. ERC is a Church of people 3 00:00:12,280 --> 00:00:15,320 striving to grow in Jesus and make him known to others through 4 00:00:15,320 --> 00:00:19,560 our faith, words and actions. Find out more about our church 5 00:00:19,600 --> 00:00:23,360 at emmausrdonline.org. Here's this week's message. 6 00:00:25,520 --> 00:00:29,920 If you haven't been with us, we are in the book of Acts and 7 00:00:30,040 --> 00:00:32,920 we're going to be in chapter 23 this morning. 8 00:00:32,920 --> 00:00:36,240 There's Bibles in the pews if you want to turn to that. 9 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:39,560 It's in the back half, 5th book into the New Testament there, 10 00:00:39,800 --> 00:00:43,600 chapter 23. Before that, though, Pastor 11 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:46,920 Chris had an announcement a couple weeks ago about a new 12 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:52,200 ministry that we're starting and it's going to be involving lots 13 00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:56,480 of things, but most specifically a a medical mission trip with 14 00:00:56,480 --> 00:01:01,200 Doctor Michael close. So he is in the planning stages 15 00:01:01,200 --> 00:01:04,280 and more details will be coming out. 16 00:01:04,280 --> 00:01:07,760 But if you're at all interested in what you've heard so far 17 00:01:07,760 --> 00:01:10,840 about this or even the prospect of a medical mission trip is 18 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:13,560 just something that's enticing, appealing to you somewhere in 19 00:01:13,560 --> 00:01:16,400 South America, the details will be will be forthcoming. 20 00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:19,440 Dr. close will be out at the connection Center after the 21 00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:21,680 service today. If you would even just like to 22 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:24,480 let him know. Hey, keep me on a list for one 23 00:01:24,480 --> 00:01:27,720 more stuff comes down. I want I want to know more as 24 00:01:27,720 --> 00:01:29,640 this comes out. Meet him at the connection 25 00:01:29,640 --> 00:01:37,080 center after the service. All right, so we are in Acts 26 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:40,600 chapter 23. If you haven't been following 27 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:43,400 along or just need a refresher from last week. 28 00:01:43,640 --> 00:01:49,640 Paul was preaching in Jerusalem and there came a point that the 29 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:54,240 Jewish crowds were kind of done hearing the message that he had 30 00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:55,920 to bring there was there was rioting. 31 00:01:56,120 --> 00:02:00,040 It wasn't safe anymore. They actually arrested him and 32 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:05,480 brought him to jail and brought him before a trial basically, 33 00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:10,120 and God had promised him that he would have opportunity to preach 34 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:15,040 in Jerusalem. Didn't didn't really quite 35 00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:19,920 picture it to the crowds to a courtroom, but that's the 36 00:02:19,920 --> 00:02:22,760 opportunity that presented itself before him. 37 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:30,120 So we turn to chapter 23 and Paul is before a gathering of 38 00:02:30,120 --> 00:02:33,680 the Sanhedrin, the the Sadducees and the Pharisees, the religious 39 00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:37,520 leaders of the law. These two groups didn't see eye 40 00:02:37,520 --> 00:02:40,200 to eye on everything, but they were the influencers. 41 00:02:40,200 --> 00:02:42,720 They were they were the leaders there. 42 00:02:42,720 --> 00:02:47,120 They were somewhat the Sadducees were more influenced by the law. 43 00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:50,240 They didn't really believe in the resurrection of Jesus or any 44 00:02:50,640 --> 00:02:54,200 divine nature of God or angels of the Holy Spirit or anything. 45 00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:57,840 The Pharisees were still very much rooted in Old Testament 46 00:02:57,840 --> 00:03:01,840 law, Jewish law, and that you still even even if Jesus came 47 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:05,280 and rose from the dead and there was this pathway to everlasting 48 00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:10,080 life, you still had to dot your IS and cross your T's about all 49 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:11,840 these things in the Old Testament and you still have to 50 00:03:11,840 --> 00:03:16,200 live by the law so to earn your way into that salvation. 51 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:19,960 So neither 1 is really in total agreement with the gospel that 52 00:03:19,960 --> 00:03:24,720 Paul is preaching, but he appeals to them having having 53 00:03:24,720 --> 00:03:27,760 failed. And I, I don't mean any 54 00:03:27,920 --> 00:03:31,120 disrespect towards Paul, but in his perspective, even we'll see 55 00:03:31,120 --> 00:03:34,920 in the text, he feels as if he had failed to, to bring the 56 00:03:34,920 --> 00:03:37,680 gospel to the crowd. There wasn't the response that 57 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:41,880 he thought, there wasn't the thousands of lives changed that 58 00:03:41,880 --> 00:03:44,160 we've seen in in past places in Acts. 59 00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:48,640 There wasn't this stirring revival of the early church in 60 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:54,280 response to the gospel. So Paul, Paul is in this place 61 00:03:56,520 --> 00:03:59,880 of wondering what's different, what changed? 62 00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:04,400 He didn't have influence on the people, but maybe he could have 63 00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:07,440 influence on the leaders to lead the people. 64 00:04:08,320 --> 00:04:12,440 So we turn to Acts chapter 23 starting at verse one. 65 00:04:13,880 --> 00:04:17,720 Looking intently at the council, Paul said, brothers, I have 66 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:21,640 lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day. 67 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:24,880 The high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him 68 00:04:24,880 --> 00:04:28,880 to strike him on the mouth. Then Paul said to him, God is 69 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:31,280 going to strike you, you whitewashed wall. 70 00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:36,000 Are you sitting to judge me according to the law, and yet 71 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:38,560 contrary to the law you order me to be struck. 72 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:47,520 I got it Rory, thank you. Though those who stood by said, 73 00:04:47,560 --> 00:04:49,400 Would you revile God's high priest? 74 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:53,800 Paul said, I did not know, brothers, that he was the high 75 00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:55,640 priest. For it is written, You shall not 76 00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:57,760 speak evil of a ruler of your people. 77 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:01,800 Now when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the 78 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:04,680 other Pharisees, he cried out in the council. 79 00:05:05,200 --> 00:05:08,400 Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. 80 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:10,320 And is it? It is with respect to the hope 81 00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:13,880 and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial. 82 00:05:14,760 --> 00:05:16,880 When he had said this, a dissension arose between the 83 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:20,280 Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 84 00:05:21,240 --> 00:05:24,720 But the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, no Angel nor 85 00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:27,360 spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all. 86 00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:30,280 Then a great clamour arose, and some of the scribes of the 87 00:05:30,280 --> 00:05:32,520 Pharisees party stood up and contended sharply. 88 00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:34,800 We find nothing wrong in this man. 89 00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:38,240 What if a spirit or an Angel spoke to him? 90 00:05:39,200 --> 00:05:42,280 When the dissension became violent, the tribune, afraid 91 00:05:42,280 --> 00:05:44,720 that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, commanded the 92 00:05:44,720 --> 00:05:47,560 soldiers to go down and take him away from among them by force 93 00:05:47,840 --> 00:05:50,720 and bring him into the barracks. The following night the Lord 94 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:54,080 stood by him and said, Take courage, for as you have 95 00:05:54,080 --> 00:05:58,160 testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must 96 00:05:58,160 --> 00:06:03,120 testify also in Rome. This is the word of Godfather 97 00:06:04,400 --> 00:06:08,280 God, our Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit, would you speak and move 98 00:06:08,280 --> 00:06:14,520 in power in this time? May we take courage as we look 99 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:17,320 to be faithful to the gospel of Jesus Christ. 100 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:24,040 Open our hearts, minds and ears to hear what you have to say to 101 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:26,200 us this morning. We're ready to listen. 102 00:06:27,480 --> 00:06:32,760 Jesus name, Amen. There's a big scene that's 103 00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:37,280 happening here and there's lots of different details that are 104 00:06:37,280 --> 00:06:40,240 interesting, that are factual, that are historical. 105 00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:45,000 I'm going to go past all of those and we're going to jump 106 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:49,280 right to what I think is the crux of this passage, the very 107 00:06:49,280 --> 00:06:57,560 last verse, verse 11, the response of God to the work that 108 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:04,640 Paul has done thus far. After all of this, remember the 109 00:07:04,640 --> 00:07:06,600 crowds rioted. They didn't want to hear what he 110 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:10,680 had to say. He for a fleeting moment, Paul 111 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:14,320 had an advantage in in the Sanhedrin, in this assembly when 112 00:07:14,320 --> 00:07:18,760 he appealed to the Pharisees saying, hey, we both live by the 113 00:07:18,760 --> 00:07:20,480 resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 114 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:25,200 We both believe in that. But that really just sparked 115 00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:27,760 disagreement between the two factions. 116 00:07:27,840 --> 00:07:32,360 It did not compel the Pharisees to then go forth and influence 117 00:07:32,360 --> 00:07:35,440 the people on that item. It just kind of cited the 118 00:07:35,440 --> 00:07:40,040 Pharisees more with Paul and the Sadducees were then against all 119 00:07:40,040 --> 00:07:42,280 of them together. Didn't really get us anywhere. 120 00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:49,200 The gospel was again cut short, so much so that out of 121 00:07:49,320 --> 00:07:54,640 protection for Paul, who last week we remember the emphasis on 122 00:07:54,640 --> 00:08:00,000 him being a Roman citizen. This tribune, the centurion, the 123 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:04,040 soldier ordered that Paul for his own protection, be taken 124 00:08:04,040 --> 00:08:08,120 into custody and be put into jail so that no one else could 125 00:08:08,120 --> 00:08:10,200 get at him. It was his responsibility, the 126 00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:13,800 soldiers responsibility to protect Paul's life. 127 00:08:15,360 --> 00:08:21,200 So Paul, after these moments of failure among the crowds, among 128 00:08:21,200 --> 00:08:28,920 the Sanhedrin, is sitting alone in a jail cell, wondering what 129 00:08:28,920 --> 00:08:33,520 went wrong and wondering what might be next. 130 00:08:37,960 --> 00:08:43,840 But the following night, after all this happened, Paul 131 00:08:43,840 --> 00:08:50,120 earnestly wanted the salvation of people we see earlier in 132 00:08:50,120 --> 00:08:52,600 acts. In his letter to the Romans, his 133 00:08:52,640 --> 00:08:58,560 heart broke for people to come to know Jesus Christ, and out of 134 00:08:58,560 --> 00:09:03,040 these two latest opportunities to do that, he saw no result. 135 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:09,480 He saw no response. He was making Jesus known, but 136 00:09:09,480 --> 00:09:11,440 the people didn't want to know him. 137 00:09:13,680 --> 00:09:22,120 Lives were not changed. In these moments where there's 138 00:09:22,120 --> 00:09:27,400 seemingly no progress, we can feel useless and worthless. 139 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:31,160 Paul almost certainly wrestled with these things, wondering if 140 00:09:31,160 --> 00:09:34,480 God was even going to continue to use him anymore. 141 00:09:34,920 --> 00:09:37,920 Was this the end of the line? He he knew it was coming near. 142 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:42,600 He knew the end of his life was drawing near. 143 00:09:43,040 --> 00:09:45,640 Was this the end of his ministry? 144 00:09:46,800 --> 00:09:53,320 But in the darkness of the night, the Lord Jesus came to 145 00:09:53,320 --> 00:10:01,840 Paul and stood by him. Paul, of course, had a a unique 146 00:10:01,840 --> 00:10:05,400 experience of this. There has never once I've been 147 00:10:05,400 --> 00:10:08,840 leading worship on Sunday mornings for 15 years with 148 00:10:08,840 --> 00:10:11,560 regularity. There has never been once after 149 00:10:11,560 --> 00:10:15,200 one of those Sundays that Jesus just pops up and it's like, hey, 150 00:10:15,640 --> 00:10:17,200 that was great, do it again next week. 151 00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:21,760 Never happened to me. I've preached about 50 times in 152 00:10:21,760 --> 00:10:23,920 the past two years sitting in my office after the service. 153 00:10:24,160 --> 00:10:26,520 Never once has Jesus pulled up on the couch. 154 00:10:26,520 --> 00:10:29,160 Hey, that was a good word today, Do it again. 155 00:10:32,480 --> 00:10:34,360 I've never had that sort of response. 156 00:10:36,840 --> 00:10:40,920 Does that mean I'm not preaching the word of God rightly? 157 00:10:46,120 --> 00:10:50,760 You can tell me if that's so, I feel that I've been faithful to 158 00:10:50,760 --> 00:10:57,800 it. Paul had a unique experience of 159 00:10:57,800 --> 00:11:02,880 the manifestation of Jesus and we can have the same confidence 160 00:11:02,880 --> 00:11:05,240 of this. Matthew 2820. 161 00:11:05,480 --> 00:11:08,440 That is the Great Commission. Go therefore and make disciples. 162 00:11:08,560 --> 00:11:12,400 But the promise of Jesus at the end is, and surely I will be 163 00:11:12,400 --> 00:11:16,080 with you always to the very end of the age. 164 00:11:16,880 --> 00:11:21,240 He does not send us off to do his bidding alone. 165 00:11:23,160 --> 00:11:26,240 He sends us to make disciples with him. 166 00:11:30,080 --> 00:11:36,960 Paul, though physically alone, was not truly alone. 167 00:11:38,320 --> 00:11:42,840 And for those of you that feel apart from God, maybe further 168 00:11:42,840 --> 00:11:46,840 from God than you've ever felt or or at least felt recently, 169 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:52,880 God knows right where you're at today. 170 00:11:53,480 --> 00:11:57,600 Just like he knew right where Paul was at, even in prison, 171 00:11:57,800 --> 00:12:03,720 even at his lowest. Even if you're hiding where 172 00:12:03,720 --> 00:12:07,000 you're at today from everyone else around you in your life, 173 00:12:07,480 --> 00:12:10,120 God knows where you're at right now. 174 00:12:13,000 --> 00:12:15,920 Paul was alone, but he wasn't truly alone. 175 00:12:16,840 --> 00:12:22,760 Jesus was enough, and it was better to be in jail with the 176 00:12:22,760 --> 00:12:28,200 Lord Jesus alongside him than to be anywhere else without him. 177 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:33,840 So Paul had confidence in this moment. 178 00:12:36,880 --> 00:12:39,280 God also met him right in this jail cell. 179 00:12:39,280 --> 00:12:45,200 How often do we pray God deliver me from this circumstance, heal 180 00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:51,320 this sickness, take this affliction, this struggle, this 181 00:12:51,320 --> 00:12:54,480 relationship, this reconciliation that I need, Make 182 00:12:54,480 --> 00:13:01,160 it right. We so often want Him to deliver 183 00:13:01,160 --> 00:13:05,280 us from our circumstances. Maybe He wants to meet us right 184 00:13:05,400 --> 00:13:10,200 in Him. He wants to meet us right in 185 00:13:10,200 --> 00:13:16,560 those circumstances, right where we are, so that we know we're 186 00:13:16,560 --> 00:13:21,800 surrendering to his strength to get us through and that we know 187 00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:24,160 it's it's truly not of our own doing. 188 00:13:27,760 --> 00:13:35,840 Are we demanding an escape or are we demanding a relationship 189 00:13:36,040 --> 00:13:39,600 that sustains us through whatever we face? 190 00:13:45,040 --> 00:13:48,120 The next part of this, it says that this is the English 191 00:13:48,120 --> 00:13:52,200 standard version of of the Bible, a more literal 192 00:13:52,440 --> 00:13:57,800 translation even, is this phrase be of good cheer, take courage, 193 00:13:58,160 --> 00:14:02,040 be of good cheer. The the Greek word here means 194 00:14:02,040 --> 00:14:07,800 confident, courageous. We only see this same phrasing 195 00:14:07,800 --> 00:14:11,360 of of take courage or be of good cheer exactly in the original 196 00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:14,840 Greek. It only occurs five times in the 197 00:14:14,840 --> 00:14:21,160 New Testament. Jesus in Matthew Chapter 9 told 198 00:14:21,160 --> 00:14:25,640 the bedridden paralytic, Be of good cheer for your sins are 199 00:14:25,640 --> 00:14:31,480 forgiven. Jesus told a woman with a 12 200 00:14:31,480 --> 00:14:35,080 year old affliction, Be of good cheer daughter, for your faith 201 00:14:35,080 --> 00:14:40,800 has made you well. Jesus when his disciples were 202 00:14:40,800 --> 00:14:43,320 frightened on the Sea of Galilee and he was about to calm the 203 00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:46,480 storm, told them be of good cheer. 204 00:14:47,800 --> 00:14:52,320 You need not be afraid. The night before his 205 00:14:52,320 --> 00:14:56,360 crucifixion, Jesus told his disciples, in this world you 206 00:14:56,360 --> 00:15:04,240 will have trouble, but be of good cheer, for I have overcome 207 00:15:04,560 --> 00:15:10,720 the world. So in all four of those prior 208 00:15:10,720 --> 00:15:15,200 instances, Paul had the confidence, Your sins are 209 00:15:15,200 --> 00:15:17,720 forgiven, your faith has made you well. 210 00:15:17,880 --> 00:15:22,600 You need not be afraid. I have overcome the world. 211 00:15:24,720 --> 00:15:29,520 So therefore, take heart, take courage, be courageous. 212 00:15:34,200 --> 00:15:38,600 Paul undoubtedly needed to hear this message. 213 00:15:39,800 --> 00:15:44,000 Jesus was there to cheer on Paul's faithfulness. 214 00:15:47,560 --> 00:15:50,200 He knew exactly what he needed to hear because while the 215 00:15:50,200 --> 00:15:54,080 situation looked bad, it was about to get a lot worse. 216 00:15:54,160 --> 00:15:56,920 We didn't get to the second part of this passage, but the very 217 00:15:56,920 --> 00:16:01,280 next day there were 40 Jewish assassins that plotted together 218 00:16:01,400 --> 00:16:06,440 and made an oath to assassinate Paul before they would ever eat 219 00:16:06,440 --> 00:16:09,240 or drink again. Their goal was to kill Paul. 220 00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:15,560 That was coming tomorrow and right now Jesus says be of good 221 00:16:15,560 --> 00:16:19,560 cheer. Why? 222 00:16:21,120 --> 00:16:25,000 Not because everything's fine, not because everything's going 223 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:30,320 to be roses and rainbows tomorrow, but because God is 224 00:16:30,320 --> 00:16:34,440 still on His throne. Jesus is still by Paul's side 225 00:16:35,960 --> 00:16:40,240 and He will hold to His promise in eight Romans 828 to work all 226 00:16:40,240 --> 00:16:43,840 things together for the good of those who love Him and are 227 00:16:43,840 --> 00:16:49,080 called according to his purpose. God undoubtedly called Paul to 228 00:16:49,080 --> 00:16:52,440 this work. He was not going to let him down 229 00:16:52,480 --> 00:16:57,520 in it. As a Christian, as a follower of 230 00:16:57,520 --> 00:17:01,560 Christ, we are in the unique position. 231 00:17:03,280 --> 00:17:06,760 Anyone can be of good cheer when things are great, when things 232 00:17:06,760 --> 00:17:12,400 are going well, as Christians were called to be of good cheer 233 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:17,880 even when things are bleak, even when they're at their darkest, 234 00:17:19,839 --> 00:17:24,200 because we need to know and trust that God is mighty and 235 00:17:24,200 --> 00:17:28,840 wonderful no matter the passing crisis of our day-to-day 236 00:17:28,840 --> 00:17:37,400 moments. Jesus goes on to affirm and 237 00:17:37,520 --> 00:17:41,000 encourage Paul. For as you have testified to the 238 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:46,280 facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome. 239 00:17:46,440 --> 00:17:50,800 He's saying you've done it. You've been faithful to the 240 00:17:50,800 --> 00:17:54,880 message that I gave you. Well done, good and faithful 241 00:17:54,880 --> 00:17:56,640 servant. Paul's getting that message 242 00:17:56,840 --> 00:18:02,640 right now, and he encouraged him. 243 00:18:04,040 --> 00:18:05,440 But there's still more to be done. 244 00:18:07,280 --> 00:18:10,360 Paul could have been very discouraged about the lack of 245 00:18:10,360 --> 00:18:12,960 results, especially over the past couple days. 246 00:18:14,480 --> 00:18:17,200 Though he was faithful to the message, there was seemingly 247 00:18:17,200 --> 00:18:21,560 very little fruit and impact from this message. 248 00:18:22,720 --> 00:18:25,200 Paul could have been in a place of discouragement. 249 00:18:28,560 --> 00:18:33,400 Jesus encourages him. Well done, do it again. 250 00:18:37,840 --> 00:18:45,000 This can be said of us too. Y'all keep coming back each and 251 00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:48,120 every week. Chris and I keep coming back 252 00:18:48,120 --> 00:18:55,880 each and every week because there's still more to be done 253 00:18:56,440 --> 00:19:00,480 for the Kingdom of God. Never once have we ended a 254 00:19:00,480 --> 00:19:07,520 Sunday saying we did it. It's done, it's finished. 255 00:19:12,520 --> 00:19:15,680 There's more to do. For the faithful follower of 256 00:19:15,680 --> 00:19:17,640 Christ, there's always more to do. 257 00:19:18,160 --> 00:19:22,040 More people to bring to Him, More ways to glorify him in your 258 00:19:22,040 --> 00:19:25,400 life. More people to pray with. 259 00:19:25,600 --> 00:19:30,720 More humble ways to serve. More hungry to help, More naked 260 00:19:30,720 --> 00:19:33,480 to clothe, more weary Saints for you to encourage. 261 00:19:36,320 --> 00:19:41,240 The faithful servant receives those opportunities with good 262 00:19:41,240 --> 00:19:46,240 cheer. The lazy servant receives those 263 00:19:46,240 --> 00:19:51,240 opportunities begrudgingly. All this again. 264 00:19:52,360 --> 00:19:59,280 Here we go again. We're called to be of good cheer 265 00:20:00,360 --> 00:20:04,320 in the continual opportunities raised for faithful followers of 266 00:20:04,480 --> 00:20:08,280 Jesus. Because his final encouragement 267 00:20:08,280 --> 00:20:09,960 to Paul is there's still more to be done. 268 00:20:10,480 --> 00:20:14,760 So as you've done, you must also continue to testify in Rome. 269 00:20:14,760 --> 00:20:17,640 You must bear witness in this same way. 270 00:20:19,400 --> 00:20:23,400 This was twofold for Paul because while it was an 271 00:20:23,400 --> 00:20:25,280 encouragement to keep doing the work. 272 00:20:26,160 --> 00:20:30,520 It was also promised protection. You're going to make it to Rome. 273 00:20:31,480 --> 00:20:35,640 You almost got killed today, but my plan is for you to preach in 274 00:20:35,640 --> 00:20:37,680 Rome, and that's more than a day away. 275 00:20:37,680 --> 00:20:40,080 So you'll make it through tomorrow. 276 00:20:46,470 --> 00:20:49,550 In Paul's writings earlier in Acts and in his letters to the 277 00:20:49,550 --> 00:20:53,630 Romans, he he writes of his affections for the people of 278 00:20:53,630 --> 00:20:57,360 Rome. He wanted to go to Rome to 279 00:20:57,360 --> 00:21:01,440 preach to the people, to preach to the rulers. 280 00:21:02,920 --> 00:21:07,080 It was something he sought after and dreamt of as a part of his 281 00:21:07,080 --> 00:21:09,120 ministry for the gospel of Jesus Christ. 282 00:21:12,400 --> 00:21:15,840 God was about to fulfill the desires of his heart, the 283 00:21:15,840 --> 00:21:23,880 faithful longings of Paul, to see the gospel in Judea and 284 00:21:23,880 --> 00:21:26,080 Samaria to the ends of the earth. 285 00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:32,200 He wanted to go right into the belly of the beast and preach 286 00:21:32,200 --> 00:21:37,080 Christ and him crucified. He knew Jesus. 287 00:21:37,240 --> 00:21:41,200 His life's sole mission was to make him known. 288 00:21:48,400 --> 00:21:54,440 He faced his enemies in the streets, in the Sanhedrin, in 289 00:21:54,440 --> 00:22:02,080 the courtroom, knowing that he had nothing to fear from them so 290 00:22:02,080 --> 00:22:06,440 long as he was faithful to the God that work, the work that God 291 00:22:06,440 --> 00:22:13,480 had called him to. God had more for him to do, and 292 00:22:13,480 --> 00:22:18,920 he would protect him through it. So what can we take from this 293 00:22:18,920 --> 00:22:24,960 today, Church? Are you in a place where you 294 00:22:24,960 --> 00:22:33,000 feel like you're going to be judged by the results of your 295 00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:39,560 faithfulness to God? If you're not bringing that 296 00:22:39,560 --> 00:22:45,600 family member, that friend, that coworker, maybe you are loving 297 00:22:45,600 --> 00:22:50,480 them like Jesus would. Maybe you've shared your faith, 298 00:22:50,600 --> 00:22:53,320 your experience, and they're just not coming around. 299 00:22:56,280 --> 00:23:00,160 Are you living in a place today feeling judged by the lack of 300 00:23:00,160 --> 00:23:03,400 outcomes that God has worked out in their life? 301 00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:09,440 That's not the place that we're called to be. 302 00:23:14,320 --> 00:23:18,800 We're called to live our lives in faithfulness to God's will, 303 00:23:20,280 --> 00:23:27,920 and we're called to be judged on the faithfulness of Jesus to 304 00:23:27,920 --> 00:23:35,440 God's will. We will only be judged by the 305 00:23:35,440 --> 00:23:42,360 results of what was done on the cross, not the results of lives 306 00:23:42,360 --> 00:23:50,000 that we changed here on earth. Paul could take heart even when 307 00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:53,200 it seemed things were not going well. 308 00:23:54,280 --> 00:23:58,640 The gospel was not going forth. Lives were not being changed. 309 00:23:58,760 --> 00:24:02,840 But that wasn't the point. The point was for Paul to be 310 00:24:02,840 --> 00:24:05,880 faithful to what God called him to. 311 00:24:10,840 --> 00:24:14,360 And that's what he affirmed. That's what he encouraged is in 312 00:24:14,360 --> 00:24:16,200 Paul. You're doing it. 313 00:24:19,280 --> 00:24:26,800 You know Jesus and you're making him known, and that's what I 314 00:24:26,800 --> 00:24:29,200 have set out for you. So my protection goes before 315 00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:30,280 you. You're going to do the same 316 00:24:30,280 --> 00:24:34,280 thing in Rome. Hear that message today, Church? 317 00:24:37,280 --> 00:24:41,320 You're called to be faithful, to know Jesus and make him known. 318 00:24:41,600 --> 00:24:50,840 Do not bear the weight of lives changed, of affecting someone's 319 00:24:51,000 --> 00:24:53,640 behavior or morality with the gospel. 320 00:24:53,760 --> 00:24:56,880 That's for the Holy Spirit to work out, and I'm not saying it 321 00:24:56,880 --> 00:24:59,120 as a cop out. We absolutely can influence 322 00:24:59,120 --> 00:25:06,160 people, but do not bear the weight of their eternal outcomes 323 00:25:06,320 --> 00:25:12,400 on your own life if you're faithful to love them like Jesus 324 00:25:12,400 --> 00:25:21,120 would to love them. In this example of Paul, that's 325 00:25:21,120 --> 00:25:30,840 what we're called to be of good cheer in if you know Jesus and 326 00:25:30,840 --> 00:25:34,160 your everyday is spent making him known. 327 00:25:39,200 --> 00:25:43,640 That is the crux of the call of the Christian life. 328 00:25:44,680 --> 00:25:50,240 Faithful to his will and let him control the rest. 329 00:25:51,680 --> 00:25:53,880 It's in Christ alone that we have this hope. 330 00:25:54,120 --> 00:25:58,000 It's in Christ alone that the results matter. 331 00:25:59,720 --> 00:26:01,080 But he's the one who finished it. 332 00:26:01,840 --> 00:26:08,440 Let's pray. Thanks for listening to ERC 333 00:26:08,440 --> 00:26:10,880 Sundays. To support the work God is doing 334 00:26:10,880 --> 00:26:12,520 at Emmaus Rd. Church, visit 335 00:26:12,520 --> 00:26:15,480 emmausrdonline.org/giving.