No matter how strange things may seem in life, know that God continues to work all things to His good.
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Acts 23 Summary
Paul appears before the Jewish establishment, having been sent there by the Roman authorities to determine what the root cause of all the chaos is that breaks out around Paul all of the time.
In his testimony, Paul expertly pits the opposing parties within the establishment against each other. These guys had even deeper animosity than what Republicans and Democrats do today. Paul pits the Pharisees against the Sadducees, who denied any sort of spiritual realities or life after death.
Once again chaos ensues, and Paul is once again evacuated by the Romans. After an assassination plot is uncovered, a massive show of Roman imperial force transports Paul to the next higher rung of the Roman government.
All of this to say that the methods God often uses to work out His will - in this case, Paul being brought to testify to the highest levels of the government in Rome - are often stranger than fiction!
Dig Deeper
A few days ago we read about Paul's sermon going "on and on," which bored poor young Eutychus to death. In chapter 23, however, Paul says all that needed to be said in a few words: my hope is in the resurrection of the dead.
Ultimately this is the crux of Christian belief, that there is life after death. The chaos that follows in the Sanhedrin is evidence of the power of these words.
Remember this as you evangelize: long & complicated explanations are not always needed.
Certainly the chaos that broke out and the military evacuation that followed were not the results Paul intended. Not even Paul's witnessing always had 'good results,' at least according to our judgement, but you can confidently know that God will work His purposes out as you testify to His truth just as He did with Paul.
AAA Prayer:
ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: A great and mighty God who can even use a pagan army to save His people.
ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Know that Jesus is standing right alongside of you, telling you to take courage as you seek & do His will.
ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:
