God Knows How To Protect His People And Agenda

[0:00] Welcome, and thank you for joining this message by David Entry at Carish Church. In this season of Great Awakening, may God pour out His Spirit through His Word, refreshing! your heart and awakening you to His will.

[0:16] Acts chapter 23, verse 1 to 11. And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.

[0:33] And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by Him to smite Him on the mouth. Then Paul said unto you, Gosh, I smite thee, thou white-washed wall.

[0:45] Forseetest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smiting contrary to the law? And there that stood by, said, Reviled thou, God's high priest?

[1:00] Then said Paul, I wish not, brethren, that he was the high priest. For it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people. And when Paul perceived that the one part was Sadducees and other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, son of a Pharisee, and of the hope and the resurrection of the dead, I am called in question.

[1:24] And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the multitude was divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angels nor spirit.

[1:38] But the Pharisees confess both. And there arose great cry, and the scribes that were of the Pharisees, Pat arose and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man, but if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him, let us not fight against God.

[1:56] And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing less Paul should have been put in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the castle.

[2:14] And that night, and the night following, the Lord stood by him and said, Be of good cheer, Paul, for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.

[2:30] Here ends the reading of God's word. Please, let's pray. Father, we thank you so much for allowing us to gather together, to share fellowship with one another, express our hearts and our devotion to you, and to hear your word, so we be blessed.

[2:44] We pray that as your word comes, give us listening ears, circumcised ears, and open heart, openness of heart, so we can receive with meekness the engrafted word of God, which is able to save our souls.

[2:57] Thank you that through the delivery of your word, healings will happen. Deliverance will take place. Convictions will happen. Lord, anointings will be dispatched. And our generation will be notified and never be the same again.

[3:12] We thank you in Jesus' name. Amen. Hallelujah. Now, Paul was a Pharisee, and his companions and his association was the Pharisees.

[3:28] and then something happened and he saw that there was this move amongst the Jews, how there are these Jews who are preaching a Jesus he doesn't subscribe to because the kind of Jesus they are preaching was kind of, the message was contrary to the strong practice of Judaism.

[3:52] So, he took it upon himself to afflict them, arrest some of them, punish some of them and bring them to the extent that he traveled beyond Jerusalem and Judea to other parts of the Palestine territory in those days to arrest them whether male or female according to his own words in Acts chapter 22 and Acts chapter 24 to arrest them and bring them to prison and got them to get them punished.

[4:23] then he now had to look for them and find where they are and how was he going to identify them? I saw something in Acts chapter 9 from the admission of Ananias that he knew how to locate those who were part of the Christian fraternity.

[4:47] How was he doing it? Ananias said to Jesus when Jesus appeared to Ananias after Paul's conversion that go to Damascus or the street called Street there is this Paul there and he's seen in a dream that you are praying for him.

[5:05] Let's look at the verse 13 already. Let's take a look. Ananias said Lord I've heard from many about this man how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. Now look at verse 14 and here he has authority from the chief priests to do what?

[5:24] To bind who? To bind who? Who? How did he know the Christians? He identified them by their calling of the name of the Lord.

[5:34] Now that's very important. That's also he will hear them in the rooms, in the house, in their meetings, calling on the name of the Lord. And that's very important. So Ananias said he's been sent to come and bind all those who call on your name.

[5:51] That's how you find them out. So no wonder when Stephen was dying, that was said they stoned Stephen in Acts chapter 7 from verse 59, 60, said, as they stoned Stephen, he was calling, and they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God, saying, Jesus.

[6:11] Did you see how they were calling on the name of the, for whoever, Romans chapter 10, verse 12, it says that, for there's no distinction between Jews and Greek, the same Lord is rich to who?

[6:26] All who call. The early Christians had this practice of calling on the name of the, I've taught this, they had the practice, so in 1 Corinthians chapter 1, to the church which is according to those who are sanctified in Christ, Jesus called to be sin, with all who in every place, so not only in Corinth, I'm not right, this letter is not only for the Corinthians, but it also applies to all Christians everywhere, how does he describe them?

[7:04] All who in every place call on the name of the Lord. Someone gets in, I'm just trying to underscore the point that calling of the name of the Lord was a Christian practice in those days.

[7:17] They will call on his name, they will call on his name, they were always calling on, so 2 Timothy chapter 2, verse 22, 23, 24, 22 says that flee youthful lust, but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace, how?

[7:33] With all those, okay, with those who call, did you see that? who call on the name, that is a statement, that's a Christian, Christians will call on the name of the Lord.

[7:47] So I need you to understand that, because it's very important to what we are dealing with here today, because in our previous session, we saw how Paul felt that he's got his life ambition and opportunity to preach the gospel to the Jews.

[8:06] God, in his own sovereignty, felt that Paul was following this counsel given by James, but that counsel was a compromising counsel for him, and Paul accepted acquiesce, or probably he just followed it, and went into the temple to go through the Nazarite vows, by so doing, as I explained, mixing Judaism with Christianity, but God wanted in his sovereignty to preserve Christianity from Judaism, from Judaistic mixture.

[8:49] Am I communicating? So how did God preserve it? By in his own sovereignty instigating the riot, allowing the riot, so he can save Paul.

[9:04] So he wanted to remove Paul from that situation because, watch this, Paul has seen so much, this is very important to all what is happening in the life of Paul.

[9:16] Paul had seen so much revelation and insight from God concerning his purpose and program for humanity and the church generationally that he didn't give to the Jews.

[9:34] Paul had this unique insight and if Paul was allowed to just keep going the way he was going, moving from temple to temple, compromising, he might compromise what has been given to him and one, number two, he was too, this is the main message for today, Paul was too busy traveling and going around preaching.

[9:56] God had to just lock him up. Why would God lock him up? Because what God has given to you, if you are preaching, how many people can you preach to at a time?

[10:09] Bible says that in Acts chapter 21, I think the verse 20, James told him that thousands of Jews, in thousands, said that they glorified God.

[10:21] He said, you know how many myriads, when you read a different translation, they tell you, how many thousands of Jews have believed? They have believed, though. They have been, watch this, they are, this is serious, thousands have become believers.

[10:37] Thousands, and at the same time, all are zealous for the Lord. How are you combining the two? Thousands of Christians, because they were Jews, their zeal is not for the Lord.

[10:53] God. They have come into the Lord, but their zeal is for the Lord. How many of you understand, we've got a problem on our hands?

[11:06] The church has got a problem on our hands, because what will happen is that after the first century Christians, there's going to be a strong invasion of Judaism culture in the church that it will dampen the purity of the gospel over generations.

[11:24] Now, we are 2,000 years separated from them. By now, we might be coming to church, we'll be doing all kinds of things. So, watch this. However, so there are two problems.

[11:39] That's why God sent him to Jerusalem. He was going because he wanted to send the revelation to the Jews. That's why when he was given opportunity to preach, he was so excited about it.

[11:49] But God sent him to Jerusalem in other to get him into prison. Get him out of traditional prison into the prison of the Lord.

[12:01] That's why in Ephesians chapter 3 verse 1, chapter 4 verse 1, he never referred to himself as the prisoner of Rome. He refers to himself as the prisoner of Jesus.

[12:11] I am in prison for Jesus. Not because I'm preaching, but Jesus Christ is behind it because he needs to get me settled down. So, watch this, he can write these letters that have transformed the church, have preserved the church.

[12:28] So, if he hadn't settled down, eight of the letters Paul wrote, which were very deep in Christocentric theology, revelation of God's agenda, what this whole church is about, what God's plan has been from Adam, was revealed through the letters Paul wrote after he was put in prison.

[12:50] And I want you to understand that from the time the commotion arose or the riot rose up against him, he was never free again.

[13:00] So, actually, he went to see James and James organized his prison journey inside. Yeah. After seeing James, the next thing, he went to the temple.

[13:14] In the temple, riot arose, he was arrested, and that was all. For the next four years, Paul never had his freedom. But guess what?

[13:25] He had to sit down, and that's when he penned Ephesians. He penned Philippians. He penned Colossians. He penned Hebrews. First Timothy, second Timothy, Titus.

[13:37] These are heavy, strong books that have become a blessing to Christianity. If he was preaching, he would have preached for only a few. And you know, Paul was a missionary. He was always traveling.

[13:49] God said, now I need you to settle, because I need you to penn something. So that is God's eternal agenda. Let's see how God went about it, by getting Paul to settle in prison.

[14:02] So you know, when Paul was in prison, he wasn't going wrong. He was only in one place. What would you be doing? All the revelation that was given him, he was pouring it out. Pouring it out. And today, we have the Paul in epistles, the greatest blessing in Christianity.

[14:17] Hallelujah. Now, with that in mind, let's look at the text again. So it says that, and Paul, endlessly beholding the counsel, because when you look at the previous one, let's look at the previous one, so we can read into it.

[14:32] Chapter 22, verse 26. Now, this is very important.

[15:03] When Paul went to Jerusalem, he went to see James and the team. From there, he went into the temple, and when the riot started, he got a chance to preach to the Jews, thousands of them.

[15:15] Hello. That was his life mission. After preaching to the Jews, they heard a word, Gentiles. They said, how dare you mention Gentiles preaching to us?

[15:25] That's politically incorrect. So rather, after preaching, the riot escalated. the soldiers had to take him aside, and they decided to beat him because the soldiers didn't understand the Hebrew, and they don't know what Paul had done.

[15:43] So they felt, let's scourge him and force this confession out of him. Then Paul, after they tied him, they bound him, ready to scourge him, he said, is it lawful for you to beat a Roman who has been?

[15:55] Obviously. the guy was afraid, went and told the commander, the commander said, wow, I purchased my citizenship. Paul said, I didn't purchase mine. I was born, now, can you imagine, a Jew who was born Roman, those times, to have Roman citizenship was rare, and there were not too many Roman citizens.

[16:12] So to have some, how did a Jew get Roman citizenship? He was born one, he didn't attain, he was born. That means that his parents, his mom and dad, must have done something remarkable for the Roman government, and they were awarded citizenship.

[16:24] So for that matter, Paul was born a citizen. He didn't become, he was born a citizen. That's very important fact to know. So Paul came from a family of Roman citizens.

[16:35] Does that make sense? So the man was so worried, the commander became even worried more, verse 29, because he had, the NIV, let's use the NIV, because he realized that he had put Paul, a Roman citizen, in chains, let alone to whip him.

[16:51] If you attack a Roman, two things about Roman citizenship. One, if you claim to be a Roman citizen, and you are found to be false, you'll be executed. So Paul could not even, you can't just get a citizen, no.

[17:04] If you say that and you are found to be false, the punishment is not anything near what you could have ever imagined. Number two, to be a Roman citizen means that you have extreme privileges.

[17:19] You have certain civil rights which others didn't have. You cannot be beaten, you cannot be punished without going through due lawful process. And anyone who puts you through that have their lives at stake.

[17:35] So that is why this commander who has eventually bought his citizenship realized that he has flouted the citizenship rules. So that was a very serious situation.

[17:46] So he was so worried that he has put him in chains. Then the verse 30 says that the next day, since the commander wanted to find out exactly why Paul was being accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the Sahindrin, Sahindrin, a team of 70 people making an authority, Sahindrin, all the chief priests and Sahindrin to assemble.

[18:11] Watch this. Then he brought Paul and had him to stand before them. First of all, you know, Paul was always looking for opportunity to speak. So the first of all, he had the opportunity to preach to the Jews.

[18:26] Now he's been upgraded. He's going to speak to parliament. Yeah, that was the Jewish parliament. The parliament, house of laws.

[18:39] So to Paul, that's what he lived for. That's why he came to Jerusalem because there was a big problem in Jerusalem and they didn't understand. Even when Jesus told him to leave town, he told Jesus, they know my story.

[18:52] Let me preach to them. He said, no, they won't receive your story. Go to the Gentiles. So Paul now had got opportunity to speak to the house of laws or the parliament of the Jews.

[19:05] Very good one. So then, guess what? He stood there and he said to them, see how he addressed them. He didn't say, your honor, your Lord. He said, men and brethren. He said, men and brethren.

[19:19] Okay, how did the NIV put it? He said, brothers. Bro. Bro. These are the leaders of your community. You should use the appropriate phraseology to address them.

[19:34] But you know why? Because he was one of them. Paul was a Pharisee. He was one of them. And they knew him. Even though he's traveled, this is over 20 years now.

[19:46] So he knew someone. He wasn't afraid of them. And he had to address the guys. Listen, I was part of you now. I believe you could have it, you so boy.

[19:58] He said, men and brethren, brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience. that is a serious problem.

[20:10] Because there was Ananias, the most hated high priest ever. His name is Ananias and he was part of the team. Yes. Why was he hated?

[20:22] Some even believe that he wasn't the high priest. He bought it from the Romans by undermining the original high priest for him to be killed or executed or getting rid of. So he was money hungry.

[20:35] You can't give him money. He was dodgy. He was fake. He was very political. He wasn't godly. In fact, he had the reputation of being very dirty.

[20:47] Everybody knew him, but he couldn't be bothered. He had a very bad reputation among the people. To the extent that this extra biblical information from some Jewish historians, Josephus or Tacitus, to the extent that in 66 or 60 AD, when there was a great revolt by the Jews, they rose against the Romans and drove them out of town.

[21:13] So there was a great revolt. The Jewish revolt against the Romans is in 60 AD. So when that happened, when they fought against the Romans and drove the Romans out, guess what?

[21:28] One of the first people they got was this high priest and the Jews slaughtered him. That was how bad he was. He was a very wicked guy. But he was in bed with the Romans and very dodgy.

[21:40] And you see, dodgy means if he doesn't like you, he'll get you killed or assassinated. Now, this was the leader of this hindrance. Then Paul stands there and he said, guys, I've saved God.

[21:53] How did he say? I have lived in all, what? Good conscience. Everybody say good conscience. Good conscience. good conscience before God until, what does he mean?

[22:06] Listen to what he didn't say. He didn't say he was perfect. He said good conscience. But before you go on to the conscience matter, look at the next verse. That statement provoked something from that dodgy man.

[22:17] Then the high priest commanded commanded those who stood by him to strike him in the mouth. You're coming to talk about conscience before me. Because that thing was going too close to him.

[22:31] Everybody knew him. Then he stands there knowingly or unknowingly, we're going to that. And he said, listen, I've saved God all my life with all good conscience. You remember in Philippians chapter 3, he said, when it comes to the law, verse 3, blameless.

[22:47] I'm a Pharisee among Pharisees or Hebrew of Hebrews. When it comes to the circumcised on the 80s of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews concerning the law, a Pharisee.

[22:59] Look at the next verse. Concerning zeal, persecuting, concerning righteousness and wishes of the world. I was blameless. He was a very genuine guy. Not like some of the guys sitting in front of him.

[23:12] And they knew his credentials. So, Paul now talked about conscience. Paul had this interesting approach to conscience. He made reference, so long as scripture is concerned, in the scriptures, Paul made reference to conscience about 26 times.

[23:29] Conscience, conscience, about 26 times. Two of them were in the book of Acts when he was defending himself. So, the first place is this one, Acts 23, verse 1, where he says that I've served God with good conscience.

[23:43] until this day. And then the next verse, Acts 24, when he stood before Governor Felix to defend himself, verse 16, he says that, and this being so, I myself always strive to have a good conscience without offense towards God and men.

[23:59] Not only God. Don't say that's for me, God know my heart. Offense towards God and men. This is two times he used in his defense. but in his epistles, he made reference to conscience 24 times.

[24:14] Paul was a man of conscience. Now, conscience, when we talk about conscience, it's very important because sometimes, you know, God allows our conscience to guide us.

[24:25] It's like an internal guidance system. So, even when you don't have God, God created human beings and put conscience in their spirits. so that whether you have God or you don't have God, there is some alarm system inside you.

[24:41] There is some guidance system inside you that tells you, guide, this thing, you can't be, no one has to be watching you. You know you have that what you are saying is wrong or what you are doing is not good. That's why I've seen people who say it doesn't matter, you can't do some things.

[24:56] So, it's important that God puts conscience! And I want to explain something to you, it might be of interest. When man was in the garden, the rule, that governed man's behavior was God himself when God created man.

[25:11] So, God himself was the rule. And then man fell because he disobeyed God. He fell. And God, in Genesis chapter 3 verse 26 or so, God drove them out of the garden.

[25:23] Can you imagine? In Genesis chapter 3 verse 23, therefore the Lord God sent man out of the garden of Eden to till the ground. So, now it's almost like they are now outside of God's presence.

[25:33] what's going to guide them? Determine their behavior, their boundaries? Conscience. So, now, the next thing God allowed to govern man was conscience. Everybody say conscience.

[25:44] Conscience. I know some, we understand what I'm talking about. Conscience. So, then, God gave man the conscience, but man fell further. In Genesis chapter 6 verse 5, then wickedness rose to another level.

[25:58] The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and every intent of the thought of his heart was only evil continually. Man has even vandalized conscience.

[26:10] What? So, God had to find a way of wipe out man because now conscience cannot even guide man anymore. Then God calls Abraham and gave Abraham a promise according to Galatians chapter 3 verse 8 that in you a seed is coming.

[26:28] So, God gave Abraham the promise that inside you all the nations will bless Genesis chapter 12 verse 3. Now, between the time God gave Abraham the promise to the fulfillment of that promise that coming of Christ to Asia in the New Testament era, God gave man law.

[26:50] So, the law was to guide man. The law was given to be their guide. So, when you break the law, you know you've gone wrong because conscience is no more working.

[27:02] Do you understand what I'm saying? And Bible says that the law rather, when the law came, sin increased. Romans chapter 5 verse 20, Romans 3 20, sin increased. And so, the law too, kind of, was not working for man.

[27:16] So, for anyone, watch this, even Paul, when he was under the law, he was able to allow his conscience, before he came to God or Christ, his conscience was even working.

[27:31] So, that means that he was even closer to God. Because when your conscience starts kicking in, that means you are getting closer to God. That makes sense. And you've gone because how about if I'm doing something and my conscience is clear, I have a good conscience, does that mean it's right?

[27:49] No. When you are doing something against your conscience, it is wrong. Martin Luther said to act against conscience is not safe and it's not right.

[27:59] He said my conscience, Martin Luther, the great reformer, said my conscience has held me captive. You are telling me to say things and do things that I can't do. My conscience has held me. I don't want to disobey the Pope.

[28:10] I don't want to disobey the church authorities, but my conscience has held me captive and what I've written, I can't say is wrong. So, to act against conscience is wrong.

[28:24] For instance, if there is something that you didn't know, now you know you are not supposed to do it, and you do it, it's wrong. Previously, when you didn't know, it's different. So, to act against conscience is wrong.

[28:36] Okay, now that brings the question, what if my conscience is clean and I'm doing it and even though what I'm doing is against the law of God, does it make it right?

[28:46] because my conscience is right? No. Going against the law of God is going against the law of God. However, because there are times where the Bible calls something seared conscience.

[29:01] You can keep doing the wrong for a long time, now it doesn't feel wrong anymore. One of the things I learned attempting to play bass guitar is you have seared fingers.

[29:13] So, you don't even feel the pain. first it starts with blisters. Then after you keep going, the blisters now become seared. Like some of us are, palm is seared because you've been using your palm a lot.

[29:28] When you look at birds and hawks, their palm is very hard. Those of you have been eating chicken feet. You can't tell.

[29:40] So, that's what conscience does. Conscience. Conscience. You keep gossiping and gossiping, now it's normal.

[29:52] A Christian, the first time a Christian fornicates, he can't sleep. How many of you know what I'm talking about? You don't know? You don't know? You mean you don't know?

[30:06] The first time, he can't sleep. The second time, he can't sleep, but it's not as bad as the previous. The third time, you have a half night.

[30:19] But the time he goes to the sixth time, he sleeps, he stretches, he sleeps and wakes up and dreams about having more. It gets to a time the conscience becomes seeing.

[30:33] The way, the first time you got born again, you went back to some unhealthy environment. You felt very uncomfortable. So that's what the conscience, and some of us, God will be talking to you, don't do this, do this, obey.

[30:47] The way you've been talking to your wife, sometimes you can't talk to your wife, you can't talk to your husband, you can't talk to your daughter, you can't talk to your friend, you can't talk to your leader in a way that your heart breaks you. Your conscience tells you, you can't do that.

[31:00] And then, you have to follow your conscience. So God, if you watch conscience, because a conscience is like an alarm system God has put in us.

[31:15] Every human being is trappata, you are a spirit, you have a soul, you live in a body. In your body, you have world consciousness. So without a body, you can't live in this world. In your body, you have world consciousness.

[31:27] In your soul, you have self-consciousness. You are well of yourself, the way you feel, and all that is in your soul. In your spirit, you have God consciousness. So where is your conscience?

[31:39] Is it in your body? Is it in your soul? Is it in your conscience? It's part of your spirit. So it's in your spirit. That is why watch this. In Romans chapter 8 verse 16, the Bible says that the spirit bears witness with our spirit.

[32:01] What does the spirit bear witness with? So the Holy Spirit is working with our spirit, bears witness with our spirit. spirit. But Romans chapter 9 verse 1, Paul said, my conscience also bears witness.

[32:16] The witness is usually in the spirit. But it says, my conscience bears witness in the Holy Spirit. So the Holy Spirit is using my conscience in my spirit to guide me.

[32:28] That means your conscience is part of your spirit. The more you are born again, the more your conscience is sanctified. the blood of Jesus is able to purge us from evil conscience according to Hebrews, to serve the Lord.

[32:42] The blood of Jesus is able to purge us, cleanse us from an evil conscience. Hebrews chapter 9, verse 14, somewhere there. The blood of Jesus. So your conscience is important.

[32:53] Good conscience is necessary. Paul, as we read it, Acts chapter 24, verse 16, he said, I strive to have a conscience without offense towards God and towards men.

[33:04] 2 Corinthians chapter 1, verse 12. For our boasting is this, the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the, so it's not just what you are saying.

[33:17] We have a witness out, we have a testimony of our conscience. Christianity, don't, Christian brother, Christian sister, obey, listen to your conscience.

[33:29] The Spirit of God will speak to you through your conscience. Don't say, where I live is okay, everybody's fine. No, what is your conscience saying? Don't say, I'm waiting for the Holy Spirit to talk to me, your conscience will be talking to you.

[33:44] The conscience. So in 2 Timothy chapter 1, verse 3, look at 2 Timothy chapter 1, verse 3, it said, I thank God whom I serve with, come on, let's read it from the screen, let's go.

[33:59] I can't hear you one more time. For the last time, louder. How do you serve God? With a pure conscience.

[34:12] With a pure conscience. In 1 Timothy chapter 3, verse 9, it makes reference to good conscience, pure conscience, holding the mystery of faith in a pure conscience.

[34:25] Pure, that means your conscience can be contaminated. created. Based on your exposure, your practices, and your association. Your exposure, your practices, and your association can pollute your conscience.

[34:38] I serve God with a pure conscience. I serve God with a pure conscience. Hebrews chapter 13, verse 18. Hebrews chapter 13, verse 18 says, pray for us, for we are confident that we have a good, we have a good conscience.

[35:00] First Timothy chapter 1, verse 5, and then verse 19. First Timothy chapter 1, verse 5, conscience. You don't need a pastor to be there. Your conscience is there.

[35:12] Your conscience. A pastor can, sometimes we believers get so busy with how others are behaving, you want to check whether they are, are they faithful tiders? Are they, the way they are courting, you know, when we are courting, are they doing it clean?

[35:26] What has that got to do with you? What has somebody's pursuit of God got to do with you? Why don't you just concentrate? Mind your own business.

[35:40] Unless, of course, you are a discipler, and you are interested in, even if they don't tell you, leave them. It's between them and God. Conscience! Church carries! Let's serve God with a good, let's stop this, fakely.

[35:52] somebody was standing before the high priest, he said, I serve God with a good conscience. The high priest took it personal. He took it personal.

[36:04] And he broke the law by telling, can you imagine you go to court, and the judge is sitting there, and then he said, I don't, no one can accuse me that I'm a thief. The judge said, what do you mean?

[36:14] So just use the gun to slap his head. That's unlawful. But the guy took it so personal, because we all can tell he didn't have a good conscience.

[36:26] Sometimes when pastor is preaching, you are scratching the floor with your leg, my goodness, he doesn't know anything. It's your conscience that knows it. Listen, what you think I know, I don't know.

[36:38] but most of the things that I will say when I'm preaching, if I have prayed, and I love God, I don't know, but your conscience, so sometimes don't wait for preaching.

[36:54] Obey the conscience. First Timothy 1, 5, have you read that one? Let's all read it. Let's go. The purpose of the commandment is love from a pure and from a good conscience.

[37:17] Good conscience. From a good conscience. Look at verse 19. That's a serious one.

[37:28] Look at verse 19. Having faith and good conscience. which some have been rejected concerning faith has made a shipwreck. That's why they left church. That's why they started backsliding.

[37:39] They started going back to the things they stopped because they didn't value good conscience and holding faith together. I have faith, but how about your conscience? You have faith to get married, but how about your conscience?

[37:53] You have faith to get a job, but how about your conscience? Forging so many things, lying about so many things, doing, dodgy things, you have faith to buy a house, but how about your conscience?

[38:08] Having faith and a good conscience. First Peter, let me add one more, first Peter chapter 3 verse 16, first Peter chapter 3 verse 16, having a good conscience that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile you, your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed, but have a good conscience, have a good conscience.

[38:29] you're a leader in church, the way you are doing it, you know, you've done it in such a way that you can't have an excuse. Oh, it's because, it's because, you know, I was very tired, I'm writing an exam.

[38:42] Meanwhile, it's not the exam, you're just not interested, you just don't care, I have job, I have work, you didn't have work, you didn't have work, just that you had a bad conscience, because you didn't respect your conscience, praise the Lord.

[39:00] Can you imagine if pastors can respect our conscience, it will help the church a lot. It should start with pastors, then it goes to church leaders, then it goes to, sometimes you can lie, when you are political, you can lie a lot.

[39:17] You haven't read your Bible, and you are telling people, today when I was reading my Bible, you are, please, I'm not conscious. If you like, let's ask those who have been able to read their Bible today.

[39:31] Some people raise their because they are leaders, they don't want people to think they are not reading, but you don't have a good conscience, pastor, leader, deacon, someone shout, good conscience.

[39:46] Can I ask 2nd Corinthians chapter 1 verse 12, that's a nice one. Our busting is this, the testimony of our conscience, yeah, that we conducted ourselves in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God and more abundantly towards you.

[40:02] That's our testimony with good conscience, our testimony, the testimony of our conscience, this is what we boast in, the testimony of our conscience.

[40:13] So Paul, when he stood before this team of Pharisees, Sahindra, he said, with a good, I've served God, and I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.

[40:28] I'm not doing anything dodgy. I don't deserve to be beaten. I'm not doing anything dodgy. Then the high priest took it personally. Slap the guy's mouth. And then Paul turns on the high priest, I think they slapped him.

[40:42] And when he lost control, he said, now, watch this, the Greek word translated slap. Verse 2, please. Let's put it on by verse 2.

[40:52] The high priest commanded those who stood by to strike him. That Greek word is the same Greek word that was used in chapter 21 when they picked up on Paul and they wanted to tear him into pieces.

[41:04] When they were assaulting Paul. It's the same Greek word that was used in chapter 21, verse 32. He immediately took soldiers and centurions and ran to them.

[41:20] And when they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating him, striking him. So Paul has already seen some bear beating him. And that's the same word that was translated in Matthew 27, verse 30, about Jesus.

[41:36] Matthew 27, verse 30, Jesus Christ. And they spat on him and took the wreath and struck him on the head. That same word. So that is a Greek word. So it's like, it's not just beating him.

[41:47] It's not just strike. It's like, make sure this guy is heavily assaulted. So if you're holding guns, years ago when there is coup d'etat in places like where they have this AK-47, they'll turn the back to slap you with the gun.

[42:01] You'll be unconscious. That kind of beating can render you unconscious. That's what the high priest said. Do it to him. And this. They did that to Jesus. They did that to 23.

[42:16] See, he said, let's go to verse 22. Look at verse 22. And when he had said these things, one of the officers who stood by that same way, struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, do you answer the high priest like this?

[42:33] Struck Jesus. You see, Paul's trial was similar to Jesus' trial in a certain sense. But Jesus was not quick to talk back. But Paul was wrong.

[42:44] You see, that's the difference between Jesus and Paul. Paul, the one who has done everything good conscience, when they slapped him, he spoke back. He spoke back. He spoke back harshly.

[42:56] Listen, see the difference. And when Paul, verse 3 says that, Paul said to him, God will strike you. You white wash wall. You sit to judge me according to the law and you command me to be struck contrary to the law.

[43:13] Paul, look at verse 5, Paul admitted I was wrong for talking like that. Paul said, I did not know, brethren, that he was a high priest, for it is written, you shall not speak evil of the ruler of your people.

[43:31] can you identify with that? Your leader, your departmental leader, you have been in church longer than him, but this is the leader, your choir leader, whatever leader.

[43:43] And then sometimes the way you address him, you address her, the way your attitude towards her, you don't even respect the leader, because you feel better than her. Bible says that don't speak evil of your leader.

[43:54] Respect if you don't respect the person, for goodness they respect the position. we Christians are not permitted by scripture to disrespect people because of their position.

[44:05] Those who go and sit online and attack leaders, they are not behaving Christianly. For goodness sake, may they listen to their conscience. Don't gang up and lambast, speak evil of your leader, speak evil of your leader.

[44:21] Paul said, I'm wrong for doing that, because they slapped him, so it's understandable. He lost control and then he started because he reflects action. But when they slapped Jesus, Jesus, he just asked, why do you slap me?

[44:37] Jesus spoke, Luke chapter 18 verse 23, Jesus answered, if I spoke evil, bear witness of the evil, but if well, why do you strike me? So Paul said, God will strike you, and they told Paul, hey, how dare you speak?

[44:56] Those who stood by said, do you revile God's high priest? So when he knew that it was God's high priest, he said, I'm wrong. He admitted it's wrongdoing. He said, I'm wrong. You revile God's high priest, even though the man is dodgy.

[45:09] But now, he said, I'm wrong. But what followed is what raises eyebrows. Then Paul said, I did not know, verse five, please. I did not know, brethren, that he is the high priest.

[45:20] Excuse me. He did not get it interesting. He said, you did not know that he is. You mean, you did not know?

[45:31] Okay, was Paul lying? That would be unconscionable, isn't it? Was Paul lying? So theologians have been discussing and have different various reasons why Paul didn't know.

[45:45] One reason why Paul addressed the guy. You want to know the reasons? Number one reason is that he has been out of town so long.

[45:57] Because it was almost like a kangaroo court. It was assembled. So the man came without proper regalia. So he was with everybody. So he didn't know because he wasn't living in town. He didn't really know that was the high priest.

[46:10] I touched one of the high he didn't know that was the high priest. He was out of town for so long. And possibly because he wasn't the actual high priest. He was a fake one who managed to work himself through the Romans authority.

[46:27] So that's one explanation. The second explanation is that Paul was suffering myopia or a certain eye problem. Don't forget he used to be a blind man.

[46:48] So he couldn't see anything in spectacles. He should have gone to space service. Listen it was believed that Paul couldn't see them clearly.

[47:04] So probably even if the man was in a regular he wouldn't notice even if he knew he didn't because he had eye problems. It was believed that. anytime Paul himself said you know when I'm writing I write with large letters.

[47:17] Galatians 6 11 I'm sorry about that. See what large letters are written to you with my own hands. Because of his eyesight you know those who squint do you understand that?

[47:29] So it's believed that with this not only this he told the Galatian church Galatians chapter 4 very serious point there from verse 13 to 15 he said you know because watch this he said you know that because of my physical infirmity I preached let's use NIV so it's a bit light as you know it was because of my illness that I first preached the gospel to you he preached because I think it wasn't well so he stayed there for a long time even though my illness was a trial to you you did not treat me with contempt or scorn that means the illness could be noticed instead you welcomed me as if it were an angel of God as if I were Christ himself now look at the next verse what has happened to all your joy I can testify that if you could have done so you would have torn out your eyes and give it to me because they could see

[48:30] I think the eye was very funny so they loved him so much they were willing to give him that's how much they loved it's okay to love your preacher they loved him so much they felt for him pour your eyes I will give my own to you so with some of these points and remember he said that I was giving a thorn in my flesh some theologians believe that 2nd Corinthians chapter 12 verse 7 8 9 when he said the thorn in my flesh he meant this problem that he was living with so theologians believe he lived with some physical infirmity and he wasn't healed he asked God to heal me but where did the eye problem come from when it's likely the ultraviolet lights that hit his eye even though he recovered theologians believe that later on later on the whole thing and there is actually a medical terminology for this if you charge

[49:31] GPT pause eye it will tell you so the second reason was that possibly he couldn't see because of his eye problem now I have to finish now the third reason so you have to make up your choice which one you want to go with the third reason is this polluted immoral priest he was trying to be sarcastic trying to be sarcastic that I've been living with a good conscience so he knew he was a high priest he wanted to spite!

[50:06] him because he was a dodgy high person he didn't have a clear conscience! I want to stick with the you want the last one I will stick with the eye problem and so then Paul said I didn't know you were the high priest and he said I'm wrong for doing that and then when he realized that there were Pharisees and Sadducees Pharisees believe in the spirit they believe in anointing they believe in receive it they believe in falling under the power Pharisees believe in supernatural everything they believe in prayer!

[50:48] the Sadducees didn't believe in resurrection they didn't believe in angels they didn't believe in spirits they are just political people so Paul knowing that the Pharisees they don't agree but for his sake they've come together as one he just released the fact that I'm a Pharisee not just a Pharisee the son of a Pharisee and he said I stand here being accused Concerning the hope and the resurrection of the dead I'm the Bible says there was a great division among them so he knew their problem and he put fire in it there was a great division among them because Sadducees don't believe in resurrection Pharisees but Paul was right he believed in the resurrection the Christian message is the resurrection so he said why don't I use my message so he released the resurrection message!

[51:44] and he brought division among them and look at what the Pharisees were saying the Pharisees says that we don't see arose verse 9 says that and there arose a loud outcry and the scribes and the Pharisees party arose and protested saying we find no evil in this man simply because I'm a Pharisee but if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him let's not fight against God and so they began the argument that dissension was so strong that arose great dissension the commander fearing less Paul be pulled to pieces by them commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them and bring him back into the barracks because he's a Roman citizen we have to protect him so that's how watch this God delivered Paul his mission from contamination by allowing the uproar of the

[52:52] Jews for Paul to be removed from the temple now he delivered Paul's life from harm and danger because Paul had to live he's protecting God is in charge that's the message today in spite of all that you're going through God is in charge it's not an accident you know if you can obey God follow your conscience trust God do it right God knows how to take care of here God knows how to make sure his counsel will stand God knows how to protect charis God knows how to make sure the revival will spread everywhere God knows we have to be faithful look at all what was going on how did God use these soldiers to give Paul security they became Paul's security guard because Paul has to live look at the next verse and that's where I finish look at verse 11 that night the following night the Lord stood by Paul and said don't be discouraged

[53:54] God God God said God said don't be discouraged look at his message be of good share Paul for as you have testified for me in Jerusalem so you also must bear witness at Rome huh am I going to Rome yes I purposely brought you to Jerusalem now Rome is the next destination so God had to find every means to protect Paul you hear the story as we continue that about 40 men decided they would never eat again until they have killed Paul yes so they went to the high priest tell the captain commander to bring Paul so you can ask him one or two questions and when he is coming we have made a vow we are lying wait because the Jews were good at that they are like insurgents they were doing that to the Romans so now 40 of them assassins they want to assassinate him tell him you are coming they were ready and sometimes it was said that you see an assassin is carrying a dagger in town and then you see a Roman soldier or Roman official and then assault kill the person and run away so now 40 of them there's no chance

[55:08] Paul cannot escape tell him to bring so guess what this is the first time we heard about Saul or Paul's nephew we never heard about Paul's family Paul's sister's son happened to be there when they were doing that meeting how did he hear it the sovereignty of God Paul's family were in Tarsus what is he doing in Jerusalem they should be Tarsus how come they are in Jerusalem maybe he also has come to study like Paul did because the family bring them so he had them planning to kill Paul he went to Paul and told him this was about 40 of them they plan to assassinate you and so Paul said you see because he was a Roman citizen watch this he wasn't necessarily in prison he was under protective custody so they could allow visitors to come and talk to him and that boy is also Roman he could just walk to go to Paul so he came to talk to him and

[56:09] Paul said call the soldier take him to the commander you have to obey the Roman citizen they were using the Roman citizen shifting take him to the commander they took the! boy to the!

[56:19] I have something to tell you so as soon as he said 9 p.m.

[56:32] the commander called for 470 well heavenly armed soldiers to escort Paul from there to Caesarea to take him out of town God has an eye on God God God because Paul must get to Rome and he was kept in prison for two years or he was allowed to stay in custody for two years in Caesarea two years what was he doing at that time he was meditating he was in Romano but he could hear more from God and he was writing he was writing he was writing he was writing because God said Paul it's time for me to settle you you need peace and tranquility so you can pour out for the generations coming the message of my assignment for God knows how to protect the your life don't be afraid don't be worried God knows how to protect you he can help you stop worrying about your children the

[57:37] God who took care of your father and took care of your children the God who took care of your parents the same God take care of you and he will take care of your children God will take care of the assignments he has given you God will protect his agenda God will protect his interests his suffering see how he pulled Paul from the temple then he pulled him from the danger the people would have told him about and then the interesting thing is he escorted Paul to Caesarea with the best soldiers 470 200 footmen 200 men with sword and 70 horsemen in only one man and it believed he was on a donkey they put him on the donkey and the soldiers for 65 miles first set took him 45 miles left him there about 38 miles to

[58:39] Antipatris they took him to Antipatris and then some of the soldiers left and the rest that's it so from Jerusalem all the way to Antipatris and then from Antipatris the next because these are mountainous areas and bandits and wicked men can be hiding so he did horsemen and men with spears navy seals the top army officers to protect one soul why because he was God's precious commodity!

[59:12] God will protect you God will take care of you I don't know what you are going! but I! came to! side to somebody that the God who knows how to preserve his people the God who knows how to keep his agenda he will keep you he will protect you he will see to it that it is well with you and his agenda in your life will be fulfilled if you believe in shout yes Lord did you receive something give Jesus praise give Jesus praise thank we're so glad you joined us for this message by David Entry we pray the word has inspired and strengthened you you can connect with David Entry on Instagram LinkedIn and other social platforms and you can listen to more messages on all major streaming platforms and the Carish Church app remember to like share and spread the blessing that that